Algerian National Navy

The Algerian Naval Force (ANF; Arabic: القوات البحرية الجزائرية) is the naval branch of the Algerian military. The naval force operates from multiple bases along the country's nearly 1,440 km (890 mi) coastline, fulfilling its primary role of monitoring and defending Algeria's territorial waters against all foreign military or economic intrusion. Additional missions include coast guard and maritime safety missions as well a projection of marine forces (fusiliers marins). Algerian forces are an important player in the Western Mediterranean.

Algerian Naval Force
Arabic: القوات البحرية الجزائرية
Algerian Naval badge
Active	1516–1827 1963–present
Country	Algeria
Branch	Navy
Role	Naval warfare
Size	30,000^[1]
Part of	Algerian People's National Army
Garrison/HQ	L'AMIRAUTE, Algiers
Anniversaries	February 2, 1967
Equipment	211 vessels, 30 helicopters, 3 MPA Aircraft
Commanders
Current commander	Mohammed Al-Arabi Hawalli
Insignia
Naval Ensign

As with other Algerian military branches, the naval force was built and structured with assistance from the Soviet Union during the Cold War, but has also relied on other sources for equipment in some areas. Since the end of the Cold War, Russia has remained an important partner, but Algeria has increasingly sought additional sources for equipment as well as building its own shipbuilding capacity.

Bases

Principal naval bases are located at Algiers, Annaba, Mers el-Kebir, Oran, Jijel and Tamentfoust. Mers el Kébir is home to the OMCN/CNE shipbuilding facilities where several Algerian vessels have been built. Algeria's naval academy at Tamentfoust provides officer training equivalent to that of the army and the air force academies. The naval force also operates a technical training school for its personnel at Tamentfoust.

Equipment

The bulk of the Algerian Naval Force is still based on Cold War designs, although work is being done to both acquire new platforms as well as modernize existing equipment. The surface fleet is equipped with a mixture of smaller ships well suited to coastal and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) patrol work. The fleet is led by three Koni class frigates which have been updated with more modern systems. These are due to be augmented in the coming years by a pair of MEKO A-200 frigates which will represent the most modern equipment of the naval force when they enter service, also, Algeria signed a contract with China Shipbuilding Trading Company for the construction of three light frigates about 2,800 tons full load. A mixture of six corvettes and off-shore patrol vessels complement the frigates, while a large number of smaller boats cover the role of coastal patrol. Algeria had maintained a relatively large fleet of Osa class fast attack craft by the end of the Cold War, but it is questionable whether any of these remain in operational use.

Algeria has had a small submarine presence in the Mediterranean with a pair of Kilo class patrol submarines, though the recent acquisition of an additional four upgraded boats will expand this presence significantly. Their amphibious warfare capacity has traditionally been limited with a small group of landing ships essentially for coastal transport roles. This capacity will be greatly upgraded with the planned acquisition of an amphibious transport dock capable of supporting more robust operations. In the area of civil support, the purchase of seagoing rescue tugs will mark the first ability of an African nation to provide valuable services to economic and commercial operators in the Western Mediterranean.

The Algerian military has long maintained a strong veil of secrecy over its organization and equipment, making an exact accounting of operational vessels difficult to ascertain. Open sources are known to vary widely in their reports of several aspects of Algerian equipment.

Submarines

Class	Image	Origin	In service	Boat	Year Commissioned	Note
Submarine (6)
Project 636		Russia	4^[2]^[3]	Messali el Hadj (021) Akram Pacha (022) El Ouarsenis (031) El Hoggar (032)	2010–2019	Two project 636M in service since 2010. Two project 636.1 ordered in 2014, commissioned in early 2019.^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]
Project 877EKM		Soviet Union	2	Rais Hadj Mubarek (012) El Hadj Slimane (013)	1987–1988	Two original Kilo-class submarines in service, delivered in 1987 and 1988.^[4] Refitted and upgraded in 1993 and 1996. 2 more on order to be delivered in mid 2021/22^[8]

Amphibious warfare vessels

Class	Image	Origin	In service	Ship	Displacement	Year Commissioned	Note
Amphibious transport dock (1)
San Giorgio class		Italy	1	Kalaat Béni Abbès	9,000 tonnes	2015	Improved San Giorgio, Ordered in 2011(+1 in option)^[9]^[10]^[11]'
Landing ships (2)
Kalaat Beni Hammed		United Kingdom	2	Kalaat Beni Hammed	2,450 tonnes	1984	Built by Brooke Marine in Lowestoft, UK
				Kalaat Beni Rached			Built by Vosper Thornycroft in Woolston, UK

