Tag: Operation Copper
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...
Lack of serviceable vessels sees SA Navy miss time at sea...
By its own admission and not entirely its own fault, the SA Navy (SAN) fell woefully short of its planned time at sea in...
Busy time ahead for Amatola
SAS Amatola (F145), the first Valour Class frigate to be taken into SA Navy (SAN) service, is said to be at “a constabulary level...
Ramaphosa extends SANDF deployments
President and Commander-in-Chief Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised extensions of the employment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in the Democratic Republic of...
Operation Copper extension to cost R154 million
The extension of the Operation Copper maritime patrol mission in the Mozambique Channel for another year will cost the South African National Defence Force...
C-in-C confirms DR Congo and Mozambique Channel deployments for another year
With the coronavirus pandemic currently very much front of mind for government, other commitments continue and this saw President Cyril Ramaphosa late last week...
No first quarter Op Copper deployment this year
With the end of 2020’s first quarter only days away, it’s apparent there will not be a SA Navy Operation Copper deployment as previously...
SA Navy Op Copper deployments valuable for commerce and security
Defence analyst Helmoed Heitman is a firm believer in the dictum “you cannot control what you can’t patrol” and to this end maintains SA...
Lessons learnt from latest Op Copper deployment
The most recent Operation Copper deployment in the Mozambique Channel, in addition to providing valuable "on-the-job" training for both sailors and airmen,...
SA Navy two platform deployment returns from Op Copper duty
A revamped strikecraft, now doing duty as an offshore patrol vessel (OPV) with the SA Navy, will port in Durban on Friday...
Ramaphosa approves Op Copper extension
President Cyril Ramaphosa has approved the extension of the anti-piracy Operation Copper in the Mozambique Channel for another year.
In a letter dated...
Presidential edict extends South Africa’s anti-piracy commitment
South Africa's contribution to continental counter-piracy – Operation Copper – along the east coast has been extended for another 12 months.
The announcement...
South Africa should follow the NATO example and wrap up Op...
The NATO anti-piracy tasking Operation Ocean Shield wraps up its work in the Indian Ocean on December 31 - a sure indicator...
Spioenkop repairs underway with sea acceptance trials coming next month
SAS Spioenkop suffered "a major mechanical defect" while deployed in the Mozambique Channel in August, with indications that repairs are progressing and...
Navy OPV to take up Op Copper duties later this month
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) anti-piracy tasking in the Mozambique Channel has been totally reliant on intelligence for more than a...
SAS Spioenkop taking up Op Copper duty this weekend
The absence of pirates and associated activity in the Mozambique Channel has seen a downscaling of Operation Copper, the SA National Defence...
SANDF stretched, but coping with continental deployments
Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Defence has heard of problems facing South African soldiers deployed continentally as part of peace support missions.
These...
No ship currently on station for Operation Copper
Operation Copper, the South African Development Community (SADC) counter-piracy tasking led by South Africa, has been on hold maritime-wise since mid-December.
The tasking...
An insight into South Africa’s counter-piracy operation
In a candid assessment of South Africa's commitment to a continued presence in the Mozambique Channel as a deterrent to piracy, an...
SANDF Joint Operations “over-stretched” on internal and external deployments
The SA National Defence Force's (SANDF) Joint Operations Division has again confirmed it is over-stretched when it comes to deployments both internally...
Change to air support for Operation Copper
As of this week the aerial support component of Operation Copper will no longer see any SA Air Force elements deployed on...
Goodwill Project raises R6.8 million for military festive cheer
The Goodwill Project, an SANDF Spouses Forum initiative, has this year raised R6.8 million that will be used to bring some festive...
35 Squadron details Operation Copper deployments
35 Squadron, which operates the C-47TP aircraft, has spoken to defenceWeb about its activities in the Mozambique Channel as part of the...
Shift to training regional forces as Somali piracy decreases
The three task forces of NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM), together with allied forces, are helping Somali and neighbouring countries patrol their...
Stretched SAAF maritime capability faces increased workload
The SA Air Force (SAAF) has only one squadron dedicated to maritime patrol and reconnaissance and it currently has seven aircraft on...
