Monthly Archives: February 2020
SR-71 Blackbird once over South African Skies!
August 1977 – East and West Work together to stop South Africa’s Nuclear testing
In the mid-afternoon on Saturday, Aug. 6, the acting chief of the Soviet embassy, Vladillen M. Vasev, called at the White House with an urgent personal message from Leonid I. Brezhnev to Jimmy Carter. South Africa, according to Soviet intelligence, was secretly preparing to detonate an atomic explosion in its Kalahari Desert. Brezhnev asked for Carter’s help to stop it.
U.S. reconnaissance satellite with high-resolution cameras also was urgently programmed for low-orbit passes over the area in question. US intelligence confirmed the existence of the nuclear test site with an overflight of a Lockheed SR-71 spy plane.
The Flight operated from Diego Garcia Air base and is about 5000km from South Africa, supported by an Air to Air Refuelling tanker, this flight would have been done with no difficulty.
About Vastrap Testing / Bombing Range
Vastrap on Google Maps 27°50’05.0″S 21°37’50.0″E ( https://goo.gl/maps/WhW5xQioCP7vtLBo8 )
Vastrap (Stand firm) is a small military airfield situated in the Kalahari Desert north east of Upington inside a 700 square kilometre weapons test range of the same name[1] belonging to the South African National Defence Force. It was constructed to allow the SAAF to practice tactical bombing operations, and for aircraft to service the SADF’s defunct underground nuclear weapon test site
Atomic testing
The area was selected for nuclear weapons testing due to its remoteness, low population density, stable geological formations and lack of underground rivers.
Two underground shafts 385 metres and 216 metres in depth and 1 metre in diameter were drilled from 1975-1977.Neither was ever used to perform a detonation, although instrumented tests were performed. The shafts were sealed with sand and concrete under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency in July 1993.
Detection
The site was first detected by the Soviet spy satellite, Cosmos 922 when it photographed the area from 21–25 July 1977, and reported to the Americans on 6 August, who in turn confirmed its existence with an overflight of the Lockheed SR-71 spy plane. The US then applied pressure on the South Africans for it to be closed, France also insisted on closure, threatening cancellation of the Koeberg nuclear power station contract.
David Albright reported that South African officials believed that an attempt to re-use the site in the late 1980s was detected by Western or Soviet intelligence agencies, and that this discovery influenced the Tripartite Accord. In an effort to mask activities, a shed was built over one of the shafts, and the water that was pumped out in preparation for a test was hauled away.
About Diego Garcia Air base
Diego Garcia is an island of the British Indian Ocean Territory, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom. It is a militarised atoll just south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean, and the largest of 60 small islands comprising the Chagos Archipelago. It was first discovered by Europeans and named by the Portuguese, settled by the French in the 1790s and transferred to British rule after the Napoleonic Wars. It was one of the “Dependencies” of the British Colony of Mauritius until the Chagos Islands were detached for inclusion in the newly created British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) in 1965.
In 1966, the population of the island was 924. These people were employed as contract farm workers on coconut plantations owned by the Chagos-Agalega company. Although it was common for local plantation managers to allow pensioners and the disabled to remain in the islands and continue to receive housing and rations in exchange for light work, children after the age of 12 were required to work. In 1964, only 3 of a population of 963 were unemployed. In April 1967, the BIOT Administration bought out Chagos-Agalega for £600,000, thus becoming the sole property owner in the BIOT. The Crown immediately leased back the properties to Chagos-Agalega but the company terminated the lease at the end of 1967.
Between 1968 and 1973, the now unemployed farm workers were forcibly removed from Diego Garcia by the UK Government so a joint US/UK military base could be established on the island. Many were deported to Mauritius and the Seychelles, following which the United States built a large naval and military base, which has been in continuous operation since then. As of August 2018, Diego Garcia is the only inhabited island of the BIOT; the population is composed of military personnel and supporting contractors. It is one of two critical US bomber bases in the Asia Pacific region, along with Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Pacific Ocean.
The atoll is located 3,535 km (2,197 mi) east of Tanzania’s coast, 1,796 km (1,116 mi) south-southwest of the southern tip of India (at Kanyakumari), and 4,723 km (2,935 mi) west-northwest of the west coast of Australia (at Cape Range National Park, Western Australia). Diego Garcia lies at the southernmost tip of the Chagos-Laccadive Ridge, a vast underwater mountain range with peaks consisting of coral reefs, atolls, and islands comprising Lakshadweep, the Maldives, and the Chagos Archipelago. Local time is UTC+6 year-round (DST is not observed).
