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Angolan Naval and Air Defenses
The People’s Navy of Angola (Marinha de Guerra Popular de Angola |MGPA]) is unable to patrol and protect its coastal waters adequately, and relies heavily on foreign personnel for training, maintenance, and repair. The Soviet naval contingent in Luanda deters major conventional naval actions by South Africa against Angolan targets, but clandestine seaborne attacks have occurred in five of the last seven years.
Mission: The primary mission of the 1,500-2,000-man MGPA is to transport men and materiel up and down the coast in response to the hit-and-run tactics of UNITA insurgents and probable South African clandestine seaborne attacks. Second, it is responsible for the political training and indoctrination of its personnel. Third, it must protect offshore oil assets in the Cabinda and Luanda areas. Fourth, the MGPA must protect Angola’s 20-nautical mile maritime territorial zone and 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Coast Guard: Although the existence of a separate coast guard has not been verified, representatives of the Angolan “Coast Guard” visited Brazilian Navy and Air Force search- and-rescue (SAR) facilities in 1986. They took part in naval operations and maritime traffic control command talks, which provided the Angolans with information on coastal patrol services and SAR organization.
Order of Battle: The MGPA has about 48 minor combatants and small craft, perhaps half of which are operational. Despite this large number of non-operational units, the MGPA is still the third largest navy in sub-Saharan Africa, behind South Africa and Nigeria. Ex-Soviet combatants transferred since independence include six 126.6-foot Osa-II guided-missile patrol boats, three 112-foot Shershen torpedo
The People’s Republic of Angola was established on 1' November 1975, ending 400 years of Portuguese colonial rule. The current government, ruled by the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), evolved fro'11 one of three insurgent groups. Since 1976, Angola has been politically unstable, owing to maneuvering within the MPLA and civil war with another of the original insurgent groups, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). The MPLA has maintained power with strong Soviet and Cuban backing. Considered by its leaders to be a Marxist state, the government is only in the earliest stages of development along those lines-
Since independence, Angola has depended heavily upon the Soviets and Cubans for security assistance, and has adopted a pro-Soviet foreign policy. Angola maintains various agreements with the Soviet Union, the centerpiece being the 20-year Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed in 1976. While maintaining close relations with the Eastern bloc, Angola has cultivated ties with the West and moderate African states.
Despite the Eastern Bloc support, the Popular Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola (FAPLA)—the military arm of the MPLA—remains embroiled in a civil war against UNITA. UNITA has the support of the United States and the Republic of South Africa, which views the MPLA as a threat to the neighboring South African protectorate of Namibia, and ultimately to South Africa itself- During the civil war, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Algeria- Mozambique, Congo, and Somalia have sent at leas1 token military contingents to the aid of the MPLA.
Cow
^ns with Moscow” on the subject, ^tya-class fleet minesweepers on Soviet est African patrol frequently conduct calls at Praia.
(. .luatorial Guinea: One rebuilt w'ftships 105-foot patrol boat, equipped 1 tw° 50-caliber (fore and aft) and two t-mm. (port and starboard) machine ,Uns’ was acquired through U. S. mili- ^ distance in January 1988. Nigeria
class
ls making gains in its longstanding S al of strengthening its presence in this crategic archipelago. These contacts u|d eventually lead to a fishing agree-
cnt and/or naval basing rights. A Soviet ftsh(—‘ -
travel
nated a new Van Mill 69-foot P-20- Patrol boat in June 1986.
I7c> on: Construction continues on one in pf°0t ^400-class patrol boat at CMN Cherbourg, France. Plans to build a °nd unit may have been cancelled. In f ' ion, Gabon defaulted on its payment the°ne ®atral‘c*ass medium landing ship; absUnit’ now named La Graudiere, was so^ed into the French naval inventory "> 1986.
Guinea: The Intrepide, a Swiftships
(PTs), two 97-foot Poluchat-I patrol boats (PBs), two ers '*°l Zhuk PBs, two 86-foot Yevgeny a inshore minesweep- Shj ^CSIs), and three 243-foot Polnocny-B medium landing p^s (LSMs). Ex-Portuguese combatants abandoned at inde- . ence include: one 68-foot Jupiter PB, five 67-foot Bel- :ind Xf-^'S’ one ! 87-f'°°t Alfange utility landing craft (LCU),
... Ilvc 137-foot Argos patrol boats. Most of the ex-Portu-
r units are probably no longer operational.
