Royal South African Air Force

Royal South African Air Force	Royal South African Air Force
 	
Active 	1912 -
Country 	Union of South Africa
Branch 	Air Force
Motto 	Per Aspera Ad Astra
Commanders 	Commanders
Commander-in-Chief 	Governor-General Festus Mogae
Commander 	Lieutenant General Abel Mawere
The Royal South African Air Force (RSAAF) is the air force of the Union of South Africa. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra (Through adversity to the stars).
The RSAAF is tasked with providing close air support, aerial reconnaissance, and transport support for the other services of the armed forces. Commanding the air force is Lieutenant General Abel Mawere.
Currently, the RSAAF employs over 75,000 regular uniformed personnel, augmented by about 3,000 civilians and 4,500 reserve personnel, and operates nearly 1,500 aircraft.
==Units==
Squadron Number 	Base 	Type of Aircraft 	Versions 	Objective 	
1 Squadron 	AFB Waterkloof 	Atlas Carver 	A/C 	Air defense 	
2 Squadron 	AFB Makhado 	Saab JAS 39 Gripen 	D 	Air defense 	
3 Squadron 	AFB Blantyre 	Saab JAS 39 Gripen 	C 	Air defense 	
4 Squadron 	AFB Francistown 	Atlas Oryx 	M2 	Transport 	
5 Squadron 	AFB Livingstone 	CASA C-212 Aviocar, CASA CN-235, IAI Arava 	IAI 202 	Light transport 	
6 Squadron 	AFB Gaborone 	Atlas Oryx, MBB/Kawasaki BK 117, Aérospatiale Super Frelon 	M2, BK 117A, SA 321L 	Transport 	
7 Squadron 	AFB Oshakati 	Denel AH-2 Rooivalk 	AH-2A 	Ground attack 	
8 Squadron 	AFB Bloemspruit 	Saab JAS 39 Gripen 	C 	Air defense 	
9 Squadron 	AFB Lusaka 	Saab JAS 39 Gripen 	C 	Air defense 	
10 Squadron 	AFB Maseru 	Transall C-160, Britten-Norman Islander, IAI Arava 	C-160Z, BN-2A, IAI 202 	Light transport 	
11 Squadron 	AFB Harare 	Atlas Oryx 	M2 	Transport 	
12 Squadron 	AFB Waterkloof 	Denel AH-2 Rooivalk 	AH-2A 	Ground attack 	
13 Squadron 	AFB Walvis Bay 	Atlas Oryx 	M2 	Transport 	
14 Squadron 	AFB Blantyre 	MBB/Kawasaki BK 117, Aérospatiale Super Frelon 	BK 117A, SA 321L 	Transport 	
15 Squadron 	AFB Durban 	Atlas Oryx, MBB/Kawasaki BK 117, Aérospatiale Super Frelon 	M2, BK 117A, SA 321L 	Transport 	
16 Squadron 	AFB Harare 	Denel AH-2 Rooivalk 	AH-2A 	Ground attack 	
17 Squadron 	AFB Waterkloof 	Atlas Oryx 	M2 	Transport 	
18 Squadron 	AFB Gaborone 	Denel AH-2 Rooivalk 	AH-2A 	Ground attack 	
19 Squadron 	AFB Hoedspruit 	Atlas Oryx 	M2 	Transport 	
20 Squadron 	AFB Walvis Bay 	Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules 	C-130J Super Hercules 	Medium transport 	
21 Squadron 	AFB Waterkloof 	Boeing Business Jet, Cessna Citation II, Dassault Falcon 50, Dassault Falcon 900	737-7ED, 900B 	VIP transport 	
22 Squadron 	AFB Ysterplaat 	Atlas Oryx, Westland Lynx 	M2, Super Lynx 300 	Transport, maritime attack 	
23 Squadron 	AFB Oshakati 	Transall C-160, IAI Arava 	C-160Z, IAI 202 	Light transport 	
24 Squadron 	AFB Mbabane 	Denel AH-2 Rooivalk 	AH-2A 	Ground attack 	
25 Squadron 	AFB Lobamba 	CASA C-212 Aviocar, CASA CN-235, Cessna 185 	 	Light transport 	
26 Squadron 	AFB Blantyre 	Atlas Oryx, Denel AH-2 Rooivalk 	M2, AH-2A 	Transport, ground attack 	
27 Squadron 	AFB Makhado 	McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender 	 	Air-to-air tanker 	
