The SAAF Forum

No, the Navy is not involved, that would be illegal as the whole tendering process has only just started.
See the DefenceWeb article I linked earlier in this thread -it's a co-production agreement DCNS signed with a SA company.

Sorry Roger thats what I ment to say they and KND are working together for the SA Navy was a bit in a rush.

Its a good thing for the local Industry if they do get the contracts for the OPV, it will be a great learning experience for KND in a way also for future naval projects.

So if I read that Defence Web article correctly, those ships, should they be acquired, won't be here for several years?

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A plan is simply a basis for change.

I'd be very surprised to see any Project Biro ships flying the SAN's ensign in less than 3 years from now.
The old strike craft and mine hunters have to keep going for a few more years still.
The initial RfI has only just been issued, so there's a lot of work to be done before any steel gets cut.

RfI = Request for Information, is only the first stage, an enquiry to interested parties to provide information about products that they believe might be suitable. The detailed requirement specification isn't even written yet, that only happens when the Navy know's what's available in the market.
A typical RfI would say "We are interested in buying multi-role OPVs - roughly this size, with at least so many days endurance and about so many miles range. What have you got that could fit?"

Based on the information recieved from the RfI the SAN would then draw up more detailed specifications which is then sent to the interested suppliers in the form of a Request for Proposals (RfP).
Then the Proposals are evaluated and a shortlist of "winners" will be invited to tender.
Then the tenders will be evaluated and only then will a contract to supply be signed with the winning tenderer.

At this stage there is still tons of paper to be consumed before anyone touches steel.

More Memo of Understanding being signed up for OPV's. This one in Navaltoday.com. I wonder when orders might be forthcoming outside of all these MOU's?

http://navaltoday.com/2012/02/24/navant ... rica-navy/

Isn' this a bit like saying: no AAM's or cannons for the Hawks? (since the Hawks are supposed to be used primarily for lead in training, like the Imapal mk.1?) The Meko 100, as suggested as a possibility seems to be like it could pack a punch which would greatly support the SAN's "main battle ships". I see no need to restrict them to their mundane primary roles if they could double in the secondary role of fox terriers to give the pit bulls of the fleet more oomgh in the event of a skirmish. I am a great believer in subduing an enemy with overwhelming force if you have it at your disposal.

A new article on DefenceWeb seems to indicate the project is getting ready for another step.
http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=24886:south-africa-to-build-own-offshore-patrol-vessels&catid=109:ions&Itemid=238

The article also names a few likely contenders for the OPV (in no particular order):

Design company: DCNS, France.
Local shipyard: KND, Cape Town
Ship class: Gowind
(DCNS is also a strong contender for Millenium with their Mistral class)

Design company: Damen, Netherlands
Local shipyard: Damen, Simon's Town
Ship class: ???
(The Sarah Baartman fisheries patrol boat was built by Damen in Romania. The Lillian Ngoyi class boats were built by Farocean Marine which was taken over by Damen in 2007.)

Design company: Lurssen Werft, Germany
Local shipyard: Southern African Shipyards, Durban
Ship type: ??? (Possibly MEKO A100)
(Lurssen Werft was a partner in the SAN's Valour class MEKO A200 frigates)

Design Company: Navantia, Spain
Local builder: Veecraft Marine, Cape Town
Ship type: Avante class

The next step is to issue a Request for Quotations (RfQ) which the SAN expects to be done before the end of this year.

I believe the above list basically reflects the result of last year's RfI.

Talk is cheap - wake me up when they start cutting steel. Better not - I'll probably be dead of old age by then.