₦airaland Forum

In the interest of intellectual honesty, here's the full defenceweb article, without the selective edits:

SAAF Gripens grounded

The South African Air Force’s (SAAF’s) Gripen fleet is temporarily grounded, with no aircraft serviceable, due to a lack of funding and maintenance and support contracts not being renewed in time, but it is likely that the Gripens will be flying again in the new year.

In a statement resulting from multiple media enquiries, the Department of Defence (DoD) said the South African National Defence Force’s (SANDF’s) Air Defence capability has been negatively impacted by protracted discussions relating to maintenance contracts.

“After a lengthy discussion between the South African Air Force (SAAF), through Armscor and Saab on the contract concerning the Gripen, proposals have been presented by both parties and are being reviewed to ensure that the matter is conclusively dealt with by the parties concerned. It is unfortunate that the discussions took longer than expected as a result, negatively impacting on the Air Defence capability,” stated Siphiwe Dlamini, DoD Head of Communication.

He added that, “the SAAF is confident that a solution will be found to resolve this matter. Due to the sensitivity around the discussion, the negotiations cannot be made public.”

Darren Olivier, Director at African Defence Review, notes that, “thanks to this delay, the SAAF’s Gripen fleet has been grounded for three months and probably won’t return to the air until late January at the earliest.”

He believes it’s a crisis caused primarily by severe budget cuts, “but seemingly compounded by a dysfunctional relationship between the SAAF and Armscor and poor contract management. This is a crisis that should never have been allowed to reach this point.”

At least as far back as August this year, negotiations regarding the placement of new support contracts for the Hawk and Gripen were still ongoing due to “high fixed costs”.

defenceWeb understands that maintenance and support contracts have not been renewed in time because of Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) requirements, Armscor implementing Preferential Procurement regulations incorrectly, and funding constraints.

It is believed that half the Gripen fleet of 26 aircraft has been cannibalised for spare parts, while air crew have lost currency due to a lack of flight hours. This is compounded by a lack of PC-7 Mk II trainers available.

The funding crisis affecting the SAAF, and the SANDF as a whole, has also seen the serviceability of other aircraft decline. For example, there are only around a dozen Oryx available out of a fleet of roughly 40. Over the last year only around a third of the Hawk fleet has been operational. Much of the eight-strong C-130BZ Hercules fleet is unserviceable, although two aircraft are airworthy and flying after a major service, and two more are undergoing scheduled maintenance.

The lack of funding also means there is little ammunition available for the SAAF’s combat aircraft.

As far back as 2016, experts were warning that budget cuts coupled with the Rand’s decreasing value could mean the Gripen or Hawk fleets would be permanently grounded (the poor Rand/dollar exchange rate has made it increasingly expensive to acquire spares from overseas). For nearly a decade, the SAAF has been unable to fund the airworthiness of the entire Hawk and Gripen fleets, and half the Gripen fleet has since been in ‘rotational storage’.

According to the 2021 DoD Annual Performance Plan, for 2021/22, a total of R5.969 billion is allocated to the Air Defence programme (essentially the SAAF in its entirety), against a requirement of R7.8 billion. “The shortfall of R1 840 622 000 will adversely impact on the preparation and provision of combat-ready air defence capabilities, maintenance backlog, maintenance of capabilities and aviation safety within the Programme.”

The SAAF’s Air Combat Capability (which includes Hawk and Gripen operations) has seen its allocation shrinking in most years. According to the Annual Performance Plan, the Air Combat Capability was allocated R783 million in 2017/18 but this dropped down to R519 million the next year, and increased to R649 million in 2019/20 and R866 million in 2020/21. However, for 2021/22 it declined to R343 million and is projected to reach just R302 million in 2022/23.

“In the light of the current DOD budget reductions, the Air Defence Programme will remain under pressure to provide the required air defence capabilities to execute its mandate. Despite the budget and capability challenges, the Air Defence Programme will continue with training to provide the required air defence capabilities to support humanitarian and disaster relief operations and secure the RSA airspace as and when required in accordance with the Joint Force Employment requirements,” the Annual Performance Plan stated.

The DoD in August told Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans (PCDMV) that constrained funding was affecting the ability of the SAAF to provide enough serviceable aircraft, which is negatively affecting flying hours.

Helicopter systems have a critical spares shortage which is because of procurement processes with long lead times and a backlog of spares. Transport and combat systems have similar issues, the PCDMV heard.

During the first quarter of the 2021/22 financial year, the SA Air Force flew 3 560.8 hours, including 2 717 Force Preparation hours; 636.7 Force Employment hours; and 207.1 VVIP flying hours. It has a target of 17 100 hours for the year but only 15 000 hours in 2022/23 and 2023/24.

jl115:
Pro Force are producing some seriously impressive MRAPs they should really go full out for an indigenous APCs

Agreed. Proforce's current production capacity of 20 Ara/month can be a starting point. A guaranteed multi-year procurement programme from the military with increasing output/year, would allow the company to increase capacity organically, and gradual standardisation for the military.

jl115:
I like!!!

