Exercise Good Hope III commences. Article by AB J.G. Grant Photo’s by CPO N.D.Herne & AB J.G. Grant.

25 February 2008 dawned a clear and sunny day in the naval harbour of Naval Base Simon’s Town. It is here that Task Group 501, comprising of South African and German Naval vessels commenced on EXERCISE GOOD HOPE III. EXERCISE GOOD HOPE III is a multinational exercise between the German Armed Forces (Navy and Air Force) and the SANDF (mainly the Navy and Air Force) taking place in the Cape Town, Simon’s Town and Overberg area.

Lt Cdr Luciano Ponce of the Brazilian Navy on the bridge of the SAS Amatola with Lt Cdr Dieter Jones, the Operations Officer of SAS Amatola. Lt Cdr Ponce is detached to the SA Navy in preparation for the upcoming Atlasur VI exercise between the South African, Brazilian, Argentinean and Uruguayan Navies.

Our day started at 0800B when the Officer Commanding (OC) Captain Michael Girsa, briefed his ships company on the flight deck. The OC welcomed all the new members that had joined the ship for the Exercise. He furthermore passed his appreciation to the ships company for a job well done in getting the ship ready to sail as scheduled. The OC spoke of the forthcoming days’ events and how only good habits would help through this exercise. After a meticulous final check, the naval tugs assisted helped this operationally ready warship out of port. SAS AMATOLA sailed at 0900B.

CPO Martin Buckhart (FGN), the Chief Bosun’s Mate and his RAS Crew onboard FGS Berlin during the RAS. The FGS Hamburg was simultaneously undergoing a RAS on FGS Berlin’ starboard side.	The ships Padre, Chaplain Margaret Mpisana prepares to deliver her morning sermon to the ships company after LS Wessel Wessels pipes the wakey-wakey.

At 1145B, ‘hands to flying stations’ was piped. An Oryx Helicopter from AFB Ysterplaat landed on the flight deck while SAS AMATOLA sailed out of False Bay. SAS AMATOLA plays host to the Commander Task Group (CTG) 501.02 Captain Steven-Jennings and his staff. The Task Force is divided into two Task Groups, with Captain Michael Budde of the Federal German Navy as CTG 501.01 which comprises of FGS HAMBURG, FGS KÖLN, FGS BERLIN, FGS WESTERWALD and task group 501.02 comprising the SAS DRAKENSBERG, SAS ISLANDWANA, SAS AMATOLA, SAS GALESHEWE, SAS ISAAC DHYOBA, SAS UMKOMAAS.

One of the German Tornado Fighter Bombers as it flies over the SAS Amatola during an air defence exercise.	SAS Amatola receives the probe during a RAS between FGS Berlin & SAS Amatola.

Similar exercises have been conducted twice in the past, between the Armed Forces of the two countries. These exercises are the largest undertaken by the German Defence Force outside of its North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s (NATO) obligations. Good relationships exist between Germany and South Africa, not only on the military side but also politically and economically. The SAS AMATOLA is expecting to exercise drills and evolutions enabling training of the new personnel that have joined the ship in the art of modern naval warfare. It is expected that the crew will gain a lot of understanding and skills from this exercise. The task group will be alongside over the weekends with our first port of call being the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town for some much needed rest and recovery. Until then the five day passage will be filled exercises and training.