SAS Manthatisi experienced 'normal challenges', says Defence Department
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
SA Navy denies claims of 'dud submarine'
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
SA Navy takes delivery of third submarine
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
SA submarine outwits Nato force
A lone South African submarine left some Nato commanders with red faces on Tuesday as it "sank" all the ships of the Nato Maritime Group engaged in exercises with the South African Navy off the Cape coast.
The S101 -- or the SAS Manthatisi -- not only evaded detection by a joint Nato and South African Navy search party consisting of several ships combing the search area with radar and sonar, it also "sank" all the ships taking part in the fleet.
At several times during the exercise -- which lasted throughout Monday night and Tuesday morning -- a red square lit up the screens where the surface ships thought the submarine was. But it remained elusive.
This gave Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota something to brag about when he landed on the SAS Amatola on Tuesday to speak to the media
"To be able to frustrate detection by Nato nations is no mean achievement; it speaks of the excellence of the equipment we acquired for this purpose," Lekota said.
And while this left one of the world's strongest military alliances frustrated, it was also a sign that the group had a capable partner in Africa, Lekota said.
"With sustained inter-operability with foreign forces such as Nato, we are well positioned to respond to any unforeseen circumstances that may confront either ourselves or other regions," he said.
Lekota was quite clear that a working relationship with Nato was desired.
"They have a partner of reliable capability because we are forging working relations here. We are building mutual confidence for what can be done and what we can do together as Nato and South Africa, or as Nato and Southern African nations," Lekota said.
These sentiments were echoed by the commander of the Nato maritime group, Rear Admiral Mahon, who said the deployment would see the group sailing right around Africa.
"I can't speak for what the future will hold but certainly this was valuable. Africa is a strategic continent. The freedom of the seas, energy, security, they are all critical issue to Nato countries," he said.
The exercises would continue till the end of the week and would include, ship-to-ship refuelling, search-and-seizure exercises and various other scenarios faced by modern navies.
Source: Mail & Guardian Online
Nato, SA in naval-warfare exercise
Forget the blazing guns of yesteryear -- these days naval warfare is a high-tech and sophisticated operation.
This became clear on Monday as an exercise involving Nato warships and the South African Navy got under way off the South African coast.
On board the Portuguese Navy's Avaras Cabral, an Augusta Westland Helicopter similar to those carried by South African Navy frigates is loaded with sensors and other detection equipment.
The ship is engaged in anti-submarine warfare.
"Once we found the submarine we simply load the helicopter with a torpedo and drop it on the sub," Lieutenant Miguel Pinheiro Somoej explains. So much for looking the enemy in the eye, swinging a sword like the pirates of the olden days.
This is also a frightening thought for the crew of the South African Navy submarine S101, because while the submarine might be operating in South African waters, it is being hunted by a Portuguese frigate.
The Portuguese vessel is one of six Nato warships currently engaged in a naval-warfare exercise with the South African Navy.
It is the first time that South Africa's new submarine and two of the four new frigates -- the SAS Amatola and the SAS Isandlwana -- have been involved in a combined exercise.
Other South African Navy ships as well as aircraft of the South African Air Force will also be involved in taking on Nato's Maritime Group One.
Besides the Portuguese, frigates from Canada and The Netherlands as well as ships from Germany, the United States and Denmark also form part of the Nato flotilla.
The Nato group is travelling around the African continent making port calls at several African nations, but it is only with the SA Navy that it is conducting full naval exercises.
"It is expected that these exercises will inspire mutual confidence and respect between Nato maritime forces and the South African Navy, allowing for even greater cooperation in possible future combined exercises or operations," a Nato statement on the exercise explains.
"The deployment aims to demonstrate the alliance's continuing ability to respond to emerging crisis situations on a global scale and foster close links with regional navies and other maritime organisations," Nato said.
But while the exercise might have a conventional naval warfare flavour to it, it also includes boarding of ships and other exercises that would help the South Africans and Nato cope with the real threat in African waters these days.
Piracy, armed robbery and terrorism activities on the high seas are increasingly becoming a threat.
The International Maritime Bureau reports that piracy and armed robbery increased by 37% in the second quarter of 2007 compared with that of 2006.
The total number of attacks in the first six months of 2007 was 126, many in African waters.
In Nigeria, 19 incidents have been reported, including the boarding of 15 vessels and one hijacking. Forty crew members were kidnapped and 24 taken hostage.
In Somalia, 17 incidents were reported. Eight vessels were hijacked and 85 crew members taken hostage.
Another sign of the increasing importance of a security operation in African waters comes from the US Navy, which plans from 2008 to have a "big-deck" presence in the Gulf of Guinea.
"My aspiration is to have a ship there 365 days a year," said Admiral Harry Ulrich, commander of US Naval Forces Europe and Africa.
