# South African Military Photos.....



## A Darter

I reckon defence (or in America "defense") can be considered as infrastructure. Although not as large as a lot of militaries around the world, 
the South African defence force is still a super power on African soil....


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## A Darter

Young South African air force fighter hopefulls.....probably 3 or 4 of these guys/gals will get chosen as figher pilots on the SAAB Gripens and BAE Hawks







































Pilatus Trainer Aircraft...


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## A Darter

South Africa still produces some world class military products. Still a world leader (or right up there with the best) in artillery sytems....

Images courtesy of Denel




























A Darter 5th generation Air-Air Missile....to be integrated onto the Gripen










Mokopa long range (+ 5km ) anti tank missile...










Ingwe medium range laser guided anti tank weapon...










Seeker II spy/target unmanned drone. Plans are in place to produce a much bigger and capable version - Seeker 400. 










Skua Target drone - used to test the effectiveness of air to air and 
surface to air missiles


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## Big Cat

Very cool pics!


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## A Darter

*Bateleur UAV...*

Proposed new medium- long range UAV. Funding is holding development back....



















Roles and Missions

Real-time day and night (E/O and IR) surveillance 
Electronic and Communications Intelligence gathering (ELINT and COMINT) 
Airborne communications relay 
Military and paramilitary photo reconnaissance 
Target location and laser designation 
Maritime and coastal patrol 
Border patrol 
Search and rescue 
Battlefield surveillance 
Artillery fire support 
Damage assessment


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## A Darter

Helicopter pilot in training....


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## A Darter

*Survival Training.....*

All candidates have to get through survival.....










H.U.E.T (Helicopter Underwater Escape Training)










Parasailing 










Drills










Out at sea



















Flare and pyrotechnic training










Coastal Survival (Capture during Escape and Evade)










Land Survival



















Escape and Evade (being chased by a helicopter, trackers and dogs)




























Captured recruits










the end...


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## A Darter

*Army Exercises...*

Vulture UAV....


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## Big Cat

Are you in a military, buddy? 



A Darter said:


> I'm a 21yr old (black) South African studying engineering in Johannesburg, and plan on joining the air force as soon as I graduate.....


Sorry, you are not


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## A Darter

*More Army Exercises.....*














































Have no idea what they're doing here...


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## A Darter

*A bit more.....*

Teaching the ladies how to shoot straight.....

Yes, believe it or not, there are some white women (some of them quite hot) as qualified soldiers on the African soil.....


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## A Darter

*South African Police Special Task Force*

The Special Task Force is the most highly trained unit in the South African Police service. Their training is extreme (equal to or better than a lot of special forces around the world). Think it takes a year to qualify, and something like 1 in 50 make selection. These guys are only called in for high risk situations, but the unit was originally set up for hostage situations. In over 20 years of operation, they've never lost a hostage....:cheers:




























Their faces are sometimes blurred out or covered in official pictures due to the nature of work they do....


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## Big Cat

I bet South African army is the best on the continent!


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## Manila-X

Cool photos! I would like to see more pics of the JAS-Gripen of the SA Air Force.


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## A Darter

^^....ok cool

4 BAE Hawks take off from 85 Combat Flying School - Limpopo Province (On the border with Zimbabwe)










3 Hawks and 2 Gripens










Helicopters over a bombing range during an exercise










2 Rooivalk attack helicopters










Oryx transport heli releasing decoy flares










9 Hawks in formation - 85 Combat School Limpopo Province










Last Cheetah formation in South African skies, before being retired to 
make way for the Gripen


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## A Darter

*Journey to be a fighter pilot.....*

On average 1 in 1000 recruits make it as fighter pilots....0.1% :nuts:.

Step 1.....Pilatus trainer aircraft



















Step 2.....those with enough potential are put onto the BAE Hawks



















And finally....only the best of the best get a seat on the Gripen




























Some of the Gripen fighter pilots...the SAAF receives one Gripen every 6 months from Sweden


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## A Darter

*Silver Falcons - Air Force daredevils*

Air Force "stunt team"...


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## A Darter

*......*


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## A Darter

*Rooivalk attack helicopter.....*

One of South Africa's most impressive engineering feats. Besides electronics, the Rooivalk is just as good (and better in a few cases) as the Apache...