On 23 June 2017, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) voted in favour of referring the territorial dispute between Mauritius and the UK to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in order to clarify the legal status of the Chagos Islands archipelago in the Indian Ocean. The motion was approved by a majority vote with 94 voting for and 15 against.
In February 2019, the International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled that the United Kingdom must transfer the islands to Mauritius as they were not legally separated from the latter in 1965. The ruling is not legally binding.
In May 2019, the United Nations General Assembly affirmed the decision of the International Court of Justice and demanded that the United Kingdom withdraw its colonial administration from the Islands and cooperate with Mauritius to facilitate the resettlement of Mauritian nationals in the archipelago.
In a written statement the U.S. government said that neither the Americans or the British have any plans to discontinue use of the military base on Diego Garcia. The statement said in a footnote: “In 2016, there were discussions between the United Kingdom and the United States concerning the continuing importance of the joint base. Neither party gave notice to terminate and the agreement remains in force until 2036”.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vastrap
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1977/08/28/how-west-soviets-acted-to-defuse-s-african-a-test/eada5bcc-7727-4c32-b8e2-f21d55a9d4c3/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Africa_and_weapons_of_mass_destruction
The Pilot Insure Witbank Speed Navigation Rally
The Pilot Insure Witbank Speed Navigation Rally – 2 February 2020 by Rob Jonkers (photos by Willie Bodenstein, Rob Jonkers)
This first of the Pilot Insure Speed Rallies for 2020 has been held at Witbank, the 2nd for Season 2, successfully organized by SAPFA and hosted by the Witbank Aeronautical Association. Planning for this event began in November 2019 with a reconnaissance to Witbank to review the logistics for the weekend. The Witbank team went out of their way to make this a memorable event for the weekend, their members having got involved in many of the aspects of achieving a great competition.
With the first event of the season behind us held at Springs, the SAPFA team and competitors held a further debrief to review options on further improvements, most notably to look at the scoring of navigation accuracy which is now normalised to ensure slow or fast aircraft types have equal chance in scoring for navigation accuracy, also scores are counted for both Navigation & Handicap where before if you won in the handicap class in the first 3 places, the scores were excluded in the accuracy class.
Entries for Witbank were 34, with 4 GPS class competitors and 8 more in the Grand Prix part of the event. There were also two schools taking part, the Mach 1 school from Springs and first time entry from Rhino Park LST – Light Sport Aviation Training. The Grand Prix event is the 2nd event in this Season 2, and is proving very popular from the result of the 1st try out held in Springs.
The route for this weekend was planned at 146nm, had 10 turning points, and for added spectator value now included a crossover, this is where the course was anti-clockwise, to cross over the airfield, and then clockwise to return from the east. The cross-over was planned to have the first of the slower aircraft already passing over while a number of the faster aircraft were still waiting to take-off.
The route in the first portion was mostly to the north and west, at the starting point of some of the valleys and rivers meandering into the Loskop Dam, the second portion towards the scenic north-east towards the eastern shores of the Loskop dam, and then back around Middelburg and some not so scenic coal fields and flatter landscapes.
The weather on Friday started out real well, the forecast not predicting any rain, but there were plenty of thermals about. Flight testing was carried out all day with Mark Clulow and Sean Cronin, although with some strong thermals in the afternoon had to wait for this to die down before continuing.
The team of Johan Sayers & Jack Coetzer preparing to mount their Harvard ZU-WSE
The Friday afternoon initial briefing started at 18h30, David le Roux being the new race Master, introduced Rob Jonkers who took to the stage and provided a briefing on what to expect for the next day in terms of the planned route, how many turnpoints, distance, departure and arrivals protocol, and also how the scoring system worked in terms of penalties as well as the expected weather conditions, which was predicted to be clear with a light and variable wind from the east swinging north east.
All the competitors were then treated to a briefing on Steroids with Race Master David le Roux introducing all the teams to come up to the stage with a fanfare of theme songs and handing out race stickers. thereafter everybody was treated to a lamb on the spit meal provided by the host club before retiring for the evening.
The team of Pierre vd Merwe and Neville Ferreira plotting on their wing of the Sling ZU-FWY
Saturday morning dawned with perfect flying conditions, a clear day with virtually no wind, but as the morning wore on the wind started to pick up, and from the South East which favouring Rwy 22, except the planned runway to be used was 04, as the cross-over was at the threshold of 04.
