Tag Archives: SANDF
SAAF BK117s on their way to Durban
In the last couple of days Durban Kwa Zulu Natal has been hit with enormous amounts of rain bringing damage throughout the province. Unfortunately there has been a number of lives lost as well as still people missing.
15 Squadron “Charlie Flight” based at Airforce Station Port Elizabeth are on route to Durban to be tasked to help in any way the unit can in a flood relief manner. At this point of time two Bk117s are on route with a third to join later.
SAAF Chopper crews
Crew so far from 15 Sqn C Flight is Maj Corrie Oberholzer, Maj Jarred Oliver, Sgt Carel van Dalen and Sgt Nengo Mahlakwana
A109 with Major Simphiwe Moloi and WO2 Jason Buglass
Oryx with Lt Col Charles Tarentaal cmdr, Capt Robo Muthwa and WO2 Allister Prince.
Additional crew to arrive: Maj Aobakwe Gaelejwe, Flight Sergeant Coert Steynberg, Sergeant Lungelo Mcanyana
Ground crew on deployment is Flight Sergeant Larry Williams, Flight Sergeant Brian Reynolds, Sergeant Thanduxolo Madyo, Corporal Sara Ramlingam
SAAF Museum Flying Day April 2022
The first Saturday of the month means its the annual SAAF Museum Flying day,a day where some of the SAAF Museum inventory get to fly, pilots get current and a day for visitors to explore the museum from 102 years of South African Airforce history.
Air Force Base Swartkop is South Africa’s oldest air force base and houses the South African Air Force Museum as well as 17 Squadron as well as non aviation squadrons.
We go back and remember all who served the South African Airforce and who is no longer with us but some that were the driving force to the Museum as the likes of Rama “Dynamite” Iyer ,Des “Bishop” Barker ,Glen “Gringo” Warden” and Kim Pratley.
Saturday saw a bigger crowd then previous flying days, as Covid-19 restrictions start to become a lot calmer and starting to get aviation back to normality after the successful first airshow after the pandemic in the Western Cape at the Stellenbosch flying club the previous weekend.
The day started out with the rotary museum assets that being the Alouette II flown by Colonel Dave Keijer and an Alouette III flown by Colonel Billy Port.
Was good to see some of the former school master of the sky the North American Harvard flown by Martin Louw and Darryl Wright.
The Museums Kudu, both Cessna C185s made up of the rest of the tail draggers that flew during the course of Saturday.
One has to be thankful to the ground crew that keep these time pieces serviceable. Was good to see Colonel Keith Fryer as he was safety director for April’s flying day.
We looking forward to the SAAF Museum airshow and AAD later this year!
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SANDF to take Part in Rand Easter Show 2022
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) will be participating in the 2022 edition of the
Rand Show in NASREC. The SANDF will once more utilise the Rand Show as an opportunity to
showcase and engage with the citizens of the country on a variety of careers and expertise within the
SANDF as well as to focus on the departments achievements, career outreach programme, training
opportunities, social responsibility and peace support operations in Africa.
The Rand Show will take place at NASREC Show Grounds in Gauteng and will be open to the public
over the period 13 – 18 April 2022. This years edition, the SANDF will not showcase an Arena programme and the Capability Demonstration.
The overall aim of the SANDFs participation is to educate and raise public awareness about the
SANDF as well as to bring the people`s defence force to the people. The SANDF’s participation will
include static exhibitions manned by communicators from the four (4) Arms-of-Service and the various
Divisions.
At this stage its not quite clear yet what aircraft from the SAAF South African Airforce will be taking part in this years Rand Easter Show, in previous years, various helicopters have taken part including Oryx,A109 and Rooivalk. Fixed wing assets including the Silver Falcons, Casa 212 and Gripen and Hawk.
Armed Forces Day 2022-Mbombela Mpumalanga
After an absence of two years thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. Armed Forces day made a welcome return to Mbombela previously Nelspruit on the 21st February. The South African National Defence Force deployed some of its assets and people onto the door step of the Kruger National Park. One of the biggest tourist attractions in South Africa.
Each Armed Forces Day we remember the servicemen of the South African Native Labour Corps who perished during the sinking of the SS Mendi in the English Channel on 21st February 1917.
After the arrival of VIPs and President Cyril Ramaposa. As of any other parade opening a 21 gun salute econing into the hills around Mbombela and a flag flypast by helicopters including a Agusta A109LUH and a pair of 15 Charlie Flight Squadron BK117s.
President Cyril Ramaphosa mentioned below during his speech on the poduim “
“The SANDF has more than lived up to this task, particularly over the past year, when our country endured great tribulations.”
“How apt, then, is the saying that the truest measure of courage is perseverance under pressure.”
