South African Navy
Afrikaans:Suid-Afrikaanse Vloot
Founded	1st April 1922; 104 years ago (1922)
Country	South Africa
Type	Navy
Role	Naval warfare
Size	6,816 active personnel 1,071 reserve personnel
Part of	South African NDF
Garrison/HQ	Saldanha Bay,Simon's Town,Western Cape, South Africa
Colors	Green and white
Fleet	See list
Website	http://www.navy.mil.za
Commanders
Commander-in-chief	PresidentCyril Ramaphosa
Chief of the SANDF	GeneralRudzani Maphwanya
Chief of the Navy	Vice AdmiralMonde Lobese
Master at Arms of the Navy	Senior Chief Warrant OfficerMatee Molefe[1]
Notable commanders	AdmiralHugo Biermann,Vice AdmiralRefiloe Johannes Mudimu
Insignia
Ensign
Jack

TheSouth African Navy (SA Navy) is thenaval warfare branch of theSouth African National Defence Force.

The Navy is primarily engaged in maintaining a conventional military deterrent, participating in counter-piracy operations, fishery protection, search and rescue, and upholding maritime law enforcement for the benefit of South Africa and its international partners.^[2][3]

Today the South African Navy is one of the most capable naval forces in the African region, operating a mixed force of sophisticated warships, submarines, patrol craft, and auxiliary vessels, with over 7,000 personnel; including a marine force.

With formerly deep historical and political connections to theUnited Kingdom, the first emergence of a naval organisation was the creation of the South African Division of the BritishRoyal Naval Volunteer Reserve in 1913, before becoming an nominally independent naval service for theUnion of South Africa in 1922.^[4]

In its history, South African naval vessels and personnel have participated in theFirst andSecond World Wars, as well as theSouth African Border War. In theapartheid post-war era, the South African Navy was extensively aligned withNATO and other Western nations against theSoviet Bloc.^[5]

Officially, the South African Navy can trace its origins back to the creation of the South African Naval Service on 1 April 1922. Unofficially, however, the Navy has an unbroken association with the Natal Naval Volunteers, formed inDurban on 30 April 1885, and the Cape Naval Volunteers, formed inCape Town in 1905.^[4] On 1 July 1913, following thecreation of the Union of South Africa in 1910,^[6] the South African Division of theRoyal Navy Volunteer Reserve (RNVR[SA]) was established, although with complete organisational and operational control being directed by theRoyal Navy.^[4][7]

As part of the British Empire, South Africa went to war against theCentral Powers on 4 August 1914,^[8] despite significantAfrikaner opposition.^[9] A total of 412 South Africans served in the RNVR[SA] during the war, with 164 members volunteering for the Royal Navy directly.^[10] One officer and eight ratings died during the course of the war.^[10] South Africans would see service on warships in European waters and the Mediterranean, as well as participate in the land campaigns inGerman South West Africa andGerman East Africa. Under Royal Navy jurisdiction, the RNVR (SA) patrolled South African waters in converted fishing vessels, helping in mine clearance in response to the operations of the German raiderSMS Wolf in 1917,^[11][12] as well as protecting the strategically important Royal Navy naval base atSimon's Town.

On 1 April 1922, the South African Naval Service (SANS) was formed and, alongside the RNVR (SA), tasked with the protection of territorial waters, minesweeping and hydrography.^[10] In the same year, the SANS commissioned the smallhydrographicsurvey ship HMSAS (His/Her Majesty's South African Ship)Protea, two minesweeping converted trawlers HMSASImmortelle and HMSASSonneblom, and the training shipGeneral Botha (the former 19th century cruiserHMSThames) – all formerly in Royal Navy service. As a result of theGreat Depression in 1929, coupled with lack of government investment, the SANS by 1939 had been forced to return all vessels to the Royal Navy.^[13] At the outbreak of theSecond World War, the service had only three officers and three ratings in its ranks.^[4]

The British declaration of war against Germany on 3 September 1939 threw South Africa into a constitutional dilemma due to her status as an autonomousDominion within the Commonwealth.Prime Minister J.B.M. Hertzog and other anti-British factions of the coalitionUnited Party called for strict neutrality, whilst the more anglophile Deputy Prime MinisterJan Smuts advocated that South Africa was constitutionality, and morally, obliged to support Britain and fight fascism.^[9] Two days later, after a close parliamentary vote of 80 to 67 in favour of Smuts, South Africa followed Britain and declared war on Germany.^[9]

During October 1939,Rear-Admiral Guy Halifax, a retired Royal Navy officer living in South Africa, was appointed Director of the South African Naval Service, later renamedSeaward Defence Force (SDF) in January 1940.^[14] Overseeing a large industrial program of converting civilianwhalers andfishing trawlers into military vessels, despite being highly primitive, over 80 such craft would go on to be the backbone of the South African naval forces.

In South African waters, the SDF, in partnership with the Royal Navy, ensured maritime control around the strategicCape Sea route and was primarily involved in coastal patrol, mine clearance, and significant anti-submarine operations between 1942 and 1945 due to a sustainedU-boat offensive, with over 100 merchant ships being sunk off the South African coast.

