NEWS & EVENTS - GENERAL
5 July 2013
SAAF to test combat readiness
General
The combat readiness of the SAAF will come under the spotlight in just over a week’s time when this year’s Exercise Winter Solstice starts in Limpopo.
7 June 2013
Bases collapse in ruins
General
The Air Force has just two technicians that can repair aircraft at the Central Flying School in Langebaanweg in the Western Cape. Also, one has only three months experience.
4 June 2013
SAAF’s main airlift squadron marks two key anniversaries
General
The SAAF's main medium-heavy airlift squadron celebrated two major milestones at the weekend, with the unit reaching 70 years and its C-130BZ Hercules aircraft reaching 50.
30 May 2013
No money for pilots
General
By Graeme hoskinBudgetary allocations for the crucial training of air force pilots and navigators have been frozen - but the government plans to splurge billions on a VVIP aircraft for President Jacob Zuma.The purchase is planned despite the Inkwaz...
27 May 2013
Acquisition process for new VVIP aircraft will start now
General
With National Treasury approval in the bag, the South African National Defence Force is now ready to start the process of acquiring at least one and possibly four aircraft for the exclusive use of the President and members of his Cabinet.
25 May 2013
SA to splash out on new jet for Zuma
General
The defence force is back in the market for purchasing presidential jets as well as planes that will give the military its own airlift capacity.
24 May 2013
Funding continues for peacekeeping, anti-piracy operations, border patrol and VIP jets - minister
General
Defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, during her first defence budget debate yesterday, outlined some of the major allocations of the R40.243 billion 2013/14 defence budget.
21 May 2013
Milestones for the C-130 " locally and internationally
General
Come month-end, the SAAF’s 28 Squadron will mark two major milestones " its 70th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of the venerable C-130BZ in service.
20 May 2013
Ex Young Eagle will be part of Ex Shared Accord this year
General
In what can only be seen as another challenge brought about by a tight budget, this year will see the SA Army’s major airborne assault exercise form part of a joint United States humanitarian exercise in the Eastern Cape.
12 May 2013
Crash pilot almost failed
General
The airforce pilot that crashed an Agusta helicopter in the Kruger National Park in March had a volatile history as a pilot.
10 May 2013
Air force wings clipped
General
The SA Air Force is in crisis. Its pilot and navigator recruitment programmes have been shut down and there are plans to shelve other projects.
10 May 2013
Slick SAAF air capability demo in spite of austerity
General
By Kim HelfrichAusterity does not mean inefficiency. This was ably proven by the SA Air Force (SAAF) during its air capability demonstration at the Roodewal bombing range in Limpopo yesterday. In common with the three other arms of service, the...
7 May 2013
SAAF Museum airshow going to be a goodie
General
Forty years of preserving South Africa’s military aviation history will be marked with a massive 40 helicopter formation flypast at the SAAF Museum airshow on Saturday.
7 May 2013
Industry targeting careers at SAAF Museum air show
General
The fear that South Africa’s pipeline of young engineers for the aerospace and aviation sectors is “drying up” is one of the reasons why major local defence industry company, Paramount Group, is supporting the SAAF Museum and its annual airshow.
3 May 2013
Airforce cancels new pilot courses
General
The South African Air Force (SAAF) has cancelled all new recruitment initiatives for the year, including that for pilots and navigators.
3 May 2013
Five senior government officials suspended in first “Guptagate” fall-out
General
Government’s bureaucratic machine has moved into top gear for both damage limitation and the hunt for culprits after the unauthorised arrival of a chartered jetliner at AFB Waterkloof earlier this week.
2 May 2013
Investigation underway into civilian use of AFB Waterkloof
General
Forty-eight hours after a breach of security, in terms of the apartheid-era National Key Points Act, a top government official apparently implicated in facilitating the arrival of a privately chartered airliner at AFB Waterkloof has been suspended.
23 April 2013
SAAF affirmative action report slated
General
A report stating the SAAFs affirmative action policy will result in nothing more than higher aircraft crash statistics has been trashed by sections of the wider community of aviation enthusiasts, writers and observers.
22 April 2013
AA could affect crash stats - think-tank
General
The international military think-tank website, Strategypage, believes the SAAF's affirmative action policy will result in nothing more than higher plane crash statistics.
18 April 2013
US military aid supports SAAF C-130s
General
By Guy MartinThe military aid that South Africa receives from the United States every year largely goes towards supporting the Air Force’s fleet of nine C-130 Hercules aircraft. According to an official from the US military’s Africa...
17 April 2013
Five of nine SAAF Hercules serviceable
General
The SAAF is operating five of its nine C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, as the others are either being serviced or are awaiting inspections.
9 April 2013
SA was ready for more
General
South Africa was ready and armed to the teeth for a second intervention in the Central African Republic (CAR), though the army denied it until now.
8 April 2013
Silver Falcons to be grounded
General
By Kim Helfrich The bite of the defence force budget bug seems to have claimed another victim. This time it’s the South African Air Force’s Silver Falcons elite aerobatic team, which has been grounded. “While there is no offic...
3 April 2013
SA sends more troops to CAR - report
General
While government has come under fire for the way in which troops were deployed to the Central African Republic, it has emerged that South Africa has sent even more troops, fighter planes and transport planes to the region.
