Namibian Navy

History

Development of Namibia's navy has been slow, and the force was only formally established in 2004, fourteen years after independence. Extensive Brazilian aid has assisted in the development of the Namibian Navy. The original core group of personnel was only sent to Brazil in 1995 after Walvis Bay was integrated into Namibia in 1994. This group consisted of command and staff officers. They completed their studies in 1998 from the Admiral Wandenkolk Instruction Center,in Rio de Janeiro. The Maritime wing headquarters was established in 1998, while in 2000 the Navy base construction at Walvis Bay started. Consisting of approximately 900 personnel the Navy deploys a small number of lightly armed patrol vessels. The first maritime wing commander was Captain Phestus Sacharia. The first ship to be commissioned into service was the donated patrol boat Oryx in 2002. Brazil and Namibia signed an agreement in 2004 for the delivery of a patrol boat and two smaller patrol craft. The newly built 200 ton patrol boat Brendan Simbwaye, built at the Brazilian shipyard INACE, was commissioned on January 19, 2009. 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. The Brazilian Navy has also trained the Namibian Marine Corps.

Ensign

The Namibian Navy uses the national flag as its ensign.

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, 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."

Other boats

In 2012/2013 the Namibian Navy ordered 19 new craft from Kobus Naval Design and Veercraft Marine of South Africa.

Decommissioned ships

Naval Base

The naval base is situated at the port of Walvis Bay. The base was inaugurated in 2012 though its building was completed in 2004. It is officially known as the Naval Base Captain PN Sacharia. Captain PN Sacharia was the then Maritime Wing's first commander and was instrumental in its set up. The base has a 200 meter long jetty. The current base Commanding Officer is Captain Richard Kopano. The base also houses the navy headquarters.

Naval Calling Station

The naval calling station is based at Namibia's only other harbour town, Luderitz. The Commanding officer of the unit is Commander Simiranü Elia Ndiyaamena who succeeded commander Armas Iigonda.

Naval Training School

The Training School is located at the Rooikop Military base. It was set up in 2009. The school's Commandant is Marine Captain(N) Lazarus Erastus.

Old Naval Base

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

Organisation

The navy is a hierarchical organisation with the navy commander exercising overall command. The navy has 1000 personnel, most of whom have been trained in Brazil and South Africa. The Navy is further augmented by the Namibian Marine Corps.

Marines

The Namibian Marine Corps are a unit of the Navy. Its role is to provide naval infantry, amphibious, diving and small boat capability to the Navy. At full strength they will be a battalion strong. The marines are trained by Brazilian naval instructors at the Naval Training School near Walvis Bay.The marine commandant is Captain Appolos Haimbala.

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.

Non-commissioned officers and other Appointments

Warrant Officer's can hold the following appointments.

Warrant Officers

Senior Ratings

Junior Ratings