SAS Spear

History
South Africa
NameSAS Spear, ex Maria van Riebeeck
NamesakeMaria van Riebeeck
BuilderDubigeon-Normandy, Nantes, France
Laid down14 March 1968
Launched18 March 1969
Christenedby Elize Botha (wife of P.W. Botha)
Commissioned22 June 1970
RenamedSAS Spear, 1999
HomeportSimon's Town
IdentificationPennant number:S97
FateScrapped, 2003
General characteristics
Class & typeDaphné-class submarine
Displacement
  • 869 t (855 long tons), surfaced
  • 1,043 t (1,027 long tons), submerged
Length57.8 m (190 ft)
Beam6.8 m (22 ft)
Draught4.6 m (15 ft)
Installed power
  • 2 × 1,300 bhp (969 kW) (diesel)
  • 2 × 1,600 bhp (1,193 kW) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 13.5 knots (25.0 km/h; 15.5 mph), surfaced
  • 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph), submerged
Range4,500 nmi (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph), (snorkelling)
Complement6 officers and 41 ratings
Armament12 × 550 mm (21.7 in) torpedo tubes (8 bow, 4 stern)

SAS Spear (pennant number: S97), initially known as the SAS Maria van Riebeeck, was a Daphné-class submarine of the South African Navy (SAN). Built in France during the 1960s, the boat was the SAN's first submarine. It was scrapped in June–July 2003.