NEWS & EVENTS - GENERAL
31 March 2005
SAAF Boeing 707 Re-fuelling Tanker Arrives in Sweden for Gripen Trials
General
Saturday 19 March saw the arrival of a South African Air Force (SAAF) Boeing 707 re-fuelling tanker aircraft, at Saab's facility in Linköping, Sweden.After a 15 hour flight from South Africa, the tanker and its team of 20 SAAF aircrew and gr...
20 March 2005
Chopper crash investigated
General
Harrismith - The air force launched an investigation on Sunday into an Alouette helicopter that had crashed next to the N3 on Friday. Witnesses said the helicopter gave an impromptu air show at the busy Bergview 1-Stop, where the crew landed for a Wi...
18 March 2005
Helicopter crashes on farm
General
Harrismith - A SA Air Force Alouette III helicopter crashed near the Wimpy Bar in Harrismith on Friday morning, according to an accident witness. "The crew apparently stopped for coffee then took off and lost power. The rotor sprung back and lan...
18 March 2005
Defence Dept lacks capacity to use arms deal hardware: DA
General
The Democratic Alliance expressed its opinion on Thursday last week that the South African National Defence Force does not have the capacity to use the new military hardware being acquired. "The (defence force) is beginning to feel the consequen...
18 March 2005
Helicopter crew 'showing off'
General
Harrismith - Four aircrew have survived an SA Air Force helicopter crash outside the Bergview Engen One-Stop in Harrismith on Friday morning, emergency services said. "Two people suffered minor injuries and the other two are fine," fire chi...
18 March 2005
Chopper crew facing the music
General
An Alouette helicopter flight crew is in "deep trouble" if reports by witnesses prove true, said a former air-force helicopter instructor on Friday.The air force confirmed on Friday that an Alouette from the Bloemspruit airbase, where the a...
16 March 2005
Swartkop to become an operational military base again
General
The AFB Waterkloof runways, taxiways and aprons are to be closed in April for continuation of their rehabilitation started last year prior to AAD 2004. Also it is the intention to stabilise and rehabilitate "wet" services to prevent potenti...
13 March 2005
Zimbabwean instructors to teach SA flyers
General
The following is a rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Rapport:Student pilots of the SAAF will be trained by flying instructors from Zimbabwe. The training will be conducted at the SAAF Central Flying School at Langebaan in t...
9 March 2005
Lekota defends aircraft deal
General
Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota has defended government's green light to the procurement of military transport aircraft from Europe's Airbus Military. He divulged that South Africa would have a 5% stake in the A400M programme with spin-offs f...
1 March 2005
SAAF Impalas for Brazil
General
Official sources recently confirmed that a deal has been brokered by Armscor, the South African Government's official arms and marketing agency, for the sale of an initial eleven former South African Air Force (SAAF) Impalas to the Brazilian Gove...
28 February 2005
AFB Langebaanweg lighting upgraded
General
The project to upgrade all the runway and taxiway lighting systems at Air Force Base Langebaanweg was completed at the end of February 2005.DoD Annual Report 2004 - 2005...
25 February 2005
Air force command handed over
General
The chief of the SA air force Lieutenant General Roelf Beukes handed over command of the force to Major General Carlo Gagiano at a parade in Pretoria on Friday. "When I became chief of the air force, I told the air force board - using the exampl...
24 February 2005
Swartkop to be a military installation again
General
'It is also the intention that the entrance to the SAAF Museum will change in the near future to the northern gate. This is because Swartkop will soon revert back to a military installation with the required military security. As AFB Waterkloof i...
24 February 2005
SAAF grounds seven Hercules
General
Pretoria - Seven of the air force's nine C130 Hercules transport aircraft have been grounded.Sources and the SAAF said on Thursday the grounding related to a wing life-span problem.Air force spokesperson Captain Ronald Maseko said: "Informat...
10 February 2005
New deliveries of the A109 and Hawk slip
General
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
General
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...
7 February 2005
Plane crashes outside Nelspruit
General
Five people have been injured, one critically, after a plane crash outside Nelspruit last night. It's understood the light military aircraft took off from Nelspruit airport just before 6 o'clock, but couldn't gain altitude. It then crashe...
3 February 2005
Once faced with closure, Ysterplaat now rakes in the awards
General
The Ysterplaat Air Force base, threatened with closure just three years ago, has turned the tables and raked in four major awards at the air force's 85th birthday celebration in Pretoria on Monday.Ysterplaat won the award for best air force base,...
31 January 2005
Taxan system qualified on the Hawk
General
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....
21 January 2005
Airforce's first black head also distressed
General
The following is a rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:"It is my task to increase the efficiency of the base" said Col Zakes Msimang shortly after he became the first black commanding officer of Airforce Base ...
