Publication: Sowetan Issued: Date: 2009-03-04 Reporter: Michael Hamlyn Reporter: INet Bridge

SA Navy is Looking To Buy More Patrol Boats

 

Publication 

Sowetan
Date

2009-03-04
Reporter Michael Hamlyn, I-Net Bridge

Web Link

www.sowetan.co.za


The South African Navy is planning to buy a fleet of inshore and offshore patrol vessels at a cost of more than 100 million rand each to boost its capability to defend SA’s coastline and exclusive economic zone from smuggling, poaching, human trafficking, piracy and other seaborne crimes.

According to Vice-Admiral Refiloe Mudimu, the navy chief, the navy has abandoned the idea of ordering the fifth corvette/frigate that was mooted as part of the naval strategic arms procurement deal. "We are going for a balanced force," he told a media conference in Parliament on Wednesday.

The SA navy is hosting a symposium on Sea Power for Africa next week, which will see navies from 32 African countries and from 12 other navies discussing their common problems and hoping they will be able to find common solutions.

One solution that will be canvassed will be the building of these patrol vessels, which could be built anywhere in Africa – in particular in Egypt or Nigeria as well as in this country – and could be interchangeably used by any of the African navies.

Admiral Mudimu said that historically, conflict flashpoints have been centred on land, and as a result there has been little recognition of the fact that most cases of conflict and threats come from the sea, and they must be stopped at sea. He cited recent examples such as the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, and the plundering that occurred in Benin.

"A viable solution would be a joint partnership between the regional trade bodies, Magreb, Ecowas, Eccas, Comesa and SADC to enter a programme for the design and building of an indigenous non-sophisticated offshore patrol vessel," he said.

"Niches of expertise and capacity exist on the continent where such a programme can be effectively undertaken *1. These platforms will contribute to the security and stability of the member states and interoperability will be realised."

He added that this proposal needs to be "impressed upon the political masters of the continent so that the coastal and inland navies of Africa can effectively face the challenges in their waters and eradicate them at sea".

The Flag Officer of the Fleet, Rear Admiral Robert "Rusty" Higgs, told the press briefing that the SA Navy has already begun the work of refining the specifications of patrol boats for inshore and offshore work.

The inshore fleet would consist of vessels between 40 and 45 metres long. The offshore patrol boats would be between 75 and 95 metres.

"The force design would call fore six vessels," Higgs said, "and the first one could potentially be available in 2012 or 2013."

With acknowledgements to Michael Hamlyn, I-Net Bridge and Sowetan.


*1       For nearly forty years, a niche of expertise and capacity had existed in Durban where such a programme can be effectively undertaken.

Indeed almost any warship could have been built there.

Since more recently a similar capacity has existed in Cape Town.

Actually, the brainpower has mainly been in Cape Town and the brawnpower in Durban, although I'm a born and bred Natalian and life-long Sharks supporter..


I said it then and I'll say it again now, this country should have built its four frigates in Durban.

With all the money we saved with a local build of a less expensive platform we could have acquired a much better combat suite and used a locally-developed, but world class Information Management System, using high-speed fibre optics and Message Orientated Middleware (MOM).

With all the money earned and saved and self-confidence gained we could have possibly built 3 coastal submarines if the SA Navy later decided that it really needed them and could afford them.

Then we could have built a further one or two frigates using SADC, AU, EU and US money to send off to Somalia for anti-piracy duty.

Then we could build another nine 95 metre offshore patrol vessels to replace the nine Warrior-class (Hero-class if you will) Strike Craft so that the SA Navy could field a truly balanced force consisting of three Surface Attack Groups (SAGs) (or Surface Patrol Groups in peace time) consisting of one frigate, two OPVs, one helicopter vessel and one logistics vessel each SAG operating and patrolling the West Coast, East Coast and Southern Coast down to Prince Edward Island and the other protectorates. The other frigate and other three OPVs would be in a continual state of maintenance and refit, thus providing for 100% operational availability that a maritime nation with 3 000 km of coastline, countless square kilometres of Exclusive Economic Zone and a growing piracy problem on both coastal flanks, requires (if it can afford it).

Instead the SA Navy has an unbalanced force of four MEKO 200 AS frigates, poorly armed with 1970s vintage Exocet MM40 Block 1 and 2 missiles, plus three Type 209 coastal submarines, also poorly armed with 30-year old weapons from previous inventory, that are too sophisticated and too expensive for it to maintain and support properly.

This is all because Nelson and Thabo and Joe and Ronnie and Chippy wanted it this way.

Curse them.