The briefing started at 07h00 am and was concluded at around 8, where everybody dispersed first for a group photo and then to park their aircraft and prepare for the scrutineers and refuelers. The wind was remaining stuck in the south easterly direction and had increased in strength, with Rob fretting over whether to delay the start to a little later to allow the wind to swing more to the predicted north easterly direction, a quick phone call to Deon vd Mescht our weather guru, confirmed the wind would swing but ever so slowly. By 9h30 the wind started to die down a little, and it was decided to continue.
Witbank Chairman Fife Delport with first time Navigator Marga Lombaard in their Sling ZU-STT
Navigator James Braid in an unusual plotting position flying a Sling – ZU-JAR
Scrutineers Chareen, Lizelle, Karen, Ardyn and Alex were on hand to seal up all portable GPS capable devices, and also handing out papers at the allotted time, and also checking the fuel tanks were full. For this event we used a Grand Prix style flag to release the aircraft line up, with Christian du Plessis doing the honours, under starters orders given by the starter Mark Clulow.
Husband and wife team of Eric & Antoinette Addison in the RV7 ZU-LAX
Each team then received their envelopes with their loggers at their 20 minutes prior take-off time, and then taxi to the starting line within 10 minutes of take-off time. 1st take-off was at 09h56 for the slowest aircraft and last take-off at 10h40, with planned arrival at 11h30.
First Timers Kobus and Jacques Botha in their Piper 140 ZS – FHH
With all the competitors off towards the norhwest, the route had a mix of easy and challenging turnpoints, especially TP 1 and 6 which required a descent into the Loskop valley, and then some hard to spot turnpoints 7,8 and 9 in amongst the mielie and coal fields. The wind had also picked up in the interim starting to favour those already heading in the westerly direction. Just before 11h30 the first aircraft over the line was a Sling ZU-IHK. The landing sequence was fairly easy to do with everybody joining right hand downwind onto Rwy 22 with good spacing.
The line-up of aircraft at the starting line
After all teams having returned and safe on the ground, the scoring team got to work to analyse the results, with the tracks for a number being quite accurate, although some had wobbles, only two got a bit lost.
Starter Christian du Plessis waving off the Sling ZU-STT
In sequence take-off with 15 sec intervals of some close handicapped aircraft
Getting the results out on time proved to be a challenge, with changes in the scoring system there were some gremlins that had to be fixed, and that required extra time, and with potential late afternoon weather on the reef put some time pressure to complete the results, and eventually at 4 PM the results could be announced. The tracks for the routes flown was also shown, pretty much everybody except 2 competitors did not get lost, although the eastern turnpoints were missed by a few.
Race Master David le Roux and our main sponsor Franz Smit from Pilot Insure handed out the trophies, first up being the winners of the most accurately flown with father and son team Hendrik & Jandre Loots in their Sling ZU-IHK, in 2nd place another Sling ZU-JAR with David Ross & James Braid, and in 3rd place son and father team Quintin Kruger & Johan Whiteman in their Cherokee 235 ZS-FVV.
For the handicap results, a double win for Hendrik & Jandre Loots, in 2nd place Piet Meyer and Adrienne Visser in their Jabiru ZU-DUU and in 3rd place Michael Blackburn & Steve Briggs in their Sling ZU-IBM. For the GPS event the winner being local Witbank crew of Chris and Adriaan de Beer in their C182RG ZS-KUN. The club trophy was handed over by Jonty to chairman Fife Delport, with the winning school being the Mach 1 Training School who are becoming consistently better at improving their results at each event.
This weekend’s overall results has ZU-IHK in the lead followed by ZU-DUU and ZS-FVV. The overall season points standing has ZU-IHK in the lead followed by ZU-FVV and ZU-JAR.
Many thanks to the Witbank Aeronautical Association for hosting this fantastic event, supporting with ground marshals, logistics and great evening meals, the Pilot Insure team of Franz Smit David le Roux the Race Master at the registration desk together with the Warrick Wealth team, Nigel Musgrave as the Safety Officer, Dirk and Louna de Vos and Mark Clulow doing the scoring, Marc Robinson with his team from Century Avionics for Scrutineering, Chareen Shillaw, Lizelle Kruger handing out competition papers to the crews as well as Scrutineering with their team, Jonty & Lizelle for putting together an awesome Friday evening launch event. Thanks also extended to Santjie White of the ARCC who always watches over us..
Also thanks to our sponsors, Pilot Insure being our signature Speed Rally Brand Sponsor, Flightline Weekly for sponsoring the race numbers, team sponsors Excel E&I – Leon Bouttell and Martin Meyer, The Airplane Factory – David Ross and James Braid, Pilots Post – Phil Wakeley and Mary De Klerk, Fast Flame Laser Cutting – Hendrik & Jandre Loots, Beegle Micro Trackers – Quintin Kruger and Johan Whiteman, Prompt Roofing – Leon Joubert and Franz Smit.
