Singapore Navy USVs Enter Operation
The Republic of Singapore Navy’s maritime security unmanned surface vessels (USVs) began operational patrols in January 2025, operating alongside manned ships such as the RSN’s Littoral Mission Vessels (LMVs) to enhance the security of Singapore’s waters.
The 16.9-meter USVs add another layer of surveillance and operational response. They conduct patrols, and when required, will investigate and interdict suspicious vessels. They can reach speeds of over 25 knots and can operate for over 36 hours.
By providing more persistent coverage in the Singapore Strait, the USVs also allow other warships like the LMVs to be deployed for other more complex missions and at further ranges from Singapore.
Designed and developed in close partnership with the Defence Science & Technology Agency (DSTA) and Defence Science Organisation (DSO) National Laboratories, the new USV harnesses the latest technologies to enable autonomous operations in congested maritime environment. They are equipped with autonomous navigation systems, which includes an collision detection and collision avoidance algorithm that enables the vessel to navigate through the busy traffic in the Singapore Strait and cope with the constantly changing environmental conditions at sea.
The autonomous navigation system integrates the USV’s perception and navigation sensors, as well as collision detection equipment used for typical maritime navigation (such as navigation charts, Maritime Automatic Identification System and Differential Global Positioning System) with an algorithm designed for the RSN’s operations. This rules-based system automates the collision avoidance decision-making process while ensuring that the USVs exhibit avoidance behavior that complies with the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.
This means that the USV assesses and responds to maritime traffic situations in a predictable manner, similar to that of a manned vessel.
The system has completed over 12 million kilometers of simulated distance with zero collisions, equivalent to 26 years of real-world testing. The USVs have also clocked over 1,000 hours of real-world autonomous operations, with zero need for human intervention.