The SAAF Forum

Looks like Zimbabwe is really going to get the FC-1 fighters. http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/1167/w ... 200zl6.jpg

I have also come across a few sources mentioning that they got a batch of F-7MGs in 3 - 4 years ago when there were rumors that they were trying to get some MiG-29s. http://www.forecastinternational.com/ar ... a/0114.htm . Anybody knows more? How many? The IISS document does not seem to include the MGs.

The IISS The Military Balance lists an Il-76 for the AFZ. Could that be the same aircraft operated by Aviant?

I think this still relates to the original report? http://www.saairforce.co.za/forum/viewt ... hlight=fc1

I do not think that any purchase is on the cards with Zimbabwe's current economic woes.

The economic woes are probably the reason mad bob will get them. He feels more threatened now than ever, especially since Zambia has now broken the diplomatic silence and openly criticised mad bob. Notwithstanding the unauthorised diamond mining and smuggling Zimbabwe is selling a lot of diamonds and that still buys a pretty sizeable air-force. In addition it seems the angolans are contributing armed forces to help "stabilize" (or is that terrorize) zim.

I agree totally with Delta Wingman's opinion, as last time mad bob felt threatened he bought a ton of the latest riot gear from Israel and thirty thousand AK's with ammo from other sources.

Bob has not become one of the richest people in the world in just over twenty years by not cracking a few heads and obtaining wealth from where ever he can.

The war in the Congo is over wealth that he and the rest of the in crowd share, and it is to protect these interests that they bother about it. Not as some would say is to protect the people of Zaire.

Angola invaded south western Zaire (Congo) more than once and now with bob, hold power in that region.

China is also bob's sponser from his so called war of liberation that brought him to power, so why not discount a few aircraft to him to protect their investment.

Bob is one of the last of the stalinist leaders from the cold war era and he is not stupid as he holds six degrees (not given to him) Some were obtained whilst he was imprisoned in Rhodesia.

He is a cold and calculating and only showed his true colours once he and his organization were entrenched and held all the postions and strings in Zim. People should compare what he did and what is now happening to the south of Zim.

This is just my two pence opinion..........

My thinking too is that RGM has money for "personal interests" - including staying in power hence defence. NORINCO has signed at least one mining deal with Zimbabwe. CATIC has some stakes in Hwange. Both NORINCO & CATIC are heavily involved in arms manufacture/exports. RGM is not paying by cash. If I remember well, the Chinese has been given land to farms too!

Pakistan starts domestic production of JF-17 fighter

Flight International - 28/01/08

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/20 ... ghter.html

By Siva Govindasamy
Pakistan has begun domestic production of the JF-17 Thunder fighter, with its air force hoping to take delivery of up to 10 aircraft and form an operational squadron by year-end.

Jointly developed with China, where it is designated the FC-1, the aircraft will initially use Russian-made RD-93 engines - a move that has raised India's ire - but will eventually be powered by China's developmental WS-13. Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed, air force chief of staff, says the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) will be able to manufacture 15 fighters within the next year, with the rate increasing to 25 a year by 2011.

Islamabad already has two JF-17s and will take delivery of six more from China by early February to test avionics and weapon systems. Under the terms of its contract with Chengdu Aircraft, Pakistan will buy 150 domestically produced JF-17s to replace its Chengdu F-7Ps, but it could eventually procure 300 aircraft to reduce its dependence on US- and Russian-built fighters.

The first 50 JF-17s will be equipped with Chinese KLJ-10 radars and SD-10 and PL-8 missiles. However, PAC is in talks with France's Thales to procure the RC-400 radar and with MBDA for Mica air-to-air missiles. Tanvir says 60% of the airframe and 80% of the avionics will be indigenously produced by 2010, boosting Pakistan's budding manufacturing industry. Both China and Pakistan plan to export the JF-17, with some reports suggesting the type has already been ordered by Azerbaijan and Zimbabwe.
Pakistan's use of the RD-93 engine has caused consternation in India - a major customer for Russian arms. New Delhi complained last year that China had breached its agreements with Moscow by exporting the powerplant to Pakistan, but Russia agreed last November to allow the re-export of its technology. Some analysts believe India's displeasure could damage the chances of Russia's Sukhoi Su-35 winning its competition for 126 medium multirole combat aircraft, where it faces competition from the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin F-16 and Saab Gripen.
Meanwhile, Pakistan will receive its first single-seat F-16C Block 52 fighter in early 2009, says Tanvir. Islamabad agreed last year to buy 12 Pratt & Whitney F100-powered F-16Cs and six two-seat trainers, plus several second-hand examples, while also orderind mid-life upgrades for its existing fleet of F-16A/Bs.

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In God I trust, everyone else bring your data!

The Military Balance 2007

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In God I trust, everyone else bring your data!

Below is Michael Enslin, the AFZ pilot who was shot down in a BAe Hawk in DRC. He survived for 5 days in the bush until he was rescued. He is in Australia now and looks like he is flying for their air force. He is holding an artwork of an AFZ F-7. Seems like they got him into an F-7s after he lost the Hawk. He was hit by a MANPAD, fired by an East European mercenary - cannot remember exactly but I think Bulgarian or Yugoslav.

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In God I trust, everyone else bring your data!

That is pretty interesting Pngwerume... I must admit that I was very surprised to see that he is a white guy! (Not that it has *anything* to do with it, merely an observation). It's a credit to his training that he managed to E&E for 5 days in the African bush!

Who was he flying against - do you know more about him or his service record? How many other AFZ pilots were shot down?

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A plan is simply a basis for change.

I know what you mean when you comment on him being white!

The info I have (WAR DOG, by Al Venter) says he was 21 when he was hit by a missiles southwest of Kabalo. He was hit at 1000 ft, pulling out of a dive. The guy who shot him down was a Serbian merc. He was the 3rd pilot to be shot down. I understand Zimbabwe lost 4 Hawks in total. He was injured on one leg. To correcst my above statement (I have had to dig out the article), he survived for 3 weeks. He eventually hooked up with a Zimbabwe unit at Kakuyu. Measuring that on Google Earth that is 450km! The unit at Kakuyu was under siege and he had to join their ranks and fight for another week before they could break out and escape.

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In God I trust, everyone else bring your data!

Very interesting! Thanks for that, I can see why the RAAF would want him!

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A plan is simply a basis for change.

An AFZ VIP plane visiting South Africa on 8 October 2008. Please help identify the plane!

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In God I trust, everyone else bring your data!

Interesting ... the welcome mat belongs to 111 Sqn, a Reserve Squadron based at Waterkloof.

The aircraft could be a Gulfstream IV?

I wonder if it is a civilian 111 Sqn aircraft used to bring the AFZ contingent to SA?

They were visiting SAAF HQ in Tshwane http://www.af.mil.za/news/2008/056.htm, fo Waterfloof makes sense.

It is a Gulfstream III.
I am still trying to acertain if AFZ operates that plane. My initial thoughts were it is South African too but they don't oprates the trype, as far as I have researched.

While thinking, if it is AFZ, where did it come from? It will be a newish addition. ... What happened to the Gulfstream III that Ghana exchanged with China for the K-8s?

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In God I trust, everyone else bring your data!