Bubele Mhlana Explained

Honorific Prefix:Rear Admiral
Bubele Kitie Mhlana
Birth Place:Mthatha
Nickname:Bravo
Allegiance: South Africa
Serviceyears:1994
Rank:Rear Admiral
Commands:
  • Deputy Chief of the Navy
  • Flag Officer Fleet
  • Director: Fleet Force Preparation
  • Frigate Squadron

Rear Admiral Bubele Kitie Mhlana is the current serving Deputy Chief of the South African Navy, he was also the longest serving Flag Officer Fleet. He has had numerous Commands of South African warships including being the first black South African naval Officer to Command a Valour-class Frigate, the SAS ISANDLWANA F146, then later SAS MENDI F148.

He was born in the Ngangelizwe township in Mthatha.[1]

Military career

He is a former Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) operative and joined the South African Navy in 1994. He assumed command of the minesweeper in 2003[2]

In 1999 he attended the Officers Course at the South African Naval College and spent 9 months attending the International Principal Warfare Officer (A) course with the British Royal Navy.[3]

He commanded the Valour Class Frigate in 2007[4] In 2009 he attended the United States Naval War College[5] He then commanded as well as serving as Commander of the Frigate Squadron[6]

He was appointed Flag Officer Fleet and promoted to rear admiral in 2014[7] In 2020 he was appointed Chief of Staff for the SANDF Joint Operations Division [8] and Deputy Chief of the Navy from 1 February 2023.[9] .

Honours and awards

In 2012[10] he was awarded the Tamandaré Medal of Merit from Brazil.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: First black frigate captain takes command . Mail & Guardian . Feb 22, 2007 . November 26, 2014 . Maclennan, Ben.
  2. News: Guerrilla leader now commands his own warship . IOL . July 30, 2003 . March 14, 2014 . Ndenze. Babalo.
  3. News: Historic change of command for navy frigate SAS Isandlwana. Naval News . February 26, 2007 . March 14, 2014.
  4. News: Ex-MK soldier at the helm of warship . IOL . February 23, 2007 . March 14, 2014 . Mangxamba. Sivuyile.
  5. Web site: Graduation: US Naval War College. US Naval War College. 26 November 2014. 19 June 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20130401085134/http://usnwc.edu/NWCSite/media/Graduation-Programs/19-June-2009-Graduaiton.pdf. 1 April 2013. dead.
  6. Web site: Four Frigates in Service for Mandela Day . SA Navy . March 14, 2014 . Rambau . Lawrence . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140314115618/http://www.navy.mil.za/archive/1008/100802_4_frigates/article.htm . March 14, 2014 .
  7. Web site: Navy rising to meet new challenges . February 3, 2014 . March 14, 2014 . Wingrin, Dean.
  8. Web site: New SANDF two-stars named . Defenceweb . May 27, 2020 . May 28, 2020.
  9. Web site: Senior SANDF appointments and promotions . DefenceWeb . February 2, 2023 . February 2, 2023.
  10. Web site: Seafarer bestowed Medal of Merit . SA Navy . March 17, 2014 . Zulu, LS N.C . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140317122035/http://www.navy.mil.za/archive/1202/120203_Seafarer_medal_of_Merit/article.htm . March 17, 2014 .

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