Louis Vosloo has taken some pictures of the SA Navy Festival 2008.

German Navy Hamburg, currently on visit due to Exercise Good Hope III - Image: Louis Vosloo

German Navy Berlin, currently on visit due to Exercise Good Hope III - Image: Louis Vosloo

New submarine S102 in dry dock beside the decomissioned S98 - Image: Louis Vosloo

"AIRCRAFT closing, starboard side," Lieutenant Ewald Engelbrecht shouted while standing in the doorway to the bridge of the SAS Amatola yesterday. He pointed at a Tornado fighter aircraft from the German Luftwaffe as it roared past the South African warship, marking its position for the officer who gives steering orders.

As a bridge watch keeper on the Amatola, Engelbrecht is primarily responsible for keeping an eye on a radar screen and making sure the SA Navy frigate stays clear of other ships in the area.

"I keep the anti-collision plot, but at the same time we're all responsible for our own lives," he said.

Spotting fighter jets closing in on the Amatola and two German warships wasn't a life-or-death matter yesterday. The incoming South African and German air force jets were taking part in combined naval exercises.

Officials invited journalists aboard the Amatola, one of the ships participating in the month-long Exercise Good Hope III yesterday, to watch.

Ships, fighter aircraft and helicopters from Germany's armed forces arrived in Simon's Town last month and are taking part in manoeuvres with South African naval and air personnel.

The combined forces have two weeks of missile firings, air defence exercises and war games ahead of them before leaders from the two navies sit down to discuss their forces' performance.

On board the Amatola yesterday morning, officials said the exercises were developed to test each country's combat readiness and foster co-operation. Dieter Haller, the German ambassador to South Africa, said that there was a great need for militaries to work alongside each other as part of international forces.

"The world is not one of peace, unfortunately. There is always a need for international peacekeeping missions. I think what we are seeing in these days is a very important step for South Africa and Germany." Haller also said the combined military exercises were symbolic of the larger partnership between the German and South African governments and economies. Deputy Defence Minister Mluleki George said the exercises would ensure the armed forces were able to fulfil their constitutional mandate to protect the country, as well as provide humanitarian aid.

Source: Cape Times (via saairforce.co.za)

Two pictures of Köln firing missiles during Exercise Good Hope III.

It is said that Köln had three hits out of three shots while Hamburg also fired three shots but had no hits.

Missile firing from Köln on 28. or 29. Feb 2008 - Image: NavyWife

Missile firing from Köln on 28. or 29. Feb 2008 - Image: NavyWife

Source: navywife.blogg.de

Pictures of Exercise Good Hope III from aboard SAS Amatola are available thanks to Dean Wingrin:

SAS Amatola leaving Table Bay Harbour - Image: Dean Wingrin

F220 Hamburg - Image: Dean Wingrin

F220 Hamburg - Image: Dean Wingrin

SAS Amatola receives the refuelling probe during a RAS between FGS Berlin & SAS Amatola - Image: SA Navy

25 February 2008 dawned a clear and sunny day in the naval harbour of Naval Base Simon’s Town. It is here that Task Group 501, comprising of South African and German Naval vessels commenced on EXERCISE GOOD HOPE III. EXERCISE GOOD HOPE III is a multinational exercise between the German Armed Forces (Navy and Air Force) and the SANDF (mainly the Navy and Air Force) taking place in the Cape Town, Simon’s Town and Overberg area.

Our day started at 0800B when the Officer Commanding (OC) Captain Michael Girsa, briefed his ships company on the flight deck. The OC welcomed all the new members that had joined the ship for the Exercise. He furthermore passed his appreciation to the ships company for a job well done in getting the ship ready to sail as scheduled. The OC spoke of the forthcoming days’ events and how only good habits would help through this exercise. After a meticulous final check, the naval tugs assisted helped this operationally ready warship out of port. SAS AMATOLA sailed at 0900B.

At 1145B, ‘hands to flying stations’ was piped. An Oryx Helicopter from AFB Ysterplaat landed on the flight deck while SAS AMATOLA sailed out of False Bay. SAS AMATOLA plays host to the Commander Task Group (CTG) 501.02 Captain Steven-Jennings and his staff. The Task Force is divided into two Task Groups, with Captain Michael Budde of the Federal German Navy as CTG 501.01 which comprises of FGS HAMBURG, FGS KÖLN, FGS BERLIN, FGS WESTERWALD and task group 501.02 comprising the SAS DRAKENSBERG, SAS ISLANDWANA, SAS AMATOLA, SAS GALESHEWE, SAS ISAAC DHYOBA, SAS UMKOMAAS.

