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South African Navy

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South African Navy Ensign
Emblem of the SA Navy
Emblem of the SA Navy
South African Navy Ensign (1952-1981)
South African Navy Ensign (1981-1994)

The South African Navy (SAN) is the navy of South Africa.

History

Formation

The South African Navy can trace its official origins back to the SA Naval Service, which was established on 1 April 1922.

The first ships acquired by the newly formed navy were HMSAS Protea (a hydrographic survey vessel), HMSAS Sonneblom and HMSAS Immortelle (both minesweeping trawlers).

Unofficially, however, the SAN can trace its history even further back, to the Natal Naval Volunteers (NNV), which was formed in Durban on 30 April 1885 as well as to the Cape Naval Volunteers (CNV), which was formed in Cape Town in 1905. On 1 July 1913 these two units were amalgamated to form the South African Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR).

World War II

In January 1940 a new naval unit, called the Seaward Defence Force, was formed. This unit was to be responsible for operating the minesweepers, anti-submarine services and the other examination and signalling duties in South African waters.

The Seaward Defence Force and the South African RNVR were amalgamated on 1 August 1942 to form the South African Naval Forces (SANF).

Post-war development

On 1 May 1946 the SANF was reconstituted as part of the Union Defence Force and in 1951 the SA Naval Forces became the SA Navy.

The title of HMSAS (His Majesty's South African Ship) was changed to SAS (South African Ship) in 1952, and the crown in the SAN cap badge was replaced with the Lion of Nassau from the crest of the country's coat of arms in 1959.

The SAN also took part in the various internal and border conflicts of South Africa from the 1960s to the early 1990s, including the "Border War".

On 27 April 1994 the SA Navy together with the rest of the South African Defence Force (SADF) became part of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).

21st Century

SAS Mendi

The current Chief of the South African Navy is Vice- Admiral Rofiloe Johannes Mudimo. Currently the SA Navy is classified as a small navy.[citation needed] There are roughly 5000 active uniformed members augmented by 1500 civilians and 1000 reserve members.

A budget of roughly R1.8 billion ($230 million at 2008 exchange rates) was allocated for the Navy for the 2008-2009 fiscal year. There are currently about 15 active vessels (of all types). It is planned to scale this down to about 12 in 2009-2010.

The navy currently is at the cutting edge of technology with the introduction of new frigates and submarines. These vessels are outfitted to South African conditions and use a significant number of South African systems.

Current and future ships

Ships currently in service

Frigates

Main article: Frigate

Fast Attack Craft

  • Warrior (ex Minister) class Fast Attack Craft (Missile) (FAC (M)): Modified (Sa'ar 4) (Israeli design)
    • SAS Isaac Dyobha (P1565) — (ex SAS Frans Erasmus)
    • SAS Galeshewe (P1567) — (ex SAS Hendrik Mentz)

As of July 2007 only two vessels remain in commission. They have had their missiles removed and re-assigned to the offshore patrol role until the acquisition of new OPVs under Project Biro.

Mine Counter Measure Vessels

Main article: Mine countermeasure vessel
  • River Class (Coastal Mine Hunters - MHC)
    • SAS Umkomaas (M1499)
    • SAS Umhloti (M1212)
    • SAS Umgeni (1213)
    • SAS Umzimkulu (M1142)

These ships were ordered in 1978 as Research Vessels to be operated by the Navy for the Department of Transport. The lead ship Navors I was shipped to Durban from Germany in the heavy lift ship Uhenfels in June 1980 for fitting out. She was shortly followed by the second. The last pair were built in Durban. The vessels were painted blue with white upperworks and formed the First Research Squadron. They were painted grey and renamed in 1982 but continued to fly the national flag and not the naval ensign. The prefix RV was only changed to SAS on 3 February 1988 when they were formally accepted as naval ships. Their minehunting capability could be enhanced by substituting the diving container on the after deck with lightweight mechanical and acoustic sweeping gear. They carry a RIB and a decompression chamber. The plan is to enhance them a second-generation minehunting system.

Submarines

The South African Navy purchased three new Type 209/T.1400 class submarines (SSK) submarines to replace its decommissioned Daphné class submarines:

Patrol Vessels

Main article: Patrol Vessel

These boats are twin hulled catamarans of glass reinforced plastic (GRP) sandwich construction. Capable of carrying up to 15 personnel. Ordered in mid-1991. Each carries a RIB in the stern well. Commissioned as SAS in 2003. Three of this type were also built for Israel in 1997.

Built in South Africa in 1980-81 these boats can also be transported by road. One transferred to Malawi in October 1988, two to Namibia in 2002 and two to Mozambique in September 2004.

