Singapore is giving its navy a major weapons upgrade.
The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) is replacing the ageing Harpoon anti-ship missile on its Formidable class frigates with Blue Spear, a newer long range missile developed jointly by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Singapore’s ST Engineering.
The upgrade is now moving from plans to reality. In August 2026, Janes reported that Blue Spear launchers had been fitted to Singapore’s Formidable class frigates as part of their mid life upgrade programme.
So, what is Blue Spear?
Blue Spear is officially classified as a surface-to-surface missile (SSM), meaning it is launched from a surface platform to attack another surface target.
According to IAI, it is a fifth generation missile designed for long range precision strikes against both ships and land targets.
It has a publicly stated range of up to 290 km and travels at around Mach 0.85, or roughly 85% of the speed of sound. It can also fly at very low altitude over the sea, a feature known as sea skimming, which is designed to make detection more difficult.
The missile also uses an active radar seeker and can receive updates during flight, allowing it to adjust its course based on updated information about the target. IAI says it can operate in both “fire and forget” and “fire and update” modes.
Why Is Singapore Replacing Harpoon?
The Blue Spear is replacing the Harpoon, an anti-ship missile that has equipped Singapore’s Formidable class frigates for years.
Singapore’s Ministry of Defence says the replacement is part of a broader mid life upgrade, which is intended to keep the frigates effective after almost two decades of service. The ships are also receiving upgrades to their combat management, communications and other systems.
The change gives the frigates a newer weapon with a broader set of capabilities.
While Harpoon is primarily associated with anti-ship warfare, Blue Spear is designed for both maritime and land targets, giving the frigates greater flexibility in how they can be used. (IAI)
A Singapore-Israel Defence Project
Blue Spear is also notable because it is partly a product of Singapore’s own defence industry.
The missile is marketed by Proteus Advanced Systems, a joint venture established in 2020 by IAI and Singapore’s ST Engineering, with each company holding a 50% stake.
That makes Blue Spear more than simply an imported weapon. It represents Singapore’s broader strategy of combining foreign defence technology with its domestic engineering capabilities.
What Happens Next?
The Blue Spear integration is part of a wider effort to modernise Singapore’s navy.
The RSN is also introducing its new Multi Role Combat Vessels (MRCVs), with the first vessel, Victory, launched in 2025. Six MRCVs are planned, with the new ships designed around advanced sensors, communications and weapons integration.
For Singapore, a small country surrounded by some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, maintaining a technologically advanced navy is a strategic priority.
Blue Spear is therefore not just a new missile. It is another piece of Singapore’s effort to keep its relatively small fleet long range, networked and technologically ahead of potential threats.
