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Defence
... But sub’s sojourn out of water is routine programme
By: Keith Campbell
Published: 15 Aug 08 - 0:00
THE first of South Africa's three type-209 submarines, the SAS Manthatisi, is currently out of the water, on the syncrolift, in Simon's Town dockyard, as part of its routine, preplanned maintenance cycle, reports the South African Navy (SAN). It is not the result of unforeseen problems.
The submarine was handed over to the SAN, in Kiel, Germany, in September 2005 and commissioned into the fleet in November 2006. The SAS Manthatisi has been undergoing this maintenance programme, which is designated "Docking and Essential Defects" (DED) since February. This DED was thus started about two-and-a-half years after the Navy took delivery of the submarine. The DED is scheduled to last about a year - in comparison, DEDs for the Navy's previous submarines, the Daphne class, required two years.
The operations and maintenance cycle planned for the SAN's Type 209s is - two years operation, one year maintenance (DED). This will apply throughout their service with the SAN. Thus, there will usually only be two submarines in operational service.
Once the SAS Manthatisi completes her DED, she will be replaced on the syncrolift by her sister boat, the SAS Charlotte Maxeke, which will then undergo her first DED. In turn, the SAS Charlotte Maxeke will be followed by the SAS Queen Modjadji I. By the time the SAS Queen Modjadji I finishes her DED, it will again be turn of the SAS Manthatisi. And so on, throughout their service in the SAN. (It should be noted that this is a peacetime regime - in event of emergency, crisis, or war, things would change.)
The SAN had previously assured that the SAS Manthatisi has not suffered a plague of defects since its arrival in South Africa. Responding to media reports, the Department of Defence stated that the submarine had experienced "normal first of class challenges."
There were "hull valve challenges" but these were rectified under the manufacturer's warranty.
Indeed, in June 2007 the SAS Manthatisi was subject to a detailed inspection by the German-based international ship classification society Germanischer Lloyd and, subsequently, became the first ever submarine in any navy to be classified by such an organisation. Such classification involves examination of many aspects of a vessel, including hull strength, stability, manoeuvreing control, fire fighting capability, and response to flooding. Although warships are not required to undergo classification by such societies, doing so reduces costs for small navies, like the SAN.
Defence
... But sub’s sojourn out of water is routine programme
By: Keith Campbell
Published: 15 Aug 08 - 0:00
THE first of South Africa's three type-209 submarines, the SAS Manthatisi, is currently out of the water, on the syncrolift, in Simon's Town dockyard, as part of its routine, preplanned maintenance cycle, reports the South African Navy (SAN). It is not the result of unforeseen problems.
The submarine was handed over to the SAN, in Kiel, Germany, in September 2005 and commissioned into the fleet in November 2006. The SAS Manthatisi has been undergoing this maintenance programme, which is designated "Docking and Essential Defects" (DED) since February. This DED was thus started about two-and-a-half years after the Navy took delivery of the submarine. The DED is scheduled to last about a year - in comparison, DEDs for the Navy's previous submarines, the Daphne class, required two years.
The operations and maintenance cycle planned for the SAN's Type 209s is - two years operation, one year maintenance (DED). This will apply throughout their service with the SAN. Thus, there will usually only be two submarines in operational service.
Once the SAS Manthatisi completes her DED, she will be replaced on the syncrolift by her sister boat, the SAS Charlotte Maxeke, which will then undergo her first DED. In turn, the SAS Charlotte Maxeke will be followed by the SAS Queen Modjadji I. By the time the SAS Queen Modjadji I finishes her DED, it will again be turn of the SAS Manthatisi. And so on, throughout their service in the SAN. (It should be noted that this is a peacetime regime - in event of emergency, crisis, or war, things would change.)
The SAN had previously assured that the SAS Manthatisi has not suffered a plague of defects since its arrival in South Africa. Responding to media reports, the Department of Defence stated that the submarine had experienced "normal first of class challenges."
There were "hull valve challenges" but these were rectified under the manufacturer's warranty.
Indeed, in June 2007 the SAS Manthatisi was subject to a detailed inspection by the German-based international ship classification society Germanischer Lloyd and, subsequently, became the first ever submarine in any navy to be classified by such an organisation. Such classification involves examination of many aspects of a vessel, including hull strength, stability, manoeuvreing control, fire fighting capability, and response to flooding. Although warships are not required to undergo classification by such societies, doing so reduces costs for small navies, like the SAN.