Mon séjour en Afrique du Sud (Cape Town)

A proven and evolved concept with an up-to-date technology, a design to meet the regional pecularities, lean and precise construction with growth potential, a fair contract with logistic/technological support and transfer tailored to the SAN possibilities. That is what the VALOUR class is all about.

NAVAL FORCES: What are the roots of your unit's name "Amatola " and what does it stand for?

CAPTAIN JAMIESON: The class of ship is named the VALOUR class. All 4 are named after incidents or battles involving South Africans in which extreme valour was displayed. In the case of "Amatola" a series of skirmishes took place in late 1852 between British forces and Xhosa tribesmen in the Eastern Cape region in and amongst the Amatola Mountains. The superior British forces were on a punitive raid to quell an "uprising" yet the Xhosa Chief Maqoma was able to employ asymmetric tactics and clever use of terrain to frustrate the British. Casualties were high on both sides in the bloody, close range fighting. There were many examples of valour displayed by both forces. The AMATOLA campaign became known as the "War of the Axe" as it allegedly started with an incident involving an axe. SAS "Amatola'"s badge is dominated by the axe crossed with the "Blue Crane Feather" or head-dress of the Xhosa chief involved in the campaign at the time.

NAVAL FORCES: Your ship is designated patrol and command corvette, of which four were built. Are there any differences between the units and how do you envisage their national and/or multinational deployment?

CAPTAIN JAMIESON: There are no significant differences between the four units.The ships will be deployed individually, or in groups as part of national or multi-national forces to conduct missions at sea on behalf of the state. These missions could be just about anything including Benign, Constabulary, or Military. The SANDF (South African Defence Force) currently focuses a large amount of effort on Peace Support Operations in Africa. It is expected that these new vessels will soon become involved in those missions.

NAVAL FORCES: What phase is the "Amatola " in at present, what time frame is planned to bring her up to full operational standard and what do you envisage as toughest challenge and why?

CAPTAIN JAMIESON: The ship is currently busy with contractual Sea Acceptance Trials (SATs). In particular, right now, we are busy with acceptance of the missile and gun systems, including live firings. The contractual trials are scheduled to end in October, at which time the ship will commence an "Operational Test and Evaluation" period. The toughest challenge is to fully develop effective "Standardized Operating Procedures" and ship class standing orders of this "unique, lean manned Ship". I don't know of any vessels quite like ours in the world, so we are almost on our own in terms of developing SOPs. Luckily we have had some really good help from the German and Royal Navy in the form of safety training. You must remember that the SAN has not operated frigate type/ sized vessels since 1985.

NAVAL FORCES: Considering ships handling and sea-keeping performance. What is different onboard the "Amatola " compared to other units? What are your experiences with the revolutionary propulsion system CODAG-WARP and the IPMS?

CAPTAIN JAMIESON: First of all "Ama" has no funnel; the exhausts are vented horizontally out the stern, or underwater. secondly "Ama" has a water-jet as well as conventional control pitch propellers (CPP), giving her two completely independent/redundant drive trains. There are various combinations of exhaust and propulsion which can be employed, depending on the situation. The IPMS makes the management of these "complex" systems much easier.

One can initiate propulsion or exhaust mode changes by means of a single "mouse click" on the IPMS.

It is very handy to have a back up propulsion system (GT/WJ) if something goes wrong with the Propulsion diesel/CPP arrangement. The ship turns well at high speed and stops in a very short distance using the water jet crashstop. The Gas Turbine/Water jet arrangement is not really suitable for low speed maneuvering, but is more a "speed booster", similar to the afterburner on a fighter. The ships are excellent sea-keeping ships.

NAVAL FORCES: You have been in command since 09/2003. All results of the seatrails proved better and were acquired in shorter times than expected. Could you, anyhow, recommend areas, where the "Amatola " could be improved just as a racing car is constantly improved as a result of the driver's proposals?

CAPTAIN JAMIESON: I am very happy with the ship. If I had to change anything, I would add more accommodation in order to be able to carry more "trainees" on board. This is advice I have to offer to the designers of next generation warships: By all means, "Lean Man" them, but include sufficient accommodation in order to be able to carry extra embarked personnel. Also, keep messes as small as possible (numbers of bunks per mess should be 4 or less) in order to have maximum flexibility to accommodate various combinations of men and women.

NAVAL FORCES: What is your unit's planned periodical maintenance/operational cycle?

CAPTAIN JAMIESON: This is a huge subject and 1 would not like to go into it in a sort of detail. The ship was designed with a planned maintenance cycle in mind. This is similar to the maintenance cycles of most other MEKO* vessels. The SAN is currently reviewing the way it maintains its ships so things might change. This is not finalized yet.

NAVAL FORCES: The growth potential and the large reserve margins of the "Amatola "are key elements of the concept. Is this indicative for your ship being more than just a patrol unit? Where do you envisage such a spiral development?

