Namibian Navy

Namibian Navy
Emblem of the Namibian Navy
Founded10 October 2004; 20 years ago (2004-10-10)
Country Namibia
TypeNavy
Size1,200[1]
Part ofNamibian Defence Force
Garrison/HQWalvis Bay, Erongo Region, Namibia
Anniversaries11 September 1998 (Maritime Wing)[2]
10 October 2004 (Navy)
Commanders
Commander-In-ChiefNangolo Mbumba
Minister of DefenceFrans Kapofi
Navy CommanderRear Admiral Alweendo Amungulu
Insignia
Naval Ensign

The Namibian Navy is the maritime warfare branch of the Namibian Defence Force.

History

Namibian Navy sailors on parade in downtown Windhoek on 20 March 2015 during Namibia's Independence celebration

Development of Namibia's navy has been slow. The force was only formally established on 11 September 1998 as a maritime wing, and in 2004 as a fully-fledged navy, fourteen years after independence.

Extensive Brazilian aid has assisted in the navy's development. Initially a group of four trainees were dispatched to the Naval Academy in Brazil, complemented by ten officers from the Namibian Army. These personnel formed the core group that were sent to Brazil in August 1995[clarification needed] after Walvis Bay had been integrated into Namibia in 1994. This group, led by Phestus Sacharia, consisted of officers such as Peter Vilho, Sinsy Nghipandua, Alweendo Amungulu, and Petrus Tjandja, would be the future Headquarters staff[clarification needed] and ship captains.[3] Later in the 1990s, two more groups were sent to Brazil to study at Admiral Wandenkolk Instruction Center in Rio de Janeiro.

An ongoing co-operation program allows Namibian sailors and naval officers to be trained by the Brazilian Navy; by 2009, 466 seamen had been trained. Brazil also provided assistance in preparing a nautical chart of the approach to Walvis Bay and consulting in charting the outer limits of the continental shelf.[4] The Brazilian Navy has also trained the Namibian Marine Corps.[5]

Operations

The Navy's maritime wing headquarters was established in 1998, while in 2000 construction of a naval base began at Walvis Bay.[6] The first maritime wing commander was Captain Phestus Sacharia.

The Navy has approximately 1200 personnel and deploys a small number of lightly armed patrol vessels.

The first ship to be commissioned into service was the donated patrol boat Oryx in 2002.[7] In 2004, Brazil and Namibia signed an agreement for the delivery of a patrol boat and two smaller patrol craft. The newly built 200-ton patrol boat NS Brendan Simbwaye, built at the Brazilian shipyard INACE, was commissioned on 19 January 2009.[8]

Role

The Ministry of Defence has outlined the naval policy as follows:

"In peacetime, the Navy of the NDF have a role of augmenting civil offshore patrol forces, particularly providing the means and the expertise to execute enforcement action effectively. Specific tasks include assisting civil forces to combat illegal immigration, smuggling (arms, drugs etc.) and threats to the environment; conducting maritime surveillance, search and rescue; and assisting the Ministry of Fisheries with enforcing a fisheries protection regime. A longer term peacetime task is the protection of offshore oil, gas, diamonds and other installations. A navy aerial surveillance component is a necessary part of the defence system."[9]

Fleet

The fleet is operationally divided into four squadrons, based on the different roles of the craft. The squadrons, which became active on 24 May 2018, are:

  • Combat Squadron
  • Combat Support Squadron
  • Coastal Patrol Squadron
  • Harbour Patrol Squadron

Current

Name Picture Origin Class Type Built Entered service (LNF) Notes
Combat Support Squadron
S11 Elephant  China Elephant class Logistics Support Vessel 2012 2012 Multipurpose offshore Patrol and logistics vessel built at Wuhan Shipyard.
Coastal Patrol Boat Squadron
P11 Brendan Simbwaye  Brazil Grajaú-class patrol boat Patrol Boat 2009 2010 Hull P11
NPV Oryx  Germany Oryx Class Patrol Boat 1975 2002 Transferred from Namibian Fisheries ministry to Navy
Combat Squadron
C12 Daures[10]  China Type 037 corvette Class [11] Corvette 2017 Ex PLAN ship Wanning hull 786
C13 Brukkaros[10]  China Type 037 corvette[11] Corvette 2017 Ex PLAN ship Ledong Hull 748
Harbor Patrol Squadron
HPB20 Terrace Bay  Brazil Marlim Class Patrol Craft 2009 2010 Hull HPB20
HPB21 Möwe Bay  Brazil Marlim Class Patrol Craft 2009 2010 Hull HPB21
Y01 and Y10  South Africa Namacurra class harbour patrol boat 1980–1981 2002 Donated by the South African Navy

Other boats

In 2012/2013 the Namibian Navy ordered 19 new craft from Kobus Naval Design and Veercraft Marine of South Africa.[12]

  • 5x 4-meter rowboats[12]
  • 5x 6-meter RHIBs
  • 2x 6-meter harbour patrol boats
  • 2x 8-meter boarding boats
  • 2x 8-meter swamp boats
  • 1x 11-meter landing craft
  • 2x 14-meter interceptors[13]

Decommissioned ships

Installations

Map of Namibia showing the Namibian Navy bases
Naval Base Capt(N) PN Sacharia
Naval Base Capt(N) PN Sacharia
Naval Calling Station Luderitz
Naval Calling Station Luderitz
Naval Base Lieutenant General John Sinvula Mutwa
Naval Base Lieutenant General John Sinvula Mutwa
class=notpageimage|
Map of Namibia showing the Namibian Navy bases (Click on base icon for link to details)
Main article: Naval Base Capt (N) P.N. Sacharia
Main article: Naval Calling Station Luderitz
Main article: Naval Training School

Old Naval Base

The 'Old Naval Base' in Walvis Bay functions as the current headquarters of the Namibian Marine Corps.

