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British Defence Singapore Support Unit

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British naval facility in Singapore
British Defence Singapore Support Unit
Sembawang, Singapore
HMS Illustrious at the facility in 2013.
BDSSU is located in SingaporeBDSSUBDSSULocation in Singapore
Coordinates1°27′46.8″N 103°49′59.7″E / 1.463000°N 103.833250°E / 1.463000; 103.833250
TypeNaval Base
Site information
Owner United Kingdom
OperatorStrategic Command
Controlled byDirector of Overseas Bases
ConditionOperational
Site history
Built1938; 86 years ago (1938) (as HMNB Singapore)
In use1938–present
Garrison information
Current
commander		Tim Hutchins
OccupantsNaval 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. 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).

History

1938–2010

Main article: Singapore Naval Base

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 II as a cornerstone of its Singapore strategy. In 1942, the Battle of Singapore resulted in the base being taken over by Japan. However, after the surrender of Japan in 1945, the base was returned to British control.

After World War II, the naval base was gradually reduced in size after Singapore gained independence in 1965 and it was ultimately handed over to Singapore in 1968. The base was then largely converted into a commercial dockyard, known as Sembawang Shipyard Pte Ltd. However, some facilities were retained and maintained by ANZUK, an alliance between Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom to defend Singapore and Malaysia after the United Kingdom withdrew its forces from the East of Suez. ANZUK was replaced by the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), which included both Malaysia and Singapore, in 1971. The BDSSU was one such facility maintained by the UK in order to support its FPDA commitments.

2010–2020

In November 2013, the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious visited the facility and was equipped with humanitarian aid and supplies destined for the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. Over 500 tonnes of equipment and stores were supplied to the ship in what the Royal Navy described as the "most ambitious storing that a Royal Navy ship has attempted to do within 24 hours" since the Falklands War in 1982.

As a repair and logistics support facility, the BDSSU was underutilized by the Royal Navy until 2018, when the UK began a strategic return East of Suez. The consequent re-surge 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 in the 1950s. During this period, the facility provided more fuel than all of the naval bases in the United Kingdom.

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. Singapore was among the options under consideration.

After a period where the unit was led by a civilian from the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, Acting Commander James Bradshaw, formerly Commander of the Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron, assumed command as Commander BDSSU in March 2017. Commander Paul Bastiaens arrived in Singapore in January 2018. In November 2020, Tim Hutchins became the unit's commander, succeeding Commander Paul Bastiaens. At the time of his appointment, the unit comprised 33 personnel, consisting of UK service personnel and civilian contractors. An average of 120 vessels had also visited the unit over the past five years — primarily from the FPDA navies and the United States Navy — making it one of the busiest UK military-operated ports for frigate and destroyer movements. His appointment came as the unit prepared to support the 50th anniversary of Exercise Bersama Lima, a military exercise held by the FPDA.

2020–present

In July 2021, the Royal Navy's UK Carrier Strike Group 21, led by aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, visited Singapore on its debut operational deployment. At least one ship from the strike group, auxiliary RFA Tidespring, visited the BDSSU to resupply on fuel, food, stores and mail. Another ship, Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond, also visited the facility after experiencing technical issues at sea.

In May 2021, the Royal Navy announced that two River-class offshore patrol vessels, HMS Tamar and HMS Spey, would be permanently based in the Indo-Pacific region with the new Type 31 frigates joining them in future. The ships will use the BDSSU as their primary logistics hub.

See also

References

  1. "Director of Overseas Bases". gov.uk. Ministry of Defence. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  2. Dharmasingham, Ash. "East of Suez: A British Strategy for the Asian Century: Part Six. Malaysia and Singapore" (PDF). King's College London. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  3. ^ "HMS Montrose Arrives in Singapore". Royal Navy. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  4. ^ "Sembawang Naval Base". Singapore infopedia. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  5. ^ "R.N.A.S. Sembawang". Fleet Air Arm Bases. Royal Navy Research Archive. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  6. "Eye on Sembawang: Flourishing in the far north". Yahoo! News. 8 April 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  7. "HMS Illustrious en route to the Philippines". GOV.UK. 22 November 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  8. "HMS Illustrious picks up stores for Philippines aid". GOV.UK. 21 November 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  9. Waters, Conrad (October 2019). World Naval Review 2020. Seaforh. ISBN 978-1-5267-6062-3.
  10. ^ Thayer, Carl (17 January 2019). "After Brexit: Global Britain Plots Course to Return to the Far East". The Diplomat. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  11. "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.
  12. 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.
  13. ^ "New Commander of Singapore team prepares for carrier's Far East mission". Royal Navy. 25 November 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  14. "Photo essay – the Carrier Strike Group – from Suez to the South China Sea". Navy Lookout. 29 July 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  15. "Technical issues force HMS Diamond to miss final day of exercise". Shepherd News. 19 October 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  16. "First Sea Lord Sea Power Conference Speech 2021". Royal Navy. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  17. Graham, Euan (19 October 2021). "Reflections on the Royal Navy's Indo-Pacific engagement". International Institute for Strategic Studies. Retrieved 20 October 2021.

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