• he
EUesi
||sne greatest threat in the Angolan inventory are the Osa- Su ’ e:ich armed with four probable SS-N-2b Styx surface-to- twace missiles (SSMs) with a 25-nautical mile range, and ‘win 30-mm AK-230 antiaircraft guns. The Osa-11 class Oai ■ ma^e 37 knots when new and has a range of about 820 “‘■cal miles at 25 knots.
53 e MGPA received three Shershen PTs, each with four lanCm: torpedo tubes, in 1977-79. They are the only Ango- t()rUn'ts capable of launching torpedoes, but the presence of <h°CS ’n l*le MGPA’s inventory is unconfirmed. The Suns 6n ClaSS als° haS tw0 twin 30'mm- AK‘23° antiaircraft CrUjS' ^he Shershens were designed to make 45 knots and -p?e ^50 nautical miles at 30 knots.
Sen 6 ^'rst minesweepers in the Angolan inventory, two Yev- Alth were delivered to Luanda in September 1987.
a r °u§h their exact role is unknown, their arrival is probably by j * °f the mine warfare being waged in the Persian Gulf of (j|an- Both the Soviet Union and Angola are keenly aware Af. c patter’s reliance on seaborne arms resupply and South can m* S attempts to disrupt this connection. The South Afri- pr()(j avy can mine Angola’s waters. Yevgenyas are typically letn ^°r exPort an(l employ a television minchunting sys- U)ines31 ^iapsnses marker buoys to permit later disposal of ' to a depth of 91 feet. Yevgenyas are normally fitted
By Ensign James E. Meason, U. S. Naval Reserve with one twin 25-mm. or one twin 14.5-mm. gun mount forward. These units have a cruising speed of ten knots and a range of 300 nautical miles. The normal complement for this class is ten.
The five Argos PBs carry two British 40-mm. Mk-9 antiaircraft guns and have a designed maximum speed of 18 knots. The MGPA’s Bellatrix, Jupiter, Poluchat, and Zhuk PBs probably cannot operate or are in poor condition.
The MGPA has a considerable sealift capability compared to other sub-Saharan navies. The Polnocny-B LSMs displace about 800 tons fully loaded and can carry 76 tons of diesel fuel, 95 tons of water ballast, seven tons of provisions, 216 tons of vehicles, and 180 troops for short distances. These units can provide fire support ashore from two Katyusha 18- barrel trainable rocket launchers with 108 140-mm. barrage rockets. They also carry two twin 30-mm. AK-230 antiaircraft guns. Each unit can make 19 knots and cruise 1,500 nautical miles at 15 knots.
Other amphibious craft include the Alfange LCU, four 56- foot Portuguese LDM-400 medium landing craft (LCMs), one Soviet 62-foot T-4 LCM, one 36-foot Portuguese LDP-100 personnel landing craft (LCP), and three 42-foot Portuguese LDP-200 LCPs. All of these craft are very old and were in poor repair when received.
Naval auxiliaries include two commercial 850-ton landing ships, the 10 Diciembre and 11 Noviembre, purchased in 1979 from The Netherlands, as well as 115-, 184-, and one 194-foot cargo ships.
Maritime Air Surveillance: The air force controls all military aircraft, including the limited maritime capability. The only aircraft formerly in the inventory that might have had a
69
lnKS / March 1988
Two twin 37-mm. antiaircraft guns
ac-
the
cepted in July 1987. The second boat
Guinea received the 77-foot, 25-knot Swiftships patrol boat Intrepide (below) in February 1987 through U. S. military assistance. Kenya’s second British-built 186-foot missile patrol boat, the Umoja (right), began trials in January 1988.
77-foot patrol boat, was received in February 1987 through U. S. military assistance. The Intrepide has a top speed of 25 knots, and is armed with 50-caliber (fore and aft) and 7.62-mm. (port and starboard) machine guns and two 65-mm. recoiless guns. The Soviet Union delivered two 48-ton Zhuk-class patrol boats to Conakry in July 1987. Units of this class are typically armed with twin 14.5mm. guns fore and aft. Zhuks are designed for a complement of 12 and can cruise 1,100 nautical miles at 15 knots.
