# List of aircraft of the South African Air Force

The following is a list of current and historic aircraft of the South African Air Force.

## Current aircraft

These aircraft are in service as of 2025
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | Introduction | In service | Notes |
| Combat aircraft ||||||||
| JAS 39 Gripen | Sweden | Multirole fighter | C/D | 2010 | 26 | JAS 39C: 17 JAS 39D: 9 |
| BAE Hawk | United Kingdom | Fighter trainer | Mk. 120 | 2006 | 24 | |
| Tanker ||||||||
| KC-390 Millennium | Brazil | Aerial refueling | | | Planned | SAAF has expressed interest in this aircraft |
| Transport ||||||||
| C-130 Hercules | United States | Tactical airlifter | BZ | 1963 | 9 | 9 aircraft in total inventory, only 6 aircraft are operational the other 3 are used for spare parts |
| C-47 Turbo Dakota | United States | Transport / electronic warfare | Block II | 1943 | 16 | Modernised in the 1990s, more than half the fleet is in long term storage or used for spares |
| CASA C-212 Aviocar | Spain | Transport | 200/300 | 1994 | 3 | |
| Cessna 208 Caravan | United States | Utility / observation | 208B | 1988 | 7 | |
| Super King Air | United States | Transport | | 1994 | 4 | |
| Pilatus PC-12 | United States | Transport | | 1997 | 1 | |
| Boeing 737 | United States | Presidential transport | BBJ | 2001 | 1 | |
| Citation II | United States | VIP transport | | 1983 | 2 | |
| Falcon 900 | France | VIP transport | | 1992 | 1 | |
| Falcon 50 | France | VIP transport | | 1982 | 2 | |
| Helicopters ||||||||
| Atlas Oryx | South Africa | Transport | Mk. II | 1990 | 39 | |
| AH-2 Rooivalk | South Africa | Attack | Mk. I | 1999 | 11 | 11 helicopters are currently in service, they have been grounded since August 2022 due to budget cuts. |
| MBB/Kawasaki BK 117 | Japan Germany | Utility | | 1994 | 6 | |
| Westland AW109 | Italy | Utility / SAR | | 2003 | 30 | |
| Westland Super Lynx | United Kingdom | ASW | Mk. 300 | 2007 | 4 | |
| Trainer aircraft ||||||||
| Pilatus PC-7 | Switzerland | Basic trainer | Mk. I Mk. II | 1994 | 56 | 21 Mk. I variants and 35 Mk. II variants, due to limited pilot training the Mk. I has been placed in reserve |
| UAV ||||||||
| Milkor 380 | South Africa | MALE UCAV | | 2024 | 5+ | Production currently set at 8 units per year with plans to increase it by up to 16 units per year by 2026. it has an endurance of up to 35 hours of flight time and a payload capacity of 210 kg |