Our next Speed Rally event will be in Bethlehem on the 22nd of March 2020.
1st placed Race 15’s accurate track
Nice perfect Track
Oops – Found Middelburg instead
Prestige Day Parade Address By Lieutenant General Fabian Msimang
| Gracious AIR FORCE 2020 Greetings to you Fellow South Africans and our international guests. About 59 years ago, an infant was wrapped in documents and blankets as the Apartheid security forces stormed his mother’s home looking for sensitive information on the African National Congress. They were unable to find the well-hidden documents and the baby was spared being orphaned. The infant and family were smuggled out of the country to follow his exiled father. He grew up dislocated from his homeland, growing up thinking that his country was a myth that only existed in the lived experiences of his elders. The boy was schooled in foreign countries with their welcoming arms, and different languages. Fast forward……. The boy grew into a young man who was trained with many other young men and women in the fight for an equal democratic society, grounded in revolutionary love for their people. The man would eventually return to his home land with the ghosts of many comrades sown into his skin. He had to put aside past differences in the new nation and work towards a common future goal as enshrined in the newly birthed Constitution whose Preamble states: “We, the people of South Africa, Recognise the injustices of our past; Honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land; Respect those who have worked to build and develop our country; and Believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, UNITED in our diversity.” Today, at the tail end of the 25 year celebrations of our Young Democracy and also the 25 year Celebration of the formation of the new South African National Defence Force and its various Arms of Services, that young man, now bald and before you, has the honour of addressing all those who could attend. But I would be remiss if I didn’t first pay tribute to all our brave women and men in uniform who are in other lands and on the home front, serving our People and safeguarding our national interests. And taking a moment of silence for those fallen heroes of democracy who no longer stand with us – we remember you. We are the writers of our future, shaped by our consciousness, our history and our experiences as individuals and as part of various communities. As we today grapple with our complex PRESENT which is informed by our difficult and painful PAST, we are duty bound to create conditions to build a strong foundation for a better and promising FUTURE we the people of South Africa all yearn for. I stand here before you as the 21st Air Chief in the pre and post 1994 history of the South Air African Force; and the 5th Air Chief of the South African Air Force in the new dispensation – this is your Air Force, the Peoples Air Force. It is therefore my singular honour and privilege today to welcome you all to this year’s celebration of the South African Prestige Parade under the theme “Embracing Our Collective Heritage” celebrate nation-building, social cohesion, freedom, peace and unity with you. My prayer today is, as we acknowledge the history of our Air Force and as we celebrate 25 years of a democratic SAAF, may we rise to the occasion to help the nation dissolve the barriers of race, religion and political divide. May we embrace our differences with understanding and compassion. Our museums on all the bases have captured the time line of the history of the SAAF to date, with a deep sense of neutrality and in totality, indeed there is always room for improvement. In the spirit of collective heritage and social cohesion, I invite you all to participate in the country’s nation-building efforts where we observe days of honor and remembrance with appropriate ceremonies and in context. As we make the history of the SAAF pre 1994, we must be mindful of the glaring human rights violations that occurred. Formation of the Union of South Africa’s Air Force In 1917 sent by Prime Minister General Louis Botha to London to attend the Imperial Conference, General Jan Smuts presented a report to the British Parliament which became known as the “Smuts Report” stated, inter alia; “Air Service on the contrary, can be used as an independent means of war operations far from and independently of, both Army and Navy.” General Jan Smuts soon summoned Sir Pierre van Ryneveld to London and was told: “I want you to go back out to South Africa and start an air force”. Subsequently, South Africa received an Imperial Gift that comprised of 113 aircraft and included steel frames for 20 hangars and everything else required to start and operate an air force. The consignment was sent here to where we currently stand, an airfield that was named Swartkop, the oldest active military airfield in the world today. Some of the Imperial Gift Hangars are still in daily use as you can see. REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA 1994 TO 2020 AND INTO THE FUTURE A CORE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STATE Is to both secure the State and to protect its citizens. We thus accord the Armed Forces, the Intelligence Services and other Security Services the duty to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the State and to ensure that the Authority of the State is duly maintained and exercised. Section 227(1)(a) of the Interim Constitution (1993) thus pronounces that one of the functions of the Defence Force is: “For service in the defence of the Republic, for the protection of its sovereignty and territorial integrity”. However, as we enter the epoch of the 3rd and 4th Industrial Revolutions, we begin to sense that such developments, and the changing nature of the world affairs, will pose immense challenges for the State and its citizenry. It is my view that our traditional view of