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S A S O L D I E ReventsExpanding SA Air Force'sdynamic air superiorityThe SA Air Force offersreliable systems thatsolve problems of vitalimportance to nationalsecurity.By Cpl Ally RakomaPhotos: Cpl Tebogo KekanaThe SA Air Force continues to useits knowledge to secure SouthAfrica's airspace and to addresschallenges of vital importance tothe sovereignty and territorialintegrity. Thus it offers reliablesystems that solve problems of vitalimportance to national security andbuilds sustainable capacity for a safeSouth Africa.The SA Air Force Rooivalk Mark 1 AH-A Rooivalk combat support helicopter on display during thehanding over ceremony to the SA Air Force at Denel Aviation inKempton Park.2A combat support helicopter wasproudly handed over to the Chief of theSA Air Force, Lt Gen Carlo Gagiano, atDenel Aviation in Kempton Park on 1April 2011. The changing role of theSANDF, which is now primarilyengaged in peacekeeping missionsmeans that aircraft systems have to beadapted effectively to meet the newrequirements.Signing the handing over certificate, fltr: Lt Gen Carlo Gagiano,Chief of the SA Air Force, Mr Antonie Visser, Chief of DefenceMatériel, Mr Mike Kgobe, CEO of Denel Aviation (standing, back),Mr Sipho Mkhwanazi, Acting CEO of Armscor, and Mr Talib Sadik,Group CEO of Denel.Speaking at the handover ceremony, MrTalib Sadik, the Group Chief ExecutiveOfficer of Denel, said that it was a historicmoment after decades of work. Hesaid: "We are proud to have beeninvolved through the inception 25 yearsago of this proudly South African,indigenous, world-class and fully-certifiedRooivalk." The first launch of a prototypetook place on 11 February 1990 -the same day former President NelsonMandela was released from prison. In1996 the State owned defence industrialgroup, Denel, was given a productioncontract for the manufacture and deliveryof twelve Rooivalk aircraft to the SAAir Force.Lt Gen Gagiano expressed appreciationto all the role-players. He said that the20• J U N E 2 0 1 1
eventsS A S O L D I E RSA Air Force'srelationship withDenel would stillcontinue withregard to themaintenance of theaircraft and thatthe Rooivalkwould strengthenthe strategic capability,particularlyin the peacekeepingmissions onthe continent. LtGen Gagianoadded: "Modernsystems were integratedinto the aircraft,and the cannonsystem hasbeen rectified: itsreliability is 100%and other safetyaspects have beenaddressed."Mr Antonie Visser,the Chief ofDefence Matériel,said that the qualificationprocess ofthe fully-certified locally designed andmanufactured combat supportDuring the handing over of theRooivalk helicopter Lt GenCarlo Gagiano, Chief of the SAAir Force (left) received amodel of the Rooivalk from MrTalib Sadik, Group CEO ofDenel.In front of a Rooivalk Mk 1 combat support helicopter during the handing overceremony, fltr: Mr Antonie Visser, Chief of Defence Matériel, Maj Gen TsokuKhumalo, Chief Director Force Preparation, Mr Talib Sadik, Group CEO of Denel,Maj Gen Gerald Malinga, GOC Air Command, Mr Sipho Mkhwanazi, Acting CEOof Armscor, Lt Gen Carlo Gagiano, Chief of the SA Air Force, and Mr MikeKgobe, CEO of Denel Aviation.Rooivalk helicopters was an importantdevelopment in a long line of achievementsstretching over more than 25 yearsto meet the needs of South AfricanDefence. He said: "The Rooivalk Projecthas through the years been a very successfulincubator for the rest of the industryand I have no doubt that the lessonslearnt during the quarter of a centuryspent on this development will providedividends for many more years to come."Standing next to the upgraded aircraft LtGen Gagiano said it had been tested atthe SA Air Force's Test FlightDevelopment Centre and that evaluationincluded day and night flight operations,target identification modes and self-protectionadvanced features. He said thatthe first five helicopters would bedeployed at 16 Squadron based inBloemfontein at AFB Bloemspruit andthe remaining six would be completedand ready for deployment later this year.He mentioned that Denel Aviationwould be responsible for the deeperlevelsupport capabilities needed to sustainflying operations, including maintenance,repair and overhaul (MRO) ofthe Rooivalk fleet.Another key benefit of this world-classSouth African helicopter is the considerableimprovements in avionics modernisationenabling the pilot to operatein night-vision goggle flying conditionswith a different rapid terrain databaseto enhance offensive counter-air threats.It is installed with state-of-the-art systemsintegrators for a wide variety ofapplications during tactical missionsand will expand the SA Air Force's missionoperation network and ensure thattraining stays on a par with the newunmatched resources of high-level mission-criticaltraining to meet air combatrequirements in operational theatres.J U N E 2 0 1 1 • s 21
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