Marovoanise Naval Forces

Marovoanise Naval Forces
Tafika an-dranomasina Marovoanise
Active	1966-present
Country	Marovoay
Allegiance	Marovoanise Defence Forces
Branch	Navy
Role	Security of Marovoanise Water Territory
Size	4,000 total personnel 2,300 Active Personnel 1,700 Reserve Personnel
Anniversaries	Founding Day July 23rd 1966
Equipment	2 Frigates 2 Corvettes (1 Operational) 1 Landing Craft 2 Missile Boats 3 Gunboats 3 Patrol Boats

Overview

The Marovoanise Naval Forces (TDM) (Marovoa: Tafika an-Dranomasina Marovoanise) is the naval arm of the Marovoanise Self Defence Forces, is classed as the country's most vital defence force due to its island geography, and is responsible for the maritime defence of the Marovoanise nation and its interests. The role of the Marovoanise Naval Forces is to conduct operations at sea for the defence of the nation and its interests and conduct prompt and sustainable combat operations at sea in accordance with the national policies.

Marovoay, situated in the middle of major sea lanes passing through the _ Ocean, was always a magnet for seafarers and has a long history of naval campaigns. The current Marovoanise Naval Forces was established on 9 December 1960 when the Navy Act was passed for the formation of the Marovoanise Naval Forces. The roots of the modern Marovoanise Navy date back to 1937 when the Marovoay Naval Volunteer Force was established, which was renamed and absorbed into the Allessian Navy as the Marovoay Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve during the 1940s. The current name, Marovoanise Naval Forces was constituted in 1966, when Marovoay became a republic and a new constitution was introduced.

The professional head of the navy is the Commander of the Navy, currently Vice Admiral Cyriaque Rabenirina. The commander-in-chief of the Marovoay Self Defence Forces is the President of Marovoay, who heads the National Security Council; the Ministry of Defence is the organization where ship buying policies are made for the navy. The Marovoanise Navy has two Multi-Mission Frigates, two Corvettes, two missile boats, three gunboats, three patrol boats, and one landing craft, utility. Its personnel number is 2,300 of whom approximately 1,200 are deployed for shore duties.

History

The Beginning

In January 1937 the Marovoay Naval Volunteer Force (MNVF) was created with Commander W.G. Smuts as Commanding Officer under ordinance No I of 1936. Three years later, the CNVF was offered to, and accepted by the Allessian Navy as a Volunteer Reserve, the Marovoay Naval Volunteer Reserve (MNVR). It continued under Marovoanise Navy operational and administrative command until March 1946. On 5th Marsh, it reverted to Marovoanise Colonial Government control, though yet MNVR in name. In the 1939–1946 period, the MNVR carried out several operational duties, mainly at sea. Cutting its teeth on the unarmed tugs CMSS Brakvlei and CMSS Hector, it later manned and operated trawlers and whalers converted as minesweepers and fitted out with guns, submarine detection equipment, and anti-submarine weaponry. They were CMSS Grimwood (the first ship to be purchased by the Government of Marovoay), CMSS Kommetje, CMSS Imhogg, CMSS Natalia, CMSS Carson, CMSS Johnson, and the tug CMSS Whytock. In addition, the MNVR manned several Motor Fishing Vessels (MFV), Harbour Defence Motor Launch (HDML), and miscellaneous auxiliary vessels. All were manned exclusively by MNVR personnel. These ships were meant to sweep and guard the approaches to the harbors but were often used on extended missions outside Marovoay waters.

Marovoanise Navy

With Marovoay gaining self-rule from the Allessians in 1960, the Parliament of the Dominion of Marovoay passed the Navy Act, No. 34 of 1960, which established the Marovoay Naval Forces (MNF) on 9 December 1960. The MNVR served as a source of officers and sailors for the newly established MNF as one hundred were selected and transferred to the regular naval force. Under the Navy Act, the MNVR became the volunteer naval force on 9 January 1961 as the Marovoay Volunteer Naval Force (MVNF). The first warship of the MNF was commissioned in 1951 as MNF Tanarive, an ex-Allessian minesweeper, along with other patrol boats and tugs. It was the policy of the Government of Marovoay to build a strong navy to be the first line of defence of the island country. As such, the fleet was expanded with the addition of MNF Antseza, another minesweeper, frigate MNF Toliara, MNF Bemeda, and an oceangoing tug, MNF Ambinda. The MN took part in several joint naval exercises and goodwill missions. Commodore Androkae became the first Marovoanise to head the navy as he was appointed Captain of the MN in 1955. In 1965, the navy took over the strategic Allessian Dockyard, Ambanhina, as the last of the Allessian forces in Marovoay withdrew.

