₦airaland Forum

SA submarine outwits Nato force Louis Oelofse | Atlantic Ocean 04 September 2007 06:16 link A lone South African submarine left some Nato commanders with red faces on Tuesday as it "sank" all the ships of the Nato Maritime Group engaged in exercises with the South African Navy off the Cape coast. The S101 -- or the SAS Manthatisi -- not only evaded detection by a joint Nato and South African Navy search party consisting of several ships combing the search area with radar and sonar, it also "sank" all the ships taking part in the fleet.

At several times during the exercise -- which lasted throughout Monday night and Tuesday morning -- a red square lit up the screens where the surface ships thought the submarine was. But it remained elusive. This gave Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota something to brag about when he landed on the SAS Amatola on Tuesday to speak to the media "To be able to frustrate detection by Nato nations is no mean achievement; it speaks of the excellence of the equipment we acquired for this purpose," Lekota said. And while this left one of the world's strongest military alliances frustrated, it was also a sign that the group had a capable partner in Africa, Lekota said. "With sustained inter-operability with foreign forces such as Nato, we are well positioned to respond to any unforeseen circumstances that may confront either ourselves or other regions," he said. Lekota was quite clear that a working relationship with Nato was desired. "They have a partner of reliable capability because we are forging working relations here. We are building mutual confidence for what can be done and what we can do together as Nato and South Africa, or as Nato and Southern African nations," Lekota said. These sentiments were echoed by the commander of the Nato maritime group, Rear Admiral Mahon, who said the deployment would see the group sailing right around Africa. "I can't speak for what the future will hold but certainly this was valuable. Africa is a strategic continent. The freedom of the seas, energy, security, they are all critical issue to Nato countries," he said. The exercises would continue till the end of the week and would include, ship-to-ship refuelling, search-and-seizure exercises and various other scenarios faced by modern navies

South Africa's pro-apartheid government initiated nuclear, biological, chemical, and missile programs to counter perceived threats from adversaries and demonstrate the country's advanced technical capabilities. Pretoria developed weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles, but stopped production of these armaments and dismantled most related facilities in the early 1990s. While the proliferation legacies of South Africa's nuclear and missile programs were effectively resolved through verified disarmament measures, a stigma hangs over South Africa's former chemical and biological weapons (CBW) program because: (1) CBW agents were reportedly used against opponents of the apartheid-era government; (2) the program's dismantlement was not independently verified; and (3) program personnel may have abetted proliferation. South Africa's post-apartheid government implemented its nonproliferation and disarmament policies through the 1993 Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction Act, which controls the transfer of sensitive items and technologies. Pretoria is also a member in good standing of the major nonproliferation treaties.

Nuclear

In the 1960s South Africa began to explore the technical utility of peaceful nuclear explosions for mining and engineering purposes. In the early 1970s Pretoria approved a program to develop a limited nuclear deterrent capability. Ultimately, South Africa manufactured six air-deliverable nuclear weapons of the gun-type design. In parallel with decisions to end apartheid, the government halted the bomb program in 1989 and dismantled existing weapons and associated production equipment. South Africa acceded to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as a non-nuclear weapon state in 1991, and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors subsequently verified the completeness of its nuclear dismantlement. South Africa joined the Zangger Committee in 1994 and the Nuclear Suppliers Group in 1995. South Africa was instrumental in winning indefinite extension of the NPT in 1995, and played a leading role in successful conclusion of the 2000 NPT Review Conference. South Africa has emerged as a champion of both global nuclear nonproliferation and equal access to peaceful nuclear energy. In 2004, South Africa worked closely with the IAEA to monitor international smuggling of nuclear weapons materials after investigations of a South African businessman exposed connections to the A.Q. Khan network.

Biological

The apartheid-era South African government viewed itself as the target of a total onslaught by Soviet-backed Marxist guerrillas or regimes in neighboring states and by black nationalists at home. To counter these perceived threats, in 1981 the government secretly initiated a CBW program, Project Coast, under the aegis of the SADF Special Forces. (The government sought a biological warfare (BW) capability despite being a member of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), which it had ratified at the treaty's entry into force in 1975.) Although ostensibly created entirely for defensive purposes, from the outset Project Coast also had offensive features and capabilities. The military front company Roodeplaat Research Laboratories was the centerpiece of the BW component of Project Coast, although other facilities were set up to develop protective clothing and manufacture exotic assassination devices. Project Officer Dr. Wouter Basson also established an elaborate network of procurement and financial front companies overseas to abet Project Coast. The scientists in the program tested and developed a wide range of harmful BW agents, including Bacillus anthracis, botulinum toxin, Vibrio cholerae, Clostridium perfringens, plague bacteria, and salmonella bacteria. Some of these pathogens, particularly anthrax and cholera, became tools in the apartheid government's assassination program. The South African government officially dismantled the CBW program in 1993, in the midst of a liberalizing transformation of the regime.

Chemical

The apartheid-era South African government pursued a covert CBW program, Project Coast. The military front company Delta G Scientific, located between Johannesburg and Pretoria, was the centerpiece of the chemical warfare (CW) component, although several other facilities were set up to develop protective clothing, manufacture exotic assassination devices, and weaponize irritants and incapacitants. Project Officer Dr. Wouter Basson also established an elaborate network of procurement and financial front companies overseas to abet Project Coast. The scientists in this program developed, tested, and synthesized small-scale quantities of well-known CW agents (e.g., mustard agent, sarin, tabun, BZ, and perhaps VX) and a host of lethal, hard-to-trace toxic chemicals. Several of the chemical compounds, and especially the toxic organophosphates, became tools in the apartheid government's assassination program. The South African government officially dismantled the CBW program in 1993, in the midst of a liberalizing transformation of the regime. At that time, South Africa signed the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), and it subsequently ratified the treaty in 1995, two years before the treaty’s entry into force.