Guinea-Bissau: Two recently overhauled Chinese-built Shantou-class patrol boats arrived in March 1986. The Shan- tous were designed for a complement of 17 personnel. Displacing 68 tons, they
are
the standard armament on this class, use ally augmented by two single 14.5-rW11- and two 12.7-mm. machine guns. Elec tronics probably include a Skin Head sur face search radar. The Shantou is sl°^ for its size, overloaded, and ineffee'1 outside sheltered waters. .
Ivory Coast: Two new 213-f°° guided-missile boats remain in P'anI\ stages. No significant craft were added discarded during 1987.
Kenya: The first of two 186-f°°^ Otomat-equipped missile patrol b° ' built by Vosper Thomycroft was
primarily naval function was one Fokker F-27 Maritime, which could only provide maritime reconnaissance. Angola purchased two new Brazilian Embraer EMB-111 maritime surveillance aircraft, using its Fokker F-27 as a down payment; delivery is scheduled for early 1988. The EMB-111 is a land-based twin-turboprop aircraft with a 1,600-nautical- mile range. The aircraft can be equipped with four hardpoints—for eight HVAR antisurface missiles or four FFAR rockets, or three stores hardpoints and a 50-million- candlepower searchlight.
Naval Facilities: The MGPA command operates out of Ilha do Cabo, an island in Luanda bay that served as the Portuguese naval base. The MGPA also operates from Cabinda, Lobito, and Namibe. Each area is served by coastal surveillance radar, and both Luanda and Namibe are protected by operational surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems. The effectiveness of these sites is questionable, because four successful seaborne attacks have been made against areas within radar coverage of sites in Luanda, Cabinda, and Namibe (twice).
Luanda, the capital of Angola, is the primary naval installation used by the Soviet West African naval forces. It also handles most Angolan foreign trade, including deliveries of Soviet military equipment and support for Cuban and Angolan combat forces. Port security is undertaken by Angolan soldiers and police.
Seaborne Attacks/Raids: The Angolan Government views South Africa as the major threat to Angolan sovereignty and UNITA as an extension of South Africa. The Angolans believe that the South African Navy is active in clandestine operations off the Angolan coast; South African Defense Force (SADF) and UNITA forces are suspected of involvement in many attacks over the past several years. In late 1981, UNITA insurgents or SADF commandoes severely damaged Angola’s only petroleum refinery at Luanda and destroyed fuel tanks near Lobito. A seaborne commando team is suspected of destroying the Giraul railroad and highway bridge over Rio Giraul, just north of Namibe, in November 1982. In July 1984, probable UNITA insurgents placed mi1'1'* on the hulls of one Angolan and one East German merchant ship, damaging both. Angolan authorities also cite an unsuccessful 1985 raid on the oil installations at Cabinda. The South African Navy has been accused of transporting pers°n nel for all of these attacks.
The most recent attack occurred on 5 June 1986, when °n Cuban and two Soviet merchant ships were attacked while lfl Port Namibe. Unidentified combat swimmers probably attached mines to the merchant ships, resulting in the sinking of the Cuban ship Habana and moderate-to-severe damage 10 the Soviet ships Kapitan Chirkov and Kapitan Vislobokov- During the attack, both Soviet ships were probably in the process of offloading Soviet arms. Reportedly, the Habana was engaged in undetermined Cuban military activity, al- . though Angolan news sources suggested that the Habana wa carrying “foodstuffs.” The Soviets responded by deploying ^ the Modified Kashin guided-missile destroyer Stroynyy and a Amur-class repair ship to Namibe.
Angolan press reports indicated that the SADF fired Skt’r pioen (Gabriel Mk II) missiles at two empty petroleum storage facilities about five nautical miles north of Port Namibe_ The missiles were reportedly fired from a South African . ister-class guided-missile patrol boat. At least one South A can submarine probably participated in the Namibe attack, UNITA involvement cannot be discounted. Although Pod Namibe remained operational after the attack, the submerge Cuban ship blocks a portion of the berthing space along me main quay.
Training: Before independence, 24 personnel underwent a three-year naval training program (1970-1973) in the SovL Union. This group later formed the nucleus of the fledgling MGPA. By 1976 the MGPA was transporting troops and tna
Umoja was undergoing sea trials in January 1988. The Nyayo and Umoja carry four missiles, a 76-mm. OTO Melara dual-purpose gun, a twin 30-mm. antiaircraft mount, and two 20-mm. antiaircraft guns.