Good looking vehicle. Proforce' progress is impressive.

-bigfoot
-reva
-isotrex legion
-ezugwu
-Kia
-caiman
-maxxpro
-phantom
-dongfeng
-ara

The NA logs and maintenance guys must have an enduring nightmare with so many different vehicles to look after. Plus, with no economies of scale, procuring spare parts must cost a fortune.

jl115:
don't think so no... 15 SA Infantry Battalion if I'm correct.

It's the Callsign 9.0 platoon from 15 SAI, I think.

Meanwhile, in Mozambique.

giles14:
the same mbombe performanced well in UAE.are you shaming the mbombe cause it's origin is from south Africa?

The Mbombe is a family of 3 vehicles:
--Mbombe 4 ( sold to the UAE and India - where it'll be manufactured as the Kalyan M4);
--Mbombe 6 ( sold to Jordan and Khazakstan - where it'll be manufactured as the Barys 6); and
--Mbombe 8 ( still in prototype stage of development in Khazakstan - where, if production goes ahead, it'll be known as the Barys 8. It's this version we've been "discussing"

It's the Mbombe 4 which performed well in UAE and landed an order.

IGpro1:
reason we call you a foreigner and you seem to get offended,
Calling someone an idiot for something you weren't sure of, is another reason you don't get appreciated.
But I personally would love to see more Gs from other nationalities.

I see comprehension is a challenge for you.
This is what I wrote:

Thank you. I didn't want to say it because some idiots here fixate on my nationality when I mention facts which contradict their feelings.

My idiot statement refers not to the poster of the Maiduguri pic, but to the idiots whose actions I mentioned.
And I stand by that statement.
Am not here to get appreciated, nor do I get offended by being called a foreigner.
Idiots can just go suck a big fat one.

SuperSixSeven:
sorry i am late to the party
---

All has been said:

This is NAF BASE MAIDUGURI and it seems those MIG-21s must be on static display for years now.

What one guy identified as dual engines are external fuel tanks which can be seen frequently on A29s.

Google Earth Pro just recently updated West Africa with new MAXAR image data.

Thanks for clearing this up. I was wrong in initially doubting this was Maiduguri AFB, on account of those Migs.

[quote author=shadowprimezero post=108138613]ARMA-8 towing the Mbombe after it got stuck going through the same obstacle the ARMA itself went through. This is about as embarrassing as it gets. Just take the hit bro. We have recipts.

Arma 8x8 of #Otokar helped KPE Barys 8x8, produced under the partnership of #SouthAfrica and #Kazakhstan, to get out of the mud it was stuck during the tests held by the Kazakhstan Defense Ministry to choose its new armoured infantry combat vehicle and passed the ditch test. pic.twitter.com/1iAdbFs3XF

— gdh defence (@gdhdefence) November 22, 2021

the hits? You seem to think I'm here to defend the Mbombe. All I'm saying is this is normal for a prototype, and all the nonsense about "Barys failure" is Turkish fangirls butt-hurt that the Kazakhs bought a few Arma to simply benchmark and improve own product.

In SA defence industry, this phase is called Bush Break, where a prototype vehicle is literally taken into the bush to break as much as the drivers can. It's the last phase of testing to incorporate whatever feedback before the final production-ready model.
There's a reason these vehicles move from concept, to design, to prototype, to pre-production to production model.

jakeporeshenko:
Turkish propaganda in Kazakhstan

Yep. Exactly what's supposed to happen to a prototype when stress-tested for 4years/25 000km.
There's a reason the Turkish claims have only appeared in a dodgy site and a few Turkish fangirl blogs:
respectable defence publications know this game.

Coolliot:
I'm starting to get tired of you people, at least tag your source for one, so that when your mistake is been called out you wouldn't be tagged the idiot.

1) the f7 are not in Nigeria, they are in China, only 2 are in. Nigeria, there are 3 on the flight line

2) these air crafts you are calling super tucano have dual engines with the propellers by the side, super tucano has a single engine with propellers at the front.

3) the time line of when the super tucano were in the country, the j7 were already out.

4) the paint scheme of the j7 isn't what Nigeria uses

5) the paint scheme on the false super tucano isn't the same as Nigerian tucano.

6) super tucano is a tiny aircraft, those aircraft in the pics are about the size of the j7.

This picture isn't even Nigeria

Thank you. I didn't want to say it because some idiots here fixate on my nationality when I mention facts which contradict their feelings.

kikuyu1:
These guys, or rather dictator M7 splashed out + 700mn $, at the time 4% of GDP for a half squadron of every fangirls must have FSB ( Fast Strike Bird) the Su 30 in 2011.
They've been grounded for over 4 yrs now !? No surprise as they cost 7 mn $ yearly to operate!