Surface combatants

Class	Image	Origin	In service	Ship	Displacement	Year Commissioned	Note
Frigates (8)
MEKO A200		Germany	2	Erradi (910) El-Moudamir (911)	3,700 tonnes	2016-2018	Two in service with the option for two more.^[12]
Adhafer class		China	3	Adhafer El Fatih Ezzadjer	2,880 tonnes	2015–2016	Armed with NG-16-1 (76 mm) main gun, 2 seven-barrel 30 mm Type 730 CIWS, 2 quad C-802 missiles.^[13]
Koni class		Soviet Union	3	Mourad Rais Rais Kellik Rais Korfo	2,000 tonnes	1985	Modernized in Russia in 2011.^[14]
Corvettes (16)
Nanuchka class^[15]		Soviet Union	3	Ras Hamidou Salah Reis Reis Ali	660 tonnes	1982	In service, Project 1234E built by Vympel Shipyard in Rybinsk, modernized in 2012.
Djebel Chenoua class		Algeria	4	Djebel Chenoua El Chihab El Kirch Hassan Barbiear	540 tonnes	2002	Built by OMCN / CNE in Mers-el-Kebir, Algeria. Armed with 4 C802 ASM and AK630 CIWS.
Type 056 class		China	6		1,500 tonnes	2022	Six modified Type 056 class corvette have been ordered.^[16]
Steregushchiy class		Russia	3		1,800 tonnes	2022	Three Project 20380 Steregushchiy-class corvettes on order. Reception in 2022.^[17]^[18]
Mine countermeasures (3)
Lerici class		Italy	3	El-Kasseh 1 El-Kasseh 2 El-Kasseh 3	600 tonnes	2016–2021	In service.^[19]
Patrol boats (65)
Osa II-class missile boat		Soviet Union	8			1978
Kebir-class patrol boat		United Kingdom	14	El Yadekh	250 tonnes	1982	The first two units built by Brooke Marine.
FPB98 MKI Ocea-class patrol boat		France	51^[20]	Denebi		2008-2021	Built by Ocea France.^[21]^[22]
Alusafe 2000		Spain   Algeria	12^[23]	El Mounkid		2016	Produced locally.^[24]

Fleet auxiliaries

Class	Image	Origin	No.	Ship	Displacement	Year Commissioned	Note
Survey ship
El Idrissi		Japan	673	El Idrissi	540 tonnes	1980	Built by Matsukara Zosen in Hirao, Japan.
OSV-95		France	205	El Masseh		2021	Built by Ocea shipyards, France.^[25]
Training ship
Soummam		China	937	Soummam	5,500 tonnes	2006	5,500 tons (full load).
EL Mellah		Poland	938	El Mellah (the sailor)		2017	A three-masted tall ship constructed in Gdańsk, Poland.
Salvage ship
El Mourafik		China	261	El Mourafik	600 tonnes	1990	Built in China
High seas tow vessel
El Mounjid		Norway	701	El Mounjid	3,200 tonnes	2012	Type UT 515 CD built in Norway and Motorization by Rolls-Royce.
			702	El Moussif
			703	El Moussanid

Aircraft

Aircraft	Image	Origin	Type	Variant	In service	Notes
Helicopters
Westland Super Lynx		United Kingdom	ASW	130/140	10^[26]
AgustaWestland AW101		United Kingdom   Italy	SAR / utility		5^[26]
AgustaWestland AW139		Italy	light utility		3^[26]

Modernization

 

Algerian Sailors conduct Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO).

The Naval force is currently being upgraded with the following technological developments: the existing units are being modernized, with the submarine force strengthened by two new Kilo class submarines (last generation).^[27]

• One LPD from Italy in 2014.
• Two MEKO A200 frigates from Germany.
• TYPE 054A frigates
• AIP Submarines
• Three corvettes C28A with option of three more produced locally. Radar and electronic equipment will be supplied by Thales, and mounted in Algeria. They will be built at Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard.^[28][29][30]
• 31 units of the type FPB98 MKI Ocean Patrol Boat.^[31][32]
• 12 units of Alusafe 2000 high speed rescue and patrol vessel.^[33]

Munitions

SAM

• Umkhonto (missile)^[34]
• Aster (missile family)^[35]
• HQ-7A (FM-90) - on board C28A Class Corvette .
• HQ-10 - on board Type 056 corvette^[36]
• 9M33/SA-8 - Osa-M (SA-N-4) naval version for Koni (Mourad Rais) frigate

