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119-666: Development of the Rooivalk was protracted due to the impact of limited budgets during the 1990s, and a desire to produce a highly advanced attack helicopter. The South African Air Force (SAAF) ordered 12 Rooivalk, designated the Rooivalk Mk 1 in SAAF service, the first of which were officially handed over in April 2011. The helicopters are flown by 16 Squadron , based at AFB Bloemspruit near Bloemfontein . The Rooivalk project began in early 1984 under

238-603: A Green, Red, Lemon, Yellow and Blue roundel in December 1921. These colours remained until 1927 when they were replaced with the Orange, White and Blue roundels. The first operational deployment of the newly formed Air Force was to quell internal dissent, when in 1922 a miner's strike on the Johannesburg gold mines turned violent and led to the declaration of martial law. 1 Squadron was called to fly reconnaissance missions and to bombard

357-629: A blue uniform, to replace the army khaki it had previously worn. The SAAF loaned aircraft and flew occasional covert reconnaissance, transport and combat sorties in support of the Royal Rhodesian Air Force (RRAF; renamed in 1970 as the Rhodesian Air Force (RhAF)) and the rest of the Rhodesian Security Forces from 1966 onwards. Notable operations included Operation Uric and Operation Vanity in 1979. From 1966 to 1989,

476-479: A conventional side-by-side cockpit. The Grumman A-6 Intruder , General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark , Sukhoi Su-24 , and the Sukhoi Su-34 are examples of combat aircraft that use this configuration. For training aircraft, it has the advantage that pilot and instructor can see each other's actions, allowing the pilot to learn from the instructor and the instructor to correct the student pilot. The tandem configuration has

595-653: A development contract with Thomson-CSF for a mobile, all-weather, low-altitude SAM system after a South African order for the Bloodhound SAM system was refused by the UK government. This became the Crotale , or 'Cactus' in South African service. The South African government paid 85 per cent of the development costs of the system with the balance being paid for by France. The system was in service with 120 Squadron SAAF from 1970 until

714-415: A loose tab that might catch a rein in it. In carriage driving , the driver should carry a whip long enough to reach the shoulder of the leader. A tandem cart is constructed in the style of a dogcart and used mainly for show, and should be tall enough for the driver to look over the head of the lead horse. A drayel is hardware at the tip of the shafts to attach the traces (pulling straps) from

833-518: A major hindrance on the export market, such as pressure allegedly exercised by the United States government to persuade foreign customers to select the rival Boeing AH-64 Apache instead. Various potential export opportunities were investigated, such as Malaysia , the United Kingdom , and Turkey , however no such sales had emerged by 2013. The development of the Rooivalk had a positive effect on

952-464: A nose-mounted gyro-stabilised sensor turret housing with auto-tracking. The Rooivalk uses a Thales TopOwl helmet mounted display (also used by several other attack and transport helicopters around the world). The system was developed by Société de Fabrication d’Instruments de Mesure (SFIM) in 1999/2000. Notable features include a tandem cockpit, starboard tail rotor with a port tailplane, a fixed wheeled undercarriage as well as wire cutters above and below

1071-459: A number of SAAF Second World War air aces in the process, including John Frost and Marmaduke Pattle . In fear of Japanese occupation and subsequent operations in the Indian Ocean in close proximity to South African sea lanes, Field Marshal Smuts encouraged the preemptive Allied occupation of the island of Madagascar . After much debate and further encouragement by General de Gaulle (who

1190-840: A report to Mussolini recording the state of chronic unpreparedness of the Allied Forces in East Africa . The collapse of France in 1940 had prompted Mussolini to join the war on the side of the Axis and as a result, air force elements were moved to forward positions in occupied Ethiopia to mount air attacks on Allied forces before they could be re-inforced. These deployments prompted Allied action and on 13 May 1940, 1 Squadron pilots were sent to Cairo to take delivery of 18 Gloster Gladiators and to fly them south to Kenya, for operations in East Africa . 11 Squadron , equipped with Hawker Hartebeests , followed to Nairobi on 19 May 1940 and were joined by

1309-616: A rotorcraft that would be amongst, even potentially superior to, the best attack helicopters in the world. The helicopter, later named the Rooivalk, was envisioned as an agile, highly sophisticated gunship, especially suited to the threats of the Angolan theatre and countering vehicles such as the T-55 tank. The Atlas XH-1 Alpha was the first prototype to emerge from the program. It was developed from an Alouette III airframe, retaining that helicopter's engine and dynamic components; modifications included

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1428-435: A steep hill, out of heavy mud or snow, or pulling heavy loads on narrow tracks or through narrow gates and doorways (too wide for a pair of horses side-by-side). For example, a Brewer's van fully loaded with 25 barrels might weigh 8 tons, requiring 2 or 3 horses. In carting , when pulling heavy loads with tandem harness, the carter walks to the left of the shaft horse holding its left rein with his right hand, and holding

1547-588: A team [of four horses]. Whereas the leaders of a team balance one another and keep each other straight, there is nothing other than the skill of the Whip (driver) to prevent a tandem leader from turning to face his driver. Three horses in a row is sometimes called a randem/random or trandem/trandom . Tandem bicycles are named for their tandem seating, a more common arrangement than side-by-side " sociable " seating. Tandem bikes are also used in road racing , track racing , and para-cycling . The Messerschmitt KR200

1666-483: A total of 22 aircraft (1974–1989) to enemy action. A further 11 aircraft were lost in the operational area due to pilot error or malfunction. After the first South African multi-racial elections in 1994 , the SAAF became part of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). The South African Air Force is currently considered to be the most effective air force in sub-Sahara Africa despite