CAPTAIN JAMIESON: From the outset the ships were designed with a large margin for "combat suite growth". A large, capable platform was acquired and fitted with an affordable combat suite. This was based on the current relatively low short term threat. We have existing "core capabilities" and room to expand at relatively short notice as and when a threat develops. Potential future upgrades include converting both the Electro Optical and Radar Trackers to full "Super ORT" standard, longer range SAMs and possibly a gun better suited for Fire Support on land.

NAVAL FORCES: Another main conceptual focus of the "Valours " was on signature reduction. What has been surveyed and what are the results?

CAPTAIN JAMIESON: Yes the ships were designed to a high specification of signature reduction. Extensive measurements of the unpopulated (without combat suite) and populated ship have been conducted. We are happy with the results.

NAVAL FORCES: Have you tested/validated so far the monitoring and control system for damage control of "Amatola " to the limit! Are you happy with the composition and functions of the features and the presentation of the data?

CAPTAIN JAMIESON: "AMA" is equipped with a system that does extensive monitoring, plotting and equipment remote control in the event of Damage Control incidents. This system forms part of the Integrated Platform Monitoring System (IPMS). All four ships conducted German Navy "SAGA" DC and Safety training at Neustadt in the Baltic prior to sailing for South Africa. As each ship went through the training in turn, we were able to make refinements to equipment, software, organization and drills in order to improve the ship's overall DC capability. In March 2005, "AMA" conducted a two week safety training period with a UK Royal Navy Flag Officer Sea Training (POST) Mobile Sea Training Team embarked. One of the more advanced DC exercise serials that we conducted was a simulation of the HMS "Nottingham" accident, which is now a standard serial in the POST programme. I am happy to report that the ship and her systems (including ship's company) performed well. The IPMS is a definite "force multiplier" in the "Internal War".

NAVAL FORCES: What are your experiences with the VALOUR class ' combat system so far? What has been achieved and what is planned next?

CAPTAIN JAMIESON: We are very happy with what we have seen so far. Of course we have not been able to "push the operational envelope" as a result of the contractual phase we are now in. What we do know already is that the capability we have on board is by far the most advanced that the SAN has ever had. Performance is truly impressive. We probably have the most capable Command and Control Platform in the entire SANDF right now. We plan to complete contractual acceptances, thereafter commence "pushing the operational envelope" in order to see what we are really capable of by means of a structured OT&E period.

NAVAL FORCES: Overall aim is now: The integration of the VALOURs into the SA Navy and Air Force user system. What is necessary and what is the present situation?

CAPTAIN JAMIESON: To a large extent this is already happening. Although the ships have not been handed over to the Fleet yet, the Fleet is logistically and administratively supporting them. They are operating on a daily basis for trials as if they are Fleet Operational units. In addition the ships are already working with various SAAF aircraft on a regular basis as part of these acceptance trials. Initial Ship Helicopter Operating Limits (SHOLS) for the ORYX helicopter have taken place and flight decks are cleared for ORYX operations. There is outstanding work however. The OT&E period should cover some of the outstanding issues as well as the final phase of SATS where the ships get accepted as part of an integrated force. DataLink procedures will be a major focus here.

NAVAL FORCES: Naval Helicopters or capable naval UA Vs, are these alternatives for you onboard the "Amatola " and why/why not?

CAPTAIN JAMIESON: The flight deck is large, 27m x 16m and can land a 10 tonne helicopter. The state has placed a contract for 4 Westland SUPER LYNX helicopters, specifically to operate from the new ships. These LYNX' should be landing on our decks some time in 2007. UAVs are obviously possibilities for some missions, if required and the deck is quite capable of accommodating them. At this stage we are focusing on integrating manned aircraft on board the ships.

NAVAL FORCES: Do you consider the Hving/recreation/accomodation conditions for your crew and embarked personal adequate regarding the units mission times?

CAPTAIN JAMIESON: The ship is extremely spacious and comfortable in terms of living conditions. One can quite comfortably live on board for an indefinite period. Catering and other hotel facilities are more than adequate. We currently have a ships company of 110 so the ship feels quite "empty" at times.

NAVAL FORCES: The "Amatola" is at the beginning of her life-cycle and is accompanied with high expectations. What areyour expectations and is there anything you additionally would wish the system to be able to perform? ,

CAPTAIN JAMIESON: For the past 20 years, our primary surface combatants have been Fast Attack Craft Missile (FAC (M)). We have operated these craft highly effectively and maintained high standards. The trick will be to continue to do this with the new ships. I am confident that we are on track to achieving our goals. We have a well equipped, highly capable surface combatant, much more capable than anything we have had in the past. With a littie hard work and a little help from our friends in other navies I am sure that our men and women will soon be operating these capable but complex ships as well as we operated the FAC (M).

An interview with SAS "Amatola" commanding officer Capt Gay Jamieson is presented. Among other things, Jamieson talks about what the valor class is all about, stating that it is all about a proven and evolved concept with an up-to-date technology, a design to meet the regional peculiarities, lean and precise construction with growth potential, a fair contract with logistic/technological support and transfer tailored to the South African Navy possibilities.