Missile

South Africa's short-lived ballistic missile program remains, to some degree, an enigma. Although South Africa had developed short-range tactical missiles and rockets since the 1960s, a July 1989 test launch of what South Africa called a "booster rocket" confirmed Pretoria also possessed a ballistic missile program. U.S. intelligence sources noted similarities between the South African and Israeli missile programs, prompting speculation of cooperation between the two countries. Whether South Africa fully integrated its ballistic missile and secret nuclear weapons programs remains unclear. Facing U.S. opposition to missile proliferation and the end of the apartheid government, South Africa abandoned its missile and space launch programs in 1991, and dismantled associated facilities under international observation. South Africa joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in 1995.

China has had a number of dealings with South African weapons manufacturers over the past decade, most of which have not resulted in actual weapons purchases. However, several recent Chinese-made military technologies bear suspicious resemblances to their South African counterparts.

In 2008 China acquired a fourth-generation air-to-air missile equipped with a thrust-vector control engine. The PL-10, or PL-ASR, is comparable to the U.S.-made AIM-9X air-to-air missile, or AAM.

According to a representative from the South African Denel Group, the PL-ASR is almost a replica of its A-Darter AAM. The Denel representative told the author during an interview in Cape Town that the Chinese had contacted the company in 2001 to explore the possibility of importing fifth-generation A-Darter infrared-guided AAMs, which included a TVC propulsion system and pilot helmet-mounted displays.

In the end, Denel did not sell the technologies to China, which it regards as its key competitor in selling air-to-air missiles on the African market. Company engineers were therefore surprised to find that the Chinese PL-ASR is nearly identical to the A-Darter in exterior structure, tail engine and even the diameter of the missile body.

The company strongly suspects that China reverse-engineered its A-Darter AAM after acquiring its technological materials.

This fits a pattern that China has followed in acquiring military technologies from many sources. When seeking a new technology, China contacts a foreign manufacturer and requests substantial technical information about its product, supposedly with the intent to buy. Instead, Chinese engineers study the materials and imitate the relevant concepts and designs.

Something similar occurred in the course of China's development of a combat helicopter. In 1996 China and South Africa signed a memorandum to jointly develop a combat helicopter, when China was in the process of building its ZW-10 helicopter.

After being given a focused inspection of the Rooivalk combat helicopter's subsystems, China wanted to purchase one helicopter from Denel, but the South African company considered the purchase of a single aircraft the equivalent of giving away its technologies. As a result, Denel decided not to sell China the helicopter and the cooperation came to an end.

Another item that appears to have been copied from South Africa is the optical-electronic pod on China's ZW-9 combat helicopter, which bears a strong resemblance to the Leo-II serial O/E pods produced by the Zeiss Co.

Technical experts from the Zeiss Co. told the author that about seven to eight years ago Zeiss exported two sets of an earlier variant of the Leo-II O/E pods to China, intended for use on helicopters. According to the source, the Chinese side explained that they needed a large number of this type of O/E pods for civilian helicopters, and therefore would like to purchase two sets initially for testing purposes. The source said the Chinese took no further action after receiving the test pods.

Currently, both the ZW-10 and the night version, the ZW-9, are equipped with O/E detectors very similar to those on the Leo-II.

China's interest is not only in the O/E pod technologies used for helicopters. Chinese manufacturers have also engaged in active discussions with South Africa in hopes of acquiring TV video cameras and second-generation thermal imaging cameras used in Denel's Seeker II unmanned air vehicle surveillance system.

The top military technology that China aspires to acquire from South Africa is without doubt the unmanned air vehicle. China's New Era Group Corp. had several rounds of negotiations with Denel on the possibility of producing in China two types of Denel UAVs, which were on display at the 2006 Zhuhai Air Show, called the Golden Eagle and the Seeker II.

China hopes to obtain the technologies to assemble these two UAVs domestically. However, according to a source from the Denel Group, negotiations on the UAV deals have come to a halt and the company has decided that unless substantial progress is made on these negotiations, the company no longer wants to spend time dealing with the Chinese.

Denel had a similar experience in trying to negotiate a deal with Chinese company Norinco for its Mokopa anti-tank missiles. The Chinese company expressed an interest in importing Denel's technologies, but once again the negotiations ended with no result.

Since 2007 Norinco has attempted to contact the Denel Group again, saying it wants to import the company's G5 155mm howitzer ammunition handling system. But Denel is not eager to enter into an agreement with China on this project; Chinese-made 155mm howitzers already have appeared in quite a number of countries in Northern Africa, including Algeria, Sudan and Egypt.

The source from Denel did disclose that the company has successfully completed a deal with China for its 35mm multirole machine gun. This technology, in fact, was exported to China 10 years ago. China seems to have upgraded this 35mm gun to an air-defense machine gun.

China's New Era Group Corp. also has been negotiating with Denel for the transfer of African Eagle UAV technologies. The Chinese introductory brochure of the cooperation program claims that the African Eagle UAV is capable of taking a payload of 500 kilograms, which could be six Mokopa anti-tank missiles or two Umbani MK 81 precision-guided bombs. The theoretical combat radius of the African Eagle is 750 kilometers.

China also hopes to obtain the South African Angel high-altitude and high-speed UAV attacker system. This attacker UAV is capable of carrying precision-guided weapons and attacking targets 1,400 kilometers away. The UAV is also capable of carrying A-Darter AAMs to launch unmanned aerial attacks.

