German Navy ships are already headed for South Africa for the annual Good Hope exercise involving the armed forces of the two allies.
SA Navy spokesman Commander Prince Tshabalala says Good Hope IV commences February 15 and winds up March 15.
“The first phase will be a planning and integration from February 15 to 21,” he says. The exercise , which also involves the air forces of the two countries, will include a series of missile firings from March 1 to 5.
The SA Navy will be deploying the Valour-class frigates SAS Amatola and Spioenkop, the Heroine-class diesel-electric submarine SAS Queen Modjadji I, the River-class inshore patrol vessels (mine countermeasures vessels) SAS Umzimkulu and Umkomaas as well as the T-class inshore patrol boats SAS Tobie and Tern in addition to elements of the Maritime Reaction Squadron.
The SA Air Force will deploy Denel M1 Oryx medium utility helicopters as wells AgustaWestland SuperLynx 300 maritime helicopters, Pilatus PC7 Mark II Astra trainers, BAE Systems Hawk Mk120 lead-in fighter trainers, Douglas C47TP Dakota maritime patrol aircraft and Cessna C208 Caravan light transports (fitted with Carl Zeiss Optronics LEO observation systems).
The German Navy contingent are the Type-123 frigate FGS Brandenburg (F 215), Type-122 frigate FGS Niedersachsen (F 208), Type 702 combat task group supply vessel FGS Frankfurt-am-Main (A 1412) and Type-760 supply ship FGS Westerwald (A 1435).
The German Luftwaffe (Air Force) will deploy a number of Panavia Tornado fighter bombers.
Pic: A SA Navy Heroine-class submarine skulks off Simon’s Town, False Bay, in this file photo.
