NEWS & EVENTS - ACQUISITIONS
27 July 2002
President's new jet on its way
Acquisitions
President Thabo Mbeki will be able to take to the skies in style in September with the South African Air Force's first inter-continental VIP aircraft scheduled to arrive in the country within three weeks.The Boeing Business Jet, which will cost S...
18 June 2002
SA lacks resources for new air force planes
Acquisitions
The SA Air Force does not have the financial or personnel resources to allow full operational readiness of the new jet fighters and trainers that make up a large part of the R53bn strategic arms acquisitions.The choice of aircraft has been the subjec...
21 May 2002
Defence has spent R203m on consultants
Acquisitions
Advice on arms deal cost about R23mParliamentary Editor CAPE TOWN The defence department had spent more than R203m on consultants with about R23m on the strategic defence packages during the past two years, Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota said yester...
5 April 2002
Government goes ahead with fighter-plane deal
Acquisitions
The South African government has ignored opposition and civil society calls to cancel the purchase of 12 extra British Aerospace Hawk trainer jets in the second part of a fighter-aircraft deal expected to gobble R24-billion out of the nation's tr...
23 January 2002
Where are the new BBJ pilots?
Acquisitions
President Thabo Mbeki's new business jet is to be delivered later this year, but manning the jet may become a problem as the Air Force faces pilot shortages.Only six operational pilots (three crews of two each) out of the entire Air Force qualify...
1 January 2002
No jet in Mbeki's Xmas sock, yet
Acquisitions
President Thabo Mbeki's new jet, worth more than R600 million was not ready to be piloted in by Santa this year, but will be delivered late next year. The cabins of the jet will be decorated in a "modern-day African theme" and the aerop...
11 December 2001
Thales signs new co-operation agreement with South Africa
Acquisitions
Thales Avionics has signed a co-operation contract with the South African firm AMS (Aerospace Monitoring and Systems (Pty) Ltd) for the development of the vehicle management module (VMM) on A109-LUH helicopters. This contract is part of the offset ag...
4 December 2001
Arms deal spending may face cutbacks
Acquisitions
Financing the multi billion-rand arms deal would have no effect on the projected 2002/03 budget deficit of 2,6 percent, but the department of defence might have toreassess whether it could afford all tranches of the deal given its budgets for the nex...
6 October 2001
First two C-130BZ Hercules handed over
Acquisitions
The first two C-130Bs to complete the full avionic upgrade to C-130BZ standard have been redelivered. The two aircraft, 407 and 408, left Marshall Aerospace's Cambridge facility on 8 August for AFB Waterkloof. Of the two, 407 had arrived at Cambr...
29 September 2001
SAAF to get full complement of new aircraft
Acquisitions
The government remains on course to buy all the jet fighters and trainers originally included in the R43.8bn arms deal, which, with a projected additional R22.9bn in interest over 21 years, now totals R66.7bn. Defence Minister Mosiuou Lekota confirme...
2 August 2001
SAAF Features at RIAT 2001
Acquisitions
The SAAF featured once again at the Royal International Air Tattoo this year, although unofficialy.BAe Systems capitalised on the recent Gripen and Hawk deal by applying SAAF logos to their mock-up display aircraft, while the much delayed C-130B Herc...
18 July 2001
Summary of SAAF plans
Acquisitions
In line with the previously released Defence Review, the active fleet will be reduced by cutting the Impala fleet from the current 48 Mk I and Mk IIs operated to 24 airframes, while the number of Cheetah C/Ds is to be reduced to 28 from 39. The Pilat...
4 July 2001
New Presidential jet delivered
Acquisitions
Boeing Business Jets has delivered the Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) to the South African Air Force during the delivery ceremony at Boeing Field on June 26 2001. 21 Squadron will will use the aircraft for VIP transport.The new Boeing BBJ Presidential jet...
29 June 2001
Hercules upgrade problems
Acquisitions
The Afrikaans daily, Die Burger, reports that the delivery of the first C-130 Hercules upgraded by Marshall Aerospace is already seven months behind schedule due to contractual problems.The first aircraft was delivered to Marshall Aerospace in 1996. ...
6 June 2001
Kaman back in the running?
Acquisitions
There are strong unconfirmed reports from a reliable source that the United States has offered South Africa four Kaman SH2 Seasprite helicopters at no cost. South Africa has a requirement for four (or more) naval helicopters for use aboard its Meko A...
18 May 2001
SAAF to get new Boeing Presidential jet
Acquisitions
A VIP jet costing a total of R408m is to be bought by the SAAF to ferry President Thabo Mbeki and other cabinet ministers to international destinations. It will cost R300m plus an extra R108m for interior fittings.'"With South Africa's r...
