S’pore regularly facilitates US forces’ access to its facilities for transit, logistics support: MINDEF
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The USS Tulsa is currently docked at the US’ Navy Region Center Singapore in Sembawang.
PHOTO: USS TULSA/FACEBOOK
- Singapore regularly facilitates US forces' access to its facilities for transit and logistics support, per a 1990 agreement.
- The USS Tulsa is docked in Singapore, as is the USS Santa Barbara, according to US Naval Forces Central Command.
- In recent days, the USS Tripoli also entered the Singapore Strait en route to the Middle East. It did not stop over in Singapore.
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SINGAPORE – Singapore regularly facilitates US forces’ access to its facilities for transit and logistics support, in line with a memorandum of understanding signed in 1990, said the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) on March 19.
The 1990 agreement was on the US’ use of facilities in Singapore.
The Republic also regularly facilitates transits and stopovers of foreign military aircraft and ships at its facilities, the ministry added.
MINDEF said this in response to media queries after US Navy vessels docked here in recent days amid the US and Israel’s conflict with Iran.
A US littoral combat ship, the USS Tulsa, which was previously based in Bahrain, is currently docked at the US’ Navy Region Center Singapore in Sembawang.
The USS Tulsa, which functions as a minesweeper, was one of three ships deployed to Bahrain in 2025 as replacements for four US Navy mine-hunting ships that were decommissioned.
Another of the three minesweepers, the USS Santa Barbara, is also currently in Singapore, the US Naval Forces Central Command told US-based defence news publication The War Zone on March 19.
The US command said the two ships are conducting scheduled maintenance and making a logistics stop in Singapore.
They were previously docked at the North Butterworth Container Terminal in Penang over the weekend for logistical purposes.
On March 17, the USS Tripoli passed through the Singapore Strait. It did not stop over in Singapore. US officials told CNN that the warship was being deployed to the Middle East region, but did not disclose its destination.
The warship is carrying troops from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit based in Okinawa, a rapid-response force of 2,200 crew members, said US media reports.
The ship appeared on vessel-tracking websites when it was approaching Singapore.
Military ships typically switch off their transponders for operational security, but switch them on in busy waterways to prevent collisions.
CNN reported that the USS Tripoli is the lead ship in a naval formation that includes the amphibious vessels USS New Orleans and USS San Diego.
Checks by The Straits Times on March 18 showed that the USS New Orleans had passed through the Singapore Strait on the same day. It did not stop over in Singapore. The vessel later passed by Selangor, Malaysia, en route to the Middle East.
