The Algerian Naval Force (, ANF; , ) is the naval branch of the Algerian military. The naval force operates from multiple bases along the country's nearly 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 (). Algerian forces are an important player in the Western Mediterranean. The Algerian navy ranks 15th globally in the world's most important naval forces report of 2023.

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 ECRN (Établissement de Construction et de Réparation Navales, formerly 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, Algeria is the only country in the region that can launch offensive missiles from a submarine, 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 +ClassImageOriginIn serviceBoatYearCommissionedNoteSubmarine (6) Project 636.1 4Messali el Hadj (021)Akram Pacha (022)El Ouarsenis (031)El Hoggar (032) 2010–2019 The first pair were ordered in mid-2006 and delivered in 2010-2011. The second pair were ordered by June 2014 and commissioned in January 2019. Project 877EKM 2 Rais Hadj Mubarek (012)El Hadj Slimane (013) 1987–1988 These boats commissioned in 1986 and 1987. They were refitted from 1993 to 1996, and 2005 to 2012.

Amphibious warfare vessels ClassImageOriginIn serviceShipDisplacementYearCommissionedNote Amphibious transport dock (1) 1 9,000 tonnes 2015 Improved San Giorgio, Ordered in 2011(+1 in option)' Landing ships (2) Kalaat Beni Hammed 2 Kalaat Beni Hammed 2,450 tonnes 1984Built by Brooke Marine in Lowestoft, UK Kalaat Beni Rached Built by Vosper Thornycroft in Woolston, UK

Surface combatants ClassImageOriginIn serviceShipDisplacementYearCommissionedNote Frigates (8) MEKO A200 2 3,700 tonnes 2016-2018 Two in service with the option for two more. 3 AdhaferEl FatihEzzadjer2,880 tonnes 2015–2016Armed with NG-16-1 (76 mm) main gun, 2 seven-barrel 30 mm Type 730 CIWS, 2 quad C-802 missiles. 3 2,000 tonnes 1980–1985 Modernized in Russia in 2011. Corvettes (8) 3 Ras Hamidou Salah Reis Reis Ali 660 tonnes 1982 In service, Project 1234E built by Vympel Shipyard in Rybinsk, modernized in 2012. 4 Djebel Chenoua El Chihab El Kirch Hassan Barbiear540 tonnes 1988–2017Built by OMCN / CNE in Mers-el-Kebir, Algeria. Armed with 4 C802 ASM and AK630 CIWS.Type 056 class 1 El Moutassadi1,500 tonnes 2023 Unconfirmed reports that six were ordered. Mine countermeasures (3) 3 600 tonnes 2016–2021 Patrol boats (75) Osa II-class missile boat 8 1978 14 El Yadekh 250 tonnes 1982 The first two units built by Brooke Marine. FPB98 MKI Ocea-class patrol boat 41 Denebi 2008-2021 Built by Ocea France. 12 El Mounkid 2016Produced locally.

Fleet auxiliaries ClassImageOriginNo.ShipDisplacementYearCommissionedNote Survey ship El Idrissi 673 El Idrissi 540 tonnes 1980 Built by Matsukara Zosen in Hirao, Japan.OSV-95 205 El Masseh 2021 Built by Ocea shipyards, France. Training ship Soummam 937 Soummam 5,500 tonnes 2006 5,500 tons (full load). El Mellah 938 El Mellah (the sailor) 2017 A three-masted tall ship constructed in Gdańsk, Poland. Salvage ship El Mourafik 261 El Mourafik 600 tonnes 1990 Built in China. High seas tow vessel El Mounjid 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

AircraftImageOriginTypeVariantIn serviceNotes Helicopters Westland Super Lynx ASW 130/14010 AgustaWestland AW101 SAR / utility5 AgustaWestland AW139 light utility3

Modernization

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).

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. 31 units of the type FPB98 MKI Ocean Patrol Boat. 12 units of Alusafe 2000 high speed rescue and patrol vessel.

Munitions

Surface-to-air missiles Umkhonto (missile) Aster (missile family) HQ-7A (FM-90) - on board C28A Class Corvette . HQ-10 - on board Type 056 corvette 9M33/SA-8 - Osa-M (SA-N-4) naval version for Koni (Mourad Rais) frigate

Anti-ship missiles 3M14E or 3M54E1/E Klub-S - Project 636.1 "Improved Kilo" 4K51 Rubezh ("Styx") - Coastal defense C-802 C-802A CM-302 – Coastal defense; delivered in 2022. Kh-31M – 125 delivered in 2009 Kh-35 - 60 delivered in 2000 and 2013. Kh-59 - 125 delivered in 2009. P-20U ("Styx") RBS-15 Mk. III - s

Air-to-ground missiles Raptor-2 - Guided bomb from South Africa

Ranks

Commissioned officer ranks The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Other ranks The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

See also List of Algerian ships

References Citations

Sources

External links