Navy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Navy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Active 1998—present
Country  Democratic Republic of the Congo
Branch Navy
Role Protection of waters of DR Congo
Size
  • 1,000 personnel
  • 8 boats (one operational)
Part of Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Command locations
Commanders
Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Rombault Mbuayama Nsiona

The Congolese Navy, known as the National Navy (French: Marine Nationale), is the maritime component of the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is a brown-water navy, which is currently commanded by Vice Admiral Rombault Mbuayama Nsiona.

History

Before the downfall of Mobutu Sese Seko, Zaire operated a small navy on the Congo river. One of its installations was at the village of N'dangi near the presidential residence in Gbadolite. The port at N'dangi was the base for several patrol boats, helicopters and the presidential yacht.[1]

The 2002 edition of Jane's Sentinel described the Navy as being "in a state of near total disarray" and stated that it did not conduct any training or have operating procedures.[2] The Navy shares the same discipline problems as the other services. It was initially placed under command of the MLC when the transition began: the current situation is uncertain.

The Congolese navy took part in an exercise overseen by United States Army troops in 2010 in Lake Tanganyika, to test that it is up to African Union standards.[3]

During the Dongo conflict in the northwestern DRC, a number of navy personnel fled across the Congo River to the nearby Republic of the Congo as refugees, with many civilians.[4]

Organization

A FARDC naval patrol on Lake Kivu in 2012

The 2007 edition of Jane's Fighting Ships states that the Navy is organised into four commands, based at Matadi, near the coast; the capital Kinshasa, further up the Congo river; Kalemie, on Lake Tanganyika; and Goma, on Lake Kivu.[5]

The IISS, in its 2007 edition of the Military Balance, confirms the bases listed in Jane's and adds a fifth base at Boma, a coastal city near Matadi.

Various sources also refer to numbered Naval Regions. Operations of the 1st Naval Region have been reported in Kalemie,[6] the 4th near the northern city of Mbandaka,[7] and the 5th at Goma.[8]

The IISS lists the Navy at 1,000 personnel and a total of eight patrol craft, of which only one is operational, a Shanghai II Type 062 class gunboat designated "102". There are five other 062s as well as two Swiftships which are not currently operational, though some may be restored to service in the future. According to Jane's, the Navy also operates barges and small craft armed with machine guns.[9]

Known chiefs of staff

References

  1. ↑ L'Express, 22. December 2008, page 13
  2. ↑ Jane's Sentinel Security Assessment—Central Africa. Issue 11—2002. Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group.
  3. ↑ George Allen, , AFRICOM, 2010
  4. ↑ Conflict in the DRC causes refugee problem
  5. ↑ Saunders, Stephen (editor). Jane's Fighting Ships Vol. 110, 2007–2008. Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. p. 163.
  6. ↑ DanChurch Aid, Destruction of stockpiles in Kalemie, 2 May 2006
  7. ↑ Hilaire Kayembe, Naufrage dans une rivière à Mbandaka, Le Potential, 7 August 2006
  8. ↑ Human Rights Division / MONUC, Monthly Human Rights Assessment: April 2007, 17 May 2007. The HR report stated a Goma student was shot by a soldier of the 5th Naval Region for refusing to hand over a cellphone.
  9. ↑ Saunders, Stephen (editor). Jane's Fighting Ships Vol. 110, 2007–2008. Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. p. 163.
  10. 1 2 Supreme Defense Council welcomes good performance of the FARDC Embassy of DR Congo in India. Published 6 November 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  11. ↑ Supreme Defense Council says security is higher (In French) Digital Congo. 2014. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  12. ↑ Joseph Kabila meets with security council (In French) Digital Congo. Published 5 November 2014. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
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