Ng Eng News

Singapore has deployed a submarine rescue vessel to help with search operations for an Indonesian submarine that has gone missing, the city-state's defense minister said in a post on social media on Thursday."The Republic of Singapore Navy's MV Swift Rescue—our submarine rescue vessel—was dispatched expeditiously yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon, as fast as she could get ready, after our Navy Chief received a request for assistance from his Indonesian counterpart," Ng Eng Hen posted on Facebook."The site for search operations, near Bali, is more than 1,500 kilometers away and waters are deep, which is why MV Swift Rescue sailed off as soon as she could."

ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has launched at the Kiel shipyard the the largest ever built in Germany submarine. Named Invincible, the submarine will be part of the ongoing submarine program in the Republic of Singapore.Prof. Ivy Ng, wife of Dr. Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Defense of the Republic of Singapore, named the boat in the presence of high-level representatives from the Singapore government and Navy, as well as high-ranking German officials.In addition to representatives from Thyssenkrupp, there were also representatives from suppliers in attendance for the ceremony. After construction and outfitting is completed, Invincible will undergo intensive testing before being handed over in 2021.Dr.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will on Tuesday hail the role of international law in settling regional conflicts, comments apparently aimed at bolstering Australian efforts to build a coalition against Chinese assertiveness. Bishop, in a speech ahead of a special meeting of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Sydney, will not name China but will argue that international law will stabilise a region strained by rival claims in the South China Sea. "The rules-based order is designed to regulate behaviour and rivalries of and between states…

The Association of South East Asian Nations is hoping to expedite negotiations on a code of conduct with China for the South China Sea but it is not realistic to expect an agreement within a year, Singapore's defence minister said on Wednesday. China and the 10-member ASEAN bloc adopted a negotiating framework on the code for the disputed and busy waterway, largely controlled by China but also claimed by some ASEAN states, in August and have begun talks. "We hope it will be expedited but it's a very, very complex issue," Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen told reporters after a gathering of ASEAN defence chiefs. "It's a century's old dispute. Expecting (the code) in one year is just unrealistic," he said.

Singapore welcomes Hong Kong pledge on handling of dispute. Singapore's defence minister on Monday said the nine armoured vehicles seized in Hong Kong could not be detained or confiscated, but that he welcomed Hong Kong's pledge for the dispute to be handled in line with its laws. Hong Kong customs seized the troop carriers in November as they were being shipped to Singapore from Taiwan after military exercises on the island that Beijing regards as a breakaway province, sparking tension between Singapore and China. Beijing, which regained sovereignty over the former British colony of Hong Kong in 1997, then warned countries against maintaining military ties with Taiwan. The vehicles were Singapore property, said Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, answering questions in parliament.

Singapore Technologies Marine Ltd (ST Marine), the marine arm of Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd (ST Engineering), held the Launching Ceremony today for the second Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV), Sovereignty, designed and built for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). The Launch Ceremony was officiated by Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security. Initiating the launch of the vessel at ST Marine’s Benoi Yard was DPM Teo’s wife, Mrs Teo Chee Hean. The event was witnessed by Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Defence; Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, Senior Minister of State for Defence, and many senior officials from Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

The 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) has established a hotline to resolve maritime disputes and to ensure the line of communications between the countries remain open during a crisis, reports the Star. The unveiling of the Direct Communications Link (DCL) took place as the region’s defence ministers continue efforts to bridge differences over the South China Sea maritime and territorial spat. The meeting’s chair, Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, told reporters at a press conference yesterday that having the direct and secure communication method in place will prevent “emotional” or “irrational” behaviour from spiralling out of control and affecting peace in the region.

Singapore Technologies Marine Ltd (ST Marine), the marine arm of Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd (ST Engineering), held the Launching ceremony for the first Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV) - Independence built for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). The vessel was launched by Mrs Ivy Ng, wife of the Minister for Defence, Dr Ng Eng Hen at ST Marine's Benoi yard. The ceremony was officiated by Dr Ng Eng Hen and witnessed by the Second Minister for Defence, Mr Lui Tuck Yew, the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, along with senior Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) officials. The launch of Independence, the first in-class LMV, marks another significant milestone for the LMV programme.

The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and the People's Liberation Army (Navy) (PLAN) concluded the inaugural Exercise Maritime Cooperation, a new bilateral naval exercise series on Tuesday (May 26). The exercise comprised conventional naval warfare serials such as gunnery firings and manoeuvring drills. Personnel from the two navies also engaged in exercise planning and combined simulator training ashore, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said in a statement. Singapore's Fleet commander Colonel Lew Chuen Hong highlighted the growth in professional interactions between the two navies at the opening ceremony, saying both navies can learn from each other and deepen professional knowledge to strengthen mutual trust and mutual understanding.

Singapore Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen said that his country wants India to play a bigger role in the South China Sea, according to a report in the Bloomberg. This statement comes in a time when China generating plenty of anxiety from the other nations in the neighborhood as it isn't just expanding its military reach into the South China Sea; it's rapidly building completely new islands. Ng’s comments follow calls for Japan to separately play an enhanced role in the South China Sea. Singapore has been a strong supporter of India’s increased engagement in the region through security forums, Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen said. India’s involvement…

The United States-Singapore relationship takes on particular importance in light of the Defense Department’s strategic rebalance to the Asia-Pacific, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said during a joint press conference with Singapore Defense Minister Dr. Ng Eng Hen. Singapore is making important contributions to U.S. counter piracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden, in addition to being a significant partner in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel added. During their meeting, Hagel and Ng also discussed new ways to increase bilateral collaboration in cyber and maritime security.

The Republic of Singapore Navy ( RSN) launched its sixth stealth frigate, RSS Supreme, at the Singapore Technologies Marine shipyard on May 9. According to a statement by the Ministry of Defense (MINDEF), RSS Supreme is the final frigate to be built locally, which will undergo harbor and sea trials in the next phase of construction. Minister for Defense Teo Chee Hean and Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Defense Ng Eng Hen were present at the launching ceremony. According to MINDEF's Formidable-class frigate program, the six new stealth frigates will replace the RSN's missile gunboats which have been in service for more than 25 years.