Operational History
The ships provide sea transportation for personnel and equipment for Singapore Armed Forces' overseas training, as well as a training platform for RSN's midshipmen. RSS Endurance became the first RSN ship to circumnavigate the globe when it participated in the 6th USN International Naval Review in New York City, passing through both Panama and Suez canals.
The ships actively participate in various multilateral exercises annually. RSS Resolution successfully fired a Mistral surface-to-air missile during Exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training in 2000, an annual joint naval exercise between the USN and RSN. RSS Endurance participated as both a compliant and non-compliant vessel for boarding teams during Exercise Sea Sabre in 2004 as part of the Proliferation Security Initiative.
The ships are active participants in multinational peacekeeping efforts. As part of Singapore’s contribution to the reconstruction efforts in Iraq, RSS Endurance was sent to the Persian Gulf in October 2003 for two months. RSS Resolution followed in November 2004 and RSS Endeavour in February 2006. The ships conducted logistical tasks, such as replenishing supplies for other naval vessels in the Persian Gulf, and conducted patrols to enforce maritime presence. They also served as a platform for helicopter missions and maritime boarding operations missions by teams from other coalition countries when they inspected ships leaving Iraq. The last deployment saw the RSS Resolution taking on the expanded role of taking charge of coalition and Iraqi Navy ships to defend Iraq's oil platforms. On 1 September 2007, RSS Persistence became the fourth ship to be deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of the multinational reconstruction efforts in Iraq. RSS Resolution was subsequently tasked for RSN's fifth deployment to the Gulf on 30 August 2008.
The ships were also involved in various humanitarian relief operations, such as the tsunami-hit Indonesian province of Aceh in 2004. Within a few days of the disaster, the RSS Endurance sailed to Aceh in Indonesia to deliver emergency supplies and medical personnel to aid in the relief efforts. She was then joined by RSS Persistence on 4 January 2005 and RSS Endeavour on 16 January.
On 12 February 2009, Minister of Defence Teo Chee Hean announced that RSS Persistence would join other naval forces off the coast of Somalia for three months in 2009. Comprising an LST with two Super Puma helicopters on board, the Singapore Armed Forces Task Group has been conducting daily helicopter surveillance flights and sector patrols to deter and disrupt piracy activities. The ship worked with the multinational Combined Task Force 151 to protect shipping in the Gulf of Aden. Since then, two additional SAF task groups have been deployed to the Gulf of Aden, RSS Endurance from June to October 2010 and RSS Endeavour from August 2011.
Read more about this topic: Endurance Class Landing Platform Dock Ship
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