Slightly less than a month the South African Navy will have a first opportunity to brief the public about the performance of its newest arm, the Maritime Reaction Squadron (MRS).
It will do so at defenceWeb`s Maritime Security Africa 2009 conference on October 13 at the Radisson Hotel at the Waterfront in
The MRS is currently taking part in the South African Development Community`s Exercise Golfinho that is seeking to test the operational readiness of the regional peacekeeping Standby Brigade.
The squadron, commissioned in December last year is optimised for maritime security tasks that include fighting piracy and supporting peacekeeping operations.
SA Navy briefings have suggested the unit will be well placed to deal with such challenges if mandated to do so by President Jacob Zuma`s Cabinet.
Maritime security experts say caution that while piracy has become a serious menace in the Gulf of Aden and the eastern half of the Indian Ocean as far south as the
The African littoral and high seas are continuously being threatened by activities such as illegal fishing, illegal immigration, smuggling and oil pollution. “In most cases these activities are difficult to detect, let alone prevent, hence defenceWeb`s interest in getting a handle on the challenge,” says
Maritime Security Africa 2009 organiser Joyce Adams.
Speaking on issues that arise from piracy will be South African Maritime Safety Authority CEO Tsietsi Mokhele.
Also confirmed is the South African Air Force`s (SAAF) Director Air Transport & Maritime Brig. Gen. Tsoku Khumalo, who will talk to his service`s responsibility for maritime patrol and surveillance.
“The SAAF currently relies on a fleet of modernised, but elderly C47TP aircraft for the discharge of this vital task, but the question can be asked ‘for how much longer`,” adds
Retired US Coast Guard Captain Phillip Heyl will brief delegates on efforts at building maritime security capacity elsewhere on the continent, using the Cape Verde as a case study; while naval affairs expert Rear Admiral (Retd) Chris Bennett will explore the African offshore patrol vessel (OPV) requirement, with an emphasis on why the former is the preferable option for most navies and why practical rather than “blue sky” sensor and armament fits should be the norm.
Atlas Elektronik littoral warfare expert Thomas Kunze says the most probable challenge for navies nowadays are operations and conflicts in the littorals.
In his presentation he plans to explain that these operations are totally different to those in blue waters because of limited mobility in shallow water as well as the threat from the coast, from the air and from mines and other objects in the water.
“Littoral operations for maritime security require joining the sensor and effector capabilities from OPV, mine warfare units and unmanned vehicles – above and below the water – to be able to answer the different threats and to be effective,” he says.
“Maritime security is not blue water operations with long range sensors and weapons. Instead it requires complicated and dangerous actions with a systems of different naval forces in confined waters against a mostly unknown and unpredictable enemy.”
Last, but certainly not least, the conference will on the 15th move to Simon`s Town for a visit to the South African Navy`s main operating base as well as to one of its advanced Meko A200 Valour-class frigates and a Heroine-class diesel-electric submarine.
* For more information on the progamme see elsewhere on this page.
** To book a seat, please contact Maggie Pienaar on [email protected] or +27 (0)11 807 3294
Pic: MRS commandos about to board a ship.
