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Tiger” squadron, while a total of 30 aircraft is programmed. Also, six to eight Tu-142 Bear-F maritime reconnaissance aircraft reportedly have been ordered from the Soviet Union.
India can build basic ships and modem aircraft, but it must still order more complex combatants from the West. India should not rush its accession to symbolic equality with the West.
Sri Lanka: Faced with a massive internal security problem which has attracted India’s sympathy, Sri Lanka continues to strengthen its hitherto minimal maritime patrol capabilities to stem the influx of Tamil support from India. Six former small container ships were acquired as transports for small patrol craft, of which a variety have been ordered from China, Britain, and Israel. Meanwhile, the nation’s small but capable naval dockyard continues to build patrol craft. Two landing craft were also purchased during 1985. Nonetheless, much more needs to be done—within very limited finances—to secure the seas around the troubled island.
Dr. Vlahos is Co-Director of Security Studies at the School of Advanced International Studies, and Staf Consultant to the Johns Hopkins University Appl*e Physics Laboratory.
Economic recession, famine, and internal problems continue to plague almost all sub-Saharan African countries. Only Nigeria has significantly improved its navy, intensifying training and increasing the efficiency of its naval schools and facilities. South Africa’s internal security problems and the consequent fall in the value of the rand have inhibited the government from placing orders for corvette- type ships or submarine replacements.
A significant trend in southern Africa, except South Africa, has been the steady but quiet increase in French influence. The French scored points with these countries for their early and strong condemnation of the South African Government and by their much-heralded economic and military sanctions. Examined carefully, the sanctions proved merely rhetorical—most of the measures (for example, arms sanctions) were already in effect. French influence in Africa dates back more than 100 years; French is still spoken in many countries there, and France has either full defense treaties or technical military assistance agreements with 24 African nations. The French appear to have avoided East-West confrontations in Africa, while retaining a useful military presence to assist their friends and for their own strategic purposes. Examples of this presence include a Foreign Legion-guarded base at Djibouti on the Red Sea, facilities at Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean and the Comoro Islands near the Mozambique Strait, as well as agreements with Mauritius and the Seychelles.
The average strength of the French Indian Ocean Fleet, operating fr°m Djibouti and Saint-Denis in Reunion, >s five frigates, two Patra (Trident)-c\^ss patrol boats, one amphibious assault ship for logistics support, one tank and infantry landing craft, two oilers, and one naval repair ship. Extra submarines, destroyers, mine countermeasures vessels, and support ships are attached for exercises and emergencies.
On Africa’s west coast, the French have a good relationship with Senega* and can use the harbor at Dakar. They have air base facilities in Gabon, at Bouaf in the Central African Republic, Tog0’ and the Ivory Coast. Without much Pu^ licity or adverse comment, the Frenc have also developed a matrix of agr®e'
ments that links the French-speaking
countries with France and with eac other. Recently, the French Governnien established working relations with 1,1 Portuguese-speaking countries Guinea Bissau and the Cape Verde Islands* Spanish-speaking Guinea, and are in’ proving relations with Mozambique.
Relations among Britain, the Unite States, and the black African countries are bedeviled by the problems of aPar heid in South Africa. The strategic portance of South Africa is obvious; ■* vital that South African ports, dockyard^ and airfields remain in the hands government both friendly to the West an economically stable. Britain and * United States have considerable eC° nomic interests and assets in South A rica; many of its raw materials are vita British and U. S. defense efforts. ln’Pl^c ing full economic sanctions would popular with some black African sta ^ but could ultimately damage British 8 U. S. economies. If sanctions proved fective and a serious economic crisis
owed in South Africa, it could be disas- for such countries as Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, and Lesotho. These countries depend on South Inca for food and the income of mil- *°ns of these countries’ citizens. The outh Africans probably would repatriate nese workers as soon as a recession ^gan to bite.
