NEWS & EVENTS - ACQUISITIONS
10 February 2005
New deliveries of the A109 and Hawk slip
Acquisitions
It was mentioned on the SAAF News group that it was announcement at the Air Force Day Parade at Bays Hill, Zwartkop, on 1 February 2005, that it was the last occasion that the Alouette III and Impala would participate in a formation flypast at an Air...
8 February 2005
SA defence department faces a budget noose
Acquisitions
The South African Department of Defence is struggling in the face of increasing commitments and an indifferent Treasury. The department must find a further R80 million within its budget to fund an unexpected commitment of an infantry company to Darfu...
31 January 2005
Taxan system qualified on the Hawk
Acquisitions
BAE Systems, with the technical collaboration of Secapem, has qualified the South African Hawk Mk 120 with the Secapem Taxan target system.The Taxan target drogue is towed behind the aircraft and used for gunnery practice....
13 January 2005
Maiden Flight for SA's first locally assembled Hawk
Acquisitions
South Africa's first locally-assembled Hawk fighter trainer aircraft successfully completed its maiden flight earlier today.The aircraft, a BAE SYSTEMS Hawk Mk.120, was flown by South African industry test pilot, Dave Stock, together with Gordon ...
11 January 2005
First Gripen fighter for the SAAF enters final assembly stage
Acquisitions
On 11 January 2005, an important step was taken in the Gripen for South Africa program, when the first aircraft - a dual seat - entered the final assembly stage at Saab's factory in Sweden. "Today's marks an important milestone in the pr...
10 January 2005
Defence analysts slam state's 'rushed' ?1.2bn Airbus deal
Acquisitions
Defence analysts last week blamed the apparently rushed and even "secretive" deal by government late last year to buy into the new Airbus A400M project on a belated realisation of the full implications of the increased military and humanita...
3 January 2005
SAAF issues request for Oryx update
Acquisitions
It has been reported that Armscor issued a Request for Information in late December 2004 to Denel and ATE to submit information on an Oryx Mid-life update. Closing date for the submissions is end February 2005. SAAF News...
14 December 2004
Govt defends aircraft deal
Acquisitions
The government's main intention in the R8bn A400M Airbus programme is not to acquire aircraft but to participate in their design and manufacture, says the secretary for defence.The secretary, January Masilela, said in an affidavit filed in the Ca...
10 December 2004
Pennant to supply further Training Systems to support
Acquisitions
Pennant Training Systems has been contracted by BAE SYSTEMS to design, produce and supply a Virtual Aircraft Training System (VATS) for the Hawk Training Suite for the South African Air Force, production work for which has been ongoing this year.An a...
9 December 2004
SA, Airbus to sign a deal
Acquisitions
South Africa is committed to buying at least €837m worth of military aircraft in exchange for investment, technological knowledge and jobs, the transport department said on Thursday. The country has agreed to participate in the A400M multi-role ...
25 October 2004
Status of new aircraft acquisitions
Acquisitions
At an Armscor Financial Year 2003/04 presentation to the parliamentary Defence Portfolio Committee on 12 October 2004, the status of the new aircraft acquisition programmes were indicated as:Maritime Patrol Helicopters (Super Lynx)- 4 helicopters pur...
22 October 2004
SA's future acquisitions programmes emerge
Acquisitions
South Africa's post strategic defence package (SDP) requirements are becoming clearer. It has long been known that the Army would benefit most in the next decade as its equipment reached block obsolescence, but the air force and navy too needs a ...
22 October 2004
Pilot training for Agusta helicopters underway
Acquisitions
The SA Air Force has started training pilots, air- and ground crew for its new fleet of Agusta A109 light utility helicopters (LUHs). The South African Department of Defence says the training is taking place at 87 Helicopter Flying school at Air Forc...
8 October 2004
Hercules brakes catch fire
Acquisitions
The following is a rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:One of the SAAFs C-130 Hercules aircraft caused drama on Friday at Johannesburg International Airport when the brakes caught fire. The aircraft came to a stop on on...
23 September 2004
Airbus Military dangles carrots for R5bn buy
Acquisitions
More than 3 160 jobs would be created and sustained and R859 million added to South Africa's gross domestic product annually if the government placed an order for eight Airbus Military A400M aircraft to replace its current military transport flee...
22 September 2004
City woman makes history in Gripen jet
Acquisitions
A Pretoria woman has flown into world military history as the first woman fighter pilot to fly a Gripen fighter jet.Captain Catherine "Siren" Labuschagne (25), who is stationed at 85 Combat Flying School in Hoedspruit, took to the skies ove...
