South African Navy Ensign
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.
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 the Lion of Nassau from the crest of 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.citation needed There are roughly 5000 active uniformed members augmented by 1500 civilians and 1000 reserve members.
A budget of roughly R1.8 billion (Roughly $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
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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 decommissioned once all four frigates have been commissioned.
Note: As of July 2007 only two strike craft remain in commission. The P1565 and P1567, all strike craft have also had their missiles removed.
Mine Counter Measure Vessels
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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.
- River Class (Coastal Mine Hunters - MHC)
- SAS Umkomaas (M1499)
- SAS Umhloti (M1212)
- SAS Umgeni (1213)
- SAS Umzimkulu (M1142)
These vessels started out life as Type 320 Lindau class minesweepers. These were a class of German coastal mine warfare vessels built as part of the first FRG naval program. The ships were made from non-metallic components and built by Burmester Bremen. Starting in 1970, 11 vessels of this class were upgraded to Type 331 Fulda class mine hunters. During 1979, the six remaining vessels were upgraded to Type 351 Ulm Class. They were eventually replaced by the Type 352 Ensdorf Class minesweeper.
None of these ships now remain in service with the German Navy. On November 10, 2000 the sale of the six Type 351 Ulm Class minesweepers to the South African Navy was finalised and after shipment to South Africa in 2001 were reclassified the City Class. Four are now in service, while two were retained for spares. On November 1, 2007, the former Konstanz pennant number M1081 was expended as a target during Exercise Red Lion. After being towed 90km west of Saldanha Bay, South Africa, two Exocet MM40 surface to surface missiles were fired at it from the frigates SAS Amatola and SAS Isandlwana destroying it instantly.
- City Class (Mine Sweeper Coastal - MSC)
- SAS Tshwane (M1221)
- SAS Mangaung (M1222)
- SAS Kapa (M1223)
- SAS Thekwini (M1225)
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
The South African Navy purchased three new Type 209/T.1400 class submarines (SSK) submarines to replace its decommissioned Daphné class submarines:
Patrol Vessels
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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.
Auxiliary vessels
Note: This ship carries at least one Atlas Oryx helicopter.
Survey ships
- Hecla class survey ship (AGS):
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
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)
- 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)
- 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
- (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.
- (HM)SAS Pietermaritzburg, J291 (ex HMS Pelorus), scuttled in Smitswinkel Bay
- (HM)SAS Bloemfontein, (ex HMS Rosamund), fate unknown
President-class frigate
President-class frigate were Rothesay class frigate[4] built in United Kingdom for South African Navy
- SAS President Kruger (F150) - commissioned 1962, sunk after a collision with SAS Tafelberg in 1982
- SAS President Steyn - commissioned 1962, used as a target and sunk by naval gunfire
- SAS President Pretorius - commissioned 1963, sold for scrap 1990
- SAS Jan van Riebeeck
- SAS Simon van der Stel
Replenishment Ships
Other
Units
Navy Office
SAS Immortelle, located in Pretoria.
Fleet Command Headquarters
Located in Cape Town.
Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre
Located in a bunker at Silvermine[5]
Naval Bases
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 Station Durban
Naval Base Durban was scaled down to a Naval Station with the rationalisation of the fleet. Now provides fleet support.
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.
Navy Reserve
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.
Naval Rapid Deployment Force
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.
Rapid 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
External links
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