Publication: Cape Times Issued: Date: 2007-12-24 Reporter: Craig McKune

Is SA Sub a Dud?

 

Publication 

Cape Times
Date

2007-12-24
Reporter Craig McKune

Web Link

www.capetimes.co.za



No, the SA Navy's multimillion-rand submarine is not "brain-dead". Nobody "plugged it into the wrong socket" and its electronics are not shorted, says Navy spokesperson Greyling van den Berg.

He was responding to a tabloid newspaper report on Tuesday that negligence at Simon's Town Naval Base had left the SAS Manthatisi "completely unusable". "Whilst connected from shore supply, a fault resulted in a few fuses being tripped. This is exactly what happens ... at home, where the fuses prevent damage to your electrical appliances."

Another newspaper report recently proclaimed the sub a "dud", saying it was "plagued by serious defects" and had "languished" in the dry dock since its arrival as one of three bought in the multibillion-rand arms deal.

Van den Berg said the submarine is simply "in a prolonged maintenance period in order to increase her lifespan *1". He said this is in accordance with the SA Navy business plan, which holds one sub in maintenance while the other two are operational *2.

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With acknowledgements to Craig McKune and Cape Times.
 

*1       This is incongruous with sending the submarine to the South Atlantic to do fisheries patrol.

These are warships, not a fisheries patrol vessels.


*2      This is also nonsense in respect of the original SA Navy requirement which was that it wanted 4 submarines so that 3 could be operational while the 4th was in maintenance.

That it could only get 3 boats would logically mean that it would try to maximise their operational availability.


The SAS Manthatisi is short of some critical spares and is unlikely to be operational again until well into next year.