German Navy ships head south

Jan 24, 2008
Author: P&S

Four ships of the German Navy are en route to South Africa to take part in a joint exercise with the South African Navy named ‘Good Hope 2’. The four vessels which have already left Germany are as the follows:

F220 FGS HAMBURG – a type 124 destroyer
F209 FGS RHEINLAND-PFALZ – type 122 frigate
A1411 FGS BERLIN – type 702 replenishment vessel
A1435 FGS WESTERWALD – type 760 ammunition ship

The task force’s first port of call in southern Africa is at Walvis Bay, where the replenishment vessel FGS Westerwald arrives ahead of the other three on 30 January.

The other three ships are due at the Namibian port on 13 February, arriving at 10h00. Westerwald will return to Walvis Bay on 28 March. At least one of the ships will be open to the public on 14 and 15 February between 15h00 and 18h00. They sail on 17 February.

Dates of arrival in Simon’s Town have not been announced (in fact we are unaware of any announcement regarding the visit to South Africa) but can be roughly deduced from the above.

FGS Hamburg and FGS Berlin both last visited South Africa in March 2006.

In addition to visiting African countries the German Navy task force will call at ports in South America.