The Angel attacker and reconnaissance UAV is equipped with aperture radar and is capable of conducting tactical reconnaissance missions. It also can be fitted with Mokopa active laser-guided anti-tank missiles to attack armored combat groups.

Nonetheless, the source from Denel disclosed that no substantial progress has been made on this project, indicating it may end up as one more failed deal. It remains to be seen whether China's latest explorations with the company will yield technological information it can convert to its own purposes, however.

Besides oil what does Nigeria have in terms of natural mineral resources...mining is very limited in terms of scope and investment returns. In the next 25 years..oil would be replaced by new hydrogen technology. Hydrogen economy is driven by platinum and South Africa possess 80% of the world's known reserves followed by Zimbabwe and Russia. In terms of commercial agricultural investments no African country matches South Africa. Nigeria to develop has asked white Zimbabweans and South African farmers for help.....ridiculous coming from self centred and highly self praising, good for nothing nation

Little things amuses little minds.....time would tell. Atleast with our AIDS and inferior educational system are not a nuisance the world over. Inferior AIDS Baboons do not traverse the universe purporting to be the best. Anyway inferiority complex speaks for itself.

In Nigeria, an estimated 3.6 percent of the population are living with HIV and AIDS.1 Although HIV prevalence is much lower in Nigeria than in other African countries such as South Africa and Zambia, the size of Nigeria’s population (around 149 million) means that by the end of 2009, there were 3.3 million people living with HIV.2

Approximately 220,000 people died from AIDS in Nigeria in 2009.3 With AIDS claiming so many lives, Nigeria’s life expectancy has declined significantly. In 1991 the average life expectancy was 54 years for women and 53 years for men.4 In 2009 these figures had fallen to 48 for women and 46 for men

I WONDER HOW MANY ARE NOW INFECTED

Nigeria ranks among the top countries with high number of malnourished children in Africa, surpassing Ethiopia, Managing Director of the United States Agency for International Development, Tim Prewitt, has said.

He said this yesterday in Abuja at a forum of USAID/Maximizing Revenue and Key Enterprises in Targeted Sites (MARKETS) family nutritional support programme which started in 2008.

The MARKETS was to address food insecurity and malnutrition in orphans and vulnerable children households through direct distribution of food supplements and enterprise nutrition and homestead skills for care givers.

Prewitt said more than one billion people, nearly one-sixth of the World's population, suffer from chronic hunger, with 3.5 million children dying every year. He said the number of stunted children in the world will be 450 million in the next 15 years.

Speaking, the Programme Manager of the project, Bassey Archibong said that malnutrition in Nigeria is a growing problem which is strongly linked to social and economic issues.

Archibong said: "Nigeria has more malnourished children than Ethiopia. States in northern Nigeria have the highest numbers of malnourished children in the country. Also, orphans and vulnerable children whose families have been infected or affected by HIV/AIDS are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity and malnutrition.

"Nearly 1.2 million children in Nigeria are orphaned as a result of AIDS, and more others are vulnerable because their families are affected by HIV/AIDS."

He said that over 70,000 malnourished orphans and vulnerable children have been reached.

He said that care givers from orphans and malnourished children households who participated in the training, gained practical cross cutting skills in micro enterprise nutrition and homestead farming.

"As a result, participants now understand the relationship between income and nutrition, which is critical to ending the cycle of poverty and malnutrition. Sixty percent of participants reported savings for the first time while 77 percent of care givers now have homestead farms up by 24 percent from what it was before training," he said.

MAJORITY OF NIGERIANS DO NOT EVEN KNOW THEIR HIV STATUS

It was yet another sad song for the Nigerian entertainment industry Tuesday, when news of the demise of one of Nigeria's best pop music import and former member of the defunct pop group Funkies, Harry Mosco Agada of the Country Boy fame hit the air waves.

The Enugu State born musician died in Cairo, the Egyptian capital where he was receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness.

Mr. Agada's death was announced on twitter by his musician son Chykay Agada, who was also responsible for his father's trip to Egypt for medical treatment.

His death came on the heels of the death of another prominent entertainer, Mr. James Iroha a.k.a. Giringori Akabogu of the New Masquerade fame who passed on a forthnight ago in Onitsha, Anambra State

DISCLOSE THE DIESEAS....ATLEAST WE SOUTH AFRICA AIDS RAVAGED BABOONS DO...TO NIGERIANS SOUTH AFRICA LEADS THE WORLD WITH AIDS REPORTED CASES, FOLLOWED BY INDIA AND NIGERIA PLUS ETHIOPIA

Really it shows that Nigerians only think about their bumbs...how can a normal person take pride that another fellow human being is sick. True that small things aamuses small minds. South Africa leads with AIDS with nearly 5,6 million people infected, followed by India with 4,5 Million cases, Followed by Nigeria with 3,8 Million cases and lastly by Ethiopia with 3,7 million people.

Atleast majority South Africans are aware regarding their status, with Ethiopia and Nigeria, the number is higher than the reported cases and most African governments hide the true statestic. I wonder for a government that does not even know its population, does not know how many police personnel, how many children goes to school and roads and land under its own administration.....can know how many cases of AIDS!!!

The G6 is a 155mm long-range gun developed and produced by the LIW division of Denel, mounted on a chassis made by Alvis OMC (now part of BAE Systems Land Systems). The G6 is in service with the South African Army (43 systems - GV6 Rhino) and has also been exported to the United Arab Emirates (78 systems - G6 M1A3) and Oman (24 systems).

The G6 155mm self-propelled howitzer is a highly autonomous system with 700km vehicle fuel range, 50km weapon range using velocity enhanced long range projectiles and the ability to fire the first round within 60 seconds of the vehicle stopping.

