NEWS & EVENTS - GENERAL
18 September 2006
Rooivalk performs emergency landing
General
A Rooivalk helicopter of 16 Squadron suffered ahard landing sometime during the previous week when it apparently lost power in one engine. As the aircraft was in a valley, it was decided to perform an emergency landing. Damage unknown, but the Rooiva...
1 September 2006
Hawk software release will open flight path for South African Air Force's Gripen training
General
Release of the Operational Clearance Software Standard 2 (OC2) version of the avionics software, by Advanced Technologies and Engineering (ATE), for the South African Air Force (SAAF) BAE Systems Hawk Mk 120 is planned for this month (September 2006)...
31 August 2006
South Africa works up Rooivalk squadron
General
The South African Air Force (SAAF) is working up its Rooivalk combat support helicopter squadron to achieve full day/night operational capability with cannon and rockets. It is also developing doctrines for operations with other helicopter types and ...
28 August 2006
Hawk software release will open flight path for South African Air Force's Gripen training
General
Release of the Operational Clearance Software Standard 2 (OC2) version of the avionics software, by Advanced Technologies and Engineering (ATE), for the South African Air Force (SAAF) BAE Systems Hawk Mk 120 is planned for this month (September 2006)...
23 August 2006
Belgian news
General
During a visit to Bruxelles, Belgium, South African Mnister of Defence Mosiuoa Lekota and his Belgian counterpart, André Flahaut, discussed bilateral issues. Our Belgian correspondent, Gerard Gaudin, states that they agreed to a training excha...
22 August 2006
SAAF A400Ms to acquire AAR pods
General
Cobham announced on 20 July that its Air Refuelling and Auxiliary Mission Equipment Division has been awarded a contract worth more than £7 million to provide 16 908E wing dispensing pods for eight Airbus A400M tanker aircraft, with deliveries ...
22 August 2006
SAAF Lynx update
General
Agusta-Westland confirmed that all four South African Navy Super Lynx 300 helicopters on order get delivered to South Africa in early 2007. Pilot training is already underway at AgustaWestland's plant at Yeovil, in Somerset.AirForces Monthly (Sep...
22 August 2006
Gripen Arrives In South Africa for Trials
General
Two-seat SAAB JAS 39D Gripen 01 (c n 39-2801/`ZA01') the first of the type for the South African Air Force (SAAF), has arrived in South Africa. The aircraft, which made its first flight on November 11, 2005, at Linkoping, Sweden, was shipped from...
22 August 2006
SAAF to contract out rotary-wing training
General
Following withdrawal of the Alouette III from South African Air Force (SAAF) service, the SAAF is to to contract out ab initio rotary-wing training previously undertaken by 87 Helicopter Flying School (HFS) at AFB Bloemspruit.Brigadier General Paine,...
17 August 2006
Mirage F1-AZs delivered to Gabon
General
Further to the news story of 19 April 2006 whereby I reported that Gabon had purchased the surviving ex-SAAF Mirage F1-AZs (plus spares) for about R40m, I can now report that the first two aircraft have arrived in Libreville, Gabon.Aerosud were contr...
8 August 2006
Ysterplaat mounts an Impala
General
After months of planning, an ex-85 Combat Flying School Impala MkI was placed on its pedestal at AFB Ysterplaat. Under grey skies, with the sun peeking out to have a look at proceedings, Atlas MB326M Impala MkI 531 (c/n A56) was towed from within the...
1 August 2006
Procurement of FZ-90 rockets
General
Armscor has issued Forges De Zeebrugge SA a quotation request for the procurement of FZ-90 rocket systems for the Rooivalk.Armscor Bulletin System...
30 July 2006
SAAF men's graves found
General
Thirty years after their aircraft was shot down in the maelstrom of the Angolan civil war, the graves of two SA air force pilots and an army captain have been found.The families are trying to raise funds for a pilgrimage to their lonely resting place...
27 July 2006
A-Darter news
General
Armscor has issued Denel Aerospace Group a quotation request for the acqusition of A-Darter CFE Data items and hardware items for delivery to SAAB.Armscor Bulletin System...
27 July 2006
Gripen news
General
The air force chiefs of Hungary, Sweden and South Africa agreed the creation of the Gripen User Group co-operation forum at Farnborough International Air Show on 18 July 2006.Ericsson Microwave Systems (Gothenburg, Sweden) is negotiating with the Swe...
24 July 2006
Zimbabwe flying instructors at Langebaanweg
General
By Col Graham BarrOC CFS Langebaanweg he long awaited arrival of Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) flying instructors and technical staff finally occurred on 18 February 2006. In all, twelve members joined up with their new-found colleagues at Central Flyi...
