Israel offers upgrade package for South Africa’s Gripens

The South African Air Force has been offered enhanced capabilities for its Gripen fighter aircraft with a suit of new advanced systems developed by Israeli company Rafael.
The Israeli company's offers a concept that it claims can bring fighter aircraft to a an advanced 4.5 generation standard by upgrading the different systems.
The concept is being evaluated by the Indian Air Force for its Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) fighter aircraft.
The upgrade suit that according to Rafael can enhance the fighter aircraft's capabilities to a 4.5 generation standard includes the Rafael BNET which is an advanced IP Mobile Ad-hoc Network Software Defined Radio (SDR) for tactical operations. According to Rafael It offers unique high spectrum efficiency, as well as cognitive capabilities.
The upgrade package may also include two types of Israeli developed air-air missiles - the IR Python 5 and the I-Derby ER radar-guided 100 km range missile.
The South African Air Force’s Gripens are already equipped with the Rafael Litening 3 targeting pod. The upgrade proposed by Rafael includes enhancing the Litening to its 4.1 version.
Rafael has been working closely with the Swedish manufacturer Saab to offer the upgrade package to users of the Gripen.
defenceweb

Paramount Group bolsters Dassault Mirage F1 fleet

South Africa's Paramount Group has acquired four twin-seat Dassault Mirage F1s from the French government to support aggressor training.
The surplus French air force fighters will be operated by its Paramount Aerospace Systems subsidiary.
Paramount declines to disclose the purchase price.
No decision on delivery dates or operating locations has been taken, with these governed by potential customer requirements.
The acquisitions will join the company's existing fleet of single-seat Mirage F1s, which it bought from the South African air force in 2006.
As well as aggressor and pilot training, the Mirages will be used to aid maintenance and support instruction.
flightglobal

JF-17 Block II advances with new refuelling probe

Images revealed on Chinese websites on 23 January indicate the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) FC-1 export fighter - co-developed with Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, which calls it the JF-17 Thunder - is advancing into a 'Block II' development and reportedly testing new weapons.
New images of an FC-1 at the CAC airfield with port number 229 show the first employment of an apparently Chinese-designed aerial refuelling probe: an important feature of the JF-17 Block II version. The probe features a streamlined tube, is located below the aircraft's cockpit canopy frame and may be detachable.
Chinese reports indicate the refuelling probe design will be used by the Block II version of the FC-1/JF-17. However, this is not yet confirmed as the Chinese-designed refuelling probe differs from an initial version first seen on a JF-17 in Pakistan in late 2013. This previous design was entirely cylindrical and its shape and placement just behind the canopy frame indicate there was probably design assistance from Denel Aviation of South Africa. Denel, formerly Atlas Aviation, has previously assisted with outfitting some Pakistani Mirage III fighters with refuelling probes.
Other images that appeared on Chinese websites in late January showed the new refueling probe-modified FC-1 in flight testing on an unknown but likely recent date.
janes

Airbus talking to SAAF on A400M, A330MRTT and C295

Airbus is briefing the South African Air Force (SAAF) on several of its aircraft, namely the A330MRTT, A400M and C295, to meet various potential requirements for surveillance, cargo and tanking/VIP transport.
The A330MRTT is actively being marketed as a tanker with a dual VIP capability while the C295 is aimed at meeting the SAAF’s maritime surveillance/patrol requirements and the A400M is being offered as a C-130 Hercules replacement.
Airbus Military said that while there is currently no South African C-130 replacement programme at the moment, Airbus is keeping the SAAF and Department of Defence abreast of A400M developments.
The SAAF C-130BZ Hercules fleet is nearing the end of its service life. Out of nine aircraft in service, only around three are usually operational at any given time. The SAAF is believed to be exploring various options for a Hercules replacement, including new generation C-130J Super Hercules and the A400M - it was reported late last year that Germany was offering South Africa some of its production slots – of the 53 aircraft it has on order, Germany plans to sell 13 due to financial constraints.
The South African Department of Defence originally ordered eight A400Ms but cancelled the order in 2009. Denel Aerostructures and Aerosud continue to make components for Airbus in spite of the cancellation and recently received further work packages. Airbus remains confident that an order for the A400M may be forthcoming.
The A400M is being offered as a tactical transport able to carry up to 37 tons of cargo almost directly to where it is needed. In order to meet the SAAF’s tanking and other transport requirements, Airbus is proposing the A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). Airbus believes that in light of South Africa’s external commitments on the continent, the A330MRTT makes a lot of sense as it is the only way the SAAF could deploy its Gripen fighters over long distances.
When the SAAF attempted to provide air support during the Battle of Bangui in the Central African Republic (CAR) in March 2013, the four Gripens had to make refuelling stops along the way, slowing their progress.
defenceweb

