While South Africa's controversial arms deal remains in the international spotlight, the ships at the heart of the issue are being kept busy by the South African Navy.

The first of the patrol corvettes to be commissioned, the SAS Amatola, was on a rigorous programme of sailings, with exercises and foreign excursions keeping her sailors at sea, said Captain Brian Stockton of naval headquarters in Pretoria.

The SAS Amatola had sailed to provide security for the SAS Drakensberg, when the latter returned from Europe with an essential spare part for Koeberg nuclear power station, and to escort the first new submarine, S101, to Simon's Town. It also conducted several work-up exercises along the coast and visited Nigeria.

She will soon join the next corvette to be commissioned, SAS Isandlwana, on a voyage to Durban where the commissioning ceremony will be held on July 27, allowing for work-up exercises along the way and back to Simon's Town.

The SAS Isandlwana would then go to South America for the annual Atlasur exercises with the navies of countries such as Argentina and Brazil, Stockton said.

At the same time, the SAS Amatola would visit Table Bay harbour during an African defence conference.

The other two corvettes are in Simon's Town, where they are being prepared for commissioning by the end of the financial year. Weapon and other operational systems are being installed and tested.

The first new submarine to arrive here from Germany, S101, was commissioned in November and had already been busy at sea with exercises and crew training.

The second, S102, was expected to be commissioned in Kiel, Germany, in October, the same time as the launching of the third, S103, Stockton said.

henrid@incape.co.za

With acknowledgements to Henri Du Plessis and Cape Argus.