## Historic aircraft Aircraft types no longer in service.

| Aircraft | Origin | Role | Service period | No. operated | Notes |
| Aermacchi AM.3C Bosbok | Italy/S. Africa | Utility | 1973–1992 | 40 | |
| Aeronca KCA | US | Liaison | ? | ? | |
| Aeronca 50C Chief | US | Liaison | 1940-? | 1 | |
| Aeronca 65C Super Chief | US | Liaison | ? | ? | |
| Aérospatiale SA365N Dauphin | France | Helicopter | 1994–1998 | 1 | |
| Aermacchi/Atlas MB.326 Impala | Italy/S. Africa | Trainer | 1966–2005 | 251 | |
| Aermacchi/Atlas C.4M Kudu | Italy/S. Africa | Utility | 1976–1991 | 40 | |
| Airco DH.4 | UK | Bomber | 1919–1927 | 10 | |
| de Havilland DH.9 | UK | Bomber | 1919–1942 | 11 | Airco DH.9 until 1920. Some had Bristol Jupiter engines as DH M′pala |
| Airspeed AS-6J Envoy | UK | Transport | 1936–1940 | 7 | |
| Airspeed AS-10 Oxford Mk.I & II | UK | Trainer | 1940-1950 | 700 | |
| Atlas Cheetah C, D, E | South Africa | Fighter | 1986–2008 | 68 | |
| Auster AOP-3, 5, 6 & 9 | UK | Liaison | 1945-1967 | | |
| Avro 504K & N | UK | Trainer | 1919–? | 31+ | |
| Avro Avian | UK | Trainer | ?-1936 | 21+ | |
| Avro Tutor | UK | Trainer | 1930–1938 | 59 | |
| Avro Anson | UK | Trainer | 1940–1947 | 750+ | |
| Avro York C.1 | UK | Transport | 1944–1952 | 1 | |
| Avro Shackleton MR.3 | UK | Maritime Patrol | 1957–1984 | 8 | |
| Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor | US | Transport | 1945 | 2 | |
| Beechcraft B-80 Queen Air | US | Transport | 1975–1992 | 2 | |
| Boeing 707 | US | Transport | 1986–2007 | 5 | |
| Bristol Blenheim Mk.I, IV & V | UK | Bomber | 1939–1943 | 10+ | |
| Bristol Beaufort I, IA, II, IIA | UK | Bomber | 1941–1944 | 58 | |
| Bristol Beaufighter Mk.II, VI, X | UK | Attack | 1943–1944 | 7+ | |
| British Aircraft Double Eagle | UK | Liaison | 1939–1940 | 1 | |
| Britten-Norman Islander | UK | Transport | 1994-? | 2 | |
| Bücker Bü 131A/B/D Jungmann | Germany | Trainer | 1936–1939 | ? | |
| Bücker Bü 133 Jungmeister | Germany | Trainer | 1939-? | ? | |
| Canadair Sabre Mk.6 | Canada | Fighter | 1956–1980 | 34 | |
| CASA CN-235 | Spain | Transport | 1994-2012 | 1 | |
| Cessna C-34 Airmaster | US | Liaison | ? | 1 | |
| Cessna 185A, D & E Skywagon | US | Liaison | ? | 45 | |
| Cessna 320 | US | Transport | 1965–1967 | 1 | |
| Cessna Skymaster | US | Transport | ? | ? | |
| Cessna 411 | US | Transport | ? | ? | |
| Consolidated Catalina Mk.IB/III | US | Maritime Patrol | 1943–1946 | 18 | |
| Consolidated Liberator B.Mk.VI | US | Maritime Patrol | 1944–1945 | 16 | |
| Curtiss Mohawk | US | Fighter | 1941–1942 | 159 | |
| Curtiss Tomahawk, Kittyhawk & Warhawk | US | Fighter | 1940–1948 | 210+ | |
| Dassault Falcon 20 | France | Transport | 1966 | 1 | |
| Dassault Mirage III | France | Fighter | 1963–1990 | 57 | |
| Dassault Mirage F1AZ & CZ | France | Fighter | 1975–1997 | 51 | |
| de Havilland DH.60 Moth/Gypsy Moth/Moth Major | UK | Trainer | 1939-? | 28 | |
| de Havilland DH.66 Hercules | UK | Transport | 1934–1943 | 3 | |
| de Havilland DH.80A Puss Moth | UK | Liaison | 1939-? | 1 | |
