List of active South African Navy ships

Heroine class

South Africa operates a single class of diesel-electric attack submarines, the Heroine class, comprising three boats commissioned between 2005 and 2008. Based on the German Type 209/1400MOD design, the submarines were constructed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) and Thyssen Nordseewerke in Germany to meet South African Navy requirements. Acquired under Project Wills as part of the Strategic Defence Package, they replaced the ageing French-built Daphné-class submarines and restored South Africa's submarine capability. Their introduction made South Africa one of only three African nations, alongside Algeria and Egypt, to operate an active submarine fleet, and the only country in sub-Saharan Africa with an operational submarine arm.^[1]

Designed as highly capable hunter-killer submarines (SSKs), the Heroine class provides the SA Navy with anti-surface, anti-submarine and intelligence-gathering capabilities, while also supporting special forces insertion, covert surveillance and maritime reconnaissance. Each submarine is fitted with eight 533 mm bow torpedo tubes capable of carrying up to 14 Atlas Elektronik SUT 264 heavyweight torpedoes or optional UGM-84 Sub-Harpoon anti-ship missiles, although the latter capability has never been introduced into service. Equipped with advanced sonar, electronic warfare and combat management systems, the class is optimised for stealth, long-endurance patrols and operations across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.^[1]

The submarines are currently undergoing phased refits and life-extension work following years of deferred maintenance, with work on SAS Charlotte Maxeke and SAS Queen Modjadji commencing in late 2025 under the SA Navy's long-delayed submarine sustainment programme.^[2] All three vessels are expected to remain in service until around 2038–2040, although no formal successor programme has yet been announced. Despite ongoing funding constraints, the Heroine class remains the most strategically significant capability in the SA Navy, providing South Africa with the only submarine force in sub-Saharan Africa.^[3]

Origin:  Germany

Valour class

South Africa operates a single class of stealth guided-missile frigates, the Valour class, comprising four vessels commissioned between 2006 and 2007. Based on the German MEKO A-200SAN design, the ships were constructed by Blohm+Voss in Hamburg, with final assembly and fitting-out completed in Durban. Acquired under Project Sitron as part of the Strategic Defence Package, the programme restored a blue-water surface combat capability that had effectively lapsed following the retirement of the President-class frigates. Although the Spanish Bazán 59B design initially ranked highest during the evaluation process, it was considered larger and more expensive than required, and the Navy selected the smaller MEKO design to preserve funding for Project Wills, the submarine acquisition programme.^[6]

With a standard displacement of approximately 3,590 tonnes and a full-load displacement of approximately 3,700 tonnes, the Valour class is the largest and most capable class of surface combatant ever operated by the SA Navy.^[7] Designed as highly survivable multi-role warships, the class incorporates extensive stealth features to reduce radar and infrared signatures, while its modular construction simplifies maintenance and future upgrades. The frigates are equipped for anti-surface, anti-air and anti-submarine warfare.^[8] The flight deck and hangar can accommodate up to two Super Lynx 300 helicopters or one Oryx medium utility helicopter, while the ships can also operate two rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs) for boarding and maritime security operations. A proposal to integrate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for enhanced surveillance and reconnaissance was later sidelined due to budget constraints.^[9]

Originally planned as a five-ship programme, the acquisition was reduced to four vessels because of budget constraints. The class is currently undergoing phased refits and capability upgrades under Project Syne,^[10] the South African Navy's long-term frigate modernisation programme, intended to extend operational service into the 2030s.^[11] Additional proposals, including upgraded Umkhonto missiles, UAV integration, a larger-calibre main gun, and BrahMos supersonic anti-ship missiles, have periodically been considered but remain unfunded.^[12] Despite these limitations, the Valour class remains the most capable surface combatant in sub-Saharan Africa and forms the backbone of South Africa's blue-water naval capability.^[13]

Origin:  Germany

Warrior class

The Warrior-class Multi-Mission Inshore Patrol Vessels (MMIPV) are the newest surface combatants in the SA Navy, introduced to enhance maritime security within the country's Exclusive Economic Zone. Built under Project Biro by Damen Shipyards Cape Town, the vessels feature a modern, modular design optimised for patrol, interdiction, and low-intensity operations in littoral waters. The class was conceived to succeed the ageing Warrior-class missile strike craft while providing a flexible platform capable of performing a wide range of peacetime and contingency operations.^[16]

These multi-role vessels support mine countermeasures, search and rescue, submarine torpedo recovery, humanitarian assistance, and anti-pollution operations, while also performing constabulary missions such as intercepting illegal trafficking, combating illegal fishing, and counter-piracy. Their modular design allows for containerised mission modules, enabling rapid adaptation for specialised tasks, including mine warfare, with facilities to carry one 20-foot or four 10-foot containers. Each ship is equipped with a 20 mm Reutech Super Rogue remotely operated cannon, heavy machine guns, advanced Reutech RTS 3200 radar/optronics systems, and Link-ZA compatible communications suites, while rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) extend their boarding and interdiction capabilities.^[17][18]

