SAS Charlotte Maxeke (S102)

SAS Charlotte Maxeke (S102) is a variant of the Type 209 diesel-electric attack submarine developed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) of Germany, currently in service with the South African Navy. She is named after Charlotte Maxeke a South African religious leader and political activist.

The sponsor of S 102, Mrs. Mittah Seperepere named the submarine at a ceremony in Emden, Germany on 14 March 2007.

Background
South Africa placed a contract for three Type 209/1400 submarines in July 2000 on Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) and Thyssen Nordseewerke. The Type 209/1400 submarines replace the French-built Daphné class submarines, SAS Spear, SAS Assegaai and SAS Umkhonto which were decommissioned in 2003. The Heroine class are sometimes considered to be South Africa's first "true" submarines, as they were more suited to being underwater than the Daphné models.

Charlotte Maxeke arrived in Simonstown on 7 April 2006

Deployments

 * ATLASUR VIII - 2010 - exercises between the Brazilian, Argentinean, Uruguayan and South African defence forces.