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For SA Air Force, strategic partnerships with local industry are crucial

LT-GEN FABIAN ZIMPANDE MSIMANG Strategic partnerships are being forged with the aviation industry

LT-GEN FABIAN ZIMPANDE MSIMANG Strategic partnerships are being forged with the aviation industry

Photo by South African Air Force

8th November 2013

By: Keith Campbell

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

  

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In a recent media briefing, South African Air Force (SAAF) Chief Lieutenant-General Fabian Zimpande Msimang highlighted the mutual importance of the relationship between his service and the local aerospace and aviation industries. “Strategic partnerships are being forged with the aviation industry to share aviation technical skills between industry and the SAAF, with the aim of growing the domestic aviation industry and driving inno-vation,” he said.

This relationship is embodied in the SAAF’s definition of air power. “Air power is the nation’s capacity to project through the medium of air or aerospace in the employment of all its aviation resources, civil and military, public and private, in support of air operations.” He noted that the SAAF’s “strategic partner-ship with the local aerospace industry is critical to ensure both own capability and a sustainable aviation industry”.

Early this year, there was controversy around the SAAF’s ending of its Aero Manpower Group (AMG) contract with Denel Aviation, under which the State-owned company deployed aircraft maintenance personnel to SAAF bases. “The auditor-general found the AMG contract with Denel to be noncompliant with the current regulatory framework,” he explained.

The AMG contract, which was terminated at the end of March, was replaced by an interim Skilled Services Agreement (SSA) with Denel Aviation. “The SAAF has thus developed an own capability plant that includes the transfer of skills from the SSA employees; ongoing and targeted recruitment; optimisation of logistics systems and structures; improved technical personnel development, motivation and utilisation; and greater cooperation with strategic technical partners, including collat-eral utilisation of Denel Aviation’s extensive engineering capability,” he affirmed.

Msimang reported that most of the short-term targets of this capability plan were being achieved. The SAAF currently has enough technical officers and artisans to fill about 90% of the required posts. “The retention of experienced artisans and technical officers is stable,” he assured. “The SAAF will continue to ensure the highest standards of flight safety and efficiency.”

During the question and answer session after his address, Msimang and other senior SAAF generals, while admitting that the Air Force was operating within financial constraints, affirmed that the SAAF had not grounded any aircraft nor put any into storage. Rather, aircraft were subject to a rotational mainte-nance and preventive programme, and could be made available, if required. “We are not grounding any of our aircraft,” reiterated Msimang.

Another key concern covered in the briefing was the SAAF’s ground infrastructure. This infrastructure comprises the strategic and operational headquarters, nine Air Force bases (AFBs) and Air Force stations, weapons ranges and, as required, forward and mobile bases. “The infrastructure is of varying age, with the older bases posing particular maintenance challenges,” he pointed out. “In response, the South African government has made extensive investments through the years – for example, the refurbishment of the AFB Waterkloof runway.”

To improve support for the SAAF, the Department of Public Works – responsible for the maintenance of most government infrastructure – has set up a joint project team with the Department of Defence (DoD). In addition, the DoD has its own Defence Works Formation (DWF), activated in 2011 (and developed from the Works Regiment, an initiative of the South African Army, originally set up in 2008). The DWF reinforces the SAAF’s own infrastructure main-tenance capabilities.

“National Treasury asset man-agement initiatives are expected to provide further impetus to these efforts,” remarked Msimang. “The SAAF air base strategy outlines SAAF capabilities and force dispersion across the country as a basis for prioritising long-term capital investment in the infrastructure footprint of the SAAF. “The newly established DWF and the SAAF’s own facilities management capacity will be central to ensuring sound real estate management and works maintenance tailored to the requirements of the SAAF.”

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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