South African naval vessels similarly contributed to theMediterranean theatre,^[15] and later theFar East.^[16] From 1941, South Africa assisted in escorting convoys along the North African coast, including the resupply and eventual evacuation ofTobruk, embarked on mine clearance operations, successfully engaged enemy submarines and undertook harbour salvage tasks. In 1942, a unified national naval service emerged following the successful amalgamation of the SDF and RNVR(SA), creating the South African Naval Forces (SANF).^[7] As the war came to its end, South Africa received its first purpose-built warships, threeLoch-class frigates from the Royal Navy.^[13] Deployed to the Far East under British command, South Africa later contributed to operations to liberate Japanese held territory.^[16]

In total, over 10,000 service personnel volunteered for service in the SANF, and its predecessors, with 324 losing their lives and 26 battle honours gained.^[10]

A year after the end of hostilities, on 1 May 1946 South African Naval Forces were reconstituted as part of theUnion Defence Force before undertaking its final name change in July 1951, when the SANF officially became known as the South African Navy.^[5] The year 1948 was a turning point, not only for South Africa as a country following theNational Party's electoral victory, but also the direction of the Navy.^[17] British influence became increasingly diminished and curtailed across the service. In 1952, the previously usedship prefix of HMSAS (His/Her Majesty's South African Ship) changed to just SAS (South African Ship),^[18] in 1957, the Royal Navytransferred control of Simon's Town naval base to the SA Navy after 70 years of occupancy and later, in 1959, theSt Edward's Crown, which had featured in the Navy cap badge and other insignia, was replaced by the Lion of Nassau from South Africa's coat of arms.^[19]

In the immediate post-war years the South African Navy underwent significant levels of qualitative, and quantitative, expansion as the Royal Navy disposed of its surplus war materiel.^[20] In 1947, two surplusAlgerine-class minesweepers, were acquired from the United Kingdom,HMSAS Bloemfontein (exRosamund) andHMSAS Pietermaritzburg (ex HMSPelorus), as well as theFlower-class corvette HMSRockrose which was converted into the hydrographic survey shipHMSAS Protea. In 1950, South Africa further expanded her naval capability and purchased the first of two former BritishW-class destroyers,SAS Jan van Riebeeck, in 1952SAS Simon van der Stel,^[21] and later, theType 15 anti-submarine frigateSAS Vrystaat (formerly HMSWrangler).^[22]

By the early 1960s, the South African Navy was fast reaching its highpoint of international inclusion and is generally considered to be the golden age of a well balanced, modern, and effective service optimised for conventional naval engagement alongside friendly Western international partners.^[20]

From 1962 to 1964, the South African Navy received three British-builtType 12M frigates which formed the President-class :SAS President Kruger,SAS President Steyn andSAS President Pretorius respectively.^[21] These were first rate, ocean going fast fleet anti-submarine escorts that propelled the South African Navy into the age of a modern warship operator on equal footing with the West.^{[23][page needed]} The order of threeDaphné-class submarine from France in 1968^[24]—to operate submarines for the first time—again catapulted the service further. The early 1970s would see the South African Navy operating at the height of itsblue-water power projection ability with the first of the Daphné-class submarines,SAS Maria van Riebeeck, being commissioned in 1970, withSAS Emily Hobhouse andSAS Johanna van der Merwe entering service the following year.^[24]

The second half of the 1970s however saw South Africa facing severe amounts ofinternational isolation and criticism. In 1973 the UN labelled the policy of apartheid a "Crime against Humanity",^[25] magnified further by the brutal state repression and subsequent mass incarcerations and deaths following theSoweto uprising in 1976^[26] and the death of prominent anti-apartheid activistSteve Biko in 1977.^[27] The following year aUN arms embargo, loosely in place since 1962, became mandatory.^[28] The ensuing international economicdisinvestment from South Africa was stepped up, placing huge strains on the economy. Coupled with these severe problems, the cornerstones of the country's regional foreign policy faced collapse and complete transformation with the end ofPortuguese rule in Angola and Mozambique in 1975,^[29] and thenegotiated settlement inIan Smith'sRhodesia to the end of white minority rule in 1979.^[30] As South Africa became increasingly involved in theBorder War inSouth West Africa (modern dayNamibia) and Angola, the Navy began to readjust its previous international outlook and organisation. The then Minister of Defence,P. W. Botha successfully sought military connections withIsrael and nine "Reshef"—Warrior-class in South African service—missile strike craft were ordered in 1974.^[21] Following theSoweto uprising and subsequentmandatory arms embargo, South Africa had been forced to accept the cancellation of another significant naval procurement of two newType-69A light frigates and twoAgosta-class submarines from France.^[31]

In 1987, South Africa commissioned the locally designed and builtFleet Replenishment shipSAS Drakensberg. Constructed inDurban, it remains the largest and most sophisticated warship to ever have built in South Africa. Three years earlier, the Navy's other support ship,SAS Tafelberg, had undergone a refit that greatly increased heramphibious capabilities. A real boost for the Navy's influence,Tafelberg could deploy a company strength landing force, six landing craft, two medium helicopters and be equipped with a small hospital.^[31][20] Throughout the decade, the South African Navy continued to participate in theBorder War and coastal protection. For 23 years (1976–1989) the South African Navy maintained determinedsea control around Southern Africa and provided valuable support to land operations.^[32] By the end of the 1980s, as white minority rule was coming to anegotiated end, the Navy had lost all of its major surface warships, had a drastically reduced anti-submarine/anti-aircraft capability across the board, and almost complete international isolation.^[10] As South Africa disentangled itself from external and internal security operations, theSouth African Defence Force underwent severe budgetary cuts. The Navy endured a reduction of personnel by 23%,^[20] the disbandment of the Marines, the closure of two Naval Commands (Naval Command East and Naval Command West), two Naval Bases atCape Town andWalvis Bay, and the termination of the relatively advanced program to domestically build replacement submarines.^[33] A positive for the Navy during this period however was the acquisition of the multipurpose sealift/replenishment shipSAS Outeniqua, a former Soviet-built Arctic supply vessel, in September 1992 as a replacement for the 35-year-oldTafelberg.^[34]