1785-457: A total of 94 aircraft, were operational in East Africa (1 Squadron, 2 Squadron , 3 Squadron , 11 Squadron, 12 Squadron , 14 Squadron , 40 Squadron , 41 Squadron , 50 Squadron and 60 Squadron ). During this campaign, the SAAF formed a Close Support Flight of four Gladiators and four Hartebeests, with an autonomous air force commander operating with the land forces. This was the precursor of

1904-420: A trainer with tandem seating from a single-seater aircraft. An alternative configuration is side-by-side seating, which is common in civil aircraft of all sizes, trainers and large military aircraft, but less so in high performance jets and gliders where drag reduction is paramount. The Boeing B-47 Stratojet and Boeing XB-52 bombers used fighter-style tandem seating, but the final B-52 bomber series used

2023-610: Is the air warfare branch of South African National Defence Force , with its headquarters in Pretoria . The South African Air Force was established on 1 February 1920. The Air Force saw service in World War II and the Korean War . From 1966, the SAAF was involved in providing infantry support in the low-intensity Border War in Angola , South-West Africa and Rhodesia . As the war progressed,

2142-624: The Aérospatiale Alouette III and the Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma . The Alouette III was a small helicopter which originated from the 1960s; due to the age of the design and a lack of engine power, it was not considered a favourable candidate for further development work. The Puma was substantially larger and was equipped with more powerful engines; both factors provided a broader basis for the accommodation of additional equipment and for potential growth. Another key factor for its selection

2261-533: The Central African Republic by invading the capital of Bangui , four armed Gripen Fighter aircraft from 2 Squadron SAAF were sent along with a C-130BZ transport aircraft (reportedly carrying a stock of bombs) in order to provide close air support to the 200-strong South African garrison who were still fighting in the city. The aircraft were, however, recalled shortly after, as the South Africans and

2380-732: The Democratic Republic of the Congo as part of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). The Rooivalk and Oryx Helicopters are part of the South African contribution to the 3000-strong United Nations Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) and they have flown several sorties against rebel factions who are operating in North Kivu province, particularly

2499-648: The Desert Air Force /Tactical Air Force "cab-rank" technique which were used extensively for close air support during 1943–1945. The last air combat took place on 29 October and the Italian forces surrendered on 27 November 1941. A reduced SAAF presence was maintained in East Africa for coastal patrols until May 1943. SAAF fighter, bomber, and reconnaissance squadrons played a key role in the Western Desert and North African campaigns from 1941 to 1943. One memorable feat

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2618-695: The Junkers Ju 86s of 12 Squadron on 22 May 1940. The Kingdom of Italy declared war on 10 June 1940 and on the following day, the Ju 86s of 12 Squadron led the first air attack by the SAAF in the Second World War. During the campaign, numerous SAAF aircraft were involved in air combat with the Italian Regia Aeronautica and provided air support to South African and Allied forces in the ground war. By December 1940, ten SAAF squadrons plus 34 Flight, with

2737-498: The Latin adverb tandem , meaning at length or finally . It is a word play , using the Latin phrase (referring to time, not position) for English "at length, lengthwise". When driving horses , tandem refers to one horse harnessed in front of another to pull a load or vehicle . A tandem arrangement provides more pulling power than a single horse, such as for pulling a heavy load up

2856-602: The Mozambique Channel , Operation Copper. There is also a Super Lynx from 22 Squadron SAAF operating from the South African Navy frigates whenever they are stationed in the Mozambican channel. The air force also assists Operation Corona from "time to time" by deploying either AgustaWestland AW109 or Atlas Oryx helicopters to its borders. During the 2010 FIFA World Cup the South African National Defence Force

2975-631: The Mthatha Airport . Five Gripens, three Oryx helicopters and the 6 Pilatus PC-7 's of the Silver Falcons performed a flypast in a final salute to the late former president. On 12 September 2014, a church hostel collapsed within the compound of the Synagogue, Church of All Nations in Lagos , Nigeria . More than 100 persons died in the collapse, among them 85 South Africans. President Jacob Zuma ordered

3094-612: The Super Frelon and Westland Wasp helicopters, the Kudu light aircraft and the P-166s Albatross coastal patrol aircraft. Other initial measures included the downgrading of Air Force Base Port Elizabeth and the disbanding of 12 , 16 , 24 , 25 , and 27 Squadrons . Two Commando squadrons – 103 Squadron SAAF at AFB Bloemspruit and 114 Squadron SAAF at AFB Swartkop – were also disbanded. The 250 Air Defence Artillery Group, also known as

3213-667: The ZU-23-2 23mm Anti-Aircraft Gun and the Bofors 40 mm gun . 120 Squadron mainly operated the Cactus missile system operationally in platoons from 1973 until the late 1980s with each platoon consisting of one Acquisition and Co-ordination Unit (ACU) and two or three firing units, with a battery having two platoons. 121 Squadron, 123 Squadron and later 129 Squadron mainly operated the Tigercat mobile surface-to-air missile system. In South African service it

3332-435: The turboshaft engines and the dynamic systems, such as the main and tail rotor systems and the gearboxes . Due to the great difficulty posed by the prospects of designing and manufacturing a clean-design helicopter, which would have substantially increased the cost and timescale of the project, it was decided to base the attack helicopter upon an existing design. At the time, the SAAF operated two principal helicopter types –

3451-548: The 250 Air Defence Unit (ADU), was a group of air defence squadrons that operated under the control of the South African Air Force tasked with airbase defence. The group consisted of 120 , 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129 and 130 Squadrons and had its own active Citizen Force component. These squadrons were equipped with the Tigercat mobile surface-to-air missile system, The Cactus surface-to-air missile system,