‘ittn
*r°l aircraft based in Angola now track r 'Ps using the Cape of Good Hope sea bte and crossing the South Atlantic. *he United States and Britain maintain ^ asonable relations with Nigeria and tioalthy cooPerat'on with Kenya. Rela- ns with Mozambique have improved;
Namibia/South West Africa is a conun- rum for the West. If the port of Walvis “ay.in Namibia fell into the hands of a ostile government it would cause serious Problems for NATO strategy, as would be loss of Namibian airfields. It is there- °re in the best interest of the West for Namibia not to fall to the Marxist- suPported Southwest Africa Political Organization (SWAPO), which operates r°m Angola. Further, it would be advan- U^°US ^°r bi^TO if Jonas Savimbi’s NITA (Uniao Nacional Para a Indepen- j.er*cia Total de Angola) guerrillas de- oated the Soviet-supported regime in Angola and removed the Cuban troops ‘b'd Soviet and East German advisers.
owever, for the United States and Brit- ®’n to support UNITA openly would ally l with South Africa, which permits NITA’s supplies to pass through South rrican territory and, at times, provides ’b'iitary (usually air) support. The apPearance of support for South Africa—in y Way—automatically elicits condem- hon from black African countries. ^evertheless, UNITA’s success would be great strategic value to NATO because e Port of Luanda and Angolan airfields ^°uld be denied to the Soviet Union and °uld become available to Western marie and air forces. Soviet maritime pa- the British Army provided a small team to help to train Mozambique’s army leaders. Liberia, Zaire, Ghana, and Sierra Leone remain pro-West. The United States has access to facilities in Somalia. Ethiopia is still in the throes of famine and civil war in Eritrea. The communist government there accepts aid from nearly all sources.
The Soviet Union, with its Cuban surrogates, continues to control the Angolan Government and influence Ethiopia, but it has lost ground in Mozambique, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, and Benin; Liberia has severed diplomatic relations.
Nigeria: The 1985 Nigerian coup d’etat does not appear to have altered the country’s defense plans, which include a reduction of 30,000 army personnel, bringing its strength below 100,000— still very large for such a country. The chief of the naval staff has promised that personnel training will be improved and new facilities will be provided. A naval technical school is being established at Sapele and a naval professional school at Apapa, Lagos. There are plans to convert Port Sapele to a logistics base; work continues on a naval dockyard being built at Victoria Island, Lagos, which will be open to merchant ships. Nigerian Navy air arm helicopter crews completed training in Britain with Lynx helicopters. A squadron of three helos was commissioned in 1985 at the Navytown shore base near Lagos. This squadron will enhance the fighting capability of the frigate Aradu. The shore base was constructed by Giltspur Technologies of Britain as subcontractors to Westland Helicopters, which provided the helicopters, spares, and shore support facilities.
The Nigerian Government has signed a defense cooperation agreement with Brazil; joint naval exercises are possible. Nigeria is considering a purchase of Brazil’s Embraer Tucano trainer aircraft, following the example of the Royal Air
Nigeria’s 1985 coup did not prevent the commissioning of the Nigerian Navy’s first air squadron: Two of the three Lynx Mk-86 ASW helicopters, which will operate from the frigate Aradu, are shown.
Force. Brazil reportedly agreed to train Nigerian naval and air force officers.
The Nigerian Coast Guard received one 15-meter patrol craft of six ordered from the Netherlands’ Damen Shipyards. These craft have a maximum speed of 20 knots and are armed with one 7.62-mm. machine gun. Britain’s Watercraft is reported to be supplying 21.8-meter, steelhulled, P-2000 patrol boats. They are capable of 22.5 knots, a range of 330 nautical miles at 20 knots, and are armed with a 20-mm. Rheinmetall Mark-20 cannon. A similar vessel, one meter shorter and made of glass-reinforced plastic, is used by the British Royal Naval Reserve for training. Orders have also been placed by the navy with Swiftships of the United States for six 65-foot patrol boats armed with a 20-mm. Rheinmetall cannon on an S-20 naval mount capable of firing 1,000 rounds per minute with an effective range of 2,000 meters.
The Nigerian Navy’s inventory includes the frigates Aradu and Nigeria (a training ship), four Vosper Thomycroft corvettes (the two Dorina-c\ass units may not be operational), six missile-armed fast patrol boats, and eight large patrol boats. Two West German-built landing ships are in service, and two Italian-built Lerici-class mine countermeasures ships should be delivered beginning in December 1987. Nigeria is increasing its amphibious capability by forming an army amphibious brigade. The navy has about 4,000 personnel.
Rear Admiral Augustus Aikbomu, Naval Chief of Staff, is enthusiastic about improving the navy’s effectiveness to bring it into line with larger naval powers. In 1985, he visited other nations’ navies, including those of the Netherlands and Italy, and met with the Brazilian Government. Nigeria opened its first military university, located at Kaduna, to take the place of the Nigerian Defence Academy. Officers of all services will pursue science and technology degrees.
