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Defence & Aerospace

Ramifications of war on Iraq for Africa, SA

By: katharine mckenzie 11th April 2003 Even though the epicentre of the world’s global conflict is far from South Africa, the increasing realisation that this will not be a speedy conflict, has implications for us all. →

More chronicles of electronic warfare

By: Terry Mackenzie-hoy 11th April 2003 This is the second column about electronic warfare. In the first column I wrote that electronic warfare divides itself into the following fields: electronic countermeasures (ECM), electronic surveillance measures (ESM) and electronic order of battle (EOB). →

Speculation rises over SA’s chopper choice

By: Keith Campbell 7th April 2003 The fact that Finance Minister Trevor Manuel has made R1,2-billion available over the next three years for the purchase of maritime helicopters, to operate from the four new corvettes on order from Germany for the South African Navy (SAN), suggests that the Navy may get the aircraft it has long... →

BEE oil firm bids to supply jet fuel

By: Laura Franz 4th April 2003 Exel Petroleum has become the first black empowerment oil company to be included in the jet fuel suppliers’ group at Johannesburg International Airport (JIA). ?Members of the group comp →

Speculation arises over navy’s chopper choice

By: Keith Campbell 4th April 2003 The fact that Finance Minister Trevor Manuel has made R1,2-billion available over the next three years for the purchase of maritime helicopters to operate from the four new corvettes on order from Germany for the South African Navy (SAN) suggests that the Navy may get the aircraft it has long... →

Denel deal, Hawk trials soon

By: Keith Campbell 4th April 2003 BAE Systems expects its deal with the South African government to buy 30% of state-owned Denel to be concluded soon, while the first Hawk trainer for the SAAF should arrive in this country towards the end of this year. →

A brief chronicle of electronic warfare

By: Terry Mackenzie-hoy 4th April 2003 I thought I would give readers some idea of how complicated things have become with regard to electronic warfare. →

Flying lab arrives in SA to test new trainer aircraft

26th March 2003 A British-owned flying laboratory has arrived in South Africa to help in the testing of the engines that will be fitted to the SA Air Force's new generation Hawk training aircraft, the contractor BAE Systems said on Tuesday. →

Helicopter filters now used in ploughing farmlands

By: candice haase 21st March 2003 South African air-filter technology is making an impact on the locomotive industry both locally and overseas. →

The art of smart war

By: Terry Mackenzie-hoy 21st March 2003 A popular read among businesspeople is “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu. →

SA defence firms exhibit at UAE show

16th March 2003 Twenty-six South African defence-related companies are taking part in the sixth International Defence Exhibition (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Sunday, Armscor said. →

The exploration and exploitation of space

By: Karel Smrcka 14th March 2003 On a dark night, hundreds of the stars we see as we look up may not be stars at all, but man-made satellites. →

Big space-science skills push hosted by UCT

14th March 2003 South Africa has the instruments, the facilities and the capital and will soon be adding the final component – human resources– to its space science programme. →

Corvette programme back on track - navy

14th March 2003 The South African Navy's corvette acquisition programme is back on track after a delivery delay, chief of navy staff Rear-Admiral Johannes Mudimu said yesterday. →

Four consortia bid for Malawi Telecoms

By: Marcel Chimwala 7th March 2003 Malawi – Four consortia have submitted their expressions of interest in the privatisation of Malawi’s sole fixed phoneline provider, Malawi Telecommunications. →

SAA raises $260m for Airbus deal

7th March 2003 State-owned South African Airways (SAA) said yesterday it had raised $260-million from financial institutions to fund the acquisition of three of the 41 new Airbus aircraft ordered last year. →

US military deal one of many abroad for firm

By: nkolola halwindi 7th March 2003 High-pulse repetition-rate pulsed carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers for non-destructive testing on aircraft have been developed by the Scientific Development and Integration (SDI) company. →

Rand hits Grintek, but order book grows to R1,8bn

6th March 2003 The results of JSE Securities Exchange-listed Grintek for the six months to 31 December 2002 were hurt by appreciation in the value of the rand, the group reported yesterday. →

No clarity yet on extent of corvette delay

By: Keith Campbell 3rd March 2003 It is still not clear just how much the South African Navy’s corvette programme will be delayed as a result of the faulty cabling found in the first ship in the class, the SAS Amatola, Engineering News can report. →