13 January 2005
Maiden Flight for SA's first locally assembled Hawk
General
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
General
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
General
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
General
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
General
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...
SAAF Boeing 707 Re-fuelling Tanker Arrives in Sweden for Gripen Trials
General
Saturday 19 March saw the arrival of a South African Air Force (SAAF) Boeing 707 re-fuelling tanker aircraft, at Saab's facility in Linköping, Sweden.After a 15 hour flight from South Africa, the tanker and its team of 20 SAAF aircrew and gr...
Chopper crash investigated
General
Harrismith - The air force launched an investigation on Sunday into an Alouette helicopter that had crashed next to the N3 on Friday. Witnesses said the helicopter gave an impromptu air show at the busy Bergview 1-Stop, where the crew landed for a Wi...
Helicopter crashes on farm
General
Harrismith - A SA Air Force Alouette III helicopter crashed near the Wimpy Bar in Harrismith on Friday morning, according to an accident witness. "The crew apparently stopped for coffee then took off and lost power. The rotor sprung back and lan...
Defence Dept lacks capacity to use arms deal hardware: DA
General
The Democratic Alliance expressed its opinion on Thursday last week that the South African National Defence Force does not have the capacity to use the new military hardware being acquired. "The (defence force) is beginning to feel the consequen...
Helicopter crew 'showing off'
General
Harrismith - Four aircrew have survived an SA Air Force helicopter crash outside the Bergview Engen One-Stop in Harrismith on Friday morning, emergency services said. "Two people suffered minor injuries and the other two are fine," fire chi...
Chopper crew facing the music
General
An Alouette helicopter flight crew is in "deep trouble" if reports by witnesses prove true, said a former air-force helicopter instructor on Friday.The air force confirmed on Friday that an Alouette from the Bloemspruit airbase, where the a...
Swartkop to become an operational military base again
General
The AFB Waterkloof runways, taxiways and aprons are to be closed in April for continuation of their rehabilitation started last year prior to AAD 2004. Also it is the intention to stabilise and rehabilitate "wet" services to prevent potenti...
Zimbabwean instructors to teach SA flyers
General
The following is a rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Rapport:Student pilots of the SAAF will be trained by flying instructors from Zimbabwe. The training will be conducted at the SAAF Central Flying School at Langebaan in t...
Lekota defends aircraft deal
General
Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota has defended government's green light to the procurement of military transport aircraft from Europe's Airbus Military. He divulged that South Africa would have a 5% stake in the A400M programme with spin-offs f...
SAAF Impalas for Brazil
General
Official sources recently confirmed that a deal has been brokered by Armscor, the South African Government's official arms and marketing agency, for the sale of an initial eleven former South African Air Force (SAAF) Impalas to the Brazilian Gove...
AFB Langebaanweg lighting upgraded
General
The project to upgrade all the runway and taxiway lighting systems at Air Force Base Langebaanweg was completed at the end of February 2005.DoD Annual Report 2004 - 2005...
Air force command handed over
General
The chief of the SA air force Lieutenant General Roelf Beukes handed over command of the force to Major General Carlo Gagiano at a parade in Pretoria on Friday. "When I became chief of the air force, I told the air force board - using the exampl...
Swartkop to be a military installation again
General
'It is also the intention that the entrance to the SAAF Museum will change in the near future to the northern gate. This is because Swartkop will soon revert back to a military installation with the required military security. As AFB Waterkloof i...
SAAF grounds seven Hercules
General
Pretoria - Seven of the air force's nine C130 Hercules transport aircraft have been grounded.Sources and the SAAF said on Thursday the grounding related to a wing life-span problem.Air force spokesperson Captain Ronald Maseko said: "Informat...
New deliveries of the A109 and Hawk slip
General
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
General
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...
Plane crashes outside Nelspruit
General
Five people have been injured, one critically, after a plane crash outside Nelspruit last night. It's understood the light military aircraft took off from Nelspruit airport just before 6 o'clock, but couldn't gain altitude. It then crashe...
Once faced with closure, Ysterplaat now rakes in the awards
General
The Ysterplaat Air Force base, threatened with closure just three years ago, has turned the tables and raked in four major awards at the air force's 85th birthday celebration in Pretoria on Monday.Ysterplaat won the award for best air force base,...
Taxan system qualified on the Hawk
General
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....
Airforce's first black head also distressed
General
The following is a rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in Beeld:"It is my task to increase the efficiency of the base" said Col Zakes Msimang shortly after he became the first black commanding officer of Airforce Base ...
Maiden Flight for SA's first locally assembled Hawk
General
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
General
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
General
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
General
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
General
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...