Liberia: In mid-1987, the Liberian legislature created the administrative infrastructure for a new Liberian Navy; the force was previously known as the Liberian National Coast Guard. The government has also requested funding to buy I one 150-200-foot patrol boat for fisher
ies enforcement. Liberia has only one operational unit, the 88-foot Karls- Varvet-class patrol boat Albert Porte. The single Cessna 337 operated by the Liberian Coast Guard for surveillance crashed in January 1987.
Mauritania: The de L’Esterel 18.15- meter patrol boat Sloughi is non-operational and probably was decommissioned within the past three years. Mauritania would like to replace her with a 150-foot Spanish patrol boat and acquire two French Batral landing ships. It is unlikely that Mauritania will be able to acquire these units without foreign funding.
Etienne Naval Base (Nouadhibou) was
the sole base of operations for the Mauritanian National Navy until 1987, when offices and facilities were established in Nouakchott at Port Friendship. Port Friendship is a new Chinese-built port located two nautical miles south of the old port facilities at Nouakchott.
Mauritius: In July 1987, India announced that it would donate $12.1 million to Mauritius to finance development projects; an undetermined part of the funding will be put toward the acquisition of four patrol boats for the Mauritian Coast Guard. India hopes the patrol boats will help Mauritius curb drug smuggling and protect its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). This will help fill the gap caused by the non-delivery of two patrol craft promised by the Soviets in 1982.
Mozambique: Two Soviet surface ships, the Udaloy-class guided-missile destroyers Marshal Shaposhnikov and Admiral Zakharov, commanded by Rear Admiral V. I. Damopykh, arrived in Maputo for a five-day visit on 7 November 1987. The visit coincided with Maputo’s centenary on 10 November. Soviet sailors laid a wreath at the monument in Heroes Square, where Samora
Machel, the first President of the Repu lie, is buried.
Nigeria: Nigeria worked toward esta lishing a truly credible naval force 1[j 1987; its goal is to become a region8 naval power. Much attention has bee
placed on training, facility upgrades
ship acquisitions, but maintenance
and
defi
ciencies continue to plague the navy-
Nigeria has conducted several na
val
exercises over the past two years, includ
five combined exercises; no no bined exercises were reported in 1' . Nigerian and West German naval and 81 units conducted the first naval exerc's between the two nations in mid-Febru .
ing
1987. Nigerian naval participants 1® eluded the MEKO-360-class guide°'
.editin'
■ssen
bod
missile frigate Aradu, the ro/ro me landing ship Ambe, and the Liirsse Type-143 guided-missile patrol Ekpe\ West German units included 1 Charles F. Adams-class guided-rniss'1 destroyer Rommel and Type-122 gu'de
con
missile frigate Koln. The exercise sisted of basic naval maneuvers and eo
chan1
voy protection for a Nigerian mercn ^ ship from an air assault by Nigerian ‘ force Alpha jets. A downed-pilot 8
s
teriel to the northern coast in support of MPLA combat.
More recently, an unknown number of officers reportedly received training in the Soviet Union.
Logistics!Maintenance: In August 1982, a Soviet Kherson- class floating dry dock with an 8,600-ton capacity was delivered to Luanda to support Soviet naval and fishing ships.
Two shipyards operate in Luanda, and MGPA equipment repairs are probably aided by Soviet personnel on board a Soviet repair ship normally located in Luanda. Lobito's major repair facility, the Portuguese-owned Lisnave repair yard, operates a 1,200-ton marine railway and floating drydock. A Boating jib crane is also located in Lobito. Ship maintenance facilities in Namibe are limited to a small end-haul marine railway.
Air Defense: The Angolan air defense network is oriented toward its primary threat, the South African Air Force (SAAF). This network parallels the Namibe-Menongue railroad, which runs due east from the Atlantic into southern Angola. Angola’s array of SAMs includes: the SA-2 Guideline, SA-3 Goa, SA-6 Gainful, SA-7 Grail, SA-8 Gecko,
SA-9 Gaskin, and SA-13 Gopher systems. These include both highly mobile and fixed systems, affording low-to-medium- altitude capabilities. The only confirmed downing of an aircraft by an Angolan SA-7 was an Angolan civil Yak-40 Codling. Two South African aircraft have been downed by SA-7s, but it is not known if these SAMs were operated by Angolan or South West Africa Peoples’ Organization (SWAPO) troops. There are conflicting claims as to whether SA-8s have been fired at SAAF aircraft. In 1983, one SAAF Impala landed safely at its base with an unexploded SA-9 lodged in its tail.