To be acquired under Project Biro. Replacement for remaining Warrior Class strike craft. Estimated to be between 80 to 85 meters in length and will be capable of carrying a helicopter, although it is unknown if it will be able to house one as well. They are to be armed with a 76 mm gun and light machine guns. No missiles are planned to be fitted at this time. The OPVs will also carry Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV). Final design to be selected in early 2009.

To be acquired under Project Biro. Replacement for remaining T Craft vessels. Estimated to be between 53 to 55 meters in length. They are to armed with a 30 mm gun and light machine guns. No missiles are planned to be fitted at this time. Final design to be selected in early 2009.

Auxiliary vessels

Note: This ship carries at least one Atlas Oryx helicopter.

Survey ships

  • Hecla class survey ship (AGS):
    • SAS Protea

To be acquired under Project Hotel. Replacement for SAS Protea. Will be similar to Biro OPV and establish a mobile hydrographic survey team.

Other vessels

To be acquired under Project Xena. 10.3m patrol boats to work in conjunction with the Maritime Reaction Squadron (MRS). First of which is now building.

  • Three Tugs

Future Programmes

The South African Navy is at present considering additional acquisitions, although it is not clear when or if they will be funded:

  • The first is the possibility of purchasing a fifth Valour-class frigate, which was provided for as an option in the original contract. An addendum to Project Sitron, the original acquisition of the frigates.
  • Project Biro: A programme for the acquisition of 6 multi-purpose hull vessels in a one-to-one replacement of the current three T-Craft IPV and the three remaining strike craft. It is expected that these ships will be built in South Africa. To run in conjunction with Project Hotel. Award scheduled for 2009.
  • Project Millennium: One to three multi-mission "strategic support ship", to be used for sealift, command and control, medical evacuation and humanitarian assistance and search and rescue. 200m LPD/LPH vessels contemplated. Likely acquisition cost based on a similar French design. Estimated €340 million per ship.
  • Project Hotel: Acquisition of a new generation maritime survey ship to replace the Hecla-class SAS Protea. To run in conjunction with Project Biro. Award scheduled for 2009. Ship to have a secondary OPV role and equipment fit.
  • Project Xena: A new class of 15 10.3m patrol boats and a command & control system for the Operational Boat Squadron of the Maritime Reaction Force (MRF), the Navy’s budding amphibious capability.
  • Project Brutes: Half life upgrade for combat support ship SAS Drakensberg.
  • Project Mapantsula: Acquisition of an "offboard" mine counter-measure system (autonomous underwater vehicle) for use by surface fleet. SeaOtter UUV shortlisted. Scheduled for completion: 2010.
  • Project Stanchion: Acquisition of an underwater signature measurement system. Phase 1 (the signal measurement system) scheduled for delivery December 2007. Phase 2 (magnetic treatment centre) scheduled for completion December 2009.
  • Unknown: Design and development of an indigenous OPV combat suite.
  • Unknown: Purchase of several deep-sea salvage vessels in 2011.

Shipyards proposed for Biro and other contracts

Yard Country Projects
Abeking & Rasmussen Germany Biro
BVT Surface Fleet UK Biro, Millennium
Damen Netherlands/Cape Town Biro, Millennium, Xena
DCNS France Biro, Millennium
Fincantieri Italy Biro, Hotel, Millennium
Goa Shipyard Ltd India Biro
Lürsen Defence Germany Biro
Magazon Dock Ltd India Biro
Navantia Spain Biro, Millennium
Southern African Shipyards South Africa Biro, Xena
ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems Germany Biro, Millennium

Decommissioned ships

Training Ships

Boom Defence Vessels

Spear (ex Daphne) class Submarines (SSK)

  • SAS Spear (ex SAS Maria van Riebeeck)
  • SAS Umkhonto (ex SAS Emily Hobhouse)
  • SAS Assegaai (ex SAS Johanna van der Merwe)

Warrior class strike craft

  • SAS Jan Smuts (ex P1561)
  • SAS Adam Kok (ex SAS Frederic Creswell/P1563)
  • SAS René Sethren (ex SAS Oswald Pirow/P1566)
  • SAS Job Masego (ex SAS Kobie Coetsee/P1568)
  • SAS Sekhukhuni (ex SAS Jim Fouché/P1564)
  • SAS Shaka (ex SAS P.W. Botha/P1562)

Ton class minesweeper

  • SAS Durban, M1499
  • SAS East London, M1215 (ex HMS Chilton) - sold to Italian film company
  • SAS Johannesburg, M1207 (ex HMS Castleton)
  • SAS Kaapstad, P1557, M1210 (ex HMS Hazleton; ex HMS Blue Firefly)
  • SAS Kimberley, M1210 (ex HMS Stratton)
  • SAS Mosselbaai, M1213 (ex HMS Oakington)
  • SAS Port Elizabeth, M1212 (ex HMS Dumbleton)
  • SAS Pretoria, P1556, M1144 (ex HMS Dunkerton; ex HMS Golden Firefly) - museum ship in Hout Bay
  • SAS Walvisbaai, M1214 (ex HMS Packington) sold to The Walt Disney Company
  • SAS Windhoek, M1498