“As the Commander-in Chief of the SANDF, I could not be prouder of you. Our nation could not be prouder of you.”
“As a people, we are reassured that no matter the circumstances our nation faces, the SANDF will always be there.”
Onto the parade it was time for the mass flypasts. First up was the mass helicopter formation of seven helicopter assets. Two Rooivalk attack helicopters from 16 Squadron based at Airforce Base Bloemspruit. Two Agusta A109LUHs. Two BK117s from 15 Squadron “Charlie Flight” Airforce Base Port Elizabeth. And a lone Oryx Helicopter.
Pointer formation was next on the cards sigh four 41 Squadron Cessna 208A Caravans from Airforce Base Waterkloof. Behind them there was a Pilatus PC12, a 44 Squadron Casa 212-300 making up for the transport assets in the parade.
Central Flying School from AFB Langebaanweg in the Western Cape, with four Pilatus PC7MKIIs flew over in diamond formation led by Major Angus Maleka.
The final formation was from 85 Combat Flying Schoo, with four Hawk MK120s from Airforce Base Makhado led by Major Corne “Stilbo” Deventer, a former Silver Falcon Aerobatic Team member.
All marching columns, mechanised columns were next after the end of the flypasts. Thank you to major role players on hosting the parade and putting it together. We look forward to the SA Navy planning the next Armed forces day in 2023.
SAAF Prestige Parade 2022- Free the Eagle
The South African Airforce hosted its annual prestige parade at Airforce Base Swartkop last week Friday with both a parade, flypasts and a solo display by Hawk MK120!
Lieutenant General W.S Mbambo as chief of the air force introduced a new motto of the air force “Free the Eagle was the theme of this years Prestige Parade.
The South African Air Force is the air warfare branch of South African National Defence Force, with its headquarters in Pretoria. The South African Air Force was established on 1 February 1920.This making 102 years of the South African Air forces existence.
During the week, residents of Pretoria got to hear and see some of the sights and sounds of some of the current SAAF assets leading up to the parade and the Prestige evening that was held at AFB Waterkloof last Thursday evening.
Friday morning the weather was not looking good for both flying and the parade, by 9.30am the weather had cleared at the decision was made to go ahead with the days proceedings .
A skydive drop opened the parade from a Casa 212-300 from members of 1 Parachute Battalion,5 Aircraft Service Unit and SAMHS. Once the final skydiver had landed two Agusta A109LUHs provided a flag flypast during the time of a gun salute below!
The parade started with marching columns and members of the South African Airforce Band engaged in the parade background.
During Lieutenant Genareal W.S Mbambo Speech, he mentioned
“Our Country and the SAAF Cannot be separated. We have a Siamese twins Independency that wasn’t predicted nor planned elsewhere but came about naturally. Was it South Africa’s Geostatic position in the continent and the rest of the world naturally requires strong and reliable air force legs to connect it. In the absence of such connectivity we remain an outpost to the world risking being bypasses by the world by opportunities by globalization and the fourth industrial revolution.”
● THE EAGLE’S LIFE
THE SAAF LIKE MANY OTHER AIR FORCES AROUND THE WORLD HAS ADOPTED THIS MAGICAL BIRD AS
ITS SYMBOL. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THE SAAF PAYS KEEN ATTENTION TO THE FASCINATING LIFE
JOURNEY OF THIS POWERFUL BIRD OF THE SKY.
“The time for being comfortable with the consumer mentality in the SAAF is over. We must forge ahead to introspect ourselves in terms of what we can do ourselves and what we can outsource. We must get involved with partners and government departments that will enable us to express our innovation and help relieve too much dependency on the coffers of National Treasury. This requires a different thinking not only within the SAAF and the Department of Defence but beyond so that the constrains in policies must be removed.”
The Flypasts consisted of a mass Helicopter formation with Agusta A109LUHs,BK117s,Rooivalk Attack Helicopters from various Squadrons around South Africa and SAAF Museum Alouette II and Alouette IIIs helicopters based at AFB Swartkop.
Next was the Museum Fixed wing formation made up of Two Harvards, a Cessna C185 and Kudu.
Transport formation was next with a 44 Squadron CASA 212-300 and three 41 Squadron Cessna C208As,a five ship Pilatus PC7MKII formation led by Major Lehlohonolo Malokane.
The final flypast was by three Hawk MK120 Lead in fighter trainers from 85 Combat Flying School from Airforce Base Makahdo in the Limpopo province. A single Hawk then did a solo display flown by Major Rehan “Kaine” Venter.