Despite the austere cutbacks, the Navy was leading the way for a South Africa that was slowly being welcomed back into the international community, even before thelandmark elections of 1994. In 1990, the survey vesselSAS Protea became the first South African naval vessel to visit Europe since 1972, and in the same yearSAS Drakensberg and twoWarrior-class strike craft,SAS Jan Smuts andSAS Hendrik Mentz, sailed forTaiwan in what would be the first time South African vessels had been in the Far East since 1945. Other international visits in the following years included Zaire, Kenya, Bangladesh, Turkey, France, Portugal, and Uruguay.^[10] As the "Rainbow nation" was lauded following the ANC victory in the first free democratic elections in 1994, one of the starkest symbols of this new era was the explosion of foreign warships and dignitaries visiting South African ports, often from countries that did not have a previous connection, such as Russia, Poland and Japan.^[19] In 1994, 21 foreign vessels from eight countries called at South African ports, with 26 visits from 12 countries in 1995, and 27 from ten countries in 1996. In 1997 the navy celebrated 75 years, with 15 countries sending ships for the festivities.

The acute need to re-equip the navy, including the wider Armed Forces after the lifting of apartheid-era sanctions, was addressed by the Strategic Defence Package of 1999.^[35] Better known as the infamous "Arms Deal", the acquisitions in the package, and those persons involved, have been repeatedly subject to substantive allegations of corruption, fraud and bribery.^[36] A total of R30 billion (US$4.8 billion in 1999) was pledged to the purchase of modern military equipment. For the navy, its share led to a total transformation from a "brown-water" force of ageing missile patrol craft and short-range submarines, to a force with significant"green-water" combat capability once again.^[37] In 2001, with an initial request of five vessels, later reduced to four, the GermanMeko A200SAN general purpose frigate design was procured, along with four BritishSuper Lynx naval helicopters, and three GermanType 209/1400 diesel-powered submarines. Also under construction from 1991 were three locally builtT-Craft inshore patrol boats.^[20] As South Africa approached the millennium, and beyond, theANC government gradually returned the Navy to a level of maritime power last seen in the 1960s and 1970s, and successfully reintegrated the service back into maritime operations with regional and international partners.^[10]

Commissioned into service from 2006, at a total cost of R9.65 billion, the four Meko A200SANs, theValour class in South African service, became "easily the most powerful surface combatants in sub-Saharan Africa, and...restored South African naval pre-eminence."^[38] Constructed with principles of stealthy design, the class has a 50% smaller radar signature of similar vessel size, 75% less infrared emissions, 20% lower life-cycle cost, 25% lower displacement and 30% fewer crew members.^[39] Specifically designed to conduct sustained operations in the sea conditions found off the South African coast, the four frigates are able to undertake a range of tasks frommaritime law enforcement, to civil support, and military operations such as area denial, gunfire support and intelligence collection. The embarkedSuperLynx helicopters significantly improve and extend surveillance, as well as all-round operational capabilities. With a return to operating general-purpose, multi-mission warships, the Valour class have been hailed as modern, impressive and major regional anti-surface, anti-air, and anti-submarine platforms.SAS Amatola,SAS Isandlwana,SAS Spioenkop, andSAS Mendi possess two four-cell launchers for eightExocet surface to surface missiles, 16 to 32-cell domestically builtUmkhonto VLS missiles for air defence, a singleOTO Melara 76-millimetre (3.0 in) main gun, a twinDenel 35 mm (1.4 in) Dual Purpose Gun, twoOerlikon 20 mm (0.79 in) cannon, and two 12.7 mm (0.50 in) remotely operated guns.^[39] However, as of 2024, budget cuts have resulted in only one of the four frigates being operational.^[40]

As the SA Navy has a strength of only four primary surface warships, in an effort to improve asset availability in more routine littoral patrol operations and ease the stress on sophisticated, but ill-suited, warships, three previously decommissionedWarrior-class strike craft were modernised and recommissioned asoffshore patrol vessels (OPVs) between 2012 and 2014 –SAS Isaac Dyobha,SAS Galeshewe andSAS Makhanda.^[41][42] As of February 2023, onlyMakhanda remains in service. From June 2022, the Patrol Flotilla was strengthened by the commissioningSASKing Sekhukhune I, the first of three Multi-Mission Inshore Patrol Vessels (MMIPVs) being constructed by Damen Shipyards Cape Town.

Primarily, the Patrol Flotilla undertake the more traditional naval task of patrolling South Africa'sexclusive economic zone and upholding maritime law enforcement. Ordinary tasks include anti-smuggling, monitoring against illegal immigration, search and rescue, fishery inspection, and routine border protection. With the ability to operate far out into the Cape and handle the often rough seas, the Flotilla is also expected to complement the navies combat ability, particularly when undertaking anti-piracy patrols in theMozambique Channel.^[43]

Reflecting their new policing role, the Warriors' oldSkerpioen missile launchers and the rear 76 mm gun was removed. In replacement, the craft have gained the capacity to support a smallrigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) and a limited contingent ofNaval Infantry for boarding suspect vessels, as well as maintaining their original 20 mm cannon and 12.7 mm heavy machine guns.^[44]

As of 2020, fourRiver-class coastal mine countermeasures vessels remain in commission with the SA Navy, although two are in reduced operational use. They are believed to have lost their mine-hunting capabilities due to the retirement of the antiquated PAP104autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). Whilst still maintaining a decompression chamber for operational diving, the River class are now deployed on general coastal defence duties, and are equipped with a single Oerlikon 20 mm cannon, two 12.7 mm machine guns, and a RHIB.^[45]