sovereignty and security is challenged due to the digital explosion of the 3rd and 4th Industrial Revolutions; this through increasing globalisation, integrated and inter-reliant economies and our inter-dependence on each other within the global world. Globally, most Air Forces have always been at the cusp of technological development, and the 4th Industrial Revolution will place even more prominence on the role that our Air Force must play in the development and maintenance of South Africa’s industrial and technology base as well as the inter-connectedness of systems. The evolving role of the Armed Forces must be informed by our understanding of sovereignty, the value-exchange between the State and the citizenry and the changing nature of conflict. CONSIDERING THE FUTURE With the birthing of democracy, the South African Air Force began a new era in 1994. Transformation over the past two and a half decades has brought about a change in composition, structure, and hardware with a new vision since 2013 of “An Air Force that Inspires Confidence”. The security landscape within which we find ourselves since the new dispensation, is rapidly developing in a manner challenging to our traditional views of sovereignty and security. The legacy capabilities, platforms, doctrine and tactics of the Defence Force which we inherited in 1994, was a Defence Force fundamentally and rigidly orientated towards and postured on conventional warfare, with frameworks rooted in Cold War thinking and the legacy thinking of the Second World War. We must now ask ourselves if these remain appropriate for the conflicts that we may face in the future, bearing in mind that the emerging security dimensions will continue to challenge the readiness and preparedness of our security structures? We must increasingly focus our energies on the future trajectory and nature of such conflict, including both the means and methods of both the “old” and “new” wars. We are thus forced to question if our dogged obsession and unwavering focus on conventional military capabilities, platforms, doctrine and tactics indeed have future relevance? A BALANCE OF HARD & SOFT POWER National Security must have at its crux the traditional responsibility for the protection and continuance of the sovereignty of the State, its political and economic independence and the protection of its institutions, values and freedoms. However, the architecture on which any future National Security Policy is built must be broad enough to encompass the consolidation of democratic liberalism; the pursuit of political and social justice; economic development; environmental sustainability; and the combatting of crime, violence and instability. We must therefore examine carefully the Mandate of the Armed Forces to ensure that the Armed Forces are, and remain, pertinent and relevant to all these dimensions. DELIVERING HUMAN SECURITY TO A DEVELOPMENTAL STATE We must reflect on the fundamental contribution that Defence makes to the Sovereignty of the Republic of South Africa and the maintenance of the Authority of the State. As elucidated in the South African Defence Review 2015, we find ourselves within a broadened and expanded security paradigm which has a particular emphasis on the well-being of the citizenry. The legitimacy of the State in the eyes of the citizenry will thus be the sustaining factor that ensures the survival and continuance of the State. The State will furthermore have the obligation to facilitate, if not create, the environment and the necessary conditions for the fulfilment of human security and economic prosperity. Policy should express both how the execution of mandated defence functions and other specific initiatives can, in certain circumstances, contribute to the perceived legitimacy of the State and the human development and security of the citizenry. Given the above deliberations, I posit that paramount to the relevance and readiness of the military to contribute to both the Defence of the State and the Protection of its People must be at the forefront of future military planning. THE FUTURE THAT OUR YOUTH DESIRES This younger generation indeed ascribe legitimacy to the State based on its ability to deliver Human Security to its citizens. This human security paradigm, whilst not discounting our traditional views on sovereignty, is driven by the perceived value that the State delivers to its citizens through a broad Social Compact with them. Some of the dimensions of this social compact and the desires of the youth include: • Political and legal legitimacy. • Basic and inalienable rights and freedoms. • Food and water security. • Relevant & accessible education systems. • Modern & Accessible health systems. • Appropriate basic services. • Environmental stability. • Infrastructure and economic development. • Social cohesion, amongst many others. · inalienable cultural rights. · Freedom from gender-based violations DECLINING PEER-ON-PEER CONFLICT The three decades since the demise of the Cold War has seen a military focus on operations of a much broader nature. Internationally we have become preoccupied with counter-terror operations, counter-insurgency operations and stabilisation operations. Domestically, this has led to evolving capabilities focused on Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW). We are therefore compelled to first ask ourselves the same question: Has our recent military operational commitments detracted from our core military functions, and if so, what are the consequences thereof for the future of the South African Air Force? This also begs a second question, namely: What is the probability and possibility of Peer-on-Peer Conflict for the South African Air Force. If so, what integrated capabilities do we require? If not, where should our primary focus lie? We consequently have to enhance our understanding of the evolving nature of conflict on the African