NEWS & EVENTS - GENERAL
12 October 2005
Durban Super Frelon in a state of disrepair
General
I recently received photographs of Super Frelon 302 (c/n 111) taken on 13 October 2004 by Brian Spurr. This Super Frelon is now thought to be at HeliBase in Cape Town, awaiting restored to flying condition....
10 October 2005
60 Squadron to move?
General
The Denel Acquisition Bulletin System has issued a Request for Tenders for the re-location of 60 Squadron.The squadron, which flies Boeing 707s, is presently located at AFB Waterkloof. Is not known if the move is to another facility at the base (whic...
10 October 2005
Brazil acquires surplus SAAF R-Darter missiles
General
As part of the F-5BR programme, the Force Aerea Brasileira (FAB) is acquiring ten surplus SAAF Denel R-Darter beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles, which will be tested prior to a decision to buy further examples to equip the F-5BR fleet when it e...
10 October 2005
Prospective Pilot Killed at Military Academy
General
Cape Town - A student at the Military Academy in Saldanha stabbed a prospective air force pilot to death at the weekend and then hanged himself in police cells. The runup to the weekend's events apparently began about two weeks ago when an army s...
7 October 2005
SA eyes unmanned-aircraft niche
General
The South African Air Force (SAAF) hopes that South Africa will be able to recapture its place as a world leader in the development and operation of unmanned air vehicles (UAVs)."South Africa was a world leader in UAVs, technologically and opera...
6 October 2005
Exercise Indlovu: October to November 2005
General
About 7 500 SA National Defence Force (SANDF) members from all four Services (SA Army; SA Air Force; SA Navy and the SA Military Health Service), 30 aircraft and six naval vessels will participate from the beginning of October to 16 November 2005 in ...
3 October 2005
Airforce has a shortage of technicians
General
The following is a (very) rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:The resignation of a large number of technicians from the airforce has had a negative impact on the already low flight safety record of the organisation.Stat...
24 September 2005
SAAF's Gripen fighter ready for flight trials
General
BAE Systems and Saab have announced that production of the Gripen multirole fighter destined for the South African Air Force has been completed and that the aircraft is ready to move on to flight trials.The SAAF has ordered a small inventory of 19 si...
17 September 2005
SAAF Oryx in UN colours
General
The following photos of 17 Squadron Oryx 1225, painted in UN colours for operation in central Africa, were taken at AFB Swartkop by Greg Pullin....
15 September 2005
Upgrade of Falcon 50 aircraft
General
It was published by Armscor that a contract for the upgrade of the two SAAF Falcon 50 VIP aircraft had been awarded to Duncan Aviation Inc of Nebraska, USA. Contract value is R60 101 956.90.Armscor...
15 September 2005
Aussies develop Hawk simulator
General
BAE Systems Australia has developed a simulator to support the South African Air Force (SAAF) Hawk Mk120 lead-in fighter training aircraft currently in production.Known as the operational flight trainer (OFT), the new simulator draws on the company&#...
13 September 2005
Flying the flag costs plenty
General
Pretoria - It cost the air force more than R616 000 a flight hour to take part in an airshow in Zimbabwe at the weekend. That included the number of hours it took to prepare for the airshow at Prince Charles Aerodrome outside Harare on Saturday. Air ...
11 September 2005
The Hawk has landed at AFB Makhado
General
Another page in the history of the South African Air Force is how it can be described. The entry into Service of a new aircraft type is always a significant event and Friday 9 September 2005 was just such an occasion. After a wait of nearly two years...
5 September 2005
The airforce has good news, the airforce has bad news
General
The following is a rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:There is good news and bad news that will effect the air power of the airforce.The Chief of the Airforce, Lt.Gen. Carlo Gagiano, said yesterday that the problems wi...
26 August 2005
SAAF Presedential BBJ at Bujumbura
General
The following photo of SAAF BBJ ZS-RSA was taken at Bujumbura by Belgian correspondent Gérard Gaudin....
24 August 2005
85 Combat Flying School Computerised Training Centre (CTC)
General
The arrival of the Hawk Mk120 LIFT at AFB Makhado scheduled for August 2005 not only introduces a new aircraft into SAAF inventory, but also some of the most modern avionics. Sophisticated systems require understanding of complex systems and sophisti...
