frumentius:


Ah! The Parabats are our Rangers. Not as well equipped, but we train them as such. They certainly hold their own in joint exercises with the US Ranger Regiment.
I do think we should equip them better seeing the latest Defence Review explicity sees them playing an expeditionary role alongside the Recces.
Just the musings of a lowly nobody.

On the 2nd part of your question:
At any given time since founding, Recces have always been below regimental strength. As it should be, seeing the high standard for entry.
The grand-daddy of all SF, the SAS, used to have no more than 350 active operators at any given time; and before you say US, equivalent units in the US - despite their large population - Delta and Devgru number approximately the same ratio of men in the military as the UK as SAS.
So, yes, we should all question what standards are being applied when a whole battalion is called "Special Forces".

Tres bien

Well, different climes different need. I could explain my point but it would be too much of an epistle.
But I am of the view that the training and gear is more essential than the selection (or is this going to start the chicken and the egg argument )

gees9:


I see you beat me to it!

On Friday driving home along the N1 from Polokwane to Tshwane I came across a Hornet RDRV on an 8 ton truck. Must have been on the way to Phalaborwa! No pics unfortunately

PatriotRSA:
HALO or HAHO?

Probably HALO, as no one seems to have a navboard strapped on..

gees9:


On Friday driving home along the N1 from Polokwane to Tshwane I came across a Hornet RDRV on an 8 ton truck. Must have been on the way to Phalaborwa! No pics unfortunately

Should've taken a pic and sent it to our clueless media. Their caption would've read, "Army tank transported toward Zim border!"

Algerian1:


specialized role ? , equipment ?? there is only few info about this plane , after they bought it from airbus france , it spent 6 month in USA and get secutity and protection equipments on it ( surely anti missile systems ) . but no info about the modifications .


the only pic from inside i have seen on internet , ( during merkel visit to Algeria ) ,

you can bet your arse there are a bazillion bugs in it.

The Chinese bought a standard Boeing for the US for use as a VIP transport - when it got to China they stripped it down to the aeroframe and found a couple dozen listening devices in it.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/1382116/China-finds-spy-bugs-in-Jiangs-Boeing-jet.html

patches689:


you can bet your arse there are a bazillion bugs in it.

The Chinese bought a standard Boeing for the US for use as a VIP transport - when it got to China they stripped it down to the aeroframe and found a couple dozen listening devices in it.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/1382116/China-finds-spy-bugs-in-Jiangs-Boeing-jet.html

when you see the state of our mummy president . you will guess that this plane stays in its angar all the time and does only its maintenance flights . and even for government moves they uses the fleet of Gulfstream G-IV/G-V jets . ( 5 in service)


Gulfstream Aerospace G-IV/G-V Algerian gouvernemental fleet
source: forcesdz

frumentius:


Ah! The Parabats are our Rangers. Not as well equipped, but we train them as such. They certainly hold their own in joint exercises with the US Ranger Regiment.
I do think we should equip them better seeing the latest Defence Review explicity sees them playing an expeditionary role alongside the Recces.
Belgium, for example, provides a good illustration where "rapid response" means even though the procurement budget has been combined, the SF and Paras retain their identities, have the same assets, and combine when necessary.
So the Parabats should be expanded, provided with more training and resources, formally moved to JOps and equipped almost similarly to the Recces.
The Army already has 6SAI which is an air-assault battalion.

Just the musings of a lowly nobody.

On the 2nd part of your question:
At any given time since founding, Recces have always been below regimental strength. As it should be, seeing the high standard for entry.
The grand-daddy of all SF, the SAS, used to have no more than 350 active operators at any given time; and before you say US, equivalent units in the US - despite their large population - Delta and Devgru number approximately the same ratio of men in the military as the UK as SAS.
So, yes, we should all question what standards are being applied when a whole battalion is called "Special Forces".

Perhaps it would be better to introduce of system of patching or tabbing. Similar to the Ranger Leadership program in the US Army, but instead of doing the training and getting the tab as a badge to denote advanced leadership training - the tab instead qualifies the Para to work alongside the Recces.

Paras continue their existence outside of J-OPs, but individuals within the Paras can then be called up by J-OPs when need be, or a section of Paras can be held by J-OP's in reserve as need dictates.

Thus, you circumvent the cost of re-equipping an entire battalion yet simultaneously supplement your ability to rapidly deploy special operations forces to support your special forces.

Lets face it, not a snowballs chance is hell the army is going to hand over their best unit.