Anti-ship Missiles

• RBS-15 Mk. III^[28][37][38] III will equip the two MEKO 200 frigates under construction for the Algerian National Navy. Delivery is scheduled for 2015–2016.
• Kh-35 (SS-N-25)^[28]
• C-802^[28]
• SSC-3 Styx^[28]
• 3M-54E Club-S - anti-shipping variant, Its basic length is 8.2 m, with a 200 kg warhead^[28][39][40]
• 3M-14E Club-S - inertially guided land attack variant; it is launched from a submarine. Its basic length is 6.2 m, with a 450 kg warhead^[40]
• P-900 Alfa
• SS-N-2C
• Kh-31M – 125 delivered in 2007-2009^[20]
• Kh-59MK – 125 delivered in 2008-2009^[20]
• CX-1^[41][42]
• CM-302 – export version of the YJ-12^[43]
• Bal-E – Coastal (SSC-6 Sennight) missile complex with Kh-35E^[43]

Air to ground Missiles

• Mokopa - the Algerian Navy's six new Super Lynx 300-series helicopters are conducting flight tests armed with Mokopa anti-armour missiles.
• Raptor-2 Precision-Guided Glide Bomb series from South Africa^[44]

See also

• List of Algerian ships

References

Notes

Citations

1. International Institute for Strategic Studies (25 February 2021). The Military Balance 2021. London: Routledge. p. 330. ISBN 9781032012278.
2. "Le dernier Kilo de la marine algérienne en route pour rejoindre son port d'attache - MENADEFENSE". MENADEFENSE (in French). 2019-10-03. from the original on 2018-10-04. Retrieved 2018-11-29.
3. "L'Algérie va réceptionner son sixième sous-marin Kilo - MENADEFENSE". MENADEFENSE (in French). 2018-11-27. from the original on 2018-11-29. Retrieved 2018-11-29.
4. "Algeria may receive two more Project 636 Submarines and two Project 20382 Corvettes". navyrecognition.com. 11 March 2016. from the original on 2 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
5. ""Адмиралтейские верфи" до 2018 года построят для ВМС Алжира две субмарины". vpk.name. 6 November 2014. from the original on 2 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
6. "Première image du 6 éme Kilo Algérien". menadefense.net (in French). 23 June 2018. from the original on 5 July 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
7. "Algeria unveils new "Kilo"-class submarines". 10 January 2019. from the original on 10 January 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
8. "Bellingcat - Algeria: Mers el Kebir Imagery Update - bellingcat". 29 May 2016. from the original on 2017-07-03. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
9. "Italian shipyard Fincantieri launched Algerian Navy future amphibious ship (BDSL program)". January 10, 2014. from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
10. . meretmarine.com. 13 September 2012. Archived from the original on 2013-04-13.
11. "Italian shipyard Fincantieri delivered amphibious ship Kalaat Beni-Abbes to Algerian Navy". September 7, 2014. from the original on September 12, 2014. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
12. "First of Two German built MEKO A-200 AN Frigate Commissioned with Algerian Navy". February 29, 2016. from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
13. Akramov (2016-08-20). "EZZADJER arrive à Alger". MENADEFENSE (in French). Retrieved 2020-12-20.
14. "«Северная верфь» — алжирскому флоту // НТВ.Ru". from the original on 2018-04-28. Retrieved 2018-04-28.
15. "Russia to Upgrade Two Warships for Algerian Navy". 5 April 2012. from the original on 2013-04-23. Retrieved 2013-02-18.
16. "L'Algérie commande six corvettes Type 56 à la Chine". 8 September 2021.
17. "Military Watch Magazine". militarywatchmagazine.com. Retrieved 2020-12-14.
18. Akramov (2020-11-22). "Trois corvettes lourdes russes bientôt livrées à la marine Algérienne -". MENADEFENSE (in French). Retrieved 2020-12-14.
19. "Intermarine Italian shipyard delivers El Kasseh 2 minesweeper vessel to Algerian Navy". Navy Recognition. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
20. "Trade Registers". armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
21. "Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
22. sablais, Le Reporter (2019-08-03). "Vendée - Le 5ème patrouilleur d'OCEA pour l'Algérie vient de quitter Les Sables d'Olonne". Le Reporter sablais (in French). Retrieved 2020-12-09.
23. Akramov (2016-02-05). "Une unité de fabrication de navires de sauvetage à Annaba". MENADEFENSE (in French). Retrieved 2019-01-10.
24. "Record breaking contract!". maritime-partner.com. from the original on 2019-01-10. Retrieved 2019-01-10.
25. Akramov (2021-04-20). "Un navire d'études hydrographique pour l'Algérie". MENADEFENSE (in French). Retrieved 2021-09-29.
26. "World Air Forces 2022". Flightglobal. 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
27. "Navantia to modernise Algerian Navy warships". from the original on 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2013-02-18.
28. "Algerian National Navy, Algeria Naval forces, القوات البحرية الجزائرية‎, naval defence industry, navy technology, frigates, corvettes, submarines, systems". from the original on 2014-02-06. Retrieved 2013-02-18.
29. "Dutch OK Military Equipment Supply to Algeria | Army & Land Forces News at DefenceTalk". from the original on 2013-11-11. Retrieved 2013-11-11.
30. "| : Armée algérienne : à quoi va servir la hausse du budget de la défense ? Blog Défense Armée algérienne : à quoi va servir la hausse du budget de la défense ? | Jeuneafrique.com - le premier site d'information et d'actualité sur l'Afrique". from the original on 2013-11-18. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
31. "Ocea livre le dernier des 21 patrouilleurs algériens | Mer et Marine". from the original on 2014-02-21. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
32. "Algeria - Navy - Equipment". from the original on 2015-10-23. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
33. . Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2014-02-04.
34. "Denel successfully fires land-based Umkhonto surface-to-air missile | defenceWeb". from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
35. "Italian shipyard Fincantieri delivered amphibious ship Kalaat Beni-Abbes to Algerian Navy". from the original on 2016-06-06. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
36. Akramov (2021-09-08). "L'Algérie commande six corvettes Type 56 à la Chine". MENADEFENSE (in French). Retrieved 2021-09-24.
37. "Algerian Navy signs deal with ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems for 2+2 Meko A200 Frigates: Details". Navyrecognition.com. 2012-07-25. from the original on 2013-10-12. Retrieved 2013-09-02.
38. "L'Algérie commande deux frégates à TKMS | Mer et Marine". from the original on 2014-02-17. Retrieved 2013-10-11.
39. "Индия приобрела крылатые ракеты 3М-14Э - ВПК.name". from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2013-10-10.
40. Akramov (2019-08-26). "La marine algérienne teste le Club S". MENADEFENSE (in French). Retrieved 2021-09-29.
41. KENHMANN, Henri (2018-04-30). "La marine algérienne se dote du missile supersonique chinois CX-1 ?". East Pendulum (in French). Retrieved 2020-12-09.
42. "Military Watch Magazine". militarywatchmagazine.com. Retrieved 2020-12-09.
43. Akramov (2021-09-24). "L'Algérie muscle sa défense côtière". MENADEFENSE (in French). Retrieved 2021-09-24.
44. "Trade Registers". from the original on 2011-05-13. Retrieved 2016-01-15.

