South African Air Force

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Revision as of 04:39, 7 July 2008

South African Air Force ensign.

The South African Air Force (SAAF) is tasked with providing close air support, aerial reconnaissance, and transport support for the other services of the armed forces. Commanding the air force is Lieutenant General Abel Mawere. Each province holds at least one major SAAF base, and the SAAF's aircraft inventory is divided fairly evenly among the provinces.

• Agusta A109LUH utility helicopter
• Airbus A400M transport aircraft
• Atlas Cheetah D fighter
• Atlas Oryx utility helicopter
• BAE Hawk 120/LIFT trainer
• Beechcraft Super King Air 200 utility aircraft
• Boeing 737-7ED BBJ VIP transport
• CASA C-212 Aviocar transport aircraft
• CASA CN-235 transport aircraft
• Cessna 185A/D/E light utility aircraft
• Cessna 208 Caravan utility aircraft
• Cessna 550/551 Citation II utility aircraft
• Dassault Falcon 50 transport
• Dassault Falcon 900B transport
• Denel AH-2A Rooivalk attack helicopter
• Douglas DC-3/C-47 Skytrain III & IV transport
• Douglas C-47TP Turbo Dakota transport
• Lockheed C-130B Hercules transport
• Lockheed C-130BZ Hercules transport
• MBB/Kawasaki BK 117A utility/transport helicopter
• Pilatus PC-7 Mk2 Astra trainer
• Pilatus PC-12 utility aircraft
• Saab JAS 39C/D Gripen multirole fighter
• Westland Super Lynx maritime attack helicopter

• Aeritalia AM.3C Bosbok observation aircraft
• Atlas MB-326M Impala I trainer
• Atlas MB-326K Impala II attack aircraft
• Atlas Cheetah C fighter
• Beechcraft B80 Queen Air utility aircraft
• Boeing 707 VIP transport
• Dassault Mirage IIIBZ/IIIDZ/IIID2Z interceptor
• Dassault Mirage IIIEZ multirole/strike fighter
• Dassault Mirage IIIRZ/IIIR2Z reconnaissance aircraft
• Dassault Mirage F1AZ/CZ attack aircraft
• English Electric Canberra B(I) 12 bomber
• English Electric Canberra T Mk 4 trainer
• Hawker Siddeley HS-125 400B Mercurius trainer
• Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S Mk50 attack aircraft
• Lockheed C-130F Hercules tanker transport
• Pilatus PC-6 Porter utility aircraft
• Piper PA-23 Aztec 250 utility aircraft
• Piper PA-28 Cherokee 140 utility aircraft
• Sud Aviation SE-3160/B Alouette III light utility helicopter
• Sud Aviation SA-321L Super Frelon heavy transport helicopter
• Sud Aviation SA-330C/H/L Puma utility helicopter
• Transall C-160Z transport
• Vickers Armstrong 781D Viscount transport
• Westland Scout light utility helicopter
• Westland Wasp HAS 1 ASW helicopter

Organization

• South African Air Force Central Command
  • Aerial Support Command
  • Long-Range Aviation Command
  • Air Defense Forces
  • Military Transport Aviation Command
  • Support Command
  • Reserve and Cadre Training Command

Frontal Aviation Command

The Frontal Aviation Command is responsible for providing tactical support to the other branches of the armed forces. It is tasked with defending ground forces from aerial attack, providing close air support, and interdicting enemy forces.

Long-Range Aviation Command

The Long-Range Aviation Command is an intercontinental nuclear strike force which provides South Africa's strategic nuclear threat.

Air Defense Forces

The Air Defense Forces are charged with defense against enemy air attack. The Air Defense Forces include missile, air force, and radio-technical units and an air defense army. There are a total of 30 ADF battalions.

Military Transport Aviation Command

The Military Transport and Aviation Command provides transportation for the other services of the armed forces. It operates a large variety of aircraft to accomplish this mission.

Support Command

Support Command provides the facilities on which the other commands operate, as well as support in such areas as maintenance and engineering. It also provides support in the form of special operations, such as search and rescue missions.

Reserve and Cadre Training Command

The Reserve and Cadre Training Command is responsible for training personnel of the SAAF. It operates two training regiments equipped with over 200 operational and training aircraft of various types.

