CAF Speech at AF Day Parade
Date: 27 January 2012
Address by the Chief of the Airforce, Lt Gen Carlo Gagiano, at the Air Force Day Parade held at Swartkop:
It gives me great pleasure to cordially welcome each and every one present today, to this Air Force Day parade, which marks another year of service to the Nation.
A very special word of welcome goes to the Honourable Minister of Justice and constitutional Development, Mr Radebe, who has honoured us with his presence and so gracefully presented the award of the Prestige Unit of the Year to AFB Langebaanweg, this year's winner.
My sincere congratulations, and those of the rnembers of the Air Force command Gouncil also, go to all who received recognition last night at the Awards evening. These acknowledgments are also specially directed to those unassuming backroom personnel whose loyal, consistent, and reliable daily contributions made the achievement of these awards by their respective Units possible. with every winner there are, unfortunately, also some who do not do so well, and for that reason a special three-day course was arranged from last Tuesday to allow all Directors, Base Commanders and Unit Commanders to brush up their skills on how to use the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFOM) model. This model is not only used to measure one's own performance, but most importantly, to identify areas for improvement.
Anniversaries provide the opportunity to look at both the past year and at what lies ahead. ln retrospect, I am well satisfied with the achievements of the Air Force during the year 2011. Let me therefore be the first to acknowledge the commitment and the hard work that made these achievements possible, and to extend my thanks to all who were involved therein.
The Air Force distinguished itself in its hosting of a number of very productive exercises during the past year. ln keeping with its name, Exercise Winter Solstice was executed in the Eastern cape in extreme winter conditions and clearly demonstrated the SAAF's combat readiness. Nine SADC countries participated in Exercise Blue cluster, which produced valuable new joint disaster relief and humanitarian assistance doctrine. Two productive Electronic warfare exercises, to which Rooivalk contributed, were held, and 300 hours of valuable air support was given to the sA Army in Exercise Ndlovu.
During the past year the SAAF participated significanily in the peace support initiatives of the Government. The most recent of these operations took place during December 2011 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and comprised the provision of wide-ranging air support to the national elections there. Approximately 660 hours were flown for this purpose by the SAAF and in both fixed and rotary wing aircraft. Besides this, SAAF helicopters flew some 300 hours, and the G130 flew 167 hoursl in support of the United Nations in the Democratic Republic of the Gongo. The C47's and Lynx helicopters continued to support the SA Navy in the Mozambique Channel in international anti-piracy operations. Furthermore, some 36 tons of humanitarian freight was delivered to Somalia by C130 aircraft, whilst the SAAF was deployed in theatre for possible assistance required during the elections in Uganda and hostilities in Libya and Cote d'lvoire.
Finally, during their recent centenary celebrations held by the ANC numerous Heads of State gathered in Bloemfontein and our Gripen aircraft and other systems provided immaculate air space security on a Z$-hour basis. AFB Bloemspruit is especially commended for their role and excellent support rendered during the centenary celebrations earlier this month, making the Air Force proud.
The SAAF, aware that it faces the same constraints as does the Australian Defence Force (ADF) in that country's
Aircraft and Maintenance lmprovement project (AMlP), borrowed with their consent, from their experience and has launched its own Project safer 9AAF which embraces concepts such as EFQM, an enhanced Quality Management System as an essential element of technical airworthiness, together with safety, Health, Environment and Risk. I look forward to a notable contribution by this project towards aviation safety in the South African Air Force.
During 2011, our G130's have operated in support of Government initiatives, over an area extending from Cape Town to Malta. To a large extent the serviceability of the C130 to execute this programme is owed to SAAF collaboration with Denel Aviation with regard to maintenance, repair and overhaul, all of which significantly reduced downtime and enhanced serviceability of the aircraft. The Air Force has also invested a considerable amount of money in securing the airworthiness of the C130BZ, and this underpinned by good co-operation between the SAAF and the Aviation lndustry, has enabled extension of the economic life of the C130ls to the year 2020. lt is of vital importance that mutual collaboration such as this between the SAAF and the Aviation lndustry' should continue. The C130 operated by 28 Squadron as the receiver of the Sword of Peace last night, must be acknowledged as the real performer of the year.
The ab initio training of pilots at Swartkop on C172 aircraft and by the Babcock Training Academy is starting to devetop into a success story. Thus far, not one of the graduates from these courses and who converted to the PC7 Mk2 thereafter, has failed on the more sophisticated aircraft.
Echo Flight, where initial fighter tactics are being taught on the PCT Mk2 at Air Force Base Langebaanweg is progressing well. The object of this innovation is to reduce the cost of initial Hawk training.
Both Hawk and Gripen aircraft conducted very successful air-to-air training camps achieving results on the towed flag, which make even old hotshots like some of us very envious. Gripen and Hawk aircraft thereafter flew mutually beneficial air combat manoeuvres at Air Force Base Overberg against the German Air Force Tornados.
During the past year further advances were made in the combat environment and to my way of thinking, the SAAF maintains its position as a frontrunner, the relatively small size of our Air Force notwithstanding. Examples are training and flight-testing of a new laser-guided bomb together with helmet mounted displays, night capabilities and the power of data linking.
The creation of a support structure unit to manage WIP air transportation has been a long-standing priority requirement. Progress was however made in September 2011when a WIP unit was established at AFB Waterkloof to consolidate all WlP-related activities under one command.
Due recognition having now been given to some - not all - of the achievements of 2A11, the question then arises: what is the way forward?
Serious shortcomings exist with regard to capahilifies, some of which, if lost would be difficult to regain. These include the following:
- WIP air transportation, maritime surveillance and light air transport, where a lack of suitable aircraft is a severe constraint.
- Adequate Electronic Warfare platforms, UAV's' sensors and night capabilities.
Solutions to rectify these shortcomings are urgently required.
The Air Force needs to focus on performance management and we have no better tool than the EFQM model.
The Air Force needs to focus on sysf em integrity at all times in order to ensure safety in our operations and to increase the availability of our aircraft.
Our people are a major asset. We must therefore concentrate more on their training, mentoring, career management and discipline.
Our infrastructure is in a state of continuing decline and the prospect of targe-scale renovation is, at best, slim. The strategy of rolling up our sleeves and doing it ourselves may offer the only possible solution.
The recent floods experienced in Mpumalanga, whichcaused severe structural damage at AFB Hoedspruit poses another challenge to the Air Force which will require priority attention.
Why is the format of this parade different from Air Force Day parades of the recent past? I am sure that all our guests would have enjoyed a display of our air capabilities. This parade is different because I need to make a statement. Yes there is an element of austerity measures present in it, but we also have an additional parade soon, the Armed Forces Parade on 21 February.
The statement today's parade should make is that: lf the balance between the Human Resource budget and the Operating budget is not corrected, very few aircraft will fly.
lf resources are not used optimally very few aircraft will fly.
lf every person does not contribute optimally to the mission, and performance is not measured, very few aircraft will fly.
lf we are not all disciplined, focussed and also not enhance our knowledge, very few aircraft will fly.
ln conclusion, allow me to thank every person who contributed towards making today a success. without Brigadier Generals Ferreira and Visser and their team of dedicated workers, the members on parade, the SAAF Band, and many others, today's celebration of the Aouth African Air Force Anniversary would not have happened.
To them all go my grateful thanks.
Thank you.
