Tanzania Naval Command
The Tanzania Naval Command is the naval military branch of the Tanzania People's Defence Force. It was established in 1971 with assistance from China.
History
In the years immediately following independence, Tanzania did not have a navy. Coastal patrols were performed by the Police Marine Unit, using four Type 368 craft lent by the West German government. Cooperation ended abruptly following the recognition of East Germany by the Tanzanian government in February 1965. Four Shanghai class boats were given to the Police by the Government of the [People's Republic of China] to replace the West German vessels. These were to later form the nucleus of the Tanzanian Naval Command.In 1968, the PRC reached an agreement to build a naval base for the TNC. Work on the facility began in January 1970, and was complete in December 1971. Between August 16th and August 20th in 2017, a flotilla from the People's Liberation Army Navy consisting of a destroyer, a frigate, and a supply vessel visited Dar es Salaam on 16–20 August.' During the visit, Rear Admiral Makanzo said that Tanzania currently had two marine infantry companies, which were trained by the PLAN, and that there were plans to form a third company that would be trained with help Chinese military. The rear admiral also said that Tanzanian marines were deployed in peacekeeping missions in the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan. In November of 2023, Tanzania Marine Special Forces concluded a Joint Combined Exchange Training with U.S. special operations forces in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Ships and weapons
As of 2016, the assets of the Tanzania Naval Command included:- Four Huchuan class torpedo boats
- Two Ngunguri class vessels
- Two Shanghai II class patrol craft
- Two 27-foot Defender-type patrol boats
- Two Yuch'in class landing craft
Bases
- Kigamboni Naval Base, Dar es Salaam