22 July 2006
Disposal of C-47TP 6811
General
South African Government arms agency Armscor is advertising South African Air Force (SAAF) Douglas C-47TP 6811 (c/n 11986) for sale by tender. The aircraft, one of 32 SAAF Dakotas converted to turboprop configuration, was last reported in service wit...
22 July 2006
South African fighter news
General
Official sources have revealed that the sale of MB326KC Impala MkIIs to the Brazilian Government, on behalf of its Air Force, has now resulted in all the Mk IIs having been successfully sold, and there is no prospect of further examples being markete...
22 July 2006
SAAF Helicopter Developments
General
Adding to the South African Air Force Alouette retirement report, further details are now known. The first of the remaining Alouette III units to give it up was 19 Squadron at Air Force Base (AFB) Hoedspruit. Its final helicopter was 114, which flew ...
22 July 2006
'Don't let the Gripens rust'
General
The following is a (very) rough extract from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:The DA has warned that South Africa's new Gripen fighter aircraft, of which the first had recently arrived, must not stand and gather dust in the hanger.Mr R...
17 July 2006
ATE avionics intergrated into SAAF Hawk
General
Looking at the "glass cockpit" of the SA Air Force's new Hawk Mk.120 lead-in fighter trainer (LIFT) during an air-to-air "dogfight", it is hard to believe that the nimble fighter is not fitted with an actual radar system. Inst...
17 July 2006
South Africa's first Gripen fighter planes takes the scenic route home
General
The first of South Africa's fleet of 28 Gripen aircraft ordered to re-equip the South African National Defence Force was towed through Cape Town to Ysterplaat Air Force Base from Cape Town Harbour yesterday."Once at Ysterplaat, the Gripen wi...
10 July 2006
They fear the aircraft over their houses
General
The following is a (very) rough extract from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:Residents of houses around the Waterkloof airforce base live in fear after aircraft resumed training flights over their houses. The aircraft, which appear to be ...
9 July 2006
Busy afternoon for 22 Squadron
General
The stand-by crew of 22 Squadron spent a busy Sunday afternoon performing casevac duties around Cape Town. First they airlifted a tourist who had slipped and fell down Table Mountain to the Constantiaberg Medi-Clinic. No sooner had they landed in Ory...
4 July 2006
Saab ships first of 28 South African Gripens
General
By Craig Hoyle in LinkopingSouth Africa's first of 28 Gripen multirole fighters has been shipped to the country from Saab's Linköping manufacturing site in Sweden ahead of a 14-month flight test campaign. To be conducted from the South A...
Rooivalk performs emergency landing
General
A Rooivalk helicopter of 16 Squadron suffered ahard landing sometime during the previous week when it apparently lost power in one engine. As the aircraft was in a valley, it was decided to perform an emergency landing. Damage unknown, but the Rooiva...
Hawk software release will open flight path for South African Air Force's Gripen training
General
Release of the Operational Clearance Software Standard 2 (OC2) version of the avionics software, by Advanced Technologies and Engineering (ATE), for the South African Air Force (SAAF) BAE Systems Hawk Mk 120 is planned for this month (September 2006)...
South Africa works up Rooivalk squadron
General
The South African Air Force (SAAF) is working up its Rooivalk combat support helicopter squadron to achieve full day/night operational capability with cannon and rockets. It is also developing doctrines for operations with other helicopter types and ...
Hawk software release will open flight path for South African Air Force's Gripen training
General
Release of the Operational Clearance Software Standard 2 (OC2) version of the avionics software, by Advanced Technologies and Engineering (ATE), for the South African Air Force (SAAF) BAE Systems Hawk Mk 120 is planned for this month (September 2006)...
Belgian news
General
During a visit to Bruxelles, Belgium, South African Mnister of Defence Mosiuoa Lekota and his Belgian counterpart, André Flahaut, discussed bilateral issues. Our Belgian correspondent, Gerard Gaudin, states that they agreed to a training excha...
SAAF A400Ms to acquire AAR pods
General
Cobham announced on 20 July that its Air Refuelling and Auxiliary Mission Equipment Division has been awarded a contract worth more than £7 million to provide 16 908E wing dispensing pods for eight Airbus A400M tanker aircraft, with deliveries ...
SAAF Lynx update
General
Agusta-Westland confirmed that all four South African Navy Super Lynx 300 helicopters on order get delivered to South Africa in early 2007. Pilot training is already underway at AgustaWestland's plant at Yeovil, in Somerset.AirForces Monthly (Sep...