Loch class frigate

  • (HM)SAS Good Hope (K-432) (ex-HMS Loch Boisdale). Scuttled in Smitswinkel Bay, 12 December 1978.
  • (HM)SAS Natal (K-10) (ex- HMS Loch Cree). Survey ship 1957. Sunk as a target off the Cape, 19 September 1972.
  • (HM)SAS Transvaal (K-602) (ex-HMS Loch Ard). Scuttled in Smitswinkel Bay 3, August 1978.

Algerine class minesweeper

  • (HM)SAS Pietermaritzburg, J291 (ex HMS Pelorus), scuttled in Smitswinkel Bay
  • (HM)SAS Bloemfontein, (ex HMS Rosamund), expended as target on 5 June 1967 in False Bay

President-class frigate

President-class frigates were Rothesay class frigates[4] built in the United Kingdom for the South African Navy

  • SAS President Kruger (F150) - commissioned 1962, sunk after a collision with SAS Tafelberg in 1982
  • SAS President Steyn (F147) - commissioned 1962, used as a target and sunk by naval gunfire
  • SAS President Pretorius (F145) - commissioned 1963, sold for scrap 1990

W class destroyer

Replenishment Ships

Other

Units

SAS Immortelle, located in Pretoria.

Fleet Command Headquarters

Located in Cape Town.

Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre

Located in a bunker at Silvermine[5]

SAS Saldanha

Located on the West Coast and houses the Naval Gymnasium.

SAS Wingfield

Located in the Greater Cape Town area. Housing the Naval Armaments Depot and workshops.

The only remaining full Naval Base in the SA Navy. All combat units have been concentrated here in an attempt to curb costs.

The base also houses training facilities for the new frigates and submarines.

A Naval Dockyard is also situated here, although it is in the process of being privatised.

Provides support to the fleet.

Naval Base Durban was scaled down to a Naval Station with the rationalisation of the fleet. Now provides fleet support.

Aviation support for the South African Navy is provided by 22 Squadron of the South African Air Force.

Marines

The South Africa Marine Corps was set up as a sub-branch of the Navy in 1979, with the primary purpose of protecting harbours. Marines were also deployed at Katima Mulilo in South West Africa during the South African Border War, where they were responsible for patrolling the Zambezi River. The Marines also acted as regular infantry at the Border until 1988 as well as performing counter-insurgency operations inside South Africa. During township duties in the mid 1980's the detachment used facilities at SAS Rand in Johannesburg and on Signal Hill outside of Heidelberg. The Marines had an amphibious landing capability by operating from SAS Tafelberg and SAS Drakensberg. An elite company, named the Marine Amphibious Company (MAC), was formed to ensure the beach-head capability for landing large task forces.

The Marines trained and fielded a small elite reconnaissance detachment between 1983 and 1989, under the direct control of the Marine CO, they received airborn, diver and urban counter meassures training from other army units within the SADF.

The Marines were disbanded in 1989, following a major restructuring of the Navy at the end of the South African Border War.

The seven old Navy Reserve units were closed down during 2006. They were modeled on the Royal Naval Reserve unit system.

A new Navy Reserve system was created consisting of roughly 1000 reserve posts. These posts are pooled and members drawn from them as needed to augment full-time units and ships' companies.

This force was created during 2006.

It consists of two operational squadrons.

Operational Boat Squadron

Equipped with Namacurra Harbour Patrol boats this unit specializes in riverine operations and boarding operations. Several boats of this unit are currently deployed in Burundi on peacekeeping duties.

Maritime Reaction Squadron

It is planned that this squadron will eventually be a battalion sized unit. Currently it consists of roughly two companies.

Members are sailors and use Naval ranks. They are trained in infantry combat up to company sized operations. They are also used for crowd control and conduct peacekeeping operations. During peacekeeping operations they are meant to augment and Army infantry battalion. Their role is very similar to the now disbanded Marines.

See also

References

  1. ^ Schmidt, Michael (2006-04-08). "Warrior queen arrives in Simon's Town". The Independent on Saturday. p. 2. Retrieved 2006-04-08. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ "S-101 Commissioned" (Press release). South African Navy. November 3, 2005. Retrieved 2007-12-06.
  3. ^ "South African Navy Commissions Charlotte Maxeke".
  4. ^ HT Lenton (1967). Warships of the British & Commonwealth Navies. Allan.
  5. ^ "South African Navy (SAN)". Globalsecurity.org.
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