The SAAF Forum

It seems that the SANDF is laking in good modern ground based Air defense. I know the star streaker is good but is a short ranged and the ground based umkonto are not yet in production. But what other air defense abilities do we have. And just how mobil are they.

As far as I know the only other ground based air defence asset we have are the 35mm AAA Cannons.

What about land based 40mm bofors and 20mm guns.

The Army has twenty-four ZU-23-2 twin 23mm guns mounted on trucks, the system is designated Zumlac.

Various models of Oerlikon 20mm guns are on the retired list - no idea if they have been scrapped or are kept in storage.
Some used to be mounted on a Buffel-type vehicle, the system was called the Ystervark.

Did they ever have 40mm Bofors? If they did they would most probably date from WW2.

The navy took over most of the army's 40/60 Canadian built Bofors in the seventies when the 35mm's replaced them. Mostly for spares for their 40mms.

Any idea on the likely timeframe of the Umkhonto land SAM entering service?

And now they sitting at SANAD

Think they'll sell me one really cheap - and ammo. I'm really getting PO'd with these low flying choppers. I used to be a fair 40/60 gunner on the Stokers and Chefs gun crew in my day! Don't laugh - we were usually better than the gunners!

Cripes .. watching the TP-Dak circling overhead your area, myself & Doug were chatting this weekend about how long before the crusty sea-dog starts taking pot-shots at the aircraft flying overhead ...

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Brent Best

Good luck with finding any usable 40/60 ammo.

I need something - I'm rapidly running out of MANPADS ....

Maybe not local - but still in service and ammo being manufactured.

The 23mm have been out of service for a number of years already.

Starstreak and the 35mm is all at the moment.

Nice Bofors at AFB Ysterplaat Museum, Eugene.
Regret no ammo

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Money cannot buy happiness, but it's more comfortable to cry in a Mercedes Benz than on a bicycle.

I would also love to know what is happening GBADS 2/3 project. The Umkonto land based SAM looks very promising. Much better than the useles Cactus/Crotale that we had. All you see (like everything else) is mock-up's or technology demonstrators at AAD. Is anything happening with this project? All we have now is Starstreak and a couple of ADA guns.