Gripen Arrives In South Africa for Trials
General
Two-seat SAAB JAS 39D Gripen 01 (c n 39-2801/`ZA01') the first of the type for the South African Air Force (SAAF), has arrived in South Africa. The aircraft, which made its first flight on November 11, 2005, at Linkoping, Sweden, was shipped from...
SAAF to contract out rotary-wing training
General
Following withdrawal of the Alouette III from South African Air Force (SAAF) service, the SAAF is to to contract out ab initio rotary-wing training previously undertaken by 87 Helicopter Flying School (HFS) at AFB Bloemspruit.Brigadier General Paine,...
Mirage F1-AZs delivered to Gabon
General
Further to the news story of 19 April 2006 whereby I reported that Gabon had purchased the surviving ex-SAAF Mirage F1-AZs (plus spares) for about R40m, I can now report that the first two aircraft have arrived in Libreville, Gabon.Aerosud were contr...
Ysterplaat mounts an Impala
General
After months of planning, an ex-85 Combat Flying School Impala MkI was placed on its pedestal at AFB Ysterplaat. Under grey skies, with the sun peeking out to have a look at proceedings, Atlas MB326M Impala MkI 531 (c/n A56) was towed from within the...
Procurement of FZ-90 rockets
General
Armscor has issued Forges De Zeebrugge SA a quotation request for the procurement of FZ-90 rocket systems for the Rooivalk.Armscor Bulletin System...
SAAF men's graves found
General
Thirty years after their aircraft was shot down in the maelstrom of the Angolan civil war, the graves of two SA air force pilots and an army captain have been found.The families are trying to raise funds for a pilgrimage to their lonely resting place...
A-Darter news
General
Armscor has issued Denel Aerospace Group a quotation request for the acqusition of A-Darter CFE Data items and hardware items for delivery to SAAB.Armscor Bulletin System...
Gripen news
General
The air force chiefs of Hungary, Sweden and South Africa agreed the creation of the Gripen User Group co-operation forum at Farnborough International Air Show on 18 July 2006.Ericsson Microwave Systems (Gothenburg, Sweden) is negotiating with the Swe...
Zimbabwe flying instructors at Langebaanweg
General
By Col Graham BarrOC CFS Langebaanweg he long awaited arrival of Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) flying instructors and technical staff finally occurred on 18 February 2006. In all, twelve members joined up with their new-found colleagues at Central Flyi...
Disposal of C-47TP 6811
General
South African Government arms agency Armscor is advertising South African Air Force (SAAF) Douglas C-47TP 6811 (c/n 11986) for sale by tender. The aircraft, one of 32 SAAF Dakotas converted to turboprop configuration, was last reported in service wit...
South African fighter news
General
Official sources have revealed that the sale of MB326KC Impala MkIIs to the Brazilian Government, on behalf of its Air Force, has now resulted in all the Mk IIs having been successfully sold, and there is no prospect of further examples being markete...
SAAF Helicopter Developments
General
Adding to the South African Air Force Alouette retirement report, further details are now known. The first of the remaining Alouette III units to give it up was 19 Squadron at Air Force Base (AFB) Hoedspruit. Its final helicopter was 114, which flew ...
'Don't let the Gripens rust'
General
The following is a (very) rough extract from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:The DA has warned that South Africa's new Gripen fighter aircraft, of which the first had recently arrived, must not stand and gather dust in the hanger.Mr R...
ATE avionics intergrated into SAAF Hawk
General
Looking at the "glass cockpit" of the SA Air Force's new Hawk Mk.120 lead-in fighter trainer (LIFT) during an air-to-air "dogfight", it is hard to believe that the nimble fighter is not fitted with an actual radar system. Inst...
South Africa's first Gripen fighter planes takes the scenic route home
General
The first of South Africa's fleet of 28 Gripen aircraft ordered to re-equip the South African National Defence Force was towed through Cape Town to Ysterplaat Air Force Base from Cape Town Harbour yesterday."Once at Ysterplaat, the Gripen wi...
They fear the aircraft over their houses
General
The following is a (very) rough extract from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:Residents of houses around the Waterkloof airforce base live in fear after aircraft resumed training flights over their houses. The aircraft, which appear to be ...
Busy afternoon for 22 Squadron
General
The stand-by crew of 22 Squadron spent a busy Sunday afternoon performing casevac duties around Cape Town. First they airlifted a tourist who had slipped and fell down Table Mountain to the Constantiaberg Medi-Clinic. No sooner had they landed in Ory...
Saab ships first of 28 South African Gripens
General
By Craig Hoyle in LinkopingSouth Africa's first of 28 Gripen multirole fighters has been shipped to the country from Saab's Linköping manufacturing site in Sweden ahead of a 14-month flight test campaign. To be conducted from the South A...