In September 2001, the G6 achieved a range of 53.6km using the new velocity-enhanced long-range projectile (V-LAP) and the new M64 bi-modular charge system. V-LAP combines base bleed and rocket motor technology, while the M64 charge system increases muzzle velocity to 910m/s VLAP is part of Denel's new Assegai range of 155mm ammunition.

The G6 is operated by a crew of six - driver, commander, gun layer, breech operator, ammunition loader and ammunition handler.

G6 155mm howitzer armament
The 155mm main gun is equipped with a 45-calibre auto-frettaged barrel, a semi-automatic screw-type breech and an electrical trigger mechanism. The gun is fitted with a single-baffle open-type muzzle brake and a reinforced epoxy resin fume extractor.

"The G6 is a 155mm long-range gun."The howitzer has on-board storage for 45 projectiles and 50 charges. Semi-automatic projectile loading is carried out using an electronically controlled hydraulic flick-rammer. Two loading chutes are installed at the rear of gun for direct loading from a ground ammunition pile.

Firing ports are provided for the crews' personal weapons and a machine-gun mounting is fitted on the left turret cupola with an optional machine-gun.

Extended-range full-bore ammunition (ERFB)
The gun is compatible with all Nato 155mm ammunition, including extended-range full-bore (ERFB) projectiles of explosive, cargo and practice types, which are all ballistically matched and with field-fittable base bleed units. The ERFB projectiles provide the G6 with increased range and terminal effectiveness. Using base-bleed projectiles, the G6 has a nominal range of 39km at sea level. As an example of the gun's accuracy, at 75% of the maximum range the probable error specification is 0.48% of the range value and 1mil in deflection.

A five-zone combustible case modular propelling charge system is based on cool-burning propellants which ensure a barrel life of more than 6,000 standard charges. The system is compatible with direct action, electronic timing or proximity type fuses.

Fire control systems
Target data is transmitted from a command and control centre to the commander's station in the crew compartment via a VHF/UHF communications link. The crew activates the gun by pressing an autolay button and the bearing, elevation and engagement data are downloaded to the automatic gun laying system.

The gun laying and navigation equipment comprises a ring laser gyroscope system equipped with a touchscreen control developed by the Kentron division of Denel. The gun has fully autonomous laying and navigation capability with no need for survey and alignment at the gun position. The system can be interfaced to an optional global positioning system (GPS). The system also has a back-up laying system. The gun is fitted with a trunnion mounted telescopic sight for direct firing up to 3,000m.

G6 self-protection systems
The G6 is fitted with eight launchers that fire 81mm smoke grenades. The high strength armour-plate hull protects the crew against small arms fire and shell splinters. The crew are protected against TM46 (or equivalent) landmine blast, 20mm gunfire from the front, and all around counter bombardment fragment and impact by 7.62mm ammunition.

"The G6 155mm self-propelled howitzer is a highly autonomous system with 700km vehicle fuel range."The driving compartment is fitted with large bullet proof windows with an armoured shutter for the front window. When the armoured shutter is in place the driver uses a periscopic sight.

G6 propulsion system
The air-cooled diesel engine provides a 386kW power output. The six-speed automatic / manual gearbox is fitted with a torque converter. The permanent six-wheel drive has longitudinal and transverse differential locks. The suspension system consists of fully independent torsion bars with shock absorbers and hydro-pneumatic bump stops.

The wheeled mine-protected chassis supplied by BAE Systems Land Systems is capable of a road speed of 85km/h and a cross country / desert speed of 30km/h. The maximum gradient is 40%, trench crossing 1m and the fording depth is 1m. The cruising range on one full tank is 700km.

G6-52 artillery system
Denel completed development of a new artillery system, the G6-52 in March 2003. The system is offered with the Somchem modular charge system (MCS) which can fire the Naschem M2000 Assegai system which includes the V-LAP projectile. With the V-LAP projectile, the system has a range of 67km and a rate of fire of eight rounds a minute. Multiple rounds (up to six) can be fired to simultaneously hit the same target using the ADS (Thales) AS2000 artillery target engagement system. Automated ammunition handling, fuse handling and ammunition inventory reduce crew workload. The G6-52 provides protection against nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) attacks apart from small and medium-calibre weapons.

The G6-52 turret is mounted on a Land Systems OMC 6×6 wheeled vehicle which has an off-road speed of nearly 70km/h and a range of 700km

A new generation of periscopes for conventional attack submarines is now being designed and manufactured at Carl Zeiss Optronics in Centurion, south of Pretoria, establishing South Africa as one of the few countries worldwide with such an advanced manufacturing capacity.

The 12-metre tall periscope is being manufactured in a specially designed building, which was officially opened last week by the Chief of the Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Robert Higgs.

The new periscope is designed to offer a price-competitive solution for clients who require upgrades to their existing fleet of submarines.

The fully assembled periscope weighs more than 850 kilograms and has a superb direct-view optical channel. More than 70 different components of lenses, mirrors and prisms are used in a periscope optical channel.

In addition, the periscope is fitted with an advance gyro stabilising system that enables it to perform optimally in the roughest sea conditions.

Advanced manufacturing capacity
Speaking at the unveiling of the periscope, Carl Zeiss Optronics CEO Kobus Viljoen said South Africa was one of the few countries in the world with the know-how and advanced manufacturing capacity to produce high-quality periscopes for modern submarines.

He said the production of the periscope demonstrated the company's ability to design, develop, manufacture and deliver world-class optronics that could be used by navies across the world.

More than 15 South African companies are involved as suppliers of parts and services in the production process, creating more than 100 jobs.

Carl Zeiss Optronics has a long history in the development and manufacturing of periscopes.

