Every two years in May, the international maritime defence exhibition, IMDEX Asia, comes to town and offers a chance not only to catch up with the going-ons in the region’s naval developments, but also a rare opportunity to take a look at some of the the naval assets of the powers in the Asia Pacific region. This year’s treat must have been the chance to get up-close to the very impressive looking and well-built Chinese stealth frigate, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s 4,000-tonne Type 054A Jiangkai II class CNS Yulin (FFG 569).
The People’s Liberation Army Navy’s Type 054-A Jiangkai II Class Stealth Frigate, CNS Yulin.
The 32 cell HQ-16 SAM vertical launcher system on the fore deck.
There were also the ships of some of the navies whose presence in the region helps maintain a balance, chief among them the United States Navy (USN), which was the foreign navy with the largest number of ships at Changi Naval Base with two surface ships and a submarine. These were the Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer USS Mustin (DDG 89), a Freedom Class Littoral Combat Ship USS Fort Worth (LCS 3), and a Los Angeles Class submarine, the USS Pasadena (SSN 752). Some of the others at berth were a Republic of Korea Navy Incheon Class Frigate ROKS Incheon (FFX 811), a Royal Australian Navy Anzac Class Frigate HMAS Perth (FFH 157), and several ships of the regional and Indian sub-continent navies. More on IMDEX Asia 2015 can be found at the exhibition’s website. The next exhibition is schedule to take place from 16 to 18 May 2017.
The USS Fort Worth, a Freedom class Littoral Combat Ship.
USS Mustin, an Arleigh Burke class Destroyer.
USS Pasadena, a Los Angeles Class submarine.
SLNS Sayura, a Sukanya class Offshore Patrol Vessel and the flagship of the Sri Lanka Navy.
The stern of the ROKS Incheon against the incoming storm.
The KD Lekir, a TLDM (Royal Malaysian Navy)
Kasturi Class Corvette.
The Indian Navy’s INS Satpura, a Shivalik Class Frigate.
The silhouettes of two of the Republic of Singapore Navy’s Endurance class LSTs.
Previous posts on other naval vessels:
- RSS Endurance (Landing Ship Tank) + Helo and Well Deck Ops
- The Italian Navy’s ITS San Giusto (Landing Platform Dock)
- The French Navy’s FNS Mistral (Landing Platform Helicopter)
The Long and Winding Road 