"Last July, Singapore agreed to let the Navy permanently station a number of LCSs in their territorial waters."
http://defense.aol.com/2012/01/10/navy-sees-lcs-as-key-to-global-partnerships/
But the Defense Minister is also quick to point out that the American ships will only operate out of Singapore "on a rotational basis," rather than being permanently based there, and in fact demanded a correction to an earlier version of this very article that used the politically loaded word "base." Singaporean officials still emphasize they are simply America's "partner," not a formal ally, and that they have no desire to take sides in any kind of Sino-American Cold War. Except, of course, they want us there as a very clear message to China but without diplomatically throwing sand in the local bully's face.
http://defense.aol.com/2012/04/05/us-should-be-dominant-in-pacific-but-must-make-nice-with-chi/
-When was this agreed?
-What number of LCS?
-What about the LCS's mission and can it perform its mission directly from here?
-Most of the time, do they get laid up here or anchor offshore?
-The major part of the LCS' duties are visiting regional ports and trying concepts at sea. Given this, is a "rotational basis" very different from basing? What is "one rotation"? Does sailing out to visit a regional port and back count as one? Will Singapore be the point of return for the LCS instead of Japan, Guam or Hawaii?
-If "rotation" is so "light", why must you differentiate it from the current arrangement of "port visits"?
-Please ignore the DF and move on if he gets rhetorical. It's high time to show it doesn't get any attention.
http://news.yahoo.com/u-plans-10-month-warship-deployment-singapore-041255118.html
The first ship is going to be USS Freedom, here for a 10 month deployment :)
Wonderful news. I'm most confused over when the decision was made, though.
USS Freedom will be here....that's one of the ships announced.
They will only berth in at Changi...no camp for them, no living here in Singapore....no base for them.... its only facilitate them as guests. Singapore won't allow them to set up base here. They only have small-admin offices for transiting US forces/logistics through our airbase/naval bases.
... Greenert said, adding that there should be two littoral combat ships based in Singapore by fiscal year 2017.
http://www.navytimes.com/news/2012/06/navy-fleet-greenert-deployments-062712/
No base & No Camp for USN.
Singapore has expressed strongly that we are 'too small' to be a US base...more likely we don't want the troubles associating with allowing foreign troops a permanent base (can't kick them out after that). They are just guests to park and replenish...like renting a 'carpark' lot.
They will live onboard ship, no bunks and no free access in Singapore (except maybe on shore leave once a long while).
Changi will be just a port for replenishment and stop by......just as a berthing place when needed, cause the LCS are not particularly long range, unlike their bigger brothers.
Originally posted by merkava4:No base & No Camp for USN.
Singapore has expressed strongly that we are 'too small' to be a US base...more likely we don't want the troubles associating with allowing foreign troops a permanent base (can't kick them out after that). They are just guests to park and replenish...like renting a 'carpark' lot.
They will live onboard ship, no bunks and no free access in Singapore (except maybe on shore leave once a long while).
Changi will be just a port for replenishment and stop by......just as a berthing place when needed, cause the LCS are not particularly long range, unlike their bigger brothers.
You have no basis for these assertions.
Singapore did not "expressed strongly that we are 'too small' to be a US base." It only objected to use of the word "base" because it has connotations. Singapore prefers to call it "rotations" meaning the 2 LCS will be here for some time each year, then be in some other regional port before coming back again. Which is ike a different kind of basing.
If you are not aware, Singapore has been permanent home to a US Navy logistics unit for over 20 years. This unit arranges logistics for USN ships visiting Singapore and onward shipment tot those in the region.
Finally the main problem is not kicking them out but the perception problem with Singapore's neighbours.