3570-687: The A400M in November 2009 has denied the SAAF the strategic airlift capability needed for domestic, regional and continent-wide transport operations. There is no clear indication as yet regarding how the heavy/long-range airlift gap will be addressed. Current air combat capabilities are limited to the Gripen multi-role fighter and the Rooivalk combat support helicopter although in insufficient number to allow regional deployments while maintaining national air security and current training commitments. To overcome this shortfall,

3689-605: The Allied campaigns in the following theaters: The Mobile Air Force Depot (MAFD) was based in Pretoria . Its role during the Second World War was as a location where Air Crew could be stationed, on stand-by, prior to being posted to a more active squadron. Post-war, the SAAF also took part in the Berlin airlift of 1948 with 20 aircrews flying Royal Air Force Dakotas . 4,133 tons of supplies were carried in 1,240 missions flown. At

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3808-614: The Block 1F initial operating standard. The eleventh and final Rooivalk was delivered on 13 March 2013. Three Rooivalk attack helicopters have been deployed with the United Nations Force Intervention Brigade to support the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2013. On 4 November 2013, two Rooivalks with the United Nations Force Intervention Brigade fired FZ 90 70mm FFAR rockets on M23 positions near Chanzu in

3927-544: The British Government donated surplus aircraft plus spares and sufficient equipment to provide the nucleus of a fledgling air force to each of its Dominions . As part of this donation, which was to become known as the Imperial Gift , South Africa received a total of 113 aircraft from both the British Government (100 aircraft) as well as from other sources (13 aircraft). On 1 February 1920 Colonel Pierre van Ryneveld

4046-564: The Democratic Republic of the Congo. The first prototype Rooivalk XDM, SAAF serial 683, is on static display at the South African Air Force Museum , Swartkop Air Force Base , Pretoria . Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft, 2003–2004 General characteristics Performance Armament Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists South African Air Force The South African Air Force ( SAAF )

4165-608: The French and flown south to other airfields on the island. Once the main airfield at Arrachart aerodrome in Diego-Suarez had been secured (13 May 1942), the SAAF Air Component flew from Lindi to Arrachart. The air component consisted of thirty-four aircraft (6 Marylands, 11 Beaufort Bombers, 12 Lockheed Lodestars and 6 Ju 52 's transports). By September 1942, the South African ground forces committed to Ironclad had been party to

4284-714: The German forces capitulated and most of the pilots and aircraft of the SAAC were sent to Britain in support of the Imperial war effort. Although the SAAC remained active, its activities were limited to ground training at the Cape Town Drill Hall, while the pilots who had been detached to the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) were grouped to form No. 26 Squadron RFC and later becoming an independent squadron on 8 October 1915. No. 26 Squadron

4403-456: The Gripen fleet is being rotated between short-term storage and active use by the regular active pilots to spread the limited flying hours among the whole fleet. During this same period it was reported that 18 of the SAAF's AgustaWestland AW109 helicopters have been grounded due to an accident involving one of the helicopters several months prior and a lack of funds for regular maintenance, however in November 2013 after five months of not flying,

4522-536: The Oryx, the Rooivalk instead suffered from a highly extended development time. In 1988, the Border War came to a close, which soon led to substantial cuts in the defence budget. The planned attack helicopter acquisition was cut from 36 rotorcraft to only 12, greatly affecting the economies of scale . In pursuit of a high-end system, the cost of the program in comparison to a simpler attack helicopter were driven upwards, although

4641-746: The SAAC were engaged in German South West Africa and 26 Sqdn RFC in East Africa, many South Africans traveled to the United Kingdom to enlist with the Royal Flying Corps. The number of South Africans in the RFC eventually reached approximately 3,000 men and suffered 260 active-duty fatalities over the Somme during the war. Forty-six pilots became fighter aces . On conclusion of the First World War,

4760-662: The SAAF has designated the Hawk Mk 120 trainers for additional tactical reconnaissance and weapon delivery platforms for targets designated by the Gripens. Financial constraints have further limited flying hours on the newly acquired aircraft; it was planned to keep Gripen pilots current flying the lower cost Hawk aircraft with "Gripenised" cockpits. It was reported in 2013 that the Gripen fleet wasn't fully manned with some pilots redesignated as reserve pilots and others being assigned instructor roles at Air Force Base Makhado . The SAAF stated that

4879-542: The SAAF was committed to the Border War , which was fought in northern South West Africa and surrounding states. At first, it provided limited air support to police operations against the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (the military wing of SWAPO , which was fighting to end South African rule of South West Africa). Operations intensified after the defence force took charge of the war in 1974. In July 1964, South Africa placed

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4998-418: The SAAF was to invest R962 million (about US$ 137 million in 2007 exchange rates) in the helicopter over three years to 2010/2011, in order to bring it up to full operational status. The helicopter was expected to be deployed on peace-keeping duties as soon as initial operating capability is achieved. On 1 April 2011, the SAAF received the first five of eleven (one of the twelve aircraft originally delivered to

5117-585: The SAAF was written off after an accident) Block 1F upgraded Rooivalk. The upgrade involves improved targeting systems and other avionics which enable the helicopter to use guided missiles for the first time. The Mokopa ATGM was qualified as part of the upgrade process. Gearbox components were improved and cooling problems with the F2 20 mm cannon were also addressed. The ninth and tenth Rooivalk attack helicopters were delivered in September 2012 following their upgrade to

5236-515: The SAAF's first black jet fighter pilot. In March 2017 Nandi Zama became for first black woman in SAAF history to command and fly a Hercules C-130 cargo plane. Tandem Tandem , or in tandem , is an arrangement in which two or more animals, machines, or people are lined up one behind another, all facing in the same direction. Tandem can also be used more generally to refer to any group of persons or objects working together, not necessarily in line. The English word tandem derives from