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## simcard

very impressive


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## A Darter

nice pic...


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## Lost Cosmonaut

South Africa's only female fighter pilot (for now).....Cpt. Catherine "Siren" Labuschagne










:lol::lol:


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## Phoenix1

> Low flying Cheetah...during the war in Angola pilots sometimes had to fly extremely close to the ground to avoid Angolan (Russian made) radar and SAM's....


Just to maybe correct you on the Cheetah's in Angola ....Cheetah's never flew in the Angolan war. The Mirage F1 and Impala's did all the work there. Cheetah E's were used as round the clock home defence and there were always 2 Cheetah E's on the 24 hou readyness alert. and they were based at Pietersburg AFB. Although a very nice pic, that is not a Cheetah in Angola flying low, you will also see the landing gear extracted, That bird is either landing or taking off.


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## A Darter

*....*


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## A Darter

*Not sure if the following pics will appear....*

Pics by Clifford...

Mass Chopper Flypast...










Sniper Exiting Oryx










South African Air Force Gripen Fitted with Iris T air-air missiles....




























Iris T is an interim air-air missile which will be used until the South African/Brazilian A Darter air-air missile comes into operation....


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## Shezan

very interesting pics, thanks for sharing


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## A Darter

*....*


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## SA BOY

lochinvar said:


> "I bet South African army is the best on the continent!"
> 
> I bet it's neck and neck between Egypt and South Africa. Egypt is experienced with its wars with Israel.


which they lost all 3, Sa never beaten in Africa


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## psafa

this what i call military muscle


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## A Darter




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## A Darter




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## A Darter




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## A Darter

Some pics might be re-posts


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## A Darter

Photo by Christo Crous...


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## A Darter

Silver Falcons....Clifford


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## A Darter

*South African and German Airforce's flypast over Cape Town..*

Pics by Kremlin

South African Gripens










German Tornados










South African Hawks










German Tornado


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## SA BOY

great thread, brings back good and bad memories from my days in the army.

Some great navy pics in the SA thread from simonstown


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## A Darter

*....*


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## SA BOY

darter is the air force going to replace the crashed RooiValk?


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## A Darter

^^ that's almost a 99% NO. No new funds have been put forward for any new work on the Rooivalk (except for general maintenance) International politics has basically killed this brilliant South African product. hno:


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## A Darter

*pics from af.mil.za...*

Change-of-Command held a few years back...


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## Lost Cosmonaut

SA BOY said:


> which they lost all 3, Sa never beaten in Africa


Ummm...and the Bush War?


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## SA BOY

Lost Cosmonaut said:


> Ummm...and the Bush War?


which one? won all the main battle from 75-88 including cuito candevale which forced cubans out (and their proxy commie bosses) which allowed a complete withdrawl from Namibia alowing elections. You win counter incurgancy opperations by the for and against colums and whilst we had losses, it wias nothing like SWAPO/MPLA/Cubans/Russian/East Germans etc in both men and materials


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## SA BOY

A Darter said:


> ^^ that's almost a 99% NO. No new funds have been put forward for any new work on the Rooivalk (except for general maintenance) International politics has basically killed this brilliant South African product. hno:


and SA's stupid policy relating to arms sales. Turkish airforce wanted a bunch of them (amogst a huge wepons ordcer including G5 and G6) but Karal Asmal and his policy of selling wepons to certain states was a joke. US ended up selling them everything but the kitchen sink


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## Lost Cosmonaut

SA BOY said:


> which one? won all the main battle from 75-88 including cuito candevale which forced cubans out (and their proxy commie bosses) which allowed a complete withdrawl from Namibia alowing elections. You win counter incurgancy opperations by the for and against colums and whilst we had losses, it wias nothing like SWAPO/MPLA/Cubans/Russian/East Germans etc in both men and materials


Yep. But politicaly and economically South Africa was defeated. South West Africa gained independence, Angola civil war worsened and Apartheid ends.


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## A Darter

*South African Navy...pics from navy.mil.za*

Commissioning of the SAS Umkomaas and the change of command of SAS Umhloti, Simon's Town, Western Cape...









