SAS Assegaai
Encyclopedia
The SAS Assegaai, formerly known as the SAS Johanna van der Merwe, was a of the South African Navy
. Decommissioned in 2003, the SAS Assegaai is the only one of the former 3 Daphné class submarines to have been retained for preservation as a museum boat, the other two have been cut up and sold for scrap. The Daphné class submarines have since been replaced by the Type 209, or .
In 1999 the three boats were renamed SAS Spear
, SAS Umkhonto
and SAS Assegaai respectively. In 2003, the SAS Spear was cut up for scrap, followed by the SAS Umkhonto in 2008 while SAS Assegaai is being preserved as a museum exhibit.
on 24 April 1969, she was the launched on 21 July 1970. Commissioned under command of Lt Cdr Theo Honiball on 21 August 1971, she completed her workup training in the Mediterranean, operating out of Toulon
, before sailing for home on 4 May 1972. During the long passage, she was escorted by the frigate SAS President Steyn, and called at Cadiz
, São Vicente
, Luanda
and Walvis Bay
, before arriving in Simon's Town
on 19 June 1972. Her arrival in South Africa marked the successful culmination of five years of construction, trials and training to establish South Africa's first ever submarine capability. It was not long before the submarines were involved in operations, and in 1975, just before Operation Savannah (Angola)
, the SAS Johanna van der Merwe was deployed into Angola
n waters under Operation Yskas to prepare for the evacuation of SA military personnel. During the so-called South African Border War
, she took part in some ten clandestine special operations. During her career, she underwent four refits, which included installing additional fuel tanks, and the fitting of a locally developed RAKA combat suite in the 80s, which replaced a cumbersome plotting table. In the late 90s she received the South African developed NICKLES fully integrated software based combat suite and two state of the art rebuilt periscopes. With the acquisition of the new Type 209 submarines for the SA Navy, SAS Assegaai finally paid of on 23 November 2003.
that is stationed in Simon's Town. A project that has been spearheaded by the South African Naval Heritage Trust, the SAS Assegaai will in the future be a part of the South African Naval Museum
. The SAS Assegaai is currently moored in Simon's Town and is open to the public for guided tours by former submariners who served on the Daphné class submarines.
South African Navy
The South African Navy is the navy of the Republic of South Africa.-Formation:The South African Navy can trace its official origins back to the SA Naval Service, which was established on 1 April 1922....
. Decommissioned in 2003, the SAS Assegaai is the only one of the former 3 Daphné class submarines to have been retained for preservation as a museum boat, the other two have been cut up and sold for scrap. The Daphné class submarines have since been replaced by the Type 209, or .
Daphné Class submarines
On 10 February 1967, after nearly two years of negotiations, an order was placed with the French Government to provide three Daphné class submarines in addition to providing the training and infrastructure to run and maintain them. The first of these submarines, the SAS Maria van Riebeek (S97), was launched on 18 March 1976 - the date accepted as being the birth of the SAN's submarine service. The second boat was the SAS Emily Hobhouse (S98), and the last of the three, the SAS Johanna van der Merwe (S99).In 1999 the three boats were renamed SAS Spear
SAS Spear
The SAS Spear , formerly known as the SAS Maria van Riebeeck, was a of the South African Navy . It was the SAN's first submarine. It was decommissioned in 2003 and subsequently scrapped....
, SAS Umkhonto
SAS Umkhonto
The submarine SAS Umkhonto , formerly the SAS Emily Hobhouse, was the second of three French-built Daphné class submarines ordered by the South African Navy in 1968. Laid down in December 1968 and launched October 24, 1969 and commissioned into the South African Navy under the command of Lt Cdr...
and SAS Assegaai respectively. In 2003, the SAS Spear was cut up for scrap, followed by the SAS Umkhonto in 2008 while SAS Assegaai is being preserved as a museum exhibit.
Johanna van der Merwe/Assegaai
Laid down at the Dubigeon-Normandy shipyard in NantesNantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
on 24 April 1969, she was the launched on 21 July 1970. Commissioned under command of Lt Cdr Theo Honiball on 21 August 1971, she completed her workup training in the Mediterranean, operating out of Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
, before sailing for home on 4 May 1972. During the long passage, she was escorted by the frigate SAS President Steyn, and called at Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
, São Vicente
São Vicente
São Vicente may refer to:-In Africa:In Cape Verde* São Vicente, Cape Verde, an island in Cape Verde* São Vicente, Guinea-Bissau, a village in Guinea-Bissau-In the Americas:In Brazil...
, Luanda
Luanda
Luanda, formerly named São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda, is the capital and largest city of Angola. Located on Angola's coast with the Atlantic Ocean, Luanda is both Angola's chief seaport and its administrative center. It has a population of at least 5 million...
and Walvis Bay
Walvis Bay
Walvis Bay , is a city in Namibia and the name of the bay on which it lies...
, before arriving in Simon's Town
Simon's Town
Simon's Town , sometimes spelled Simonstown; is a town in South Africa, near Cape Town which is home to the South African Navy. It is located on the shores of False Bay, on the eastern side of the Cape Peninsula. For more than two centuries it has been an important naval base and harbour...
on 19 June 1972. Her arrival in South Africa marked the successful culmination of five years of construction, trials and training to establish South Africa's first ever submarine capability. It was not long before the submarines were involved in operations, and in 1975, just before Operation Savannah (Angola)
Operation Savannah (Angola)
Operation Savannah was the name given to the South African Defence Force's 1975–1976 covert intervention in the Angolan Civil War.-Background:...
, the SAS Johanna van der Merwe was deployed into Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
n waters under Operation Yskas to prepare for the evacuation of SA military personnel. During the so-called South African Border War
South African Border War
The South African Border War, commonly referred to as the Angolan Bush War in South Africa, was a conflict that took place from 1966 to 1989 in South-West Africa and Angola between South Africa and its allied forces on the one side and the Angolan government, South-West Africa People's...
, she took part in some ten clandestine special operations. During her career, she underwent four refits, which included installing additional fuel tanks, and the fitting of a locally developed RAKA combat suite in the 80s, which replaced a cumbersome plotting table. In the late 90s she received the South African developed NICKLES fully integrated software based combat suite and two state of the art rebuilt periscopes. With the acquisition of the new Type 209 submarines for the SA Navy, SAS Assegaai finally paid of on 23 November 2003.
Museum boat
The SAS Assegaai will be the first and thus far only former SA Navy vessel to have been converted into a museum shipMuseum ship
A museum ship, or sometimes memorial ship, is a ship that has been preserved and converted into a museum open to the public, for educational or memorial purposes...
that is stationed in Simon's Town. A project that has been spearheaded by the South African Naval Heritage Trust, the SAS Assegaai will in the future be a part of the South African Naval Museum
South African Naval Museum
-See also:* South African Navy* South African National Museum of Military History* South African Air Force Museum* Military history of South Africa-External links:*...
. The SAS Assegaai is currently moored in Simon's Town and is open to the public for guided tours by former submariners who served on the Daphné class submarines.
External links
- http://www.navy.mil.za/equipment/submarines.htm
- http://www.sa-transport.co.za/military/navy/submarines_daphne_class.html
- http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=884&catid=51:Sea&Itemid=106
- http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=939247
- http://www.navalheritagetrust.co.za/Projects.html