Alongside the Warrior and River classes are the more modernT Craft class, with three entering service from 1992. Constructed with twin-hulledcatamarans ofglass-reinforced plastic sandwich construction, three have also been built for Israel in 1997. The T Craft, with their far lighter construction and smaller size, undertake maritime security patrols considerably closer to the shore and inspect various inlets and bays. SASTobie, SASTern, and SASTekwane are equipped with a single 12.7 mm Browning machine gun and have the capacity to embark a RHIB with a small complement ofNaval Infantry to inspect vessels.^[46]

Between 2004 and 2008, three German builtType 209/1400 submarines were delivered as a like for like replacement for the obsolescentDaphné-class submarines. TheHeroine class represents a significant upgrade of the navy's sub-surface force due to considerable advancement in underwater performance and endurance.^[47]

As of 2020, South Africa is one of only three states on the African continent, along withAlgeria andEgypt, that currently operate submarine assets, and the only state in thesub-Saharan region. At the same time, this capability was at risk of eroding. As of 2019, two of the submarines were reported to be in need of "urgent and complete" refits. The recommended approach was to move to a contracting phase in 2020. TheArmscor annual report to parliament indicated that should the refits not take place, the submarine capability would not available after FY2022/23.^[48] As of March 2021, the contracting phase had still not been initiated and no dates had been announced for any upgrades of the submarines.^[49]

In August 2021 it was reported thatCharlotte Maxeke was being refitted at the Armscor Dockyard. Funding in the amount of R189 million had reportedly been made available to ensure the completion of the refit during the 2023/24 financial year. Funding for the refit ofQueen Modjadji was not available, though the reported focus of the Navy was to prioritise essential maintenance and repair of SASManthatisi (which had been last refitted during 2013/14) to ensure "expedited operational availability."^[50] As of 2024, none of the submarines are seaworthy.^[40]

Highly sophisticated vessels, the Heroine class' utility, aside from traditional anti-ship engagement and area denial, is its intelligence collection via special forces deployment. A series of modifications have been made to the class so as to undertake these clandestine operations.^[20]

Currently fitted only with regulartorpedo tubes, the Heroines do have optionalUGM-84 Harpoon integration capacity for further anti-ship potential, however, as of 2020, this has not been utilised. Similarly, whilst currently not able to deploy any land attack armaments, Germany is developing a medium-range missile, theIDAS, for their own Type 209s which would primarily be targeted against air threats, but also small surface vessels and coastal land targets.^[51]

With the retirement ofSAS Outeniqua in 2004,SAS Drakensberg is the sole fleet replenishment ship with the primary role of supporting combat vessels at sea.^[52]Drakensberg is also modified to carry two RHIBs, as well as twolanding craft utility (LCU) for limited amphibious use. Since the end of minority rule,Drakensberg has undertaken numerous humanitarian and anti-piracy operations, consistently shown the 'rainbow flag' on global voyages of goodwill, and reintegrated South Africa back into international naval exercises.^[53]

The SA Navy continues to operate the specialist hydrographic survey vesselSAS Protea, which was commissioned in 1972.^[54]

TheSouth Africa Marine Corps was first established as a sub-branch of the Navy in 1951 until 1955 and then reformed in 1979 until 1990, both times with the primary purpose of protecting the country's harbours.^[14] The Marines also acted as regular infantry during the war until 1988, as well as performingcounter-insurgency operations inside South Africa.^[55] The Marines had anamphibious landing capability by operating fromSAS Tafelberg and SASDrakensberg, with an elite company, named the Marine Amphibious Company (MAC), being formed to ensure beach-head capability for landing large task forces, along with a small elite reconnaissance detachment between 1983 and 1989. The Marines were disbanded on 18 January 1990, following a major restructuring of the Navy at the end of theSouth African Border War.^[56]

In 2005, the decision was taken to create a Naval Rapid Deployment Force so that South Africa could commit more to peacekeeping operations across the continent, particularly in theGreat Lakes region. In 2006, this force became the Maritime Reaction Squadron. TheMaritime Reaction Squadron provides an amphibious, diving and small boat capability to the Navy, deploying infantry-trained South African Navy personnel in various peacekeeping roles within the African continent, as well as assisting in boarding operations at sea, and humanitarian and disaster relief.^[57]

The squadron consists of the following components:^[58]

• Operational Boat Division (OBD) with 10Namacurra-class harbour patrol boats and six Lima-class utility landing craft
• Reaction Force Division (RFD) consisting of one naval infantry company with a command and support element
• Operational Diving Division (ODD) consisting of four operational diving teams of 17 divers.

The SA Navy maintains the traditional role of providing a credible military deterrent, protecting South African interests against possible enemy attack, and participating inAfrican Union peacekeeping missions. As the likelihood of a naval engagement against a conventional enemy is extremely unlikely, the South African Navy today is primarily engaged in counter-piracy, fishery protection, and anti-smuggling operations.^[20]

Deploying at least a single Valour-class frigate or one Heroine-class submarine, along with aircraft from theSouth African Air Force, the SA Navy often undertakes exercises with others, such as theUnited States Navy (Exercise Shared Accord/Southern Accord),^[59]NATO naval battlegroups (Exercise Amazolo), theFrench Navy (the annual Exercise Oxide),^[60] theGerman Navy (the biennial Exercise Good Hope),^[61] theRoyal Navy (ad hoc exercises when visiting South African waters),^[62] theIndian Navy (the biennial Exercise IBSAMAR), and the navies ofUruguay andBrazil (Exercises Atlasur and IBSAMAR).^[63]

For the2010 FIFA World Cup, the navy provided air and sea security by deploying three frigates as guard ships off the cities ofDurban,Port Elizabeth andCape Town.^[64]