28 Squadron 	AFB Waterkloof 	Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules 	C-130J Super Hercules 	Medium transport 	
29 Squadron 	AFB Ysterplaat 	English Electric Canberra 	Canberra B(I) 12 	Ground attack 	
30 Squadron 	AFB Waterkloof 	Blackburn Buccaneer 	Buccaneer S.50 	Ground attack 	
31 Squadron 	AFB Hoedspruit 	CASA C-212 Aviocar, CASA CN-235, Transall C-160 	C-160Z 	Light transport 	
32 Squadron 	AFB Lusaka 	English Electric Canberra, Blackburn Buccaneer 	Canberra B(I) 12, Buccaneer S.50	Ground attack 	
33 Squadron 	AFB Mbabane 	CASA C-212 Aviocar, CASA CN-235, Cessna 185 	 	Light transport 	
34 Squadron 	AFB Gaborone 	Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules 	C-130J Super Hercules 	Medium transport 	
35 Squadron 	AFB Ysterplaat 	Douglas C-47 Skytrain 	C-47TP Turbo Dakota 	Maritime patrol, transport 	
36 Squadron 	AFB Bulawayo 	Cessna 208 Caravan, Pilatus PC-12, Beechcraft King Air 	200C Super King 	Light transport 	
37 Squadron 	AFB Francistown 	English Electric Canberra, Blackburn Buccaneer 	Canberra B(I) 12, Buccaneer S.50	Ground attack 	
38 Squadron 	AFB Lobamba 	Atlas Oryx, Denel AH-2 Rooivalk 	M2, AH-2A 	Transport, ground attack 	
39 Squadron 	AFB Waterkloof 	McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender 	 	Air-to-air tanker 	
40 Squadron 	AFB Maseru 	Denel AH-2 Rooivalk 	AH-2A 	Ground attack 	
41 Squadron 	AFB Waterkloof 	Cessna 208 Caravan, Pilatus PC-12, Beechcraft King Air 	200C Super King 	Light transport 	
42 Squadron 	AFB Harare 	Lockheed P-3 Orion 	P-3C 	Observation, reconnaissance 	
43 Squadron 	AFB Walvis Bay 	Denel AH-2 Rooivalk, Westland Lynx 	AH-2A, Super Lynx 300 	Ground attack, maritime attack 	
44 Squadron 	AFB Waterkloof 	CASA C-212 Aviocar, CASA CN-235, Cessna 185 	 	Light transport 	
45 Squadron 	AFB Gaborone 	Lockheed P-3 Orion 	P-3C 	Observation, reconnaissance 	
46 Squadron 	AFB Francistown 	Saab JAS 39 Gripen 	C 	Air defense 	
47 Squadron 	AFB Maseru 	Cessna 208 Caravan, Pilatus PC-12, Beechcraft King Air 	200C Super King 	Light transport 	
48 Squadron 	AFB Waterkloof 	Lockheed P-3 Orion 	P-3C 	Observation, reconnaissance 	
49 Squadron 	AFB Hoedspruit 	Saab JAS 39 Gripen 	C 	Air defense 	
50 Squadron 	AFB Walvis Bay 	Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules 	C-130J Super Hercules 	Medium transport 	
59 Squadron 	AFB Bulawayo 	Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules 	C-130J Super Hercules 	Medium transport 	
60 Squadron 	AFB Waterkloof 	Airbus A400M 	 	Long-range transport 	
80 Air Navigation School 	AFB Ysterplaat 	Douglas C-47 Skytrain, Cessna 208 Caravan, Pilatus PC-7 	C-47TP Turbo Dakota, Mk II Astra	Navigation training 	
85 Combat Flying School 	AFB Makhado 	BAE Hawk 	Mk.120 LIFT 	Jet-flight training 	
87 Helicopter Flying School 	AFB Bloemspruit 	Atlas Oryx, MBB/Kawasaki BK 117 	M2, BK 117A 	Helicopter flight training 	
Central Flying School 	AFB Langebaanweg 	Pilatus PC-7 	Mk II Astra 	Ab initio flight traing 	
Test Flight and Development Centre 	AFB Overberg 	various 	 	Test flight and evaluation 	
SA Royal Air Force College 	Various locations 	 	 	 	