2 April 2013
Heli crash: Captain to be a father
General
The captain that died in a helicopter crash in the Kruger National Park on Saturday night would have been a father for the first time in two months time.
SAAF to test combat readiness
General
The combat readiness of the SAAF will come under the spotlight in just over a week’s time when this year’s Exercise Winter Solstice starts in Limpopo.
Bases collapse in ruins
General
The Air Force has just two technicians that can repair aircraft at the Central Flying School in Langebaanweg in the Western Cape. Also, one has only three months experience.
SAAF’s main airlift squadron marks two key anniversaries
General
The SAAF's main medium-heavy airlift squadron celebrated two major milestones at the weekend, with the unit reaching 70 years and its C-130BZ Hercules aircraft reaching 50.
No money for pilots
General
By Graeme hoskinBudgetary allocations for the crucial training of air force pilots and navigators have been frozen - but the government plans to splurge billions on a VVIP aircraft for President Jacob Zuma.The purchase is planned despite the Inkwaz...
Acquisition process for new VVIP aircraft will start now
General
With National Treasury approval in the bag, the South African National Defence Force is now ready to start the process of acquiring at least one and possibly four aircraft for the exclusive use of the President and members of his Cabinet.
SA to splash out on new jet for Zuma
General
The defence force is back in the market for purchasing presidential jets as well as planes that will give the military its own airlift capacity.
Funding continues for peacekeeping, anti-piracy operations, border patrol and VIP jets - minister
General
Defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, during her first defence budget debate yesterday, outlined some of the major allocations of the R40.243 billion 2013/14 defence budget.
Milestones for the C-130 " locally and internationally
General
Come month-end, the SAAF’s 28 Squadron will mark two major milestones " its 70th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of the venerable C-130BZ in service.
Ex Young Eagle will be part of Ex Shared Accord this year
General
In what can only be seen as another challenge brought about by a tight budget, this year will see the SA Army’s major airborne assault exercise form part of a joint United States humanitarian exercise in the Eastern Cape.
Crash pilot almost failed
General
The airforce pilot that crashed an Agusta helicopter in the Kruger National Park in March had a volatile history as a pilot.
Air force wings clipped
General
The SA Air Force is in crisis. Its pilot and navigator recruitment programmes have been shut down and there are plans to shelve other projects.
Slick SAAF air capability demo in spite of austerity
General
By Kim HelfrichAusterity does not mean inefficiency. This was ably proven by the SA Air Force (SAAF) during its air capability demonstration at the Roodewal bombing range in Limpopo yesterday. In common with the three other arms of service, the...
SAAF Museum airshow going to be a goodie
General
Forty years of preserving South Africa’s military aviation history will be marked with a massive 40 helicopter formation flypast at the SAAF Museum airshow on Saturday.
Industry targeting careers at SAAF Museum air show
General
The fear that South Africa’s pipeline of young engineers for the aerospace and aviation sectors is “drying up” is one of the reasons why major local defence industry company, Paramount Group, is supporting the SAAF Museum and its annual airshow.
Airforce cancels new pilot courses
General
The South African Air Force (SAAF) has cancelled all new recruitment initiatives for the year, including that for pilots and navigators.
Five senior government officials suspended in first “Guptagate” fall-out
General
Government’s bureaucratic machine has moved into top gear for both damage limitation and the hunt for culprits after the unauthorised arrival of a chartered jetliner at AFB Waterkloof earlier this week.
Investigation underway into civilian use of AFB Waterkloof
General
Forty-eight hours after a breach of security, in terms of the apartheid-era National Key Points Act, a top government official apparently implicated in facilitating the arrival of a privately chartered airliner at AFB Waterkloof has been suspended.
SAAF affirmative action report slated
General
A report stating the SAAFs affirmative action policy will result in nothing more than higher aircraft crash statistics has been trashed by sections of the wider community of aviation enthusiasts, writers and observers.
AA could affect crash stats - think-tank
General
The international military think-tank website, Strategypage, believes the SAAF's affirmative action policy will result in nothing more than higher plane crash statistics.
US military aid supports SAAF C-130s
General
By Guy MartinThe military aid that South Africa receives from the United States every year largely goes towards supporting the Air Force’s fleet of nine C-130 Hercules aircraft. According to an official from the US military’s Africa...
Five of nine SAAF Hercules serviceable
General
The SAAF is operating five of its nine C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, as the others are either being serviced or are awaiting inspections.
SA was ready for more
General
South Africa was ready and armed to the teeth for a second intervention in the Central African Republic (CAR), though the army denied it until now.
Silver Falcons to be grounded
General
By Kim Helfrich The bite of the defence force budget bug seems to have claimed another victim. This time it’s the South African Air Force’s Silver Falcons elite aerobatic team, which has been grounded. “While there is no offic...
SA sends more troops to CAR - report
General
While government has come under fire for the way in which troops were deployed to the Central African Republic, it has emerged that South Africa has sent even more troops, fighter planes and transport planes to the region.
Heli crash: Captain to be a father
General
The captain that died in a helicopter crash in the Kruger National Park on Saturday night would have been a father for the first time in two months time.
