Changi Naval Base
RSS Singapura – Changi Naval Base
Changi
Near Changi Bay in Singapore
Singapore and United States warships at Changi Naval Base in 2015
Singapore and the United States warships at Changi Naval Base in 2015
Changi Naval Base is located in Singapore
Changi Naval Base
Changi Naval Base
Coordinates1°19′16″N 104°01′33″E / 1.32111°N 104.02583°E / 1.32111; 104.02583
TypeNaval base
Area86 ha (0.86 km2)
Site information
Owner Republic of Singapore Navy
 United States Navy
OperatorRepublic of Singapore Navy
United States Navy
Controlled by Singapore
 United States
Open to
the public		Limited
Websitemindef.gov.sg
Site history
Built2004; 20 years ago (2004)

Changi Naval Base (CNB), officially known as the RSS Singapura – Changi Naval Base,[1] is a naval base of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). Located about 1.5 kilometres east of Changi Air Base (East) and 3.5 kilometres east of Singapore Changi Airport, the base was built on 1.28 km² (0.50 sq mi) of reclaimed land. It was officially opened on 21 May 2004 by then Prime Minister of Singapore, Goh Chok Tong. A Navy Museum was opened at the entrance of the base in 2012.[2]

Overview

Entrance to Changi Naval Base (CNB) in 2007

Its 6.2 km (3.9 mi) berthing space can accommodate an aircraft carrier[3] and is often used by visiting ships of the Royal Navy as part of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) and United States Navy, as a result of the signing of the addendum to the 1990 United States–Singapore Memorandum of Understanding on 10 November 1990, which formalised arrangements for US Navy ships to use CNB facilities.[4]

The Straits Times stated in an editorial that:

The US Navy uses Singapore's naval facilities for logistics and re-supply, while Singapore uses American airbases and abundant space for ground training.[5]

In 2017, India and Singapore signed a bilateral agreement which will allow Indian Navy ships limited logistical support, including refuelling, at CNB.[6]

Design

Republic of Singapore Navy
Formations
Ships
List of ships of the Republic of Singapore Navy
Bases

Automation was incorporated into the design of CNB to reduce manpower requirements. It has an automated underground ammunition depot that allows ammunition to be loaded onto the ships and an automated warehouse system to store items. The base has a fibre-optic broadband network for information management. The base was also designed to be environment-friendly, with three small-scale wind turbines powering the 50 lights along the breakwaters at night. Conventional roof construction materials were substituted by 72 thin-film solar panels and the solar energy generated lights 100 downlights in the base. Seawater is used in the air-conditioning system,[7] saving about 35,000 m³ (equivalent to 20 Olympic-sized pools) of potable water annually.[8]

Deployment

Currently, aircraft carriers, submarines, frigates, amphibious transport docks and missile gunboats are based at CNB. Co-located in CNB is the Changi Naval Training Base, also known as RSS Panglima—named in honour of the first ship of the Navy.[9][10]

References

  1. ^ Lim, Adrian (10 February 2017). "Changi Naval Base to get new name: RSS Singapura - Changi Naval Base". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 20 July 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Navy Museum - Home". www.mindef.gov.sg. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  3. ^ "Our Bases". Republic of Singapore Navy. Archived from the original on 8 February 2005. Retrieved 4 March 2005.
  4. ^ "Transcript: Cohen/Tan press briefing on US-Singapore relations". USIS Washington File. Archived from the original on 26 April 2005. Retrieved 7 May 2005.
  5. ^ The Straits Times (in print) editorial on November 23, 2009. http://www.straitstimes.com/Home.html Archived 29 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Gurung, Shaurya Karanbir (30 November 2017). "Navy gets access to Singapore's Changi naval base". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 6 December 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2017.
  7. ^ "DSTA developed innovative solutions at Changi Naval Base". DSTA. Archived from the original on 6 October 2007. Retrieved 7 May 2005.
  8. ^ "DSTA gives Changi Naval Base a 'green' edge". DSTA. Archived from the original on 28 May 2006. Retrieved 7 May 2005.
  9. ^ "1956 - Serving with pride: The RSS Panglima". MINDEF. Archived from the original on 4 August 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  10. ^ "2004 - Changi Naval Base". MINDEF. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2010.

External links

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