Renewal of the SANDF essential for national security amid critical decline – Legoete
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is in critical decline due to chronic underfunding and outdated technology, and requires urgent renewal.
This is according...
Ramaphosa extends Operation Copper maritime security deployment
President Cyril Ramaphosa in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) has authorised a year-long extension to a Southern African...
Female Indian Navy officers engage with SA community in Cape Town
Two female Indian Navy officers, currently on their fourth and final stopover as part of their Navika Sagar Parikrama II (NSP II) global circumnavigation...
SANHO/UK Hydrographic Office collaborate to boost navigation safety
South Africa and the United Kingdom, via the hydrographic offices of their respective navies, furthered a longstanding relationship with the signing of an implementation...
Red Sea mission marks new era in naval surveillance for Combined Maritime Forces
In a landmark operation, Combined Maritime Forces (CMF 153) has completed its first sustained uncrewed surveillance mission in the Red Sea, deploying four uncrewed...
US Navy vessel conducts quick port visit in Cape Town
The cold winds blowing between the United States and South Africa temporally thawed a little this past weekend when the United States Navy's Military...
Indian Navy seizes 2.5 tons of drugs in the western Indian Ocean
The Indian Navy’s Talwar class frigate INS Tarkash has seized more than 2 500 kilograms of narcotics in the western Indian Ocean while deployed as...
Indian Navy sailing vessel arrives in Cape Town on round-the-world trip
The Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini has successfully docked in Cape Town, marking the completion of the fourth leg of the Navika Sagar...
Many obstacles remain for Russian naval base in Sudan
After years of on-again, off-again negotiations, Sudan has agreed to let Russia establish its first naval base on the continent along the war-torn country’s...
EU/India naval dialogue ahead of Africa/India NAVEX
Indian capital New Delhi earlier in March hosted the fourth maritime security dialogue between the sub-continental powerhouse and the European Union (EU).
On the agenda...
Six tons of cocaine seized off Guinea
The seizure of over six tons of cocaine from a fishing vessel in international waters off the Gulf of Guinea earlier in March was...
Indian Navy to hold multinational exercise with African nations in April
The Indian Navy will next month hold an inaugural multinational naval exercise with ten African nations, including South Africa, off the coast of Tanzania...
Royal Navy seizes £5.4 million worth of drugs in Middle East bust
The Royal Navy has delivered a major blow to the global drug trade after the frigate HMS Lancaster intercepted and seized £5.4 million worth...
Hijacked Yemeni-flagged fishing boat released by Somali pirates
The Yemeni-flagged fishing dhow Al-Hidaya has been released by Somali pirates after being held for a week.
The European Union Naval Force’s Operation Atalanta said...
Unmanned surface vessels and their role in African maritime security
Unmanned surface vessels (USVs) have emerged as a transformative technology in modern naval warfare, offering a cost-effective solution to maritime challenges. Ukraine's pioneering use...
EU extends Operation Irini mandate
Operation Irini, the European Union (EU) Mediterranean Sea task force keeping a weather eye – and more – on breaches of the United Nations...
Suspected pirate attack on Yemeni-flagged fishing boat off Puntland coast
A suspected piracy-related incident involving a Yemeni-flagged fishing vessel occurred on 16 March off the coast of Durdura, near Eyl, in northern Puntland, Somalia....
Non-conventional but increasingly sophisticated maritime threats will persist in Africa
A naval war between African states is unlikely. Rather, the primary maritime security threat is from non-state actors using increasingly sophisticated technology like unmanned...
SA Navy frigate wraps two-month maritime protection tasking
SAS Amatola (F145) completed a seven-week Operation Corona maritime tasking which saw a diversion to Durban to pay South African naval respects to the...
New Milkor naval vessels take shape
Milkor has made significant strides in expanding its presence across all spheres of defence and security. This was particularly evident at the IDEX and...
Public-private partnerships are key for enhanced maritime security – Vreÿ
As Africa’s maritime security landscape grows increasingly complex, governments, academics, and private sector stakeholders must join forces to develop innovative solutions to deal with...
Somali pirates release Yemeni fishing boat
Somali pirates who hijacked the Yemeni-flagged fishing boat Saytuun-2 last week have released the vessel after stealing crew belongings.
The Saytuun-2 was captured off Garmaal...
Atalanta on high alert for second fishing vessel hijacking in 10 days
Four days after securing the release of a Yemeni fishing dhow from suspected pirates off Somalia, Operation Atalanta was again alerted to a similar...
Ukrainian combat unmanned systems and African security in focus at panel discussion
The Embassy of Ukraine, in collaboration with SpetsTechnoExport, and the Institute for Security Studies, will host a high-level panel discussion on “Advanced Developments in...