19 September 2004
Denel shows off Hawks
Acquisitions
Johannesburg - Production of South Africa's 24 new Hawk lead-in fighter trainer aircraft is well under way at Denel's production facility at Kempton Park. Denel and BAe Systems officials showed journalists nine of the British designed aircraf...
10 September 2004
First Denel Agusta A109 helicopter takes off
Acquisitions
History was made yesterday (9 September 2004) when the first locally assembled Agusta A109 Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) took to the skies. The helicopter, with tail number 4006, successfully completed a series of acceptance test flights at Denel...
20 August 2004
Integration of SA systems into Hawk advances
Acquisitions
The prototype of the South African Air Force (SAAF) version of the BAE Systems Hawk lead-in fighter-trainer is more than 33% through its flight development programme for the integration of the locally-designed and -manufactured navigation and attack ...
3 March 2004
Pennant Wins South African Hawk Training System Contract
Acquisitions
Pennant Training Systems Limited (Pennant) has announced the award of a six figure contract by BAE Systems plc for Phase 1a of a programme to supply a suite comprising: a Computer Based Instruction System (CBIS), a Virtual Aircraft Training System (V...
19 February 2004
Cheaper arms deal still 40% of defence spending
Acquisitions
GOVERNMENT has lowered its overall cost estimate of SA's strategic arms acquisition package, largely due to the strengthening of the rand last year. But the cost of the package remains well over the original figure in current rand terms, and if t...
5 February 2004
A tough new Hawk in our skies
Acquisitions
By Jeremy Michaels, Leon Engelbrecht and Graeme HoskenSouth Africa has unveiled its first Hawk training fighter jet with an awe-inspiring display in the skies over the Cape south coast, marking a new phase of the multi-billion rand arms deal.Followin...
26 January 2004
Newspaper continues anti-Hawk campaign despite official displeasure
Acquisitions
The Citizen, a Johannesburg-based tabloid started with apartheid government money in the 1970s, is continuing its apparent crusade against the current government's decision to purchase BAE Systems Hawk lead-in fighter trainers (LIFT). The paper o...
19 January 2004
Development of Infrared Countermeasures
Acquisitions
The National Laser Centre Trust of Pretoria was awarded an extension to an Armscor contract for the development of infrared counter measures on 22 December 2003. The contract value is R192 005.00.Armscor...
8 December 2003
South African Hawk flies
Acquisitions
THE first Hawk for the South African Air Force is shown making its maiden flight at BAE Systems’ Warton airfield on October 2, 2003. Piloted by Gordon McLyment, it was airborne for 23min. The aircraft is finished in two-tone grey and carries th...
New deliveries of the A109 and Hawk slip
Acquisitions
It was mentioned on the SAAF News group that it was announcement at the Air Force Day Parade at Bays Hill, Zwartkop, on 1 February 2005, that it was the last occasion that the Alouette III and Impala would participate in a formation flypast at an Air...
SA defence department faces a budget noose
Acquisitions
The South African Department of Defence is struggling in the face of increasing commitments and an indifferent Treasury. The department must find a further R80 million within its budget to fund an unexpected commitment of an infantry company to Darfu...
Taxan system qualified on the Hawk
Acquisitions
BAE Systems, with the technical collaboration of Secapem, has qualified the South African Hawk Mk 120 with the Secapem Taxan target system.The Taxan target drogue is towed behind the aircraft and used for gunnery practice....
Maiden Flight for SA's first locally assembled Hawk
Acquisitions
South Africa's first locally-assembled Hawk fighter trainer aircraft successfully completed its maiden flight earlier today.The aircraft, a BAE SYSTEMS Hawk Mk.120, was flown by South African industry test pilot, Dave Stock, together with Gordon ...
First Gripen fighter for the SAAF enters final assembly stage
Acquisitions
On 11 January 2005, an important step was taken in the Gripen for South Africa program, when the first aircraft - a dual seat - entered the final assembly stage at Saab's factory in Sweden. "Today's marks an important milestone in the pr...
Defence analysts slam state's 'rushed' ?1.2bn Airbus deal
Acquisitions
Defence analysts last week blamed the apparently rushed and even "secretive" deal by government late last year to buy into the new Airbus A400M project on a belated realisation of the full implications of the increased military and humanita...
SAAF issues request for Oryx update
Acquisitions
It has been reported that Armscor issued a Request for Information in late December 2004 to Denel and ATE to submit information on an Oryx Mid-life update. Closing date for the submissions is end February 2005. SAAF News...
Govt defends aircraft deal
Acquisitions
The government's main intention in the R8bn A400M Airbus programme is not to acquire aircraft but to participate in their design and manufacture, says the secretary for defence.The secretary, January Masilela, said in an affidavit filed in the Ca...