Fast surveillance and observation
Rear Admiral Higgs said Carl Zeiss Optronics' ability to maintain and upgrade the local submarine periscopes ensured that the most advanced technology for fast surveillance and observation remained readily available.

"This will strengthen the capacity of the South African Navy to protect the country's coastline against intruders," he said.

Carl Zeiss Optronics is able to manufacture four to six periscopes per year.

South Africa recently acquired three new submarines. The first, the SAS Manthatisi, arrived at Simon's Town naval dockyard in 2006. The SAS Charlotte Maxeke arrived in South African waters in April 2007, and the SAS Queen Modjadji in May 2008.

The first aircraft with simple HMD devices appeared for experimental purpose in the mid seventies to aid in targeting heat seeking missiles. These rudimentary devices were better described as Helmet Mounted Sights. Mirage F1AZ of the SAAF [South African Air Force] used a locally developed helmet mounted sight. This enables the pilot to make bore attacks, without having to maneuver to the optimum firing position. South Africa subsequently emerged as one of the pioneers and leaders in helmet mounted sight technology. The SAAF was also the first Air Force to fly the helmet sight operationally. The US Navy's Visual Target Acquisition System (VTAS), made by Honeywell Corporation was a simple mechanical "ring and bead" style sight fitted to the front of the pilot's helmet that was flown in the 1974-78 ACEVAL/AIMVAL on U.S. F-14 and F-15 fighters

VTAS received praise for its effectiveness in targeting off-boresight missiles, but the U.S. did not pursue fielding it except for integration into late model Navy F-4 Phantoms equipped with the AIM-9 Sidewinder.[1] HMDs were also introduced in helicopters during this time.

The first operational jet fighters with HMD (Mirage F1AZ) were fielded by the South African Air Force. After the South African system had been proven in combat, playing a role in downing Soviet aircraft over Angola, the Soviets embarked on a crash program to counter the technology. As a result, the MiG-29 was fielded in 1985 with an HMD and a high off-boresight weapon (AA-11 Archer/R-73), giving them an advantage in close in maneuvering engagements.

Several nations responded with programs to counter the MiG-29/HMD/AA-11 (and later Su-27) combination once its effectiveness was known, principally through access to former East German MiG-29s that were operated by the unified German Air Force.

The first successful HMD outside South Africa and the Soviet Union was the Israeli Air Force Elbit DASH series, fielded in conjunction with the Python 4, in the early 1990s. American and European fighter HMDs lagged behind, not becoming widely used until the late 1990s and early 2000s (decade). The US-UK-Germany responded initially with a combined ASRAAM effort. Technical difficulties led to the US abandoning ASRAAM, instead funding development of the AIM-9X and the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System in 1990.

Military and security equipment manufacturer Mekahog has proposed setting up a facility to build the Springbuck series of armoured personnel carriers in Nigeria.

Nigeria’s Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade commended Mekahog’s management for offering to establish an armoured personnel carrier (APC) production facility in Nigeria. He promised to facilitate the steps necessary to set up the plant.

Mekahog, an agent of South African company Drakensberg Truck Manufacturers, has supplied its products to the Nigerian Police Force and may refurbish and upgrade some items. Since 2008, more than 30 Springbuck APCs have been delivered to Nigeria and more are on the way as part of an ongoing contract.

Mekahog Group president Ikedi Ohakim earlier told the minister than many of the company’s products were being satisfactorily used by the Nigerian police and other security agencies.

The good experience with Nigeria’s security agencies was an incentive to establish a manufacturing plant in Nigeria, Ohakim said. The factory would provide work for around 2 000 people. However, discussions with the Nigerian government are ongoing.

Ohakim said that Mekahog was prepared to train officers in the Nigerian police in the repair and maintenance of its equipment and invited officials from the ministry of police to inspect its factory in South Africa.

According to Nigeria’s Ministry of Information, the Nigerian government will soon stop doing businesses with foreign firms that have no production facilities in Nigeria with the aim of stopping the country from being a dumping ground for low quality foreign products.

The Springbuck vehicles is roughly based on the dimensions of the original South African Mamba vehicle and weighing from 8 tons up. Carrying capacity is ten troops, plus a driver. Ballistic protection is able to stop bullets up to 7.62 mm calibre. A V-shaped hull provides protection against a single TM57 mine under the vehicle while the Springbuck has sufficient armour to defeat a double TM57 mine under any wheel. The vehicle has a top speed of 115 km/h.

Excellent outward visibility and easy handling makes the vehicle specifically suitable for urban patrols, which is something of a necessity in Nigeria as it combats Boko Haram militia.

Recent terrorist attacks in Nigeria has left me with a thought provoking idea. I mean not to undermine Nigerian military but as a proposal to look at this South African produce aircraft especially to patrol borders here below I base my views:

AHRLAC is a compact twin-boom single-engine surveillance and light strike aircraft with a tandem-seated crew of two.
It is lightweight, fast and manoeuvrable with an extended mission loiter time and flexible payloads.
It has been specifically designed for both civilian and military tasking including reconnaissance patrol,
electronic intelligence gathering, anti-terror operations, disaster relief and emergency supply, border control, resource monitoring and anti-poaching with fighter capability

These are some of the picture

South African Made Helicopter

South African produced helicopter that holds its own against US helicopters

Training for airforce pilots

South Arican Special Forces

Elite Airforce section in aero display

The South African airforce

SOUTH AFRICA HAS PRODUCED ITS FIRST MILITARY PLANE

Aerosud and the Paramount Group have unveiled a South African designed and developed light high-performance aircraft that it says could sell in the “hundreds or thousands” at a cost of less than US$10 million.

