MINISTER CLASS FAST ATTACK CRAFT (Reshef)

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aukepalmhof
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MINISTER CLASS FAST ATTACK CRAFT (Reshef)

Post by aukepalmhof » Fri Aug 05, 2016 9:04 pm

The South African Minister class of which 9 were built was ordered in late 1974 she are a modified form of the Saar IV Reshef class fast attack craft of the Israeli Navy. Three were built by the Haifa Shipyard the others by Sandock-Austral in Durban.
Displacement 430 tons, dim. 62.2 x 7.8 x 2.4m. (draught).
Powered by 4 Maybach MTU 16V 965 TB91 diesel engines, 15,000 hp., four shafts, speed 32 knots.
Range by a speed of 30 knots, 1,500 mile.
Armament: 6 single container launchers for 6 x Skorpioen anti-missiles, 2 - 76mm L/62 DP in OTO Melara Compact single mountings and 2 – 0.5 inch MG.
Crew 7 officers and 40 enlisted men.
Delivered in the 1970s/80s.

The Warrior-class strike craft (formerly designated Minister class) in service with the South African Navy are modified Sa'ar IV (Reshef class) fast attack craft. In 1974, a contract was signed with Israeli Military Industries for the construction of three of the modified Reshef class vessels at the Haifa facility of Israeli Shipyards. A further three were built immediately after at the Sandock Austral shipyard in Durban, South Africa, with three more being built at the same facility several years later. The imposition of the international embargo on the sale of arms to South Africa on 4 November 1977 forced the project to be carried out under a cloak of security. The South African variants were fitted with Gabriel missiles, known in South Africa as 'Scorpion' missiles, and had two Oto Melara 76 mm guns instead of a single one with a Phalanx CIWS.
As of July 2014 three remain in commission. They have had their missiles and rear 76 mm guns removed and reassigned to the offshore patrol role until the acquisition of new off-shore patrol vessels under Project Biro. As of late 2013 it appears that the SAN plan on operating 4 of these vessels for another 5 years, the SAS ADAM KOK was the last one to undergo the conversion in a OVP
2016 The four are still in service in the SAS after a refit in Durban in an offshore patrol vessel.

South Africa 1982 15c sg507. Scott561.
Source: Small Craft Navies by Christopher Chant. Wikipedia.
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