Though Cuban personnel continue to play a major role in SAM operation and maintenance, Angolans are likely assuming more responsibility. Soviets may be present in advisory or liaison capacities.
The Angolans also have a wide range of air defense gull'j from 14.5-mm. ZPU-4 heavy machine guns to radar-direct1-’ 57-mm. S-60 air defense artillery (ADA) and 23-mm. ZSf' 23-4 self-propelled ADA. These are probably operated by Cuban and Angolan personnel. No SAAF aircraft are kno^i to have been hit by antiaircraft fire.
Air Force: The Angolan People’s Air Force (FAPA) has 2,000-2,500 personnel. Angolan, Cuban, and Soviet aircra include about 100 Su-22 Fitters, MiG-21 Fishbeds, and MiG-23 Floggers, and an unknown number of primarily S° viet-supplied Mi-25 Hind, Mi-8 Hip-H, and transport helic°P ters. Although the Soviet Union continues to be the princtp supplier, Angola has received aircraft from Western Europe including French SA-342 Gazelle helicopters and Spanish C-212 Aviocar transports. Moscow has demonstrated a vv11' ingness to replace the numerous aircraft losses sustained dt,r ing the annual offensives as well as those from pilot error and mechanical problems.
Foreign Influence: Although Angola has attempted to diversify its outside support, it relies primarily on the Soviet Union and Cuba for equipment, advice, and even direct co bat. The Soviet Union provides materiel support and about 950 advisors; Cuba provides some 37,000 combat soldiers and advisors. Cuban units have been seen operating with FAPLA in forward combat zones.
Soviet Naval Presence: The Soviet presence in Angola lS^ largely employed to support Soviet air and naval activities Luanda. The Soviet Navy has maintained a presence in Guinea Basin since late 1969, when a Soviet fishing ship v fired on in the Conakry, Guinea, harbor. As a result, a Kashin-class guided-missile destroyer and a supporting tan called at Conakry. Following two raids by Portuguese-sp011 sored commandoes out of then-Portuguese Guinea in 197t. and at Guinean President Sekou Toure’s request, the Sovie Navy established a patrol in 1970 centered in Conakry, c0"
•ess
In
•°urth Nigerian combined exercise ir
July 1987, the Aradu, corvette yun/rf, and ro/ro landing ship Ofiom Sie,sed to the Congo, Zaire, Gabon, and Leone. While in Zaire, Nigerian eS( (7a'rean naval officials discussed the a„ "shment of a naval cooperation ger[e.mem- The deployment marked Nis first out-of-area training cruise in
CXa *
. C]se was also performed by a Nige- ercn nava* Lynx helicopter. The final ex- S(rISe simulated a fire at sea to demon- e)(ate. proper damage control. The jJ*c*se marked the first West German the |Ca" 'n West Africa since 1979, and
1 than one year.
11 years; Nigeria’s last foreign deployment was in June 1986, when the Aradu took part in a ceremony marking Nigeria’s donation of a new 69-foot Van Mill P-20-class patrol boat to Equatorial Guinea.
Although on face value the cruise marked a turning point for the navy, a major embarrassment was suffered when the Aradu ran aground in the Congo river, which separates Zaire and Angola. Apparently, the Aradu's captain did not adhere to the pilot’s route and her sonar dome became embedded in the river bottom. It took several days and at least two tugs to free the Aradu. But worse was yet
One of two Nigerian corvettes to be decommissioned owing to rat and fumigation damage, the Otobo (left) remains afloat, though cannibalized; her sister, the Dorina, sank and was later raised.
to come. She was seriously damaged one month later while docking in Lagos after returning from a naval review for Nigerian President Major General Ibrahim Babangida. With many high ranking civilian and military officials on board, (but not Babangida) Aradu’s captain misjudged his approach and struck the end of the pier, resulting in a three-foot by 60- foot gash on her port side and damage to numerous ribs. The hull has been patched and navy officials are contemplating their next move regarding Aradu’s permanent repair.
