Why this video? Why now? Because the S. Africans have painted one white in anticipation of a UN mission in the DRC.
Africa is falling apart and it seems that the world wide epidemic of Islamic Extremism has more than a foothold on that continent.
Ordinarily I wouldn't give a damn, but I keep an eye on China and wonder what their reaction will be. This could be the first big test of Chinese foreign policy when it comes to the third world. Africa could be where China plays the interventionist card for the first time since its rise.
This bears watching.
US used in the past whole world as training ground for it's forces. Now China will move to Africa to train and check all the new toys in action ?
ReplyDeleteThat things looks HUGE. Is it just me or do all American attack helos look tiny compared to everyone elses?
ReplyDeleteyeah...something tells me it has a bit of Hind DNA flowing through its viens.
DeleteActually you will find a lot of Aerospatiale Super Puma in its veins. Similar to the original UH-1/AH-1. It was featured at the end with the fast rope insertion.
DeleteAlso China tried to buy ONE of these 2 years ago. Denel told them to jump in the Pacific (ok probably not but told them no).
Hmm, the Z-10 looks VERY similar to the Rooivalk.
DeleteGreat minds must think alike ;)
Rooivalk is based off of the French Super Puma, a large transport helicopter in the S-92/H148 class. It's prolonged development time and lack of export sales indicate the South Africans bit off more than they could chew with it. Arguably Sikorsky did a much better job with the same concept years before with their S-67.
ReplyDeleteIt's actually no bigger than an AH-64 (slightly larger but lighter).
I've seen an AH-64 person... doesn't really look that big.
DeleteFrance is leading the UN effort in Democratic Republic of the Congo (as usual in Africa). In March, The U.N. Security Council authorized a new “intervention brigade” for Congo on Thursday with an unprecedented mandate to take military action against rebel groups to help bring peace to the country’s conflict-wracked east.
ReplyDeleteThe resolution, which the council adopted unanimously, gives the brigade a mandate to carry out offensive operations alone or with Congolese army troops to neutralize and disarm armed groups (M23). China has economic and military interests there.
A UN report in May wasn't favorable to the U.S.: Members of the 391st Commando Battalion — which was trained by special forces troops assigned to U.S. Africa Command — and other Democratic Republic of Congo troops of engaging in a range of atrocities, including the mass rape of women and young girls in eastern Congo.
On the helo -- defenceweb:
There was also no indication of what armament the home-grown attack helicopter would be carrying on missions on the strife-torn eastern part of the DRC. Military aviation watchers say the Rooivalk will not be carrying Mokopa or other anti-tank missiles on its hard points but will carry up to 76 70 mm rockets in four underwing pods and 700 rounds for the 20 mm F2 nose cannon.
http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32208&catid=74&Itemid=30
image
http://www.defenceweb.co.za/images/stories/AIR/Rooivalk_white_400x300.jpg
"March 19, 2013: The South African government recently admitted that 12 of its 26 Gripen jet fighters had been placed in storage because they were too expensive to operate and there were not enough qualified pilots to fly them. Moreover, of the remaining 16 Gripens, only about half were flyable and there were only six qualified Gripen pilots. Corruption, shrinking defense budgets, and political pressure to find more black combat pilots and technical personnel has led to the South African Air Force having fewer operational aircraft. All this has been going on for over a decade.
ReplyDeleteNot surprisingly, many South Africans believe that the South African Air Force (SAAF) has been falling apart for years. The most obvious evidence of this is the decrepit state of aging buildings, runways, and aircraft. But the biggest problem is getting, and keeping, technical people. This is complicated by a government program to integrate previously all white institutions. This has been most difficult in areas that require a lot of technical training and education. Like pilots and aircraft maintainers.
The government has set a racial goal for SAAF pilots and wants them to be 75 percent black and 25 percent white. A lack of qualified black air force personnel means that this goal has still not been met."
https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htlead/20130319.aspx
It's safe to say the SAAF is in crisis mode. Like most African countries, corruption has destabilized the military base and now they risk being shut down. The Rooivalk's look cool sure - but its not going to matter while they rot away in some rotted out air force hanger. I also read they have grounded all of their A-109's because they don't have any parts or money to fly them. Literally no air force.
http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31305:sa-air-forces-a-109s-grounded&catid=55:SANDF&Itemid=108
Yep.
DeleteSolomon is getting excited over nothing.
the South African military is a mess, and will continue to be so as long as the corrupt members of the ANC remain in power.
It's Gripens rarely fly, it has grounded the AW 109s, and it only has 16 airworthy Rooivaks.
It's tanks are on average, 50 years old, with NO cash to replace them.
I am willing to bet that it's new Valour class frigates will be mostly kept in port, with 1 out on patrol to make the SAN look good.
The sad part is that South Africa could have one of the best trained, equipped, and led militaries in Africa, but corruption and race based quotas have hurt them badly.
Out of all sub-Saharan African militaries, only Kenya and maybe Ethiopia have militaires of note.
i put up a vid of the Rooivalk as a bridge to a discussion on China in Africa and i'm getting over excited?
Deletedude. really? seriously? you and Sfferin just can't help can you.
China has an economic interest in DRC and has gained more acceptance than the Belgians and Western nations have because they build roads and bridges and don't introduce military forces.
ReplyDeleteHere's John Kerry, last January:
"Now, with respect to China and Africa, China is all over Africa, I mean all over Africa. And they're buying up long-term contracts on minerals, on -- I mean, you name it. And there are some places where we're not in the game, folks. I mean, I hate to say it. And we got to get at it. But it takes a little bit of resourcing. Believe me, somebody's paying for those folks to be over there, and somebody's investing in their investment of time."