This is indeed interesting, however the "exercise" was somehow skewed in favor of the SA Type 209-I seriously doubt that the NATO flotilla actually utilised their full capabilities in the hunt-this sounds wayyy too biased in favor of the ONE 209 and the fact that a NATO Battle Group never operates without at least one accompanying SSN outside EU waters.
Assuming that the 209 fired wire guided and/or "dumb" (unguided) torpedos from one vector and actually hit one of the ships in the NATO flotilla, wouldn't the rest of the ships be able to triangulate approximately the 209's position using active sonar after observing the angle of the hit and assign 2-3 ASuW helicopters (SH-60LAMPS) to 'flush it out' and sink it as the SSK attempts to get out of the area? If I remember correctly, an SSK has a top speed of about 24knts submerged and would have no chance to escape about 2-4 LAMPS helos after it (each helo covering 60 degrees), let alone run from a Mk46 AsuW torp once detected(c.40knts)
This is just probably a PR stunt to make that ex-guerilla monkey Lekota feel good about himself
This was defenitely no PR stunt.. do you really think the NATO navies would allow themselves to be humiliated like that in public? I dont think so..
There is a perception out there that South Africa is just another African country.. hopeless in every way.. and if you look at what you see in the South African news these days, in some instances this is true..
But at large the South African military is a proffesional force with good(not excellent, but good) training and they are underestimated by many people..
In excercises during the last couple of years, the Luftwaffe, US Air Force, Belgian Air Component and Indian Air Forces all learned first hand that the South African military is defenitely worth excercising with.. South African fighter jets scored a number of 'kills' against their NATO adversaries.. in fact during the joint naval excercises held with Germany in 2006, the protective combat air patrol set up by south african fighter jets over the 'target fleet', proved to be so good, that the Luftwaffe complained they couldnt get close enough to practice firing their Cormorant Anti Ship missiles!
I am certainly not an advocate of the current South African government and I'm not trying to imply that the SA armed forces are better than they actually are..
All I'm trying to say here, is that there are many highly proffesional people in the SA armed services, just as there unfortunately are many not so proffesional people there also..
The proffesionals should be given the credit they're due.. and not mocked simply because they are from a relatively unknown African country..
Well done Commander Gary Kretschmer!!!