Two Ohue (Len'a')-class coastal minehunters, the Ohue and Maraba, built by Italy’s Intermarine, will be delivered to Lagos in 1988. These units will comprise Nigeria’s entire mine warfare/ countermeasures force. Each carry two Emerlec 30-mm. antiaircraft guns and
Aft,
ented by additional ships in the mid-to-late 1970s.
er 1976, the civil war in Angola and the political envi- ICnt in Guinea caused the Soviets to shift their interests
sistjn„ t
ffj S ot one or two major surface combatants (destroyer or oiler 3n amP*1'*,*0US assault ship, a repair ship, a naval
au ’ ant* a naval-chartered merchant tanker. The patrol was usme r°nm,
South •
ye ’ using Luanda as a base of operations. In the early t,^.s °f Angola’s civil war, the Soviet presence included: c">ajor surface combatants, one minesweeper, one patrol % atant’ one amphibious assault ship, one diesel-powered rea'ar'no, two repair ships, two hydrographic/oceanographic ttyQrcn ships, an intelligence collector, two naval oilers, and ^naval-associated merchant tankers.
I97Q *978, the Soviets reduced their presence to the early de .s *evel, and it has remained relatively constant. Ship facc0yments t0t*le region average about six months for sur- nav- ,C°m*5atants and 15-18 months for repair ships. The 0pca-associated merchant tankers that support South Atlantic tjf, .atl°ns are chartered for about 18 months each, but rou- obt.y s*>uttle between West Africa and the Soviet Union to On ln t*le Petroleum products necessary to sustain operations. du ?Ccasi°n, Soviet submarines deploy to Luanda. Units con- $eala§ transfers from the Soviet Northern, Baltic, and Black tfie f ,ts to the Pacific Fleet are sometimes routed around rr'ak'raPe of Good Hope and make port calls in Luanda. Ships c 'n§ such port calls have included the AT/ev-class aircraft Afinsk (1979) and Novorossiysk (1983), and the ,, v~class nuclear-powered cruiser Frunze (1985).
He°Vlet h*ava* Air Force operations began in January 1977 8earn a Pair of Tu-95 Bear-D aircraft deployed to Luanda. and Us deploy in pairs about three or four times per year W^lly conduct reconnaissance missions targeting the Sou,h*est African littoral, South Atlantic, portions of the pjnarn African continent, and, periodically, maritime ship- ar>es near the Cape of Good Hope. In April-May 1982, the Bear-Ds were employed against British naval units en route to the Falklands.
The Soviets have helped develop a significant naval command, control, and communications (C3) system in Angola in recent years, providing equipment and technical expertise. Soviet personnel man the C3 center operated in support of Bear-D flights. Coastal surveillance is provided by radar systems of Soviet design, and Soviet-supplied SSMs anchor the land-based coastal defense force.
Foreign Naval Port Visits: In June 1986, the French D’Es- tienne D'Orves-class corvette Detroyat visited Luanda, marking the first visit by a Western naval combatant since Angola’s independence. The Indian guided-missile frigate Godavari called in Luanda and Namibe while on its 1986 world cruise.
The Soviets are obviously concerned about the advances of UNITA forces and the latter’s South African support. However, they have not responded directly to seaborne attacks against Angolan installations or Cuban-Soviet interests.
Should a significant seaborne supply chain for antigovernment forces develop, the likelihood of Soviet naval and naval infantry involvement would increase, probably taking the form of aid to Angolan forces interdicting seaborne supply operations, but falling short of direct naval action.
The MGPA is very capable by sub-Saharan African standards, and could become an effective coastal patrol force. The Osas and Shershens could pose a modest threat to merchant ships along the West African coast. The MGPA could land about 600 troops (without support) in neighboring states. The Soviet naval presence in Luanda remains an effective deterrent to conventional hostile naval actions from South African or extraregional forces, and gives Moscow a South Atlantic presence that is unmatched and uncontested by NATO.
