Ghana Navy

Last updated
Ghana Navy
Founded29 July 1959 
(65 years, 6 months)
CountryFlag of Ghana.svg  Ghana
Type Navy
Role Naval warfare
Part of Ghana Armed Forces
GN HQ Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana
Colors Ultramarine, Iceberg and Blue-Gray    
Engagements First Liberian Civil War
Commanders
Chiefs of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Issah Yakubu
Insignia
Naval Ensign 1957−1964
1966−present
Naval Ensign of Ghana.svg
Naval Ensign 1964−1966 Naval Ensign of Ghana (1964-1966).svg

The Ghana Navy (GN) is the naval warfare organizational military branch of the Ghanaian Armed Forces (GAF). The Ghanaian Navy, along with the Ghanaian Army (GA) and Ghanaian Air Force (GHF), make up the Ghanaian Armed Forces (GAF) which are controlled by the Ghanaian Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Contents

History

The nucleus of the Ghana Navy is the Gold Coast Naval Volunteer Force formed during World War II. It was established by the colonial British administration to conduct seaward patrols to ensure that the coastal waters of the colony were free from mines. Following Ghana's attainment of independent nationhood on 6 March 1957 from the UK, the country's military was reorganized and expanded to meet its new challenges. A new volunteer force was raised in June, 1959 with headquarters at Takoradi in the Western Region of Ghana. The men were drawn from the existing Gold Coast Regiment of Infantry. They were under the command of British Royal Navy officers on secondment. On 29 July 1959, the Ghana Navy was established by an Act of Parliament. The force had two divisions based at Takoradi and Accra respectively. [1] On 1 May 1962, the British Navy formed the Royal Navy Element of the British Joint Services Training Team, thus changing the nature of its relationship with the Ghana Navy. The first Chief of the Naval Staff was Captain D. A. Foreman, a retired British Naval Officer. He was granted a Presidential Commission as a Ghana naval officer in the rank of commodore. [2] In September 1961 Nkrumah terminated the employment of British officers in the armed forces: the first Ghanaian to become Chief of the Naval Staff was Rear Admiral David Animle Hansen, who was transferred from the Ghana army to head the navy. On September 14 1990, the GNS Achimota was hit by NPFL artillery while on a fact-finding mission near Monrovia. As a result, 2 Ghanaian sailors and 3 Nigerian nurses were killed, and the Ghanaian Air Force retaliated with airstrikes. [3]

Organization

The Ghana Navy command structure consists of the Naval Headquarters at Burma Camp, Accra. There are three operational commands, the Western Naval Command at Sekondi, the Eastern Naval Command at Tema and The Naval Training Command at Nutekpor-Sogakope in the Volta Region.

Western Naval Command

Ghana Navy sailor a in rigid-hulled inflatable boat US Navy 100315-N-7948C-088 Ghana navy Chief Petty Officer Akakpo Cudjoe points in the direction of a life ring.jpg
Ghana Navy sailor a in rigid-hulled inflatable boat

The command comprises the following elements: [1]

Eastern Naval Command

Members of the Ghanaian Navy learning maritime law-enforcement tactics 080715-G-2443T-002.jpg
Members of the Ghanaian Navy learning maritime law-enforcement tactics

The command comprises the following elements: [1]

Departments

The navy is organized into the following departments. [1]

Roles

The Ghana Navy fulfills a broad range of roles. These include: [1]

Equipment

Current active naval vessels

Snake-class patrol vessels

46.8m patrol vessels ordered from China's Poly Technologies subsidiary of China Poly Group Corporation in 2011 and delivered to GN (Ghana Navy) in October 2011. The boats were commissioned 21 February 2012. [5]

 Name  Pennant  Builder  Launched  Commissioned  Status 
GNS BlikaP34Qingdao Qianjin Shipyard, China1 April 2011?21 Feb 2012Active
GNS GaringaP35Qingdao Qianjin Shipyard, China1 April 2011?21 Feb 2012Active
GNS ChemleP36Qingdao Qianjin Shipyard, China1 April 2011?21 Feb 2012Active
GNS EhworP37Qingdao Qianjin Shipyard, China1 April 2011?21 Feb 2012Active

Balsam-class patrol ships

The patrol ship GNS Anzone (P30) with GNS Achimota (P28) in the Gulf of Guinea in October 2005. Ghanaian Navy 035.jpg
The patrol ship GNS Anzone (P30) with GNS Achimota (P28) in the Gulf of Guinea in October 2005.

