Air Force to Become Air Arm?By Dean Wingrin
Due to continued budgetary constrictions that have already grounded most of the aircraft in the South African Air Force (SAAF), Cabinet is set to announce the demotion of the Air Force to an Air Arm.
As revealed in February, the total Air Defence (SAAF) budget for 2022/23 is R6 201.3m (2021/22: R6 369.6m), a decrease of 2.6% in nominal terms. The main beneficiary of an increased budget is Transport and Maritime Capability (R1 049.5m vs R738.6m), at the expense of Helicopter Capability (R768.5m vs R1 207.9m) and Air Combat (R304.3m vs R346.9m).
Defence analyst Darren Olivier said that “the allocation to Air Combat doesn't come close to covering the cost of a three year Gripen support contract, let alone that of the Hawks. Forget about training, spares, ammunition, and everything else.”
This is borne out by the Gripen fighter fleet which has been grounded since late 2021 and that only a quarter of the SAAF's aircraft inventory is operational, the rest is awaiting the funding of spares and maintenance support by Denel and other service providers.
SAAF spokesperson Hofnar Isidenge told
http://www.saairforce.co.za that due to tight budgets over the past decade, the SAAF has had to reduce its operational aircraft fleet.
“It has now reached a critical stage and we can no longer function as a high level air force that the Constitution and Defence White Paper demands of us,” explained Isidenge.
“Therefore, we have submitted to Cabinet and Cabinet is considering that the SAAF, founded in 1920, is no longer able to perform the functions mandated of it. In order not to fall foul of the Constitution, we have received legal opinion from Free Eagle Attorneys that “the Air Force be reformed as an Air Arm” which requires a lower level of capability and effectiveness.
This, Isidenge says, will free the SAAF eagle and enable the new Air Arm to adapt its capabilities to the budget available.
Note: This article was originally written as an April Fools prank and should not be taken seriously.