| Angolan Navy | |
|---|---|
| Marinha de Guerra Angolana | |
 | |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Country |  Angola |
| Type | Navy |
| Size | 1,000 Personnel [1] 40 Ships |
| Engagements | |
The Angolan Navy (Portuguese : Marinha de Guerra Angolana) or MGA is the naval branch of the Angolan Armed Forces and is tasked with protecting Angola's 1,600 km long coastline. The Angolan Navy has approximately 1,000 personnel. [1]
The Angolan Navy was officially founded on 10 July 1976, though it traces its origins to 11 November 1975 when Angolans took over naval facilities abandoned by the Portuguese Navy. [2] Angolan Navy forces participated in the Angolan Civil War. [3] In 2023, the Angolan Navy took possession of a new Portuguese-built naval base at Soyo. The base is larger than the Angolan Navy's primary facilities in Luanda. [4]
Angola's oil wealth is allowing it to modernize its naval forces as most of the existing fleet are Soviet Navy exports from the 1980s. It was reported in 2009 that Angola was hoping to sign a US$800m deal with Germany for 3 new border protection Fast Attack Craft, [5] probably Lurssen PV80's. They were still trying to complete the deal in 2011 [6] and there has been no word on it since.
In December 2013 it was reported that Angola would be buying a package of old ships from the Spanish Navy. Príncipe de Asturias (R11) a small (16,000t) Harrier carrier, to be transferred along with Pizarro (L42) a Newport class landing ship, Diana (F32) a Descubierta class corvette converted to minesweeper support ship, Chilreu (P61) lead ship of its class of ocean patrol vessels, and Ízaro (P27) an Anaga class patrol ship. [7] This deal never came to pass.
A corvette is a small warship. It is traditionally the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper (or "rated") warship. The warship class above the corvette is the frigate.
| Class | Photo | Number of Ships | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BR71 MKII corvette |  | 3 under construction | In 2023 Angola has signed a 1 billion euro deal with the United Arab Emirate’s Edge group that will see Edge subsidiary Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) deliver a fleet of corvettes to the Angolan Navy. [9] [10] |
Small ships or boats designed to fire anti-ship missiles. First used by the Soviet Union, missile-armed FAC's could be used to sink much larger enemy naval ships.
| Class | Photo | Number of Ships | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| OSA-II |  | 6 | OSA-II 205ER Missile Boat (Soviet Navy: Project 205 Moskit) [11] |
Small ships or boats designed to fire torpedoes. First used in the Second World War by both the Royal Navy and the Kriegsmarine, FAC's could be used to sink much larger enemy naval ships.
| Class | Photo | Number of Ships | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shershen-class |  | 6 | Shershen-class Torpedo Boat (Soviet Navy: Project 206 Shtorm) [12] |
Small border protection craft often used for anti-piracy, anti-smuggling, and border patrolling. May be designed for use on estuaries and rivers (brown water) or oceanic (blue water) environments.
| Class | Photo | Number of Ships | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argos-class | 4 | built in Portugal | |
| Aresa PVC-170 | 5 | [8] | |
| Poluchat-I-class | 2 | ||
| Zhuk-class |  | 1 or 2 | |
| Bellatrix-class | 4 or 5 | ||
| Mandume-class | 4 | [8] | |
| Patrulheiro-class | 3 | [8] | |
| Namacurra-class | 2 | [8] harbour patrol boat |
On 5 September 2014, the Angolan Minister of Defence João Manuel Lourenço and Brazil's Minister of Defence Celso Amorim signed a Memorandum of Understanding as part of Angola's Naval Power Development Program (PRONAVAL). The MOU specifies that Angola will acquire seven Macaé-class patrol vessel, four to be built in Brazil, and three in Angola. The Brazilian EMGEPRON will have the lead in the project, overseeing the Angolan shipyard and training in addition to overall project management. [13]
Small ship designed for either clearing up minefields or deploying new minefields.
| Class | Photo | Number of Ships | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yevgenya-class |  | 2 | Yevgenya-class (Soviet Navy: Project 1258 Korund) minesweeper [14] |
Ship designed to deploy troops on coasts and beaches during amphibious assault operations.
| Class | Photo | Number of Ships | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polnocny-class |  | 4 | Polnocny-class Landing Ship (Soviet Navy: Project 770 (A)/Project 771 (B)) - 1 Polnocny-A Boat, 3 Polnocny-B Boats. [15] [16] |
| Alfange-class | 1 | ||
| Landing Craft Tank | 1 | ||
| LDM-400 | 9 or 10 | 9 or 10 Ships. [8] from US c. 1964 |
Defensive equipment, both active and passive, used to defend Angola's coasts.
Aircraft designed for maritime patrols, often involving anti-ship, anti-submarine, and search and rescue duties.
| Aircraft | Manufacturer Origin | Type | Version | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fokker F27 Friendship | Netherlands | Maritime Reconnaissance | F27 Maritime Enforcer or F27 200-MAR |  | |
| Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante | Brazil | Maritime Reconnaissance | EMB 111A |  |
The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angolan Navy [17] |  | | | |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Almirante-da-Armada | Almirante | Vice-almirante | Contra-almirante | Capitão-de-mar-e-guerra | Capitão-de-fragata | Capitão-de-corveta | Tenente-de-navio | Tenente-de-fragata | Tenente-de-corveta | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angolan Navy [17] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sargento-mor | Sargento-chefe | Sargento-ajudante | Primeiro-sargento | Segundo-sargento | Sub-sargento | Cabo | Marinheiro | Grumete | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Angolan Armed Forces or FAA is the military of Angola. The FAA consist of the Angolan Army, the Angolan Navy and the National Air Force of Angola. Reported total manpower in 2021 was about 107,000. The FAA is headed by the Chief of the General Staff António Egídio de Sousa Santos since 2018, who reports to the minister of National Defense, currently João Ernesto dos Santos.
A corvette is a small warship. It is traditionally the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper warship. The warship class above the corvette is that of the frigate, while the class below was historically that of the sloop-of-war.
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