22 August 2005
SANDF 'is falling apart'
General
Pretoria - As a result of staff problems and an annual financial deficit of R5bn, the defence force is, as far as military readiness is concerned,unable to fulfil its constitutional and African responsibilities. Nearly all divisions are affected by t...
16 August 2005
Defence Airbus proving a burden: DA
General
The Airbus deal, which will see South Africa's replacement of the Hercules aircraft with the A400M military training aircraft, is already proving to be "an enormous burden" says the DA. Noting an earlier response to his parliamentary qu...
15 August 2005
Lekota justifies spending R10bn on Airbus
General
South Africa's Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota has justified the expenditure of 10 billion rand on the new A400 military transport aircraft saying the Hercules C-130 aircraft currently in use was heading towards the end of its operational life - ...
6 August 2005
So many planes, so few fliers
General
South Africa will soon have more combat aircraft then qualified pilots - this emerged in parliament yesterday when Minister of Defence Mosiuoa Lekota confirmed that the South African Air Force has only 30 operational pilots.In a reply to a question b...
6 August 2005
FF+ says air force pilots aren't being trained properly
General
The Freedom Front Plus has raised concerns about falling standards in the training of pilots in the South African Air Force, saying this may lead to accidents.The South African Air Force is currently training 131 pilots to reinforce 31 operational fl...
4 August 2005
Rooivalk helicopter flies into ground during test
General
The following is a rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:A Rooivalk attack helicopter of 16 Squadron in Bloemfontein flew into the ground during a test flight yesterday - on the day that a report was presented to the Parl...
3 August 2005
Air Force chopper crashes
General
An Air Force helicopter crashed in Bloemfontein on Wednesday, the SA National Defence Force said. No one was hurt in the accident, said spokesperson Ronald Maseko. The Rooivalk helicopter based at 16 Squadron at Air Force Base Bloemspruit in Bloemfon...
2 August 2005
R600m needed for Rooivalk
General
A further R600m is required to complete the development of South Africa's Rooivalk attack helicopter, it was reported in Parliament on Tuesday. According to a report released to the Parliamentary defence committee, R200m per annum over the next t...
26 July 2005
SAAF C160Z Saga
General
Despite the sale of eight retired South African Air force (SAAF) Transall C.160Zs (331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 338 and 339) to UK-based Heli-Lift Ltd on November 10, 2000, with all the SAAF's spares and ground support equipment (see News items ...
Durban Super Frelon in a state of disrepair
General
I recently received photographs of Super Frelon 302 (c/n 111) taken on 13 October 2004 by Brian Spurr. This Super Frelon is now thought to be at HeliBase in Cape Town, awaiting restored to flying condition....
60 Squadron to move?
General
The Denel Acquisition Bulletin System has issued a Request for Tenders for the re-location of 60 Squadron.The squadron, which flies Boeing 707s, is presently located at AFB Waterkloof. Is not known if the move is to another facility at the base (whic...
Brazil acquires surplus SAAF R-Darter missiles
General
As part of the F-5BR programme, the Force Aerea Brasileira (FAB) is acquiring ten surplus SAAF Denel R-Darter beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles, which will be tested prior to a decision to buy further examples to equip the F-5BR fleet when it e...
Prospective Pilot Killed at Military Academy
General
Cape Town - A student at the Military Academy in Saldanha stabbed a prospective air force pilot to death at the weekend and then hanged himself in police cells. The runup to the weekend's events apparently began about two weeks ago when an army s...
SA eyes unmanned-aircraft niche
General
The South African Air Force (SAAF) hopes that South Africa will be able to recapture its place as a world leader in the development and operation of unmanned air vehicles (UAVs)."South Africa was a world leader in UAVs, technologically and opera...
Exercise Indlovu: October to November 2005
General
About 7 500 SA National Defence Force (SANDF) members from all four Services (SA Army; SA Air Force; SA Navy and the SA Military Health Service), 30 aircraft and six naval vessels will participate from the beginning of October to 16 November 2005 in ...
Airforce has a shortage of technicians
General
The following is a (very) rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:The resignation of a large number of technicians from the airforce has had a negative impact on the already low flight safety record of the organisation.Stat...
SAAF's Gripen fighter ready for flight trials
General
BAE Systems and Saab have announced that production of the Gripen multirole fighter destined for the South African Air Force has been completed and that the aircraft is ready to move on to flight trials.The SAAF has ordered a small inventory of 19 si...
