THURSDAY, 12.30PM
THE Cabinet on Wednesday finally approved the policy proposals in the Defence review, paving the way for the SA Navy acquire its long-awaited new submarines and corvette warships.
The cabinet’s approval of policy proposals on defence posture, functions, force design, human resources and part-time forces gives the navy the green light to acquire the new hardware as soon as funds become available. The review provides for a navy equipped with four submarines, four corvettes, two inshore patrol boats, 39 harbour patrol boats, six strike craft, four mine hunters, four minesweepers and one combat support ship.
Air force provision in the review includes 16 light and 32 medium fighters, six medium range maritime patrol aircraft, 10 short range maritime patrol aircraft, 12 combat support helicopters and aircraft and a number of unmanned drones.
The air force provisions have led arms industry sources to claim that the result will be the scrapping of the Rooivalk attack helicopter project and the air force’s guided missile systems, and a radical downscaling of other armaments projects.
According to Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Association executive director General Julius Kriel, “about 50 000” skilled employees will lose their jobs as a result of the cutbacks. Armscor senior planning manager Andre Buys said February’s R700-million defence budget cut will see the closure of several arms contractors, which would lead to a net saving to government of R483-million over five years. However, he said this should be offset against the “fruitless” R1-billion spent on research and development in the Rooivalk project, and a further R264-million loss in cancellation claims to defence contractors.
THURSDAY, 4.30PM
DEFENCE Minister Joe Modise said on Thursday that Cabinet’s approval of the Defence Review will result in the certainty and long-term commitment required by the SA National Defence Force and the armaments industry.
“This decision could not have come at a more appropriate time, given recent uncertainty owing to this year’s massive defence budget cut,” Modise said. “Cabinet’s Defence Review decision involves development and commitment well into the 21st century.”