On Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at ST Engineering’s Benoi shipyard in Singapore, the keel was laid for the second of six Multi-Role Combat Vessels (MRCV), which will be named RSS Valour (89) and will enter service with the Republic of Singapore Navy (Angkatan Laut Republik Singapura).
Photo: ST Engineering via LinkendIn
The ceremony was attended by representatives of Singapore’s Ministry of Defence, the Navy, and the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), with the Guest of Honor being Singapore’s Chief of Defence Force, Vice Admiral Aaron Beng Yao Cheng. The first steel cutting for the vessel took place on April 24, 2025.
Meanwhile, on October 21, 2025, the hull of the prototype unit, the future RSS Victory (88), from which the entire class takes its name, was launched. Delivery of the lead ship is scheduled for 2028.
The MRCV is designed to serve as a mothership for unmanned aerial, surface, and underwater systems conducting maritime operations. The vessels will also be equipped with advanced sensors, weapon systems, and network-centric capabilities, enabling them to address a wide range of threats and to operate as command ships. Designed with a high degree of automation, the MRCV will be able to operate safely and effectively with a reduced crew (fewer than 100 officers and sailors) compared with other warships of similar size and capability.
Subsequent ships will be named: RSS Vigilance (90), Valiant (91), Vigour (92), and Vengeance (93). The MRCV design measures 150 meters in length, 21 meters in beam, and has a displacement of 8,000 tons. The vessels are expected to achieve a speed of at least 22 knots and a range exceeding 7,000 nautical miles, thanks to a fully electric main propulsion system.
Armament is to include a 76 mm Leonardo OTO Melara 76/62 Strales naval gun, a 30 mm Rafael Typhoon MK30-C remotely operated weapon station, MBDA Aster and MBDA MICA air and missile defense launchers, as well as launchers for land-attack missiles (yet to be specified). The ships will feature integrated masts with radar systems (a multifunction Thales radar and a Thales fire-control radar), a Safran optronic system, and a hull-mounted sonar.
They will be adapted to carry specialized mission containers. The aft deck will provide space for a helicopter and unmanned aerial vehicles, while below it there will be a launch and recovery system for unmanned surface and underwater vehicles, as well as crewed boats, known as LARS (Launch and Recovery System).
The MRCV design was developed using 3D modeling and a digital twin, allowing it to be tested and refined virtually before construction began. This approach minimizes the risk of design changes during construction, reduces material waste, and accelerates the build process.
The vessels will replace six Victory-class corvettes that entered service in 1990–1991. They will be the largest warships in the history of the city-state, three times larger than the corvettes they replace, and are being built based on the designs of the Iver Huitfeldt-class frigates and Absalon-class support ships.
