Singapore and Israel to jointly develop 5-generation Anti-ship Missile

Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd (ST Engineering) today announced that it has signed an agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd (IAI) to set up a joint venture (JV) company for the development of 5th generation Anti-ship missile. ST Engineering and IAI shall each hold a 50% share of the JV.

The JV, named Proteus Advanced Systems Pvt. Ltd. will leverage the strength and track record of its parent companies to market and sell advanced naval missile systems, including a new 5th generation anti-ship missile system called ‘Blue Spear’. According to sources associated with the new JV, Blue Spear (5G ASM) introduces an advanced and novel approach for challenges of the modern naval arena in coming years. 

Anti-ship missile being tested on naval vessel

The Blue Spear anti-ship missile is co-developed by ST Engineering and IAI under a development agreement signed between the two countries a few years ago. Based on this work-sharing agreement ST Engineering’s role includes design, development, and production of major subsystems like the booster motor and warhead.

The South-East Asian region specifically Singapore, is considered as rapidly growing market for submarines and naval vessels. The JV addresses this potential with mature products that can be adapted to meet specific customer needs.

As Singapore and Israel both relies on US made RGM-84C Harpoon missile to arm its naval vessels. Israel has also converted some of its vessels to be equipped with advance version of Gabriel-5 missile. Israeli anti-ship missiles has also successfully finished test to be installed in Hamina-Class fast attack missile boats.

Israeli PM Mr. Netanyahu inspecting Gabriel-5 Anti-ship Missile developed by Israel aerospace limited

Gabriel-5 is designed to penetrate modern defense targets both soft- and hard-kill countermeasures. It was designed with sophisticated Electronic Counter Counter-measures (ECCM) dealing with chaff, advanced decoys, and active ECM. Gabriel-5 and Barak-8 both developed by IAI’s Missile Systems and Space Group as part of a combined, offensive, and defensive naval system for the Israeli navy and for export.

As new weapon deliveries can be expected only toward the second half of this decade ST Engineering said, "the setup of the Proteus JV is not expected to have a material impact on the consolidated net tangible assets per share and earnings per share of ST Engineering for the current financial year".

The JV announcing through a commercial agreement between Government-owned Companies rather than a Government-to-Government agreement, the change looks less dramatic but it certainly represents a strategic change in Singapore’s policy, that until now has kept its close relations with Israel under a veil of secrecy.