R Adm H v E Bester arriving at the parade, escorted by Cdr R A M Penn and Cdr G de Voogd.









R Adm Bester returning the salute on his arrival at the parade









WO2 G F Haywood saluting and LS P E Hlangebi piping as the SAS Umkomaas is re-commissioned.









The ship's company saluting as R Adm Bester prepares to depart from the parade.









R Adm Bester, Cdr Penn and Cdr de Voogd onboard the SAS UMKOMAAS en route to the Wardroom for refreshments


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## A Darter

*First of the SA Navy's new Type 209 submarines...*

Ceremony for S101 in 2004....


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## A Darter

*2010 SA Navy Festival*

Photos by CPO Doreen Oosthuizen, AB Sthembiso Makuleni, Sea Kabelo Kalake, Sea Mulalo Rambau, Sea Tshegofatso Sehoole and Sea Sebongile Mokwena








































































German Navy


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## SA BOY

Lost Cosmonaut said:


> Yep. But politicaly and economically South Africa was defeated. South West Africa gained independence, Angola civil war worsened and Apartheid ends.


But I thought we were talking military battles and wars? Apartheid collapsed from the inside no matter what anyone says about sanctions, isolation, boycotts, ANC armed struggle etc. many countries get isolated and life goes on as normal , look at Iran , Burma, Cuba etc and after 25 odd years SA and its people knew the status quo couldent continue and we voted yes in a referendum to break down apartheid and replace with multi party elections aqnd the rest is history.

You also need to remember that SA was the first and only country to clandistinley develop a detertent nuclear option and we had 7 nukes that not even the US knew about. We would never have lost no matter what the cubans and russians threw at us.


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## SA BOY

I still dont think we have a credable naval deterant and enough blue water capabilty. I would like to see a fleet of real corvettes (mid way beteen these new frigates and the old Minister strike craft), which could opperate on prtecting teh fishing zone around SA and operate away from base for 3 weeks at a time


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## preppy

Very nice, thanks.


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## goliath01

SA BOY said:


> But I thought we were talking military battles and wars? Apartheid collapsed from the inside no matter what anyone says about sanctions, isolation, boycotts, ANC armed struggle etc. many countries get isolated and life goes on as normal , look at Iran , Burma, Cuba etc and after 25 odd years SA and its people knew the status quo couldent continue and we voted yes in a referendum to break down apartheid and replace with multi party elections aqnd the rest is history.
> 
> You also need to remember that SA was the first and only country to clandistinley develop a detertent nuclear option and we had 7 nukes that not even the US knew about. We would never have lost no matter what the cubans and russians threw at us.


True, true, true... Apartheid only fell due to in-crising pressure within.
As SA BOY stated, a referendum was held for the white pop to decide if our black countrymen would have equal rights, and the rest as u know, is history.
Just to add that their are reports, that of course couldnt be official, of clashes between SA special forces the Recces and the formidible russian paratroopers.


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## TheMann2000

He Named Thor said:


> Awesome photos, thanks!
> 
> What type of ship is that in the navy photos?


Which one?

The ships with F145 and F146 on the side are South Africa's Valour class frigates, all named after famous battles in history. Built in Germany and delivered in the early 2000s, they are ultramodern vessels, up to the standards of any Navy in the world and much better than many, and a definite step up from what the SA Navy had before. SAS Mendi beat USS Arleigh Burke in an exercise in 2006, which I'm sure the Americans were mighty pissed about.

The bigger ship with the front crane is SAS Drakensberg. One of a kind and built in South Africa, it is the Navy's primary support ship, and one of the finest of its class in the world.