Rooivalk 2 under consideration

South Africa's Denel group is studying the possibility of bringing the Rooivalk attack helicopter back into production in an updated variant.
Sources involved in considering the future of the Rooivalk have suggested the Rooivalk 2 might be fitted with the new EO/IR turret developed by Airbus Optronics - formerly Denel Optronics - that includes both a laser designator and a laser beam generator for beam-riding missiles such as the Ingwe.
There has also been discussion of adding an air-to-air missile for self-defence.
Two countries have already expressed interest in the Rooivalk 2.
janes

SAAF looking at C-130, KC-390, C-295 and C-27J for airlift

South Africa National Defence Force has its eyes on two possible types to replace its ageing C-130BZ fleet.
SAAF is considering the C-130 or the KC-390 and the C-27J or C-295 to replace the C-47TP and probably also the C-212. .
defenceweb

Brazilian air force Could Acquire up to 108 Gripen

A leading Brazilian air force figure has confirmed that 108 Saab Gripen NG multi-role fighters will be acquired for the force.
Following the announcement in October that a $5.8 billion contract had been signed for the first batch of 36 aircraft, an air force representative confirmed that the full requirement will be for 108 airframes.
The Gripen will initially replace Dassault Mirage 2000C fighters that have already been retired, and eventually the Northrop F-5EM and Alenia/Embraer A-1M aircraft that are still in service.
The 108 will be delivered in three batches, and although it has not yet been decided how many of these will be single-seater and how many will be two-seater aircraft, under the terms of the October contract eight of the first batch of 36 will be two-seat variants.
Brazil has been in discussions with the US Navy regarding the ideal mix of single- and two-seater aircraft that the force needs, plus it has been talking to the South African air force, which also operates the Gripen.
Fifteen of the first batch will be wholly built in Brazil, while the other 21 will be made by Brazilian and Swedish engineers.
The Gripen will also have the indigenous-built Mectron MAR-1 air-to-surface/air-to-air anti-radiation missile on board.
flightglobal

Paramount's AHRLAC makes its first flight

What is being billed as Africa’s first wholly designed and built military aircraft, the Paramount Group’s Advanced High-Performance Reconnaissance Light Aircraft (AHRLAC), reached a significant milestone with its maiden flight on 7 August.
The aircraft makes its 'official public' first flight on 13 August.
The initial prototype, or Experimental Demonstrator (XDM), will prove flight characteristics and test the aircraft’s performance. A second prototype under construction, the Advanced Demonstrator (ADM), will be used to test the AHRLAC’s mission and weapon systems, as well as its Martin-Baker Mk 17 ejection seat.
Conceived as an affordable intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and light-strike platform to address the lower end of that growing market niche, the tandem twin-seat AHRLAC is powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6a-66 950 hp pusher turboprop. It is designed to offer a payload with full fuel in excess of 800 kg and provide an endurance of more than 7.5 hours.
Since the launch of the AHRLAC project in September 2011 the Paramount team has spent 315,000 hours on the design and construction of the first prototype. Of the aircraft's 6,000 parts, 98% were designed using sophisticated CATIA software and produced locally by the engineering team.
janes

First flight of South African aircraft AHRLAC to made its maiden flight soon

South African Paramount unveiled a light attack and reconnaissance aircraft called the advanced high-performance reconnaissance light aircraft (AHRLAC) on 10 July in Pretoria.
The twin-boomed, singled-engined AHRLAC – launched nearly three years ago – has completed initial high-speed taxi tests, and first flight is expected “shortly”.
The 3,800kg (8,380lb) type will become the first aircraft designed and built in South Africa since the Denel Rooivalk, an armed helicopter launched during the Apartheid era.
The maiden flight of the experimental demonstrator should be followed within months by an advanced prototype.
Paramount plans to offer the aircraft to the market early next year, with deliveries possible by 2016. AHRLAC is aimed at a developing market among military and paramilitary groups for a low-cost surveillance and attack platform. The South African air force is also monitoring the programme.
flightglobal