Three vessels — SAS Sekhukhune I, SAS King Shaka Zulu, and SAS Adam Kok III — were delivered between 2022 and 2024. Despite this, the Navy's Blue Print Force plan calls for at least 15 inshore and offshore patrol vessels to fully safeguard South Africa's maritime interests.^[19] Future expansion may include additional MMIPVs and larger offshore patrol vessels (MMOPVs), alongside a replacement for the ageing replenishment ship SAS Drakensberg. The Warrior-class MMIPVs thus represent a flexible, multi-mission platform central to South Africa's maritime security and the protection of its marine resources and economic zones.^[20]

Origin:  South Africa

Warrior class strike craft

The Warrior-class strike craft were the backbone of the SA Navy's fast attack capability from the late 1970s into the early 21st century. A total of nine vessels were constructed, with three built in Israel and the remaining six completed at Sandock-Austral in Durban. Based on the Israeli Reshef-class (Sa'ar 4) design, the ships were acquired under Project Japonica to provide a compact, fast, and heavily armed platform capable of coastal defence and sea control. Their introduction allowed the Navy to deliver credible strike capability cost-effectively during the South African Border War and the subsequent democratic era.^[21]

The Warrior-class vessels were armed with Gabriel 2 anti-ship missiles, a 76 mm OTO Melara naval gun, a pair of 20 mm Oerlikon autocannons, and additional heavy machine guns, giving them significant anti-surface firepower for their size. Their design emphasised high speed, manoeuvrability, and striking power, enabling operations as fast attack missile craft (FAC-M) in coastal waters.^[21] They were also capable of supporting special operations, most notably during Operation Kerslig in 1981, when strike craft deployed reconnaissance and demolition teams off the coast of Luanda, Angola, demonstrating the vessels long-range strike and covert operational capabilities.

Although highly capable during their operational peak, the class became increasingly obsolete in the 21st century. Eight of the nine vessels were retired, with six sold for scrap or sunk as target ships and two retained in reserve. Only one remains nominally commissioned while being gradually replaced by the Warrior-class MMIPVs under Project Biro. Despite budget constraints and the gradual phase-out, the Warrior-class strike craft are remembered as some of the most formidable small surface combatants ever operated in sub-Saharan Africa, and their legacy continues in the naming of the new multi-mission patrol vessels.^[22]

Origin:  Israel /  South Africa

T craft-class

The T Craft-class patrol vessels are a class of inshore patrol boats currently in service with the SA Navy. A total of three vessels were constructed in Cape Town by T Craft International, entering service between 1992 and 1996. Initially identified only by their pennant numbers, the class was formally renamed in 2003: SAS Tobie (P1552), SAS Tern (P1553), and SAS Tekwane (P1554). Three additional vessels of this type were also built for Israel in 1997.^[23]

The vessels are equipped with a Racal-Decca I-band surface search radar and are armed with a single 12.7 mm (.50 BMG) M2 Browning heavy machine gun. Designed for flexibility in constabulary roles, each boat can carry a small boarding team of marines and deploy a rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) carried in a stern well for boarding operations.^[23]

The T Craft-class remains an important part of South Africa's inshore patrol fleet, designed for missions such as harbour protection, boarding operations, counter-smuggling, fisheries protection, and general constabulary tasks. Their catamaran design, shallow draught, and boarding capabilities make them well-suited for littoral and coastal security operations.^[23]

Origin:  South Africa

Riverine assault boat

The Riverine Patrol Boats are a class of locally built inshore craft operated by the SA Navy's Maritime Reaction Squadron. Three vessels were acquired in the mid-2010s to replace the earlier Project Xena patrol boats, which had served in the riverine role since the early 2000s. Built by Marine & General Engineering in Durban and designed by KND Naval Design, the class was developed specifically for operations in shallow and confined waterways.^[24]

The boats measure 12 metres in length and are constructed for speed and manoeuvrability, with twin 450 hp MarineDiesel VGT-series engines driving Castoldi water jets. This gives them a top speed of 40–45 knots and excellent handling in riverine and littoral environments. Armament typically consists of a single 12.7 mm heavy machine gun and two 7.62 mm SS-77 machine guns, while each vessel has capacity for a small crew and up to 12 embarked troops.^[24]

Equipped with modern navigation and communication systems, including Furuno radar and GPS, as well as Hytera and Icom radios, the boats offer a versatile platform for patrol, interception, and boarding operations. Their design also allows the carriage of a rigid-hull inflatable boat in the stern well to support boarding parties.^[24]

Origin:  South Africa

Namacurra class

The Namacurra-class patrol boats are a class of harbour patrol vessels built in South Africa for the SA Navy. A total of 33 boats were constructed between 1980 and 1981 by Tornado Products in South Africa. The class was designed primarily for harbour protection, base security, and inshore patrols, playing a key role in safeguarding naval facilities during the apartheid era.^[25]