Paramount CE Ivor Ichikowitz expects the Advanced High-Performance Reconnaissance Light Aircraft (AHRLAC) to take the civil and military aviation market by storm, “challenging dominant Western manufacturers with its low acquisition cost, reduced requirement for maintenance support and extensive operational capabilities.”

Speaking at the launch, Ichikowitz added he expected production to start late next year or early in 2013 with the current facility able to build two to three aircraft a month. The two partners conservatively estimate that AHRLAC has the potential to generate annual revenue of up to
R4 billion.

Aerosud Managing Director Paul Potgieter says AHRLAC offers a highly flexible form of “clip-on-clip-off” payload system which enables it to be transformed quickly between operational roles. It can stay in the air for seven to 10 hours, making it the ideal solution for patrolling large land areas, borders and oceans. The two-crew aircraft can carry out a wide range of operations including surveillance, policing, border/coastal patrol and anti-smuggling; armed patrol and counter insurgency operations; disaster relief and emergency supply to remote areas; and intelligence gathering.

Potgieter says AHRLAC is special because it offers maximum platform flexibility for multi-role applications, from basic visual reconnaissance to advanced electronic surveillance, and intelligence, to armed patrol. “The design is modular so as to support maximum basic airframe commonality for the various configurations and rapid role change ability,” he says.

“AHRLAC is capable of rapid deployment and fast response times with high cruise and dash speed and extended range. Because of the operational simplicity of this aircraft, in times of need, we can get this thing on the road to areas where it is required with limited support assistance.”

Potgieter says key features of AHRLAC include its “push propeller” design and high wing for crew visibility, high cruise and dash speeds (maximum cruise speed is 300 knots), payload capacity of 800kg with full fuel and two crew, large operating range (1150 nautical miles on internal fuel) and Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) capability, including from semi-prepared landing strips, with a take-off distance 550m with full payload.

AHRLAC also has an armed patrol capability with 20mmm cannon, rocket pods and beyond visual range air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles such as the Denel Dynamics Mokopa or 70mm free-flight rockets across four to six wing hard points.

Ichikowitz expects AHRLAC to be a strong challenger to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). “With AHRLAC we provide a new, affordable, flexible and robust alternative to UAVs, opening new operational capabilities to a variety of new users,” says Ichikowitz.

Potgieter adds: “With AHRLAC we have developed a revolutionary aircraft that will maintain the dominant role of the pilot in civil and military flight. We believe that the pilot remains core to conducting effective air operations. In AHRLAC we have produced an aircraft that is, unlike most UAVs, both autonomously capable and offers high survivability, with none of the sub-systems costs related to the operation of UAVs.

“AHRLAC addresses the limitations of pilotless aircraft in a package which is flexible, reliable and offers excellent value for money. AHRLAC can go places and deliver missions, both civil and military, which a UAV simply cannot,” for reasons that includes current restrictions on UAV flights in controlled airspace.

The AHRLAC programme already includes a full scale concept development model, cockpit layout model, and experimental development model for extensive wind tunnel testing and refinement.

Ichikowitz argues that knowledge-based industrialisation that a project such as AHRLAC provides is essential to developing higher sustainable rates of economic growth, and therefore jobs. “Global experience proves that high-tech areas can multiply job creation in related sectors by up to eight times the number of people they employ. In addition, continued growth in engineering, design, technical and related trades means that we will be creating jobs at a high level.”

@ Patriot: I AM SO DISSAPOINTED BY YOUR SHALLOWNESS IN ADVANCING FACTS, Your anger indicates a lack in understanding the topic posted by the website, and personally I thought it was meant to stimulate debate across the African continent, I think it would be better that you notify the world that only @Patriot has got a monopoly on wisdom to discuss issues and cannot be told to the contrary, seems dictatorial tendencies and xenophobic attitude rules your mind.

NOW ON A SERIOUS NOTE:
First African Military Plane Designed And Made In South Africa

The first military aircraft designed and built by African companies was unveiled Tuesday by a South African arms company which said it had already received orders for the lightweight plane.

Ivor Ichikowitz, head of Johannesburg-based arms maker Paramount Group, called the plane a breakthrough, but experts said its simple design was similar to planes produced by other countries, and said it will have tough competition.

Ichikowitz said the AHRLAC plane can be used for peacekeeping missions and reconnaissance and is armed to defend itself.

He said he's received an order from a country he would not name for 50 of the planes, each costing about $10 million.

Paramount Group is one of Africa's largest military hardware producers and has markets in West Africa and the Middle East.

Ichikowitz, known for his flamboyance, revealed a life-size model of the aircraft at a South African arms factory. Beside the model of the plane stood two female models wearing flight suits and holding pilot helmets. The weapons were not mounted on the model.

Ichikowitz said everything on the plane is South African-made except for the engine. Local aircraft engineering company Aerosud partnered Paramount Group in the development of AHRLAC. The engine is made by U.S.-based jet engine maker Pratt & Whitney.

Production of the two-pilot aircraft will begin in late 2012.

He said their main target is the international market.

"Defence companies in this country rely on the (South African Air Force) and are battling," he said. "Even though the aircraft is made in Africa, it is not solely for the African market."

Defence analyst Siemon Wezeman of the independent Stockholm International Peace Research

@Patriot ,yestarday's war were fought through trenches, massive numbers, lack of professional command and control systems, lack of equipment and mob psychology as a motivating factor and today and tomorrow's wars are and would be fought through excellent training, small professional teams, well equipped with latest technology, well resourced in terms of intelligence, good salary and coordinated system of command and control.

