Angolan Navy


The Angolan Navy 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.

History

The Angolan Navy was founded in 1977 and celebrated their 35th anniversary in 2012. Angolan Navy forces participated in the Angolan Civil War from 1975 until 2002. United States Navy Vice Admiral Harry B. Harris Jr., then commander of the US 6th Fleet, visited the 35th anniversary in Luanda, Angola on July 9, 2012.

Modernization

Angola's oil wealth is allowing it to modernize its naval forces as most of the existing fleet are Soviet Navy exports from the 1980s. 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, probably Lurssen PV80's. They were still trying to complete the deal in 2011 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 a small Harrier carrier, to be transferred along with Pizarro a Newport class landing ship, Diana a Descubierta class corvette converted to minesweeper support ship, Chilreu lead ship of its class of ocean patrol vessels, and Ízaro an Anaga class patrol ship.

Structure

Surface Vessels">Ship">Surface Vessels

Fast Missile Craft">Fast Attack Craft#Missile Craft">Fast Missile Craft

Small ships or boats designed to fire anti-ship missiles. First used by the Soviet Union, missile-armed FAC's could be used to sink much larger enemy naval ships.
ClassPhotoNumber of ShipsNotes
OSA-II6OSA-II 205ER Missile Boat

Fast Torpedo Craft">Fast Attack Craft">Fast Torpedo Craft

Small ships or boats designed to fire torpedoes. First used in the Second World War by both the Royal Navy and the Kriegsmarine, FAC's could be used to sink much larger enemy naval ships.
ClassPhotoNumber of ShipsNotes
Shershen-Class6Shershen-Class Torpedo Boat

Inland/Coastal Patrol Boats">Patrol Boat">Inland/Coastal Patrol Boats

Small border protection craft often used for anti-piracy, anti-smuggling, and border patrolling. May be designed for use on estuaries and rivers or oceanic environments.
ClassPhotoNumber of ShipsNotes
Argos-class Patrol Boat4
Aresa PVC-1705
Poluchat-I Class2
Zhuk-class Patrol Boat1 or 2
Bellatrix Class4 or 5
Mandume Class4
Patrulheiro Class3
Namacurra-class2harbour patrol boat

On 5 September 2014, the Angolan Minister of Defence João Manuel Lourenço and Brazil`s Minister of Defence Celso Amorim signed a Memorandum of Understanding as part of Angola`s Naval Power Development Program. The MOU specifies that Angola will acquire seven Macaé-class patrol vessel, four to be built in Brazil, and three in Angola. The Brazilian EMGEPRON will have the lead in the project, overseeing the Angolan shipyard and training in addition to overall project management.

Mine Warfare Craft">Minesweeper (ship)">Mine Warfare Craft

Small ship designed for either clearing up minefields or deploying new minefields.
ClassPhotoNumber of ShipsNotes
Yevgenya Class2Yevgenya Class Minesweeper

Amphibious Vessels">Amphibious warfare vessel">Amphibious Vessels

Ship designed to deploy troops on coasts and beaches during amphibious assault operations.
ClassPhotoNumber of ShipsNotes
Polnocny Class4Polnocny Class Landing Ship /Project 771 - 1 Polnocny-A Boat, 3 Polnocny-B Boats.
Alfange Class1
Landing Craft Tank1
LDM-4009 or 109 or 10 Ships. from US c. 1964

Coastal Defense Equipment

Defensive equipment, both active and passive, used to defend Angola's coasts.
  1. SS-C1 Sepal Radar System.

    Maritime Patrol Aircraft">Maritime patrol aircraft">Maritime Patrol Aircraft

Aircraft designed for maritime patrols, often involving anti-ship, anti-submarine, and search and rescue duties.
AircraftManufacturer OriginTypeVersionImageNotes
Fokker F27 FriendshipNetherlandsMaritime ReconnaissanceF27 Maritime Enforcer or F27 200-MAR
Embraer EMB 110 BandeiranteBrazilMaritime ReconnaissanceEMB 111A