Namibian Marine Corps

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Namibian Marine Corps
Namibian marines logo.jpg
Active 22 July 2016 – present
(7 years, 10 months)
Allegiance Constitution of Namibia
Type Marines
Role Amphibious warfare
Anti-tank warfare
Artillery observer
Bomb disposal
Close-quarters combat
Desert warfare
Force protection
Internal security
Jungle warfare
Naval boarding
Raiding
Reconnaissance
Riverine warfare
Part ofNamibian Navy
Garrison/HQ Walvis Bay, Namibia
Commanders
Commander-In-Chief Hage Geingob
Minister of Defence Frans Kapofi
Namibian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Alweendo Amungulu
Commandant Captain Olavi Shipunda

The Namibian Marines Corps are the marines of Namibia and is part of the Namibian Navy and the Namibian Defence Force.

Contents

History

The Marine Corps are a recent addition to the Namibian Defence Force due to the gradual establishment of the Namibian Navy. The first Marines were trained in Brazil in 2005. The Marine Commandant is subordinate to the Commander of the Namibian Navy. The current Marine Corps Commandant is Captain Olavi Shipunda. [1]

Training

Aspirant Marines are trained in Namibia by a combination of Namibian instructors and the Brazilian Military Advisory Team (BRAZMATT) based in Walvis Bay at the Naval Training School. The first course to complete before induction as a marine is the Marines Soldier Formation Course which lasts for five months, after completion induction into the marine corps takes place and the marine is promoted to the rank of able seaman. Marines specializing in infantry are required to complete a six months infantry specialization course. [2] The Marine Amphibious Commandos Special Operations Course (MACSOC) is the toughest course in the corps and has a one-in-two failure rate; its courses last a year. [2] [3]

Force Structure

During the corps' infancy, the Navy Chief of Naval Support indicated that the short-term goal was to have a force consisting of a Marine Corps Infantry Company, Service Support Company, Provost Company, and Brass Band. However due to operation requirements, a Marine Battalion with its own organic rapid Reaction, Operational Boats Unit, and Operational Diving Team are envisioned. [4]

Rapid Reaction Force

Marines from the Operational Boat Unit on parade in downtown Windhoek on 20 March 2015 during Namibia's Independence celebrations Namibian Marines manning a boat.jpg
Marines from the Operational Boat Unit on parade in downtown Windhoek on 20 March 2015 during Namibia's Independence celebrations

A marine light infantry unit responsible for protection of static, FOB and naval bases. [5]

Marine Corps Infantry Battalion

The Marine Corps Infantry Battalion is the unit responsible for undertaking amphibious warfare operations. A full marine battalion has been raised initially from a single company. [6]

Service Support Company

Service support company provides direct and indirect sustainment services to the Marine Battalion as it conducts operations. Support service offered by the sub-unit includes but not limited to:

  • Quartermaster
  • Finance
  • Medical
  • Transportation

Provost Company

The provost company is responsible for the policing of Navy service personnel.

Brass Band

The band performs musical duties for military functions and any other apolitical functions for the general public. The band emulates the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps and the 5 bands of the Royal Marines Band Service. The Brass Band performs at many important events every year, and is considered an integral part of state funerals, state arrival ceremonies, state dinners, parades, and other social events. Although it is a band in the Namibian Navy, it is a separate unit from the navy's flagship ensemble, the Namibian Navy Band.

Amphibious Commandos Unit

Provides amphibious warfare and maritime special operations capability to the Navy.

Operational Boat Unit

Conduct riverine patrol and naval bording with small boats particularly in the riverine areas of the Zambezi Region's Zambezi River and Chobe River.

Operational Diving Unit

It is a clearance diving unit that specializes in the disposal of hazardous materials. [5] Its role varies depending on the situation, with duties ranging from counterterrorism to explosive ordnance disposal.

Deployments

Marines Corps infantry are deployed on Namibian Navy vessels and shore installations.