| de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth | UK | Trainer | 1939–1958 | 675 | |
| de Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth | UK | Transport | 1939-? | ? | |
| de Havilland DH.84 Dragon | UK | Transport | 1939-? | 1 | |
| de Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth | UK | Liaison | 1939–1943 | 7 | |
| de Havilland DH.87B Hornet Moth | UK | Liaison | 1939–1940 | 19 | |
| de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide/Dominie | UK | Transport | 1939-? | 21 | |
| de Havilland DH.90 Dragonfly | UK | Transport | 1939-? | 3 | |
| de Havilland DH-94 Moth Minor | UK | Trainer | 1939-? | ? | |
| de Havilland DH-98 Mosquito | UK | Bomber | 1943–1945 | 22+ | |
| de Havilland DH.100 Vampire FB.5, FB.6 | UK | Fighter | 1950–1978 | 56 | |
| de Havilland DH.115 Vampire T.11, T.55 | UK | Trainer | 1953–1978 | 27 | |
| de Havilland DH.104 Dove 5 | UK | Transport | 1949–1965 | 9 | |
| de Havilland DH.114 Heron 2 | UK | Transport | 1955–1962 | 2 | |
| Desoutter Mk.II | UK | Liaison | ? | 1 | |
| Dornier Do 27B | Germany | Liaison | 1958–1975 | 2 | |
| Douglas Boston Mk.III | US | Bomber | 1941–1943 | 18 | |
| Douglas Dakota | US | Transport | 1943–? | 149 | |
| Douglas DC-4-1009, C-54 Skymaster | US | Transport | 1966–1994 | 8 | |
| English Electric Canberra B(1)12 | UK | Bomber | 1963–1991 | 6 | |
| English Electric Canberra T.4 | UK | Trainer | 1964–1991 | 3 | |
| Fairey Battle B, T, TT | UK | Trainer | 1939–1942 | 340 | |
| Fairchild F-24G, R Argus III | US | Liaison | 1939-? | 1 | |
| Fieseler Fi 156C-7 Storch | Germany | Liaison | 1946-? | 1 | |
| General Aircraft ST-4 II Monospar | UK | Transport | ? | 1 | |
| General Aircraft ST-25 Universal | UK | Transport | ? | 1 | |
| Gloster Gauntlet | UK | Fighter | 1939–1943 | 6 | |
| Gloster Gladiator Mk I & II | UK | Fighter | 1939–1941 | 31 | |
| Gloster Survey | UK | Transport | 1933–1942 | 1 | |
| Gloster Meteor F.3 | UK | Fighter | 1946–1949 | 1 | |
| Hawker Hartbeest Mk.I | UK | Bomber | 1935–1940 | 69 | |
| Hawker Hart | UK | Bomber | 1936–1944 | 320 | |
| Hawker Audax | UK | Fighter | 1937–1944 | 80 | |
| Hawker Fury Mk.I & Mk.II | UK | Fighter | 1936–1942 | 53 | |
| Hawker Hurricane Mk.I & II | UK | Fighter | 1939–1945 | 193 | |
| Hawker-Siddeley HS-125 | UK | Transport | 1970–1999 | 8 | |
| Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S.Mk.50 | UK | Bomber | 1965–1991 | 16 | |
| Farman HF.27 | France | Trainer | 1915-? | | |
| Junkers A-50 Junior | Germany | Trainer | ? | ? | |
| Junkers F.13 | Germany | Transport | ?-1944 | 1 | |
| Junkers Ju 52-3m | Germany | Transport | 1939–1953 | 23 | |
| Junkers Ju 86 | Germany | Transport | 1939–1945 | 18 | |
| Klemm Kl 25 | Germany | Trainer | ? | ? | |
| Koolhoven F.K.46 | Netherlands | Trainer | ? | ? | |
| Lockheed Super Electra | US | Transport | ? | 3 | |
| Lockheed Lodestar | US | Transport | 1940–1944 | 31 | |
| Lockheed Hudson | US | Bomber | 1940-? | 1 | |
| Lockheed Ventura GR.V | US | Maritime Patrol | 1942–1960 | 395 | |