U. S. Coast Guard vessels. After serving the USCG for 57 years, Woodrush was decommissioned on March 2, 2001, and sold to GN (Ghana Navy) to serve as GNS Anzone P30.

 Name  Pennant  Builder  Launched  Commissioned  Transferred  Status  ex 
GNS Anzone (~shark)P30Marine Iron & Ship Builders28 April 194422 September 19442001Active USCGC Woodrush (WLB-407)
GNS Bonsu (~whale)P31Marine Iron & Ship Builders31 December 194326 July 19442001ActiveUSCGC Sweetbrier (WLB-405)

Chamsuri-class patrol boat

Republic of Korea Navy vessels. Chamsuri means 'Sea Dolphin'.

 Name  Pennant  Builder  Launched  Commissioned  Transferred  Status  ex 
GNS Stephen Otu P33Korea Tacoma, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hanjin Heavy IndustriesJuly 198021 January 2011ActivePKM 237 US Navy 090906-N-0120R-068 A Philippine Navy patrol boat and an 11-meter rigid hull inflatable boat operated by members of Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P) search for survivors Sept. 6, 2009.jpg

Albatros-class fast attack craft

German navy. Purchased in 2005 at $35 million for the two ships.

 Name  Pennant  Builder  Launched  Commissioned  Transferred  Status  ex 
GNS Sebo (~leopard)P27Fr Lurssen Werft GmbH & Co19 September 19792 May 19802010Active
GNS Dzata (~lion)P31Fr Lurssen Werft GmbH & Co19 September 19794 December 19792010Active

Warrior-class/Gepard-class fast attack craft

German navy S74 Nerz and S77 Dachs. Purchased at $37 million for the two ships. [6]

 Name  Class  Type  Pennant  Builder  Launched  Commissioned  Transferred  Status  ex 
GNS Yaa Asantewaa Gepard-class Fast attack craft Fr Lurssen Werft GmbH & Co14 July 198331 July 2012 [7] Active
GNS Naa Gbewaa Gepard-class Fast attack craft Fr Lurssen Werft GmbH & Co22 March 198431 July 2012 [7] Active

River Class

 Name  Pennant  Type  Builder  Launched  Commissioned  Transferred  Status 
GNS Pra offshore patrol vessel Penguin Ship Yard22 February 2022Active [8] [9]
GNS Densu offshore patrol vessel Penguin Ship Yard22 February 2022Active [8] [9]
GNS Volta offshore patrol vessel Penguin Ship Yard22 February 2022Active [8] [9]
GNS Ankobra offshore patrol vessel Penguin Ship Yard22 February 2022Active [8] [9]

USCG Defender-class boat

USCG Defender-class boat USCG small boat RB-S 25583.jpg
USCG Defender-class boat

U. S. Coast Guard. In 2008, the Ghana Navy acquired three such boats from the US Navy. They were handed over to the GN Western Naval Command in Sekondi-Takoradi. On 13 March 2010, presented four additional boats.

Others

  • GNS Achimota (P28) Flagship of the Ghana Navy. German built FPB 57-class patrol ship (Launched: 14 March 1979, commissioned: 27 March 1981)
  • GNS Yogaga (P29) – German-built FPB 57-class patrol ship (1979)
  • GNS David Hansen – Named after David Animle Hansen, first Ghanaian Chief of Staff of the Ghana Navy. A single 20 m-long ex-US Navy PB Mk III inshore patrol craft that was built in the 1970s and transferred to Ghana in 2001.
  • NAVDOCK 1 – Ghana's first indigenous landing craft. [10]
  • On 10 December 2010, the Ghana Navy received six new speedboats with complete accessories from Ghana Red Cross to facilitate its rescue mission in the country. The accessories included six Yamaha outboard motors, life jackets, life lines, first aid equipment and maintenance tools.
  • GNS Achimota (2024) - Largest ship in the Ghana Navy. Built by Kurinoura Shipbuilding [11] in Yawatahama [12] Yawatahama, Ehime Prefecture [13] Ehime Prefecture, Japan [14] Japan (Comissioned 23 December 2024) [15]