Since 2011, one of the SA Navy's major and long-standing focuses has been that of the anti-piracy initiative, Operation Copper. After increased pirate activity in the Mozambique Channel (a crucial import/export sea lane for South Africa),^[65] and subsequent requests for help from fellowSouthern African Development Community (SADC) members (Mozambique and Tanzania), the navy has routinely deployed assets in an effort to provide maritime security in the region.^[66]

Since the operation first began, every Valour-class frigate has been deployed to the region on rotation, with the refurbished Warrior-class OPVs also being utilised. In 2012, the replenishment ship SASDrakensberg was likewise deployed to the region, and alongside European warships, successfully captured sevenSomail pirates. Elements of the Navy'sMaritime Reaction Squadron (MRS) are routinely embarked on deployed warships so as to give the ability to board suspect vessels.^[55]

Gaps in deployment have previously occurred as a result of mechanical issues, as well as the South African Air Force withdrawingC-47TP maritime patrol aircraft in 2016 from Mozambique due to maintenance problems and lack of sufficient aircrew.^[67] In 2018 the SA Navy notably deployed two warships simultaneously for Operation Copper, and were independent of foreign support.^[68]

Piracy, and other maritime crime, has fallen substantially in the Mozambique Channel since the SADC operation began in 2011. Due to the success of the operation, expenditure for the future 2021/22 deployment is estimated to be R38.9 million, down from R154 million the previous year.^[69]

Operation Copper's mandate could be subject to official change as a result of increasing Islamist violence in the Cabo Delgado province of Mozambique.^[70] On 9 August 2021, the SADC formally announced the deployment of troops into the troubled province. Alongside regional partners such as Botswana, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, the South African government has informed parliament that it intends to deploy 1,495 personnel to Mozambique.SASMakhanda, a modernised Warrior-class patrol OPV, has reportedly been seen in Pemba, the capital of Cabo Delgado province.^[71]

For the continued safeguarding of South Africa's borders, Operation Corona aims to combatillegal fishing, poaching, and smuggling within itsterritorial waters. The SA Navy plans to carry out five maritime patrols in line with Operation Corona, with 84 days of surface and 22 days of subsurface patrols allocated for the financial year 2020/21.^[72] Deploying to known hotspot areas, the SA Navy works alongside other Government departments such as theSA Police Service andDepartment of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, in an effort to deter rather than arrest.^[73]

In February 2023, the South African Navy planned to engage in joint exercises with theChinese andRussian navies that were to be held in waters off South Africa. The exercises, which were highly controversial givenRussia's invasion of Ukraine, followed on a January 2023 visit by the Russian foreign ministerSergei Lavrov toPretoria for meetings with his South African counterpart.^[74] Although the exercises were similar to exercises held in previous years, some suggested that they signalled a significant shift in South African policy toward more overt military engagement with China and Russia.^[75][76] The exercise began on 18 February and involved the frigateAdmiral Gorshkov and the tankerKama from the Russian Navy^[77] along with the destroyerHuainan, the frigateRizhao and the support shipKekexilihu from the Chinese Navy. Several vessels from the South African Navy were expected to participate including the frigateMendi as well as theWarrior-class patrol vesselKing Sekhukhune I and the hydrographic survey vesselProtea.^[78]

In April of the same year, the Chinese surveillance shipYuan Wang 5 docked at Cape Town, overlapping with the presence of theIranian Navy vessels,Makran andDena.^[79]

In September 2024 it was reported that theRussian training ship Smolnyy had docked in Cape Town for a port visit.^[80]

As the SA Navy enters the 2020s, the service faces significant challenges if it is to arrest its current decline.^[20] At the opening of the South African Maritime Security Conference on 31 May 2018 in Cape Town, Chief of the NavyVice Admiral Hlogwane warned that:

'the navy sits at the crossroads where its very existence is threatened... Some of the countries in the SADC are injecting financial resources to build their military capacity through acquisition programmes. Conversely, South Africa is on a path of reduced defence expenditure."^[81]

At a speech a year later on 12 July 2019, Hlongwane, recognising the struggling economy, again reminded his audience that:

"in the absence of a clear and present military threat, the government will find it difficult to justify spending large sums of money on defence. The platforms acquired under the Strategic Defence Packages (four frigates and three submarines) are beginning to suffer from lack of funds for support and maintenance, [and] urgently require refits in order to keep them operational to the end of their 30-year design lives...while the new hydrographic survey vessel and IPVs are modern robust ships fully suited to perform their missions, they will not significantly improve the combat capability of the SAN which is required to defend our country and national interests in terms of our constitutional mandate...the naval balance of power is shifting on our continent."^[82]

The South African defence budget has been on a downward trajectory since 1994 when expenditure was 4.56% of GDP. In 2010, that level was 1.92%, and in 2020, expenditure is expected to fall to around 0.59%, its lowest level since 1960.^[83][84] For 2020/21, the Defence Budget totals R52.4 billion (£2.4 billion^[85]),^[86] with the SA Navy being allocated R4.9 billion (£226 million^[85]), roughly 9%.^[87] South African defence spending however has not matched recent inflation levels, an average of 5% annually,^[88] which has pushed theDepartment of Defence deeper into financial difficulties and operational consequences.

