The Singapore Navy's HMS Dreadnought missile frigate docked at Canary Wharf in London, UK. To commemorate the 60th anniversary of Singapore's founding, the Singapore Navy's missile frigate, HMS Dreadnought (hull number 68), began a visit to London at the end of April, attracting close attention from British media. According to British media, this ship, which has been in service for nearly 20 years, has shown good combat readiness after completing modernization modifications. Singapore is located at the eastern end of the Strait of Malacca. In recent years, with the continuous development of maritime power in neighboring countries, Singapore has continued to increase its navy construction, aiming to build a modern "balanced fleet". The Singapore Navy consists of 6 formidable missile frigates, 6 conventional submarines (some of which have not yet been commissioned), as well as various types of light frigates, patrol boats, and amphibious ships. It undertakes tasks such as maritime patrol, anti piracy, anti smuggling, and counter-terrorism, while also possessing the ability to deploy operations within the region. In addition, the Singapore Navy regularly participates in the US led "Rim of the Pacific" joint military exercises and the "Pacific Griffon" series of exercises jointly hosted by Singapore and the United States. The Dreadnought class missile frigate is derived from the French Laffey class frigate. As a pioneer in stealth ship design, the Lafite class frigate's integrated inward leaning superstructure and simple exterior design concept have had a significant impact on the development of subsequent multi class ships. The Dreadnought class is a general-purpose frigate that maintains a balanced capability in the fields of anti submarine, anti-ship, and air defense. In 2023, the Singapore Navy launched a mid-term retrofitting plan for this class of ships, which is expected to be fully completed by 2028. The retrofitting includes upgrades to power, electrical, combat, and communication systems. The HMS Dreadnought, as the first ship of the Dreadnought class, was built by the French Navy Group and entered service in 2007. After the British media boarded the ship for a visit, it was found that there were multiple highlights in the ship's technological application and modification upgrades. In terms of power system, a diesel diesel combined power scheme is adopted to ensure speed and maneuverability while effectively controlling costs. Thanks to a highly automated operating system, this 3200 ton class frigate only requires 71 crew members, while its prototype, the Laffey class frigate, has as many as 164 crew members. In terms of weapon and equipment configuration, the "Fearless" ship is equipped with one Otto 76mm caliber main gun at the bow, paired with four sets of 8-unit Silva A43 vertical launch systems (VLS) totaling 32 units, and equipped with two "New Generation Dagai" short-range defense systems. The Silva A43 vertical launch system is equipped with the "Aster-15" medium to short-range air defense missile. The "New Generation Dagai" short-range defense system is developed by the French Safran Group, which integrates the "Northwest Wind" short-range air defense missile on the basis of the original decoy launcher, achieving an upgrade in short-range defense capability. In addition, the Singapore Navy plans to purchase the Vulcan series guided extended range ammunition for the HMS Dreadnought to further enhance strike accuracy and range. Before visiting the UK, the "Fearless" vessel made a special trip to Toulon, France to complete live fire testing of the "Aster-15" in complex sea conditions to verify its air defense combat effectiveness. In terms of anti-ship operations, the "Kewei" ship is equipped with two American made "Harpoon" anti-ship missile launchers between the front and rear masts, usually carrying two anti-ship missiles. During wartime, it can be expanded to six quadruple launchers, increasing the carrying capacity of anti-ship missiles to 24. According to the mid-term modification plan, the "Haval" will use the "Blue Spear" anti-ship missile instead of the "Harpoon". As the fifth generation anti-ship missile, the Blue Spear was developed by Poseidon Advanced Systems, a joint venture between Singapore and Israel. It has both high maneuverability penetration and precise land strike capabilities, with a maximum range of 290 kilometers. In terms of anti submarine operations, the "Haval" is equipped with EDO/L3 Harris 980 active low-frequency towed array sonar, which has the capability of long-range underwater detection; On both sides of the ship's midship, there are three sets of A-244/SMod3 "White Head" light anti submarine torpedo launchers, responsible for short-range anti submarine missions. The stern of the ship is equipped with a helicopter hangar and flight deck, which can carry one S-70B "Sea Eagle" anti submarine helicopter. The top of the hangar is equipped with the Italian Leonardo WASSC310 anti torpedo system to enhance underwater defense capabilities; Install one 25mm "Typhoon" remote-controlled weapon station from Israeli Rafael company on each side to enhance self-defense firepower. (New Society)