5355-493: The South African Air Force to assist with the repatriation of survivors and victims, and the first 25 survivors were flown to South Africa in a specially adapted SAAF Hercules C-130 on 22 September 2014. Due to a lack of airlift capacity, an Antonov aircraft from Maximus Aero was chartered in order to repatriate the bodies of 74 victims, which arrived on 15 November 2014. The last 11 bodies were finally repatriated using an SAAF C-130 on 6 February 2015. The delay in repatriating

5474-402: The South African Air Force, Lt. Gen. Carlo Gagiano , hoped that the helicopters would be ready around June 2007, indicating the "extremely worrying factor of time that the project was taking to reach maturity" , attributing the delays to the exodus of personnel from Denel as well as its financial problems. This has forced the SAAF to assess alternative defence development partners. One airframe

5593-436: The South African government authorised government-to-government negotiations on the topic of restarting production of the Rooivalk. According to Victor Xaba, deputy chief executive of Denel Aerostructures, the company needed commitments for at least 70 rotorcraft for the re-establishment of the assembly line to be viable. The production of a prospective Rooivalk Mk 2 had been periodically mooted. In July 2015, Saloojee spoke on

5712-607: The UDF's first priority was to ensure the safety of the South African coastal waters as well as the strategically important Cape sea-route. For maritime patrol operations, the SAAF took over all 29 passenger aircraft of South African Airways : 18 Junkers Ju 86Z-ls for maritime patrols and eleven Junkers Ju 52s for transport purposes. SAAF maritime patrols commenced on 21 September 1939 with 16 Squadron flying three JU-86Z's from Walvis Bay. had been established, eventually consisting of 6 , 10 , 22 , 23 , 25 , 27 and 29 Squadrons . By

5831-580: The Western Desert as bomber pilots for their second tour – compounding the lack of continuity and experience. The South Africans did however command the respect of their German adversaries. The South Africans had the distinction of dropping the first and last bombs in the African conflict – the first being on 11 June 1940 on Moyale in Ethiopia and the last being on the Italian 1st Army in Tunisia. The SAAF also produced

5950-488: The advantage of being closer to the normal working environment that a fast jet pilot is likely to encounter. In some cases, such as the Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler , a two-place aircraft can be lengthened into a four-place aircraft. Also, a single seat cockpit can be redesigned into a side-by-side arrangement in the case of the Douglas A-1 Skyraider , TF-102 trainer or the Hawker Hunter training versions. During mating among odonata ( dragonflies and damselflies ),

6069-433: The auspices of the Atlas Aircraft Corporation , a predecessor of Denel Aviation . Faced with the increasingly conventional nature of the South African Border War , the South African Defence Force recognised the need for a dedicated attack helicopter and began developing a suitable aircraft. The helicopter was to escort helicopter troop transports, conduct strike missions upon anti-aircraft positions , and effectively counter

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6188-412: The avionics upgrade of the Rooivalk. Due to the SAAF's decades of helicopter experience in the harsh African environment, the Rooivalk has been designed to operate for prolonged periods without sophisticated support. All that is needed to keep the Rooivalk flying is a medium transport helicopter equipped with a basic spares supply plus four groundcrew. The Rooivalk carries a range of weapons depending on

6307-401: The beaches for the Operation Husky landings while 2 , 4 and 5 Squadrons provided fighter bomber support during the Sicilian campaign. 30 Squadron (flying as No. 223 Squadron RAF during the campaign) provided light bomber support from Malta and 60 Squadron was responsible for photo reconnaissance flights in support of all Allied forces on the island. After successfully invading

6426-549: The building of an airfield at Walvis Bay commenced in earnest in order to support operations against German forces in German South West Africa . By June 1915 the SAAC was deployed to its first operational airfield at Karibib in German South West Africa in support of Gen. Botha's South African ground forces. The SAAC flew reconnaissance and leaflet dropping missions from Karibib and later from Omaruru , where improvised bombing missions were added when pilots started dropping hand grenades and rudimentary bombs by hand. On 9 July 1915,

6545-414: The capturing the southern half of Madagascar as well as the small island of Nossi Be with the SAAF air component supporting these operations. During the campaign which ended with an armistice on 4 November 1942, SAAF aircraft flew a total of 401 sorties with one pilot killed in action, one killed in an accident and one succumbing to disease. Seven aircraft were lost, only one as a result of enemy action. By

6664-548: The changes included reliability and survivability improvements, an increased payload, and the replacement of obsolete targeting systems and armaments. In September 2014, Denel Group chief executive Riaz Saloojee stated that the firm were studying the feasibility of reopening the Rooivalk production line, which had been mothballed in 2007 after the production of the initial 12 SAAF aircraft. Saloojee stated that new production aircraft conforming to an entirely new platform that used Rooivalk technology could be produced. In September 2016,

6783-432: The cockpit and on the undercarriage. The Rooivalk is capable of doing a loop and thus momentarily "flying upside down". The following types of missions are foreseen for the Rooivalk: reconnaissance , heliborne escort, close air support , deep penetration, and anti-armour. By April 2005, only six of the 12 aircraft were available for operational test and evaluation with the others in need of software upgrades. The Chief of

6902-431: The company's efforts to gain support for a Rooivalk Mk 2 programme which would involve a large proportion of new systems and for which the firm had already produced a roadmap. In late 2016, Denel stated that it was conducting a series of talks with various nations on the Rooivalk Mk 2, including Egypt , Brazil , Nigeria , Poland , and India . In 2023, Denel Aeronautics and Aselsan signed an agreement to collaborate on

7021-466: The conflict was impractical and unrealistic but that a SAAF fighter squadron would be made available to the UN effort. The 50 officers and 157 other ranks of 2 Sqn SAAF sailed from Durban on 26 September 1950 – they had been selected from 1,426 members of the Permanent Force who had initially volunteered for service. This initial contingent was commanded by Cmdt S. van Breda Theron DSO, DFC, AFC and included many World War II SAAF veterans. The squadron

