The Namibian Navy is the naval force branch of the Namibian Defence Force.

History

Development of Namibia's Navy has been slowest of the three Arms of Service. The force was only formally established on 11 September 1998 as a maritime wing, and in 2004 as a fully-fledged navy.

Extensive Brazilian aid has assisted in the navy's development. Initially, a group of four trainees were dispatched to the Naval Academy in Brazil, complemented by ten officers from the Namibian Army. These personnel formed the core group that were sent to Brazil in August 1995 after Walvis Bay had been integrated into Namibia in 1994.

This group, led by Phestus Sacharia, consisted of officers such as Peter Vilho, Sinsy Nghipandua, Alweendo Amungulu, and Petrus Tjandja, would be the future Headquarters staff and ship captains. Later in the 1990s, two more groups were sent to Brazil to study at Admiral Wandenkolk Instruction Center in Rio de Janeiro.

By 2004, 180 officers and ratings had been trained for the maritime wing, 168 of which had been trained in Brazil. An ongoing co-operation program allows Namibian sailors and naval officers to be trained by the Brazilian Navy; by 2009, 466 seamen had been trained. Brazil also provided assistance in preparing a nautical chart of the approach to Walvis Bay and consulting in charting the outer limits of the continental shelf.Brazil-Namibia co-operation , Brazilian Navy

As of 2024, 1200 Navy personnel have been trained in Brazil. The Brazilian Navy has also trained the Namibian Marine Corps of which more than 1400 have been trained at the Naval Training School at Rooikop.

Operations The Navy's maritime wing headquarters was established in 1998, while in 2000 construction of a naval base began at Walvis Bay. The first maritime wing commander was Captain Phestus Sacharia.

The Navy has approximately 1200 personnel and deploys a small number of lightly armed patrol vessels.

The first ship to be commissioned into service was the donated patrol boat Oryx in 2002.Namibia Defence Force: Namibia Navy marks its day.(n.d). Retrieved 10 October 2011, Namibian Ministry of Defence In 2004, Brazil and Namibia signed an agreement for the delivery of a patrol boat and two smaller patrol craft. The newly built 200-ton patrol boat NS Brendan Simbwaye, built at the Brazilian shipyard INACE, was commissioned on 19 January 2009.Press release: Brazil exports warship to Namibia , Brazilian Navy, 8 January 2009.

Role The Ministry of Defence has outlined the naval policy as follows: "In peacetime, the Navy of the NDF have a role of augmenting civil offshore patrol forces, particularly providing the means and the expertise to execute enforcement action effectively. Specific tasks include assisting civil forces to combat illegal immigration, smuggling (arms, drugs etc.) and threats to the environment; conducting maritime surveillance, maritime search and rescue; and assisting the Ministry of Fisheries with enforcing a fisheries protection regime. A longer term peacetime task is the protection of offshore oil, gas, diamonds and other installations. A navy aerial surveillance component is a necessary part of the defence system."

Equipment The fleet is operationally divided into four squadrons, based on the different roles of the craft. The squadrons, which became active on 24 May 2018, are: Combat Squadron Combat Support Squadron Coastal Patrol Squadron Harbour Patrol Squadron

Current Name Picture Origin Class Type Built Entered service (LNF) Notes Combat Support Squadron S11 Elephant Elephant class Logistics Support Vessel 2012 2012 Multipurpose offshore Patrol and logistics vessel built at Wuhan Shipyard. Coastal Patrol Boat Squadron P11 Brendan Simbwaye Grajaú-class patrol boat Patrol Boat 2009 2010 Hull P11 NPV Oryx Oryx Class Patrol Boat 1975 2002 Transferred from Namibian Fisheries ministry to Navy Combat Squadron C12 Daures Type 037 corvette Class Corvette 2017 Ex PLAN ship Wanning hull 786 C13 Brukkaros Type 037 corvette Corvette 2017 Ex PLAN ship Ledong Hull 748 Harbour Patrol Squadron HPB20 Terrace Bay Marlim Class Patrol Craft 2009 2010 Hull HPB20 HPB21 Möwe Bay Marlim Class Patrol Craft 2009 2010 Hull HPB21 Y01 and Y10 Namacurra class harbour patrol boat 1980–1981 2002 Donated by the South African Navy

Other boats In 2012/2013 the Namibian Navy ordered 19 new craft from Kobus Naval Design and Veercraft Marine of South Africa. 5x 4-meter rowboats 5x 6-meter RHIBs 2x 6-meter harbour patrol boats 2x 8-meter boarding boats 2x 8-meter swamp boats 1x 11-meter landing craft 2x 14-meter interceptors

In 2021 3x Riverine Patrol Boats were commissioned into the Navy at Naval Base Impalila.

Decommissioned ships 1 Imperial Marinheiro class corvette – 1025 standard tons (1954) NS Lt Gen Dimo Hamaambo – ex Brazilian Navy

Installations

Naval Base Capt PN Sacharia

Naval Calling Station Luderitz

Naval Training School

Old Naval Base

The 'Old Naval Base' in Walvis Bay functions as the current headquarters of the Namibian Marine Corps.

Naval Base Impalila

Organisation The navy is a hierarchical organisation with the navy commander exercising overall command. The Navy Commander is always a 2 star flag officer who is then deputized by two 1 star flag officers heading the Naval Operations and the Naval Support directorates. The two directorates are made up of divisions headed by Chiefs of Staff(COS) who are usually Captain(N). Division of Naval Plans & Naval Operations falls under Naval Operations Directorate, while Naval Personnel & Naval ICT falls under Naval Support Directorate. The Navy is further augmented by the Namibian Marine Corps.

Command structure Sleeve insigniaAppointmentRank and Name Navy Commander Rear Admiral Sackeus !Gonteb Deputy Navy Commander Rear Admiral(JG) Lazarus Erastus Commander Naval Operations Rear Admiral(JG) Commander Naval Support Rear Admiral(JG) Master at Arms of the Navy Warrant Officer class 1

Navy Commander

Master at arms of the Navy The Master at arms of the Navy is the senior most appointment a Warrant Officer Class one my hold at the Navy. Roles of the Master at Arms include ensuring that discipline, drills, dressing code, performance standards and morale of the non-commissioned officers are maintained.

1998–2007 WO1 DJ Angolo 2007 -unknown W01 Hamunyela unknown-currently WO1 Kamati

Marines The Namibian Marine Corps is the infantry marines unit of the Namibia. The Namibian Marine Corps is a branch of the Namibian Navy responsible for amphibious warfare, naval boarding, providing security at naval base or shore stations, rapid reaction to event of an emergency requiring military force under responsibility, riverine warfare, small boats capability to the Navy, support coastal defense, and underwater demolition.

They are an infantry marines battalion strong. The marines are trained by Brazilian Military Advisory Team (BRAZMATT) instructors at the Naval Training School near Walvis Bay. The marine commandant is Captain Olavi T. Shipunda.

Ranks and insignia Naval ranks and insignia are based on the Royal Navy. Non-Commissioned Officers only retain the ranks as their insignia consists of a system of chevrons. The same ranks are also used by the Namibian Marine Corps. The highest rank in peace time a commissioned officer can attain in the navy is Rear Admiral. There may however be an exception when a naval officer is appointed as Chief of the Defence Force for which the individual which ascend to the rank of Vice-Admiral. The highest rank an enlisted member can attain is Warrant Officer Class 1 but the highest appointment is Namibian Defence Force Sergeant Major.

Commissioned officer ranks The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Other ranks The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Proficiency badges

Gallery

References

Further reading Navy (Namibia) (2011) Retrieved 10 October 2011, from Janes articles List of Namibian admirals