Egypt Warns Ethiopia Nile dam Dispute 'Life or Death'

CAIRO —
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, for the second time in as many days, has delivered a stern warning to Ethiopia over a dam it is building after the two countries along with Sudan failed to approve a study on its potential effects.

Ethiopia is finalizing construction of Africa's largest hydroelectric dam on the Blue Nile. Egypt fears that will cut into its water supply.

Cairo said last week that the three countries had failed to approve an initial study by a consultancy firm on the dam's potential effects on Egypt and Sudan.

Ethiopia has repeatedly reassured Egypt, but Cairo's efforts to engage in closer coordination have made little headway.

El-Sissi sought to reassure Egyptians in televised comments Saturday, but stressed that "water is a matter of life or death."

link https://www.voanews.com/a/egypt-warns-ethiopia-nile-dam-dispute-life-or-death/4122399.html

South African Police Service Special Task Force
[Last pic - rare - SAPS Counter Assault Team]

newafricaken254:
Egypt Warns Ethiopia Nile dam Dispute 'Life or Death'

link https://www.voanews.com/a/egypt-warns-ethiopia-nile-dam-dispute-life-or-death/4122399.html

Warn who? Who is Al Sisi? What is Egypt? Ethiopia is not going to sleep again. We will see them if our rejection is going to kill them. Honestly, they are all dead to me.

We will have to start the war if it's a must. We Ethiopians have done it many times, they can't teach us on how to.


Let's teach them again.

ednited:


Warn who? Who is Al Sisi? What is Egypt? Ethiopia is not going to sleep again. We will see them if our rejection is going to kill them. Honestly, they are all dead to me.

We will have to start the war if it's a must. We Ethiopians have done it many times, they can't teach us on how to.


Let's teach them again.

in case of war it would be only air strikes and ethiopian army should modernize its air defense systems because if egypt send a formation of Rafale with awacs support , they will strike the renaissance Dam easly with the Storm Shadow-SCALP EG (300 km range for the egyptian export version ) , old ethiopian S 125 missile can do nothing .

ednited:


Warn who? Who is Al Sisi? What is Egypt? Ethiopia is not going to sleep again. We will see them if our rejection is going to kill them. Honestly, they are all dead to me.

We will have to start the war if it's a must. We Ethiopians have done it many times, they can't teach us on how to.


Let's teach them again.

you want to go against Egypt? That's very brave of you. You guys should reach an agreement that would favor all parties cus after the dead bodies start coming in, you guys we still go to the table so why not dialogue now. In Nigeria we supply electricity to neighbors based on an agreement reached that settled a similar dispute.

Algerian1:


in case of war it would be only air strikes and ethiopian army should modernize its air defense systems because if egypt send a formation of Rafale with awacs support , they will strike the renaissance Dam easly with the Storm Shadow-SCALP EG (300 km range for the egyptian export version ) , old ethiopian S 125 missile can do nothing .

Ethiopia should not even consider the possibility of going to war with Egypt.That is an unthinkable option for them.

I'll just say this: Ethiopia has been very smart in getting her neighbours to share some of the benefits of the Nile dams. Egypt's military,for all its assets, has a major weakness: short logs tail to conduct expeditionary warfare.
So no, for all their peacocking and warnings to Addis, they're in no position to follow through on their threats. And we've seen this before.

this new Egypt vs Ethiopia muscle flexing who would take the day?

for me I giv it to Egypt cause both Russia and China can't back Ethiopia over Egypt cause of what they stand to loss

patches689:


Perhaps it would be better to introduce of system of patching or tabbing. Similar to the Ranger Leadership program in the US Army, but instead of doing the training and getting the tab as a badge to denote advanced leadership training - the tab instead qualifies the Para to work alongside the Recces.

Paras continue their existence outside of J-OPs, but individuals within the Paras can then be called up by J-OPs when need be, or a section of Paras can be held by J-OP's in reserve as need dictates.

Thus, you circumvent the cost of re-equipping an entire battalion yet simultaneously supplement your ability to rapidly deploy special operations forces to support your special forces.

Lets face it, not a snowballs chance is hell the army is going to hand over their best unit.