Aircraft

Fighters

• 4 squadrons of Saab JAS 39 Gripen multirole fighters
  • 2 squadrons of JAS 39C fighters (NATO-compatible version)
  • 1 squadron of JAS 39D fighters (two-seat variant)
  • 1 squadron of JAS 39E fighters (increased fuel capacity, upgraded avionics, and other improvements)
• 2 squadrons of Dassault Rafale multirole fighters
  • 1 squadron of Rafale B fighters (two-seat variant)
  • 1 squadron of Rafale C fighters (single-seat version)
• 8 squadrons of Dassault Mirage 2000 multirole fighters
  • 5 squadrons of Mirage 2000D fighter-bombers
  • 3 squadrons of Mirage 2000N nuclear strike aircraft
• 4 squadrons of Atlas Cheetah fighters
  • 3 squadrons of Cheetah C fighters
  • 1 squadron of Cheetah E fighters
• 4 squadrons of Dassault Mirage F1 fighters
  • 1 squadron of Mirage F-1A ground attack fighters
  • 1 squadron of Mirage F-1E all-weather multirole fighers
  • 1 squadron of Mirage F1CR reconnaissance fighters
  • 1 squadron of Mirage F1CT tactical ground attack fighters
• 2 squadrons of Dassault Mirage III interceptor aircraft
• 2 squadrons of Dassault Mirage IV supersonic strategic bombers
• 1 squadron of Impala I ground attack aircraft
• 1 squadron of SEPECAT Jaguar ground attack aircraft

Transport aircraft

• 1 squadron of Boeing KC-777 tanker transports
• 7 squadrons of Lockheed C-130 Hercules transports
  • 5 squadrons of C-130B Hercules transports
  • 2 squadrons of C-130J Super Hercules transports
• 2 squadron of Airbus A400M long-range military transports
• 5 squadrons of CASA CN-235 medium-range transports
• 6 squadrons of Transall C-160 transports
• 15 flights of Cessna 208 short-haul regional airliners
• 45 flights of Pilatus PC-12 passenger/cargo aircraft
• 1 VIP squadron
  • 4 Cessna 550/551 Citation II business jets
  • 10 Dassault Falcon 900B business jets

Helicopters

• 3 squadron of Aérospatiale Alouette III light utility helicopters
• 3 squadron of Aérospatiale Puma utility helicopters
• 4 squadrons of Agusta A109 search and rescue/utility helicopters
  • 2 squadrons of A109LUH light utility helicopters
  • 1 squadron of A109 A109A Mk.II MAX aeromedical evacuation helicopters
  • 1 squadron of A109K2 search and rescue/air ambulance helicopters
• 5 squadrons of Atlas Oryx medium utility helicopters
• 4 squadrons of Bell 206 multipurpose utility helicopters
• 4 squadrons of Bell 412 multipurpose utility helicopters
  • 1 squadron of Bell Griffin HT1 advanced training helicopters
  • 1 squadron of Bell Griffin HAR2 search and rescue helicopters
  • 1 squadron of Agusta-Bell AB 412 civil utility transport helicopters
  • 1 squadron of Agusta-Bell AB 412 Grifone military utility transport helicopters
• 5 squadrons of MBB/Kawasaki BK 117 medium utility/transport helicopters
• 3 squadrons of CH-53E Super Stallion heavy-lift cargo helicopters
• 6 squadrons of Westland Scout general purpose light helicopters

Utility aircraft

• 4 squadrons of Beechcraft Super King Air 200 civil utility aircraft
• 2 squadrons of Cessna 185 light utility aircraft
• 2 squadrons of Cessna 208 turboprop utility aircraft
• 2 squadrons of Pilatus PC-6 STOL utility aircraft

Training aircraft

• 14 Aermacchi M-346 advanced trainers
• 114 Impala II two-seat jet trainers
• 24 BAE Hawk Mk 120 lead in fighter trainers
• 60 Pilatus PC-7 Mk 2 trainers
• 14 Atlas Cheetah D trainers
• 30 Beech Super King Air 350 multi-engine/navigation trainers
• 130 T-6 Texan II trainers

Weapons

Missiles

Surface-to-surface

• 5 squadrons of RSA-I1 Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (15 transporter erector launchers per squadron)
• 10 squadrons of RSA-I2 Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles (15 transporter erector launchers per squadron)

Surface-to-air

• Crotale
• FIM-92 Stinger
• M1097 Avenger
• MIM-23 Hawk
• MIM-104 Patriot
• Mistral
• Umkhonto

