Angolan Navy

Angolan Navy
Marinha de Guerra Angolana
Founded	1977
Country	Angola
Type	Navy
Size	1,000 Personnel[1] 40 Ships
Engagements	Angolan Civil War

The Angolan Navy (Portuguese: Marinha de Guerra Angolana) or MGA is the naval branch of the Angolan Armed Forces and is tasked with protecting Angola's 1,600 km long coastline. The Angolan Navy has approximately 1,000 personnel.^[1]

History

The Angolan Navy was officially founded on 10 July 1976, though it traces its origins to 11 November 1975 when Angolans took over naval facilities abandoned by the Portuguese Navy.^[2] Angolan Navy forces participated in the Angolan Civil War.^[3]

Training and maintenance were largely dependent of the Soviet Union and Cuba, with some officers receiving training in the USSR. After the independence of Angola, a small team of Portuguese instructors remained in the country, while a Nigerian team cooperated with the Cuban and Soviet advisors in the late 1980s.^[4]

In 1991, the Angolan Navy had 1,250 personnel plus ten fast attack craft, seven patrol craft, two coastal minehunters, thirteen landing craft and three auxiliary ships, most of the fleet was non-operational. While Angola had some minor repair facilities in Luanda and Lobito, maintenance was still dependent on Soviet-trained technicians.^[5] In 1996, after the end of Soviet support, most ships were left in "various states of terminal decay" and as result, the fleet was reduced to four Spanish-built patrol boats, three French-built coastal patrol boats, and two ex-Soviet minehunters. The latter were only used for patrol duties.^[6] In 2004, the Angolan Navy had only 800 personnel and no operational ships.^[7]

In 2023, the Angolan Navy took possession of a new Portuguese-built naval base at Soyo. The base is larger than the Angolan Navy's primary facilities in Luanda.^[8]

Modernization

Angola's oil wealth allowed it to rebuild its navy. It was reported in 2009 that Angola was hoping to sign a US$800m deal with Germany for 3 new border protection Fast Attack Craft,^[9] probably Lurssen PV80's. They were still trying to complete the deal in 2011^[10] and there has been no word on it since.

In December 2013 it was reported that Angola would be buying a package of old ships from the Spanish Navy. Príncipe de Asturias (R11) a small (16,000t) Harrier carrier, to be transferred along with Pizarro (L42) a Newport class landing ship, Diana (F32) a Descubierta class corvette converted to minesweeper support ship, Chilreu (P61) lead ship of its class of ocean patrol vessels, and Ízaro (P27) an Anaga class patrol ship.^[11] This deal never came to pass.

Structure

• Naval War Institute (INSG)
• Naval Academy
• Naval Specialist School
• 3 Coastal Surveillance Companies (CRTOC)
• 1 Naval Infantry Unit - 1 Light Amphibious Battalion (4 Marine Companies, 1 Naval Police Unit, 1 Amphibious Operations Unit)
• Special Forces, heavy weapons, snipers, boarding units, and an armored section.^[12]

Equipment

Current inventory

Name	Builder	Quantity	Notes
Patrol boat
Ngola Kiluange	Damen Shipyards Group[13]	2[14]	Used by the Ministry of Fisheries.[14]
Rei Bula Matadi		5[14]	Used by the Ministry of Fisheries.[14]
HSI 32	Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie (CMN)[15]	3[14]
PVC-170	Aresa Shipyard	5[14]
Super Dvora Mk III	Israel Aerospace Industries[16]	4[14]
Mandume	Bazán Shipyard[6]	4[14]
Ocean Eagle 43	CMN[17]	1[14]
Comandante Imperial Santana		5[14]	Used by the Ministry of Fisheries.[14]
Landing craft
RA 4 de Abril	CMN	1[14]	1 on order.[18]
Auxiliary ship
Baía Farta	Damen Shipyards Group[19]	1[14]	Research vessel, used by the Ministry of Fisheries.[20]

Former inventory

Former ships operated by the Angolan Navy includes: six ex-Soviet Osa II-class missile boats, four ex-Soviet Shershen-class torpedo boats, five ex-Portuguese Argos-class patrol boats, one ex-Soviet Zhuk-class patrol boat, two ex-Portuguese Jupiter-class patrol boats, two ex-Soviet Poluchat I-class patrol boats, four ex-Portuguese Bellatrix-class patrol boats, three French-built Patrulheiro-class patrol boats, three ex-Soviet Polnocny B-class landing ships, one ex-Portuguese Alfange-class landing ship, and two ex-Soviet Yevgenya-class minesweepers.^[6][21]