Kenya: The Kenyan Navy is small but efficient, and follows Royal Navy traditions. It is based at Mombasa where good barracks and facilities were left by the Royal Navy in 1963, when Kenya gained independence. The United States provided funds for dredging and improving the harbor, which can now accept large warships. Unlike Nigeria, Kenya does not want a deep-water navy, and concentrates instead on coastal patrols to counter smuggling. The navy has four Brooke Marine patrol boats, all equipped with Gabriel surface-to-surface missiles (SSMs), and three Vosper 31-meter patrol boats. The latter were fitted with Ferranti Ltd. integrated WSA-423 fire control systems, an investment of £4 million. Two more 56-meter, SSM-armed, fast patrol boats are on order from Vosper Thomycroft and are fitted with the Wallop Barricade antimissile chaff and infrared decoy system. They are powered by four Paxman Valenta diesels, developing a top speed of 40 knots. Armament includes: an OTO-Melara 76-mm. /62- caliber gun mounted on the bow, a 30-mm. BMARC/Oerlikon twin-barrel cannon on the stem, a 20-mm. BMARC/ Oerlikon cannon on both sides of the bridge, and Otomat Mark-II sea-to-sea missiles.
Kenya has close ties with Britain: Naval personnel are trained at Royal Navy facilities and British Army units exercise regularly in Kenya. Royal Navy and U. S. Navy ships pay courtesy and rest-and-recreation visits to Mombasa. The Kenyan Navy has approximately 650 personnel.
South Africa: Because of the continuing problems in Namibia/South West Africa and the internal state of emergency, South Africa’s army and air force receive the lion’s share of defense funding. The navy’s ocean-going capability has dwindled to one frigate, three Daphne-dass submarines, and nine Minister-class missile-armed fast patrol boats. There are plans for a home-built submarine and an undetermined number of corvettes, but no money has been allocated. With the withdrawal from service of the aged Shackleton aircraft, the air force has no effective long-range maritime surveillance capability except such aircraft as radar-equipped C-47 transports, although two commercial L-100 Hercules aircraft are leased for antipollution and search-and-rescue missions. Short-range surveillance is conducted by 18 unarmed Piaggio Albatross aircraft.
Despite a drastic reduction in front-line ships, the South African Navy believes it has the most sophisticated training facilities and most efficient dockyard, ship repair, and ship building facilities in Africa. Without contact with modem Western navies, however, this effectiveness will decrease over the years despite the high level of technical competence in South Africa. The government is attempting to address this problem through contacts and exchanges with the navies of Chile and Taiwan. Israel provided the first three Minister-class (Reshevf) missile boats, but the extent of cooperation is unknown.
marines, while personnel of Indian ancestry—trained at Salisbury Island, Durban—are mainly marines. Blacks serve as guards and auxiliaries at some bases, but most black volunteers prefer to enlist in the army. The marines are employed for harbor protection and man the 30 Namacurra-class, home-built harbor launches. The principal ships of the navy are the one surviving antisubmarine and general purpose British Type-12 frigate, nine Minister-class, Skerpion missilearmed patrol boats, several Israeli- supplied Dvora-class patrol craft, f°ur elderly ex-British, Ford-class coastal patrol boats, three British Ton-class minesweepers, and three Ton-class mine- hunters. Another four Ton-class ships are used for patrolling and training. The one ocean-going hydrographic ship, and one coastal survey ship, operate as far south as the Prince Edward Islands and around the rugged coast of Namibia ana South Africa. Three more Minister- and additional Dvora-class craft are believed to be on order.
The navy’s range of operation has been increased by rebuilding the fleet reple*1' ishment ship Tafelberg, which has been fitted with a large helicopter deck f°r operating two Aerospatiale Super Frelon helicopters with locally-built, manual' folding main blades. A true multipurpose ship, she can carry out long-range sur'
For limited missions, the South African Navy’s capabilities improved with the rebuilding of the Tafelberg, opposite. But loss of Western support has forced South Africa to keep its Daphne-dass subs and Minister (Reshev)-c\ass boats close to shore.