Marine Corps equipment

Rifles

Name
Photo
Type
Calibre
Origin
AK-47 AK-47.jpg Assault Rifle 7.62×39mm Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
AK-105 [7] AK-105 Avtomat Kalashnikova.jpg Assault Rifle 5.45x39 mm Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
AK-103 [7] Assault Rifle 7.62x39 mm Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
Norinco CQ-A Norinco CQ-A 20 Inch.jpg Assault Rifle 5.56×45mm Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China

Submachine-guns

Name
Photo
Type
Calibre
Origin
Vityaz-SN [7] OSN Saturn special purpose unit (506-20).jpg Submachine gun 9x19 mm Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
FAMAE SAF DCB Shooting FAMAE.jpg Submachine gun 9x19 mm Flag of Chile.svg  Chile

Machine-guns

Name
Photo
Type
Calibre
Origin
PKP Pecheneg [7] PKP Pecheneg Conscript day in Moscow 2011.jpg Machine gun 7.62x54 mm Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
RPK [7] Machine Gun RPK.jpg Machine gun 7.62x39 mm Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union
Kord machine gun [7] 12,7-mm pulemet Kord - Interpolitekh-2011 01.jpg Machine gun 12.7×108mm Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union

Grenades and Grenade Launchers

Name
Photo
Type
Calibre
Origin
AGS-30 [7] AGS-30 maks2009.jpg Grenade Launcher 30 mm Flag of Russia.svg  Russia
GP-34 [7] Georgian under barrel grenade launchers stc delta (3).JPG Grenade Launcher 40 mm Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union

Anti-Tank Weapons

Name
Photo
Type
Origin
RPG-7 RPG-7 detached.jpg Grenade Launcher Flag of the Soviet Union.svg  Soviet Union

Vehicles

Ranks and insignia

Marine Corps ranks are based on Commonwealth Navy ranks.

The highest peacetime rank a commissioned officer can attain in the Marine Corps is Captain. Career progression in the force for Marine officers is possible well beyond the rank of Navy Captain. A Marine officer can be posted outside the Marine unit and progress up the ranks to the singular appointment of Chief of Defence Force. The highest rank an enlisted member can attain is Warrant Officer Class 1, but the highest appointment they can hold is the Namibian Defence Force Sergeant Major.

Commissioned officers
Rank groupGeneral / flag officersSenior officersJunior officersOfficer cadet
Flag of the Namibian Navy.svg Namibian Marine Corps
Generic-Navy-8.svg Generic-Navy-6.svg Generic-Navy-5.svg Generic-Navy-4.svg Generic-Navy-3.svg Generic-Navy-2.svg 07.RNO-MIDN.svg
Marine Commandant Commander Lieutenant commander Lieutenant Lieutenant (junior grade) Ensign Midshipman
Non-commissioned officers/Other ranks
Rank groupSenior NCOsJunior NCOsEnlisted
Flag of the Namibian Navy.svg Namibian Marine Corps
06-Namibia Navy-WO1.svg 05-Namibia Navy-WO2.svg 04-Namibia Navy-CPO.svg 03-Namibia Navy-PO.svg 02-Namibia Navy-LS.svg 01-Namibia Navy-AB.svg No insignia
Warrant officer class 1 Warrant officer class 2 Chief petty officer Petty officer Leading seaman Able seaman Seaman

External videos

External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg Namibian Marines tackling an obstacle course
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg A video of the Marines performing tactical demonstration

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References

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  2. 1 2 Marketing, Intouch Interactive. "Dungeon inquiry deferred - Local News - Namibian Sun".
  3. "54 Namibian marines graduate". 15 December 2014.
  4. Lotto, S (December 2013). "Marine Corps Undertake Section Commander Course". NDF Journal. 50: 13.
  5. 1 2 "54 Namibian marines graduate". 15 December 2014.
  6. "- The Namibian".
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