As a whole, the Defence Budget for 2020/21 has been given 87% of its required funding, a shortfall of R9.4 billion (£433 million^[85]).^[86] The SA Navy for 2020/21 has been allocated only 65% of what is reportedly required, a shortfall of R2.8 billion (£130 million^[85]). As a result of the declining financial situation, the Navy has warned that it will seriously struggle to maintain its current capabilities, levels of investment, and international commitments.^[87] As a result ofCOVID-19, as well as ongoing problems within theSouth African economy, GDP is expected to fall by 5.6% in 2020/21, with significant ramifications for the country and the South African Navy.^[89]

In 2013/14, the SA Navy operated with an annual target of 22,000 hours at sea. By 2018/19 this number had been lowered to 12,000 hours, with a further reduction to 10,000 hours annually from 2019/20.^[90] By its own admission, the Navy requires a minimum of 12,000 hours (500 days) at sea per year to sufficiently train personnel, with an absolute minimum of 7,800 hours dedicated annually to fulfil its Force Employment obligations of border protection, maritime security, and anti-piracy operations.^[91] Despite these requirements, by 2019/20 the SA Navy is financially resourced for only 6,000 hours at sea, and only 4,320 hours allocated for Force Employment operations.Vice Admiral Hlongwane has warned:

"Should sea hours be reduced below 10 000 per year, the SA Navy will decline rapidly and...any further reduction in sea hours will impact severely on individual and team training at sea, maintaining safety at sea and the safe navigation of all SA Navy vessels."^[91]

In addition, the SA Navy is facing an acute skills shortage which is severely frustrating vessel availability.Vice Admiral Hlongwane stated that "the Navy Engineering capability is now extremely limited, which will increasingly impact on the safety and seaworthiness of ships and submarines and their ability to deploy."^[92] It is currently a cause for concern whether or not the SA Navy has the required skills to fully crew multiple highly sophisticated warships and submarines simultaneously.

Despite the current budgetary crisis within South African defence spending, the purchase of the three newinshore patrol vessels (IPVs), termed Project Biro and also the procurement of a new hydrographic survey vessel, Project Hotel have been approved in recent years. These acquisitions have been linked to the Government's broader aims of development of the ocean economy – Operation Phakisa.^[93][94] With 90% of imports and exports dependent on the sea, South Africa's exclusive economic zone which is reportedly rich in natural resources, and the estimated loss of nearly $23bn annually to illegal and unregulated fishing, the SA Navy has successfully argued that maritime security is crucial to the national interest and economic development.^[95]

Since 2013, the ambition for the SA Navy was the domestic construction of three offshore, and a minimum of six (later reduced to three) inshore patrol vessels as a replacement for the increasingly agedWarrior-class OPVs andRiver-class OPV/IPVs, as part of Project Biro. However, in 2018 it was confirmed that only the three MMIPVs (multi-mission inshore patrol vessel) would be constructed, with the OPVs being cancelled as a cost-saving measure.^[96] The new vessels will also be named theWarrior-class, and cost R3.6 billion.^[97]

Whilst the introduction of these three modern IPVs will immediately play a crucial role in maritime law enforcement, it has been regretted by analysts that the offshore craft option was not also financially feasible. It had been hoped that the OPVs, with their helicopter carrying abilities, would have played a much more effective role in policing South Africa's extensive exclusive economic zone (1.5 million km),^[98] particularly in the rough seas of the Cape. It was even reported in 2011 that nine OPVs could be constructed, without any IPVs, due to the rough sea state off the coast and the practical experience gained which favoured larger vessels.^[99]

In 2021, it was announced that the aging Warrior-class OPVs would undergo phased decommissioning as the new Warrior-class IPVs come online.^[100]

First laid down in February 2019 at Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT), the timeline of delivery to the SA Navy of all three vessels is March 2022, June 2023 and September 2024 respectively. Armscor, the state acquisition agency, has an option from DSCT to purchase additional inshore patrol vessels at the same price the original three were bought for.^[97]

The second future acquisition programme for the SA Navy falls under Project Hotel, the replacement of the solehydrographic survey vesselSAS Protea. The construction of this new vessel, currently being built by Durban-based Sandock Austral Shipyard, will represent a major upgrade in capability for the Navy. Whilst SASProtea was built in 1972, her replacement will be based onVard Marine's VARD 9 105 science vessel, specifically adapted for South African service and 'incorporates the latest hydrographic and oceanographic sensor suite'.^[101] The ship will be an evolution from the Vard Marine designedHMS Echo andHMS Enterprise which have been inRoyal Navy service since 2002.^[102]

Also as part of Project Hotel, the SA Navy will receive two next-generationsurvey motor boats, one sea boat, and another inshore survey motor boat to be kept ashore in reserve, as well as upgrading shore-based hydrographic infrastructure.^[103] The project has a current completion date target of August 2023, with the first of the motor boats being launched in September 2020.^[104]

As of 2020, the SA Navy's main projects are under serious threat from years of underfunding, as well as recent budget cuts. Allocation of funding for Projects Biro (modern inshore patrol vessels) and Hotel (replacement hydrographic survey vessel), as well as theArmy's ProjectHoefyster (new infantry combat vehicles), amounts to R2.8 billion (£129 million),^[85] however the required level of funding needed is expected to be R13.7 billion (£633 million),^[85] nearly a R11 billion shortfall (£508 million).^[85] It is currently unclear how these projects will be financed if they continue to proceed.^[105]

Similarly, Project Syne and Project Napoleon, the planned and urgently required midlife overhauls for theValour class andHeroine class respectively, are both currently on hold due to lack of adequate funding. According to a 2021 Department of Defence (DoD) progress report, the full repair cost requirement of R1.470 billion is only 53.4% funded, with R786 million allocated.^[106] The SA Navy is currently finding it difficult to effectively resource the growing backlog of refits, maintenance periods, and repair projects that are needed. With each delay due to financial insufficiency and every vessel that continues to operate without adequate maintenance, the SA Navy is pulled deeper into a vicious cycle of exacerbating known issues and escalating longer-term costs, until a point of forced reduced vessel availability.

The command structure is depicted below.^{[107]: 59 [108]} The Chief of the Navy, based at Navy Headquarters at the Navy Office (SASImmortelle) located inPretoria, is head of the South African Navy. All operational forces, including ships and submarines, fall under the control of the Flag Officer Fleet who is based inSimon's Town.

