Algerian National Navy

The Algerian Naval Force (ANF; Arabic: القوات البحرية الجزائرية, French: Forces Navales Algériennes) is the naval branch of the Algerian military. The naval force operates from multiple bases along the country's nearly 1,440 km (890 mi) 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 (fusiliers marins). 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.^[2][3]

Algerian Naval Force
القوات البحرية الجزائرية (Arabic) Forces Navales Algériennes (French)
Algerian Naval badge
Active	1963–present
Country	Algeria
Branch	Navy
Role	Naval warfare
Size	15,000[1]
Part of	Algerian People's National Army
Garrison/HQ	L'AMIRAUTE, Algiers
Anniversaries	February 2, 1967
Equipment	213 vessels, 30 helicopters, 3 MPA Aircraft
Website	www.mdn.dz/site_cfn/accueil_an.php
Commanders
Current commander	Mahfoud Benmeddah
Notable commanders	Chabane Ghodbane (1992–2000)
Insignia
Naval Ensign

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 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,^[4] 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

Class	Image	Origin	In service	Boat	Year Commissioned	Note
Submarine (6)
Project 636.1[1]		Russia	4[1]	Messali 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[5] and commissioned in January 2019.[6]
Project 877EKM	Rais Hadj Mubarek	Soviet Union	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.[5]

Amphibious warfare vessels

Class	Image	Origin	In service	Ship	Displacement	Year Commissioned	Note
Amphibious transport dock (1)
San Giorgio class		Italy	1	Kalaat Béni Abbès	9,000 tonnes	2015	Improved San Giorgio, Ordered in 2011(+1 in option)[7][8][9]'
Landing ships (2)
Kalaat Beni Hammed		United Kingdom	2	Kalaat Beni Hammed	2,450 tonnes	1984	Built by Brooke Marine in Lowestoft, UK
				Kalaat Beni Rached			Built by Vosper Thornycroft in Woolston, UK

Surface combatants

Class	Image	Origin	In service	Ship	Displacement	Year Commissioned	Note
Frigates (8)
MEKO A200		Germany	2	Erradii El Moudamir	3,700 tonnes	2016-2018	Two in service with the option for two more.[10]
Adhafer class		China	3	Adhafer El Fatih Ezzadjer	2,880 tonnes	2015–2016	Armed with NG-16-1 (76 mm) main gun, 2 seven-barrel 30 mm Type 730 CIWS, 2 quad C-802 missiles.[11]
Koni class		Soviet Union	3	Mourad Rais Rais Kellik Rais Korfou	2,000 tonnes	1980–1985	Modernized in Russia in 2011.[12]
Corvettes (8)
Nanuchka class		Soviet Union	3	Ras Hamidou Salah Reis Reis Ali	660 tonnes	1982	In service, Project 1234E built by Vympel Shipyard in Rybinsk, modernized in 2012.
Djebel Chenoua class		Algeria	4	Djebel Chenoua El Chihab El Kirch Hassan Barbiear	540 tonnes	1988–2017	Built by OMCN / CNE in Mers-el-Kebir, Algeria. Armed with 4 C802 ASM and AK630 CIWS.
Type 056 class		China	1	El Moutassadi	1,500 tonnes	2023	Unconfirmed reports that six were ordered.[13]
Mine countermeasures (2)
Lerici class		Italy	3[14]		600 tonnes	2016–2021
Patrol boats (75)
Osa II-class missile boat		Soviet Union	8			1978
Kebir-class patrol boat [fr]		United Kingdom	14	El Yadekh	250 tonnes	1982	The first two units built by Brooke Marine.
FPB98 MKI Ocea-class patrol boat		France	41[15]	Denebi		2008-2021	Built by Ocea France.[16][17]
Alusafe 2000 [es]		Spain  Algeria	12[18]	El Mounkid		2016	Produced locally.[19]

