Answering a Parliamentary question regarding Denel aircraft maintenance capabilities, Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga acknowledged the State-owned defence and technology conglomerate faced a skilled personnel shortage as well as having to put up with “a chronic shortage of funds”.
She was replying to Democratic Alliance (DA) deputy defence and military veterans spokesman Maliyakhe Shelembe who wanted to know if the Irene, Centurion, headquartered State-owned enterprise (SOE) is able to ensure “combat readiness” of aircraft in the SA Air Force (SAAF) inventory.
The current state of readiness of SAAF airframes Denel is responsible for stand at a lone C-130BZ authorised for South African airspace only, a miserly three of 33 Oryx medium transport helicopters and not one of 11 Rooivalk combat support rotary-winged aircraft fit to fly, according to the Ministerial response.
As regards 28 Squadron’s long-serving C-130BZ medium lift aircraft Motshekga, in part, told her questioner it “has become difficult to maintain the expertise and plan for succession due to chronic under-funding”.
Denel, the Ministerial reply has it, supplies expertise to the SAAF which does all repairs and support on the C-130BZ fleet at Air Force Base (AFB) Waterkloof, where 28 Squadron is housed. She further pointed out “current funding levels” pointed to Denel losing its accreditation as an aircraft maintenance organisation (AMO) for the C-130BZ. Without the accreditation it will not be possible to maintain the airworthiness of the four-engined transport workhorse.
“A number of experts that Denel uses are employed on a contract basis as some have reached retirement age and have not been replaced due to the uncertainty of future funding being made to maintain the aircraft,” Shelembe was told with the rider that there is “currently no local alternative” to support the C-130BZ. Marshall in Cambridge, England, is one of two organisations – the other is in Portugal – that maintain the American-built military airlifter in addition to manufacturer Lockheed Martin. The SAAF is using Marshall to maintain and refurbish some of the C-130BZ fleet.
When it comes to the SAAF Rooivalk and Oryx helicopter inventory, Denel as original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is the only entity able to maintain and support them.
This responsibility has seen an engine and mechanical workshop along with a blade spinning rig and autoclave for the rotary-wing aircraft set up at Denel.
The engine repair shop needs a minimum throughput – which the SAAF cannot provide – to remain operational. The same holds true for the mechanical workshop where helicopter gearboxes and drive trains are serviced and repaired.
A blade spinning rig doesn’t work anymore with lack of funding and the loss of what the ministerial response labels “specialist resources” to blame. This is the human component which is no longer there thanks to either retirement or exit of experienced personnel. Helicopter blades needing balancing are now shipped to France.