7140-450: The course being sent to the Central Flying School at Upavon in Great Britain for further training. The first South African military pilot qualified on 2 June 1914. On the outbreak of the First World War , the Union Defence Force had realised the urgent need for air support which brought about the establishment of the South African Aviation Corps (SAAC) on 29 January 1915. Aircraft were purchased from France ( Henri Farman F-27 ) while

7259-443: The crossing in their own F-51D Mustangs) left Japan for Pusan East (K-9) Air Base within the Pusan Perimeter in Korea to fly with the USAF pilots in order to familiarise themselves with the local operational conditions. On the morning of 19 November 1950, Cmdt Theron and Capt G.B. Lipawsky took off with two USAF pilots to fly the first SAAF combat sorties of the Korean War from K-9 and K-24 airfields at Pyongyang. On 30 November

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7378-456: The days leading up to the funeral. Gripen fighter aircraft, armed with IRIS-T missiles and Digital Joint Reconnaissance Pods , conducted combat air patrols to enforce a no-fly zone for several days over certain areas in Gauteng province and later during the funeral itself over Qunu , in the Eastern Cape. Two Gripens were also tasked with escorting a C-130BZ aircraft, which was carrying President Mandela's body from Air Force Base Waterkloof to

7497-456: The development of the South African aviation and high technology industries, leading to the creation of firms such as Aerosud and Advanced Technologies and Engineering (ATE). The industrial impact of the Rooivalk program has been claimed to have enabled South African defence businesses to participate in other aerospace programs, such as the Saab JAS 39 Gripen , BAE Systems Hawk , AgustaWestland AW109 , and Airbus A400M Atlas . In 2016, Denel

7616-413: The devices contained 55 kilograms of HEU with an estimated yield of 10–18 kilotons designed for delivery by Blackburn Buccaneer or English Electric Canberra aircraft. See History of the South African Air Force#Nuclear and ballistic weapons . At least two MIG-21s of the Angolan Air Force were shot down by 3 Squadron SAAF Mirage F1s in 1981 and 1982. From 1980 to 1984, the command structure

7735-465: The distance between the axles (up to 2.5 m (8 ft 2 + 3 ⁄ 8  in) in the European Union, 40–96 inches (1.02–2.44 m) in the United States), mechanically there are many configurations. Either or both axles may be powered, and often interact with each other. In the United States, both axles are typically powered and equalized; in the European Union, one axle is typically unpowered, and can often be adjusted to load, and even raised off

7854-409: The door to proceed with the development of the Rooivalk. The prototype first flew on 11 February 1990, by which time the program had suffered a considerable setback. Some of the program's ailments were a consequence of the ambition to produce a world-leading attack helicopter; while a simpler aircraft may have been completed during the 1980s, allowing it to possibly enter service around the same time as

7973-468: The eastern DR Congo. They mainly fly missions ranging from logistic support for SA National Defence Force continental peacekeeping and peace support operations, humanitarian operations, support to the South African Army , and general airlift. A C-47TP Turbo Dakota from 35 Squadron SAAF permanently based in the Mozambican city of Pemba to provide maritime patrol capability for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) counter-piracy mission in

8092-558: The eleven SAAF squadrons flew 33,991 sorties and destroyed 342 enemy aircraft. Conditions were however not ideal and pilots and crew were required to operate under critical conditions at times. Pilots were frequently sent home to the Union after gaining experience and did not return for many months, after which conditions in the desert had changed significantly and they were required to regain experience on different aircraft, different tactics and operations from different bases. There were cases where experienced fighter pilots were sent back to

8211-446: The end of May 1943, the SAAF had two Wings and sixteen squadrons in the Middle East and North Africa with 8,000 men. With the end of the North African campaign, the SAAF role underwent change – becoming more active in fighter bomber, bomber and PR operations as opposed to the fighter role performed in the desert. Five SAAF squadrons were designated to support the July 1943 invasion of Sicily – 1 Squadron operated combat air patrols over

8330-401: The end of the Second World War in August 1945, SAAF aircraft (in conjunction with British and Dutch aircraft stationed in South Africa) had intercepted 17 enemy ships, assisted in the rescue of 437 survivors of sunken ships, attacked 26 of the 36 enemy submarines that operated around the South African coast, and flown 15,000 coastal patrol sorties. In December 1939, The Duke of Aosta had sent

8449-424: The front horse. Alternative to using a drayel, the leader's traces are hooked or buckled into the forward end of the wheeler's traces. Driving a tandem is challenging and led to the creation of tandem driving clubs and matches in the 19th century. The art of tandem driving requires an alert brain and sensitive fingers. It has been compared with playing a harp. It is, in many ways, more difficult than driving

8568-466: The ground, turning a tandem into a single- axle . The two seating configurations for trainer, night and all-weather interceptor or attack aircraft are pilot and instructor side by side or in tandem. Usually, the pilot is in front and the instructor behind. In attack helicopters, sometimes the pilot sits in back with the weapons operator in front for better view to aim weapons, as the Bell AH-1 Cobra

8687-735: The grounding of the helicopters was lifted after more funds became available. Despite all its setbacks and financial woes, the South African Air Force continues to undertake and complete the tasks and obligations assigned to it. The SAAF still plays a vital role in national security operations, United Nations peacekeeping missions, and other foreign deployments. As of 2014 the Air force has several aircraft, aircrew and ground crew on foreign deployments. Three Rooivalk attack helicopters from 16 Squadron SAAF and five or six 15 , 17 , 19 and/or 22 Squadron SAAF 's Oryx transport helicopters were stationed in Goma in

