Navantia has signed an agreement with Angola’s defence procurement body, Simportex, to repair and modernise two Mandume-class patrol vessels for the Angolan Navy.
The work, which will be performed at Navantia’s San Fernando shipyard in Cádiz, covers comprehensive upgrades for the vessels Golfinho and Atlântico.
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A company statement confirmed that the deal was signed by Navantia Africa commercial director Álvaro Lobo, and Simportex president general Luis Manuel da Fonseca Sotto Maior Pizarro.
The vessels were originally built in the early 1990s by Empresa Nacional Bazán, now known as Navantia.
In addition to refitting the two ships, the contract outlines provisions for training Angolan Navy officers in Spain.
Navantia also committed to providing two years of life-cycle support and knowledge transfer aimed at enabling the Angolan Navy to maintain the vessels independently in the future.
The contract with the Angolan government represents further progress for the Spanish shipbuilder’s repairs and services business in the international defence sector, especially in Africa, where the company is working to assist navies with the modernisation of their fleets.
This deal follows reports from The Diplomat in February 2023 that the Angolan government was evaluating the purchase of up to six new patrol boats from Navantia, in addition to the modernisation of two existing Bazán-built vessels.
According to information referenced by La Voz de Cádiz, any construction of additional patrol boats and further upgrades for the Angolan Navy would also take place at the San Fernando site, potentially between 2024 and 2028.
Last month, Angolan Navy received six ANAVIA HT-100 NAVAL uncrewed helicopters from Edge Group, following the successful completion of factory acceptance trials (FAT) in Switzerland.