SAAF Hawk fleet grounded

The South African Air Force has ground their Hawk trainer fleet following the crash of a jet whilst landing last Thursday.
The BAE Systems Hawk Mk 120 jet trainer, operated by 85 Combat Flying School, was performing a ‘touch and go’ at AFB Makhado when it experienced a control problem.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that the control stick ‘locked’ shortly before touch-down, resulting in the aircraft slamming the front wheel onto the runway, bouncing and then hitting the runway again with the front wheel. This resulted in the front wheel breaking off and the Hawk sliding down the runway before coming to a halt.
Neither of the two crew aboard, who deploying the drag chute after the nose-wheel broke off in order to slow the aircraft, were injured.
As the damaged aircraft blocked the runway, other aircraft that were still in the air were forced to land on the taxiway. This was safely accomplished as when the airbase was built in the 1980’s, the taxiway was designed to operate as a secondary runway in the event of the main runway being blocked or damaged.
AFB Makhado is situated near the town of Louis Trichardt in the Limpopo Province. 85 Combat Flying School is equipped with the remaining 23 Lead-In Fighter Trainer (LIFT) Hawk jets of the 24 delivered as part of the 1999 Strategic Defence Package (SDP).
The other flying squadron operating from the base is 2 Squadron, equipped with the SAAB Gripen advanced fighter.
saairforce

Il-76s for the SAAF?

A SA National Defence Force team is burning the midnight oil on an urgent study to ensure extra airlift capacity for the SA Air Force (SAAF) becomes a reality.
Ilyushin 76s (Il-76s) are top of the list to supplement the ageing C-130BZs operated by 28 Squadron.
The acquisition of at least three of the Russian transport aircraft, probably second hand, is seen as essential to providing support for South African peacekeeping and peace support deployments on the continent.
Lockheed Martin, manufacturers of the C-130, has made presentations to the SAAF as regards replacing the BZ, which has been in service for 50 years, with the new C-130J. The gap in airlift capacity became more pronounced when government bailed out of the Airbus Military A400M programme in 2009 citing cost escalations and production delays as the reasons for South Africa no longer wanting to be a risk sharing partner in the new generation airlifter.
The SAAF has never before operated Russian aircraft and, if Il-76s were acquired, it would mean an overhaul of the logistic system to keep them operational. There are also currently no SAAF pilots rated on the Il-76.
The SANDF has used chartered Il-76s to transport equipment to places like the Democratic Republic of Congo for peacekeeping missions, as it is difficult to fit aircraft like Oryx helicopters into the SAAF's C-130s without major dismantling.
saairforce

Rooivalk attack helo makes combat debut in DRC

The Rooivalk attack helicopter fired its first shots in anger on 4 November. For their mission in the DRC, the helicopters are painted in a UN-white finish.
The Denel Rooivalk attack helicopter made its combat debut on 4 November, while conducting armed overwatch and close air support flights of UN personnel in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Two South African Air Force (SAAF) Rooivalks fired multiple 70 mm rocket salvos against M23 rebel bunkers close to the Rwandan border, while operating on behalf of the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO).
The Roovivalks destroyed one rebel 14.5 mm anti-aircraft gun and dispersed forces in the area.
The SAAF deployed three Rooivalk helicopters to the DRC in late October, clearing them to begin operations on the day that this first contact took place.
South Africa fields 11 Rooivalk helicopters in all, operated by 16 Squadron based at Air Force Base Bloemspruit. It has previously declined to offer them for UN peacekeeping efforts in Africa because they were not fully operational. However, this changed in March when the fleet was brought up to a common Block 1F combat capable standard.
janes