Since the government declared that South Africa will no longer defend the international Cape of Good Hope sea route, the navy’s strength has remained static, tasked only with close-in defense. There are 8,800 navy personnel of whom 900 are marines; 2,000 personnel comprise the part-time citizen force (navy). Black personnel serve on ships and in the
veillance (using her helicopters, vv'1lC later may be fitted with Exocet missileS j
conduct antisubmarine warfare, and la
The
small amphibious assault forces. 1 , Tafelberg now has a 12-bed hospital an^ a well-equipped operating theater. ^ self defense, the ship carries two sets 40-mm. antiaircraft guns. An order to new 12,600-ton replenishment ship,t0
u'lt at Durban, was announced in 1984. owever, there has been no evidence of lts construction.
The South African Air Force mans the navy s ten Wasp helicopters, which were Purchased for the navy’s frigates. But ^Uh only one frigate, the Wasps operate r°m that ship, the survey ship, the Tafel- //T’ and shore bases. Six Aerospatiale . ^tte-III helos are also in service. The 0 air force maritime reconnaissance (Ruadrons fly 18 Piaggio P-166S Alba- crfn a'rcra*t- Britain supplied a squadron Buccaneer ajrcraff years ag0 under the monstown Agreement for use in the uaval strike attack rule. Today these are Q as light bombers in support of the und forces and, occasionally, for ex- rc'ses with the navy. gi outh African harbors handled a record j l^'Bion tons of goods and bulk cargo g r'ng the fiscal year 1984/85. Saldanha °n the west coast and Richards Bay ne east coast are in full operation and U1d be excellent convoy assembly 'nts >n wartime. South Africa keeps the a ' i*nk open to Maputo, Mozambique, helps operate the Maputo port, fin "ana: Ghana remains in the throes of tllancial difficulty. The British Govem- £jCat cancelled Ghanian debts of about jn .million and granted Ghana £ 1 million theai1^ f°r 1985. There is little money for Uav arrneti forces. particularly for the W a*lhough Japan has provided a 8e low-interest loan to help reconstruct n .facilities to improve overseas trade, really Western oriented, Ghana is
looking worldwide for help and is discussing with the Soviet Union the possibility of reactivating some of the Soviet- backed projects that were abandoned after the fall of President Kwame Nkrumah. In June 1985, the Soviet Krivak-I-class frigate Doblestnyy visited Tema harbor for a week-long visit.
The Ghanian Navy is tasked with fishery protection duties because of the number of foreign vessels fishing illegally off Ghana’s coast. The navy operates two British-built 500-ton corvettes—the Kromantse and Keta, two Lurssen 410- ton FPB-57-class and two Lurssen 255- ton FPB-45-cIass patrol boats used for search and rescue, two ancient ex-British Ford-class coastal patrol boats, and two 160-ton Sahene-class fishery protection and search-and-rescue boats.
Senegal: The French continue to assist Senegal and have recently agreed to supply an EDIC-700-class landing craft of about 670 tons full load displacement. She is being built at France’s SFCN shipyard and will be delivered at the end of 1986. The 350-man Senegalese Navy is based at Dakar and operates a French- built (1981), 451-ton, PR-72-MS-class patrol boat, three 240-ton, PR-48-class patrol boats, three 62-ton fishery protection craft, and three landing craft. The air force has a Twin Otter for surveillance and search and rescue and one EM-B-III Bandeirante. To enhance the country’s patrol capability in the 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone, a 505-ton, Osprey-class fisheries protection boat was ordered in late 1984 from Frederikshavn Shipyard, Denmark. Senegal’s close ally Gambia has a tiny navy: three Tracker Mark-2 and one Lance fast patrol boats for harbor and river patrol. The United States is showing interest in Senegal and is planning to provide the country with $250 million in aid over the next five years.
Guinea and Guinea Bissau: Both very poor countries with few resources, these countries have distanced themselves to some extent from the Soviet Union. The United States recently provided Guinea with about $1.8 million in aid and France supplied 21 trucks and a new terminal at the Conakry airport. Guinea Bissau’s navy consists of two Chinese-built coastal patrol boats delivered in 1983, eight Dutch-, Spanish-, French-, and Soviet-built patrol boats, two T-4 landing craft, and a Soviet Biya-type survey ship. Guinea has an old T-58-class minesweeper supplied by the Soviet Union to serve as a corvette, six Chinese Shanghai-II and three Shershen patrol boats, and a small number of minor patrol boats, including two Poluchats and two MO-6s. One 65-foot, U. S. Swiftships-built patrol boat was delivered in June 1985 and a 77-foot boat was ordered from Swiftships in July. Mon Ark Workboats of the United States delivered two camouflaged, 26-foot, Stinger-class patrol craft in mid-1985.
