Russian bombers land in South Africa
Two Tupolev Tu-160 bombers finally landed at the Waterkloof Air Force Base on Wednesday afternoon.
Their journey to South Africa had initially been delayed as a result of bad weather in Russia.
The Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation (AFRF) are currently being hosted in South Africa by the South African Air Force (SAAF).
The visiting delegation from the AFRF will include three pieces of airforce hardware, namely an Antonov AN124 cargo plane, a Ilyushin Il-62 airliner and the two Tupolev Tu-160 bombers.
Both the Antonov and Ilyushin were already parked at the Waterkloof Air Force Base earlier on Wednesday.
The Tu-160s undertook a nonstop flight from Russia to South Africa and were met by SAAF Gripen fighters and Hawk lead-in trainers before entering South African airspace. The SAAF aircraft performed sovereign airspace escort duties.
SAAF Brigadier General Hilton Smith earlier on Wednesday told Engineering News Online that poor weather at the Engels air base, near Sarotov, Russia, had delayed the flights for a second day and that the SAAF had not at that stage received further communication from the AFRF.
The Tu-160 is a supersonic, variable-swept wing, heavy bomber aircraft, capable of carrying nuclear weapons. It is the direct rival of the US’s B1 Lancer strategic bomber.
The South African National Defence Force says military-to-military relations between it and the military forces of the Russian Federation are built on fostering mutually beneficial partnerships based on common interests. It is within this context and within the framework of the agreement between the Ministries of Defence of both countries dated June 14, 1995, that the joint unit of the AFRF is visiting South Africa.
Comments
The
content
you are trying to access is only available to subscribers.
If you are already a subscriber, you can Login Here.
If you are not a subscriber, you can subscribe now, by selecting one of the below options.
For more information or assistance, please contact us at subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za.
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation