Military Africa
  • Our USPP Store
  • Contact
  • Services
  • About
    • Our Amazing Team
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Disclaimer
    • Cookies Policy
    • Advertising Policies
    • Privacy Policy
  • SUPPORT MILITARY AFRICA
Saturday, April 1, 2023
Advertisement
  • Our USPP Store
  • Magazines
  • Advertise
  • Press Release
No Result
View All Result
  • Our USPP Store
  • Magazines
  • Advertise
  • Press Release
No Result
View All Result
Military Africa
No Result
View All Result
Home Aerospace

South Africa brings more Gripens out of storage, Chase Rhino poachers.

Ekene Lionel by Ekene Lionel
June 22, 2017 - Updated on May 31, 2019
in Aerospace, Security
Reading Time: 3 mins read
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT

You Might Also Like

Zimbabwe seeks technical assistance from Nigerian Air Force

Kenya and Uganda improve defence relations

African Air Chiefs Symposium shed light on challenges facing aerial operations

SAAF Gripens
As the world economic situation worsens, South African Air Force (SAAF) was forced to keep some of its SAAB JAS 39 Gripen in ‘Active Storage’. The SAAF has 19 units and 9 two-seaters of the D model Gripens. About 12 of this were kept in storage as the ever dwindling defence budgets and increasing cuts could not afford to keep them in the air.
In a press briefing made in the Paris on June 18, by the Commanding Officer  in the 2nd squadron tasked with operating the Gripen, Lt Col Josias Mashaba said that all of the Gripen has been removed from storage and are currently in flight capable status. According to him, the primary reason for bringing the Gripens out of storage is due to low availability of aircrafts to undertake critical missions for SAAF. The Gripens are kept in the WaterKloof Air Force base, SA.

Current South Africa’s defence budget is a meagre 0.9% of the GDP as opposed 2.9% in 1994 , this has put considerable strain of flight operation and combat readiness of the entire military force. However, Lt Col Josias did say that the SA Govt. is working on increasing defence spending to at-least 2.0% next year.
The SAAB JAS 39 Gripen has one of lowest operating cost in fighter jets of its class, its operating cost is about $6,300-$7,800 per hour as compared with the F-16 Falcon which has about $22,514 while the MiG-29 Fulcrum is around $30,000 both aircraft being in the same class with the Gripen.

A new role has been added to the Gripens already expanded roles– it would begin assisting anti-poaching units in combating poachers. Although this might not exciting role for the Gripen pilots since it was designed primarily for combat but the Gripen jet with its potent panoply of advance sensor suites such as the Rafael Litening III targeting pods, Night Vision devices and communication gadgets would fly at night around the Zimbabwian borders where the poachers operate. 
SAAF acquired 26 D-model Gripen in 1999 which is currently their main combat aircraft. The Gripen was modernized with home-grown South Arican technology, a new datalink has been developed to be used on the Gripen known as the Link ZA. The Link ZA can share instanteneous data between the SAAF Lead In Fighter Trainer (LIFT) BAE Hawk, the Gripen and other allied air- and ground-stations.
ADVERTISEMENT

Recommended posts

Tags: South Africa

Join 154,765 others in receiving our trusted defence news

Unsubscribe

Related News

A SAAF C-130 Hercules.

Additional funding allocated to strengthen South Africa’s Hercules fleet

March 27, 2023
4 SA infantry brigade sandf Jungle Warfare Training Orientation Exercise MADULO.

4 SA Infantry Battalion (TF Charlie) prepares to head out to DRC

March 16, 2023
Mako Marine also offers rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) for military applications, which are ideal for things like harbour patrol, fisheries enforcement, interception

Mako Marine delivers inflatable boats to Mozambique

March 13, 2023 - Updated on March 14, 2023
Mwari is a two-crew C4ISR, F3EAD and precision strike aircraft, capable of carrying a wide range of weapons, sensors and systems in extended airborne mission operations.

Mwari is set to get weapons integration as delivery continues

March 11, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Load More... Subscribe

Facebook

ADVERTISEMENT
No Result
View All Result
  • Our USPP Store
  • Magazines
  • Advertise
  • Press Release

© 2022 Military Africa

Go to mobile version