Continent. Currently, we observe an almost complete lack of State-on-State Conflict on the African continent, with little or no linear State-on-State contestation. Conversely, we observe growing Intra-State Conflict, often without the presence of a State-Actor (Statutory Force). More often than not we observe the involvement of both irregular and proxy forces as parties to the conflict. African conflicts of the future are therefore increasingly less likely to involve Peer-on-Peer conventional military conflict. This will in all likelihood be overtaken by an increased focus on both irregular warfare and hybrid warfare, as was recently observed in Libya. Future conflicts will be trans-national in nature, often involving the use of proxy forces, frequently involving the use of IED’s and often leading to a significant loss of innocent civilian life. FUNDAMENTALISM AND TERROR The threat of terrorism, ethnic nationalism and fundamentalism (TENF) is increasing exponentially. In many instances, TENF and state-backed jingoism appear to be a push-back against the realities of a globalised world and its impacts on both people and societies, and often with both international and domestic nationalist manifestations. The threat of terrorism is often troublesome to measure and define; it is consequently difficult to assess the security implications thereof. Notwithstanding that defining terrorism is very problematic, largely due to the distinct ideological bases thereof, the one seminal characteristic is the formidable and gruesome nature of their tactics. As our Armed Forces modernise and become more technologically advanced, careful attention must be given to having a balanced and broad enough suite of capabilities that can address the challenge of TENF. Developing a common understanding of the extent of the threat is the first step in coordinating a national and integrated regional counter-terrorism response. DIGITAL AND CYBERSECURITY Our daily interface with the “borderless” digital world gives rise to a range of threats and concerns which were not previously part of our security paradigm. Persistent digital security and cyber threats now continue to dominate the international security agenda, as they increasingly more sophisticated and intrusive. Such rapidly evolving assaults in the digital domain threaten the very sovereignty of the State and seek to manipulate and destabilise critical information infrastructure, social and mainstream media and the economic and financial machinery that underpin the State. We are all acutely aware of the significant amounts of personal information freely available on social networking sites. Defence is not immune thereto. We are all extremely concerned about the vulnerability of military command and control infrastructure to cyber-attacks and the risk of electro-magnetic disruption to other ancillary military systems. The threats in this environment are rapidly evolving and changing, posing significant challenges for both the cyber-defence and cyber-offence capabilities of the Armed Forces. In as much as the requisite hardware and software required for these tasks is important, the most important, and often the least resourced is the human dimension thereto. MIGRATION, NATIONAL BORDERS AND THE MARITIME SPACE Our borders are the physical manifestation of our national sovereignty. Yet we experience unprecedented illegal cross-border migration, human trafficking, the smuggling of small arms and light weapons, trafficking in stolen goods and property and the illegal harvesting and transfer of natural resources. Similarly, we are also challenged by maritime crime in our Exclusive Economic Zones, piracy on the High-Seas, the illegal exploitation of maritime resources and the uncontrolled movement of people and goods at sea. The international response thereto has seen Multi-National Joint Task Forces being formed and deployed to high-risk areas. One of the difficulties such task forces face is reliable shared-maritime domain awareness. ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY We actively need to address the effects of climate change and increase the sustainability of our environment. Some of the challenges facing developing countries include: • Regional Famine, as is now predicted by the UN World Food Programme in Southern Africa during 2020. • Increased access to safe and affordable drinking water. • Increased access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene. • Increased access to affordable, reliable, modern and sustainable energy services. • Transforming high carbon-emitting sectors towards a low carbon economy, especially energy, transport, agriculture and waste management. • Implementing waste management programmes that increase waste recycling and decrease the incidents of landfill. • The intensive rehabilitation and restoration of ecological infrastructure across all dimensions (water, soil, air and biodiversity). • Developing strategic pathways for integrated spatial development and human settlements. The above challenges are as relevant to the Armed Forces as they are to the rest of society. We are proud of our members that we provided a critical role in the flooding disaster relief in Mozambique, KZN, Mamelodi and many other places. However, the burden on the Armed Forces stretches even further, as we know that our soldiers will increasingly be called upon to conduct search and rescue, disaster relief and humanitarian operations both domestically and in neighbouring countries in response to climate change and the attendant risks to environmental sustainability. This places more pressure on the SAAF requiring an increase in personnel and funding, to ensure we are ready to Inspire Confidence and fly to action where and when required. However, we cannot give proper consideration to the challenges facing us in the future, without making an assessment of the Means at our disposal