Sierra Leone: Sierra Leone has a well-protected harbor at Freetown. The 45-man coast guard has a single Tracker Mark-Il-class patrol boat.
Liberia: Liberia has settled down after a coup d’etat last year and remains pro-West, relying on the United States for support. The harbor and airfields at Monrovia are of some strategic value. The 450-man coast guard operates three Swedish-built, 50-ton, CG-27-class patrol boats delivered in 1980, and two 38-ton and one 42-foot patrol craft, all built by Swiftships.
Ivory Coast: The Ivory Coast is one of the few black African countries with a missile strike capability. The navy’s two French-built, 148-ton, Patra-class strike craft each carry Exocet MM-40 missiles. The 500-man navy also has two Exocet- armed, 50-ton, PR-48-class patrol boats, six small launches, one French-built, 1,300-ton landing ship, and 13 assault boats—all based at Abijan. In 1985, Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos paid an official visit to France to discuss bilateral agreements and cooperation. Several small launches are on order from France and the acquisition of two corvette-sized ships is being discussed.
Benin: Benin’s 150-man naval force is
ship/
Polish-built, Kamenka-class survey
boats, three Polish-built Polnocny - ^ landing ships transferred in 1977 a
In another chapter of the epic African flirtation with both the East and West, Guinea has cooled to its Soviet suitors and accepted U. S. blandishments, including two MonArk Stinger patrol boats.
part of the army, and mans five Soviet- supplied, Zhuk-class patrol boats. Two North Korean-built torpedo boats were supplied in 1979, but it is doubtful that they are now operational. In 1985, students rioted, senior civilian and military personnel were dismissed, and the cabinet was reshuffled. Japan provided a loan to help search for underground water in poor, drought-stricken Benin, and France has agreed to supply training and technical assistance. Yet there are few funds for naval equipment or operations.
Cameroon: Cameroon’s small strike force consists of two P-48-class patrol boats, one of which is armed with eight Exocet MM-40 missiles. There are also two ten-year-old Shanghai-II-class patrol boats, three coastal patrol craft, and some small landing craft. There are 300 naval personnel. The air force operates two Dornier-128 D-6 aircraft for maritime patrol and five Canadian-built De Havil- land Buffalo tactical transports, and has ordered two short takeoff and landing, multi-role, Arava-201 transport aircraft from Israel. France, Britain, and the World Bank have provided financial assistance to Cameroon.
Gabon: Gabon has signed an extensive military training agreement with France under which Gabonese personnel will be trained on-site and about 600 French personnel will be stationed in Libreville. The French will also provide a wide range of military equipment, mostly to the army, including armored cars, armored personnel carriers, Milan antitank missiles, mortars, small arms, and radio equipment. The package also includes two Aerospatiale Ecureuil helicopters equipped with EAS Attal surveillance systems, five Gazelle helicopters (three with Brandt rocket launchers and HOT antitank missiles), and an ATR-42 twin- engined military transport. The navy will receive two CMN P-400-class patrol boats. The economic situation should improve because a promising new offshore oil deposit has been found about 17 kilometers from Port-Gentil. The Gabon Navy’s 200 personnel man one L’Esterel 150-ton patrol boat armed with four SS-12 wire-guided missiles, three fast patrol boats, three small landing ships, a 1,400-ton tank landing ship delivered in
- and a small transport.
Congo: The Congo Navy has a patrol boat force of three Chinese-supplied Shanghai-IIs, three Spanish-built Piranas, one Soviet-built Shershen without torpedo tubes, and three or more Zhuk-class patrol craft. For operations on the Congo River, the navy has four ten-ton, Yulin- class patrol craft and a number of outboard launches. The navy’s 200 personnel are based at Point Noire. A Pilatus Norman BN-2T aircraft was delivered in
- probably for light surveillance. There are proposals to order three 357- ton, Cormorant-class patrol boats from Spain’s Bazan.