RSAAF Museum Historic Flight 	AFB Swartkop 	various 	 	 	
Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre	AFB Waterkloof 	 	 	Air intelligence and counter-intelligence training 	
101 Squadron 	AFB Hoedspruit 	 	 	Light transport (reserve) 	
102 Squadron 	AFB Makhado 	 	 	Light transport (reserve) 	
103 Squadron 	AFB Blantyre 	 	 	Light transport (reserve) 	
104 Squadron 	AFB Waterkloof 	 	 	Light transport (reserve) 	
105 Squadron 	AFB Durban 	 	 	Light transport (reserve) 	
106 Squadron 	AFB Bloemspruit 	 	 	Light transport (reserve) 	
107 Squadron 	AFB Bloemspruit 	 	 	Light transport (reserve) 	
108 Squadron 	AFB Port Elizabeth 	 	 	Light transport (reserve) 	
109 Squadron 	AFB Bulawayo 	 	 	Light transport (reserve) 	
110 Squadron 	AFB Ysterplaat 	 	 	Light transport (reserve) 	
1 Air Servicing Unit 	AFB Thaba Tshwane 	 	 	Maintenance and support 	
2 Air Servicing Unit 	AFB Ysterplaat 	 	 	Maintenance and support 	
3 Air Servicing Unit 	AFB Makhado 	 	 	Maintenance and support 	
4 Air Servicing Unit 	Air Force Mobile Deployment Wing	 	 	Maintenance and support 	
5 Air Servicing Unit 	AFB Waterkloof 	 	 	Maintenance and support 	
6 Air Servicing Unit 	AFB Lusaka 	 	 	Maintenance and support 	
7 Air Servicing Unit 	AFB Hoedspruit 	 	 	Maintenance and support 	
10 Air Depot 	AFB Thaba Tshwane 	 	 	Logistics support services 	
68 Air School 	TEK Base 	 	 	Technical aviation training 	
18 Deployment Support Unit 	Air Force Mobile Deployment Wing	 	 	Logistics support services 	
92 Tactical Airfield Unit 	Air Force Mobile Deployment Wing	 	 	Logistics support services 	
140 Squadron 	Air Force Mobile Deployment Wing	 	 	Air defense 	
141 Squadron 	Air Force Mobile Deployment Wing	 	 	Air defense 	
500 Squadron 	Air Force Mobile Deployment Wing	 	 	Security services 	
501 Squadron 	Air Force Mobile Deployment Wing	 	 	Security services 	
502 Squadron 	TEK Base 	 	 	Security services 	
503 Squadron 	Valhalla 	 	 	Security services 	
504 Squadron 	AFB Waterkloof 	 	 	Security services 	
505 Squadron 	AFB Ysterplaat 	 	 	Security services 	
525 Squadron 	AFB Overberg 	 	 	Security services 	
526 Squadron 	AFB Langebaanweg 	 	 	Security services 	
Air Force Gymnasium 	Valhaala 	 	 	Basic training 	
Bushveld Airspace Control Sector 	Other 	 	 	Training (Air defense) 	
Lowveld Airspace Control Sector 	AFB Hoedspruit 	 	 	Training (Air defense) 	
Mobile Communications Unit 	Air Force Mobile Deployment Wing	 	 	Providing operationally deployable communications for the RSAAF 	
Rapid Deployment Air Operations Team 43 	Wonderboom 	 	 	Logistics support services 	
Rapid Deployment Air Operations Team 46 	Johannesburg 	 	 	Logistics support services 	
Air Publications Service Centre 	AFB Thaba Tshwane 	 	 	Custodian for the master and key copies of all SAAF documentation and publications in terms of aviation regulations and acts	
SA Royal Air Force Band 	Valhaala 	 	 	Parades, performing as marching band 	
Command and Control School 	AFB Waterkloof 	 	 	Training 	
School of Cookery 	Valhaala 	 	 	Training for chefs and waiters in the RSAAF 	
Fire Training School 	Valhaala 	 	 	Training for firefighters in the RSAAF 	
