NEWS & EVENTS - GENERAL
10 January 2014
50 years of SAAF Reserves
General
The Reserve component of the SAAF last year marked its 50th anniversary.
31 December 2013
End of year message
General
For the South African Air Force, 2013 has been, in the words of Queen Elizabeth II, an annus horribilis. It has certainly been a busy, challenging year, a year of frustrations spiked with proud achievements.
26 December 2013
Rooivalk in Christmas Day DRC action
General
For the second time since arriving in the DRC at the end of October, SAAF attack helicopters have been requested by the UN to attack rebel positions.
25 December 2013
SA choppers sent in to help retake DRC town
General
A special UN force in eastern DRC used helicopters on Wednesday to fire on Ugandan rebels and help government troops retake the town of Kamango.
19 December 2013
Saab receives Gripen steady state support order
General
The contract enables Saab to conduct support operations in a sustainable manner with a long-term horizon.
11 December 2013
SANDF supporting Mandela commemoration, burial
General
The SANDF shifted into top gear only hours after Nelson Mandela died at his Houghton, Johannesburg, home last Thursday.
10 December 2013
At least three companies in the running to boost SAAF airlift, maritime and transport capacity
General
The mainstays of the SAAF's airlift and multi-role maritime aircraft have been in service for 50 and 60 years plus respectively, making planning for replacements a priority.
5 December 2013
Wings awarded to new pilots
General
Ten young men of the South African Air Force were awarded their coveted Wings at a parade at AFB Langebaanweg on Thursday.
2 December 2013
Air Force asks DNA sample
General
The air force 's flight crew members now as part of their medical screening a DNA sample and dental records for a database provides .
28 November 2013
SAAF struggles to justify Wings and Wheels show cancellation
General
The senior command cadre of the SAAF has not won itself any friends, particularly in the Western Cape, by the late cancellation of the Wings and Wheels show due to have taken place at AFB Ysterplaat next weekend.
28 November 2013
Row after Cape air show cancelled
General
A furious row has erupted over the South African Air Force’s decision to pull the plug on Cape Town’s Wings and Wheels Air Show, with the local aviation fraternity claiming political interference as the root cause.
27 November 2013
Media Statement: Cancellation of AFB Ysterplaat Air Show
General
After a due diligence review of the arrangements for the show, and several attempts at corrective action, the Air Force command found it difficult to reconcile the planned show with the Air Force’s Vision and Strategic outcomes.
26 November 2013
Ysterplaat Wings and Wheels Air Show (Cancelled)
General
With just two weeks t go, the South African Air Force has cancelled the Wings and Wheels 2013 show.
13 November 2013
Il-76s for the SAAF?
General
A SA National Defence Force (SANDF) project team is burning the midnight oil on an urgent study to ensure extra airlift capacity for the SA Air Force (SAAF) becomes a reality.Afrikaans daily Beeld reports Ilyushin 76s (Il-76s) are top of the list to ...
5 November 2013
First ever combat for Rooivalk
General
After three decades of development, the South African designed and built Rooivalk attack helicopter has not only deployed operationally for the first time, but it has also fired its guns in anger.
5 November 2013
Agusta LUH conversion course resumes
General
After five months of not flying, the SAAF's fleet of Agusta A109 Light Utility Helicopers (LUH) are back in the air again and converting new pilots.
31 October 2013
Underfunding eroding SA Air Force
General
Severe underfunding has led to the erosion of the SAAF and its equipment, according to the Department of Defence’s Annual Report.
29 October 2013
Rooivalk “makes a difference” in the DRC
General
More than 13 years after the first prototype of the Rooivalk attack helicopter flew in South Africa, the first one flew to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) this past weekend.
28 October 2013
Drama in air at demonstration day
General
A tool box crushed two vertebrae in the back of a female captain and broke the ankle of a load master when the Hercules C-130 cargo plane in which they were flying went into a screaming, out-of-control nose dive at a military show at Roodewal shooting ran
25 October 2013
Falcons to fly regularly again
General
Public appearances by the Silver Falcons are set to resume after the crack aerobatic team’s displays were earlier this year curtailed by the SAAF's diminishing budget.
25 October 2013
AFB Durban move will happen, no date set yet
General
The SAAF has no plans to close any of its nine bases, although AFB Durban is due to move, probably to King Shaka International Airport, at “some stage”.
24 October 2013
Air Force cracking down on ill-discipline
General
The SA Air Force announced a stricter discipline enforcement regimen for all members on Thursday.
23 October 2013
New funds to give SAAF wings
General
The defence department will be shifting much-needed funds to the cash-strapped SAAF, National Treasury said on Wednesday.
18 October 2013
Hawk trainer iPad trial to start in South Africa
General
South African air force pilots are to trial the use of iPad tablets with the service’s Hawk lead-in fighter trainers.