0 Pluto remotely operated mine inves- sation and neutralization vehicles (un- Jnned, tethered submersibles). The Ls package includes provision for ^a|ntenance facilities. Nigeria sent 100 er> to Italy for training on the ships. A
naval
acquisition not noted previously
DaT ^ dcllver>' s'x Swiftships 65-foot ^r<’*s in 1986. They are armed with 20-
• cannons and 7.62-mm. machine |uns. The
5>000-t(
navy also wants a 4,000- tkt°n dock landing ship primarily for in nsPort'ng and launching landing craft areas used by petroleum smugglers, sin n ^ January 1987, Nigeria commis- 0,ned its newest naval base, NNS Coerr*ini, at Rumemumene, Port Har- I All work on the base will be com- ern^ ^ rn*d-1988. The base is a mod- channel port facility initially •ho 5-trUCted f°r the Nigerian Ports Aunty. It was taken over by the Nigerian ^ to support increased
static training ship, both units will probably be towed out to sea at night and scuttled—the fate of all Nigerian warships.
Senegal: Senegal received its long- awaited 181-foot, 500-ton Danish Osprey 55-class fishing inspection ship Fouta in late 1987. The unit differs from its Danish and Burmese predecessors in that it is
17 feet longer, and has only one stack and no aft helicopter deck. The Fouta is equipped with one 30-mm. gun mount fore and aft, and is capable of cruising at
18 knots. It also has one Viking 15-foot inflatable launch and Watercraft 21-foot inflatable launch. The unit has a stern swim-in, enclosable reception area for launching and recovering the Watercraft launch. The Fouta will work with Senegal’s De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 100 turboprop and France’s Breguet Atlantic-1 aircraft to protect Senegal’s 200-nauticai mile EEZ from illegal fishing operations. The fishing fleets of the
C8a,’s nevv 181-foot, 500-ton fishing inspection ship Fouta will work with e8a!ese and French surveillance aircraft to protect Senegal’s EEZ.
Piracy> SAR, and coastal patrol •he r?t'0ns 'n the region. NNS Okemini is base <>Urdl Nigerian naval or naval air l9jjg to be commissioned since May
Th
c0rvc V°sper Thornycroft Mk.3-class mj ettes Dorina and Otobo were decom- m()S'0ned in April 1987; both had been sCvPerab'e since 1984. Both ships were Cf'y damaged in 1984 when they tj-ac|i *umigated by an independent con- Cjju °r a^ter suffering damage by rats. A ^iiv'0 a8ent destroyed large parts of the
"Ps
■nteriors and ate through their
nuiis Ti, ° ----
Aprjj 16 Carina sank at pierside on 16
Uoth *987 and was raised on 18 April, little S^'*XS ^ad *,een cannibalized by this CJ.he 0,obo remains afloat with c boles in her decks and bulkheads. A
rePo,
reci
,rt in October that the Otobo
:eive
was to
nave k an * 8-month refit at Genoa may ate „ Ccn a reference to the training frig- refjtllma. Though Nigeria would like to at *east one of the ships for use as a
Soviet Union, Japan, and South Korea are the worst offenders off the Senegalese coast.
Senegal also took delivery of four Spanish-built (Astilleros Reunidos S.A. [ARESA]) LVI-85 S-class patrol boats in 1987. They are primarily used for close- in coastal and inland waterway patrolling. The navy wants an additional medium landing ship like the 674-ton Edic- III-class ship it received from France in August 1986.
Seychelles: Early in 1987, the European Community and the Seychellois government signed a second three-year fishing agreement giving licenses to about 40 tuna vessels, mostly from France and Spain. In June 1987, the Seychelles and Soviet Union signed a one-year fishing agreement, under which the Seychelles will license several ships to fish for tuna in the Seychellois EEZ. The Seychelles, however, retained the right to take appropriate measures neces
sary to conserve and protect fishing stocks in and around its waters. Soviet ships will land and transship all of their catch, and obtain and store all the supplies and services needed for their fishing operations in Port Victoria. In addition, each ship will carry at least one observer from the Seychelles fishing authority.
Persistent British press reports claim that Soviet Naval Infantry troops are being used to protect President Rene.
Sierra Leone: In March 1987, China delivered two recently rehabilitated Chinese-built Shanghai-II patrol boats. The 128-foot boats can make 39 knots and cruise 725 nautical miles at 19 knots. They are typically armed with mine rails, two twin 37-mm. antiaircraft guns fore, and two twin 25-mm. antiaircraft guns aft. Seventeen Chinese instructors and technicians were sent to Sierra Leone to train Sierra Leonean naval personnel in the proper use of the ships. Before the arrival of these two units, Sierra Leone did not have an operational naval unit in its inventory. The Shanghais had an immediate impact on the navy; just a few days after they were commissioned in June, the Moa and Naimbana were used to arrest Soviet and Venezuelan fishing trawlers operating illegally within Sierra Leone’s EEZ.