The class was introduced to replace the ageing harbour protection craft then in service, providing a modern and more agile alternative. Their main role has been harbour patrol, anti-smuggling operations, base security, and close inshore defence.^[25] The Namacurra boats saw extensive use throughout the 1980s and 1990s in both naval bases and forward-deployed locations. Their small size limited their endurance at sea, but they proved well-suited for short-range constabulary and security missions.^[25]

Today, 26 of these vessels remain in service, continuing to serve as the South African Navy's principal harbour patrol craft, complementing larger classes such as the T Craft-class inshore patrol boats and the modern Warrior-class MMIPVs.^[25]

Origin:  South Africa

River class minesweeper

The River-class minehunters are a class of coastal mine countermeasures vessels built in Durban by Sandock Austral during the early 1980s, based on the German Frankenthal-class design but modified with glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) hulls to reduce their magnetic signature. Equipped with minehunting sonar and PAP104 remotely operated vehicles, they provided South Africa with a specialised mine countermeasures capability.^[26]

Although four vessels were originally delivered, their current status is unclear. They were known to have been reassigned to secondary roles as offshore patrol vessels and diving tenders after their minehunting systems were retired, leaving them without an active mine warfare capability. It is believed that two of the four vessels may remain in reserve or limited service, though no official confirmation has been given.^[26]

The River-class was intended to be replaced under Project Biro by a new generation of Multi-Mission Offshore Patrol Vessels (MMOPVs), which would carry modular unmanned mine countermeasure systems. However, severe budget cuts have stalled this programme, with only three smaller Warrior-class MMIPVs funded and the MMOPVs shelved.^[27]

In October 2023, SA Navy Chief Vice Admiral Monde Lobese confirmed that the Navy will instead pursue Project Motso, which aims to containerise the mine countermeasures capability so that it can be deployed aboard the Warrior-class MMIPVs. These vessels are now expected to assume the roles of minehunting, in addition to their patrol duties. Lobese stressed that even the threat of a single sea mine could close a port such as Durban for weeks, with devastating economic consequences.^[28]

Origin:  Germany /  South Africa

Drakensberg class

The SAS Drakensberg (A301) is a fleet replenishment ship and the largest vessel ever built in South Africa. Constructed by Sandock Austral in Durban and commissioned in 1987, she was designed as a multi-role combat support ship capable of providing fuel, dry stores, ammunition, and other supplies to the fleet at sea, thereby extending the operational endurance of South Africa's naval forces.^[29]

Displacing approximately 12,500 tons fully loaded and measuring 147 metres in length, the Drakensberg was fitted with replenishment-at-sea (RAS) stations on both beams and aft, allowing her to simultaneously refuel and resupply multiple warships. The vessel also features extensive cargo holds, workshops, medical facilities, and the capacity to embark troops and vehicles for secondary transport or humanitarian operations.^[29]

The Drakensberg has participated in numerous international deployments, naval exercises, and goodwill missions since entering service, including peace support operations in Africa and disaster relief efforts. She has represented South Africa abroad, visiting ports across Europe, Asia, and the Americas as a symbol of the Navy's blue-water capability.^[29]

Although still in service, the Drakensberg is over three decades old and nearing the end of her operational life. In 2023, plans have been announced to replace her with a new-generation combat support vessel, but as with other SA Navy procurement projects, this is dependent on budget availability. Until then, the Drakensberg remains the Navy's sole combat support ship and a vital element of fleet sustainability and long-range deployment capability.^[30]

Origin:  South Africa

Protea class

The SAS Protea (A324) is a hydrographic survey vessel of the SA Navy, based on the British Hecla-class design. Built by Yarrow Shipbuilders on the River Clyde in Scotland, she was launched in 1972 and commissioned the same year. The vessel was designed to conduct detailed hydrographic and oceanographic surveys, providing accurate nautical charts and seabed mapping essential for safe navigation, naval planning, and maritime trade.^[31]

The Protea is fitted with hydrographic sonar, echo-sounders, and oceanographic equipment, along with onboard laboratories and data-processing facilities. She also has a helicopter landing deck and can accommodate embarked survey teams and scientists in addition to her naval crew, allowing her to support both military and civilian hydrographic operations.^[31]

Throughout her more than 50 years of service, the Protea has been central to charting South African waters and supporting international survey cooperation. She has participated in numerous naval exercises, undertaken diplomatic port visits abroad, and remains one of the Navy's most recognisable vessels. Despite her age, she has been periodically refitted to extend her operational life, underscoring her importance as South Africa's sole hydrographic ship.^[31]

The Protea is scheduled to be replaced by the SAS Nelson Mandela, a state-of-the-art hydrographic survey vessel being constructed by Sandock Austral Shipyards in Durban under Project Hotel. The Nelson Mandela will introduce modern digital hydrographic systems, autonomous survey craft, and advanced oceanographic sensors to ensure South Africa maintains a world-class hydrographic capability.^[32] Until her replacement enters service, the Protea continues to serve as the Navy's flagship survey vessel and one of its longest-serving ships.^[33]

Origin:  United Kingdom