UK To Purchase 200 StarStreak Missiles From Thales UK

Britain’s Defense Ministry has signed a deal with Thales UK to purchase a new batch of StarStreak short-range surface-to-air missiles.
The contract for 200 missiles will boost weapon stockpiles available to the regular and reserve units that already use the Mach 3 velocity missile, which can travel at more than 1 kilometer per second.
The British deploy the weapons on tracked vehicles, as well as from lightweight firing posts.
Aside from the British military, the ground-based air defense system has also been purchased by South Africa and most recently Thailand.
A military team from Thailand has been in Northern Ireland recently for training ahead of delivery of the main production consignment, scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year.
defensenews

SAAF Rooivalk looks set for DRC deployment

Just on 30 years after development work started on a home-grown attack helicopter, South Africa’s Rooivalk seems set for its first operational deployment.
This is the inference drawn from a photograph circulating on social media of a Rooivalk with its customary camouflaged fuselage replaced by white paint. The photo was taken at AFB Bloemspruit, home to the SA Air Force’s 16 Squadron, which operates 11 Rooivalks.
The sighting of the white combat support helicopter comes after SA National Defence Force (SANDF) Joint Operations Chief Lieutenant General derrick Mgwebi in August said South Africa had no say in whether the Rooivalk would be deployed to support the UN Forward Intervention Brigade (FIB) in the DRC.
At the time of publication no official confirmation of the Rooivalk DRC deployment had been received from the South African National Defence Force’s.
defenceweb

SAAF jets aren’t in storage

The fuel is only R11 a litre but it costs about R135 400 an hour to keep a Gripen fighter jet in the air.
The Hawk trainer fighter jets are a bit cheaper, at about R82 900 per flying hour.
This was divulged by General John Bayne at the Arms Procurement Commission on Tuesday.
Bayne is the director of combat systems for the South African Air Force, responsible for the Gripen and Hawk systems.
Bayne said the “dry costs” (without fuel) for a Gripen were R104 600 per flying hour and fuel cost R30 800, giving a total “wet cost” of R135 400. Hawks fly at a dry cost of R67 500, with fuel costs of R15 400 and a total cost of R82 900.
The SAAF bought 26 Gripen fighter jets and 24 Hawk trainer fighters in the 1999 arms deal, which the commission is investigating.
iol.co.za

SAAF to sell planes?

The South African National Defense Force is reportedly considering selling off its Gripen fighter planes and its Agusta A109 helicopters as it has no money to operate them.
news.iafrica

SAAF has no Gripen support contract

The South African Air Force (SAAF) has no support contract with Saab to maintain its fleet of Gripen fighter jets as previous support contracts have expired.
defenceweb

Gripen Fighter Weapon School could be located in Thailand

The fact that Saab’s Gripen Fighter Weapon School will most likely be located in a foreign country is a missed opportunity for South Africa, according to Saab.
President of Saab South Africa, told the School was planned to be housed at Air Force Base Overberg in the Western Cape. However, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has not supported this initiative.
Saab is looking elsewhere in the world and is ready to begin construction of the School and start training. Countries like Thailand being good potential hosts.
defenceweb

South Africa’s Denel wins A400M component work

Airbus Military has awarded South Africa's Denel Aerostructures a contract to make structural components for the A400M tactical transport aircraft.
The deal covers ribs, spars, and swords for the aircraft's tailplan.
Denel will produce the components at its Johannesburg factory and plans to deliver the first shipset in March 2014.
Airbus Military to say whether the deal suggests that Pretoria will order the A400M. In November 2009, Pretoria cancelled an order for eight A400Ms, citing concerns about cost and programme delays.
Airbus Military said that the two parties have moved beyond this, and Airbus Military remains convinced that the A400M would be an important "strategic capability" for South Africa.
flightglobal

Denel working with Saudi Arabia for armed Seeker 400 UAV

A Paris-based journal has said Denel intends to sell Saudi Arabia drone aircraft capable of firing missiles. This has been a capability the United States has denied the Middle Eastern nation and would thrust South Africa into a politically-fraught market.
In 2010, Denel started dropping hints that the new version of its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the Seeker, could potentially offer more than just reconnaissance. Now it seems the weapons manufacturer has found its first customer for drone aircraft capable of blowing up a house or vehicle with few unintended casualties.

mg.co.za