An SA Navy (SAN) delegation called on Matatiele to update the Royal House of the Griqua Nation on its third multi-mission inshore patrol vessel (MMIPV) which will sail as SAS King Adam Kok III.
There is, as yet, no date set for either a naming ceremony or P1573 being taken into service after being launched earlier this year. Apart from the visit to the Eastern Cape town by SAN Chief Director Maritime Strategy, Rear Admiral David Mkhonto, the sole indication of readiness to launch came from Armscor four months ago. Armscor Senior Manager: Corporate Communication Liziwe Nkonyana, in May told defenceWeb delivery to the SAN was expected later this year following the conclusion of all trials.
Sea trials, referred to as operational testing and evaluation (OT&E) by the maritime service of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF), are expected to start next month (September). There was, at the time of publication, no confirmation of this from Armscor project managers for the MMIPV build in terms of Project Hotel.
In Matatiele, the SAN delegation met Chief Arthur Neville Jones at the King’s Palace and they proceeded to the municipality council chamber for the meeting where Prince Paul Kok welcomed the maritime contingent.
After a briefing on the third new addition to the SAN inshore patrol capability by Captain (SAN) Peter Selala, the descendants of the late Griqua king (1811 to 1875) heard the ship’s name will honour him. Current Griqua king, Ai Khoebaha Xammi Maurice Vivian Kok, according to Siyathokoza Biyela of Naval Base (NB) Durban, signified his acceptance for the new SAN platform to carry his predecessor’s name, giving it his blessing.
He, along with other Griqua royal family members, will be invited to the naming ceremony at the KwaZulu-Natal port city naval base on an as yet not specified date.
Durban is home port for the SAN patrol squadron, comprising the three MMIPVs and the refurbished Warrior Class patrol platform, SAS Makhanda (P1569).
The three new platforms – SAS King Sekhukhune I (P 1571), SAS King Shaka Zulu (P1572) and SAS King Adam Kok III (P1573) – are all examples of the shipbuilding proficiency homed in Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT). The SAN took delivery SAS King Sekhukhune I in June 2022, and SAS King Shaka Zulu in October 2023.
Damen Shipyards Cape Town completed the three MMIPVs to the company’s Stan Patrol 6211 design. The 62 metre long, 750 ton vessels have a 20 knot economical speed and a range of 2 000 nautical miles. Each vessel is fitted with a Reutech 20 mm Super Sea Rogue marine gun and Reutech FORT (frequency modulated optical radar tracker) low probability of intercept (LPI) optronics radar tracking system, and carries a 9 metre and a 7 metre RHIB (rigid hull inflatable boat) for boarding and other operations.