Some valid points there. For example, there's always been some sharp elbowing from the Army when it comes to paying for the bi-annual national exercise involving the Recces, STF, CAT, CSIR, Pathfinders etc. Army says it's a JOps exercise so JOps should pay.
But here's the thing: the Defence Review calls for an enhanced Spec Ops capability under JOps. After the heroics in Bangui the Parabats were flooded with so many applications they thought of standing up a 2nd battalion. 1 Parabat becomes a JOps asset and they can retain the purported 2 Parabat in the Army. Or they can upgrade 6 SAI from air assault to jump-qualified.
The pros far outweigh the cons:
1) a propoerly resourced 1 Parabat;
2) Clear lines of command (unlike the snafu in Bangui when reporting went to both JOps and Bloem)
3) Simplified training across Recces and Parabats;
etc, etc.
I'm biased here but the Navy Marines already have an unofficial understanding with 4 Recce, so why can't the Army Parabats with 5 Recce?

giles14:
this new Egypt vs Ethiopia muscle flexing who would take the day?

for me I giv it to Egypt cause both Russia and China can't back Ethiopia over Egypt cause of what they stand to loss

Except there's nothing new about it, if you've been paying attention.

patches689:
South African Police Service Special Task Force
[Last pic - rare - SAPS Counter Assault Team]

Not quite as rare. They were all over the place when Zuma went to mediate in Burundi.
Very rare though, is Alpha Team of SAPS PPU CAT - not well liked in my neck of the woods because they poach from Recces and STF instead of growing their own timber!

Pic 1: Regular SAPS PPU CAT;
Pic 2: SAPS PPU CAT Alpha Team;

You see reason why you don't blame World Internal Security And Police Index (WISPI) for the ranking.

Off topic .... Argentina navy lost a submarine its a TR-1700-class diesel-electric submarine



Argentina searches for missing navy submarine

(CNN)An Argentine navy submarine with 44 crew members has been missing for three days after the navy lost contact with it off the country's Atlantic coast, the military service says.

The ARA San Juan submarine was last spotted Wednesday in the San Jorge Gulf, a few hundred kilometers off the coast of southern Argentina's Patagonia region, the navy said.
Crews are searching for the vessel by air and sea, navy spokesman Enrique Balbi told reporters Friday.
The submarine had been traveling from a base in far southern Argentina's Tierra del Fuego archipelago to its home base in Mar del Plata, a city hundreds of miles to the northeast. The sub's last known location in the San Jorge Gulf is nearly midway between the bases.
The vessel had been due to arrive at its destination Sunday.
Officials hope the crew would bring the sub to the surface, if possible, Balbi said.
"The submarine knows that if it does not have communication with land for this long, it has to surface," Balbi said.
News of the search struck a chord in the Vatican. Pope Francis, an Argentina native and a former archbishop of Buenos Aires, offered his "fervent prayers for the 44 officers aboard the ARA San Juan" in a message released on his behalf Saturday by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state.
Francis encouraged efforts to find the vessel and "asks that his closeness be conveyed to their families and to the military and civil authorities of the country in these difficult moments," the message reads.
Search efforts
The Argentine navy said it ordered "all terrestrial communication stations along the Argentine coast to carry out a preliminary and extended search of communications and to listen into all the possible frequencies of the submarine."
The US Navy said it was helping. It planned to deploy a P8-A Poseidon maritime aircraft to Argentina on Saturday, the US Naval Forces Southern Command said in a statement.
The 21-person US crew had been in El Salvador supporting "counter-illicit trafficking patrol operations," the agency said in a statement. The aircraft also had assisted in a search for a South Korean ship that sank in April in the South Atlantic, and more recently, it was sent to Dominica in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
NASA also will help in the search with a P-3 Orion aircraft, agency spokeswoman Katherine Brown told CNN. She said the US plane was "already in Argentina on a scientific mission."
The P-3 is a turboprop aircraft capable of long-duration flights, according to NASA.

CNN's Diane Ruggiero, Spencer Feingold and Marilia Brochetto contributed to this report.

jteku:
You see reason why you don't blame World Internal Security And Police Index (WISPI) for the ranking.

EOD officer

jteku:
You see reason why you don't blame World Internal Security And Police Index (WISPI) for the ranking.

Personally, I think the ranking is good for us, this administration will now focus on the police just like the military, they should also sack the current Chief, apart from one scandal to another, I don't see him doing anything to improve the police unlike his predecessor.

Another US naval ship collision. Making it 5 this year and we are still in November
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-42041704

LTGEN:

Ethiopia should not even consider the possibility of going to war with Egypt.That is an unthinkable option for them.

Why not? Egypt is just a football player with quality jerseys and boot, but with no or poor talent. We Ethiopians had kicked their ass twice in the 19th century AD and this was the primary consequences for them to be colonized by British. So, why not do it again for a 3rd time if they beg us?

Ethiopia don't want war, but Egypt wants. Defense is easier than attack, so we will take care of them.

