Second SA submarine launched
20 May 2005
The second of South Africa's three Type 209 submarines, purchased as part of the country's multi-billion rand arms procurement deal, was launched in Emdem, Germany this week.
The first submarine was launched in 2004, while the keel of the third has been laid out and is due for launch in 2006.
The three submarines are expected to play an important role in supporting South Africa's ongoing peacekeeping missions in Africa.
The German Type 209, a 1 200 ton diesel-electric submarine, is the most popular submarine export in the world, with recent sales to the navies of Portugal, India and China.
Provisionally named the S102, the sub still has to undergo extensive sea trials before delivery to South Africa in 2007.
Since the decommission of the South African Navy's aging Daphne class submarines more than two years ago, there has been no suitable platform for the training of submariners.
"The navy is working hard at reducing a
shortfall of submariners in time to receive its three new submarines," Vice Admiral Refilo Mudimo, the newly appointed Chief of the South African Navy, told journalists at a briefing in Pretoria.
"Eventually we hope to have four full crews broadly representative of South Africa's racial demographics for our three submarines."
A group of South African submariners is undergoing training in Germany, while another 20 submarine combat and engineering officers are being trained in India.
Apart from being taught how to operate the submarines, they are also receiving training in more technical aspects, including electrical and mechanical maintenance.
SouthAfrica.info reporter
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