Fleet auxiliaries

Class	Image	Origin	No.	Ship	Displacement	Year Commissioned	Note
Survey ship
El Idrissi		Japan	673	El Idrissi	540 tonnes	1980	Built by Matsukara Zosen in Hirao, Japan.
OSV-95		France	205	El Masseh		2021	Built by Ocea shipyards, France.[20]
Training ship
Soummam		China	937	Soummam	5,500 tonnes	2006	5,500 tons (full load).
El Mellah		Poland	938	El Mellah (the sailor)		2017	A three-masted tall ship constructed in Gdańsk, Poland.
Salvage ship
El Mourafik		China	261	El Mourafik	600 tonnes	1990	Built in China.
High seas tow vessel
El Mounjid		Norway	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

Aircraft	Image	Origin	Type	Variant	In service	Notes
Helicopters
Westland Super Lynx		United Kingdom	ASW	130/140	10[21]
AgustaWestland AW101		United Kingdom  Italy	SAR / utility		5[21]
AgustaWestland AW139		Italy	light utility		3[21]

Modernization

Algerian Sailors conduct Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO).

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).^[22]

• 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.^[23][24][25]
• 31 units of the type FPB98 MKI Ocean Patrol Boat.^[26][27]
• 12 units of Alusafe 2000 high speed rescue and patrol vessel.^[28]

Munitions

Surface-to-air missiles

• Umkhonto (missile)^[29]
• Aster (missile family)^[30]
• HQ-7A (FM-90) - on board C28A Class Corvette .
• HQ-10 - on board Type 056 corvette^[31]
• 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"^[1]
• 4K51 Rubezh ("Styx") - Coastal defense^[32]
• C-802^[1]
• C-802A^[1]
• CM-302 – Coastal defense; delivered in 2022.^[32]
• Kh-31M – 125 delivered in 2009^[15]
• Kh-35 - 60 delivered in 2000 and 2013.^[15]
• Kh-59 - 125 delivered in 2009.^[15]
• P-20U ("Styx")^[1]
• RBS-15 Mk. III - Erradii-class frigates^[1]

Air-to-ground missiles

• Raptor-2 - Guided bomb from South Africa^[33]

Ranks

Main article: Military ranks of Algeria

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Algerian National Navy[34] v t e
			فريق أول‎‎ Fariq 'awal		فريق Fariq		لواء Liwa		عميد Amid		عقيد Aqid		مقدم Muqaddam		رائد Ra'id		نقيب Naqib		ملازم أول Mulazim awwal			ملازم Mulazim
			Général d'armée		Général de corps d'armée		Général de division		Général		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Commandant		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant

Other ranks

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

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Algerian National Navy[34] v t e																																			No insignia
	مساعد أول Mosa'id awwal						مساعد Mosa'id				رقيب أول Raqib awwal						رقيب Raqib						عريف أول Earif 'awal				عريف Earif								جندي Jundiun
	Adjudant chef						Adjudant				Sergent chef						Sergent						Caporal chef				Caporal								Djoundi

