Kenya QRF on patrol in DRC

Flanker:


he says on the video , that its the french embassy who contacted them to secure the evacuation of the nigerians

Yep. Everyone is liaising with both the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces to escort convoys in areas under their control. To avoid a repeat of the earlier incident when a French convoy was fired on when it crossed into an RSF area without having notified them.

Jammer and target drone amongst advanced DoD technology projects

Defence technology research and development in the Department of Defence (DoD) has led to tangible progress on several important projects, including a new radar system, low-cost target drone, and electronic warfare systems.

Brigadier General Andre Barends, Director Technology Development, revealed these projects when briefing Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence (JSCD) last month on defence research and development funding.

Over the next three years, over R1.7 billion has been allocated to defence technology development, although there is a shortfall of R221 million in 2023/24; R154 million in 2024/25; and R192 million in 2025/26.

In his presentation to the JSCD, Barends highlighted some advanced technologies being developed, such as a containerised communications jammer able to intercept, direction find and jam digital radios over a wide spectrum of hopping frequencies. The system comprises of a simulator that can simulate up to six digital radios, measure jamming effectiveness, and the 1 kW jammer. A prototype is due to be delivered to the South African Air Force and could be used by the SAAF at electronic warfare camps.

The Acepod is being developed for the SA Air Force as a technology demonstrator providing an escort jamming capability from a fast jet. The pod has a full electronic intelligence (ELINT) capability and X-band jamming capability to protect assets in an escort role. A prototype will be delivered to the SA Air Force.

As the Department of Defence has no more target drones left to qualify missiles and provide targets for force preparation exercises, it is developing a new target drone demonstrator. Denel Dynamics unveiled the new drone (developed under Project Loki) at the Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition in September 2022 but progress has been slow mainly due to COVID-19 and the situation at Denel Dynamics. The tempo of the project has improved recently, Barends stated in his presentation.

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/featured/jammer-and-target-drone-amongst-advanced-dod-technology-projects/

DoD continues to carry out defence research and development in spite of funding shortfall

The South African Department of Defence (DoD) continues to invest in research and development projects for the national defence force, ranging from radar to vehicle electric drive and target drones in spite of a R560 million funding shortfall over the next three years.

Brigadier General Andre Barends, Director Technology Development, briefed Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Defence (JSCD) last month on defence research and development funding.

He explained that the role of the Directorate Technology Development (DTD) is to direct research and technology development for SA National Defence Force (SANDF) needs by establishing programmes in line with the 2015 Defence Review. “This technology base will support the SANDF in the development of new equipment with superior performance, upgrades and life extension programmes, operational problem solving, specification, test & evaluation of sophisticated equipment as well as trend and impact analysis of technological developments.”

Over the next three years, over R1.7 billion has been allocated to defence technology development: R569 million in 2023/24; R601 million in 2024/25, and R598 million in 2025/26. This compares with R613 million in 2015/16, a peak of R723 million in 2018/19 and R472 million in 2021/22. For 2022/23, defence research and development spending amounted to R590 million.

However, total projected requirements are underfunded by nearly R200 million a year, with a R221 million shortfall in 2023/24; R154 million shortfall in 2024/25, and a R192 million shortfall in 2025/26.

Barends in his presentation to the JSCD gave an overview of some of the funded research and development (R& D) projects over the next three financial years. For the landward force, R238 million will be spent on Projects Tangent, Template, and Konya for propellants, guidance, fuses, terminal effects; electric drive for vehicles; and passive and active armour protection.

The Special Forces will receive R105 million over the next three years, with Project Ubuntu covering sensing (night operations), explosives, mobility (escape and evasion), and communication (detection and counters).

For the South African Air Force, R272 million will be spent on Projects Venture, Projection and Lobby, which cover fly-by-wire technology, air weapons, sensors (communications intelligence, electronic intelligence and jammers) and a hostile fire indicator. Good progress has been made on the hostile fire indicator using radio frequency technology and it will be fitted onto A109, Oryx and Rooivalk helicopters.

On the maritime side, Navy defence research and development funding to the tune of R233 million over three years will cover projects Flagg and Prospective for above and below water detection (radar, electro-optics and sonar), self-protection and ‘environmental characterisation’.

R154 million in funding for the SA Military Health Service will be directed towards chemical and biological protection (decontamination), ergonomics, and medical health (high-intensity focused ultrasound).

Project Indicate (R466 million over three years) covers radar and optronics research as well as command and control and information warfare. Barends said that good progress has been made on the multirole surveillance radar, with a demonstrator available in late 2024.

R297 million will be spent on the Denel Overberg Test Range to maintain capabilities there over the next three years.

While these projects are funded, no allocation has been made for defence engineering and science university programme as well as defence transformative enterprise development.

Barends told the JSCD that the Department of Defence has a number of unfunded technology requirements that would require R4.3 billion over the next three years (R1.3 billion in 2023/24; R1.5 billion in 2024/25; and R1.5 billion in 2025/26).

These include a maritime airborne anti-submarine warfare system (the SANDF currently has no means of detecting undeclared dived submarines); a combined thermal and digital day camera (one sight for day and night operations); a 20 mm cannon (the current 20 mm is a foreign weapon that is difficult to support); the ability for Special Forces to place explosives underwater; a joint strike missile; a 76 mm Rooikat turret for maritime use; a 30 mm DEFA/CamGun for maritime use; Rooivalk Mk II upgrade (midlife update); satellite payloads; cyber security; armed UAVs; secure communications; nano technology (such as graphene); and Vinten pods for the SAAF.