Ranks

Main article: Military ranks of Angola

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Angolan Navy[22] v t e
			Almirante-da-Armada		Almirante		Vice-almirante		Contra-almirante		Capitão-de-mar-e-guerra		Capitão-de-fragata		Capitão-de-corveta		Tenente-de-navio		Tenente-de-fragata			Tenente-de-corveta

Other ranks

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

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Angolan Navy[22] v t e																																			No insignia
	Sargento-mor						Sargento-chefe		Sargento-ajudante		Primeiro-sargento						Segundo-sargento						Sub-sargento						Cabo			Marinheiro			Grumete

References

1. International Institute for Strategic Studies (25 February 2021). The Military Balance 2021. London: Routledge. p. 448. ISBN 9781032012278.
2. "História da Marinha de Guerra de Angola". Marinha de Guerra Angolana (in Portuguese). Forças Armadas Angolanas. Archived from the original on 30 June 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
3. "Commander Sixth Fleet Attends 35th Angolan Navy Celebration". Navy.mil. Archived from the original on 2020-07-13. Retrieved 2013-06-07.
4. Moore 1987, p. 6.
5. Sharpe 1991, p. 8.
6. Sharpe 1996, p. 8.
7. Saunders 2004, p. 8.
8. Binnie, Jeremy (12 July 2023). "Angola inaugurates Soyo Naval Base". Janes. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
9. "Angola to buy Navy ships". News24. 23 November 2009. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
10. Mendes, Candido (2011-07-14). "Germany Seeks to Sell Patrol Ships to Angola to Modernize, Dos Santos Says". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2013-12-04.
11. "Solución de última hora de la Armada: Angola compra el 'Príncipe de Asturias'". El Confidencial Digital. 2 December 2013.
12. "Angola". DefenceWeb. 2013-02-05. Retrieved 2013-06-07.
13. Martin, Guy (6 February 2012). "Damen launches Ngola Kiluange fishery patrol vessel for Angola". defenceWeb. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
14. IISS 2024, p. 472.
15. Martin, Guy (24 March 2021). "Angola confirmed to be operating HSI 32 interceptors". defenceWeb. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
16. "Angola confirmed as Super Dvora Mk 3 patrol boat customer". defenceWeb. 10 May 2018. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
17. Martin, Guy (29 November 2022). "CMN delivers Ocean Eagle patrol boat to Angola". defenceWeb. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
18. Toremans, Guy (28 July 2023). "First new LCT 200-70 landing craft arrives in Angola". Janes. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
19. Keulen, Richard. "Damen launches cutting-edge Fishery Research Vessel for Angolan Fisheries Ministry". Damen Naval (Press release). Retrieved 13 December 2024.
20. "Navio 'Baía Farta' será entregue em Maio de 2024". Ministério das Relações Exteriores de Angola (in Portuguese). Retrieved 13 December 2024.
21. Moore 1987, pp. 6−8.
22. "Postos da Marinha". faa.ao (in Portuguese). Angolan Navy. Retrieved 27 June 2021.

Bibliography

• International Institute for Strategic Studies (12 February 2024). "Chapter Eight: Sub-Saharan Africa". The Military Balance. 124 (1). Taylor & Francis: 458–531. doi:10.1080/04597222.2024.2298597. ISSN 0459-7222. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
• Moore, Capt. John, ed. (1987). Jane's Fighting Ships 1987–88 (90th ed.). London: Jane's Publishing Company. ISBN 0-7106-0842-X.
• Sharpe, Capt. Richard, ed. (1991). Jane's Fighting Ships 1991–92 (94th ed.). Surrey: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0-7106-0960-4.
• Sharpe, Capt. Richard, ed. (1996). Jane's Fighting Ships 1996–97 (99th ed.). Surrey: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0-7106-1355-5.
• Saunders, Commodore Stephen, ed. (2004). Jane's Fighting Ships 2004-2005 (107th ed.). Surrey: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0-7106-2623-1.