South Africa's Department of Defence (DoD) has rejected weekend media reports that its first submarine acquired under the 1999 arms deal had been "plagued by defects since its arrival", arguing that the vessel had simply experienced "normal first-of-class challenges".

The DoD conceded that it had experienced hull-valve challenges, but said that these had been fixed under the manufacturer warranty, and that additional engineering challenges for the entire class would be carried out, as the submarines were optimised for African conditions.

The vessel in question, the SAS Manthatisi, had performed "extremely creditably" since its work-up period, before setting sail from Norwegian waters to South Africa, the Department maintained.

The Sunday Times reported that the boat's snort-mast housing had imploded on its maiden journey to South Africa.

However, the DoD said in an emailed statement that this had happened during the work-up period, before setting sail for the country, and that its crew had averted serious risk through their "high level of training and competence".

It also refuted allegations that there had been irregularities during a battery charging process on the SAS Manthatisi's return to the water in May.

"This is routine procedure as submarine batteries are designed to be charged and discharged on a regular basis," the Defence Department asserted.

Meanwhile, the DoD conceded that the poaching of its scarce skills by the private sector was a challenge, saying that the chief of the Navy and of the Air Force had stated this publicly.

"It is further to be noted that the DoD has some of the best training in the world, and this, together with the discipline associated with the military ethos, means that our young men and women are highly desirable commodities to the private sector," it said.

The Department said that it asked government for the implementation of submarine allowances, which would "greatly assist" with the retention of these individuals.

"Despite this loss of scarce skills, the South African Navy is able to meet all capability requirements as specified in its strategic business plan, and to meet all ordered commitments," the DoD said.

Source: Engineering News

The SA Navy has dismissed claims that one of the three German submarines bought in the arms deal is a "dud", and says the SAS Manthatisi S101 is in Simon's Town naval drydock as part of "normal naval procedure".

The navy has also denied claims that submariners were "too afraid" to do the first safety dive on another of the submarines, SAS Queen Modjadji S103, saying it was standard procedure that the contractors' crew completed sea acceptance trials prior to the handover of the vessels to the purchaser.

SAS Queen Modjadji skipper, Commander Andrew Souma, said yesterday that the South African crew had since taken the vessel to its dive limit "hundreds of times".

"There has been no drama with this boat," Souma said.

The navy was reacting to claims in the Sunday Times that SAS Manthatisi S101 had been "plagued by defects" and had spent most of the past six months out of water.

The article said problems on the submarine included defects in the hull valve, an implosion of the air intake for diesel on its maiden voyage and an implosion on board when the submarine had been connected to an onshore power supply, contrary to correct procedure.

Rear Admiral Hanno Teuteberg, director of fleet force preparedness, said: "SAS Manthatisi is not a dud. We said we would run two and have one in reserve."

Teuteberg was asked to comment on the claims yesterday during a meeting in Simon's Town of the directors-general of the justice, crime prevention and security (JCPS) cluster and the SA Police Service Sea Borderline Control Unit. The navy is part of the JCPS.

Teutenberg said it was normal naval procedure to rotate submarines, which was "the way navies do things". While two were being deployed, the third was used for on-board training, which did away with the need to send crew to Germany to be trained. The vessel would not come back into operation until around this time next year.

"There has been talk of explosions. There was never any explosion on any South African submarine."

Reporters at the meeting were given a press statement issued by the Department of Defence on Friday that said the SAS Manthatisi had initially had hull valve problems that had been rectified under the manufacturer's warranty.

Naval staff said it was standard practice to push a new vessel to its limit under warranty so defects could be detected and rectified.

During such testing in Norwegian waters, the housing for the air- intake for the diesel had imploded and had been widely reported at the time. The statement said the German navy had congratulated the SA Navy at the time for its "prompt reaction and expertise displayed during the incident". There had not been any implosion during a battery change.

Teuteberg said South African submariners were highly trained and "some of the best in the world".

The statement said that, because South Africa had some of the best naval training in the world, it was losing highly qualified staff to the private sector and countries overseas. The navy had taken steps to address the loss of skilled staff. These included recruitment and submissions for more pay in the form of allowances.

Source: Cape Time, 06 Aug 2008

On the official SA Navy website the SITREPS from SAS Protea being on her way to Germany to bring the third submarine to South Africa are available.

SAS QUEEN MODJADJI (S103), the third and final submarine to be built in Germany for the South African Navy, was handed over to a South African crew at a ceremony in Kiel, Germany last Thursday (31 January 2008), who will now complete their training in her before sailing the boat out to South Africa.

SAS MANTHATISI (S101), the navy’s first Meko class 209 submarine arrives in Simon’s Town in April 2006 to a large welcome. The third and final submarine of this order, SAS QUEEN MODJADJI was handed over officially to the South African Navy last week and will arrive home in May, a little over two years after the first. - Image: SA Navy

The submarine is expected to depart Germany on 2 April, arriving in Simon’s Town on 22 May where she will join her two sisters, SAS MANTHATISI (S101) and SAS CHARLOTTE MAXEKE (S102).

The new submarine is one of three Meko class 209, Type 1400MOD and is 62m in length and 7.6m wide. She displaces 1450 tons surfaced and about 1590 tons submerged. The sub is powered by four MTU 12V 396 diesel engines which give her a speed of 10 knots surfaced and 21,5 knots dived.

For weapons the submarine is armed with 14 torpedoes. She carries a crew of 30.

Delivery of the submarine completes the controversial naval element of the arms deal.

The boat is named for the legendry Rain Queen Queen Makobo Constance Modjadji (pronounced Moo-jad-chi) who died in 2001 and who, it is said in some quarters, was descended from the house of the kingdom of Monomotapa, the kingdom credited with the creation of the Zimbabwe Ruins. In her lifetime Queen Mudjadji was ruler of the Balobedu people and known internationally as a rain-maker. The role of the rain queen was immortalised by 19th Century writer Rider Haggard in his book ‘She’, as ‘She who must be obeyed’.

Source: ports.co.za

The SAS Manthatisi has become the first naval submarine in the world to be brought into a new class by the International Classification Society, Germanischer Lloyd, the South African Navy said on Tuesday.

"Through the Germanischer Lloyd certification of SAS Manthatisi, the SA Navy adds another "world first" to its long list of achievements," Captain Digby Thomson said.

Traditionally only merchant (civilian) vessels are required to undergo classification in order to obtain a safety certification for insurance purposes.

Thomson said that although other navies had used international classification societies to bring naval surface vessels into class, as was the case for the Australian Navy's Anzac class frigates, the SAS Manthatisi was the first naval submarine to be classified in this manner.

The SAS Charlotte Maxeke and SAS Queen Modjadji, the second and third of South Africa's new Class 209 Type 1400 (Mod SA) submarines, will also be undergoing Germanischer Lloyd certification in the near future, Thomson said.

Source: Mail & Guardian Online