8806-662: The honour to this anthem as our own." On conclusion of hostilities, the Sabres were returned to the USAF and the squadron returned to South Africa in October 1953. During this period, the Union Defence Forces were reorganised into individual services and the SAAF became an arm of service in its own right, under an Air Chief of Staff (who was renamed "Chief of the Air Force" in 1966). It adopted

8925-443: The increases were never in excess of the allotted budget between 1984 and 1990. It has been claimed that some SAAF officials were of the viewpoint that the Rooivalk was a direct threat to fixed-wing aircraft, particularly in light of the diminishing defence budget, and sought its termination. The South African Army were broadly supportive of the Rooivalk program, in part as the presence of South African attack helicopters would reduce

9044-474: The increasing presence of Soviet tanks; in the latter role, it was to be equipped with anti-tank missiles . At the time, South Africa was under an arms embargo enacted by United Nations Security Council Resolution 418 due to its policy of apartheid , which prevented foreign combat helicopters from being imported. Developing an entirely new helicopter from scratch would have involved designing and developing many accompanying subsystems and components, such as

9163-509: The intensity of air operations increased, until in the late 1980s when the SAAF were compelled to fly fighter missions against Angolan aircraft in order to maintain tactical air superiority. On conclusion of the Border War in 1990, aircraft numbers were severely reduced due to economic pressures as well as the cessation of hostilities with neighbouring states. After a visit to observe the 1912 military manoeuvres in Europe, Brig. Gen. C.F. Beyers (who

9282-399: The introduction of the Sabres, the squadron was also called on to provide counter-air missions flying as fighter sweeps and interceptions against MiG-15's, but interdiction and close air support remained the primary mission. Losses were 34 SAAF pilots killed, eight taken prisoner (including the future Chief of the Air Force, General D Earp) with 74 Mustangs and 4 Sabres lost. Pilots and men of

9401-497: The island, a further three squadrons were moved to Sicily and the eight squadrons on the island were tasked with supporting the invasion of Italy: 12 and 24 Squadrons were responsible for medium bomber missions to "soften up" the enemy prior to the invasion while 40 Sqn was responsible for tactical photo-reconnaissance. 1 Squadron provided fighter cover for the 3 September 1943 landings while 2 and 4 Squadrons were responsible for bomber escort. The South African Air Force participated in

9520-566: The last bodies was due to authorities having to wait for DNA test results in order to positively identify the remaining victims. In spite of its budget concerns, the air force still continues to participate in and support annual air and defence shows and capability demonstrations such as the Rand show, the Zwartkops airshow and the Africa Aerospace and Defence Expo. In 2002 Musa Mbhokota became

9639-470: The late 1980s without any successful combat shootdowns. The SAAF provided air support to the army during the 1975–76 Angola campaign, and in the many cross-border operations that were carried out against PLAN bases in Angola and Zambia from 1977 onwards. During the bush war period, South Africa manufactured six air-deliverable tactical nuclear weapons of the "gun-type" design between 1978 and 1993. Each of

9758-418: The loss of capability as a consequence of defence cuts after the end of the Border War. These financial cuts have brought about a number of severe operational limitations, compounded by the loss of experienced air-crews. This has placed strain on the bringing new types of aircraft into service, specifically the Gripen, Hawk, Rooivalk, A 109 and Lynx. The cancellation of the SAAF participation and procurement of

9877-442: The main task of the squadron Mustangs was the interdiction of enemy supply routes which not only accounted for approximately 61.45% of SAAF combat sorties, but which reached an early peak from January to May 1951 (78% and 82%). A typical interdiction mission was an armed reconnaissance patrol usually undertaken by flights of two or four aircraft armed with two napalm bombs, 127 mm rockets and 12.7 mm machine guns. Later, after

9996-426: The mission profile. It is generally fitted with a nose-mounted 20 mm cannon and can also carry air-to-air missiles, anti-armour missiles and unguided rockets. The Rooivalk has a fire control system for target acquisition and tracking as well as an advanced navigation system using Doppler radar and GPS. Also incorporated is an electronic countermeasures suite coupled with chaff and flare dispensers. The Rooivalk has

10115-479: The necessary manufacturer support to operate the type, the Rooivalk relies extensively on French technology, presently owned by Airbus Helicopters ; due to the Rooivalk being a rival to the Eurocopter Tiger attack helicopter, the firm allegedly warned potential buyers that the necessary support for the aircraft's dynamic systems, which they provided, may not be forthcoming. Political factors had been attributed as

10234-436: The need for large numbers of tanks to be procured and maintained. The Army thus provided funding for the Rooivalk program for a time, helping it survive the tightening budgetary constraints. The delays and escalating costs of the project were a hindrance not only to its introduction but to its later viability. By 1998, the year in which the first production Rooivalk was delivered to the SAAF, the lengthy development time meant that

10353-540: The notorious M23 militia group who were routed from their strongholds after an offensive by the UN Force Intervention Brigade and the Military of the Democratic Republic of the Congo . Several 28 Squadron SAAF C-130BZ Hercules aircraft also regularly flew to Sudan , DR Congo and Uganda , including Lubumbashi, Kinshasa , Goma , Beni, Bunia and Entebbe , as Entebbe is the logistic hub for MONUSCO in

10472-589: The outbreak of the Korean War , the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution calling for the withdrawal of North Korean forces in South Korea . A request was also made to all UN members for assistance. After a special Cabinet meeting on 20 July 1950 the Union Government announced that due to the long distance between South Africa and Korea, direct ground-based military participation in

10591-427: The planned attack helicopter; commonality with the Oryx systems would simplify logistics and reduce maintenance costs. This meant that the attack helicopter would have a significantly large airframe, giving it long range and the capability to carry many sensors and armaments. During the 1980s, the defence budgets of South Africa were relatively generous, especially in contrast to later decades, thus Denel sought to provide