Main article: Naval Base Lieutenant General John Sinvula Mutwa

Organisation

The navy is a hierarchical organisation with the navy commander exercising overall command. The Navy Commander is always a 2 star flag officer who is then deputized by two 1 star flag officers heading the Naval Operations and the Naval Support directorates. The two directorates are made up of divisions headed by Chiefs of Staff(COS) who are usually Captain(N). Division of Naval Plans & Naval Operations falls under Naval Operations Directorate, while Naval Personnel & Naval ICT falls under Naval Support Directorate. The Navy is further augmented by the Namibian Marine Corps. The navy has 1200 personnel, most of whom have been trained in Brazil and South Africa.

Command structure

Sleeve insignia Appointment Rank and Name
Navy Commander Rear Admiral Alweendo Amungulu
Deputy Navy Commander Rear Admiral(JG) Sackeus !Gonteb
Commander Naval Operations Rear Admiral(JG) Lazarus Erastus[15]
Commander Naval Support Rear Admiral(JG) Naftal Shuumbwa
Master at Arms of the Navy Warrant Officer class 1 Kamati

The following officers have held the appointment of Navy Commander or its previous title Maritime Wing Commander since the commissioning of the Maritime Wing on 11 September 1998

Master at arms of the Navy

The Master at arms of the Navy is the senior most appointment a Warrant Officer Class one my hold at the Navy. Roles of the Master at Arms include ensuring that discipline, drills, dressing code, performance standards and morale of the non-commissioned officers are maintained.

  • 1998–2007 WO1 DJ Angolo
  • 2007 -unknown W01 Hamunyela
  • unknown-currently WO1 Kamati

Marines

The Namibian Marine Corps are a unit of the Navy. Its role is to provide naval infantry, amphibious, diving and small boat capability to the Navy. They are a battalion strong. The marines are trained by Brazilian naval instructors at the Naval Training School near Walvis Bay. The marine commandant is Captain Olavi T. Shipunda.[16]

Ranks and insignia

Naval ranks and insignia are based on the Royal Navy. Non-Commissioned Officers only retain the ranks as their insignia consists of a system of chevrons. The same ranks are also used by the Namibian Marine Corps. The highest rank in peace time a commissioned officer can attain in the navy is Rear Admiral. There may however be an exception when a naval officer is appointed as Chief of the Defence Force for which the individual which ascend to the rank of Vice-Admiral. The highest rank an enlisted member can attain is Warrant Officer Class 1 but the highest appointment is Namibian Defence Force Sergeant Major.

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
 Namibian Navy[17]
Admiral Vice admiral Rear admiral Rear admiral junior grade Captain Commander Lieutenant commander Lieutenant Lieutenant junior grade Ensign

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
 Namibian Navy[17]
 No insignia
Warrant officer class 1 Warrant officer class 2 Chief petty officer Petty officer Leading seaman Able seaman Seaman

Proficiency badges

  • Naval Officers, sailors and marines of the Namibian Navy
    Naval Officers, sailors and marines of the Namibian Navy
  • Marines of the Operational Boat Unit
    Marines of the Operational Boat Unit
  • Namibian Navy Namacurra with a fisheries patrol vessel
    Namibian Navy Namacurra with a fisheries patrol vessel
  • NS Daures & Brukkaros
    NS Daures & Brukkaros
  • NS Brendan Simbwaye
    NS Brendan Simbwaye
  • Marlim Class HPB
    Marlim Class HPB

References

  1. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 7 March 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ "Navy – GRN Portal". Mod.gov.na. Archived from the original on 31 December 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  4. ^ Brazil-Namibia co-operation Archived 13 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Brazilian Navy (in Portuguese)
  5. ^ "Marinha do Brasil forma Primeira Turma de Soldados Fuzileiros Navais da Namíbia". Mar.mil.br. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
  6. ^ "Ministry of Defense". Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  7. ^ Namibia Defence Force: Namibia Navy marks its day.(n.d). Archived 2012-04-25 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 10 October 2011, Namibian Ministry of Defence
  8. ^ Press release: Brazil exports warship to Namibia Archived 20 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Brazilian Navy, 8 January 2009. (in Portuguese)
  9. ^ "Ministry of Defence". Mod.gov.na. Archived from the original on 5 August 2017. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  10. ^ a b "Nghipandua jetzt Chef – Ministerium – Allgemeine Zeitung". Az.com.na. 2 October 2017. Archived from the original on 5 October 2017. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  11. ^ a b "Two new navy vessels delivered for Namibia – Namib Times". Namibtimes.net. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  12. ^ a b Martin, Guy (11 September 2013). "KND progressing with 19-vessel order for Namibian Navy – defenceWeb". defenceweb.co.za. Archived from the original on 3 April 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
  13. ^ "Namibia navy orders 17 new vessels". namibian.com.na. Retrieved 2 April 2017. [permanent dead link]
  14. ^ "Naval ship, Lt. Gen Dimo Hamaambo decommissioned". New Era. Archived from the original on 17 August 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
  15. ^ "SAS SPIOENKOP visits Walvisbaai". Archived from the original on 22 October 2013.
  16. ^ "Ministry of Defense". Mod.gov.na. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
  17. ^ a b "Government Notice" (PDF). Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia. Vol. 4547. 20 August 2010. pp. 99–102. Retrieved 20 December 2021.

Further reading