See also

• List of Algerian ships

References

Citations

1. The Military Balance 2024, p. 343.
2. "Largest Navies in the World 2023". Wisevoter. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
3. F, Lamia (2023-08-07). "L'Algérie parmi les 20 puissances navales les plus fortes du monde en 2023". www.algerie360.com (in French). Retrieved 2024-08-06.
4. Rédaction, La (2024-05-26). "Rapport espagnol: l'Algérie est le seul pays de la région à pouvoir lancer des missiles offensifs depuis un sous-marin". Algérie Focus (in French). Retrieved 2024-08-06.
5. Jane's Fighting Ships 2015-2016 2015, p. 4.
6. Binnie, Jeremy (10 January 2019). "Algeria unveils new "Kilo"-class submarines". Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 10 January 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
7. "Italian shipyard Fincantieri launched Algerian Navy future amphibious ship (BDSL program)". January 10, 2014. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
8. "Le nouveau bâtiment de projection algérien". meretmarine.com. 13 September 2012. Archived from the original on 2013-04-13.
9. "Italian shipyard Fincantieri delivered amphibious ship Kalaat Beni-Abbes to Algerian Navy". September 7, 2014. Archived from the original on September 12, 2014. Retrieved September 12, 2014.
10. "First of Two German built MEKO A-200 AN Frigate Commissioned with Algerian Navy". February 29, 2016. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
11. Akramov (2016-08-20). "EZZADJER arrive à Alger". MENADEFENSE (in French). Retrieved 2020-12-20.
12. ""Северная верфь" — алжирскому флоту // НТВ.Ru". Archived from the original on 2018-04-28. Retrieved 2018-04-28.
13. Martin, Guy (3 April 2023). "Algerian Navy takes delivery of Chinese-built corvette". defenceWeb. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
14. "Intermarine achève un troisième chasseur de mines pour l'Algérie | Mer et Marine". www.meretmarine.com (in French). 2022-08-25. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
15. "Trade Registers". armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
16. "Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
17. sablais, Le Reporter (2019-08-03). "Vendée - Le 5ème patrouilleur d'OCEA pour l'Algérie vient de quitter Les Sables d'Olonne". Le Reporter sablais (in French). Retrieved 2020-12-09.
18. Akramov (2016-02-05). "Une unité de fabrication de navires de sauvetage à Annaba". MENADEFENSE (in French). Retrieved 2019-01-10.
19. "Record breaking contract!". maritime-partner.com. Archived from the original on 2019-01-10. Retrieved 2019-01-10.
20. Akramov (2021-04-20). "Un navire d'études hydrographique pour l'Algérie". MENADEFENSE (in French). Retrieved 2021-09-29.
21. "World Air Forces 2022". Flightglobal. 2022. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
22. "Navantia to modernise Algerian Navy warships". Archived from the original on 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2013-02-18.
23. "Algerian National Navy, Algeria Naval forces, القوات البحرية الجزائرية, naval defence industry, navy technology, frigates, corvettes, submarines, systems". 25 July 2012. Archived from the original on 2014-02-06. Retrieved 2013-02-18.
24. "Dutch OK Military Equipment Supply to Algeria | Army & Land Forces News at DefenceTalk". Archived from the original on 2013-11-11. Retrieved 2013-11-11.
25. "| : Armée algérienne : à quoi va servir la hausse du budget de la défense ? Blog Défense Armée algérienne : à quoi va servir la hausse du budget de la défense ? | Jeuneafrique.com - le premier site d'information et d'actualité sur l'Afrique". 15 November 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-11-18. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
26. "Ocea livre le dernier des 21 patrouilleurs algériens | Mer et Marine". Archived from the original on 2014-02-21. Retrieved 2013-11-24.
27. "Algeria - Navy - Equipment". Archived from the original on 2015-10-23. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
28. "News - maritime-partner.com > Record breaking contract!". Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2014-02-04.
29. "Denel successfully fires land-based Umkhonto surface-to-air missile | defenceWeb". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
30. "Italian shipyard Fincantieri delivered amphibious ship Kalaat Beni-Abbes to Algerian Navy". 7 September 2014. Archived from the original on 2016-06-06. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
31. Akramov (2021-09-08). "L'Algérie commande six corvettes Type 56 à la Chine". MENADEFENSE (in French). Retrieved 2021-09-24.
32. The Military Balance 2024, p. 344.
33. "Trade Registers". Archived from the original on 2011-05-13. Retrieved 2016-01-15.
34. "Ranks". mdn.dz. Ministry of National Defence (Algeria). Retrieved 30 May 2021.

Sources

• Saunders, Stephen (2015). IHS Jane's Fighting Ships 2015-2016. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-3143-5.
• The International Institute for Strategic Studies (13 February 2024). The Military Balance 2024. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-032-78004-7.

External links

• Algerian Navy ships and equipment