Aids, poverty biggest security threat to SA

By: Marius Roodt 28th February 2003 South Africa does not face a conventional threat from any quarter at the moment, with other issues, such as peacekeeping and human security having become the focus of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). →

Outlook for defence industry positive

By: Marius Roodt 28th February 2003 For most South Africans, the election of the ANC to power proved to be a boon, with the arrival of democracy, and the opening up of the local economy – but this was not quite the case for local South African defence contractors. →

SA's first landmine conference to be held in Pretoria

By: Marius Roodt 28th February 2003 The South African defence procurement agency, Armscor, and its subsidiary, Tec, are to host the country’s first ever landmine symposium in September. →

Missile-maker expects a R1bn turnover

By: Marius Roodt 28th February 2003 A division of the state-owned armaments company Denel, Kentron, is celebrating its 25th birthday this year, says Kentron GM Willie van Biljon. →

Jordan orders a hundred Ratels

By: Marius Roodt 28th February 2003 South Africa is supplying the Middle East kingdom of Jordan with a hundred second-hand Ratels. →

Submarine deal hands SA firm contract work abroad

By: Marius Roodt 28th February 2003 Three German companies have joined forces to construct three submarines for the South African navy, as part of the re-equipping of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). →

No clarity yet on extent of corvette delay

By: Keith Campbell 28th February 2003 IT is still not clear just how much the South African Navy’s corvette programme will be delayed as a result of the faulty cabling found in the first ship in the class, the SAS Amatola, Engineering News can report. →

Gauteng aims to boost logistics to support manufacturing exports

By: Martin Czernowalow 25th February 2003 Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa said the provincial government would this year continue with the upgrade of access to the Johannesburg International Airport, as well as the establishment of an industrial development zone (IDZ) in the area. →

SA Cheetah fighters offered to Brazil

By: Keith Campbell 21st February 2003 Denel has confirmed with Engineering News that, supported by the South African Air Force and Armscor, it is leading a bid to supply a number of Cheetah C fighters to the Brazilian Air Force. →

South Africa and Russia consolidate scientific ties

By: Keith Campbell 21st February 2003 Without doubt, one of the greatest centres of scientific and technological progress and achievement in the past hundred or so years has been Russia. →

Fifteen defence aircon systems for Middle East

21st February 2003 Specialist air-conditioning manufacturer Booyco Engineering has been awarded the contract to supply fifteen roof mounted systems for armoured personnel carriers destined for the Middle East. →

Counter-terrorism vehicles in demand

By: Karel Smrcka 21st February 2003 The US administration is in advanced talks with Detroit’s ‘big three’ motor-vehicle makers as well as with the US army over production of a new generation of vehicles designed for counter-terrorism, protecting US diplomatic missions abroad and homeland defence. →

Final assembly begins on new helicopter

20th February 2003 It was announced this week that AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica and GKN company, has started the final assembly of the first Agusta A109 Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) airframe for the South African Air Force, at the Denel Aviation facilities. →

Contractor responsible for ensuring corvette standards met

20th February 2003 The primary contractor in South Africa's acquisition of four new corvette warships for the navy will be held responsible for ensuring the vessels are up to standard, Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota said on Thursday. →

From trees to high-performance ceramics

By: Karel Smrcka 14th February 2003 An increasing number of components designed to withstand high mechanical and thermal stresses are being made from special hard ceramics. A new low-cost method has been found to manufacture large sheets of silicon carbide from vegetable fibres. →

Small airlines will struggle to meet noise regulations

10th February 2003 Noise abatement procedures that are expected to be implemented by the South African government this year, to make aircraft quieter and safer, are expected to have serious implications for both local and international airlines. →

Samora Machel – did we do it? (Part 3)

By: Terry Mackenzie-hoy 7th February 2003 In previous columns: Did the South African Government of 1986 plant a false beacon which misled the pilots of the aircraft with President Samora Machel and 33 other passengers, leading to a fatal crash? →

Airbus offsets begin to flow

By: Keith Campbell 7th February 2003 A South African private-sector aviation company is on the verge of being awarded series production of components for the Airbus A320 family, which will, all being well, provide it with work for at least ten years, Engineering News can report. →