Fleet Command includes all vessels and units of the Navy other than Naval Headquarters, Pretoria. Fleet Command is based in Simon's Town under control of Flag Officer Fleet.^[107]

Four directorates are responsible for the day to day control of Fleet Command:^[107]: 70

• Director Fleet Force Preparations (DFPP) is responsible for the day-to-day running of the ships and submarines and for ensuring their operational readiness. The Maritime Reaction Squadron and NavComCens also report to DFFP
• Director Fleet Human Resources (DFHR) is responsible for all training and manning and also controls the training units.
• Director Fleet Quality Assurance (DFQA) is responsible for the output of Fleet Command and monitoring quality assurance throughout Fleet Command
• Director Fleet Logistics (DFL) is responsible for all Logistics units as well as for the maintenance of the fleet.

The Navy operates the following Naval Bases:^[107]: 149

• Naval Base Simon's Town – the largest and main naval base currently used by the South African Navy. Constructed by the Dutch East India Company in 1743, and later developed by the Royal Navy, the base was transferred to South Africa in 1957 as part of the Simon's Town Agreement and expanded in 1975. Simon's Town is the homeport of the frigate and submarine flotillas, as well as housing training facilities.
• Naval Base Durban – constructed during theSecond World War to better serve the deployment of naval vessels off the eastern coast of Africa, particularly after theJapanese declaration of war in 1941.^[16] In 2002 Durban was downgraded to a Naval Station with much of the infrastructure being taken over by theArmy and later abandoned. In 2012, the decision was taken to renovate and expand the facilities. However, it was announced in 2020 that due to budget constraints, the reclassification of Durban as a fully operational Naval Base would be delayed.^{[citation needed]} The station is currently home to the fleet's offshore patrol flotilla and will continue to be so after the delivery of replacement offshore/inshore vessels.^[118]
• Naval Station Port Elizabeth – provides support to the fleet and host to visiting ships, however no major vessels are based here.^[119]

• SAS Saldanha – located on theWest Coast and provides training and development for ratings.^[120]
• SAS Wingfield – located in the GreaterCape Town area. Historically provided practical training for apprentices, but now offers training to both ratings and officers.
• SASSimonsberg – located inSimon's Town and provides training in gunnery, anti-submarine warfare, communications, diving and seamanship.Simonsberg also includes:
  • Maritime Warfare Training Centre.
  • Submarine Training Centre, East Yard.
  • Nuclear, Biological, Chemical, Damage Control Training Centre.
  • Military Training Centre, West Yard.
• South African Naval College – located inGordon's Bay, the establishment provides training for naval officers.

As of the end of the financial year 2018/19, there were approximately 6,816 active uniformed members of the SA Navy, just short of the 7,071 target.^[121] In addition, there are a further 1,071 civilian staff that further support the Navy.^[122]

In 2006, the old Naval Reserve Units that were modelled on theRoyal Naval Reserve system were closed down. A new Navy Reserve system was created consisting of roughly 1,000 reserve posts. These posts are pooled and members are drawn from them as needed to augment full-time units and ships' companies.

From 1922 to the 1940s the SA Navy was effectively an extension of the Royal Navy, and therefore wore the same uniforms and similar insignia. As British influence was gradually curtailed, in 1959 the British Crown in the SA Navy cap badge was replaced with the Lion ofNassau from the crest of the country'scoat of arms. A black beret later replaced the peaked cap in working uniforms.^[107]

In 2000 the new Coat of Arms was unveiled and the Chief of the Navy tasked Fleet Command to look at revising the Navy uniforms to reflect the new coat of arms. This saw new rank insignia for non-commissioned officers being implemented as well as the introduction of aside cap.^[107]

Due to historical influence, the rank system is based on that of theRoyal Navy.^[123]

The rank insignia ofcommissioned officers.

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
South African Navy[124] v t e
			Admiral		Vice admiral		Rear admiral		Rear admiral (junior grade)		Captain		Commander		Lieutenant commander		Lieutenant		Sub lieutenant			Ensign

The rank insignia ofnon-commissioned officers andenlisted personnel.

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
South African Navy[124] v t e
	Warrant officer class 1						Warrant officer class 2		Chief petty officer		Petty officer												Leading seaman						Able seaman						Seaman

The South African Navy operates about 60 commissioned vessels, including 4frigates, 3submarines, 9inshore patrol vessels, 1missile boat, 4minesweepers, 26harbour patrol boats, 1combat support ship, 1hydrographic survey vessel, 5tugs, 6landing craft utility, and additionally an unknown number ofRHIBs and training craft.

The Naval Combat Force forms theblue-water backbone of the South African Navy and consists of:

4 × Valour-class stealth guided-missile frigates

TheValour-class frigates (SASAmatola,SASIsandlwana,SASSpioenkop, andSASMendi) are based on the GermanMEKO A200 design and were built to a modernstealth standard that reduces theirradar cross-section andinfrared signature, making them harder to detect by enemy radar and sensors. Designed as general-purpose warships, they provideanti-surface,anti-air, andanti-submarine warfare capabilities. Acquired underProject Sitron in the early 2000s, five were originally planned but only four approved due to budget limits.^[125] Before the MEKO was selected, the Navy considered acquiring five Spanish-builtÁlvaro de Bazán-class (Bazan 59B)destroyers—today in service with theSpanish Navy and as theHobart-class in theRoyal Australian Navy—but these were deemed larger and more costly, with funds redirected to submarine procurement. Each frigate embarks aWestland Super Lynx 300 Mk64 helicopter, with a planned programme to equip the frigates withUAVs to supplement these helicopters.^[126]

3 × Heroine-class diesel-electricattack submarines

TheHeroine-class submarines (SASManthatisi,SASCharlotte Maxeke, andSASQueen Modjadji) are based on the GermanType 209/1400 design and entered service in the mid-2000s underProject Wills, as replacements for the three ageingDaphné-class submarines that had served since the 1970s. These submarines give the Navy a modernundersea warfare capability, ensuring a credible deterrent and extending South Africa's maritime reach beneath the surface.^[127]

The Navy operates a mix of offshore and inshore patrol vessels (OPVs and IPVs), responsible for safeguarding South Africa's extensive Exclusive Economic Zone, supporting combat operations, and providing assistance to civilian agencies.

