SOUTH AFRICAN NAVY

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

Contents

History

Formation

World War II

Post-war development

21st Century

Current and future ships

Ships currently in service

Frigates

Fast Attack Craft

Mine Counter Measure Vessels

River Class(Coastal Mine Hunters - MHC)

City Class(Mine Sweeper Coastal - MSC)

Submarines

Auxiliary vessels

Survey ships

Other vessels

Future programmes

Decommissioned ships

Units

Navy Office

Fleet Command Headquarters

Naval Bases

Located on the West Coast and houses the Naval Gymnasium.

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 fascilities for the new frigates and submarines. A Naval Dockyard is also situated here, although it is in the proccess 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.

Naval Rapid Deployment Force

Operational Boat Squadron

Rapid Reaction Squadron

See also

References

External links

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.
South African sailors and ships took part with distinction in both the First and Second World Wars.
When South Africa became a republic on May 31 1961, the title of HMSAS (Her Majesty's South African Ship) was changed to SAS (South African Ship), and the Crown in the SAN badge was replaced with a lion, the crest from the country's coat of arms.
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

The current Chief of the South African Navy is Vice- Admiral Rofiloe Johannes Mudimo.
Currently the SA Navy is classified as a small navy. There are roughly 5000 active uniformed members augmented by 1500 civilians and 1000 reserve members.
A budget of roughly R1.3 billion (Roughly $190 million at 2007 exchange rates) was allocated for the Navy for the 20072008 fiscal year.
There are currently about 15 active vessels(of all types). It is planned to scale this down to about 12 in 20092010.
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

★ Valour class Frigates (MEKO A-200SAN) (FSG):

★
★ ''SAS Amatola (F145)''

★
★ ''SAS Isandlwana (F146)''

★
★ ''SAS Spioenkop (F147)''

★
★ ''SAS Mendi (F148)''

Fast Attack Craft

Main articles: 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'')

★
★ ''SAS Makhanda'' (P1569) — (ex ''SAS Magnus Malan'')
''Note: According to the department of defence strategic plan for FY 2007-2010 only three strike craft will be kept in service during 2007, to be decomissioned once all four frigates have been commissioned.''
''Note: As of July 2007 only two strike craft remain in commission. The P1567 and P1569, all strike craft have also had their missiles removed.''

Mine Counter Measure Vessels

Main articles: Mine countermeasure vessel

River Class(Coastal Mine Hunters - MHC)

★ ''SAS Umkomaas''

★ ''SAS Umhloti''

★ ''SAS Umgeni''

★ ''SAS Umzimkulu''

City Class(Mine Sweeper Coastal - MSC)

★ ''SAS Thekwini''

★ ''SAS Kapa''

★ ''SAS Tshwane''

★ ''SAS Mangaung''
''(The City Class vessels were bought second hand from Germany in 2001. They were built in the 1950's and are intended as interim mine warfare and training vessels.)''
''Note- According to the Department of Defence Strategic Plan for 2007-2010, the navy plans to keep only two mine countermeasure systems operational during this period''
[1]

Submarines

Main articles: Submarine


★ Type 209/T.1400 class Submarines (SSK):

★
★ ''SAS Manthatisi (S101)'' (arrived Simon's Town 7 April 2006) ^[1]

★
★ ''SAS Charlotte Maxeke (S102)'' (commissioned 14 March 2007,arrived Simon's Town 27 April 2007) ^[2]

★
★ ''SAS Queen Modjadji (S103)'' (to be commissioned March 2008)

Auxiliary vessels

★ ''SAS Drakensberg (A301)'' Fleet Replenishment Ship (AOR) )
Note: This ship carries at least one Atlas Oryx helicopter.

Survey ships

★ ''Hecla'' class survey ship (AGS):

★
★ ''SAS Protea''

Other vessels

★ 10 - 20 Small Harbour Patrol Boats; Three Tugs; Three Inshore Patrol Vessels

Future programmes

The South African Navy is at present considering three 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.

★ The second is a programme for the acquisition of a number of multi-purpose hull vessels to replace the current elderly mine-hunters/sweepers and the three remaining strike craft.

★ The third, under ''Project Millennium'', is a multi-mission strategic projection vessel, to be used for sealift, command and control, medical evacuation and humanitarian assistance and search and rescue.

Decommissioned ships

★ ''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'')

Units

Navy Office

Located in Pretoria.

Fleet Command Headquarters

Located in Cape Town.

Naval Bases

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.

Naval Base Simons Town

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 fascilities for the new frigates and submarines.
A Naval Dockyard is also situated here, although it is in the proccess of being privatised.

Naval Station Port Elizabeth

Provides support to the fleet.

Naval Station Durban

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

Navy Reserve===
The seven old Navy Reserve units were closed down during 2006. They were modelled on the Royal Navy reserve unit system.
A new Navy Reserve system was created concisting of roughly 1000 reserve posts. These posts are pooled and members drawn from them as needed to augment full time units and ships companies.

Naval Rapid Deployment Force

This force was created during 2006.
It concists 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.

Rapid Reaction Squadron

It is planned that this squadron will eventually be a battalion sized unit. Currently it concists 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.

See also

★ Military history of South Africa

★ Simonstown Agreement (1955-1975) between the UK and South Africa.

References

1. Warrior queen arrives in Simon's Town Michael Schmidt
2. South African Navy Commissions Charlotte Maxeke


★ S-101 Commissioned

External links

★ South African Navy home page

★ Unofficial South African Navy website