Hence many AFRICAN countries are revisiting their respective old and outdated doctrine into focussing on 21st Century threats which amongst is terrorism. I BELIEVE TO BE A GIANT ONE NEEDS TO BE VERY STRONG NOT IN TERMS OF NUMBERS BUT OF ECONOMY, EXCELLENT INFRASTRUCTURE, HEALTH FACILITIES, HOUSING, ELECTRICITY, EXCELLENT CONDITIONS OF WELL BEING.

ON THE ANC

Remember that the struggle against apartheid was fought by all progressive forces the world over with Africa playing a primary role with no single country that can claim sole responsibility of being the vanguard.

Nigeria is amongst the many however can be along the line of Angola that provided military equipment, facilities such as camps and military training to our freedom fighters and paid dearly for such a support, sustaining military invasion by apartheid South Africa and experiancing untold infrastuctural damaged that has cost not less than 1 Billion dollars including untold suffering in terms of human losses tha is nearly 500 000 over a period of 25 years.

Other countries that stood shoulder and shoulder with the ANC Freedom fighters and paid dearly were Mozambique whichexperianced civil war sponsored by the Apartheid government and lost nearly 350 000 people and massive economic set back which is felt until today. Southern Africa countries provided a backbone of support to the ANC and other South African liberation movements, Tanzania provided school, farms and houses, Zambia, provided houses, farms and the Headquarters of the ANC, Botswana provided refuge to those crossing to Zambia and also transiting to fight back home, Swaziland did the same including Lesotho. Namibia could not as it was under oppression.

Nigeria and other provided moral, financialsupportwhich E South African shall for ever cherished, But if truth needs to be told it was not a black mail to be used today

Here is a brief about the South African National Defence Force to those who may not know it and to those with distorted views here are the facts:
History of the South African Special Forces:
The South Africa Special Forces are known as the Recces and are the main special forces branch of the defense force for South Africa.

Their History

The South African Special Forces Brigade, as they are also known, were created on 1st October1972 as a reconnaissance commando team. They now consist of several regiments and are headquartered in Seskop, Pretoria Gauteng. They have been restructured several times through the years and now consist of several brigade sized forces.

How To Become A Member Of The Recces

All members of the Recces must be soldiers as well as South African Citizens to apply for this special forces unit which is considered to be one of the most challenging in the world. There is pre-selection training, as well as other courses for those who make this first cut. Candidates must be part of the military and must meet very stringent requirements in order to be considered for pre-selection training.

Recces Training

Pre-selection training consists of psychological and physical tests as well as oral examinations. There are strenuous physical tests of endurance that must be performed. These include a 3 km run in full gear to be completed in 13 minutes; 67 sit ups to be done in 2 minutes, rope climbing, wall scaling and 40 non-stop push ups. In addition, each cadet has to perform 120 shuttle kicks, climb a wall that is 10 ft high and complete a 15 kms march within 2 hours.

They must demonstrate maturity as well as physical qualifications before they can continue to the parachuting course and then to the orientation course.

The psychological tests include oral interviews with Special Forces NCOs in addition to written tests. Even a hint of mental instability can lead to instant exclusion from the army training.

After they have completed the Orientation course, all soldiers must then go through intensive land, sea and airborne training.

Land training includes tracking and survival, reconnaissance and demolitions and sniping.

Sea training includes swimming, navigation, diving, underwater demolitions and beach reconnaissance.

Advanced airborne training includes rappelling and free falling.

What Are They Best At?

They are best at reconnaissance, sabotage, underwater demolition and counter terrorism.

Weapons Of The Recces

A full range of military weapons are used by this special forces brigade similar to those used by the SAS and Navy Seals.

Known Missions

The South African Recces were active in Angola as well as Namibia during the 70s and the 80s, during which time their main adversary was the South West Africa’s People Organization ( SWAPO). The SWAPO was comprised of a group of guerillas fighting for an independent Namibia.

“Operation Mebos”, carried out in 1982 was one of their most well known operations. During this operation, the Recces stormed and destroyed the SWAPO headquarters, which was located deep into Angola. Later, in 1984, they carried out “Operation Askari”. In this operation, they severed all supply lines to and from SWAPO.

Units

There are several units consisting of the 1 Reconnaissance Commando, the 4 Reconnaissance Commando, the 5 Reconnaissance Commando and the 7th Medical Battalion.

Are They Professional Soldiers?

The members of this special forces elite team are professional soldiers, most of whom remain with the special forces until retirement.

What it was all about:
A Small Team, (2 Operators), or a Team, (12 Operators), would do this. In such an operation, a Reconnaissance Mission would be undertaken on an enemy strategic position – on a military position or a military complex in a (for example, in Angola).


Firstly, one would have to infiltrate. This would entail walking to the target area -

In enemy territory all the way.
In a war situation, with enemy soldiers and forces (very good and highly trained ones) all along the route - constantly searching for us.
With potentially hostile local population all over the place, who would instantly inform the enemy soldiers if we were detected.
With the enemy having complete air superiority, and having helicopter and helicopter gunship patrols frequently.
With no possibility of any support, resupply or evacuation by ground or air.
Carrying all food, water, sleeping equipment, military equipment, and ammunition - of a quantity that could last for weeks.
Meaning that the weight of one's rucksack - excluding webbing and weapon/s - would be 60kg to 80kg - or in some cases 100kg. (As an educational exercise, just try to walk normally - or lift - a rucksack weighing 80 kg).
Walking in over 300km to 400km or more - inside enemy territory.


