The SAAF Forum

Yes, that's an Alpha Jet. Wonder where it came from. Maybe ex-Nigerian

H-704 is part of the original 2 Chetaks and 2 Cheetahs Purchased from HAL in 1994 (and the only surviving air frame from that deal as-well), it was originally painted in white and utilized for VIP transport duties, perhaps it has something to do with that

Commodore19 thank you for the explanation, it makes sense to me.

Air Force hosted its Change of Command Parade as Air Vice Marshal Teofelus Shaende gets command of the Air Force, while Air Commodore Abed Hihepa is his new deputy



Ceremonial stuff at Karibib Air Force Base


Newly promoted Air Vice Marshal Teofelus Shaende


Newly promoted Air Commodore Abed Hihepa

http://www.facebook.com/MODVANamibia/


I'm fairly certain that the new AVM is the youngest two star General/Air officer in Namibian Military at the moment(his official profile hasnt been officially released yet)but i know he joined the military in the 1999 recruit intake, he's a fast jet pilot and was appointed as the first Commanding officer of the Air Defence Wing back in 2010 when the F-7's were inducted as a Lt Col,he also served as Exercise Director for Blue Kunene if i remember correctly.

Next up should be the Navy Change of Command Parade seeing that Rear Admiral Nghipandua turns sixty this August

Congratulations Air Vice Marshal Shaende.

_________________
How come every time my ship comes in, I'm at the airport?

Visuals of the change of command parade.


I saw that the newly promoted AVM's pilot wings are blue in the video clip and not the customary white, perhaps an indicator of reaching certain number of flight hours, second time I'm observing it from a pilot, first time seeing blue pilots wings was with Air Commodore Paavo Kamanya who once served as the deputy Air Force commander(succeeded by Air Cdre Shaende in that role) before being made Defence Attache to India.

Official portrait and profile of the new-ish Air Force commander,he's 43 years of age . He's part of the "new generation" of officers being the first General/Air/Admiral in the Military to not have been involved in the Bush War(to the best of my knowledge that is)

As i previously thought,the Zambian Air Force has quietly trained/is training NAF pilots


http://www.mod.gov.na/documents/264813/ ... a04098c299

The Air Force has deployed a Y-12 transport to assist with a local pest outbreak in the Zambezi region

The Namibian Air Force on 22 April 2021 at Grootfontein Air Base paid homage to the 13 Namibians who lost their lives in three (03) separate aircraft accidents.

Chief of the Namibian Defence Force, Air Marshal Martin Pinehas joined the Air Force members and families of the aircraft crash victims whose work in the NDF will forever be remembered and their names are engraved in the memorial shrines erected at the Grootfontein Air Base as a recognition for their contribution to the Air Force development.
The Air Force paid homage to six (6) of its members who lost lives on separate air accidents while serving in ‘Operation Atlantic’ in the Democratic Republic of Congo. On 15th January 1999, Major H Kapiya (pilot), Captain ED Haimbodi (co-pilot) Flight Lieutenant F Gerber (pilot) and two gunners L/Cpl NT Kapona and Pte MA Sheya lost lives in a helicopters mid-air collision in the operation while, Flt Lt FR Namwiha (technician) died on a cross fire with the enemy while on board Y12 Aircraft.
The event also recounted the horrific accident of 11th April 2014, when the Z-9 helicopter crashed at Grootfontein Air Base runaway, instantly killing three (3) on board while four succumbed to injuries at a Windhoek hospital.
Flight Officer EN Nghimwenavali (co-pilot), Aircraftman WN Sheya (technician) and Sgt TN Alweendo (police officer) died instantly at the scene while, the pilot in command, Squadron Leader ES Angala, Flight Officer JG Hailaula and two minors (H Amalwa and M Mwiya) succumbed to third degree burns at hospital.
Squadron Leader V Nashilundo, a pilot and a Warrant Officer Class II Narbot were the two Air Force members who survived the crash.
On his keynote address, Air Marshal Martin Pinehas described the three (3) accidents as ‘poignant moments’ in the history of the Air Force saying: “we pay homage and remember our fallen colleagues, friends and families who perished in such tragic air crash. On behalf of the NDF, I extends the word of courage and strength to the families, colleagues and friends of the crash victims.”
Meanwhile, Air Force Commander, Air Vice Marshal Teofilus Shaende said aviation and flying in particular involves operating complex machines for air transportation purposes. “Therefore air accidents are inherently integral to flying as a profession. Hence no amount or degree of training can remove the associated risks”, he said.
The Air Force Commander further said despite the accident, men and women in uniform continue flying and maintain the aircrafts with a high degree of safety in mind

Memorial of the airmen lost during "Operation Atlantic" in the DRC




Memorial to the victims of the Z-9 helo crash at Grootfontein Air Force Base


CDF


AF Commander

http://www.facebook.com/MODVANamibia

Major H Kapiya (pilot), Captain ED Haimbodi (co-pilot) Flight Lieutenant F Gerber (pilot) and two gunners L/Cpl NT Kapona and Pte MA Sheya were on Allouettes H-702 and H-708 that crashed mid-air ,the other six deaths in this accident were Zimbabweans IIRC.


The death of Flt Lt FR Namwiha happened on the 1st August 1999 during a transport mission to supply allied Zimbabwean and Namibian troops during the siege of Ikela as per newspaper reports of the time



Major Paavo Kamanja would go on to be an Air Commodore and a deputy Air Force Commander before he was transferred to India as a Defence Attache as per the earlier post above

Found these pictures on Twitter. The author says they were taken at the commissioning parade of the Namibian Air Force 13 March 2005 at Grootfontein AFB

pics: @arshdeephanspal/Twitter

Y-12 transport, K-8 ,MI-24's


Y-12 Transport

Y-12 and HAL Cheetah


K-8


K-8 Trainers and Cessna 0-2


Mi-24


K-8


HAL Chetak & HAL Cheetah



AB139


Pair of F-7NM



F-7NM



Fly past (Mi24 & HAL Chetak)





Parade (An24, Y12 & Cessna O-2)



Parade