Zaire: Zaire’s navy is more concerned with river patrols than with its minute coast and consists of about 25 French Arcoa-built launches. None of these former coastal patrol craft are operational, and maintenance and operating standards in the riverine force are low. The navy’s 900 personnel, which include about 600 marines, suffer debilitating shortages in technicians and spare parts. President Mobutu Sese Seko visited Israel in 1985 and discussed investments and military aid with the Israeli prime minister and defense minister. Improvements in military cooperation were agreed upon in Greece, which helps train the Zairean armed forces. West Germany has agreed to help train the Zaire Civil Guard and has supplied 48 million deutsche marks. The People’s Republic of China provides instructors to train the 41st Para-commando Brigade and ordnance units. Romania is helping with the
installation of modem telecommunications equipment.
Sao Tome: Rumors have been circulating, suggesting that the Soviet Union is building an airfield and naval facilities on the tiny island of Sao Tome in the Gulf0' Guinea. Sao Tome has moved toward the Soviets since gaining independence frorn Portugal in 1975. The Soviet Union l°st the use of Guinea’s Conakry airfield after the death of President Sekou Toure; a facility at Sao Tome would help replace this loss. Aid from China includes Chinese personnel helping to build a “People’s Palace” in Sao Tome’s capital-
Cape Verde Islands: The Cape Verde Islands’ location—320 miles west ° Dakar, Senegal—is of strategic importance. France is modernizing the rad' service and helping build a satellite trac ing station at Praia. The Soviet Union providing “cultural and scientific aid- The Cape Verde Government has also signed an agreement with the Unite States permitting investment in the 's lands. The 600,000 Cape Verde emigreS in the United States are being lobbied t° return and invest in fishery and other in dustries. The Cape Verde Navy has tw° former Soviet Shershen-class torpe 0 boats, a Zhuk-class patrol craft, and
buoy tender. .
Angola: Lieutenant Colonel Anton'0 Jose de Carralho Toka, the new com mander in chief of the Angolan Navy’ received training in the Soviet Union 1985. Continuing internal strife ensure* that financial and military aid from all'e is used mainly for the army and air f°rC®. Revenues from exports of oil taken i U. S. companies from the Cab'n enclave paid for radio equipment ma by Britain’s Racal and 12 Spanish-bu' ■ Casa C-212 transport aircraft. ,
The Angolan Navy’s 1,500 person^ ’ based at Luanda, Lobito, and Vl°c^ medes, operate six Soviet-built, Osa. missile boats, four Shershen t°rpe boats, four old ex-Portuguese, -dr.? ^ class large patrol boats, eight c°a^
and
1979, 17 landing craft, and some sm^ harbor craft. The air force has one Fok*^. F-27 maritime patrol aircraft. An mated 2,000 Soviet and Cuban tors are training the Angolan M* jL, (Movimento Popular de Libertacao Angola) forces. sy
Malagasy Republic: The MalaP Republic (Madagascar) plays little Pa^ world affairs, but its excellent har^.^ Diego Suarez is of strategic value- ^ only 600 personnel, including 120 fines, the navy is not large enough to Y
assist
s°m<
ance. The Soviet Union still has misne,influence: The Soviet Kashin-class in destroyer Strogiy visited Maputo 2l5 °5; the Soviets supplied two elderly, vvjt|'t°n' SO-1-class patrol boats armed an(j I"'0 twin-barrelled 25-mm. cannons V|0 °ur antisubmarine depth charges. 0|dSt °f the rest of the navy’s boats are crafand in poor condition. Four patrol by |LWere handed over at independence pa(e Portuguese. There are ten small 0 boats, provided by India in 1984-
the harbor. It has one French-built, R-48-class large patrol boat, one North orean-built, Nampo-class landing ship, °ne French-designed, 810-ton, Batram- c ass landing craft built at Diego Suarez, ar)d an aged trawler for training. The Maritime police have some aged, large, est German-built launches.
Comoro Islands: The Comoro Islands overnment has been urged by the president of Mozambique not to encourage imperialist forces in their transforma- 10n of the Indian Ocean into a market P ace for arms, including nuclear weap- °ns- However, the Comoro Islands has les with France and French naval ships call there.