Is there a lesson in Op Copper?
South Africa's continued lead role in Operation Copper, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) counter-piracy tasking in the Mozambique Channel, has been...
South African continental peacekeeping deployments extended for another year
President Jacob Zuma wearing his SA National Defence Force (SANDF) commander-in-chief hat has committed South Africa to more than R1,4 billion in...
Operation Copper stretching SA Navy
Operation Copper, the anti-piracy deployment in the Mozambique Channel, is a demanding and expensive operation that is stretching the South African Navy,...
SAAF no longer part of Op Copper in Mozambique
The decrease in pirate activity off Africa's east coast has probably contributed to an SA National Defence Force (SANDF) Joint Operations decision...
More counter-piracy duty for Navy OPVs
SAS Makhanda (P1569) will complete her tour of counter-piracy duty in the Mozambique channel on December 12 and one of her sister...
SANDF Goodwill Project will deliver R5,5 million worth of gifts and...
Launched in Centurion last week the Goodwill Project, an SA National Defence Force (SANDF) Spouses Forum initiative, will this year again see...
Revamped strike craft ready for counter-piracy duty
The third Warrior Class strike craft to be refitted as an offshore patrol vessel (OPV) – SAS Makhanda – is en route...
Air Force doing its bit for border protection and counter-piracy
The resource-stressed SA Air Force (SAAF) is still, to paraphrase Deputy Chief Major General Jerry Malinga, undertaking and completing the tasks assigned...
Spioenkop back on station in the Mozambique Channel
"Last out, first back" is an apt way to describe the current and immediate preceding task of the Navy's Valour Class frigate...
SANDF continental deployments extended
That South Africa will continue to honour its commitments to continental peacekeeping and anti-piracy efforts comes in the form of three terse...
Operation Copper still up and running
Any possible review of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) tri-nation agreement on counter-piracy operations in the Mozambique Channel could be an...
Operation Copper now only with SA and Mozambique
Operation Copper, the mission to provide maritime security and prevent piracy in the Mozambique Channel, is now a bilateral operation between South...
Mudimu highlights SA Navy achievements
Vice Admiral Johannes Mudimu, speaking over the weekend at his last public event in his position as Chief of the Navy before...
Do we really need to patrol the Mozambique Channel?
Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has claimed that the reduction in piracy off Africa's East coast is partly as a result of SA...
Operation Copper’s time almost up
South Africa's current three year anti-piracy commitment in the Mozambique Channel, Operation Copper, is due to end in six weeks' time with...
OPVs take up counter piracy duties
Just over two months after moving off station in the Mozambique Channel, SAS Isaac Dyobha finds herself back as the lead vessel...
Pause in South African anti-piracy mission
South Africa has temporarily halted anti-piracy patrols in the Mozambique Channel and the waters off the Tanzanian coast.
The Navy has maintained an...
Plans for Salisbury Island elaborated
The South African Navy has shared more details of how it plans to enlarge its presence at Salisbury Island in Durban. Salisbury...
Navy may upgrade Naval Station Durban
Government might consider "re-opening" the former SA naval base on Salisbury Island in the Durban harbour, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans...
SA anti-piracy patrol to continue?
There appears to be some confusion regarding the continuation of South Africa's anti-piracy operation in the Mozambique Channel. The South African Navy,...
Zuma late again on reporting SANDF employment
Letters from President Jacob Zuma tabled in Parliament today clearly show how constitutional provisions were violated during three major deployments of the...
Defence budget trimmed
The National Treasury has again trimmed the defence budget. The adjusted defence budget vote released by Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan shows...
Exercise Oxide held off Pemba
The Mozambique news agency Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (AIM) reports that France and South Africa last week held a joint military...
More piracy in Moz channel
Neptune Maritime Security says there have been two further pirate attacks in the northern approaches of the Mozambique Channel between Africa and...
Mendi on second Copper deployment
The South African Navy Valour-class frigate SAS Mendi (F148) is heading for Pemba port in northern Mozambique to take up her second...
