10 November 2015 by defenceWeb

A group of Mozambican sailors has completed training on the new HSI32 interceptors the country is receiving from France.

French shipyard Constructions Mecaniques de Normandie (CMN), which is building the vessels at its facilities in Cherbourg, completed the training of 34 Mozambican sailors on Friday, after six weeks of theoretical and practical training.

Over the course of two weeks, the sailors made a dozen voyages, with the final trips being under complete Mozambican crew control. After their training, the Mozambican soldiers were awarded diplomas at a ceremony, Mer et Marine reports.

With the completion of personnel training, the first three HSI32 vessels will be delivered to Mozambique by early next year. They will be transported to Africa via a cargo ship. Deliveries are expected to begin in December.

On September 5, 2013, the Mozambican government signed a 200 million euro deal with CMN to build the three Ocean Eagle 43s, three HSI32 interceptors and 24 fishing vessels over a two year period. In January Mozambique ordered another three interceptors, which will be delivered from December 2015 at a rate of one every two months. The first Ocean Eagle was launched on January 22 this year and the first HSI32 was launched at CMN’s facility in Cherbourg on 18 March.

The HSI 32s have a length of 32.2 metres and a width of 6.4 metres. Crew complement is 12. The type is made from aluminium for light weight and agility. Sensor options can include a surveillance radar, electro-optical sensors and a satellite link for transferring images and other data.

The HSI32 interceptors are able to reach speeds of up to 43 knots and can undertake patrols for three days, with a range of 800 nautical miles at 12 knots or 580 nautical miles at 33 knots. Weapon options include a remotely operated 20 mm cannon and two 12.7 mm machineguns. A 4.8 metre RHIB can be launched from the back of the boat. Crew complement is 12. These vessels are ideal for anti-piracy, anti-terrorism and anti-smuggling missions.

The Ocean Eagle 43 patrol vessel features an innovative trimaran design ideal for shallow waters. The model has a top speed of 30 knots and a range of 3 000 miles at 20 knots or 5 000 miles at 12 knots. Crew complement is seven, but another eight people can be accommodated aboard. A small helipad can accommodate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) like the Schiebel Camcopter while a seven metre rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) can be launched from a ramp at the back of the vessel. Weapons options include a 20 or 30 mm cannon above the bridge and two 12.7 mm machineguns at the stern.

The new vessels ordered from France will provide a major boost to Mozambique’s navy, especially in light of recent offshore oil and natural gas finds. At present the country’s small navy comprises a single Conejera class patrol craft (Pebane) donated by Spain, a couple of Namacurra class harbour patrol boats donated by South Africa and around ten small patrol craft, including RHIBs.

11 September 2014 by defenceWeb

The first of three hulls for Mozambique’s new Ocean Eagle 43 patrol boats is on its way to the CMN shipyard in France, where it will be motorised and equipped. Mozambique has three patrol boats, three interceptors and 24 fishing trawlers on order from the French company.

CMN Shipyards on Tuesday announced that the first hull left the H2X Shipyard workshops on September 8 and was due to depart La Ciotat, France, on September 12 to reach Cherbourg aboard the cargo vessel Spirit. CMN will then complete the vessel.

The other two hulls are already under construction. One will be removed from its mould during the week for a delivery in mid-November and the third is scheduled for mid-January 2015, CMN said.

The Ocean Eagle 43 patrol vessel features an innovative trimaran design ideal for shallow waters. The model has a top speed of 30 knots and a range of 3 000 miles at 20 knots. Crew complement is seven, but another eight people can be accommodated aboard. A small helipad can accommodate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) like the Schiebel Camcopter while a seven metre rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) can be launched from a ramp at the back of the vessel. Weapons options include a 20 or 30 mm cannon above the bridge and two 12.7 mm machineguns at the stern.

On September 5, 2013, the Mozambican government signed a 200 million euro deal with Constructions Mecaniques de Normandie (CMN) to build the three Ocean Eagles, three HSI 32 interceptors and 24 fishing vessels over a two year period.

The HSI 32 interceptors are able to reach speeds of up to 45 knots and can undertake patrols for three days, with a range of 800 miles. Weapon options include a remotely operated 20 mm cannon and two 12.7 mm machineguns. A RHIB can be launched from the back of the boat. Crew complement is 12. These vessels are ideal for anti-piracy, anti-terrorism and anti-smuggling missions.

The order for 24 trawlers involves the CMN 23.5 model, crewed by eight and having an endurance of ten days. Deliveries should take place by 2016.

The new vessels ordered from France will provide a major boost to Mozambique’s small navy, especially in light of recent offshore oil and natural gas finds. At present the country’s small navy comprises a single Conejera class patrol craft (Pebane) donated by Spain, a couple of Namacurra class harbour patrol boats donated by South Africa and around ten small patrol craft, including RHIBs.

The order was well timed for CMN, which was struggling with a small order book and was about to lay off staff. It was the biggest contract in the company’s history.

Mozambique is paying for the vessels with money from loans from Credit Suisse and VTB Capital, Bloomberg reports. Last year Mozambique set up Empresa Mocambicana de Atum SA, or Mozambican Tuna Co., (Ematum), which secured a $500 million loan from Credit Suisse and $350 million from VTB Capital. Ematum is 34% owned by the Institute for the Management of State Holdings (IGEPE). The other shareholders are the state fishing company Emopesca and GIPS (Management of Investments, Holdings and Services), with 33% each. GIPS was set up in December 2011, and its main shareholder is the social services of the State Intelligence and Security Service (SISE)

07 April 2014 by defenceWeb

Three MiG-21 fighter jets destined for Mozambique are stuck in Germany due to a lack of necessary permits. They are part of a batch of eight being shipped from Romania.