14 May 2001
New IR AAM for the SAAF?
Acquisitions
South Africa is looking for a new IR AAM, primarily for Gripen but also for Hawk and maybe Cheetah. Shortlisted are A-Darter, ASRAAM, IRIS-T and Python 4. ...
10 May 2001
SAAF reveals plans for Gripen and Hawk
Acquisitions
South African Air Force chief Lt Gen Jan Beukes yesterday lifted the veil on his service's plans to re-invent itself for an African 21st Century. Beukes also clarified the role the SAAF's new aircraft as well as its legacy systems would play ...
19 March 2001
SAAF not looking for VIP pilots
Acquisitions
Despite newspaper reports to the contary, the SAAF is not looking to hire commercial pilots for its new VIP jet, rumoured to be the Boeing 737-700.According to a SAAF insider, there is a process being followed for the acquisition of, the intergration...
13 March 2001
SAN ships built to accommodate Lynx only
Acquisitions
Senior naval sources say the hangars and flight deck of South Africa's four Meko A200SAN corvettes are being built with AgustaWestland's Lynx naval helicopter in mind. Although the military has short-listed the ultra- sophisticated and very e...
2 March 2001
The SAAF's first Hawk hatching
Acquisitions
BAE SYSTEMS announced in its annual results this week that the construction of the first of 24 Hawk lead-in fighter trainers for the SA Air Force was underway. "BAE SYSTEMS has been contracted to supply the South African Air Force with 24 dual-s...
22 February 2001
New jet for President Mbeki
Acquisitions
The 2001/02 Defence Force budget, announced by Finance Minister Trevor Manual today, has made allowances for a total of R300 million to be spent over the next two years to buy a long-range aircraft to be used mainly by the President.The defence vote ...
27 October 2000
New VIP jet?
Acquisitions
It is rumoured that the new VIP transport aircraft for the State President has been short listed to the Boeing 737 Business Jet and the Airbus A319, presumably the Corporate Jet version.It is not certain where the funds will come from as the SAAF bud...
19 September 2000
Tellumat completes radar upgrade work
Acquisitions
More news from AAAD 2000: Tellumat Defence has revealed that the development work on a contract to upgrade radar installations for the SAAF was now complete and that the first system was undergoing trials."A key feature is that the radar, locate...
19 September 2000
Maritime capability is key for South African air force
Acquisitions
A lack of maritime patrol capability is causing concern within the South African Air Force. The requirement is one of several buys the SAAF wants to push through over the next 10 years.
President's new jet on its way
Acquisitions
President Thabo Mbeki will be able to take to the skies in style in September with the South African Air Force's first inter-continental VIP aircraft scheduled to arrive in the country within three weeks.The Boeing Business Jet, which will cost S...
SA lacks resources for new air force planes
Acquisitions
The SA Air Force does not have the financial or personnel resources to allow full operational readiness of the new jet fighters and trainers that make up a large part of the R53bn strategic arms acquisitions.The choice of aircraft has been the subjec...
Defence has spent R203m on consultants
Acquisitions
Advice on arms deal cost about R23mParliamentary Editor CAPE TOWN The defence department had spent more than R203m on consultants with about R23m on the strategic defence packages during the past two years, Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota said yester...
Government goes ahead with fighter-plane deal
Acquisitions
The South African government has ignored opposition and civil society calls to cancel the purchase of 12 extra British Aerospace Hawk trainer jets in the second part of a fighter-aircraft deal expected to gobble R24-billion out of the nation's tr...
Where are the new BBJ pilots?
Acquisitions
President Thabo Mbeki's new business jet is to be delivered later this year, but manning the jet may become a problem as the Air Force faces pilot shortages.Only six operational pilots (three crews of two each) out of the entire Air Force qualify...
No jet in Mbeki's Xmas sock, yet
Acquisitions
President Thabo Mbeki's new jet, worth more than R600 million was not ready to be piloted in by Santa this year, but will be delivered late next year. The cabins of the jet will be decorated in a "modern-day African theme" and the aerop...
Thales signs new co-operation agreement with South Africa
Acquisitions
Thales Avionics has signed a co-operation contract with the South African firm AMS (Aerospace Monitoring and Systems (Pty) Ltd) for the development of the vehicle management module (VMM) on A109-LUH helicopters. This contract is part of the offset ag...
Arms deal spending may face cutbacks
Acquisitions
Financing the multi billion-rand arms deal would have no effect on the projected 2002/03 budget deficit of 2,6 percent, but the department of defence might have toreassess whether it could afford all tranches of the deal given its budgets for the nex...
