SAS Makhanda

History
South Africa
Name:	SAS Makhanda
Namesake:	named for the Xhosa warrior Makhanda
Operator:	South African Navy
Builder:	Sandock Austral, Durban
Commissioned:	4 July 1986
Homeport:	Naval Base Durban
Status:	in active service
General characteristics
Class and type:	Warrior class strike craft
Type:	Missile boat
Displacement:	415 tons (450 tons full loaded)
Length:	58 m (190 ft)
Beam:	7.62 m (25.0 ft)
Draught:	2.4 m (7.9 ft)
Propulsion:	4 MTU 16V 538 diesel engines, four shafts, total of 12,800 hp (9,500 kW)
Speed:	34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Range:	4,000 nmi (7,400 km; 4,600 mi) at 17.5 kn (32.4 km/h) 1,650 nmi (3,060 km; 1,900 mi) at 30 kn (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Complement:	45 officers and crewmen

SAS Makhanda is a Warrior-class strike craft of the South African Navy, currently configured as an Offshore Patrol Vessel.

She was commissioned in 1986 and originally named SAS Magnus Malan for South African Party minister of defence Magnus Malan, she was renamed on 1 April 1997.^[1] She was converted in 2012/2013 to an Offshore Patrol Vessel role.^[2]

The SAS Makhanda is currently employed with anti piracy patrols.^[3]

References

1. Wessels, Andre. "The South African Navy during the years of conflict in Southern Africa 1966-1989" (PDF). Retrieved August 14, 2014.
2. "Revamped strike craft ready for counter-piracy duty". Defenceweb.co.za. 17 July 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
3. Rider, David (July 17, 2014). "SAS Makhanda on anti-piracy duty". Maritime Security Review. Retrieved December 9, 2014.