RSN launches 2nd Multi-Role Combat Vessel

A key moment that influenced his decision to follow in his father’s footsteps was the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.

His father, then the Chief Naval Medical Officer, was called up to lead the Navy’s deployment of medical support to disaster victims in Meulaboh, Indonesia.

LTC Low, then only 15, witnessed his father's rapid response and dedication to duty in action. Driven by the desire to emulate his leadership, he signed on with the Singapore Armed Forces.

Today, as the Commanding Officer (CO) of the newly launched Victory-class Multi-Role Combat Vessel (MRCV) Valour, the 37-year-old is seeing his journey come full circle.

“I felt that the Navy must have done something to shape him (my father) into the person that he was, and therefore I wanted to give it a shot myself,” he said.

“It is a proud moment to be able to continue this tradition of serving.”

A paradigm shift in naval defence

MRCV Valour, the second of the RSN’s Victory-class MRCVs, was launched today at ST Engineering's Benoi Shipyard.

The launch ceremony was officiated by Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Shanmugam underscored the strategic necessity of the new vessels in an increasingly uncertain global security landscape.

“The future security environment continues to evolve. We will not be able to predict every challenge that we will face. But we can build platforms that can adapt and respond to a wide range of scenarios and evolve alongside those challenges,” he said.

The launch of the MRCVs marks the next step in the RSN's fleet modernisation efforts.

Jointly developed by the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), DSO, ST Engineering and international partners, the locally built vessels will progressively replace the Victory-class Missile Corvettes (MCVs), which have served the RSN for over 30 years.

Future-ready mothership

Measuring 150m long and with a displacement of about 8,000 tonnes, the MRCV is the RSN’s largest and most complex warship.

Designed to function as a mothership, it will seamlessly deploy and control a range of unmanned aerial, surface, and underwater systems.

Despite its massive size, advanced automation allows the ship to operate safely with a lean crew of fewer than 100 personnel.

It also boasts an operational range of more than 7,000 nautical miles and an endurance of over 21 days, allowing for longer sustained deployments at sea.

“The MRCV was designed with future-proofing and flexibility as the top line,” said Deputy Director of the MRCV Project Office LTC Auyong Kok Phai, highlighting the ship’s ability to accommodate new technologies and future systems.

LTC Auyong, 46, has been deeply involved in the ship's design since the project's inception in 2020.

This includes an 18-month deployment to Sweden, where he worked closely with Swedish and Danish designers on the ship's basic design.

Subsequently, the RSN worked with ST Engineering on the ship’s detailed design, with the latter seeing to the assembly of the ship in Singapore.

Foo Ce Yang, DSTA’s Senior Project Manager for the MRCVs, 41, added: “The Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP) gives us significantly more flexibility than a conventional vessel.

“With a larger pool of high-voltage generators, electrical power can be dynamically allocated between propulsion and mission modules, ensuring the ship remains future-proof.”

Charting a new course

Following its launch, MRCV Valour will undergo outfitting, platform and combat systems integration, and acceptance trials. The vessels will be delivered progressively from 2028 onwards.

Concurrently, the pioneer MRCV crew will begin training to prepare for the operationalisation of the ship in the coming years, LTC Low explained.

“We will be developing the operational processes and training procedures that will set the standard for generations of MRCV sailors to come.”

He looks forward to being part of the crew carrying on the illustrious name and history of Victory-class vessels: “Generations of Navy sailors have always shown that pioneering spirit of wanting to push boundaries and pursue opportunities.

“Whether it was setting up the MCV 30 years ago, or operationalising the MRCVs today, that spirit remains the same. I am proud to continue this legacy.”