The South African Navy has wrapped up its annual force preparation exercise, Red Lion 2025, following an intensive three-week programme that ran from 4 to 22 August.
By Jarryd Sinovich
Conducted across multiple sites nationwide, the exercise put naval crews, vessels and support units through a rigorous series of drills designed to sharpen their abilities in diverse scenarios from maritime combat to disaster response. With a focus on returning to fundamental skills, the operation brought together military personnel and civilian agencies, demonstrating the Navy’s capacity to respond effectively to threats at sea and on land. Officials expressed confidence in the outcomes, noting improvements in coordination, readiness and procedural effectiveness that will bolster future operations.
Nationwide Training
Red Lion unfolded across key naval hubs. Simon’s Town in the Western Cape, the Navy’s primary base and home port, served as the main focal point. Additional provincial sites included Westlake at Silvermine, Goodwood, Gordon’s Bay and Saldanha. Beyond the Western Cape, operations extended to the Eastern Cape with activities at Naval Base Gqeberha and the East London station; Gauteng, where the Navy’s headquarters operates in Pretoria; and KwaZulu-Natal, centred on Naval Base Durban. This wide spread ensured participation across provinces, fostering a unified approach to training.
Back to Basics
The theme of “back to basics” shaped Red Lion 2025, emphasising practical simulations of real-world challenges such as civil unrest and natural disasters. Naval elements worked alongside civilian partners to test joint response mechanisms. According to Chief Petty Officer Nkululeko Zulu, the goal was to scrutinise and refine doctrines and standard operating procedures, improving interoperability and readiness for missions ashore and afloat.
Preparation began with orientation, including simulated media interactions, search and rescue protocols, vessel-to-shore communications, security procedures around naval installations and aviation safety. These foundations paved the way for more demanding evolutions, ensuring participants approached the drills with clear understanding of risks and procedures.
Rear Admiral Handsome Matsane, Flag Officer Fleet, described the exercise as a demonstration of the Navy’s ability to merge assets with accuracy while incorporating input from external stakeholders. He noted that the fleet sought to showcase adaptability in complex situations, drawing on shared resources to meet emerging demands.
Joint Interoperability
A highlight came mid-way through the programme with interoperability drills off Durban. In a coordinated rescue simulation, the Navy teamed up with the National Sea Rescue Institute, South African Police Service, Customs Marine Unit and the South African Air Force, which contributed A109 and BK117 helicopters. The operation underscored the importance of rapid and synchronised responses in maritime emergencies.
Sea Phase in False Bay
The sea phase, launched on 11 August, saw the deployment of three vessels into False Bay: the Valour Class frigate SAS Amatola (F145) and the newly commissioned multi-mission inshore patrol vessel SAS Adam Kok III (P1573), the third of its class. Able Seaman Sisanda Xaba described the initial at-sea sessions as particularly valuable, featuring mock fast inshore assaults, live gunnery practice, towing manoeuvres, flying stations, boarding craft deployments, weapons handling drills and navigational exercises.
For a period, the South African ships were joined by the French Navy’s offshore patrol vessel Auguste Techer (P781) for what appeared to be a passage exercise. Ship tracking confirmed the SAS King Shaka Zulu, SAS Adam Kok III and SAS Amatola sailing in formation with the French vessel. The Auguste Techer, spotted in Cape Town harbour on 11 August, is the third Félix Éboué-class offshore patrol vessel, displacing 1,300 tonnes and measuring 80 metres. It is manned by 30 sailors, can accommodate 29 passengers and supports combat divers. Equipped with two inflatable boats and a Survey Copter Aliaca unmanned aerial vehicle capable of three-hour flights over 50 kilometres, the vessel provides surveillance and maritime security reach.
Strategic French Role
The Félix Éboué-class succeeds the P400 patrol vessels and forms part of France’s overseas military posture that includes 20 naval assets, 40 aircraft and 7,000 personnel across French Polynesia, New Caledonia and La Réunion. These units enforce sovereignty, deliver disaster relief and uphold international maritime law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The French Consulate in Cape Town noted that the Auguste Techer focuses on sovereignty patrols, environmental protection and countering illicit maritime activity within France’s seven-million-square-kilometre exclusive economic zone.