Airborne patient evacuation at sea with 15 Squadron SAAF
Jonathan Kellerman, NSRI Durban station commander, said:
At 11h32, Sunday, 11 July, 2 NSRI Durban rescue swimmers, 2 Netcare 911 rescue paramedics and a SA Air Force (SAAF) ,15 Squadron, flight crew, departed Durban Air Force Base aboard a SAAF Oryx helicopter to rendezvous with an oil tanker motor vessel approaching Durban from deep-sea to patient evacuate a 27 year old Filipino crewman suffering a medical complaint.
The crews had been placed on alert by MRCC (Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre) on Saturday after a WC Government Health EMS duty doctor evaluated the patients condition in communications with the ships medical crew and it was deemed necessary for the patient to be evacuated to hospital as soon as possible.
Telkom Maritime Radio Services assisted with the VHF marine radio communications.
On arrival at the motor vessel, 50 nautical miles off-shore of Durban, in calm sea conditions, an NSRI rescue swimmer and the 2 Netcare 911 rescue paramedics were hoisted onto the helicopters deck.
The patient, in a stable conditions, was secured into a vacuum mattress and specialised stretcher and hoisted into the helicopter with one of the rescue paramedics.
The NSRI rescue swimmer and the remaining rescue paramedic were hoisted into the helicopter.
The patient, in the care of the Netcare 911 rescue paramedics, was airlifted directly to a Durban hospital landing zone and then transported to a Durban hospital by Netcare 911 ambulance where he is receiving emergency medical care in hospital and he is expected to make a full recovery.
The patient evacuation operation completed at 13h04.
NSRI Emergency Operations Centre, NSRI Durban duty controllers, Netcare 911 duty controllers, Telkom Maritime Radio Services, WC Government Health EMS, SA Air Force Command, Transnet National Ports Authority and Transnet National Ports Health Authority assisted Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in operational logistics and coordination of the airborne patient evacuation operation.
SAAF Change of Command Parade
A cold frosty morning on the 4th June 2021 we made on way to Airforce Base Swartkop in Valhalla. This is has been our home grounds for years for Airshows, flying training days and parade as such this being the new chief acceptance parade from Lieutenant General Fabian Zakes Msimang to pass on his task as the new chief of the South African Airforce, Lieutenant General Wiseman Simo Mbambo.
Thanks to the South African Media Liaison officers. We were kindly given gift bags and made surely welcome to base and had a fantastic position for photo opportunities for both members of the parade and aircraft flying overhead.
SA Defence News provided live streaming via YouTube for Aviation Enthusiasts and other guests which weren’t able to attend the parade due to covid 19 restrictions. AFB Swartkop made sure all protocols were made for screening and sanitizing all invited guests and media.
A general salute was first up of the sequence of events of cannon gun fire while a pair of Oryx Helicopters carried both the South African National flag and South African Airforce (SAAF) flag. Once again great flying by the crew from various helicopter Squadrons in such windy conditions.
During this time Chaplin Melanie Smit provided the parade with a Religious observance and a code of conduct also mentioned.
Lt General (Retired) Fabian Zakes Msimang continued with his speech as he passes on his command to Lieutenant General W. S Mbambo as said :
I leave an Air Force that centers its behaviour around the needs of the next generation. An Air Force that lived by the slogan “We serve with Discipline, Dignity, Professionalism and Patriotism”.
The mass Flypasts began with a helicopter formation of five Oryx Helicopters from various Squadron from around South Africa and one BK117 from 15 Squadron “Charlie” flight.
The pointer formation was next led by 1 Pilatus PC12 and four Cessna 208A Caravans from 41 Squadron bSed at Airforce Base Waterkloof.
Nine Pilatus PC7s MKIIs led by Major Sivu Tangana, current leader of the Silver Falcons Aerobatic Team of the South African Airforce, flew directly over the parade podium showing the abito-nitio trainer for student pilots to qualify to get their wings in the SAAF.
28 Squadron with two C130BZ Hercules in linerstern formation flew over with not far behind them the Combat Formation with two JAS39 Gripens from 2 Squadron and three Hawks from 85 Combat Flying School, both Squadrons based at Airforce Base Makhado in the Limpopo Province.
After the parade we we treated to a wonderful spread of refreshments at the Centre of Aviation Awareness Hanger at AFB Swartkop, where Lieutenant General Mbambo, addressed media and invited guests.