to position ourselves for the future. Defence can only perform to the extent that it is resourced and funded. The Department of Defence has been forced to continuously adjust its plans downwards. This is myopic and short term thinking. This is dangerous. The Defence force is the Nations’ Insurance Policy. CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE FUTURE CONFLICTS: Perhaps it is now appropriate to commence with a robust discussion on what capabilities, platforms, doctrine and tactics would be most appropriate for future conflicts? It is crucial that South Africa develops a fit for purpose Defence Force that is agile enough to both physically and intellectually move seamlessly between its traditional mandated tasks and functions (however rare or occasional the requirement) and the demanding new environments of cybersecurity and cyber-resilience, proxy forces, hybrid warfare, transnational crime, climate change, as well as peace support operations to mention but a few. Crucial to the success of the Defence Force in these complex arenas will be the quality, education and professionalism of its human capital. Fundamental to achieving these goals and objectives will be the full employability of the force, its flexibility in terms of structure and equipment as well as its ability to function effectively within the demands of the 4th Industrial Revolution and the complexity of future conflict. Key to unlocking the above will be leadership at all levels, from the tactical to the strategic within the Defence Force to the policy decisions which will be vital to and ultimately shape the space for the above to occur. Professional Military Education and Leadership The professionalism of the Armed Forces, and specifically at the level of the individual soldier, is absolutely an essential ingredient in the relationship between the State and its citizenry. One cannot begin to emphasise how important education, training and development will be to the successful and sustained continuance of the Armed Forces of the future. Investment in the best, most appropriate, skilled and professional soldiers, is the most strategic endeavor that the Armed Forces can embark upon. The continued operation and future sustainability of the hardest working air assets of the SAAF being the Oryx, Rooivalk and C130, rely on an efficient and effective Original Equipment Manufacturer and Technical Design Authority of the Rotary Wing assets. The challenges faced by our local industry, has posed a threat to the sustainability of these assets, thus we call for alignment and cooperation amongst key stakeholders. To, the planning team for this year’s occasion led by Brigadier Gen Crouse and supported by Brig Gen Khoase and the Base OC Col Trish Schoeman, thank you very much for your excellent support. I thank all those members who worked tirelessly behind the scene to make this a splendid and enjoyable day – true to Air Force Standards of excellence. Credit goes to the Prestige Awards function, we celebrated excellence. The prestige awards recognise exceptional performance among the Units, Bases and Directorates in the South African Air Force. And the Prestige Unit 2019 cycle AFB ……………., congratulations and well done! Keep up the outstanding performances. A special thank you to the members of the media present here today. We need your support in informing South Africans about the role of the military. Compatriots, the SAAF will always be at your service! This is your Air Force and we re-dedicate ourselves to serve the Nation and renew our pledge to do our sovereign duty. I thank all the members on parade led by the Parade Commander Lt Col Matthye. I also thank the South African Air Force Band led by Lt Col Pinnar for adding a touch of elegance and sparkle to this auspicious occasion. To the members on parade, I as a proud and patriotic South African soldier, wish to conclude with a quotation from Tata Mandela of the 20th of april 1964 …. Long before he became our first Commander in Chief of our democratic South Africa – lest we forget; ”during my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”A baby, wrapped up in documents and blankets, whose parents and forbearers could only dream about what equality looked like, a boy who could only dream about what home smelled like, who can now dream 100 years to the future. I have a dream of an air force that is configured and resourced to push the envelope to “space” operations. I have a dream of an air force that continues to adhere to its key principles of speed, agility and precision with high tech beyond nanotechnology of today I have a dream of an air force that will be one that is able to have a multi domain command and control capability that not only operates in the current domains of outer space and cyberspace, but one that will be agile enough to adapt and change as technology develops. I have a dream of an air force that will employ more remote controlled platforms and autonomous platforms Fellow South Africans, fellow SAAF members – in uniform and retired. Let us take hands and together seek the lessons that inevitably lie in such situations. Collectively as patriotic South Africans, let us turn our country that is so full of potential, into a dream country that is respected and cherished by all those who live in it. We are all responsible for the good, the bad and the ugly. Protect this country like you protect your homes, nurture it and appreciate it. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Your Air Force – The Peoples Air Force which is here to serve and defend you unconditionally. Nurture it and keep it relevant Let us Love, Respect and Protect our beloved country. |
South African Airforce Prestige Day 2020
The South African Airforce Prestige Day was held at Airforce Base Swartkop, the second oldest operational Airforce Base in the world to date, in Pretoria on Friday 31 January 2020.