Romanian company Aerostar is overhauling six MiG-21bis and two MiG-21UM trainer aircraft for the Mozambique Air Force and is also providing training for Mozambican MiG-21 pilots. Three MiG-21s were seen flying at Aerostar’s Bacau facility last year.

On Sunday Germany’s Der Spiegel reported that three MiG-21s were transported from the Romanian capital Bucharest by train in six containers and were to have been subsequently shipped to Mozambique from the Germany port of Bremerhaven.

However, although the aircraft were declared according to procedure, their transport was done without the necessary permits and they were stopped. Der Spiegel reported that Germany’s public prosecutor will investigate the possible breach of arms control laws. The publication noted that Aerostar was found guilty of a similar incident in 2008.

In 2012 German customs officials confiscated MiG-29 engines for Algeria and Tu-142 engines for India over the lack of necessary permits.

The Mozambique Air Force is slowly rejuvenating, considering that until recently it was almost entirely inoperable, suffering poor serviceability since independence from Portugal in 1975 and the collapse of the Soviet Union and its financial support in the early 1990s. The arrival of the MiG-21s will give the Air Force a jet capability not had in years, as its existing MiG-21s have fallen into disrepair and are grounded.

In addition to the MiG-21s, Mozambique has apparently bought two Aerostar Festival side-by-side light aircraft and will get an overhauled Aero Vodochody L-39ZO jet trainer. Late last year it emerged that Mozambique’s Air Force would also receive two second hand Antonov An-26B transport aircraft after they have been refurbished in the Ukraine.

07 November 2013 by Guy Martin – defenceWeb

The Mozambique Air Force will soon receive two second hand Antonov An-26B transport aircraft, which are currently being refurbished in the Ukraine.

The An-26B-100s have been worked on for the last few months at Kiev-Zhuliany in the Ukraine, according to Air Forces Daily. One was seen in July painted in Force Aerea de Mocambique colours while a second was seen test flying in late July. It is not clear exactly how many An-26s are destined for the Mozambique Air Force or when exactly they will be delivered.

It is not clear from where the aircraft originated, but it is certain that they are not ex-Mozambican examples, as these are unserviceable. Six derelict An-26s are in open storage at Maputo, two are at Beira and one at Cuamba, reports Air Forces Daily. Mozambique’s Air Force received around ten An-26s from 1978. One crashed on March 30, 1986, whilst trying to land at Pemba Airport, killing 3 crew and 41 of 46 passengers on board.

Reports of the An-26 acquisition are the latest to emerge regarding the modernisation of the Mozambique Air Force, which until recently almost ceased to exist. Earlier this month it was reported that the country will soon receive eight MiG-21s (six Mig-21Bis and two MiG-21UM trainers) from Romanian company Aerostar once their overhaul is complete, together with an L-39 jet trainer and two Festival light aircraft.

The arrival of the MiG-21s will give the Air Force a jet capability not had in years, as its MiG-21s have fallen into disrepair and are grounded.

Another recent acquisition occurred in September when the Air Force took delivery of a second hand Hawker 850XP business jet, built in 2005.

10 September 2013 by defenceWeb

The Mozambican government has signed a $200 million deal with French shipyard CMN to build three patrol vessels, three fast interceptors and 24 fishing trawlers. The contract represents a major boost to Mozambique’s small Navy.

Constructions Mecaniques de Normandie (CMN) will spend two years building the vessels, which include three 32 metre and three 42 metre patrol vessels, according to MCN owner Iskandar Safa, who announced the deal at a press conference on Thursday.

The contract covers three Ocean Eagle 43 patrol vessels, featuring an innovative trimaran design ideal for shallow waters. The model has a top speed of 30 knots and a range of 3 000 miles at 20 knots. Crew complement is seven, but another eight people can be accommodated aboard. A small helipad can accommodate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) like the Schiebel Camcopter while a seven metre rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) can be launched from a ramp at the back of the vessel. Weapons options include a 20 or 30 mm cannon above the bridge and two 12.7 mm machineguns at the stern.

The HSI 32 interceptors are able to reach speeds of up to 45 knots and can undertake patrols for three days, with a range of 800 miles. Weapon options include a remotely operated 20 mm cannon and two 12.7 mm machineguns. A RHIB can be launched from the back of the boat. Crew complement is 12. These vessels are ideal for anti-piracy, anti-terrorism and anti-smuggling missions.

The order for 24 trawlers involves the CMN 23.5 model, crewed by eight and having an endurance of ten days. Deliveries should take place by 2016.

The new vessels ordered from France will provide a major boost to Mozambique’s small navy, especially in light of recent offshore oil and natural gas finds. At present the country’s small navy comprises a single Conejera class patrol craft (Pebane) donated by Spain, a couple of Namacurra class harbour patrol boats donated by South Africa and around ten small patrol craft, including RHIBs

23 August 2013 by Guy Martin – defenceWeb

Since the end of Mozambique’s civil war in 1992, the Armed Forces for the Defence of Mozambique (FADM) have struggled to become a coordinated, cohesive and well-equipped force. Click here to find out more about the FADM.

A limited defence budget has resulted in the majority of the military’s equipment being unserviceable. Such challenges come at a time when Renamo militia are causing instability inside the country.