Armscor has delivered the third Multi-Mission Inshore Patrol Vessel (MMIPV) to the South African Navy. The vessel, named SAS ADAM KOK III (P1573), was developed under Project Biro.
It joins its sister vessels, SAS King Sekhukhune I (P1571) and SAS King Shaka Zulu (P1572), as part of the South African Navy’s patrol squadron.
The official naming and commissioning ceremony for SAS ADAM KOK III took place on Friday. The vessel is named after the founder of the Griqua nation, with the approval of the Royal Griqua House.
These MMIPVs are designed for multi-role operations to safeguard national waters, enforce maritime law, and deter threats such as piracy, smuggling, and illegal fishing along South Africa’s nearly 2,800-kilometer coastline.
The delivery of P1573 marks the completion of a 2018 contract awarded to Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT) to build three MMIPVs. The keel for the first vessel, SAS King Sekhukhune I, was laid in February 2021, and it was delivered in May 2022.
The second vessel, SAS King Shaka Zulu, was delivered in October 2023. Both are currently undergoing operational testing and evaluation (OTE), according to South African Navy Chief Vice Admiral Monde Lobese.
The MMIPVs are based on the Stan Patrol 6211 design. They are 62 meters long, have an economical speed of 20 knots, and a range of 2,000 nautical miles. Each vessel is equipped with a Reutech 20 mm Super Sea Rogue marine gun and a Reutech FORT (frequency modulated optical radar tracker) low probability of intercept (LPI) optronics radar tracking system.
They also carry nine and seven-meter rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) for boarding and other operations. Collectively, the three vessels are known as the Warrior Class, taking their name from their predecessors, the strike craft based on an Israeli design.
The last of these strike craft, SAS Makhanda, is scheduled for decommissioning, though the date has not yet been made public.
