₦airaland Forum

Milkor, Cape Town


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbA2JXr7bk4

Oryx which was hit

SAFFIRE 25kN liquid engine in development by University of KwaZulu Natal.

..

Making its debut at the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2022 expo in South Africa was a mock-up of Denel Aerospace Systems' high-speed recoverable aerial target, Loki.

Under development driven by the requirements of the Armaments Corporation of South Africa (ARMSCOR), the procurement agency of the South African Department of Defence (DoD), and the South African Air Force (SAAF), Loki is to be developed as a technology demonstrator.

The target is envisaged to simulate a high-speed threat during surface-to-air and air-to-air ground, air, and ship-based weapons systems [sic]. The Loki weights 180 kg, has an endurance of 60–80 min, and can be controlled from a control system from a range of 60 km. The range however could be increased with the use of RF communicator relay station.

Loki is launched using a hydro-pneumatic launcher designed by South Africa's Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and recovered using a parachute. The target is fitted with two infrared emitters in the wings, a Luneburg lens on the nose to enhance the radar cross-section signature, strobe light or smoke trail, and flame throwers.

It features high tapered-wings with H-tail having a wingspan of 2.45 m and a fuselage length of 3.2 m. Loki is powered by two rear-mounted 400 N TJ40-G1 turbojet engines, enabling it to attain a maximum speed of 340 kt and achieve a maximum altitude of 26,000 ft (AMSL) with 38 kg payload weight.

The first flight test of Loki target is expected to take place at Denel Overberg Test Range in March 2023. As of September 2022 two prototypes are under production

Denel Seeker 400 at AAD2022

Paramount Aerospace Industries has received an order for 9 Mwari multi-role aircraft from 2 separate un-named airforces.

The aircraft are manufactured/assembled at their Wonderboom factory in Pretoria.

https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/paramount-to-deliver-first-mwari-to-overseas-airforce-2022-09-21

Denel settles outstanding salaries, eyes R12bn order book

https://www.moneyweb.co.za/news/south-africa/denel-settles-outstanding-salaries-eyes-r12bn-order-book/

"State-owned arms manufacturer Denel has settled all outstanding salaries, as well as PAYE tax and pension fund payments, after unlocking excess funds in the Denel Medical Benefit Trust.

"We have turned an important page in Denel’s history. We can now proceed with the restructuring and repositioning of Denel as a sustainable enterprise and a valuable and strategic asset for South Africa,” said Denel chair Gloria Serobe at a press briefing on Thursday.

Riaz Saloojee, chief restructuring officer of Denel, said the company now has a clear and sustainable business case moving forward, with an order book of R12 billion – which is six times current annual revenues. There is potential to grow this order book to R30 billion, he added

Saloojee said a streamlined Denel will focus on its areas of expertise in the fields of guided weapons, land defence systems, aircraft engineering and maintenance, and the delivery of complex integrated systems for security and cyber environments.

University of KwaZulu Natal successfully tests liquid rocket engine

The University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN’s) Aerospace Systems Research Group (ASReG) has successfully tested a liquid propellant rocket engine as the first step towards developing a launch vehicle for placing satellites into Earth orbit.

The Ablative Blow-down Liquid Engine (ABLE) was designed by mechanical engineering students in the master’s and doctoral programmes at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

ASReG’s Space Propulsion Programme is supported by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), which is fully funding the sounding rocket development research and the liquid propulsion initiative, as well as the students that are involved.

The successful ABLE test campaign took place at the Denel Overberg Test Range in the Western Cape over a three-week period. Ten mechanical engineering students put the SAFFIRE ABLE rocket engine through its paces on a test stand to measure its performance. The ABLE combusts liquid oxygen (LOX) and jet A-1 fuel to produce just under two tons of thrust, and is similar in design to engines powering the newest small satellite launch vehicles.

For the test campaign, students not only built the engine itself, but designed and qualified a state-of-the-art test facility with propellant storage tanks, an automated engine control system, and a thrust stand to restrain the engine throughout its operation.

During testing, the ABLE produced 18 kilonewtons (about 1.8 tons) of thrust in a series of short and long-duration burns. Although there are bigger commercial engines in operation, ABLE is one of the most powerful student-built liquid rocket engines ever produced, the UKZN said.

“With this development, UKZN has further strengthened its position as a South African centre of excellence in aerospace propulsion engineering. In March this year, ASReG broke the African hybrid rocket altitude record when it successfully launched a Phoenix rocket to 18 km. ABLE is a different kind of engine, running on liquid propellants rather than the solid and liquid combination of the Phoenix rocket,” the UKZN said.

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/aerospace/aerospace-aerospace/ukzn-fires-up-rocket-engine-aimed-at-satellite-launch-vehicles/

shadowprimezero:
Seriously, whats up with the SANDF suddenly using AK's so much? Is the R-4 now deficient somehow?

SANDF is not suddenly using AK's. Special Forces on the other hand are doing what they've always been doing.
No other units in the SANDF use AK's.

Part of the answer to your question is what round are you most likely to come across where they are......556 or 762?

johnjay4u2u:
Just 15 months?
The man on the street will receive years for lesser offence.

No justice in the judiciary system.
Only God is the true judge.
On that day, we will all be judged by Him.

He's not going to jail for corruption. His corruption case is still ongoing.

He's going to jail for contempt of court. 15 months is a reasonable time for that.

rocketZA:
University of KwaZulu Natal (South Africa) have launched their Phoenix hybrid rocket reaching an altitude of 18 km. This is after a failed test in 2019.
They are also separately working on a liquid rocket engine, with the eventual goal of a satellite launch capability.

@militaryafrica twitter page. Can you please be creative and use your own words. You copied this post word for word, picture for picture on your Twitter post. Thank you.

https://twitter.com/militaryafrica/status/1369358896675045381?s=20

University of KwaZulu Natal (South Africa) have launched their Phoenix hybrid rocket reaching an altitude of 18 km. This is after a failed test in 2019.
They are also separately working on a liquid rocket engine, with the eventual goal of a satellite launch capability.

Sentian Aerospace, Johannesburg.

Progress being made on their UAV.

University of KwaZulu-Natal SAFFIRE liquid oxygen rocket study.


Liquid Rocket Propulsion

"Our liquid propulsion research programme focuses on component design for high-performance turbopumps. Milestones to date include the design of a kerosene turbopump impeller, including a CFD-based analysis of its performance, and the development of a high-speed pump test rig to characterise cavitation. This work will lead to the complete design of ASReG’s South African First Integrated Rocket Engine – SAFFIRE – which comprises a small-scale booster engine capable of powering a small-satellite launch vehicle to low Earth orbit."

Research

"The study builds on previous work performed on the design and CFD analysis of a kerosene fuel pump by Smyth and Ritchings for a large rocket engine. An impeller test rig was designed and constructed by Philogene."

The work currently being developed for SAFFIRE includes:

* An electrically driven Kerosene (RP-1) Fuel Pump
* An electrically driven Liquid Oxygen (LOX) Oxidiser Pump
* Impinging Jet Injector
* Design and Performance Simulation of a Combustion Chamber


Technical Specifications

* 25 kN Thrust.
* Propellant mass flow rate of 8.88 kg/s.
* 50 bar Chamber Pressure.


http://aerospace.ukzn.ac.za/Projects/SAFFIRE.aspx

Johannesburg based UAV "start-up". Sentian Aerospace.