10710-587: The planned operation – to be known as Operation Ironclad . During the amphibious / air assault carried out by the Royal Navy and Air Force on 5 May, the Vichy French Air Force consisting mainly of Morane fighters and Potez bombers had attacked the Allied fleet but had been neutralised by the Fleet Air Arm aircraft from the two aircraft carriers. Those remaining aircraft not destroyed were withdrawn by

10829-472: The rebels agreed to a ceasefire and rather opted to withdraw peacefully from the country. Several flights made by C-130BZ aircraft evacuated the bodies of the 13 South African soldiers who were killed and the 27 who were wounded during the Séléka offensive and also the remainder of the deployed soldiers and their equipment after the ceasefire was declared. The deployment of the Gripen fighter aircraft indicated that if

10948-419: The reins of the lead horse in his left hand. The harness for the leader (front horse) is slightly different than for the wheeler (rear horse). For instance, the leader doesn't have shafts, so shaft holders are not needed, but often there are straps to support the traces (pulling straps) from sagging too low. Any straps running across the back of the leader should be sewn or use special buckles which don't leave

11067-447: The replacement of the original cockpit with a stepped tandem counterpart, the addition of a 20 mm cannon on the nose and the conversion of the undercarriage to a tail-dragger configuration. On 3 February 1985, the XH-1 conducted its maiden flight . The results of flight tests of the XH-1 were ultimately good enough to convince both Atlas and the SAAF that the concept was feasible, opening

11186-420: The rotorcraft was already suffering from some alleged obsolescence issues; it was an aerodynamically sound aircraft but the avionics, while advanced for the 1980s, were relatively outdated, which harmed the type's export potential. The topic of support for the rotorcraft was another decisive factor in prospective export sales. Beyond doubts present over the long term future of Denel and thus its ability to provide

11305-401: The situation called for it, the country will deploy its fighter aircraft in order to ensure the protection of its assets. The air force was also tasked with maintaining national security before and during the funeral procession of former president Nelson Mandela in December 2013. Several SAAF helicopters conducted patrols over Pretoria while the former president's body was lying in state in

11424-560: The squadron flew 10,373 sorties and lost 74 aircraft out of the total 95 allocated. Twelve pilots were killed in action, 30 missing and four wounded. In January 1953 the squadron returned to Japan for conversion to the USAF F-86F Sabre fighter-bombers. The first Sabre mission was flown on 16 March 1953 from the K-55 airfield in South Korea, being the first SAAF jet mission flown. 2 squadron

11543-497: The squadron received a total of 797 medals including 2 Silver Stars , the highest US military award given to foreigners, 3 Legions of Merit , 55 Distinguished Flying Crosses and 40 Bronze Stars . In recognition of their association with 2 Squadron, the OC of 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing issued a policy directive "that all retreat ceremonies shall be preceded by the introductory bars of the South African national anthem. All personnel will render

11662-523: The squadron was moved further south to K-13 airfield due to North Korean and Chinese advances. It was again moved even further south after the UN forces lost additional ground to the North Koreans to K-10 airfield situated on the coast close to the town of Chinhae. This was to be the squadron's permanent base for the duration of their first Korean deployment. During this period (while equipped with F-51D Mustangs)

11781-492: The strikers' positions. Sorties in support of the police amounted to 127 flight hours between 10 and 15 March and this inauspicious start for the SAAF led to two pilot losses, two wounded and two aircraft lost to ground fire. The SAAF was again deployed to suppress the Bondelzwart Rebellion at Kalkfontein between 29 May and 3 July 1922. At the outbreak of the Second World War , South Africa had no naval vessels and

11900-456: The use of propulsion elements of the Aérospatiale SA 365 Dauphin ; the adoption of these components has been speculated to have likely resulted in a smaller and potentially more economic rotorcraft. Ultimately, it was decided to adopt both the powerplant and dynamic systems of the Oryx—which bore significant similarities to their Puma and Aérospatiale AS332 Super Puma ancestors—as the basis for

12019-536: Was a tandem cockpit redesign which produced a much slimmer profile than the Bell UH-1 Iroquois on which it was based. Attack aircraft and all-weather interceptors often use a second crew member to operate avionics such as radar, or as a second pilot. Bombers such as the Convair B-58 Hustler seated three crew members in tandem. A common engineering adaptation is to lengthen the cockpit or fuselage to create

12138-634: Was able to secure the transfer of technology from Israel through the Israel–South Africa Agreement , thereby allowing the Cheetah derivative of the IAI Kfir to be produced. From 1990 with the perceived reduction in threat, SAAF operational strength began to be reduced. The first short term steps entailed the withdrawal of several obsolete aircraft types from service, such as the Canberra B(1)12,

12257-501: Was also heavily involved in the 1987–88 Angola campaign, before the New York Accords that ended the conflict. The international arms embargo imposed against the then-apartheid government of South Africa, meant that the SAAF was unable to procure modern fighter aircraft to compete with the sophisticated Soviet-supplied air defence network and Cuban Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23s fielded in the latter part of this conflict. South Africa

12376-492: Was an example of a very small automobile that used tandem seating; one passenger behind the driver. Tandem parking means parking one car in front of the other. The word tandem is also used to indicate a semi-trailer truck pulling more than one trailer. Tandem axles means one axle mounted closely in front of another. For trailers, the purpose is to bear heavier loads than a single axle provides. In heavy trucks, tandem refers to two closely spaced axles. Legally defined by

12495-528: Was appointed as the Director Air Service with the task of forming an air force, the date is used to mark the founding of the South African Air Force. In December 1920 the South African National insignia was added to aircraft for the first time. An Orange, Green, Red and Blue roundel was added to an Avro 504K for trial purposes but the colours were found to be unsuitable and were replaced with

