South African Navy
From Roach Busters
The South African Navy (SAN) is the branch of the South African military tasked with the maritime defense of the nation. Its current commander is Vice Admiral Mhlobo ka Tshiwo.
Classified as a medium navy, the South African Navy is nevertheless the strongest navy in Africa, and one of the best in the world. It is rapidly being modernized into a full blue water navy.
The navy's primary missions include sea patrols of territorial waters; providing naval defense for regional countries; anti-piracy and anti-smuggling operations; protection of the Cape Sea Route; search and rescue missions; and preventing illegal entry into the country.
As of 2008, the SAN currently employs 125,000 active duty personnel (including the 5,000-personnel strong South African Marine Corps), with another 3,000 in reserve. The SAN operates 80 active-duty ships and about 125 aircraft.
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.
Naval Bases
- SAS Saldanha (Located on the west coast and houses the Naval Gymnasium.)
- SAS Wingfield (Located in the Greater Cape Town area. Houses the Naval Armaments Depot and workshops.)
- Naval Base Cape Town
- Naval Base Port Elizabeth
- Naval Base East London
- Naval Base Durban
- Naval Base Simonstown
- Naval Base Lüderitz
- Naval Base Walvis Bay
South African Marine Corps
The South Africa Marine Corps (SAMC) was set up as a sub-branch of the Navy in 1979, with the primary purpose of protecting harbors. Marines were also deployed at Katima Mulilo in Namibia during the Angolan Civil War, where they were responsible for patrolling the Zambezi River. The Marines also acted as regular infantry at the border as well as performing counter-insurgency operations inside Angola in support of UNITA.
The Marines have an amphibious landing capability by operating from SAS Willem van Oranje, SAS Filips Willem van Oranje, and SAS Junker. An elite company, named the Marine Amphibious Company (MAC), exists to ensure the beach-head capability for landing large task forces.
The Marines also field a small elite reconnaissance detachment, under the direct control of the Marine CO, that receives airborne, diver, and urban counter-meassures training from units of the Army.
Navy Reserve
The South African Navy Reserve, modeled on the Royal Naval Reserve unit system, consists of 3,000 reserve posts. These posts are pooled and members drawn from them as needed to augment full-time units and ships' companies.
South African Coast Guard
The South African Coast Guard, which operates the Navy's patrol vessels, is responsible for maritime law enforcement, search and rescue, protection of natural resources, and maritime security. One of its most important duties is preventing illegal entry into the country; it has units deployed in Lake Tanganyika, Lake Malawi, and along the Mozambican coast for this. Members receive both military and law enforcement training (mostly the latter), and are lightly armed with pistols, carbines, submachine guns, and other light weapons.
South African Naval Aviation
South African Naval Aviation is responsible for providing aerial transport, reconnaissance, and air support for the other units of the Navy. It operates a variety of rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft to accomplish its missions.
Inventory
Ships (80 in service)
Destroyers (3 in service)
- 3 Hoofstad class guided missile destroyers (modified Type 42 class)
- SAS Pretoria
- SAS Bloemfontein
- SAS Cape Town
Frigates (12 in service)
- 8 Valour class frigates
- SAS Vaal
- SAS Umzimkulu
- SAS Limpopo
- SAS Elsieskraal
- SAS Liesbeek
- SAS Maputo
- SAS Orange
- SAS Umfolozi
- 4 Transvaal class frigates (modified Karel Doorman class)
- SAS Marthinus Wessel Pretorius
- SAS Willem Cornelis Janse van Rensburg
- SAS Thomas François Burgers
- SAS Paul Kruger
Fast attack craft (9 in service)
- 9 Askari class missile boats (modified Sa'ar 4.5 class)
- SAS Mageba
- SAS Ndaba
- SAS Jama
- SAS Senzangakhona
- SAS Shaka
- SAS Dingane
- SAS Mpande
- SAS Cetshwayo
- SAS Dinuzulu
Submarines (3 in service)
- 3 Type 209 diesel-electric attack submarines
- SAS Manthatisi
- SAS Charlotte Maxeke
- SAS Queen Modjadji
Mine countermeasures vessels (8 in service)
- 4 Umzimkulu class coastal mine hunters
- SAS Umkomaas
- SAS Umhloti
- SAS Umgeni
- SAS Umzimkulu
- 4 City class coastal minesweepers
- SAS Tshwane
- SAS Mangaung
- SAS Kapa
- SAS Thekwini
Patrol vessels (34 in service)
- 3 T Craft class inshore patrol vessels
- SAS Tobie
- SAS Tern
- SAS Tekwane
- 31 Namacurra class small harbor patrol boats
Auxiliary vessels (2 in service)
- SAS Drakensberg fleet replenishment ship
- SAS Outeniqua logistic support ship
Amphibious warfare vessels (3 in service)
- 2 Rotterdam class amphibious transport docks
- SAS Willem van Oranje
- SAS Filips Willem van Oranje
- 1 Barbe class utility landing craft
- SAS Junker
Tugs (3 in service)
- SAS De Mist coastal tug
- SAS De Neys harbor tug
- SAS Umalusi harbor tug
Other vessels (3 in service)
- 1 hydrographic survey vessel
- 1 diving support vessel
- 1 Antarctic transport
Aircraft
Helicopters
- Aérospatiale SA 321L Super Frelon heavy transport helicopter
- Agusta A109 LUH SAR/utility helicopter
- Atlas Oryx medium utility helicopter
- MBB/Kawasaki BK 117A utility/transport helicopter
- Westland Lynx helicopter
- Super Lynx 300 maritime attack helicopter
- Eurocopter Dauphin utility/transport helicopter
- AS 365F1 utility helicopter
- AS 565MA/MB naval search and rescue helicopter
- AS 565SA/SB ASW helicopter
Fixed-wing
- CASA C-212 Aviocar 200M maritime patrol aircraft
- CASA CN-235 MPA maritime patrol aircraft
