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The first Type 218 SG submarine for the Republic of Singapore has been christened the Invincible at the thyssenkrupp Marine Systems shipyard in Kiel. Once the construction and equipment is complete, the Invincible will undergo extensive testing before being handed over in 2021.

The Invincible is the first in a series of four Type 218SG boats. The contract for the first two submarines was signed in 2013 and the contract for the second lot in 2017. The order volume is estimated at around three billion euros. After handing over the Invincible in 2021, the second submarine is scheduled for delivery in 2022. Boats three and four are to follow from 2024.

The Type 218SG is a further development of the Type 212A, of which Germany has eight units in service, Italy six and Norway two units in service, ordered or planned. The submarine is approximately 70 meters long and has a displacement of approximately 2,000 tons, making it significantly larger than the Type 212A. A special feature is an air-independent propulsion system (Air-Independent Propulsion, or AIP) consisting of an electric motor, a diesel generator, a fuel cell generator and a battery. The AIP enables uninterrupted, submerged operation of the submarine for several weeks.

The boats are designed with a low signature and feature numerous tailor-made solutions and new technologies. This includes a new command and weapon control system developed by ST Electronics (Singapore) and ATLAS ELEKTRONIK to meet the requirements of the Singapore Navy.

Before the christening of the Republic of Singapore's first Invincible-class submarine, Singapore's Defense Science and Technology Agency and thyssenkrupp Marine Systems signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Kiel to cooperate on new technologies such as additive manufacturing and data analysis for marine applications. The partners will collaborate on the design, engineering and upgrading of components made using Additive Manufacturing. These can be tested on Republic of Singapore submarines over the course of the project.

Gerhard Heiming

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