The South African Navy showcased its renewed mine countermeasures expertise during Exercise Phoenix 2025, held in Saldanha Bay from 10 February 2025. The exercise integrated cutting-edge unmanned technology with traditional diving operations to counter underwater threats, marking a deliberate effort to revive capabilities that had been dormant for years amid growing maritime risks such as illicit mining, smuggling, and potential naval blockades in the Indian Ocean.
Commander Adam Williamson, who oversaw the exercise, described Phoenix as a “foundational step,” noting that its name symbolised renewal forged through rigorous trials. Mine warfare is a cornerstone of naval strategy for littoral nations like South Africa, where critical trade routes and offshore resources remain vulnerable to explosive hazards.
At the heart of the exercise was the REMUS A100 autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), recently acquired through Armscor’s 2023 tender. This modular system is designed for shallow-water surveys, blending autonomy with human oversight. It reduces risks to personnel while accelerating threat assessment in contested environments.
The two-week exercise included classroom instruction at the Institute for Maritime Technology in Simon’s Town, covering mission planning, data analysis, and system integration under Project M/W SUPP 4. Six officers and eight ratings trained on uploading waypoints, defining operational zones, and processing sonar data to generate dive targets. The REMUS A100, in its mine countermeasures configuration, performed autonomous runs across predefined grids, mapping anomalies with side-scan sonar resolution down to five centimetres per pixel. These data were then verified by Operational Dive Division 1 teams, who conducted visual confirmation or neutralisation of simulated threats.
Practical phases progressed from controlled pool tests to open-water deployments in Saldanha Bay, exposing divers to variable currents and seabeds. Maritime Reaction Squadron divers practised contact dives, while Naval Engineering Services developed operational support protocols for AUV maintenance. Operational Sea Training provided evaluation metrics, and SAS Simonsberg staff created curricula for future Mine Warfare Operators.
The REMUS A100 weighs under 40 kilograms, measures two metres in length, and can operate at speeds up to 8 kilometres per hour for 10 hours, covering 70 kilometres per sortie. Its modular nose accommodates payloads such as a high-frequency synthetic aperture sonar for detecting mines in turbid waters. Operators interface via a laptop console, generating geo-rectified mosaics for threat prioritisation. Originally developed by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and now produced by Huntington Ingalls Industries, the A100 enhances South Africa’s layered defence doctrine, scouting ahead of surface vessels like Valour-class frigates.
Exercise Phoenix 2025 demonstrates the SAN’s commitment to modernising mine warfare, combining unmanned technology with skilled personnel to secure South Africa’s coastal and offshore assets.
