After Singapore became an independent nation on 9 August 1965, a Naval Volunteer Force was established in January 1966 to take charge of the defence of the country’s waters. This force was subsequently split into the volunteer People’s Defence Force (Sea) and the Sea Defence Command in 1968 before being renamed the Singapore Maritime Command later that year. The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) was established in April 1975 following the restructuring of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) into three separate services, namely: the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF); the SAF and the RSN. While the RSAF and SAF handled air and land defence respectively, the RSN was tasked with the defence of Singapore’s territorial waters and sea lanes. The RSN has expanded and upgraded its fleet over the years to remain a credible naval force in the region.