In July 1966 the "Dominion of Marovoay" became the "Republic of Marovoay" and the Marovoay Navy became the Marovoay Naval Forces. The ensign, along with the Flag Officers' flags, were redesigned. The term "Captain of the Navy," introduced in the Navy Act, was changed to "Commander of the Navy," in keeping with the terminology adopted by the other two services. Finally, "Confederate Marovoay Serving Ship" (CMSS) became "Marovoanise Naval Force" (MNF). In 1966, flexing its blue water capability, a naval fleet undertook a deployment to the far east. Its return resulted in a scandal as a search for contraband took place. A Commission of Inquiry into the incident resulted in the dismissal of several officers (with commissions withdrawn and others retired) and the compulsory retirement of Rear Admiral Androkae, who was thereafter implicated in an attempted military coup d'état in 1968.

Stagnation

In the aftermath of the attempted coup, the armed forces saw major budget cuts that dramatically halted the expansion it enjoyed in the 1960s. Under the latter part of the Rakotonirina regime, the Ministry of External Affairs and Defence changed its defense policy taking steps to prevent further coup attempts. Joint operations among armed services were stopped, with the army to focus on internal security and the role of the navy was scaled down. As a result, several of its ships were sold off, and its size reduced by the stoppage of recruitment of officers cadets and sailors for over seven years, the loss of important bases and barracks, and the stoppage of training in Allessia. Two batches of 300 ratings were recruited in 1968 and 1971.

Insurrection

As a result, in 1972 the navy was poorly equipped and short of personnel when the 1972 coup broke out. Despite this, the relative weakness of the navy, combined with the desire of the relatively stronger Air Force and Army to pick a compromise candidate after the removal of Army Major Tsiajotso and Air Force Colonel Raharison saw Commander of the fleet Aurélien Razafinjato appointed President, ushering in a time of strengthening for the navy.

With the coup and foreign powers desiring the ability to retain cooperation, the Government felt the limitations of the RMN and the need to strengthen the navy. The Baltocarpathian government gifted two Island Class gunboats, and these were commissioned in February 1972, while three more were ordered.

Navy of the Republic

The MNF received three more Type Island Class gunboats in December 1972, while Allessia gifted a decommissioned torpedo boat in 1975. These gunboats allowed the MNF to carry out effective coastal patrolling and several cruises to regional ports. New bases were established to counter smuggling operations in the coastal areas. Three inshore patrol crafts were ordered from local builders, while six coastal patrol craft were built by the Baltocarpathian Dockyards.

The restoration of the democracy in Marovoay at the tail end of the 1970s saw a new reduction in the Marovoanise navy, as several of the newly commissioned warships were decommissioned or moved to the auxiliary. This would be done as part of the large austerity of the 1980s, which saw the navy drop to levels of the late 1960s.

During the Third Republic, the navy increased its fleet of larger vessels by introducing the first (and only) locally built Bay class offshore patrol vessels and purchasing several more Island class gunboats. The navy lost several ships in the 1980s to attacks by suicide crafts such as in the sinking of MNF . Due to the threat posed by the suicide craft and piracy, the navy had to undertake convoy duty to escort shipping to many of the more remote islands and towns, with much of the jungle controlled y groups ambivalent or hostile to the government, primarily native tribes.

In the early 1980s a land combat force named Naval Patrolmen was created which at first limited itself to base defence and, as its numbers increased, took part in offensive operations against these conflicting groups along with the Marovoanise Land Forces. An elite naval special forces unit called the Special Naval Squadron was created in the late 1980s based on Allessian Special Forces.

In order to support ground operations of the army, landing ships and boats were acquired. In the late 1980s the MNF carried out in conjunction with the army its first amphibious operation code-named Operation Sea Breeze followed by the larger Operation Tsunam a year later and on the seas it began an aggressive clamp down on pirate activities, including gunrunning. In 1987, Admiral Masoandro Ralefy, the commander of the navy, was assassinated by a suicide bomb attack by unknown parties.

