Arms deal ship on its way to South Africa

The South African Navy (SAN) has received the first of four corvettes ordered under the controversy-plagued arms deal.

Defence Systems Daily, the Internet defence publication, reports that SAS Amatola, the first of four MEKO A-200 corvettes being built in Germany, was officially handed over to the SAN last week at the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg.

Herbert von Nitzsch, the Blohm + Voss GmbH chief executive, Rear Admiral JEG Kamerman, the SAN project director, and Fritz Nortje, Armscor's programme manager, signed the handing-over document. The Amatola will leave the Blohm + Voss yard for South Africa on Thursday.

The corvette will be fitted out with weapons and electronic systems in Simon's Town by a consortium consisting of Thales Navales France and African Defence Systems.

The International European South African Corvette Consortium was awarded the four-ship contract in 1999.

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