18 October 2013
Western Cape legislature hears “no SAAF helos for firefighting”
General
With fire season looming in the Western Cape, it appears that the SAAF cannot make helicopters available to assist municipal, provincial and other firefighting efforts in the province.
50 years of SAAF Reserves
General
The Reserve component of the SAAF last year marked its 50th anniversary.
End of year message
General
For the South African Air Force, 2013 has been, in the words of Queen Elizabeth II, an annus horribilis. It has certainly been a busy, challenging year, a year of frustrations spiked with proud achievements.
Rooivalk in Christmas Day DRC action
General
For the second time since arriving in the DRC at the end of October, SAAF attack helicopters have been requested by the UN to attack rebel positions.
SA choppers sent in to help retake DRC town
General
A special UN force in eastern DRC used helicopters on Wednesday to fire on Ugandan rebels and help government troops retake the town of Kamango.
Saab receives Gripen steady state support order
General
The contract enables Saab to conduct support operations in a sustainable manner with a long-term horizon.
SANDF supporting Mandela commemoration, burial
General
The SANDF shifted into top gear only hours after Nelson Mandela died at his Houghton, Johannesburg, home last Thursday.
At least three companies in the running to boost SAAF airlift, maritime and transport capacity
General
The mainstays of the SAAF's airlift and multi-role maritime aircraft have been in service for 50 and 60 years plus respectively, making planning for replacements a priority.
Wings awarded to new pilots
General
Ten young men of the South African Air Force were awarded their coveted Wings at a parade at AFB Langebaanweg on Thursday.
Air Force asks DNA sample
General
The air force 's flight crew members now as part of their medical screening a DNA sample and dental records for a database provides .
SAAF struggles to justify Wings and Wheels show cancellation
General
The senior command cadre of the SAAF has not won itself any friends, particularly in the Western Cape, by the late cancellation of the Wings and Wheels show due to have taken place at AFB Ysterplaat next weekend.
Row after Cape air show cancelled
General
A furious row has erupted over the South African Air Force’s decision to pull the plug on Cape Town’s Wings and Wheels Air Show, with the local aviation fraternity claiming political interference as the root cause.
Media Statement: Cancellation of AFB Ysterplaat Air Show
General
After a due diligence review of the arrangements for the show, and several attempts at corrective action, the Air Force command found it difficult to reconcile the planned show with the Air Force’s Vision and Strategic outcomes.
Ysterplaat Wings and Wheels Air Show (Cancelled)
General
With just two weeks t go, the South African Air Force has cancelled the Wings and Wheels 2013 show.
Il-76s for the SAAF?
General
A SA National Defence Force (SANDF) project team is burning the midnight oil on an urgent study to ensure extra airlift capacity for the SA Air Force (SAAF) becomes a reality.Afrikaans daily Beeld reports Ilyushin 76s (Il-76s) are top of the list to ...
First ever combat for Rooivalk
General
After three decades of development, the South African designed and built Rooivalk attack helicopter has not only deployed operationally for the first time, but it has also fired its guns in anger.
Agusta LUH conversion course resumes
General
After five months of not flying, the SAAF's fleet of Agusta A109 Light Utility Helicopers (LUH) are back in the air again and converting new pilots.
Underfunding eroding SA Air Force
General
Severe underfunding has led to the erosion of the SAAF and its equipment, according to the Department of Defence’s Annual Report.
Rooivalk “makes a difference” in the DRC
General
More than 13 years after the first prototype of the Rooivalk attack helicopter flew in South Africa, the first one flew to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) this past weekend.
Drama in air at demonstration day
General
A tool box crushed two vertebrae in the back of a female captain and broke the ankle of a load master when the Hercules C-130 cargo plane in which they were flying went into a screaming, out-of-control nose dive at a military show at Roodewal shooting ran
Falcons to fly regularly again
General
Public appearances by the Silver Falcons are set to resume after the crack aerobatic team’s displays were earlier this year curtailed by the SAAF's diminishing budget.
AFB Durban move will happen, no date set yet
General
The SAAF has no plans to close any of its nine bases, although AFB Durban is due to move, probably to King Shaka International Airport, at “some stage”.
Air Force cracking down on ill-discipline
General
The SA Air Force announced a stricter discipline enforcement regimen for all members on Thursday.
New funds to give SAAF wings
General
The defence department will be shifting much-needed funds to the cash-strapped SAAF, National Treasury said on Wednesday.
Hawk trainer iPad trial to start in South Africa
General
South African air force pilots are to trial the use of iPad tablets with the service’s Hawk lead-in fighter trainers.
Western Cape legislature hears “no SAAF helos for firefighting”
General
With fire season looming in the Western Cape, it appears that the SAAF cannot make helicopters available to assist municipal, provincial and other firefighting efforts in the province.
