SAS Mendi

SAS Mendi
History
South Africa
NameSAS Mendi
NamesakeSS Mendi
Ordered3 December 1999
BuilderHowaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft, Kiel
Laid down28 June 2002
LaunchedOctober 2003
Commissioned20 March 2007
HomeportSimonstown
IdentificationF148
StatusActive service
General characteristics
Class and typeValour-class frigate
Displacement3,700 tons
Length121 m (397 ft)
Beam16.34 m (53.6 ft)
Draught5.95 m (19.5 ft)
Propulsion
  • CODAG WARP
  • 2 × Diesels 5,920 kW (7,939 hp) each
  • 2 shafts
  • 1 × Gas turbine 20,000 kW (26,820 hp)
  • 1 waterjet
Speed30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h)
Complement152
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Surveillance Radar: Thales Naval France MRR-3D NG G-band multi-role radar
  • Optical Radar Tracker: 2 Reutech RTS 6400 monopulse X-band (I/J bands) combined radar and optronics trackers
  • Electro-optical Tracker: Reutech Electro-optical tracker
  • Identification Friend or Foe: Tellumat Integrated Naval IFF system
  • Target Designation Sights: M-Tek Target Designation Sights
  • Sonar: Thales UMS4132 Kingklip sonar
  • Obstacle avoidance sonar: MDS 3060
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • ESM/ECM: Saab Grintek Avitronics SME 100/200 ESM (Intercept and Jammer) & ELINT
  • Decoys: 2 Saab Grintek Avitronics MRL Super Barricade chaff launchers (96 decoys)
Armament
Aircraft carried1 × SuperLynx 300 (can carry 2)
Aviation facilities

SAS Mendi (F148) is the last of four Valour-class frigates built for the South African Navy by the European South African Corvette Consortium and entered service in March 2007. SAS Mendi was named by Mrs Helena Retief, wife of the (then) Chief of the Navy Vice Admiral Johan Retief.[1]