He warned that not funding defence R& D will threaten the survival of defence research institutes; will result in a loss of experienced scientists and engineers that will impact on the broader defence industry; lose any competitive advantage created over years of investment; and result in a loss of capabilities.

Particularly in the areas of radar development, information system security, communications, command and control and electronic warfare, “if these research activities do not continue, the result on these industries responsible for this, will be devastating. The country will lose capabilities that will be difficult if not impossible to re-establish. Secure military communication and surveillance will be threatened.

“Furthermore, CSIR [Council for Scientific and Industrial Research] could decide to close down the Aeronautical institute which will have a critical impact on the aerospace store integration, carriage release and modelling and simulation for the Air Force. Flight test capability will be lost and difficult to recover.”

A lack of funding could also threaten the telemetry and tracking capabilities at the Denel Overberg Test Range, which would result in South Africa losing international revenue. It would then become costly to conduct Test and Evaluation on platforms.

Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise pointed out that technology needs to be used for border security, and South Africa’s borders would be far more secure “if we had more technology.” Democratic Alliance Shadow Defence Minister Kobus Marais echoed this, saying that investing in technology is a force multiplier, especially satellite and cyber technology, which has huge applications for border and maritime security.

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/featured/dod-continues-to-carry-out-defence-research-and-development-in-spite-of-funding-shortfall/

Baba buhari

Nigerian Army

NAF commissions A-29 Super Tucano support facilities and wings additional 6 pilots.

Senior U.S. DOS and DOD officials joined Air Vice Marshal Idi Gamso Lubo of the NAF and others celebrate the completion of $38 million of improvements to the Air Force base in Kainji.

The air base improvements is key to facilitating the operation and maintenance of the A-29 Super Tucano wing, and associated munitions stationed there. The base improvements were delivered as part of a larger, historic $500 million U.S. foreign military sale to Nigeria.

As the A-29ST programme winds up, yesterday event provided the opportunity to wing 6 pilots who constitute the last batch of a total of 24 pilots trained within the package.

The Global Stars, a British aerobatic team has announced they will be performing at the Nigerian Air Force display on the 4th of May at the Nigerian Air Force base in Enugu.

Beni - DRC: MONUSCO and FARDC Restore Order in Rebel Prone National Route No. 4 - From Kenya Defence Forces on Facebook

The United Nations Organisation Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) troops and the National Congolese Army (FARDC) jointly planned and conducted a series of robust operations this week in Apetina-Sana forest; a refuge of the armed group Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) 50 km from the city of Beni in North Kivu, DR Congo.
The operation, dubbed "NIRMUL" or destruction in Nepali, mobilized 3 companies of peacekeepers from MONUSCO as well as special units from the Quick Reaction Forces of Kenya, Nepal, Tanzania and South Africa.
The operation took place in the thick forest of Apetina, particularly in the area from Oicha to Mamove, passing through Mayi-Moya, BaoBa and Apetina
The objective was to neutralise and destroy ADF elements and reduce the number of human rights abuses against civilians.
The operation made it possible to restore the authority of the State in the area and to facilitate the return of the populations to their homes which they had abandoned because of the resurgence of attacks.
Following the successful completion of the operation, FARDC are currently committed in continual mop-up operations to deter resurgence of ADF elements in the general area of Apetina.

...fin.

The Nigeria-USA super Tucano deal is the largest US foreign military sale to a country in sub-Saharan Africa.

The Department of State Services (DSS) has completed the training of the first batch of qualified Aviation Security personnel who are to bear arms at airports as the Federal Government finalises moves to deploy armed AVSEC officers.

NAF913

South african made Mamba MK7 MRAP vehicles and UAE made Inkas Hornet armored personnel carriers of the Togolese military.

Burkina Faso soldiers with serbian made 7,62 x 39 mm Zastava M05E1 assault rifles.

Gambian soldiers with taiwanese made 5,56 x 45 mm T91 assault rifles equipped with 40 mm T85 under barrel grenade launchers.

From Sudan:

A picture of a RSF soldier with what looks to be a couple of "Toophan" anti-tank guided missile.

From Sudan:

RSF soldiers poses with captured weapons

Al-shabab Ambushes Ugandan Army In Somalia, seizing weapons.

From Sudan:

Sudanese AF's MiG-29 'Fulcrum' fighter aircraft destroyed several vehicles belonging to RSF.

Armored Vehicle belonging to the Burkina Faso army

Can anyone identity this MANPAD with the Chadians?

Malian Army .

Rwandan Army Artillery. ATMOS-2000, a PLZ-89, an RM-70 and an SH-1.

Rwandan Army mounting An HJ-9 anti-tank missile on an Otakar Cobra.

Shaytun:
South african made Mamba MK7 MRAP vehicles and UAE made Inkas Hornet armored personnel carriers of the Togolese military.

Mamba MK7 is made in the US under licence, by Osprea Logistics.

Shaytun:
Rwandan Army Artillery. ATMOS-2000, a PLZ-89, an RM-70 and an SH-1.

These pics have been posted here before.

Shaytun:
Al-shabab Ambushes Ugandan Army In Mozambique, seizing weapons.

Somalia, not Mozambique.

Lurker4Long:

Somalia, not Mozambique.

Yeah, thanks, I’ve corrected it

Lurker4Long:

Mamba MK7 is made in the US under licence, by Osprea Logistics.

SA doesn’t have a production line for MK7 and MK7x??

Shaytun:
Baba buhari

These instagram filters hurt my eyes.