Sell Hawks, Agustas, says expert
Date: 24 July 2013
The following is a rough translation from an Afrikaans article that appeared in the Beeld newspaper:
By Erika Gibson
The Agusta A109 helicopters are too expensive and complex for training. The Air Force might as well sell them, but the Rooivalk and Oryx must be retained at all costs.
"If for the fighter aircraft there really is too little money to operate the Gripens and Hawks, it will make more sense to sell the Hawks and to fly the Gripens more.
"If the Gripens are abolished, the Air Force has no justification to be an independent air force. Then we close it and give the helicopters to the army to operate."
This is how Helmoed-Römer Heitman, a military expert who helped write the Defence Review, the Defence Force’s model for how the future should be determined, responded to the latest state of the Air Force.
He said the Air Force would probably have to start considering aboloshing its roles and functions if they do not get more money.
On average, there are two Rooivalk attack helicopters a day in service. One of the reasons for the pathetic lev is a major shortage of technicians with 16 Squadron, Bloemspruit Air Force Base, which is the only one in the air force to field the attack helicopter.
The Rooivalks is supposed to accompany two Oryx helicopters in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in order to deploy with the United Nations (UN) reaction brigade.
However, the Air Force first needs to pay at least R150 million for the operation before the UN will reimburse them later.
The rest of the South African force in the brigade is already in the DRC with three Oryx's.
The Rooivalks are supposed to provide air support during attacks.
According a former helicopter squadrom commanding officer, the loss of technicians is due to the cancellation of Denel's contract at all air force squadrons.
"The contract was a necessary kind of evil, because it also meant that the air force did not train enough of its own technicians.
"This caused the air force not to be weaned before the contract was canceled. Everyone at the mother (Denel) sucked, but now she's dead, "he described the situation.
"The Air Force's operational output is not carefully considered, otherwise there was simply no other option. It makes you wonder if this is a deliberate process to make the Air Force weaker, "he said.