The South African Navy has long held the position that its new fleet would be used for anti-piracy and anti-poaching operations.
The training with Nato is its first big joint operation to discover how this might be carried out.
Source: Mail & Guardian Online
SAS CHARLOTTE MAXEKE is home at last
S102 and S101 arriving in South Africa - Image: SA Navy
When SAS MANTHATISI arrived on 7 April 2006 she marked the beginning of a great voyage in the South African Navy that will further emphasise the mark the SA Navy has put on the global map.
The SA Navy welcomed its second submarine, SAS CHARLOTTE MAXEKE from Germany today in her homeport of Simon’s Town. S102 is the second of three submarines acquired by the South African Government as part of the Strategic Defence Package.
S102 in Simon's Town - Image: SA Navy
S102 - Image: SA Navy
On 26 April 2007, for some, the day started at 0600B when SAS MANTHATISI and SAS MENDI went out towards Cape Point to welcome and escort SAS CHARLOTTE MAXEKE home. The media were taken out to sea onboard SAS ISAAC DYOBA to witness yet another milestone in the South African Navy.
Various dignitaries including the Minister of Defence were on board SAS AMATOLA to witness S102 coming into the harbour. All the Navy ships in harbour welcomed SAS CHARLOTTE MAXEKE home with "three cheers" from their brows, as well as a resounding foghorn salute.
S102 - Image: SA Navy
Family members of S102 crew were reunited with their loved ones after months of separation. The sacrifice that both the crewmembers and their family made was recognised and applauded by the Minister.
In Commemoration of this day, each of the crewmembers received a bronze medallion, encased in an engraved wooden box. In his speech, the Minister referred to the crewmembers as being the Cream of the Crop.
C Navy welcoming the crew home - Image: SA Navy
Read more at: www.navy.mil.za
SAS MANTHATISI - AT HOME AT LAST
The South African Navy welcomed its newest ship at Simons Town today. The SAS MANTHATISI (S101), the first of the TYPE 209 submarines built in Germany, was welcomed with pomp and ceremony into her homeport.
Read more at: www.navy.mil.za
Arrival of Submarine S101
The unofficial SA Airforce website has a story with many pictures of the arrival of S101 in Simon's Town: Arrival of Submarine S101
Warrior queen arrives in Simon's Town
The first of the SA Navy's new submarines, SAS Manthatisi, has arrived with great fanfare in Simon's Town. The German-built electric-powered Type 209 sub, named for the warrior queen Manthatisi Batlokwa, sailed into port, escorted by the newly-commissioned frigate SAS Amatola.
An attack submarine with the ability to strike surface ships, kill enemy subs and gather covert intelligence, the Manthatisi arrived after an epic 49-day, 6 600-nautical mile voyage from the shipyard at Kiel on the Baltic Sea.
Armed with 14 torpedoes tipped with 200kg RDX warheads, Type 209 subs can remain unassisted at sea for more than a month. The 62m quiet-running, deep-diving subs are also able to detect enemy targets at long range.
South African flotilla had adopted the philosophy of 'there are only two kinds of vessels at sea'.
Captain Malcolm Farre, the senior officer in charge of the submarine flotilla, said that although the Manthatisi was "fully functional for war", the crew would be combat-ready only in about 12 to 18 months.
Farre said the South African flotilla had adopted the philosophy of "there are only two kinds of vessels at sea - submarines and targets" as its own.
With a top submerged speed of 21.5 knots, the new subs are likely to have the most sport with fishing trawlers illegally plundering the country's marine sources.
Read more at: Independent Online
Another headache for Koeberg
Cape Town - The rotor is en route, but how this critical part for the Koeberg nuclear power station will be off-loaded from the Drakensberg seems to be a big problem.
Navy chief Vice-Admiral Refiloe Mudimo said on Wednesday he hoped Eskom would find the answer on how to off-load the rotor part with a mass of about 200 ton from the helicopter pad on the navy's support ship Drakensberg.
"I hope Eskom is making radical plans because there isn't a crane big or strong enough here to perform this task," he said.
Minister of Defence Mosiuoa Lekota on announcing the navy's new frigate, Spioenkop, told the media and the defence portfolio committee and in addition, Die Burger that the Drakensberg, with its valuable cargo, was now only expected to arrive in Cape Town on April 20. Initially the ship would have arrived here on April 6.
"I prefer the Drakensberg to tackle the voyage as restfully as possible, since I don't want to hear later that the navy let something happen to damage the part," Lekota said.
The Drakensburg was sent hastily to France to fetch the rotor earlier this month. The ship was en route from Norway to South Africa accompanied by the submarine, the S101.
Read more at: fin24.co.za
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