Past naval vessels

The initial fleet of the navy consisted of two Ham-class minesweepers, GNS Yogaga and GNS Afadzato. They were recommissioned on 31 October 1959. They were joined by four T43-class minesweepers from the Soviet Union between 1961 and 1964, three Komar-class missile boats between 1967 and 1970 and one more in 1980, and two Yurka-class minesweepers in 1981–82. [16] In 1965, a frigate was ordered by the government of President Nkrumah, intended to also serve as the presidential yacht. The warship was laid down by Yarrow Shipbuilders in Scotland under the name Black Star, but when Nkrumah was deposed in a coup in the following year, the project was cancelled. The ship was eventually bought by the Royal Navy, commissioned as HMS MERMAID, and then sold to Malaysia as the KD Hang Tuah. [17]

Future plans

The Ghanaian Defence Minister, Lieutenant General J. H. Smith, announced in June 2010 that over 10 ships would be acquired as part of a short-term plan to re-equip the navy, and defend Ghana's exclusive economic zone.

Rank structure

Officers

The GN officers in descending order of seniority: [18]

Rank groupGeneral / flag officersSenior officersJunior officers
Naval Ensign of Ghana.svg  Ghana Navy
15-Ghana Navy-ADM.svg Generic-Navy-12.svg 14-Ghana Navy-VADM.svg Generic-Navy-11.svg 13-Ghana Navy-RADM.svg Generic-Navy-10.svg 12-Ghana Navy-CDRE.svg Generic-Navy-9b.svg Generic-Navy-8.svg Generic-Navy-6.svg Generic-Navy-5.svg Generic-Navy-4.svg Generic-Navy-2.svg
Admiral Vice admiral Rear admiral Commodore Captain Commander Lieutenant commander Lieutenant Sub lieutenant

Ratings

The GN ratings in descending order of seniority: [18]

Rank groupSenior NCOsJunior NCOsEnlisted
Naval Ensign of Ghana.svg  Ghana Navy
04.Ghana Navy-CPO.svg 03.Ghana Navy-PO1.svg 02.Ghana Navy-PO2.svg 01.Ghana Navy-LSM.svg No insigniaNo insignia
Chief petty officer Petty officer first class Petty officer second class Leading seaman Able seaman Ordinary seaman

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Historical Background of The Ghana Navy". Ghana Armed Forces. Archived from the original on 2007-08-27. Retrieved 2007-06-11.
  2. S. Addoe, General History of Ghana Armed Forces: a reference volume, 2005, pp.466-7
  3. Adebajo, Adeyeke (2002). Liberia's Civil War: Nigeria, ECOMOG, and Regional Security in West Africa. Lynne Rienner. p. 79. ISBN   9781588260529.
  4. Addae, S. Kojo (2005). A Short History of Ghana Armed Forces. Ministry of Defence of Ghana Armed Forces. ISBN   978-9988-8335-1-0.
  5. Navy to secure country's maritime boundaries Government Of Ghana
  6. Germany delivers two of its decommissioned FACs to the Armed Forces of Ghana Archived September 15, 2014, at the Wayback Machine . Germanydefence
  7. 1 2 Ghana navy takes delivery of two German fast attack craft, maritime security
  8. 1 2 3 4 "President Akufo-Addo commissions naval patrol vessels". GBCGhanaonline. 2022-02-25. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Ships". navyonline.mil.gh. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
  10. "Akufo-Addo Commissions 5 Navy, Oil Vessels". Daily Guide Network. 2023-09-10. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
  11. name= "Kurinoura Shipbuilding"
  12. name="Yawatahama"
  13. name= " Ehime_Prefecture]"
  14. name="Japan"
  15. name="https://www.defenceweb.co.za/african-news/ghana-commissions-new-naval-base-and-naval-vessel/"
  16. "The Security Services" (PDF). National Reconciliation Commission Report Volume 4 Chapter 1. Ghana government. October 2004. pp. 3 & 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 16, 2006. Retrieved 2007-06-11.
  17. Marriott, Leo (1990). Royal Navy Frigates since 1945, Second Edition. London: Ian Allan Ltd. p. 102. ISBN   0-7110-1915-0.
  18. 1 2 "Ghana – Republic of Ghana Navy". The International Encyclopedia of Uniform Insignia around the world. WORLD INSIGNIA COLLECTORS UNION. Retrieved 2007-06-11.