List of active South African Navy ships

List of active ships of the South African Navy.

Fast attack craft


Warrior (ex Minister) class Fast Attack Craft (Missile) (FAC (M)): Modified (Sa'ar 4) (Israeli design). As of July 2007 only two vessels remain in commission. They have had their missiles removed and re-assigned to the offshore patrol role until the acquisition of new off-shore patrol vessels under Project Biro.

Mine counter measures vessels
These mine countermeasure vessels were ordered in 1978 as research vessels to be operated by the Navy for the Department of Transport. The civilian Department of Transport was used as a ruse to circumvent United Nations Security Council Resolution 418. The lead ship, Navors I, was shipped to Durban from Germany in the heavy lift ship Uhenfels in June 1980 for fitting out. She was shortly followed by the second. The last pair were built in Durban. The German boats were built by Abeking & Rasmussen and Sandock Austral in South Africa. The vessels were painted blue with white upperworks and formed the First Research Squadron. They were painted grey and renamed in 1982, but continued to fly the national flag and not the naval ensign. The prefix RV was only changed to SAS on 3 February 1988 when they were formally accepted as naval ships. Their minehunting capability could be enhanced by substituting the diving container on the after deck with lightweight mechanical and acoustic sweeping gear. They carry a RIB and a decompression chamber. The plan is to enhance them with second-generation minehunting system.

Submarines
The South African Navy purchased three new Type 209/T.1400 class submarines (SSK) submarines to replace its decommissioned Daphné class submarines.

Inshore patrol vessels
These boats are twin hulled catamarans of glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) sandwich construction. Capable of carrying up to 15 personnel. Ordered in mid-1991, each carries a RIB in the stern well. Three of this type were also built for Israel in 1997.