Similar exercises have been conducted twice in the past, between the Armed Forces of the two countries. These exercises are the largest undertaken by the German Defence Force outside of its North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s (NATO) obligations. Good relationships exist between Germany and South Africa, not only on the military side but also politically and economically. The SAS AMATOLA is expecting to exercise drills and evolutions enabling training of the new personnel that have joined the ship in the art of modern naval warfare. It is expected that the crew will gain a lot of understanding and skills from this exercise. The task group will be alongside over the weekends with our first port of call being the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town for some much needed rest and recovery. Until then the five day passage will be filled exercises and training.

Source: www.navy.mil.za

To play the videos, you need QuickTime installed on your computer.

Die Burger has made available a video taken during Exercise Good Hope III:

Source: Die Burger

One more picture of the ships participating in Exercise Good Hope III is available:

The German Navy Frigate 211, FGS Köln, photographed as the vessel arrives outside Simon’s Town Naval Harbour at 08h50 this morning (Sunday 17 February 2008). In the background is the German Navy Transport vessel A1435, Westerwald, which arrived in Simon’s Town last week, and on the left is the white-hulled South African Hydrographic Survey vessel SAS Protea. FGS Köln is one of eight Bremen class frigates that were commissioned between 1982 and 1990. The ships are based at Wilhelmshaven, forming the 4. Fregattengeschwader (4th Frigate Squadron) of the German Navy. - Image: David Erickson

Source: ports.co.za

More pictures of the German navy ships participating in Exercise Good Hope III are available.

View from bridge, over the vertical anti-aircraft missile launchers at A1435 Westerwald and F211 Köln - Image: Dean Wingrin

Harpoon missile launchers - Image: Dean Wingrin

The ships for exercise Good Hope III have arrived and first pictures are pouring in.

FGS Westerwald has arrived for Good Hope III - Image: Dean Wingrin

From 18 February to 18 March the seas and skies surrounding Cape Town will be used to conduct military exercises between South Africa and Germany. This series of exercises will be called EXERCISE GOOD HOPE III.

This will be the third time that military exercises will be conducted in South African waters between the two countries, with the last exercise taking place two years ago. During this year's exercise there will be more than 1 800 personnel, 15 ships and 16 aircraft from both countries taking part.

The "theatre of operations" will be around Cape Town and some exercises will be conducted at the Overberg Military Test Area near Bredasdorp and Arniston/Waenhuiskrans. Some of the types of exercises will include live missile and gun firings, anti-submarine warfare with mock torpedo attacks, anti-aircraft drills, fleetwork and maneuvering and more.

The objectives that both countries want to achieve with these exercises are:

• To enhance and maintain the comprehensive defence capabilities of the two armed forces.
• To develop a common understanding of military interoperability and foster mutual trust, respect and co-operation between the German Armed Forces and the SANDF.
• To upgrade operational means and methods of multi-national conventional forces by employing different types of equipment whilst conducting and exercising according to a common set of guiding principles.

The German Defence Force will be represented by two Frigates (FGS HAMBURG and FGS KÖLN) and two Combat Support Vessels (FGS BERLIN and FGS WESTERWALD), six Tornado Fighter Aircraft and two Lynx Helicopters. The SANDF will send three Frigates (SAS AMATOLA, SAS ISANDLWANA and SAS SPIOENKOP), one Submarine (SAS CHARLOTTE MAXEKE) two Strike Craft (SAS GALESHEWE and SAS ISAAC DYOBHA), two Minehunters (SAS UMZIMKULU and SAS UMKOMAAS), two Inshore Patrol Vessels (SAS TERN and SAS TOBIE) and the Combat Support Vessel SAS DRAKENSBERG. In addition to this there will also be six Cheetah Fighter Aircraft and two Oryx Helicopters.

The public of Cape Town will be invited to view the German vessels at the V&A Waterfront on Sat 01 Mar to Sun 02 Mar 08. Thereafter the public can view most of the SA Navy and German vessels during the annual Navy Festival from 14 -16 Mar 08 in Simon's Town.

Source: SA Navy