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## A Darter

*South African Airforce*


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## A Darter

*...*


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## Nostra

*SA Defence Force Air Capability Demo*



> Rooivalk stars at Air Capability Demo
> 
> By Dean Wingrin
> 
> The recently upgraded and redelivered Rooivalk attack helicopter participated in the simulated operational exercise during the Air Capability Demonstration held by the SAAF at the Roodewal weapons range today.
> 
> The Air Capability Demonstration (ACD) is normally held twice a year in which the SAAF is able to demonstrate its operational capabilities, including co-operation with the others arms of the SANDF. It is also the only time invited dignitaries and guests are able to witness live weapon firing at close range.
> 
> The Rooivalk has undergone a major revamp by Denel Aviation to bring its structure, systems and avionics up to a single standard acceptable to the airforce. The first five aircraft were handed back to the airforce at the end of March.
> 
> Differing from previous years, the ACD did not concentrate on humanitarian missions, but rather on what Chief of the Airforce, Lt. Gen. Carlo Gagiano, described as “speed and dust!”
> 
> Proceedings commenced with introductory speeches and background information, followed by 70 minutes of incredible noise caused by the live firing of rockets, mortars, cannon, machine gun fire and the dropping of bombs, all with the continuous clatter of rotor blades overhead.
> 
> A Gripen D fitted with a ‘reconnaissance pod’ obtained tactical information over the battlefield, concluding its run with a pull up firing flares. Various simulated exercises, including a South African Army element, comprised scenarios ranging from mortar attacks, air supply drops and troop insertions. Three Gripens performed a 2v1 dogfight. A low-level run by a CASA 212, followed by two C-130 Hercules, pulled up in front of the crowd to demonstrate the Low-Altitude Parachute Extraction System (LAPES).
> 
> Oryx medium-transport helicopters demonstrated water bombing with Bambi buckets and continuously dropped off and picked up troops while Agusta A109 Light Utility Helicopters performed surveillance and observation duties. The ensuing mock battle included the firing of 81mm motors.
> 
> The stars of the demonstration, however, where the three Rooivalk helicopters present. Not only did they provide continuous covering fire with their 20mm cannon, but they also performed numerous attack runs with their 70mm FFAR unguided rockets.
> 
> Not to be outdone, the Gripens also performed a number of bombing runs, dropping four 250kg HE bombs per run, creating some impressively huge explosions and accompanying vibrations.
> 
> The demonstration concluded with a flypast by all the participants. However, this was no ordinary flypast.
> 
> First three Rooivalks flew past, then a combined formation of three Agustas and three Oryx. This was followed by the CASA 212 and the two Hercules. A seven ship formation of Gripens flew over the crowd, where after an Oryx flew towards the crowd, firing flares. As if that was not enough, the two Hercules then returned for a low level pass from the rear. The final flypast was a Cessna 208 Caravan that had been performing surveillance duties during the demonstartion.
> 
> The SAAF showed that it is capable of performing the various missions that it may be called upon to perform within the African peacekeeping context. The SAAF has to be congratulated for organising a complicated demonstration in a safe and professional manner. The formation flying and coordination was excellent. It was just a pity that the Hawk could not participate because a grounding order following an engine surge at the end of April
> 
> 
> 
> Photos and Story Courtesy of Dean Wingrin
> Source: http://www.avcom.co.za/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=78413
Click to expand...


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## Diggerdog

Just going back to the earlier discussion around the Bush war - at no time was South Africa in any danger of losing that war. EVER.
We were superior in every department, embarrassingly so at the beginning of the war.

When the Cubans came and the Russians, things got more interesting, especially in the air when the newer migs arrived - but even then, we never lost a decent size battle, and absolutely caned them in the 'Big 3' battles at the end of the war.

Yes, SA withdrew from Namibia. 
That was because occupying that whole country AND maintaining a huge army there and in Angola was costing an eye watering amount, and it went on for decades.

SA decided to pull out. THEN we launched operations MODULAR, HOOPER and PACKER which effectively crushed the opposition.
Then we signed the peace deal, when they were just relieved it was over and not in any position to make demands.

So thats the basic synopsis, and anyone who thinks otherwise must be reading fiction.

Actually, there are accounts written by some Russian special forces of the conditions in Angola, and the hell of being fired upon by the G5 and G6 etc etc - even from their point of view, there is no doubt who had the power.


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## Yuri S Andrade

An amazing thread! Congrats, A Darter!

Do you guys think SANDF managed to keep the same level of excellence of the SADF in the 1970's or 1980's?


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## Moshate

SA Neighbors; Botswana Defence Force










(Flickr)


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## mwinyi

couple of questions:

1. Does South Africa manufacture its own military helicopters or it buys from other countries?

2. If so which countries?

3. Which countries manufacture the best military choppers? 

4. China? Russia? Israel or?

5. Any pictures?


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