Pennant to supply further Training Systems to support
Acquisitions
Pennant Training Systems has been contracted by BAE SYSTEMS to design, produce and supply a Virtual Aircraft Training System (VATS) for the Hawk Training Suite for the South African Air Force, production work for which has been ongoing this year.An a...
SA, Airbus to sign a deal
Acquisitions
South Africa is committed to buying at least €837m worth of military aircraft in exchange for investment, technological knowledge and jobs, the transport department said on Thursday. The country has agreed to participate in the A400M multi-role ...
Status of new aircraft acquisitions
Acquisitions
At an Armscor Financial Year 2003/04 presentation to the parliamentary Defence Portfolio Committee on 12 October 2004, the status of the new aircraft acquisition programmes were indicated as:Maritime Patrol Helicopters (Super Lynx)- 4 helicopters pur...
SA's future acquisitions programmes emerge
Acquisitions
South Africa's post strategic defence package (SDP) requirements are becoming clearer. It has long been known that the Army would benefit most in the next decade as its equipment reached block obsolescence, but the air force and navy too needs a ...
Pilot training for Agusta helicopters underway
Acquisitions
The SA Air Force has started training pilots, air- and ground crew for its new fleet of Agusta A109 light utility helicopters (LUHs). The South African Department of Defence says the training is taking place at 87 Helicopter Flying school at Air Forc...
Hercules brakes catch fire
Acquisitions
The following is a rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:One of the SAAFs C-130 Hercules aircraft caused drama on Friday at Johannesburg International Airport when the brakes caught fire. The aircraft came to a stop on on...
Airbus Military dangles carrots for R5bn buy
Acquisitions
More than 3 160 jobs would be created and sustained and R859 million added to South Africa's gross domestic product annually if the government placed an order for eight Airbus Military A400M aircraft to replace its current military transport flee...
City woman makes history in Gripen jet
Acquisitions
A Pretoria woman has flown into world military history as the first woman fighter pilot to fly a Gripen fighter jet.Captain Catherine "Siren" Labuschagne (25), who is stationed at 85 Combat Flying School in Hoedspruit, took to the skies ove...
Denel shows off Hawks
Acquisitions
Johannesburg - Production of South Africa's 24 new Hawk lead-in fighter trainer aircraft is well under way at Denel's production facility at Kempton Park. Denel and BAe Systems officials showed journalists nine of the British designed aircraf...
First Denel Agusta A109 helicopter takes off
Acquisitions
History was made yesterday (9 September 2004) when the first locally assembled Agusta A109 Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) took to the skies. The helicopter, with tail number 4006, successfully completed a series of acceptance test flights at Denel...
Integration of SA systems into Hawk advances
Acquisitions
The prototype of the South African Air Force (SAAF) version of the BAE Systems Hawk lead-in fighter-trainer is more than 33% through its flight development programme for the integration of the locally-designed and -manufactured navigation and attack ...
Pennant Wins South African Hawk Training System Contract
Acquisitions
Pennant Training Systems Limited (Pennant) has announced the award of a six figure contract by BAE Systems plc for Phase 1a of a programme to supply a suite comprising: a Computer Based Instruction System (CBIS), a Virtual Aircraft Training System (V...
Cheaper arms deal still 40% of defence spending
Acquisitions
GOVERNMENT has lowered its overall cost estimate of SA's strategic arms acquisition package, largely due to the strengthening of the rand last year. But the cost of the package remains well over the original figure in current rand terms, and if t...
A tough new Hawk in our skies
Acquisitions
By Jeremy Michaels, Leon Engelbrecht and Graeme HoskenSouth Africa has unveiled its first Hawk training fighter jet with an awe-inspiring display in the skies over the Cape south coast, marking a new phase of the multi-billion rand arms deal.Followin...
Newspaper continues anti-Hawk campaign despite official displeasure
Acquisitions
The Citizen, a Johannesburg-based tabloid started with apartheid government money in the 1970s, is continuing its apparent crusade against the current government's decision to purchase BAE Systems Hawk lead-in fighter trainers (LIFT). The paper o...
Development of Infrared Countermeasures
Acquisitions
The National Laser Centre Trust of Pretoria was awarded an extension to an Armscor contract for the development of infrared counter measures on 22 December 2003. The contract value is R192 005.00.Armscor...
South African Hawk flies
Acquisitions
THE first Hawk for the South African Air Force is shown making its maiden flight at BAE Systems’ Warton airfield on October 2, 2003. Piloted by Gordon McLyment, it was airborne for 23min. The aircraft is finished in two-tone grey and carries th...