M7's SU30 purchase should be the salutary lesson for all the fangirl nonsense about assets and wishlists on this thread.
Alas, prioritising doctrine and logistics here remains an unattainable dream.

BTW, did you see he managed to cajole the Congolese into finally taking some action and allowing joint action against ADF?
Though I remain skeptical as to the utility of air and artillery - absent a massive infusion of ground troops - in the hilly jungles of the Kivus.

Then again, he's probably taken some lessons from his old student Kagame on PR and the art of being seen to be doing something, effectiveness be damned.
Though, unlike that skinny runt Kagame, he doesn't have Total's spin doctors and largesse with which to bamboozle.

kabe1:
South Africa's president and his cabinet members are in Abuja, Nigeria.

Yes, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal and Cote d'Ivoire this week.

[quote author=Nemesis4you post=108098899][/quote]

Lurker4Long:
KPE begins production of Barys 6×6 IFVs for Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering (KPE) has started production of the Barys 6×6 Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) for the Kazakh military, which will receive its first vehicles by the end of the year.

Now they just need to order the Barys 8x8, and the Turkish propaganda campaign will have truly failed.

KPE begins production of Barys 6×6 IFVs for Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering (KPE) has started production of the Barys 6×6 Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) for the Kazakh military, which will receive its first vehicles by the end of the year.

The company, a joint venture between Paramount Group and Kazpetromash, said the Barys 6×6 (Mbombe 6) is being manufactured entirely from within Kazakhstan.

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/featured/kpe-begins-production-of-barys-6x6-ifvs-for-kazakhstan/

kabe1:
You already concluded it was a "Chinese debt honey trap".

And all the ensuing words, all because of a fake story.

...last.

Meanwhile, in Mozambique...

shadowprimezero:
SANDF Mozambique

This is DRC. There's no UN mission in Moz.

dragon2:
The military practically runs the economy. Is there any business without ties to the military? It's not healthy at all,such a situation stifles innovation as you need ties to succeed. Need a bakery? Call the army.

Yep. And people on this thread are bamboozled by the trinkets. What is it the ancient Romans said about bread and circuses!?

Nemesis4you:
Just musing - is there any possible connection however small to the unfolding situation in Ethiopia with Ethiopian governments stance on the Renaissance dam not too long ago

A regional militia managing to gather the firepower for a near conventional warfare against the better resources of a national government

The problem is with first principles: the Tigrayans are neither regional nor a rebel militia. Ever since they overthrew the Dirge and Mengistu, they've been running Ethiopia until they put Abiy Ahmed in power, when he turned against them.
They are right royal arseholes, and so are all the parties in that conflict.
The Egyptians would love to stir, but all Ethiopian sides to the conflict are nationalists who believe in the GERD.

Far more interesting will be what Eritrea - and its sponsor the UAE - does.
East Africa hasn't been this interesting since 1885.

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-11-22-four-scenarios-and-the-funerals-ethiopian-powder-keg-is-ready-to-explode-in-tragic-ways/

For those interested in info from Mozambique, not spin doctoring by Total and its agents:
https://www.caboligado.com/reports/cabo-ligado-weekly-1-7-november-2021

Nemesis4you:
You see I am getting old and possibly little bit smarter as a result

This site and what passes for discourse here...

...SAAF Oryx crews are humans too.

Meanwhile, in Mozambique...

SAAF Oryx crews and their machines...

Nemesis4you:

RiceProducers:
Nigeria won't buy the...untidily developed Indian Chopper that cannot be supported with enough spares and maintenance.

Care to expand on this, with reputable sources? Please, no Pak blogs.

jl115:
they rely heavily on The US and Middle East for defence aid.....without the billions of dollars of aid they get they would be fvcked.

Not just defence aid. Egypt's economy, stripped of foreign aid, is such rubbish that as we saw earlier, increases in the price of bread were enough to bring down the Mubarak dynasty.

Lurker4Long:
Botswana already offered land to base the logistics hub and SADC needs to get a move on.

Odunayaw:
The SAMIM deployment is sure to make this come quick.

It transpires that we are both left behind by events. Came across this article whilst preparing my response to your broader SADC question:

SADC log depot for Botswana
Written by defenceWeb -22nd Oct 2021

The recent and still underway deployment of SADC forces from five member states to Mozambique as the SAMIN (SADC Mission in Mozambique) demonstrated the need for a depot “to mitigate mobilisation challenges best addressed by a fully functional logistics depot to support quick reaction.

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/featured/sadc-log-depot-for-botswana/

Nota Bene: I shall provide the wider SADC perspective I owe to you, kikuyu1,and I think, willybaby? Sometime in the next 3 days.

Odunayaw:
Barely 15 pages back, same topic, similar replies accross the divide by the same monikers.

Girls

The fangirls "liking" and "replying" to themselves would make for an interesting undergraduate psychology essay!