# SAAF mulls upgrading aging Hercules fleet to boost availability

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2022/05/saaf-mulls-upgrading-aging-hercules-fleet-to-boost-availability/
- Published: 2022-05-07T11:14:38+01:00
- Author: Sarah Lesedi

The South African military is looking at options to upgrade it’s aging C-130BZ Hercules
transporters which are plagued by availability issues.

South Africa’s Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise, explains that
a Required Operational Capability (ROC) is in process for the upgrade of the current
C-130 fleet.

Upgrading the Hercules fleet will come at a cost of R1.6 billion.

Alternatively, the US Embassy Office of Defence Co-operation (ODC) offered through
a letter, Hercules C-130H models through the excess defence articles (EDA) programme
to the Chief of the South African National Defence Force.

The American aircraft will come at R228 million per aircraft and would be able to
serve until 2028, while in the interim, the SAAF will simultaneously upgrade the
current fleet of five aircraft for R1.6 billion, allowing them to serve until 2040.

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However, to save valuable forex and local technical skills, the SAAF will upgrade
and return to service six aircraft currently in 28 Squadron’s inventory at an estimated
cost of R1.6 billion. This would enable the C-130BZs to remain airworthy until 2040.

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Minister Thandi Modise further stated that South Africa has been approached by the
UK High Commission about potentially acquiring used C-130s available, but this is
unlikely to happen because of a lack of budgeted funds for the acquisition of the
assets.

However, any new requirement will be satisfied through an open bid process” depending
on the user requirement statement.

The South African air force [faced with aircraft serviceability and availability issues](https://www.military.africa/2021/12/saaf-grounds-gripen-fleet)
due to constrained funding. This has been negatively affecting it’s flying hours.

This was revealed during a progress report from the Department of Defence (DoD) 
presented at a Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans (PCDMV) meeting
on 18 August, 2021.

“Constrained funding is also affecting the ability to provide enough serviceable
aircraft, although serious efforts are being made to ensure availability is increased
within the reduced budget,” the Committee heard, after expressing concern about 
the fact that the SA Air Force is not able to meet its flying hour targets.

In 2020, a South African Air Force (SAAF) C-130BZ Hercules [suffered a nose wheel collapse at AFB Waterkloof](https://www.military.africa/2020/04/south-africa-air-force-c-130-hercules-suffers-nose-wheel-collapse).
The C-130BZ Hercules (405) was preparing for another test-flight before the nose
wheel unintentionally retracted when the number 2 engine was started.

Denel was readying _Hercules 405_ to replace _Hercules 403_ that [ran off the runway](https://www.military.africa/2020/04/military.africa/2020/01/south-african-c-130-aircraft-crash-lands-in-drc-crew-rescued)
in the Democratic Republic of Congo in January this year.

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The SAAF [stripped out and dismantled the Hercules aircraft ](https://www.military.africa/2020/05/saaf-cannibalize-crashed-hercules-in-goma)
that veered off the runway at Goma, DRC.

The salvaged usable parts was distributed around the remaining SAAF C-130BZ fleet
as needed.

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