Infiltration would be long and arduous, moving mostly at night, conducting anti-tracking, lying up in hides in the day, avoiding all enemy forces and local population - all the while carrying this killing weight, navigating accurately through the bush or through mountains, crossing crocodile-infested, deep and fast-flowing rivers (not by bridge), coming across lions and other dangerous animals, eating and drinking hardly anything to conserve rations, tolerating all weather conditions from freezing to frying and from tropical rain to no water at all, never speaking, never cooking, never making noise, always doing anti-tracking, always alert - all the while aware that if you were compromised, you were on your own, and however far you were in - so far you would have to get out - without any help, and with the full and mighty force of the enemy hunting you.



At the target area, one would have to get into a hide right at the enemy position - which could be a base harbouring thousands of enemy soldier. “Right at” the enemy position meaning right in direct sight of the base with the Unclad eye. One may also have to move around to various hides at various points around the enemy base, all the time making maps, notes, records, assessments, etc. On various occasions, the reconnaissance would entail penetrating right inside the actual enemy base to conduct reconnaissance.



Once enough information had been obtained, one would have to exfiltrate - all the way back - on foot, with all the obstacles and challenges that one had faced on the infiltration. The only difference would be that one may be running low on water and food - and could not -without extreme danger of being compromised - take food from fields or go to rivers / waterholes for water, as these are they are routinely busy or watched.



If one was compromised on the infiltration or exfiltration, the enemy would deploy hundreds or thousands of men between the contact point and the border - by plane, by helicopter, by vehicle, on foot from their forward bases. They would form huge interdiction lines cutting off direct escape routes, and would conduct hundreds of patrols, and have standing ambushes all over the place. Their aircraft and helicopters would fly all over the area - searching. Also, they would get onto your tracks - and chase you - running you down with teams and teams of fresh men, changing when they got tired so that they were always fresh while you got tired. Trying to force you into their ambushes in front of you, with stopper groups deployed at the sides to prevent you from escaping to the side.



One would have to survive such a situation, applying Escape and Evasion techniques - sometimes over hundreds of kilometres - running, lying up & hiding, passing stealthily through enemy positions, or staying in cover while they walked right over you, or entering into contact (a firefight) with enemy forces - never stopping, never sleeping, and never giving up.


If one of your colleagues was killed or wounded, you would carry him out with you. If you were all wounded, those who could still walk would carry those who could not.



If and when you managed to escape and get back over the border, you would rest up for a short period, and start all over again with another operation, time and time again, year in and year out.



This is what a Special Forces Reconnaissance operation entails. There are many and various other examples of reconnaissance tasks that are even more arduous than this example - which is a relatively standard example.

NOW ABOUT THE DEFENCE FORCE:

New and experimental technology is at the core of a multimillion-rand military exercise which is testing the state of readiness of the country’s defence force.

With thousands of South African soldiers, sailors, pilots and paratroopers taking part in the R20 million exercise, which has been three years in the planning, the country’s commander-in-chief, President Jacob Zuma, will know within weeks whether the defence can respond to a threat to South Africa’s sovereignty.

From across the country 4 000 defence force personnel, including mechanised infantry, airborne and maritime forces, tactical intelligence troops and special forces operatives have been gathering for Exercise Indlovu, which will culminate in a mock battle for the defence of Kimberley.

The Northern Cape and South Africa’s West Coast are the battlegrounds for the exercise.

With the maritime section of the exercise, involving the navy’s reaction force along with submariners and sailors, nearing completion, the army is now preparing for its role.

The exercise is simulating an attack by a foreign force on the mineral-rich city of Kimberley.

The exercise will, in the next 10 days, see vicious land battles playing themselves out at the SANDF’s combat training centre in Lohatla as paratroopers and ground forces respond to the attacks.

While the main battles will take place in the Northern Cape, it is in specially located military headquarters in Bloemfontein that the defence force’s new state-of-the-art and experimental command and control technology will be put to the test.

It is hoped that these command-and-control tests will reveal potential problems which could occur in real life situations.

Exercise co-ordinator Brigadier General Koos Liebenberg, speaking from aboard the SAS Drakensberg, one of the navy ships used in the maritime exercise, said all indications were that failing a political or diplomatic solution, the SANDF could respond to such a threat within two weeks.

“We have forces on standby all day every day. Something like this would not catch us by surprise because we know about any military build-up through our intelligence sources on the ground, media reports and other sources of information.

“When a threat like this is detected these standby forces are immediately activated and mobilised while diplomatic and political solutions are being sought.

“Exercises like this, which have been three years in the planning, are vital to ensuring that we know what to do when we need to do it and that we can carry out our tasks flawlessly,” he said.

Liebenberg said while the troops on the ground formed an important part of the exercise, the main focus was on the capabilities of command and control structures.

“A big effort has been placed on establishing a rhythm around headquarter capabilities.

“It is here that any gaps in command and control structures will be exposed and remedied,” he said.

Speaking about the new and experimental technology systems being tested, Liebenberg said they were aimed at improving communication systems between the battlefield and military headquarters.

“For battles to be won a number of critical requirements have to be met by these systems.

“These include communications systems which give us operational reports and minute-to-minute situational awareness maps which provide us with ‘full-time pictures’ of battles in our operation rooms.

“This exercise has been made as difficult as possible, with every possible scenario being thrown in to confuse, frustrate and force those in command and control to think as quickly and logically as possible,” he said.

“Ultimately R20 million is not a lot of money especially if it means that we can effectively defend the country’s sovereignty.

“The backbone for any defence is conventional warfare training. If we can establish this backbone we will with ease be able to switch over to non-conventional and asymmetrical warfare scenarios and situations such as these and others including peacekeeping and humanitarian missions.”

On t

Composition of a united force based not on colour, creed or sex

Proudly made in South Africa products

Only those with bloated ego would deny the standard, professionalism and combat readiness of the SANDF

Truth hurts and reality bites, just enjoy, pictures speaks a million words