Air-to-surface

• AASM
• AGM-65 Maverick
• AM 39 Exocet
• MBDA Apache
• RBS15
• Storm Shadow

Air-to-air

• AIM-9 Sidewinder
• AIM-92 Stinger
• AIM-120 AMRAAM
• AIM-152 AAAM
• MBDA Meteor
• MBDA MICA
• R550 Magic

Bombs

• AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon
• AGM-62 Walleye
• CBU-100 Cluster Bomb
• CBU-107 Passive Attack Weapon
• CBU-24
• CBU-87 Combined Effects Munition
• CBU-97 Sensor Fuzed Weapon
• GBU-37 GPS-Aided Munition
• GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb
• GBU-43 Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb
• Mark 82 General-Purpose Bomb
• Mark 83 General-Purpose Bomb
• Mark 84 General-Purpose Bomb
• Paveway IV Laser-Guided Bomb

Air Defense Forces

Units

1st Air Defense Forces Battalion
2nd Air Defense Forces Battalion
3rd Air Defense Forces Battalion
4th Air Defense Forces Battalion
5th Air Defense Forces Battalion
6th Air Defense Forces Battalion
7th Air Defense Forces Battalion
8th Air Defense Forces Battalion
9th Air Defense Forces Battalion
10th Air Defense Forces Battalion
11th Air Defense Forces Battalion
12th Air Defense Forces Battalion
13th Air Defense Forces Battalion
14th Air Defense Forces Battalion
15th Air Defense Forces Battalion
16th Air Defense Forces Battalion
17th Air Defense Forces Battalion
18th Air Defense Forces Battalion
19th Air Defense Forces Battalion
20th Air Defense Forces Battalion
21st Air Defense Forces Battalion
22nd Air Defense Forces Battalion
23rd Air Defense Forces Battalion
24th Air Defense Forces Battalion
25th Air Defense Forces Battalion
26th Air Defense Forces Battalion
27th Air Defense Forces Battalion
28th Air Defense Forces Battalion
29th Air Defense Forces Battalion
30th Air Defense Forces Battalion

List of units by province

Cape Province

1st Air Defense Forces Battalion
2nd Air Defense Forces Battalion
25th Air Defense Forces Battalion
26th Air Defense Forces Battalion
27th Air Defense Forces Battalion

Orange Free State

3rd Air Defense Forces Battalion
4th Air Defense Forces Battalion
20th Air Defense Forces Battalion
21st Air Defense Forces Battalion
22nd Air Defense Forces Battalion

Transvaal

5th Air Defense Forces Battalion
6th Air Defense Forces Battalion
16th Air Defense Forces Battalion
17th Air Defense Forces Battalion
18th Air Defense Forces Battalion

Natal

7th Air Defense Forces Battalion
8th Air Defense Forces Battalion
9th Air Defense Forces Battalion
10th Air Defense Forces Battalion
12th Air Defense Forces Battalion

South-West Africa

23rd Air Defense Forces Battalion
24th Air Defense Forces Battalion

Rhodesia

11th Air Defense Forces Battalion
19th Air Defense Forces Battalion

Botswana

14th Air Defense Forces Battalion
29th Air Defense Forces Battalion

Lesotho

13th Air Defense Forces Battalion
15th Air Defense Forces Battalion

Swaziland

28th Air Defense Forces Battalion
30th Air Defense Forces Battalion

Equipment

Individual weapons

• R4 assault rifle
  • R5 carbine
  • R6 mini-assault rifle
• Heckler & Koch G3 battle rifle
• Vektor SS-77 general purpose machine gun
• BXP submachine gun
• FN Minimi light machine gun
• Milkor MGL semi-automatic grenade launcher
• RBS 70 MANPADS
• Armsel Striker shotgun
• Vektor Z88 pistol
• Denel NTW-20 20mm sniper rifle
• Galat'z designated marksman rifle
• Accuracy International Arctic Warfare folding sniper rifle
• Starstreak lightweight multiple launcher

Armored vehicles

• ERC 20
• CV9040 AAV
• M6 Linebacker
• Wiesel 2 BF/UF
• Wiesel 2 AFF
• Wiesel 2 Ozelot
• LAV-AD
• Sisu XA-181
• M1097 Avenger Self-Propelled Surface-to-Air Missile System
• MIM-72/M48 Chaparral Self-Propelled Surface-to-Air Missile System
• Air Defense Anti-Tank System

Artillery

• M167 Vulcan air defense gun
• Oerlikon 20mm anti-aircraft gun
• Oerlikon 35mm anti-aircraft gun
• Skysweeper 75mm anti-aircraft gun