LMV Independence Class: Singapore Navy Launches VL Mica Missile
There is a similarity in the adoption of maritime defense equipment between Indonesia and Singapore.
Namely that both countries are users of the VL Mica Naval Air Defense Missile (Hanud) produced by MBDA Systems.
In Indonesia, the VL Mica missile is installed on two Martadinata-class frigates.
Meanwhile in Singapore, similar missiles are installed on littoral patrol ships of the Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV) Independence class.
And recently there was news that the LMV Independence class conducted for the first time a trial launch of the VL Mica Naval missile.
According to Janes.com (26/6/2023), the missile firing test was carried out to validate the anti-air attack capability of the LMV.
The maiden firing of a Naval VL Mica missile on the LMV Independence class was carried out during the US Navy's (US Navy) Organized Exercise 'Pacific Griffin, which took place in and around Guam waters between June 16 and 29, 2023.
The ship that fired the missile was one of the Independence class ships, namely RSS Dauntless (21), which is the seventh ship of the Independence class and joined the Singapore Navy arsenal in January 2020.
The VL Mica missile in the exercise was launched to face a simulated air threat presented by the US Navy.
The Singapore Navy operates eight LMV Independence class patrol boats, gradually commissioned between May 2017 and January 2020 to replace the Fearless class patrol boats.
Each Independence class LMV is armed with a forward 12 vertical launch system (VLS) cell for the VL Mica Naval missile.
There are two types of Mical Naval missiles, namely Mica IR (infrared guidance) and Mica RF (active radar guidance).
In addition to the Hanud missiles, the LMV Independence class is also armed with one OTO Melara 76/62 Super Rapid cannon in the bow.
There are two Leonardo Hitrole long-range weapon stations, each of which is combined with a 12.7 mm machine gun, and in the stern there is the Rafael Typhoon Turret mounted on the M242 25mm/87 Bushmaster gun.
One thing that is lacking, namely, is the provision of anti-ship missiles.
The LMV Independence class has an overall length of 80 meters, displaces around 1,250 tons fully loaded, and can accommodate a crew of 23, including five officers.
The LMV Independence class is equipped with weapons," which are in the non-lethal category, in the form of two Long-Range Acoustic Device 500 Xtreme (LRAD500X) speakers, a Xenon light, and a water canon.
Even without a hangar, the Independence Class LMV is equipped with helipad deck facilities for medium-class helicopters, such as the Sea Hawk.
