Publication: Cape Argus Issued: Date: 2007-02-16 Reporter: Sivuyile Mangxamba

Third Arms-deal Frigate Now Officially Part of SA's Fleet

 

Publication 

Cape Argus
Date

2007-02-16

Reporter

 Sivuyile Mangxamba

Web Link

www.capeargus.co.za

 

South Africa's third frigate, which forms part of the controversial multi-billion-rand arms deal, was handed over to the government at a commissioning ceremony in Simon's Town today.

The frigate, SAS Spioenkop, which cost R1.5 billion *1, was handed to Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota by the European South African Corvette Consortium *2. The ship is expected to patrol the South African coastline and its maritime resources and help in peace missions around the continent.

It is the third of the four frigates acquired as part of the Strategic Defence Package, and has been under the supervision of the contractors since it arrived in South Africa on May 31, 2004.

The ships, which include SAS Amatola and SAS Drakensberg *3, are from Germany, but the combat systems were fitted in South Africa and the rudder components were installed in France.

The fourth ship, SAS Mendi, will be handed over to the government in March in Port Elizabeth after completing its tests.

"There is a large contribution of the South African industry in components fitted in the ship*4," said Admiral Kevin Watson, project director of the frigate acquisition.

He gave a list of local companies that were used to procure the equipment, including Denel, African Defence Systems *2 , Tank Cape and MTU South Africa.

The ships come with four onboard maritime helicopters *5, which are expected to be delivered in May.

Three of the helicopters had already been completed and were undergoing flight tests, said Watson.

"There was a huge drive to make the acquisition local," said Watson, describing the purchase as the biggest ever undertaken by the SA Navy.

During the ceremony, a 19-gun salute was performed from the SAS Amatola, which is due to leave for England in May to complete the training of 119 crewmen.

The ships are fitted with advanced technology, anti-tank *6 and air missiles. They also generate potable water *7*8.

With acknowledgements to Sivuyile Mangxamba and Cape Argus.



*1      The government's latest lie.

The official contract price for four frigates in 1998 Rands was R6,873 billion - which amounts to something over R1,7 billion each in 1998 Rands. Since then there has been escalation and rate of exchange variation amount to between 80% and 120%, making the true cost more like R3,0 billion each in 2007 Rands.

Since then a substantial, but not clearly defined, amount of money has been spent on the four frigates to ameliorate functional deficiencies, inter alia crypto equipment and other systems.

Another big riddle is whether the SDPs funded all 17 Exocet MM40 Block 2 missiles or whether these were sneaked in via another funding method.

Prove me wrong - it's a challenge.


*2      Three members of ESACC being Thomson-CSF NCS France, Thyssen Rheinstahl Technik GmbH and African Defence Systems (Pty) Ltd.

Its more like a consortium of bandits - only to be joined in later life by Ferrostaal who also splodged out some serious wonga to get the SA DoD's submarine deal.


*3      The latest Valiant-class frigate.


*4      The industry now all but decimated by the strategic defence repackaging of the country's capabalities into the hands of foreigners and their bumiputerian partners.


*5      No, the frigates do not come with four maritime helicopters.

These were initially include in the Arms Deal, but taken out when the price of the frigates went from R6,001 billion to R6,873 billion and the price of the combat suite went from R1,900 billion to R2,599 billion (all in 1998 Rands).

So they were sneakily bought at some later stage for about R1,5 billion (in 2007 Rands).


*6      With the seemingly inept maritime anti-tank performance of the Rooivalk (now officially called Red Hawk) combat helicopter and no clear maritime combat role for a frigate-class surface combatant in the South African Navy, this Valour-class frigate has transmogrified into a true mulitrole platform.

Maritime anti-tank operations - must be the pinnacle of anti-surface warfare - stand-off offshore and blast those T54s with one's four Exocet MM40 Block 3 missiles fitted with their brand new land attack capability (must have been acquired as an upgrade from Aerospatiale out of the navy's running budget, because it didn't lawfully come out of the Special Defence Account).

So much for the SANDF's stated requirement for a blue water navy.

Never a dull moment or lack of inspiration from the troothsayers of the Kamerman-Klas Korvette.

But it's a lot better story than catching them abalone poachers and patagonian toothfishers.


*7      These days a layman with R85 000 to splurge on capital investment and 400 kWh per day of electric power can generate 7 000 litre of fresh water per day using sea water as feedstock.


*8      In its few short years of existence, the KKK has probably generated more (white) hot gases than potable water.


A very enjoyable (but factually very weak) article.