Valour-class frigate

SAS Spioenkop during Exercise IBSAMAR
Class overview
NameValour class
BuildersHowaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft, Kiel and Blohm+Voss, Hamburg
Operators South African Navy
Preceded byPresident class
Cost
  • R9.65 billion (2007) for 4 units
  • R2.41 billion (2007) per unit
Built2001–2002
In commission2006–present
Planned5
Completed4
Cancelled1
Active4
General characteristics
TypeGuided-missile frigate
Displacement3,700 tons
Length
  • 107.3 m (352 ft 0 in) at waterline
  • 121 m (397 ft 0 in) overall
Beam16.34 m (53 ft 7 in)
Draught5.95 m (19 ft 6 in)
Propulsion
Speed28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph)
Range8,000 nmi (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Endurance28 days
Complement152[1] (incl aircrew)
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 Identification friend or foe 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
ArmourWelded GL-D36 steel[2]
Aircraft carried2 SuperLynx 300, 1 Atlas Oryx, 2 AgustaWestland AW109, 1 Denel Rooivalk or various UAVs (Planned)
Aviation facilities

The Valour class is a class of frigates built for the South African Navy. Part of the MEKO family of warships, the German shipbuilder Blohm+Voss officially designate the class as the MEKO A-200SAN.[3]

Designed as a multiple purpose, multi capable frigate, the Valour class encompasses the general guided-missile anti-surface and anti-air role forming the core of the South African surface fleet. The Valour class frigates employ the use of stealth technology to avoid enemy radar and infra-red detection.[4]

Four Valour class frigates were constructed for the South African Navy as part of the Strategic Defence Package 1999. The first, SAS Amatola, was commissioned in 2006, with the fourth and final, SAS Mendi, commissioned in March 2007. The frigates have a service life of 30–40 years.[5] However, in May 2023, Rear Admiral B.K. Mhlana, Deputy Chief of the Navy, reported to the Joint Standing Committee on Defence that Mendi was the only frigate of her class still effectively operational, given cancellations and delays in refits for her sister ships.[6] In 2024, a planned voyage by SAS Amatola to participate in the Russian Navy's "Navy Day" in St. Petersburg had to be cancelled due to “current defects to the vessel”.[7]

The Valour-class vessels are named in honor of acts of distinguished bravery in South African military history.

  1. ^ Keith Campbell. "South Africa's small but modern fleet attracts global interest". Engineering News. Archived from the original on 2010-11-10. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
  2. ^ DefenceThink. "Navy Fact File". DefenceThink. Archived from the original on 2010-06-14. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
  3. ^ "MEKO A Class Combat Ship Family, Germany". www.naval-technology.com. Retrieved 2021-10-14.
  4. ^ Engelbrecht, Leon (2010-02-08). "Fact file: Valour-class small guided missile frigates". defenceWeb. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "SA Navy's repair and maintenance of Frigates and Submarines; Status Update on Projects BIRO and HOTEL; with Deputy Minister". Parliamentary Monitoring Group. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  7. ^ "Amatola not going to Russia – defects and lack of maintenance cited". defence Web. 27 June 2024. Retrieved 15 September 2024.