The Eritrean Navy is a smaller branch of the Eritrean Defence Forces. It is responsible for the security of the entire coastline of Eritrea, more than 1,100 km, as well as the Eritrean territorial waters.
History
editThe Eritrean Navy of today is said to have been an outgrowth of the Eritrean Liberation Front's sea transport operations early in the Eritrean War of Independence.[1] This continued as a part of the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) after the split of the organizations. After the Second Congress of the EPLF an offensive force was proposed and created with a base in Sudan.
These forces played a critical role in the Second Battle of Massawa when they sank several Ethiopian warships in the harbor.[1] At the close of the Eritrean War of Independence, the balance of the Ethiopian Navy was inherited by this naval force.
Currently
editSince independence the Eritrean Navy has expanded its fleet of high-speed patrol boats. This branch of the Eritrean Defence Forces served with distinction under the command of Tewolde Kelati. The current Commander of the Eritrean Naval Forces is Major General Hummed Mohammed Karikare. The Eritrean Naval Forces Headquarters is in Massawa.[2] Through Proclamation 104 the Eritrean Navy is empowered by the Ministry of the Fisheries to enforce fisheries-related laws on behalf of the Ministry.[3]
Ships
edit| Origin | Type | In service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 Israel
|
IAI Super Dvora Mk II patrol boat | 6 | |
 Soviet Union
|
Vostochnaya Verf Osa-class missile boats (Osa II in service) | 5 | |
 United States
|
Sewart Seacraft Swift ship Patrol boats | 3[4] | |
| 35 Ton Patrol boats | 4 | ||
 Germany
|
Large Ex-German LCU | 1 | |
| Soviet Union
|
T-4-class LCU | 2 | |
 France
|
EDIC-class LCT | 1 | ex-Turkish |
| Israel
|
Ashdod-class LCT[5] | 1 |
Weapons
edit
Israel Gabriel SSM
Soviet Union SS-N-2 Styx SSM
Facilities
edit- Massawa - Naval HQ
- Assab - ship repair facility
- Embaticalla - former marine commando training school
- Dahlak
References
edit- ^ a b Killion, Tom (1998). Historical Dictionary of Eritrea. The Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-8108-3437-5.
- ^ "Blieqat Veteran Women Fighters Association stages exhibition in Massawa". 2006-03-06. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved 2006-06-08.
- ^ "Country review: Eritrea". Retrieved 2007-03-02.
- ^ "Swiftships".
- ^ "P63 small landing ships (1967/1993)". www.navypedia.org. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
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