British Defence Singapore Support Unit: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 14:30, 16 October 2020
| British Defence Singapore Support Unit | |
|---|---|
| Part of Singapore Naval Base | |
| Sembawang in Singapore | |
 HMS Illustrious at the facility in 2013. | |
| Type | Naval facility |
| Site information | |
| Owner |  United Kingdom |
| Operator |  Royal Navy |
| Garrison information | |
| Occupants | Naval Party 1022 |
The British Defence Singapore Support Unit (BDSSU) is a British naval facility located in Sembawang, Singapore. A remnant of a larger naval base, known as HMNB Singapore, the facility provides fuel and other supplies to Royal Navy ships in the region, as well as those of other countries.[1] It is the only permanent Royal Navy presence to remain at the former naval base, which is maintained by Naval Party 1022 under the auspices of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA).[2]
History
The facility has its origins in the larger HMNB Singapore (also known as HMS Terror), a naval base which was established by the United Kingdom during World War Two as a cornerstone of its Singapore strategy.[3][4] The naval base was gradually reduced after Singapore gained independence in 1965 and it was ultimately handed over to Singapore in 1968.[4] The base was then largely converted into a commercial dockyard, known as Sembawang Shipyard Pte Ltd.[4] Some facilities were retained and maintained by ANZUK, a tripartite between Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom to defend Singapore and Malaysia after the United Kingdom withdrew its forces East of Suez.[5] ANZUK was replaced by the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), which included both Malaysia and Singapore, in 1971.[5] The BDSSU was one such facility maintained by the UK in order to support its FPDA commitments. As a repair and logistics support facility, it was underutilized by the Royal Navy until 2018, when the UK began a strategic return East of Suez and to the Asia-Pacific.[6] The consequent resurge in activity saw the facility supporting HMS Sutherland, HMS Albion, HMS Argyll and HMS Montrose within a 12-month period — the largest deployment of British warships to the region since the Korean War.[7][3] During this period, the facility provided more fuel than all of the bases in the United Kingdom.[8]
As part of an initiative to re-engage with the world after Brexit, the UK began evaluating options for a military base in the Far East in 2019.[7] Singapore was among the options under consideration.[7][9]
References
- ^ "Director of Overseas Bases". gov.uk. Ministry of Defence. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- ^ Dharmasingham, Ash. "East of Suez: A British Strategy for the Asian Century: Part Six. Malaysia and Singapore" (PDF). Kings College London. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- ^ a b "HMS Montrose Arrives in Singapore". Royal Navy. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- ^ a b c "Sembawang Naval Base". Singapore infopedia. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- ^ a b "R.N.A.S. Sembawang". Fleet Air Arm Bases. Royal Navy Research Archive. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
- ^ Waters, Conrad. World Naval Review 2020. Seaforh. ISBN 978-1-5267-6062-3.
- ^ a b c Thayer, Carl (17 January 2019). "After Brexit: Global Britain Plots Course to Return to the Far East". The Diplomat. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- ^ "HMS Montrose Visits Singapore". Royal Navy. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
With three major British warships using the wharves last year, the small facility provided more fuel than all the home naval bases.
- ^ Tossini, J. Vitor (1 March 2019). "A look at the considered locations for new British military bases overseas". UK Defence Journal. Retrieved 13 October 2020.