Hati13:

Why not? Egypt is just a football player with quality jerseys and boot, but with no or poor talent. We Ethiopians had kicked their ass twice in the 19th century AD and this was the primary consequences for them to be colonized by British. So, why not do it again for a 3rd time if they beg us?

Ethiopia don't want war, but Egypt wants. Defense is easier than attack, so we will take care of them.

"19th century" this is the 21st century, Ethiopia was very powerful then even the British were wary of them. But currently Egypt has without a doubt the best military in Africa, good Jersey and boots and very talented too. "Meaning they are well trained". Of course there is always a weak point (as somebody said earlier) but I don't think Ethiopia can stand Egypt toe to toe. (MY OPINION)

newafricaken254:
Egypt Warns Ethiopia Nile dam Dispute 'Life or Death'

link https://www.voanews.com/a/egypt-warns-ethiopia-nile-dam-dispute-life-or-death/4122399.html

Had they not also threated Uganda when it started building its dam on lake Victoria, they ignored them

Kazakhstan's Barys which is South African Mbombe 8

Hati13:

Why not? Egypt is just a football player with quality jerseys and boot, but with no or poor talent. We Ethiopians had kicked their ass twice in the 19th century AD and this was the primary consequences for them to be colonized by British. So, why not do it again for a 3rd time if they beg us?

Ethiopia don't want war, but Egypt wants. Defense is easier than attack, so we will take care of them.

Fact is there won't be any war but in a direct confrontation, Ethiopian air defence systems isn't enough to stop Egypt.

SIGINT will bring out your SAMS location because Egypt will be attacking from air if at all there is going to be any war.

Tinfoil:
Kazakhstan's Barys which is South African Mbombe 8

Which turret is that

Hati13:

Why not? Egypt is just a football player with quality jerseys and boot, but with no or poor talent. We Ethiopians had kicked their ass twice in the 19th century AD and this was the primary consequences for them to be colonized by British. So, why not do it again for a 3rd time if they beg us?

Ethiopia don't want war, but Egypt wants. Defense is easier than attack, so we will take care of them.

football ? jerseys ? 19th century ? stopped an egyptian invasion on ethiopia in 1875 and what ? lets avoid this empty nationalism

the fact is that ethiopian army isnot equipped to face the egyptian one ! and even just to defend its territorry , ethiopian air defense and air force can t stop an egyptian air strike . air defense almost nonexist and old downgraded su 27 from 1998 cant do nothing also , as a said before ( a rafale formation with AWACS support with their Storm Shadow-SCALP EG ) and adios the renaisance Dam they will even not know from were the attack comes . and i see on google map (hope im not mistaken) that this Dam is near sudanese borders they can strike it even from sudanese (north south) airspaces if they want .

So its not the ethiopian military capacity that stop egyptian army for activate its aair strikes plans on ethiopian dam but politics and surely other consideration .

try to list ethiopian air defense systems you will understand ,


and for a country that knows that it has been directly threatening with air strikes for years, i cant understand to not have a good longue-medium-short range air defense systems .

Algerian1:


football ? jerseys ? 19th century ? stopped an egyptian invasion on ethiopia in 1875 and what ? lets avoid this empty nationalism

the fact is that ethiopian army isnot equipped to face the egyptian one ! and even just to defend its territorry , ethiopian air defense and air force can t stop an egyptian air strike . air defense almost nonexist and old downgraded su 27 from 1998 cant do nothing also , as a said before ( a rafale formation with AWACS support with their Storm Shadow-SCALP EG ) and adios the renaisance Dam they will even not know from were the attack comes .

So its not the ethiopian military capacity that stop egyptian army for activate its aair strikes plans on ethiopian dam but politics and surely other consideration .

try to list ethiopian air defense systems you will understand ,


and for a country that knows that it has been directly threatening with air strikes for years, i cant understand to not have a good longue-medium-short range air defense systems .

If Egypt destroys the dam, what direction will the reservoir flow in ?

This might be something to consider.

Ibrahimanees, tdayof and Algerian1

Yea, Egypt outplay every military department of Ethiopia, but they can't come here in Ethiopia and beat us. They will obviously have the capability to destroy our Renaissance Dam and other infrastructures using their superior air capabilities, but they still can't say that they will beat us on land toe to toe. The landscape of northern Ethiopia is home to one of the most rugged mountains in the world, so this will make it very difficult for them.

If Egypt objective is only to destroy the Dam and move on, then they will achieve this but they will pay for it hugely afterwards. We have a military base in Sudan, so we would retaliate by destroying their Dam also. They will not emerge victorious. Either there is pace or die together.