The SAAFs Combat Readiness
THIS IS OUR CORE BUSINESS AS THE AIR FORCE – TO BE ALWAYS COMBAT READY WHENEVER WE ARE REQUIRED TO DELIVER ON OUR MANDATE. WE MUST DO EVERYTHING TO REMAIN AT OUR SHARPEST READINESS LEVEL. NO DOUBT – THERE ARE MANY STORMS AROUND US BUT AS EAGLES WE CANNOT AFFORD TO COW DOWN TO THEM. WE SHALL CONTINUE TO FORGE AHEAD IN LINE WITH OUR INTRINSIC EAGLE CHARACTERISTICS AND OUR MOTTO ASPERA PER SPERA AD ASTRA – FROM THE ADVERSITY TO THE STARS
We’d like to welcome the new Chief of the South African Airforce to his position and look forward to working with him in the future. Till then this “an Airforce that inspires Confidence”
Thanks to the contributors to this article Jarryd Sinovich, Vincent Nagel, Dian Townsend & Gerrit Mynhardt
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Outgoing SANDF General Solly Shoke Parade
The 28th May 2021,saw the outgoing chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) General Solly Zacharia Shoke during a retreat parade at Thaba Tshwane, known to many as the military town of Pretoria.
Just to mention just some of his curriculum vitae In 1998, Shoke commanded the South African Development Community forces during Operation Boleas in Lesotho. He was the Director Personnel Acquisition from January 1999 to October 2000, when he was promoted to the rank of major general as the Chief Director Human Resources Support. He was promoted to Chief of the Army in 2004, and became Chief of the South African National Defence Force in May 2011.Solly Shoke was the longest serving Chief of the SANDF to date.
President Cyril Ramaphosa attened the parade during the hand over the command of the SANDF to Lieutenant-General Rhudzani Maphwanya as new chief of the South African National Defence Force.
A flag fly-past started proceedings by two Oryx Helicopters carrying both the South African National Flag and SANDF flag, a single 44 Squadron Casa 212 dropped skydivers from 44 Parachute Regiment. Different marching columns made their way onto the sports.
First of the Mass Fly pasts included a helicopter fly-past consisting of a Agusta A109LUH from 19 Squadron, four Oryx Helicopters and a 15 Squadron ‘Charlie’ Flight BK117.
Next was the Pelican Formation made up of a 35 Squadron C47TP Dakota and a 44 Squadron Casa 212.Followed then by the pointer formation of four Cessna 208As Caravans from 41 Squadron. It was then the return of 28 Squadron with two C130BZs.Major Sivu Tangana led a 9-ship formation of Pilatus PC7MKIIs from the Central Flying School, AFB Langebaanweg.
The final formation was the combat formation led by Colonel “Boerboel” Mashaba with two Gripens from 2 Squadron and three Hawks from 85 Combat Flying School. It was then time for Major Mohau “Dobaman” Vundla’s first Gripen solo display in Gauteng skies as he comes in as 2 Squadrons new Gripen display pilot!
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Major-General Wiseman Simo Mbambo is appointed as Chief of the South African Air Force
From the President’s media release: Major-General Mbambo began his military career in Umkhonto we Sizwe, where, among other things, he served as a training instructor in the Kibaxe Camp in Angola and was Commander in Charge of the former MK Military Aviation Group that underwent training in the Soviet Union from 1987 to 1991.
He has served in several positions in the South African Air Force, including General Officer Commanding Air Force Base Waterkloof and Chief of Staff Air Operations Major-General Mbambo is currently Deputy Chief of Staff of the SANDF.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa has also announced that from 1 June 2021, Lieutenant-General Rudzani Maphwanya will take over as chief of the South African National Defense force SANDF from General Solly Shoke, who has been chief of the SANDF since 2011.
SAAF 75 best Airshow in Southern Africa to date?
Pictures by Stefaan Bouwer
The flightline at Airforce Base Waterkloof in Pretoria during the early week of October 1995 saw a number of visiting military air arms from across the world, attended what was South Africa’s biggest military Airshow to date!
This was also the the 75th Birthday celebrations of the South African Air Force. A number of aircraft were painted up in special paint schemes for the celebration, including the SAAF Museums Mirage IIICZ “Black Widow”.
From the biggest Antonov A124 which brought a number of Russian Fighter jets in the back of the hold, including a Mig 29 and SU35. Both flying and on static display!
The Americans brought out all their bells and whistles including an F16, F15, KC135R Stratotanker, C130s, Lockheed C-141 Starlifter and many more!
Australia brought out a P-3 Orion and the Canadian Airforce attended with a Boeing 707.The Royal Airforce were here with the famous Red Arrows, C130, and a E-3 Sentry.
The South African Air Force put on a excellent variety of both new and old, including the Mirage F1AZ flown by Chris “Piranha” Pretorius, which he got struck by lightning during one of his solo displays during the show. It was one of the last shows the Impala MK1s being the Silver Falcons before being replaced by the then new Pilatus PC7 MkII “Astra”.
One has to ask will we ever see a show as big as this one day again?