• 1 ×Warrior-class missile strike craft (8 retired; 1 remains in commission, with the final commissioned vessel "SASMakhanda" set for retirement once a new MMIPV enters service).^[128]
• 3 ×Warrior-class Multi-Mission Inshore Patrol Vessels (MMIPV).^[129]
• 3 ×Xena-class Riverine Patrol Boats (RPB).^[130]
• 3 ×T-class inshore patrol vessels.^[131]
• 26 ×Namacurra-class harbour patrol craft.^[132]

The Navy operates a dedicated minesweeping and littoral warfare force:

• 4 ×River-class minesweepers.^[133]
• 6 × Lima-class landing craft utility.^[134]
• Large numbers ofRHIBs and smaller vessels.^[135][136]

The Support Force provides logistical and auxiliary capacity for fleet operations:

• 1 ×Drakensberg-class combat support ship.^[137]
• 1 ×Protea-class hydrographic survey vessel^[138] (to be replaced by the new vessel "SASNelson Mandela", currently awaiting delivery).^[139]
• At least 5 tugs of varying classes, with additional units planned.^[140]

Although the Navy does not directly operate aircraft,22 Squadron of theSouth African Air Force provides aviation support to the fleet:

• 1 ×Atlas Oryx medium utility helicopter (deployed on SASDrakensberg).^[141]
• 4 ×Westland Super Lynx 300 Mk64ASW andASuW helicopter (deployed on the Valour-class frigates).^[142]

These aircraft perform surface and anti-submarine warfare, maritime surveillance, logistics, andsearch-and-rescue (SAR) missions. A programme is underway to introduce unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to supplement shipborne helicopters. Historically, the SAAF also operated theWestland Wasp in the anti-submarine role until its retirement.

Alongside its current fleet, the South African Navy has retired several major combat units over the years. These include:

• 3 ×Daphné-class diesel-electric attack submarines (SASMaria van Riebeeck,SASEmily Hobhouse, andSASJohanna van der Merwe) — commissioned in the early 1970s and decommissioned by the early 2000s, replaced by the Heroine-class.
• 3 ×President-class Type 12 frigates (SASPresident Kruger,SASPresident Steyn, andSASPresident Pretorius) — acquired from the Royal Navy in the 1950s–60s, they formed the backbone of the Navy until their retirement in the 1980s.
• 2 ×W-class destroyers (SASJan van Riebeeck andSASSimon van der Stel) — transferred from the Royal Navy in the 1950s, serving as the Navy's largest surface combatants of the era before being phased out.
• 8 × Warrior-class missile strike craft —fast attack craft introduced from the late 1970s; once central to coastal defence. Only one remains active today, with two in reserve and the remainder retired or sunk as targets.

These vessels represented the Navy's most powerful assets of their time, forming the foundation of South Africa's surface and subsurface warfare capability before the transition to the modern Valour and Heroine-class fleet.

Model	Type	Manufacturer	Photo	Origin	Platform
Exocet MM40 Block 2[143]	Anti-ship missile	MBDA		France	Valour-class frigate (8 missiles in 2 quad-packed launchers)
Umkhonto IR Block 2[144]	Surface-to-air missile	Denel Dynamics		South Africa	Valour-class frigate (16/32 missiles in avertical launching system)
533mm (21") Atlas Elektronik SUT 264 heavyweight torpedo	Torpedo	Atlas Elektronik		Germany	Heroine-class submarine (8 bow tubes with 14 torpedoes)
OTO Melara 76mm/62 compact	Naval gun	Oto Melara/Otobreda		Italy	Valour-class frigate (1 foredeck gun),Warrior-class Offshore Patrol Vessel (1 foredeck gun)
Denel 35mm Dual Purpose Gun	Close-in weapon system	Denel Land Systems		South Africa	Valour-class frigate (2 GA35 rapid-fireautomatic cannons mounted side by side in an unmannedlow radar observable turret)
12.7mm Sea Rogue or20mm Super Rogue[145]	Remote weapon system	Reutech Solutions		South Africa	Valour-class frigate (2 Sea Rogue turrets),Warrior-class multi-role patrol vessel (1 Super Rogue turret)
Denel Land Systems GI-2	Autocannon	Denel Land Systems		South Africa	Valour-class frigate (2 guns),Warrior-class Offshore Patrol Vessel (2 guns),SASDrakensberg (4 guns),River-class minehunter (1 gun)
M2 Browning	12.7mmHeavy machine gun	General Dynamics,FN Herstal,U.S. Ordnance or Manroy Engineering (UK)		United States
Browning M1919,FN MAG orVektor SS-77	7.62mmGeneral purpose machine gun	Browning Arms Company,FN Herstal orDenel Land Systems		South Africa

• List of South African military chiefs
• Military history of South Africa
• South African environmental patrol vessels
• South African Naval Museum

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• South African Navy home page
• Ships of the South African Navy, Past & PresentArchived 21 December 2007 at theWayback Machine
• South African Navy uniform regulations

• South African Navy
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• Military of South Africa

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