South Africa: In November 1986, the West German press reported that the West German shipbuilding firms of Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft (HDW) and Ingenieurkontor Lubeck (IKL) sold Type-209 diesel-electric submarine blueprints to South Africa for $23 million. The sale occurred after a June 1984 visit to West Germany by South African Prime Minister Pieter Botha. The incident stirred up a lot of controversy in Bonn, but South African officials remained close-mouthed. IKL and HDW officials stress that they proceeded with implicit government concurrence.
South Africa has maintained a keen interest in acquiring additional submarines since the 1977 United Nations arms embargo voided their contract for two AgoVo-class submarines that were under construction in France. Although South Africa does not have the requisite expertise and technology to build its own submarine, reports indicate Chilean interest and/or complicity in a joint submarine construction project. It is extremely unlikely that South Africa, whether alone or in concert with Chile, can produce a submarine before the turn of the century. Nevertheless, South Africa’s Defense Minister stated in November 1987 that the program was under way, and the first boat will be delivered in the early 1990s.
The aging Daphne-class submarine
8s / March 1988
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SOUTH AFRICAN DEFENSE FORCE
South Africa’s 12,500-ton replenishment oiler the Drakensburg, pictured above at her 1986 launching, was commissioned in November 1987. She is the largest ship and first warship completely designed and constructed in South Africa.
force is also the subject of speculation. Studies are under way on extending the force’s operational life, including improvements to crew accommodations.
In 1987, two Minister-class guided- missile patrol boats, the P.W. Botha and Jan Smuts, were transfered from the Eastern Naval Command at Durban to the Western Command at Simonstown. The new squadron is scheduled to reach a strength of four units in 1988. In February 1987, Durban and Simonstown-based Ministers conducted two successful over- the-horizon live Skerpioen surface-to- surface missile firings.
The 12,500-ton replenishment oiler Drakensburg, was commissioned in November 1987. The ship is capable of speeds in excess of 20 knots and can carry 750 tons of dry stores and 5,500 tons of fuel; armament includes four 20mm. guns. The basic design was done by Armscor in cooperation with South African Navy engineers, and the ship was built by Sandock-Austral of Durban.
Twelve naval units were decommissioned in 1987 owing to age, maintenance difficulties, and naval personnel reductions: one 290-foot Sandock- Austral patrol boat, the 117-foot Ford-
class patrol craft Gelderland, NautduS' Oosterland, and Rijger; the Ford-cJa auxiliary survey boat Haerlenv, the 1 class patrol craft Kaapstad and the Ton-class coastal minehunters selbaai and Port Elizabeth; and the 1° ^ class coastal minesweepers Durban ' Johannesburg. 5
It is surprising that the President^ a frigate President Pretorious was not this list. She and her sister, the dec° missioned President Steyn, are being spected to determine their suitability conversion into another class of s v, These ships could be tom down to t L hulls and rebuilt into an entirely new w‘ ship class, incorporating the lateS ^ South African weapon and sensor te nologies. This represents a move a from an indigenous corvette or me construction program.
Sudan: The acquisition of riverine P trol boats is under consideration. ^uu , has expressed interest in buying 1 G Swiftships boats to join its Sewart pa
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67-foot Kimjin-class patrol boats delivered in September 1987. This c a is normally equipped with one twin 1 ■ mm. antiaircraft gun fore and aft- make 35 knots, cruise 220 nautical n11 at 20 knots, and carry ten personnel- ^ Zaire: Two Chinese-built Shanghal patrol boats were delivered to Zane ^ February 1987, joining four Shangha'^ in Zaire’s inventory since 1976-78. r . Chinese workers/technicians also arr' in Zaire to restore the four older 5 .
ghais, one of which is reportedly hey repair.
1987. He had worked as an intelligence researcnic( cialist at the Navy Operational Intelligence. ^ since 1985. He is assigned to the National juty. Intelligence Center at the Pentagon for reserv ^ He has a B.S. degree in criminal justice from y em Illinois University (1980), an M.A. jn tional relations from Georgetown University i ^ and recently began work on a J.D. degree American University.