Clean toilets, ‘surprisingly’ comfy beds: Staying overnight on one of Singapore navy’s largest ships

SHOALWATER BAY, Australia: Cutting through the waves on a bright Saturday (Nov 9) morning were two high-speed naval vessels. 
As they came to a halt near the beach at Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland state, Singaporean and Australian troops disembarked swiftly.
They are part of over 1,900 personnel involved in this year’s Exercise Trident: A bilateral military exercise between the two countries, and the final phase of the annual Exercise Wallaby, the Singapore Armed Forces’ (SAF) largest overseas exercise. 
The fast craft, from the Republic of Singapore Navy, would later ferry not just troops but CNA and other news agencies.
To get to what’s called the Fast Craft Utility, members of the media, including this reporter, had to trudge along the beach, trying not to fall as our civilian shoes sank deep into the sand.
Only with water reaching up to shins did we reach the vessel, which typically transports SAF soldiers to support their training on offshore islands.
The craft then took off at what felt like a dizzying pace, with waves smacking the unfortunate few positioned at the sides. During the journey, hats flew off heads and some reporters felt the effects of motion sickness.
After about 30 minutes, we arrived at our accommodation for the night: The RSS Persistence, one of a quartet of what’s called landing ship tanks, which are the largest class of vessels in the Singapore navy.
It was like stepping into a whole new, 141m-long world – with low ceilings, steep stairs and everything from chairs to gym equipment strapped down.
We did get to sleep on bunk beds which were surprisingly comfortable, and had access to clean toilets called heads.
It was, however, any other day for navy and army personnel on board the RSS Persistence.
Among them were a pair of brothers who only by coincidence realised they might meet each other during Exercise Trident. 
Corporal First Class Lim Shi Xian, a fast craft specialist with the navy, first told his family over dinner that he would be in Australia for six weeks. Then his younger brother, Corporal Lim Shi Rong, a platoon marksman with the army’s 3rd Battalion Singapore Guards, found out he would also be there for two weeks.
“It’s quite nice to catch up with him and see him in person,” said CFC Lim. 
The younger Lim said it would be interesting not just to work with his brother but also to understand how the navy operates.
“This exercise really helps me see the other side,” he told CNA.
Second Sergeant (2SG) Bhaskar Guruprakash, an operationally ready national serviceman (NSman) participating in his first military exercise, called it an “eye opener” to be staying on a ship with navy counterparts and learning something new every day.
“At first it took me a while to understand their terms, their lingo and their systems as well. But as the days go on, I started to appreciate their work culture, sense of safety,” the 23-year-old said.
Another NSman on board and on his maiden overseas exercise was Third Sergeant Muhammad Nazrul Mohd Yazid, who was experiencing another first – staying on a ship for an extended period of time.
“It’s very memorable, I would say, together with my best boys who I spent my NS life with. So it brings me (back) to my ICT (In-Camp Training) days,” said 3SG Nazrul, a fast craft equipment personnel coxswain.
“Personally, it’s very exciting for me to be part of this experience … It’s a sight to see.”
Media were then invited to observe a night watch from the main control centre. Also known as the bridge, it’s where the crew drive and navigate the ship.
In the decreased visibility of nighttime, this was clearly more challenging. The bridge and adjacent wings were bathed in red light, which is used because it’s less harsh on the eyes, said operations officer Major Eugene Poh.
We also viewed the combat information centre, which includes surveillance capabilities and an “engagement cluster” operating various guns with calibres ranging from 12.7mm to 76mm.
The ship’s flight deck can house medium- or heavy-lift helicopters such as the H225M or Chinook respectively, which are used to transport troops as part of ship-to-shore missions at Exercise Trident. 
At any one time, there can be two medium-lift helicopters or one Chinook on the flight deck, said Major Poh.
Landing helicopters on the ship is different from doing so on land, as both assets are moving, he added.
A flight deck controller serves as the conduit between the helicopters and the ship, communicating with pilots to make sure they are ready to land and that the vessel is in turn ready to receive the helicopters.
A Chinook helicopter was also the way off the RSS Persistence for the invited members of the media at least, to get a taste of the ship-to-shore experience.
We first donned life jackets and ear plugs, secured our bags and ensured there were no loose items on us, as our ride touched down on the deck.
Its propellers were clamouring even with our ear plugs on, and hot exhaust fumes blasted our faces as we approached.
Properly fastened onto our respective seats, we took off on a relatively smooth ride on the Chinook, with the rhythmic gusting of winds gradually putting everyone at ease.
This reporter, for one, was initially worried that she or her fellow travellers might succumb to motion sickness and yes, vomiting, like what happened just a year ago.
Thankfully this time, nobody lost their lunches; only an experience of a lifetime was gained instead.