The SAAF Forum

Plans for Salisbury Island revealed

By Dean Wingrin

The South African Navy has revealed more details of how it plans to enlarge its presence at Salisbury Island in Durban.
Salisbury Island, situated inside Durban Harbour (and no longer an island) was the location for the Durban Naval Base. However, defence cuts in 1994 downgraded the base to Naval Station status, leaving the Navy with just a portion of the island, including the quay. The balance of the site was taken over by the Army for use a General Support Base, but the Army vacated the property a number of years ago and that portion has been left derelict ever since.

Speaking to reporters at the State of the Navy presentation held at Simon’s Town, Cape Town yesterday, Rear Admiral Bernhard Teuteberg, Chief Director Maritime Strategy, gave further details of what the Navy planned for Naval Station Durban.

At present, 250 personnel serve at the naval station. As a result of the Navy’s increased anti-piracy activity off the east coast and the strategic importance of Durban, together with the projected acquisition of new patrol vessels under Project Biro, the Navy wishes to increase their footprint in Durban by re-establishing Durban Naval Base.

The National Ports Authority (NPA) has been in discussions with the Department of Public Works (DPW), as owner of all Defence Force properties, to take over the Salisbury Island site. A tentative agreement has now been reached between the Navy, DPW and Transnet in which the Navy will, in addition to their existing presence on the eastern side of the island, reoccupy the southern section whilst the northern section will be taken over by Transnet.

Chief of the Navy, Vice Admiral Refiloe Mudimo, noted that the money Transnet will pay to occupy the site will be reinvested back to re-establish the Naval Base.

The newly established Durban Naval Base will have administrative command over all naval bases in the area. The existing Warrior-class patrol vessels, as well as the replacement in-shore and off-shore patrol vessels to be acquired under Project Biro, will be home ported at Durban, but they will be deployed all over the country. The frigates and submarines will continue to be home ported at Simon’s Town.

The new base will also be home to other units, such as a Maritime Reaction Squadron, Mine Countermeasures System, maintenance and repair infrastructure for the patrol vessels and a patrol vessel functional training facility.

Rear Admiral (JG) Sagaren Pillay, Director Maritime Plans, noted that the task team appointed by the Navy Command Council is interrogating all the aspects required that will see the re-establishment of the Naval Base. “The presentation of that report will then provide the detail in relation to the re-establishment,” Pillay said.

Pillay envisaged that the Naval Base would re-establishment during the 2014/15 financial year.

Finally, that sounds like real good news, especially the rebasing of the Strike Craft.

Since they lost their missiles it is incorrect to call them "Strike Craft". Their current role Off-shore Patrol.

The entire Strike Craft community would roll about on the floor laughing at your suggestion.

Ammendment: Their current role is alleged to be Off-shore Patrol.

Like cruisers, destroyers, frigates, corvettes, etc an OPV is a type of vessel. Or a vessel having a certain function. Strike craft are either FPBs or FACs as a type which are now being utilised as OPVs.
It does not change the class of vessel they are.

The borders are fuzzy - you can use a cruiser as an OPV or a frigate as a cruiser but it does not change the class of vessel the ship belongs to.

I always thought "strike craft" meant "Small (corvette sized or smaller) fast ship with 'full size' anti-ship missiles as the primary weapon".

They are strike craft but are used has OPV's same has the UM boats and T crafts are not IPV's but are being used has such. The T crafts are really under strain has there they where never designed to sail around for days on end. That why project BIRO is so important our entire patrol force is of boats that are not patrol boats.

I noticed that all the remaining Stikecraft still have their fire/tracking radars fitted when it was used with the Gabrial/Scorpion missiles. Are they still keeping them fitted for a "just in case" situation?

I have a feeling the navy is going to buy OPV's. That are corvets and IPV's that are OPV's.