| Lockheed C-130F Hercules | US | Transport | 1997–1998 | 7 | |
| Martin Maryland Mk.I & II | US | Bomber | 1940-1942 | 148+ | |
| Martin Baltimore | US | Bomber | 1941-1945 | 26+ | |
| Martin Marauder I, II & III | US | Bomber | 1942-1945 | 56+ | |
| Miles M.2H Hawk | UK | Trainer | 1943-? | 2 | |
| Miles Sparrowhawk | UK | Trainer | 1939–1941 | 1 | |
| Miles Magister | UK | Trainer | 1940-? | 7 | |
| Miles Master T.II | UK | Trainer | 1941–1945 | 426 | |
| Miles Falcon | UK | Trainer | ? | 1 | |
| Nord C160Z Transall | France | Transport | 1969–1993 | 9 | |
| North American Harvard/Texan | US | Trainer | 1942–1995 | 744 | |
| North American Mustang IIIB, IV, IVA | US | Fighter | 1945, 1951-1952 | 95+ | |
| Northrop Nomad Mk.I | US | Trainer | 1941–1944 | 57 | |
| Percival Gull VI | UK | Trainer | 1940-? | 1 | |
| Piaggio P166 Albatross | Italy | Transport | 1969–1993 | 27 | |
| Pilatus PC-6 Porter | Switzerland | Transport | 1994–1998 | 1 | from Bophuthatswana Air Force |
| Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer | Switzerland | Trainer | 1994–1996 | 3 | from Bophuthatswana Air Force, returned to Pilatus |
| Piper J-3 | US | Trainer | ? | ? | |
| Piper J-4 Cub Coupe | US | Trainer | ? | 1 | |
| Piper PA-23 Aztec 250 | US | Liaison | 1981–1992 | 2 | |
| Piper PA-28 Cherokee 140 | US | Liaison | 1981–1992 | 1 | |
| Rearwin Speedster | US | Liaison | 1939-? | ? | |
| Rearwin Sportster | US | Liaison | 1939-? | 12+ | |
| Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2c & e | UK | Reconnaissance | 1915–1921 | | |
| Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5A | UK | Fighter | 1919–1931 | 24 | |
| Ryan ST-A | US | Trainer | 1939-? | 3 | |
| Short Sunderland GR.V | UK | Maritime Patrol | 1945–1957 | 16 | |
| Sikorsky S-51 | US | Helicopter | 1948–1968 | 3 | |
| Sikorsky Whirlwind | US | Helicopter | 1956–1968 | | |
| Simmonds Spartan | UK | Trainer | 1925 | 1 | |
| Stinson HW-75 | US | Liaison | ? | ? | |
| Stinson SR-5A & 10C Reliant | US | Liaison | ? | 2 | |
| Sud Aviation Alouette II & III | France | Helicopter | 1960–2006 | 126 | |
| Sud Aviation SA-321L Super Frelon | France | Transport Helicopter | 1967–1990 | 17 | |
| Sud Aviation Puma SA330C, H, J, L | France | Transport Helicopter | 1969–1997 | 109 | |
| Supermarine Spitfire V, VIII, IX | UK | Fighter | 1942–1954 | 205 | |
| Supermarine Spitfire PR IXe | UK | Reconnaissance | 1947–1954 | ? | |
| Swearingen Merlin IVA | US | Transport | 1975–1985 | 7 | |
| Taylorcraft BC/BL/BL-65 | US | Liaison | 1939-? | ? | |
| Tipsy S.2 Trainer | Belgium | Trainer | 1939-? | 1 | |
| Vickers Type 264 Valentia | UK | Transport | 1940–1943 | 11 | |
| Vickers Wellesley | UK | Bomber | 1940–1941 | ? | |
| Vickers Wellington | UK | Bomber | ?-? | 24 | |
| Vickers Warwick Mk.V | UK | Bomber | 1945–1946 | 32 | |
| Vickers 781D Viscount | UK | Transport | 1958–1991 | 1 | |
| WACO biplanes | US | Liaison | ? | ? | |
| Westland Wapiti | UK | Bomber | 1931–1943 | 31 | |
| Westland Wasp HAS 1 | UK | Helicopter | 1963–1990 | | |
See also *[[Denel Dynamics Seeker]]