Seychelles: The French replenishment lQ»r^ar ca^ec* at tfre Seychelles in July Th ^ ant* t^le render Rhin in September, he government claims to be “non- •gned” but for a time leaned toward the astern Bloc. The navy has one new k 'meter fishery protection patrol boat 2h* l *n ^ta*y’ two Soviet-supplied, P u*-class patrol boats, and one former ench minesweeper used as a patrol 1 °at- There is also an 855-ton medium ^ndmg ship. A Pilatus-Brittem BN-42 1 Maritime Islander aircraft was ac- fllred for maritime surveillance in 1983;
er maritime aircraft include two In- ^jan-supphed helicopters and two light
Mauritius: Mauritius also claims n-alignment and is visited by warships J.°m the East and West. The French me- d‘Um landing ship Champlain spent ten 3ys fhere for maintenance in 1985. The Aavy s[iH has one old Indian 160-ton, ^J°y-class patrol boat, and two Zhuk- a^s Patrol boats may have been deliv- ^ov'ets-
Mozambique: Mozambique is virtu- J bankrupt, mainly because of anti- eVernment forces’ operations and gov- promental inefficiency. South Africa 2i I?'Sed t0 st0P helping the dissidents, U^mbabwe loaned troops to help to stabi- tra^ country» and Britain is helping n the Mozambique Army. Portugal p eed to train Mozambique personnel in tail U^' ^outb Africa helps keep the asWay to Maputo open and gives harbor
5, and one old ex-Portuguese large landing craft. The navy has 600 personnel, but much of its equipment is in poor condition.
Tanzania: Tanzania is in a perilous economic condition and has no funds for navy purchases. The mixed selection of boats supplied by North Korea, China, the Soviet Union, East Germany, and Britain (to Zanzibar) must complicate maintenance. Navy strength numbers 700, and the boats include seven Shanghai-IIs, three aged ex-East German boats, and 12 coastal patrol boats, including four more modern 75-foot boats made by Vosper Thomycroft and supplied to Zanzibar for use from Dar-es-Salaam. Four Chinese Yulin-class boats operate on Lake Victoria Nyanza. North Korea supplied four 40-foot, Nampo-class landing craft modified as patrol boats in 1979-81, and there are four Chinese- built Huchuan-class torpedo boats—all without the normal hydrofoils.
Somalia: Somalia is also poor, but is receiving aid from the United States and other countries after breaking with the Soviet Union. A consortium of countries including Japan, France, and Italy, plus the Arab Development Fund and the African Development Bank, are financing a large telecommunications development which includes an Arabsat satellite tracking station in Mogadishu, telex, telephones, and an international exchange at Hargeisa. The port and airfield, funded by the United States, were opened in June 1985. Improvements include a $37.5 million, 320-meter extension to the quay at Berbera. A joint U. S./Somali exercise, part of the multinational, regional exercise Bright Star, was held in August 1985.
The 600-man Somali Navy ordered two Spanish-built, 400-ton, Comoran- class patrol boats in 1984. The other boats, supplied years ago by the Soviets, are in poor condition and lack spares. These include two Osa-II-class boats with Styx antiship missiles, four Mol-class torpedo boats (two without tubes), five Poluchat-class patrol boats, one landing ship, and four landing craft.
Ethiopia: Ethiopia is stricken with famine and a civil war in Eritrea. Although a Soviet client, Ethiopia is receiving vast amounts of Western famine aid and food is being delivered to the famine areas in Western aircraft. Little attention is paid to the navy, and few funds are available for ship replacements. Those ships remaining are unlikely to be of much value. The Soviets have a base with a dry dock facility at Dahlak Island and could provide support. The Ethiopian Navy’s inventory includes two Soviet- supplied, Petya-class light frigates, four Osa-II-class fast missile boats (each with four SS-N-2 B/C missiles), two Mol- class torpedo boats, two Zhuk-class boats, two Polnocny-B-class landing ships, four U. S.-built patrol boats, six landing craft, and the 42-year-old, 2,800- ton, Barnegat-class training ship Ethiopia. Partly to deal with the famine relief, the port of Assab has been improved to handle 7,000 tons per day.
Djibouti: France has equipped Djibouti with vehicles, guns, more than 3,000 small arms, and large amounts of logistics stores. The latest gifts include two Plascoa 23-meter patrol boats for coastal surveillance and patrolling the strategic Bab-el-Mandeb. France also supplied two Spanish Casa C-212 transport aircraft. French aid amounts to about $9 million per year. France trains Djibouti military personnel in France and Djibouti and a French Foreign Legion battalion is based there. French warships call regularly. The Arab Economic and Social Development Fund financed a sea cable project, linking Southeast Asia with Western Europe via Djibouti and the Middle East. In June 1985, Djibouti opened its second satellite tracking station. The center for research into new forms of energy—mainly solar—was paid for by Arabsat. Relations with Ethiopia have improved and a joint council agreed to modernize the Djibouti-Addis Ababa railway. Two new patrol boats, one older Tecimar coastal patrol craft, and two small landing craft are manned by Djibouti army personnel.
