Publication: Sapa Issued: Cape Town Date: 2007-02-08 Reporter: Sapa

Drakensberg Goes to Collect Sub

 

Publication 

Sapa
BC-ARMS-SUB

Issued

Cape Town
Date

2007-02-08

Reporter

Sapa

 

The SAS Drakensberg leaves for Germany on Friday to accompany South Africa's second arms deal submarine home, the navy announced on Thursday.

The Drakensberg and the submarine, known at this stage only as the S102, were scheduled to arrive on April 24.

Their progress could be followed on the navy website www.navy.mil.za, a navy statement said.

South Africa ordered three class 209 diesel-electric submarines from German builders in 1999. The first arrived in Simon's Town in April last year and was christened the "Manthatisi" after a Batlokwa chieftainess.

The submarines replace three French-built Daphne class submarines in use since the 1970s and retired in 2003.

With acknowledgement to Sapa.