Op Aspides Red Sea protection tasking will continue to February 2026
In its first year, the third European Union (EU) naval task force operating in African waters and concentrating on the Red Sea has provided...
Yemeni dhow hijacking ends without loss of life
Five days after it was hijacked by pirates, the Yemeni fishing vessel Al Najma was again under the command and control of her own...
Atalanta on high alert as possible pirate attack reported
The longstanding European Union (EU) naval operation in the eastern Indian Ocean is all hands on deck as it observes possible developments in a...
Massive international fleet review rounds out Exercise Aman 2025
Two dozen ships from twelve navies on Tuesday took part in an international fleet review off the coast of Pakistan - the grand finale...
US approves $600 million upgrade of Egyptian fast missile craft
The US government has approved the modernisation of four of the Egyptian Navy’s fast missile craft in a deal worth an estimated $625 million.
The...
Traditional maritime threats being compounded by emerging set of issues – expert
An emerging set of maritime security challenges, including cyber threats and the targeting of undersea cables, is joining the traditional threats of terrorism, piracy,...
Pakistan Navy’s Special Forces unleash fury in Exercise Aman 2025 counter-terrorism drill
One of the highlights of multinational naval exercise Aman 2025 currently underway in Pakistan was a maritime counter-terrorism demonstration jointly conducted by the Pakistan...
Naval collaboration and bridge-building are the watchwords of Exercise Aman 2025
With a surge in maritime insecurity, and increasing regional tensions, the Pakistan Navy is urging international cooperation and partnerships at multinational naval exercise Aman...
Multinational naval Exercise Aman 2025 opens in Pakistan – biggest edition yet
The ninth and to date largest edition of the multinational naval Exercise Aman officially commenced in Pakistan on Friday with an opening ceremony attended...
Houthi attacks drop vessel transits by half through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait
The maritime traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has experienced a significant downturn following the series of Houthi attacks over the last 15 months,...
INS Tushil visits South Africa
The Indian Navy’s latest guided missile stealth frigate, INS Tushil, last week called in South Africa while on her maiden voyage home from Russia.
The...
Houthis release Galaxy Leader crew after over a year in captivity
Yemen’s Houthis have released the 25 crew of the Bahamas flagged car carrier Galaxy Leader, 14 months after it was seized off Yemen’s Red...
INS Tushil visiting Nigeria on homeward voyage
INS Tushil, the Indian Navy's latest guided missile stealth frigate, has arrived in Lagos, Nigeria, while on her maiden voyage home from Russia.
The ship...
SAS Amatola begins maritime security patrol
The South African Navy’s Valour class frigate SAS Amatola has embarked on a maritime security patrol as part of border safeguarding Operation Corona.
According to...
SA Navy regulations now provide for command at sea and ashore badges
What was once a “badge of pride” for Navy (SAN) officers, denoting Command at Sea, has been joined by a Command Ashore one raising...
Ghana commissions new naval base and naval vessel
Ghana’s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commissioned a new naval base as well as the GNS Achimota, the largest ship in Ghana’s navy.
Forward...
Nigeria’s HIOSL receives another Damen patrol vessel
Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT) has delivered another FCS 3307 patrol vessel to Nigeria’s Homeland Integrated Offshore Services Ltd (Homeland IOSL), which will use...
NCOP security and justice oversight committee will advocate for more defence funding
That all is not well in the maritime service of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) was acknowledged by the National Council of Provinces...
The role of Africa’s Great Lakes and oceans in revitalizing South Africa’s economy
South Africa faces a crisis of unemployment exacerbated by a stagnating economy that in turn is lowering the tax base and harming the country’s...
Gulf of Guinea navies turn to drones for surveillance
Coastal countries in Africa face a variety of maritime threats. These include trafficking; illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing; illegal immigration; and piracy. But...
Transnational maritime threats needed transnational responses
Maritime security is no longer about the threat of nations at war, but the threats of yore, piracy on the high seas, and smuggling.
The...
Improving dockyard capacity is on the drawing board – Motshekga
A publicly threatened action to “divorce” the SA Navy (SAN) from the manager of the naval dockyard, Armscor, is seemingly not going to happen...
South Africa receiving a growing number of visiting foreign naval vessels
After several quiet years during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, naval visitors to South Africa are increasing in numbers, with military vessels from...
No Christmas MMIPV for the Navy
The SA Navy (SAN) will not add multi-mission inshore patrol vessel (MMIPV) number three to its fleet inventory this year.
The Damen Shipyards Cape Town...
Red Sea tensions: 4 scholars explain what’s at stake for global trade and security
The Red Sea region is a geopolitical hotspot. It holds strategic maritime importance as a global trade transit route and plays a crucial role...
