List of active South African Navy ships

Naval ensign of South Africa

This is a list of active South African Navy ships. As of 2023, there are approximately 49 ships in commission including: 4 frigates, 3 submarines, 2 minesweepers, 1 replenishment vessel, 1 survey vessel, 5 tugboats and 33 patrol vessels.

Submarine fleet

Class	Image	Type	Boats	No.	Comm.	Displacement	Base	Notes
Submarines (3 in service)
Heroine class		Diesel-electric attack submarine	SAS Manthatisi	S101	2006 [1] [2]	1,654 tonnes	Naval Base Simon's Town	Built by Howaldtswerke at Kiel. Launched in June 2004. [3]
			SAS Charlotte Maxeke	S102	2007 [4]	1,654 tonnes	Naval Base Simon's Town	Built by Thyssen Nordseewerke in Emden. Launched in May 2005. [5]
			SAS Queen Modjadji	S103	2008	1,654 tonnes	Naval Base Simon's Town	Built by Thyssen Nordseewerke in Emden. Launched in May 2006. [6]

Surface fleet

Class	Image	Type	Ships	No.	Comm.	Displacement	Base	Notes
Frigates (4 in service)
Valour class		Multi-purpose stealth guided-missile frigate	SAS Amatola	F145	2005	3,759 tonnes	Naval Base Simon's Town	Built by Blohm + Voss in Hamburg. Launched in June 2002.
			SAS Isandlwana	F146	2006	3,759 tonnes	Naval Base Simon's Town	Built by Howaldtswerke in Kiel. Launched in December 2002.
			SAS Spioenkop	F147	2007	3,759 tonnes	Naval Base Simon's Town	Built by Blohm + Voss in Hamburg. Launched in August 2003.
			SAS Mendi	F148	2007	3,759 tonnes	Naval Base Simon's Town	Built by Howaldtswerke in Kiel. Launched in October 2003.
Patrol vessels (33 in service)
Warrior class strike craft		Offshore patrol vessel	SAS Makhanda	P1569	1986 [7]	450 tonnes	Naval Base Durban	Built by Sandock-Austral, Durban, South Africa.
Warrior class		Multi-role patrol vessel	SAS King Sekhukhune I	P1571	2022	1,031 tonnes	Naval Base Durban	Built by Damen shipyards in Cape Town based on Damen Stan Patrol 6211. [8]
			SAS King Shaka Zulu	P1572	2023		-
			SAS Adam Kok	P1573	2024		-
T class		Inshore patrol vessel	SAS Tobie	P1552	1992	37 tonnes	-	Built by T-Craft International in Cape Town.
			SAS Tern	P1553	1996	37 tonnes	-	Built by T-Craft International in Cape Town.
			SAS Tekwane	P1554	1996	37 tonnes	-	Built by T-Craft International in Cape Town.
Namacurra class		Harbour patrol boats	26 boats	-	1981-1982	4 tonnes	-	Built in South Africa by Tornado Products in 1980–81.
Mine countermeasures (2 in service)
River class		Minesweeper / patrol vessel	SAS Umkomaas	M1499	1981	390 tonnes	-	Built by Abeking & Rasmussen, Germany. Named after the river Umkomaas, KwaZulu-Natal.
			SAS Umzimkulu	M1142	1981	390 tonnes	-	Built by Sandock-Austral, Durban, South Africa. Named after Umzimkulu River.

Auxiliary fleet

Class	Image	Type	Ships	No.	Comm.	Displacement	Base	Notes
Replenishment (1 in service)
AOR		Fleet replenishment ship	SAS Drakensberg	A301	1987	12,500 tonnes	-	Fleet Replenishment Ship (AOR). Built by Sandock Austral, Durban. Is the largest and most sophisticated vessel to be constructed in South Africa.
Miscellaneous (1 in service)
Hecla class		Hydrographic survey vessel	SAS Protea	A324	1972	2,750 tonnes	-	Specialist Hydrographic Survey Vessel. Built by Yarrow & Co Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland. Launched 1971. Replacement under construction. [9]
Tugboats (5 in service)
		Tug	SAS Umalusi	-		-	-	Completed in 1995 by Jaya Holding Ltd. Acquired from Taikong Trading Company in January 1997 [10]
Damen Stan Tug 2006		Tug	Indlovu	-	2006	-	Naval Base Simon's Town	Built by Farocean Marine to a design from Dutch firm Damen Group—the vessels have special bows for handling the Navy's submarines. [11]
		Tug	Tschukundu	-	2006	-	Naval Base Simon's Town	Built by Farocean Marine to a design from Dutch firm Damen Group—the vessels have special bows for handling the Navy's submarines. [11]
Damen ATD 2909 Coastal		Tug	Imvubu	-	2015	-	-	Built by Damen Shipyard Cape Town, based on proven Royal Navy Design - SERCO [12]
			Inyathi	-	2016	-	-	Built by Damen Shipyard Cape Town, based on proven Royal Navy Design - SERCO [13]

See also

• List of decommissioned ships of the South African Navy

References

1. Schmidt, Michael (8 April 2006). "Warrior queen arrives in Simon's Town". The Independent on Saturday. p. 2. Retrieved 8 April 2006.
2. "S-101 Commissioned" (Press release). South African Navy. 3 November 2005. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2007.
3. "SSK Manthatisi Class (Type 209/1400) Attack Submarine". Naval Technology. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
4. "South African Navy Commissions Charlotte Maxeke". Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
5. "SSK Manthatisi Class (Type 209/1400) Attack Submarine". Naval Technology. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
6. "SSK Manthatisi Class (Type 209/1400) Attack Submarine". Naval Technology. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
7. Helfrich, Kim (24 January 2022). "End of the road for SAS Adam Kok". defenceWeb. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
8. "Third SA Navy MMIPV to be christened on Friday | defenceWeb". 28 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
9. Martin, Guy (6 October 2022). "Project Hotel survey vessel delivery delayed". defenceWeb. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
10. "Tugs". 5 June 2010. Archived from the original on 5 June 2010. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
11. "Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld - Damen". www.damen.com. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
12. Martin, Guy (22 April 2016). "Navy accepts new tugs into the fleet". defenceWeb. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
13. Martin, Guy (22 April 2016). "Navy accepts new tugs into the fleet". defenceWeb. Retrieved 23 February 2023.

External links

• South African Navy: Equipment