The beginning of the 1990s saw a slow expansion of larger fleet assets with the addition of newer Island class gunboats and a Tanana class missile boat being added to the fleet to intercept arms shipments between pirate groups within Marovoanise territorial waters. In 1991 the Navy started a fleet air arm (FAA) by acquiring a light helicopter from foreign(tbd) to expand its surveillance capability by operating from newly acquired Offshore Patrol Vessels. During the same time conventional warfare capability was increased by the addition of a second Tanana class missile boat. In 1992, the navy received a final Island Class Gunboat from Baltocarpathia.

Following the resumption of hostilities between the government of Marovoay and piracy since early 1993, the navy took up an active role in limiting enemy use of the seas. This resulted in several minor sea battles occurring during the course of 1993-1995. Most significant of the events during this time was the interception and sinking of several light cargo ships that were bringing illegal arms shipments to hostile groups in international waters. These naval operations have proven a minor green water capability of the Marovoanise Navy, with the commissioning of MNF Marovoay in 1994 a major factor in increasing capacity to secure her own shoreline.

Post-war

With the slowdown of the pirate issue, the navy has begun reorienting itself for the future defense of the islands. This has led to force redeployment, training exercises, and the transfer of certain duties to the newly formed Marovoanise Coast Guard. In the post-war years, the navy has expanded its maritime operations to fisheries control and counter human trafficking. Operations to counter illegal poaching by foreign fishermen have led to allegations that personnel from the Marovoanise Navy have attacked more than twelve fishermen, two of whom have died, in a series of disputes.

Cultures

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Organisation

Major

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Operating Units (Naval)

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Operating Units (Marines)

• [INSERT NAME OF DIVISION/BRIGADE] • [INSERT NAME OF DIVISION/BRIGADE] • [INSERT NAME OF DIVISION/BRIGADE] • [INSERT NAME OF DIVISION/BRIGADE] • [INSERT NAME OF DIVISION/BRIGADE] • [INSERT NAME OF DIVISION/BRIGADE] • [INSERT NAME OF DIVISION/BRIGADE] • [INSERT NAME OF DIVISION/BRIGADE] • [INSERT NAME OF DIVISION/BRIGADE] • [INSERT NAME OF DIVISION/BRIGADE]

Other Units and Organizations

• Material Control Command • Ground Research & Development Command • Signal Brigade • Military Police • Military Intelligence Command • Ground Staff College • Ground Officer Candidate School • Special Operations Forces Group

List of Equipment

Frigates

Name	Type	Class	Origin	Notes	IRL
Marovoay	Multi-Mission Frigate	Marovoay Class	Neuerstaat	In Operation	Equatoguinean Frigate Wele Nzas
Bandabe	Multi-Mission Frigate	Marovoay Class	Neuerstaat	In Operation	See Above

Corvettes

Name	Type	Class	Origin	Notes	IRL
Ambanhina	Missile Corvette	Tanana Class	Otyken	In repairs after collision with frigate	Type 037IG
Bandabe	Missile Corvette	Tanana Class	Otyken	In Operation	Type 037IG

Landing Craft

Name	Type	Class	Origin	Notes	IRL
President Mandresy Jaomanoro	Landing Craft, Utility	President Class	Otyken	In Operation	Type 069

Missile Boats

Name	Type	Class	Origin	Notes	IRL
Bemaihizana	Missile Boat	Fiarovana Class	Otyken	In Operation	Azmat Class
Tranolavao	Missile Boat	Fiarovana Class	Otyken	In Operation	Azmat Class

Gunboats

Name	Type	Class	Origin	Notes	IRL
Amorikeny	Gunboat	Island Class	Baltocarpathia	In Operation	Type 062
Ankotrabe	Gunboat	Island Class	Baltocarpathia	In Operation	Type 062
Bemahia	Gunboat	Island Class	Baltocarpathia	In Operation	Type 062

Patrol Boats

Name	Type	Class	Origin	Notes	IRL
Ifaty	Patrol Boat	Bay Class	Allessia	In Operation	Shaldag Class
Tsifota	Patrol Boat	Bay Class	Allessia	In Operation	Shaldag Class
Salary	Patrol Boat	Bay Class	Allessia	In Operation	Shaldag Class