From November 17 to 25, the South African Armed Forces engaged the multi-mission coastal patrol vessel King Sekhukhune alongside the Public Service Patrol Vessel (PSP) Le Malin during Exercise OXIDE 22 in False Bay.
The first days of this exercise took place at the quay during a preparation phase which made it possible to coordinate future maneuvers at sea between the South African and French sailors. During this period, the crews synchronized their operational procedures to ensure perfect interoperability during the exercise.
The operational phase of OXIDE 22 began with a sequence of complex actions where the South African and French patrol boats conducted an exercise at sea followed by a coordinated phase in the fight against an asymmetric threat. The visiting teams also had the opportunity to train on the various buildings in order to exchange their tactical know-how. The surveillance frigate Nivôse , following its stopover in Cape Town, also joined the exercise by carrying out a tactical evolution and replenishment at sea exercise.
OXIDE 22 also included an alert patrol sequence during which the South African and French vessels demonstrated very good coordination. This exercise in real conditions allowed them to train for a joint inspection of a fishing boat as well as a search operation for a boat in distress: these actions demonstrated their ability to operate together within the framework of the strengthening regional maritime security.
This rich sequence of operational cooperation has enabled the South African and French navies to maintain the momentum of their partnership driven by common security issues in the Indian Ocean.