SAAF Oryx in UN colours
General
The following photos of 17 Squadron Oryx 1225, painted in UN colours for operation in central Africa, were taken at AFB Swartkop by Greg Pullin....
Upgrade of Falcon 50 aircraft
General
It was published by Armscor that a contract for the upgrade of the two SAAF Falcon 50 VIP aircraft had been awarded to Duncan Aviation Inc of Nebraska, USA. Contract value is R60 101 956.90.Armscor...
Aussies develop Hawk simulator
General
BAE Systems Australia has developed a simulator to support the South African Air Force (SAAF) Hawk Mk120 lead-in fighter training aircraft currently in production.Known as the operational flight trainer (OFT), the new simulator draws on the company&#...
Flying the flag costs plenty
General
Pretoria - It cost the air force more than R616 000 a flight hour to take part in an airshow in Zimbabwe at the weekend. That included the number of hours it took to prepare for the airshow at Prince Charles Aerodrome outside Harare on Saturday. Air ...
The Hawk has landed at AFB Makhado
General
Another page in the history of the South African Air Force is how it can be described. The entry into Service of a new aircraft type is always a significant event and Friday 9 September 2005 was just such an occasion. After a wait of nearly two years...
The airforce has good news, the airforce has bad news
General
The following is a rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:There is good news and bad news that will effect the air power of the airforce.The Chief of the Airforce, Lt.Gen. Carlo Gagiano, said yesterday that the problems wi...
SAAF Presedential BBJ at Bujumbura
General
The following photo of SAAF BBJ ZS-RSA was taken at Bujumbura by Belgian correspondent Gérard Gaudin....
85 Combat Flying School Computerised Training Centre (CTC)
General
The arrival of the Hawk Mk120 LIFT at AFB Makhado scheduled for August 2005 not only introduces a new aircraft into SAAF inventory, but also some of the most modern avionics. Sophisticated systems require understanding of complex systems and sophisti...
SANDF 'is falling apart'
General
Pretoria - As a result of staff problems and an annual financial deficit of R5bn, the defence force is, as far as military readiness is concerned,unable to fulfil its constitutional and African responsibilities. Nearly all divisions are affected by t...
Defence Airbus proving a burden: DA
General
The Airbus deal, which will see South Africa's replacement of the Hercules aircraft with the A400M military training aircraft, is already proving to be "an enormous burden" says the DA. Noting an earlier response to his parliamentary qu...
Lekota justifies spending R10bn on Airbus
General
South Africa's Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota has justified the expenditure of 10 billion rand on the new A400 military transport aircraft saying the Hercules C-130 aircraft currently in use was heading towards the end of its operational life - ...
So many planes, so few fliers
General
South Africa will soon have more combat aircraft then qualified pilots - this emerged in parliament yesterday when Minister of Defence Mosiuoa Lekota confirmed that the South African Air Force has only 30 operational pilots.In a reply to a question b...
FF+ says air force pilots aren't being trained properly
General
The Freedom Front Plus has raised concerns about falling standards in the training of pilots in the South African Air Force, saying this may lead to accidents.The South African Air Force is currently training 131 pilots to reinforce 31 operational fl...
Rooivalk helicopter flies into ground during test
General
The following is a rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:A Rooivalk attack helicopter of 16 Squadron in Bloemfontein flew into the ground during a test flight yesterday - on the day that a report was presented to the Parl...
Air Force chopper crashes
General
An Air Force helicopter crashed in Bloemfontein on Wednesday, the SA National Defence Force said. No one was hurt in the accident, said spokesperson Ronald Maseko. The Rooivalk helicopter based at 16 Squadron at Air Force Base Bloemspruit in Bloemfon...
R600m needed for Rooivalk
General
A further R600m is required to complete the development of South Africa's Rooivalk attack helicopter, it was reported in Parliament on Tuesday. According to a report released to the Parliamentary defence committee, R200m per annum over the next t...
SAAF C160Z Saga
General
Despite the sale of eight retired South African Air force (SAAF) Transall C.160Zs (331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 338 and 339) to UK-based Heli-Lift Ltd on November 10, 2000, with all the SAAF's spares and ground support equipment (see News items ...