First two C-130BZ Hercules handed over
Acquisitions
The first two C-130Bs to complete the full avionic upgrade to C-130BZ standard have been redelivered. The two aircraft, 407 and 408, left Marshall Aerospace's Cambridge facility on 8 August for AFB Waterkloof. Of the two, 407 had arrived at Cambr...
SAAF to get full complement of new aircraft
Acquisitions
The government remains on course to buy all the jet fighters and trainers originally included in the R43.8bn arms deal, which, with a projected additional R22.9bn in interest over 21 years, now totals R66.7bn. Defence Minister Mosiuou Lekota confirme...
SAAF Features at RIAT 2001
Acquisitions
The SAAF featured once again at the Royal International Air Tattoo this year, although unofficialy.BAe Systems capitalised on the recent Gripen and Hawk deal by applying SAAF logos to their mock-up display aircraft, while the much delayed C-130B Herc...
Summary of SAAF plans
Acquisitions
In line with the previously released Defence Review, the active fleet will be reduced by cutting the Impala fleet from the current 48 Mk I and Mk IIs operated to 24 airframes, while the number of Cheetah C/Ds is to be reduced to 28 from 39. The Pilat...
New Presidential jet delivered
Acquisitions
Boeing Business Jets has delivered the Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) to the South African Air Force during the delivery ceremony at Boeing Field on June 26 2001. 21 Squadron will will use the aircraft for VIP transport.The new Boeing BBJ Presidential jet...
Hercules upgrade problems
Acquisitions
The Afrikaans daily, Die Burger, reports that the delivery of the first C-130 Hercules upgraded by Marshall Aerospace is already seven months behind schedule due to contractual problems.The first aircraft was delivered to Marshall Aerospace in 1996. ...
Kaman back in the running?
Acquisitions
There are strong unconfirmed reports from a reliable source that the United States has offered South Africa four Kaman SH2 Seasprite helicopters at no cost. South Africa has a requirement for four (or more) naval helicopters for use aboard its Meko A...
SAAF to get new Boeing Presidential jet
Acquisitions
A VIP jet costing a total of R408m is to be bought by the SAAF to ferry President Thabo Mbeki and other cabinet ministers to international destinations. It will cost R300m plus an extra R108m for interior fittings.'"With South Africa's r...
New IR AAM for the SAAF?
Acquisitions
South Africa is looking for a new IR AAM, primarily for Gripen but also for Hawk and maybe Cheetah. Shortlisted are A-Darter, ASRAAM, IRIS-T and Python 4. ...
SAAF reveals plans for Gripen and Hawk
Acquisitions
South African Air Force chief Lt Gen Jan Beukes yesterday lifted the veil on his service's plans to re-invent itself for an African 21st Century. Beukes also clarified the role the SAAF's new aircraft as well as its legacy systems would play ...
SAAF not looking for VIP pilots
Acquisitions
Despite newspaper reports to the contary, the SAAF is not looking to hire commercial pilots for its new VIP jet, rumoured to be the Boeing 737-700.According to a SAAF insider, there is a process being followed for the acquisition of, the intergration...
SAN ships built to accommodate Lynx only
Acquisitions
Senior naval sources say the hangars and flight deck of South Africa's four Meko A200SAN corvettes are being built with AgustaWestland's Lynx naval helicopter in mind. Although the military has short-listed the ultra- sophisticated and very e...
The SAAF's first Hawk hatching
Acquisitions
BAE SYSTEMS announced in its annual results this week that the construction of the first of 24 Hawk lead-in fighter trainers for the SA Air Force was underway. "BAE SYSTEMS has been contracted to supply the South African Air Force with 24 dual-s...
New jet for President Mbeki
Acquisitions
The 2001/02 Defence Force budget, announced by Finance Minister Trevor Manual today, has made allowances for a total of R300 million to be spent over the next two years to buy a long-range aircraft to be used mainly by the President.The defence vote ...
New VIP jet?
Acquisitions
It is rumoured that the new VIP transport aircraft for the State President has been short listed to the Boeing 737 Business Jet and the Airbus A319, presumably the Corporate Jet version.It is not certain where the funds will come from as the SAAF bud...
Tellumat completes radar upgrade work
Acquisitions
More news from AAAD 2000: Tellumat Defence has revealed that the development work on a contract to upgrade radar installations for the SAAF was now complete and that the first system was undergoing trials."A key feature is that the radar, locate...
Maritime capability is key for South African air force
Acquisitions
A lack of maritime patrol capability is causing concern within the South African Air Force. The requirement is one of several buys the SAAF wants to push through over the next 10 years.
