RSS Endeavour

Endeavour (210) is the fourth ship of the Endurance-class landing platform dock of the Republic of Singapore Navy.

RSS Endeavour entering Sydney Harbor on 4 October 2013.
History
Singapore
Name	Endeavour
Namesake	Endeavour
Builder	ST Engineering
Laid down	1998
Launched	12 February 2000
Commissioned	7 April 2001
Homeport	Changi
Identification	MMSI number: 566012800 Callsign: 9VTO Pennant number: 210
Status	Active
General characteristics
Class and type	Endurance-class landing platform dock
Displacement	Standard: 6,500 t (6,400 long tons; 7,200 short tons) Full load: 8,500 t (8,400 long tons; 9,400 short tons)
Length	141.0 m (462 ft 7 in)
Beam	21.0 m (68 ft 11 in)
Draught	5.0 m (16 ft 5 in)
Ramps	2 × (bow and stern)
Installed power	4 × Ruston 6RK215 diesel generators, each producing 875 kW (1,173 hp) Total output: 3,500 kW (4,690 shp)
Propulsion	Combined diesel and diesel (CODAD) arrangement 2 × Ruston 16RK 270 diesels, each producing 5,500 kW (7,400 hp), coupled to two Kamewa controllable-pitch propellers Total output: 11,000 kW (14,800 shp)
Speed	In excess of 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Range	5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Boats & landing craft carried	4 × 13 m (43 ft) Fast Craft Equipment & Utility (FCEU) on davits 2 × 25 m (82 ft) Fast Craft Utility (FCU) inside well deck
Capacity	18 tanks, 20 vehicles and bulk cargo
Troops	> 350–500
Crew	65 (8 officers and 57 men)
Sensors and processing systems	Search radar: IAI/ELTA EL/M-2238 Navigation radar: Kelvin Hughes Type 1007 (I band) Weapon control: CS Defense NAJIR 2000 electro-optronic director
Electronic warfare & decoys	ESM/ECM: RAFAEL RAN 1101 Decoys: 2 × GEC Marconi Marine Shield III 102 mm sextuple fixed chaff/decoy launcher
Armament	Anti-air: Mistral missiles launched from 2 × Simbad twin launcher mounts Main gun: 1 × Oto Melara 76 mm super rapid gun Autocannons: 2 × 25mm M242 Bushmaster Mk 38 Mod 2 (with stabilised Typhoon weapon sighting system, mounted amidships on port and starboard side)[1] Machine guns: 4 × STK 50MG 12.7 mm (0.50 in) HMGs
Aircraft carried	AS 332M Super Puma or AS532UL/AL Cougar or CH-47SD Chinook helicopters
Aviation facilities	Flight deck and enclosed hangar for up to 2 medium-lift helicopters

Development

The navy's intention to purchase the Endurance-class was revealed by former Defence Minister Dr. Tony Tan during his visit to Tuas Naval Base on 3 August 1996. These ships were to replace the five ex-United States Navy (USN) County-class LSTs, which were acquired by Singapore from the United States in the 1970s. ST Marine was awarded the government contract to design and build the four ships – a significant milestone for the local defence and shipbuilding industries given the scale and extensiveness of the programme.^[2][3]

Construction and career

She was laid down in 1998 and launched on 12 February 2000. She was commissioned on 7 April 2001 with the hull number 210.

Two additional SAF task groups have been deployed to the Gulf of Aden; RSS Endurance from June to October 2010 and Endeavour from August 2011.

In 2012, Military Expert-2 Jason Chee suffered serious injuries on the RSS Endeavour after being trapped between a motorised winch and berthing rope; this cost him his legs and his left arm.^[4]

Gallery

• 
  A RSN Chinook deploys a rescue diver and a raft near RSS Endeavour on 23 August 2010.
• 
  USS George H.W. Bush underway with RSS Endeavour in the Arabian Sea on 15 November 2011.
• 
  RSS Endeavour docked at Garden Island, Sydney on 5 October 2013.
• 
  RSS Endeavour docked at Garden Island, Sydney on 5 October 2013.