Bibliography

• Ahmed, Hamid Ould (5 April 2012). Billingham, Erica (ed.). . Reuters. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
• Blackman, Raymond V. B., ed. (1968). Jane's Fighting Ships 1967-68. United Kingdom: Jane's Information Group.
• Chant, Chris, ed. (1979). The World's Navies (1st ed.). Secaucus, New Jersey: Chartwell Books Inc. ISBN 089009-268-0.
• DefenceWeb (1 July 2011). "Algerian Navy purchases two Tiger corvettes". Retrieved 22 May 2012.
• DefenceWeb (4 April 2012). "Algeria orders two Meko frigates". Retrieved 22 May 2012.
• Mer et Marine (5 January 2012). "L'Algérie se paye trois sisterships de l'Abeille Bourbon". Retrieved 13 May 2012.
• Miller, David (1992). The World's Navies. Salamander Books Ltd. ISBN 0-517-05241-5.
• RIA Novosti (30 June 2011). "Russia to build two Tiger corvettes for Algerian navy". Retrieved 22 May 2012.
• Russian-Ships.info. . Archived from the original on 10 April 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
• Russian-Ships.info. . Archived from the original on 14 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
• Russian-Ships.info. . Archived from the original on 19 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
• StrategyWorld.com. "Surface Forces: MEKO A200". Retrieved 22 May 2012.
• Toppan, Andrew (21 October 2001). "World Navies Today: Algeria". Retrieved 13 May 2012.

External links

• Algerian Navy ships and equipment