The SAAF Forum

It will be a sad day when they close down this squadron. Not only will it be a loss for air refeuling but it has been a loss for airborne EW for a long time now. I was lucky enough to have been part of that episode with a total of 110 hours as EW crew. It will be sorely missed.

I have read throug a couple of posts and would like to add that the reason the 707 is used, is because of its speed and capability to carry large bladder tanks for fuel. There is a certain speed at which refueling takes place in order for the fuel pods to be the most stable and only the 707 can so far maintain that speed for it to work unless they switch to the boom type refueling on the ne a400. But that remains to be seen.

The Boeing 707 of the SAAF operates a probe a drogue system and this system has been operated by many different aircraft types going back to WW2. The A400 will be able to operate this system with ease. Maybe an option to keep up a certain level of air to air refueling capability only in a training role is to get a buddy refuelling system for the Grippen. This could also be used for limited operations.

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I should be working right now.

From AvCom:

A 60 Squadron Boeing 707 (1419) will be flown from AFB Waterkloof to Swartkop on Friday 5 October 2007 at 11:00 for delivery to the SAAF Museum.

The aircraft is one of only two Boeing 707's that remained in service with 60 Squadron at the time. The other 707 (1415) was flown to AFB Makhado earlier in the week. The remaining three aircraft have been withdrawn from use some time ago, with one (an ex SAA aircraft) apparently earmarked for the SAA Museum Society at Rand.

The Museum is open on Friday to members of the public and visitors.

Hope the SAAF dont need any long range sorties now. They will be pretty much screwed.

As they will if they want to do any clearance tests with new stores on the gripens. The flutter clearance of new stores configurations is particularly time (and fuel) consuming and is best done with in flight refueling available, otherwise a couple of hours testing turns into days or weeks.

I just wish there would be more clarity from the French on the deliveries, or is it the SA Govt messing up as far as money goes.

The following thoughts occurred to me: (1) Does the SAAF really need an air-to-air refuelling facility at the moment? (2) If they do, why not modify a couple or three of the C-130's for AAR and perhaps bring back into service the Transall C-160's. (3) What about the ELINT role of the 707's?

As far as I know the C-160's were withdrawn because of they were extremely difficult to maintain. Attempting to get these (old) aircraft back to an airworthy condition not to mention training new flight / maintenance crews would be a tremendous waste of time and resources.

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A plan is simply a basis for change.

Dave Becker has written a most interesting article on the SAAF's 707's in the January issue of SA Flyer. I'm still wondering what has happened about the ELINT role?

The SAAF still has a C-47TP for EW 'training', as well as some Oryx helicopters that can be converted to the EW and jamming role.

I would like to say that I did read the story about the 707's in the January issue, and did enjoy the article. I replied with a letter to the editor and it will be printed in next month's SA flyer. And to Dean I would like to ask where he obtains all this interesting information of the SAAF from? It is quite acurate and complete. The C47TP is still there and has great systems in but I think the platform is a bit outdated, limited to the distance it can travel, but maybe they will move it to a newer one soon. Who knows what the plans are for the future. I hope it is good becuase as proven by the Yanks, EW is a core instrument in any war, but that also depends on the enemy you face. Anyhow 30Hours in a C47TP is a lot.
Cheers.

Why does this not surprise me??!! Only in South Africa!
And i found this on wikipedia

"The SAAF is planning to transition to a tactical air force, fully deployable internationally. This will have to happen within the constraints of a very limited budget."

Guess theyll be delivering the fuel by Taxi.
Go South Africa

The C17 is only just under 10m longer.

Hopefully the government will change their mind and get some KC135's and KC767's. Hows is our airforce going to be deployable for other nations if our new pilots dont know how to do Aerial-refuelling. Would be a bit of an embarrassment really.