The South African Air Force was established on 1 February 1920. The Air Force has seen service in World War II and the Korean War. This years theme of celebrating the South African Airforce, is “embracing our collective heritage”.
The parade was opened by a paradrop from two 44 Squadron Casa 212s with a number of skydivers from the Golden Eagles Parachute display team and the Pretoria Military Skydiving Members, including the big South African flag.
Part of General Fabian Msimang’s speech he mentioned:
“Formation of the Union of South Africa’s Air Force
In 1917 sent by Prime Minister General Louis Botha to London to attend the Imperial Conference, General Jan Smuts presented a report to the British Parliament which became known as the ‘Smuts Report’ stated, inter alia;”
“Air Service on the contrary, can be used as an independent means of war operations far from and independently of, both Army and Navy.”
General Jan Smuts soon summoned Sir Pierre van Ryneveld to London and was told:
“I want you to go back out to South Africa and start an air force”.
Subsequently, South Africa received an Imperial Gift that comprised of 113 aircraft and included steel frames for 20 hangars and everything else required to start and operate an air force. The consignment was sent here to where we currently stand, an airfield that was named Swartkop, the oldest active military airfield in the world today. Some of the Imperial Gift Hangars are still in daily use as you can see.
Prestige Day 2020 Mass Flypasts
During the parade we got to wintness some spectacular flypasts from both ex and current South African Airforce aircraft, a mass helicopter formation led by a 16 squadron Rooivalk attack helicopter. Other types of helicopters included Oryx, Lynx, Agusta A109s from various chopper squadron across South Africa. The SAAF Museum also were a part of the formation with a Puma, two Alouette IIs and Alouette IIIs.
The next formation included two museum aircraft assests, a Kudu and Cessna C185, followed by a formation of Harvards.The Transport formation was up next led by a 35 Squadron C47TP Dakota, with three 41 Squadron Cessna 208A Caravans and two 44 Squadron Casa 212s making up the formation.
The sound of freedom was then up next with the roar of the Hawk and Gripen formation as they buzzed overhead the parade made up of 85 Combat School and 2 Squadron assets. The Final flypast was led by a 21 Squadron Boeing 737BBJ, A Dassault Falcon 50 and the Silver Falcons Aerobatic Team.
The prestige unit of the year for the South African Airforce from 2019 was presented to AFB Ysterplaat as part of the Prestige Unit award.
The parade concluded with Fledglings releasing doves and balloons while the SAAF announcer read out, “We will keep whirling and twirling from the sky. White doves fly into our hearts, embracing our Air Force heritage. Carrying messages of goodwill. We will sing forever young and free. We will be an Air Force that inspires confidence.”
SAAF Museum Flying Day 1 February 2020
The First flight training day for the year 2020 at Airforce Base Swartkop was different this year, it was the South African Airforce’s birthday, which was founded on the 1 February 1920.
With the Prestige Day parade held the day before at Airforce Base Swartkop, many of the aircraft that took part in the mass flypast were present and gave the visiting public a glance at both static and departing aircraft returing to their home bases across South Africa.
The Usual museum aircraft such as the many Museum Harvards, Patchen Explorer, Cessna C185, Kudu and Alouette II, III as well as the Puma continued with currency flights in between display slots.
Friends of the SAAF Museum sold Boere Wors Rolls, Refreshments and held guided tours of the airforce heritage displays located on the base premises.The windsock Café was also open for cool and hot refrements throughout the day.
The days proceedings started with a short display by a 35 Squadron C47TP Martime Dakota from AFB Ysterplaat in Cape Town. Major Paul “Raccoon” Kempthorn flew one of the best Rooivalk displays that we have witnessed in a long time.
The Silver Falcons Aerobatic Team 84 led by new team lead Major Sivu Tangana showed off the tight formation aerobatics of four Pilatus PC7MKIIs.
Two Cessna C208A Caravans from 41 Squadron, who operates out of neighbouring Airforce Base Waterkloof, gave a short formation display. Major Rehan “Kaine” Venter flew his second airshow display as he is now the new Hawk display pilot for 85 Combat Flying School.
Major Geoffrey “Spartan” Cooper flew a great display in the JAS39C Gripen before heading back to Airforce Base Makhado in the Limpopo Province.
The Museum Helicopter assets including the Alouettes II and IIIs closed the flying day with their helicopter display, with a big chance of seeing them do it again on 9th May 2020 at The SAAF Museum Airshow.
Well done to the Museum staff and AFB Swartkop on providing a different flying day as a gift to the public on the South African Airforce Birthday!
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