The SA Air Force (SAAF) is stranded when it comes to maritime patrols and the possibility of replacement airframes appearing is slim to non-existent.
This inference comes from the reply to a Parliamentary question asked by Democratic Alliance (DA) spokesman on defence and veterans Chris Hattingh. He wanted to know from Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga what steps are being taken to replace the C47-TP aircraft that are being withdrawn from service.
The former Chief Whip and DA Caucus Leader in the North West provincial legislature posed his question around the possibility of maritime guerrilla operations and piracy, particularly off Mozambique, as well as foreign fishing fleets poaching South African maritime resources against the background of a “throttled” SA Navy (SAN).
He was told Lieutenant General Wiseman Mbambo’s service had “generated requirements operational capability for the second time in the last 20 years to address the maritime capability with no success”.
The SA National Defence Force (SANDF) has Project Pelican – to address light air transport and maritime capability – approved by the Military Command Council (MCC) but it cannot progress as funding is not available.
The SAAF previously had a plan to replace the C47-TPs with proper maritime patrol aircraft under Project Saucepan. When that proved impossible, Projects Metsi and Kiepie were launched to replace the C47-TPs and C212s in the maritime surveillance/patrol and light transport roles respectively. Those projects appear to have been superseded by Project Pelican.
In May it was revealed that the venerable twin-engined C47-TP multi-role aircraft operated by 35 Squadron out of Cape Town’s AFB Ysterplaat will be withdrawn from service, but no official SAAF confirmation has since emerged, nor an exact date of withdrawal.
The withdrawal of the C-47 and its turboprop successor comes after 81 years in SAAF service. “No surprise,” insiders said at the time as none had flown in two years due to non-availability of spares and all eight grounded “due to challenges in finding a maintenance provider” as per an Armscor report to the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans (PCDMV) a year ago.
As far back as 2016, the steadily worsening state of maritime patrol and surveillance in the SAAF was picked up by consortium which offered up to five Dornier 328TPs being leased to South Africa. That the offer went no further is obvious.