Sudan: Racked by famine and civil unrest in the south, Sudan’s government was overthrown in a 1985 coup d’etat. The new leaders said they want to diversify arms purchases, but there are few funds available. An agreement was signed with a Yugoslav company for improvements to Port Sudan on the Red Sea to handle larger ships and a greater number. A solar powered microwave communications link was opened between the port and the capital, Khartoum.
The Sudanese Navy, based at Port Sudan, has about 600 personnel; ships include four Yugoslav-built, 100-ton patrol boats, three ex-Iranian 70-ton patrol boats, and two Yugoslav-built landing craft. Recent purchases reportedly include two Spanish-built, 335-ton, Cor- moran fast patrol boats, possibly armed with missiles, and six 11-meter patrol boats. Two Casa C-212 Aviocar maritime patrol-configured transports were ordered from Spain in 1984.
South Africa has the only navy in sub-Saharan Africa with an offensive
ocean-going capability, and this is decreasing each year. Nigeria intends to expand its naval horizons through contacts with Brazil, but the Nigerian Navy’s deep-water effectiveness will be very limited, regardless. Few sub-Saharan navies are capable of defending their maritime economic zones and fishery interests because their patrol boats are too small for continuous operations in heavy seas. Chances of improvement during the next decade are remote. Economic problems in most countries are serious, internal security uncertain, and perceived maritime threats do not warrant the diversion of funds from armies and air forces.
The Soviet Union will probably continue to supply African clients with naval vessels. The Soviet Osas are nearly obsolete; their larger Tarantul-class successors are probably too sophisticated and expensive for most African countries.
In the improbable event of an all-out East-West conflagration, virtually any port in central and southern Africa could be captured easily except, possibly, those in South Africa. To hold them without local support might be more difficult.
Colonel Dodd is the British or European correspon ent for magazines in Australia, Malaysia, Germany, and Spain, and writes for magazines in 12 countries-
The Far Eastern Navies________________________
By Lieutenants J. V. P. Goldrick and P. D. Jones, Royal Australian Navy
Generally, 1985 was a quiet year for the Asian region, with some substantial programs coming to fruition among the navies of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). Yet there has been a darker side. The continuing war in Kampuchea is proving to be an expense of spirit for Thailand, which anxiously awaits the outcome, and a waste of shame for Vietnam, its reconstruction programs
now gravely dislocated. Despite an aborted coup, Thailand seems to be coping well with the threat to its security and is receiving support from its ASEAN partners and the United States.
Outside the continent, Japan has found the busy program and burgeoning strength of the Soviet Pacific Ocean Fleet causes for concern. The Soviets appear to be dividing their attention between the
North Pacific and the Indian Ocean, using Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, as a staging point and lookout on China, but ASEAN is acutely aware of the strength of the Soviet Union’s position.
The future of Taiwan is unresolved. B is possible that mainland China may not be as patient as some observers imaging Meanwhile, the two Chinas eye eac other warily. .
The Philippines continues to worry its neighbors; the political situation in Ma' nila is bloody and uncertain, and insur gents defy government efforts to erad’ cate them. The rest of ASEAN relatively prosperous, although the rap1 decline in Singapore’s economy is caUS ing alarm. The region’s economic strength is growing, and the developi11® Southeast Asian nations are determine to make the most of their opportunities- Japan: In late 1985, Japanese p'alis for the new Five Year Defense Progra were settled. Although funds are scarce- the 1% of gross national product limit o defense expenditures, which became shrined in Japanese financial policy- certain to be breached by 1987. Marit'1^ operations will be emphasized, with 1 procurement of P-3C Orions a high Prl°eI ity. The recent activities of the Sovl Pacific Fleet and the continuing depld^ ment of major new Soviet units to region have given an edge to the butl? ary demands of the Japanese Marih Self Defense Force (JMSDF). ^
Plans are now in place for a force o diesel-electric submarines by 1988, P sibly with more to follow. Yushio-e a^ subs are produced at a rate of one per H and the older but very capable Uzus^ class submarines have many years o fective life left. afe
Developments in the surface force more uncertain. The Japanese contm _ display considerable interest in the ^ ish Invincible-class carriers, as we ^ the Sea King airborne early warning P ^ ect. It is likely that this interest cen