The South African Air Force has withdrawn 469 aircraft from service since 1990, of which 297 have been sold, according to Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota.
In written reply to a question in the National Assembly, Lekota said the aircraft were withdrawn from service due to ”either obsolescence or a reduction in force design”.
The list included:
– Strike aircraft: Mirage F1, Cheetah E, Canberra, Buccaneer, and Impala.
– Basic and advanced flying training: Harvard, Cessna, Impala, Cheetah D and E, and Alouette 111.
– Air transport operations: Aztec, Queen Air, C160, Dakota, Kudu, Viscount, DC4 Skymaster, Super Freelon, Puma, Alouette 111, HS125, and Islander.
– Visual and/or photo reconnaissance: Canberra, Bosbok, and Cessna.
– Maritime reconnaissance: Albatross.
Lekota said the aircraft were being stored at Hoedspruit and Bloemspruit Air Force Bases, as well as at Polokwane and Swartkops airfields.
”Only limited maintenance is performed on these aircraft; consequently varying degrees of additional maintenance will have to be carried out in order to restore them to serviceable condition,” he said.
Replying to another question, Lekota said a total of 297 withdrawn aircraft had been sold since 1990.
The Peruvian Air Force bought ten Canberra aircraft, while five HS125 transporters went to Australia.
Other aircraft sold went to a variety of organisations and individuals, among them, Denel Aviation, Flight Research USA, Sparrow Aviation USA, and a number of flying and aerobatics clubs.
These aircraft included Kudu, Viscount, Bosbok, Albatross, DC4 Skymaster, Dakota, Impala, Super Freelon, Alouette 111, and Puma helicopters, Harvard, Cessna, and Transall C160.
Lekota said the specifications of the sale were determined on an individual basis by the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC).
No details of prices were provided, but Lekota said the value of the aircraft depended entirely on the ”presiding market value as determined by offers received”.
”Only those that are in the best interests of the state are then considered for acceptance,” he said. – Sapa