The Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV) was jointly designed by
Saab Kockums AB and
ST Marine with Singapore's
Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) as the overall manager and systems integrator and was derived from Saab Kockum's FLEXpatrol multi-mission patrol vessel. The design of the LMV was guided by two specific requirements. Due to declining birth rates, manpower had been a critical concern for the
Singapore Armed Forces and the design reflects attempts to increase the efficiency of a reduced manning crew from 30 to 23. This was achieved through increased levels of automation and remote monitoring. Another key feature is the Integrated Command Centre which combines the ship's bridge, combat information centre (CIC), and machinery control spaces. The other requirement reflected in the design of the LMV is the need to handle multiple roles, from low intensity conflicts to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations. The requirement is met through the ability to dynamically reconfigure the LMV through containerised mission packages. The LMV is also equipped with a unique, twin stern slipways from
Palfinger Marine for the launch and recovery of
RHIBs. In 2025, the RSN begun deployment of
ST Engineering's Veloce 60 Unmanned Aerial System on the Independence-class LMV, which has an endurance of up to 14 hours, enhancing the ship's surveillance capabilities. To counter emerging threats arising from
unmanned aerial systems, the RSN has begun upgrading the Independence-class LMV with the
Strales 76mm Guided Gun in order to increase low-cost effectiveness against fast-moving targets.. As of March 2026, RSS
Justice and RSS
Independence are the only vessels seen with the upgraded STRALES system. ==Ships in class==