Changi Naval Base Explained

Changi Naval Base
Native Name:RSS Singapura – Changi Naval Base
Country:Singapore
Type:Naval base
Coordinates:1.3211°N 104.0258°W
Pushpin Map:Singapore
Pushpin Mapsize:300px
Ownership:
Open To Public:Limited
Site Area:86ha
Website:mindef.gov.sg

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 1.28km2 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

Its 6.2km (03.9miles) 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:

In 2017, India and Singapore signed a bilateral agreement which will allow Indian Navy ships limited logistical support, including refuelling, at CNB.[5]

Design

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,[6] saving about 35,000 m3 (equivalent to 20 Olympic-sized pools) of potable water annually.[7]

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.[8] [9]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Changi Naval Base to get new name: RSS Singapura - Changi Naval Base. Lim. Adrian. 10 February 2017. The Straits Times. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20180720110229/https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/changi-naval-bases-new-name-to-hark-back-to-beginnings. 20 July 2018. live. 10 March 2019.
  2. Web site: Navy Museum - Home. www.mindef.gov.sg. 10 March 2019.
  3. Web site: Our Bases . Republic of Singapore Navy . 4 March 2005 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20050208163737/http://www.mindef.gov.sg/navy/assets_bases.html . 8 February 2005 .
  4. Web site: Transcript: Cohen/Tan press briefing on US-Singapore relations . USIS Washington File . 7 May 2005 . https://web.archive.org/web/20050426084021/http://canberra.usembassy.gov/hyper/WF981110/epf203.htm . 26 April 2005 . dead .
  5. News: Navy gets access to Singapore's Changi naval base. Shaurya Karanbir. Gurung. 30 November 2017. 6 December 2017. The Economic Times. https://web.archive.org/web/20171206095051/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/navy-gets-access-to-singapores-changi-naval-base/articleshow/61855776.cms. 6 December 2017. live.
  6. Web site: DSTA developed innovative solutions at Changi Naval Base . DSTA . 7 May 2005 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20071006231700/http://www.dsta.gov.sg/home/DisplayPage/ContentPage10.asp?id=2170 . 6 October 2007 .
  7. Web site: DSTA gives Changi Naval Base a 'green' edge . DSTA . 7 May 2005 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060528220016/http://www.dsta.gov.sg/home/DisplayPage/ContentPage12.asp?id=2166 . 28 May 2006 .
  8. Web site: 1956 - Serving with pride: The RSS Panglima . MINDEF . 13 March 2019 . https://archive.today/20120804180717/http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/about_us/history/birth_of_saf/v12n01_history.html . 4 August 2012 . live .
  9. Web site: 2004 - Changi Naval Base . MINDEF . 22 March 2010 . 5 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200905022808/https://www.mindef.gov.sg/oms/imindef/mindef_websites/topics/nexus/home.html . live .