SAAF's 'planes old'

Grounded multi-billion rand attack helicopters and critically ageing transport aircraft are a spectrum of the dire problems facing the South African Air Force (SAAF).

This was revealed yesterday by SAAF chief, Lieutenant-General Carlo Gagiano, in a briefing on the state of the air force and the role it played in securing the 2010 World Cup.

The air force's top brass have, however, downplayed the problems, which include the urgent need to replace the SAAFs ageing transport aircraft, including the VIP transport fleet, and the grounding of the state-of-the-art Rooivalk attack helicopter.

By 2007 the Rooivalk project, Project Imposer, cost the taxpayer an estimated R8-billion.

Now because of apparent engineering problems, which the SAAF have refused to elaborate on, and other development technicalities, the helicopters are sitting idle at their Bloemfontein base.

The technicalities are believed to be around the helicopter's development not being completed.

The SAAF's top brass are, however, insisting that it is all systems go and that the Rooivalk will be operational by April.

Brigadier-General Norman Minnaar, Director of Air Force Acquisitions, said they had come to a point where the future of the Rooivalk, which had been 10 years in the making, needed to be decided.

"There are, however, numerous issues being discussed with the minister and its developers.

"These issues include whether it or its systems are obsolete, the availability of spares and whether upgrades are necessary."

Pressed for further comment Minnaar said: "We are currently clearing up some issues with Denel and Armscor."

He declined to comment further except to say that the necessary documents pertaining to the aircraft's development still needed to be presented to the SAAF.

Major-General Hugh Paine, Chief Director of Force Preparation, insisted the Rooivalk squadron was "live and well".

"It has been done because, while the aircraft is airworthy they have yet to complete their development cycle. The aircraft has a long life ahead of it and they will be operational by April," he said.

Along with the Rooivalk grounding, other problems facing the SAAF include its ageing air transport fleet, the backbone for the SANDF's peacekeeping missions and the lack of alternative replacement aircraft.

Among those aircraft which will be required to be kept in service for at least another five years, is the C130 heavy-lift aircraft, many of which are 47 years old.

The C130s were due to be replaced within the next four years with the Airbus A400M until the multi-billion-rand project was scrapped by Defence and Military Veterans Minister Lindiwe Sisulu because of escalating costs.

The scrapping of the acquisition comes as Gagiano said the C130's replacement, along with the replacement of the SAAF's medium-lift and strategic battlefield transport aircraft, would have to be done "piecemeal".

"It will be impossible to replace all at once given its size and the cost," he said.

Source: Cape Times