12614-719: Was co-located with the Air Force Command Post at Pretoria , with 20 subordinate squadrons (8 reserve). Southern Air Command at Silvermine was allocated nine squadrons (three reserve), based at AFS Port Elizabeth , Cape Town Airport , and AFB Ysterplaat , including 16 Squadron SAAF (Alouettes), 25 Squadron flying Dakotas from Ysterplaat, 27 Squadron SAAF (Piaggio 166), 35 Squadron SAAF ( Avro Shackleton ), and 88 Maritime Training School . Western Air Command at Windhoek relied on aircraft temporarily detached from MTAC and SAC. Airspace Control Command , Training Command and Air Logistics Command remained largely unchanged. The SAAF

12733-582: Was damaged beyond repair on 3 August 2005 after an "uncontrolled landing". On 17 May 2007, Denel group CEO Shaun Liebenberg announced a decision to cease further development and funding for the Rooivalk as an export product following its failure to win the Turkish attack helicopter tender against the Agusta A129 Mangusta . During November 2007, Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota announced in Parliament , that

12852-544: Was deployed in order to provide security for the event. The air force deployed armed Gripen Fighter aircraft and Hawk advanced trainer aircraft to conduct air patrols to monitor air traffic. Rooivalk , Atlas Oryx and AgustaWestland AW109 helicopters were also deployed during the event. It was also reported by the Afrikaans daily newspaper, Beeld , that on 23 March 2013 when the Séléka rebel group attempted to take power in

12971-400: Was disbanded in 1992 after the Cactus missile system was retired, with only remnants of 120 Squadron, operating the upgraded Cactus Container system, becoming a part of Air Command Control Unit at Snake Valley opposite Air Force Base Swartkop on the eastern side of the shared runway. 120 Squadron was finally disbanded in 2002 after these systems were retired. During the bush war, the SAAF lost

13090-516: Was equipped with Henri Farman F-27's and B.E.2c 's and was shipped to Kenya in support of the war effort in German East Africa , landing in Mombasa on 31 January 1916. The squadron flew reconnaissance and observer missions throughout the campaign until February 1918 when the squadron returned to the UK via Cape Town and arrived at Blandford Camp on 8 July 1918 and was disbanded the same day. While

13209-605: Was given the name "Hilda". 123 Squadron was deployed for Operation Savannah in 1975 to provide air defence for Air Force Base Grootfontein in South-West Africa. 129 Squadron was deployed to Air Force Base Ondangwa for the remainder of the Border War to provide air defence for the logistics base and airfield there, as it was an important staging area for the South African Defence Force for their operations in neighbouring Angola . The Air Defence Artillery Group

13328-516: Was led by ace pilot, Major Jean de Wet from AFB Langebaanweg. The squadron was tasked with fighter sweeps along the Yalu and Chong-Chong rivers as well as close air support attack missions. The squadron flew 2,032 sorties in the Sabres losing four out of the 22 aircraft supplied. The war ended on 27 July 1953, when the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed. During the first phase of the war,

13447-607: Was moved to Johnson Air Base near Tokyo on 25 September 1950 for conversion training on the F-51D Mustangs supplied by the US Air Force. On completion of conversion training, the squadron was deployed as one of the four USAF 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing squadrons and on 16 November 1950 an advance detachment consisting of 13 officers and 21 other ranks (including the Squadron Commander and his four Flight Commanders who made

13566-485: Was reorganised. Instead of units of the separate Strike Command, Transportation Command SAAF , and Maritime Air Command SAAF often being based at the same base but responsible to different chains of command, regional commands were established. Main Threat Air Command (MTAC) was made responsible for the northern half of the country, and Southern Air Command SAAF and Western Air Command SAAF for those areas. MTAC

13685-403: Was reportedly proceeding with a Mk 1.1 upgrade program for the existing Rooivalk fleet; prospective improvements include the addition of a missile approach warning system and enhancements to the rotorcraft's avionics. On 15 September 2016, it was announced that Airbus Helicopters and Denel had signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on the SAAF modernisation program; further details on

13804-669: Was the Boston bombers of 12 and 24 Squadrons dropping hundreds of tons of bombs on Axis forces pushing the Eighth Army back towards Egypt during the "Gazala Gallop" in mid-1942. SAAF bombers continually harassed retreating forces towards the Tunisian border after the Second Battle of El Alamein ; the South African fighters of No. 223 Wing RAF helped the Desert Air Force gain air superiority over Axis air forces. Between April 1941 and May 1943,

13923-599: Was the parallel development of a localised and improved model of the Puma in South Africa, known as the Atlas Oryx . The Oryx possessed an increased power-to-weight ratio and had improved performance in the high temperature climate that the type was typically being operated in; development of the Oryx was far quicker than what would become the Rooivalk as it was a more straightforward program. Other potential sources were mooted, such as

14042-646: Was then Commandant-General of the Defence Force) gave an extremely positive report on the future use of aircraft for military purposes to General Smuts . Smuts initiated an arrangement with private fliers in the Cape and established a flying school at Alexandersfontein near Kimberley, known as the Paterson Aviation Syndicate School, to train pilots for the proposed South African Aviation Corps. Flying training commenced in 1913 with students who excelled on

14161-657: Was urging for a Free French operation against Madagascar), Churchill and the Chiefs of Staff agreed to an invasion by means of a strong fleet and adequate air support. In March and April 1942, the SAAF had been conducting reconnaissance flights over Diego-Suarez and 32, 36 and 37 Coastal Flights were withdrawn from South African maritime patrol operations and sent to Lindi on the Indian Ocean coast of Tanzania , with an additional eleven Bristol Beauforts and six Martin Marylands to provide ongoing reconnaissance and close air support for

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