Royal Air Force Command and Control School 	AFB Hoedspruit 	 	 	Provides courses in command and control, airspace control, and telecommunications 	
Airspace Control Unit 	AFB Swartkop 	 	 	Logistics support services (Air defense) 	
Central Photographic Institute 	AFB Waterkloof 	 	 	Provision of photographic services 	
Combined Auction Centre 	Other 	 	 	Logistics support services 	
Ellisras Reporting Post 	Other 	 	 	The Ellisras Reporting Post is an early warning radar installation 	
RSAAF Police 	Other 	 	 	Security services 	
RSAAF Telecommunications Centre 	AFB Waterkloof 	 	 	Logistics support services 	
Electronic Warfare Centre 	AFB Waterkloof 	 	 	Logistics support services 	
===Reserves===
====Royal Air Force Conventional Reserves====
A pool of reserve posts were created to serve the RSAAF and augment regular units as and when needed. All trades in the RSAAF are represented in the reserves, e.g. pilots, security squadron personnel, etc.
====Royal Air Force Territorial Reserve====
Currently consists of eighteen squadrons of privately owned aircraft operated by reserve pilots on behalf of the RSAAF.
These squadrons fulfill a very valuable role in light transport and observation, especially due to low direct operating costs.
==Equipment==
===Aircraft===
*Aérospatiale SA 321L Super Frelon heavy transport helicopter 
*Airbus A400M transport aircraft
*Atlas Carver A/C stealth multirole fighter
*Atlas Oryx M2 utility helicopter
*BAE Hawk Mk.120 LIFT trainer
*Beechcraft Super King Air 200C utility aircraft
*Blackburn Buccaneer S.50 strike aircraft
*Boeing 737-7ED BBJ VIP transport
*Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander light utility/transport aircraft
*CASA C-212 Aviocar transport aircraft
*CASA CN-235 transport aircraft
*Cessna 185A/D/E light utility aircraft
*Cessna 208 Caravan utility aircraft
*Cessna 550/551 Citation II VIP transport
*Dassault Falcon 50 VIP transport
*Dassault Falcon 900B VIP transport
*Denel AH-2A Rooivalk attack helicopter
*Douglas C-47TP Turbo Dakota transport
*English Electric Canberra B(I) 12 bomber
*Lockheed P-3C Orion patrol aircraft
*Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules transport
*MBB/Kawasaki BK 117A utility/transport helicopter
*McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender air-to-air tanker
*Pilatus PC-7 Mk2 Astra trainer
*Pilatus PC-12 utility aircraft
*Saab JAS 39C/D Gripen multirole fighter
*Transall C-160Z transport aircraft
*Westland Super Lynx 300 maritime attack helicopter
===Missiles===
====Surface-to-surface====
*BGM-71 TOW
*RBS-15
====Surface-to-air====
*Crotale
*Mistral
====Air-to-surface====
*AGM-65 Maverick
*AS.30
*Ingwe
*Mokopa
*Sea Eagle
*Sea Skua
*TAURUS KEPD 350
====Air-to-air====
*A-Darter
*AIM-9 Sidewinder
*AIM-120 AMRAAM
*IRIS-T
*Python-3
*R-Darter
===Bombs===
*GBU-12 Paveway II
*Mark 82
===Armored vehicles===
N.B.: These vehicles are used for airfield defense.
*ERC 20
*VBL ALBI-MISTRAL
*VIB
===Artillery===
N.B.: Used for airfield defense.
*20mm self-propelled air defense gun
*23mm self-propelled air defense gun
*35mm air defense gun 
Category:Air forces
Air Force, Royal South African