Awesome footage! We need some photos too though! Would also be interesting to hear soldiers perspectives, I see one of the Rooivalk is white? Recent return or pre-deployment to Goma?
MikeCZAR: Air defence isn't about jets only. Even with current numbers almost pilot numbers, no sub Saharan African country threatens us.
worry about the sensors. like the delayed project chutney.
Thanks I wasn't familiar with that so this combined with GBADS should solve that gap. However losing pilots like we are should be a cause for concern in the interim.
Funding for the Sudan mission used to be a problem back when it was an exclusive AU mission. It would take forever for SA to get re-imbursed. As things stand now, the Sudanese govt basically dictates to the UN and AU what equipment can be brought in for UNAMID. SA has a battalion there, in 3 bases far apart, equipped with Mambas and Casspir for protected mobility. JOps would dearly love to deploy some Ratels to handle technicals armed with 23mm etc, at least 4 Oryx for QRFand medevac, but the Sudanese govt won't allow this. Every single contact in Darfur, we've been outnumbered and out-gunned, and only the skill and training of our guys has saved our bacon. The militia formerly supported by the govt have been left to fend for themselves, with most becoming bandits. I fear one of these days our luck will run out with catastrophic results. Our govt should say no to the UN and AU if troops are to be deployed under-strength. And people don't realise the strain on the SANDF. For every battalion deployed externally, there's 2 at home that are not available, according to our doctrine: 1 that's come back and whose members then go off to courses in terms of their career projections, and 1 that's in pre-deployment training to rotate. So with 2 battalions in the DRC and Darfur, there's 4 at home not available.
It is odd how the SANDF are always in the thick of it when we are just one of the troop contributing nations and on numbers purely, number 5. Unless if reporting on other incidents aren't reaching us. I think the Sudanese convoy passing the SA base should've been the last straw for our gov, but alas the troops on the ground must bear the brunt.
APOLOGIES: my informant got details wrong - fog of war and all that. It was a platoon against 2 companies - one company at the ambush site which the platoon successfully repulsed, and another company deployed as a blocking force further down the road. Sequence of events according to official reports:
1) Due to the increasing number of ambushes on these UN convoys (travelling on pre-determined routes meaning the initiative is always with the attackers), our SANDF motorised platoons have been beefed up by the addition of augmented weapons sections (as per our doctrine). OPSEC means no details, so all I can say is some 20mm cannon, more .50 cal MGs, 40mm AGLs, 60 & 80 mm mortars and every rifle group containing a DMR (need I say all this was locally-produced Denel materiel?);
2) 8SAI, which is the battalion currently deployed in Darfur, is normally a Mechanised Battalion, which means they've been trained and are proficient to handle the 20mm cannon usually mounted on their Ratels and in this case mounted on some of the Mambas;
3) The rebel commander was either incompetent or didn't have enough time to prepare the ambush and deploy his forces: a company of infrantry, supported by 4 PKM-armed technicals was deployed;
4) The SANDF platoon LT, observing this, rightly concluded there was waiting for his men a more fortified ambush site further down the road with more heavier-armed technicals and infantry;
5) Superior training and tactics meant he took 3 crucial decisions: --a) counter and disrupt the ambush at the present site; then --b) establish effective defensive positions from the numerically superior rebel company facing him, and raise the alert for relief from Mellit FOB, 2 hours away by road; --c) deployed some of his Mambas and weapons section to the high ground to his eastern flank to deny manoeuvre to the enemy's better equipped reserve technicals and company;
6) It took 2 hours for the QRF to reach the platoon by road, having fought off a company, sustained 1 KIA, 4 WIA and kept the enemy's more superior reserve out of the fight.
My gripe remains this: the entire UN/AU mission in Darfur is only allowed by the Sudan govt 8 transport helicopters. They can only transport UN civilians and police. They are inferior MI-8 crap as opposed to the Oryx, and not allowed to be armed. The enemy evaporated once they spotted the QRF after 2 hours, which would have been minutes if we had Oryx there, and saved lives. But neither the SA govt nor the UN/AU care about ordinary soldiers' lives.
Great stuff from our troops! Who time and again show mettle, ingenuity and bravery under fire with little support. Just curious however how much of this is purely a Sudanese problem mate? I seem to recall General Vusi Masondo saying funding was a bit of an issue for some of our external missions esp in Sudan? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Nfvfw9R8Is
According to a very controversial newspaper that sells primarily to a certain middle-aged, pale skinned and Afrikaans demographic.
Basically a more sophisticated Sahara Reporters.
The phrasing of the sentance alone indicates that they actually dont know how many we have. If they knew we had 9 they would have said so, but they dont, and they wont put a specific number in writing because they would get sued out of buisness.
Rapport, unfortunately mate, is usually accurate with its reporting around the SANDF. Darren Olivier from African Defense Review also confirmed the report is accurate and I believe they were first with the story around our troops in Sudan being threatened over al Bashir. Not being an expert I can't say how this in anyway threatens our air capability in SADC, but a few experts are of the opinion sending all of them to Russia is odd and unprecedented. Anyway I believe more tough news is ahead if our government insists on under funding the SANDF at 1% of GDP, its treasonous almost. In any case I hope there's more than 9 Hawk pilots to augment 2 squadron.
Ah, now I understand. The 2nd year MSDS option is not selection. It's the Special Forces Basic Training Cycle for MSDS, which prepares you for Selection. It's a creative way for SF Brigade to also get their not so soft hands on university recruits, before they get corrupted by the other services who make them "Ruperts". I'm told that if you nail your 1st year MSDS you stand a good chance of getting into the Cycle. [Hint: whilst nailing your 1st yr MSDS, make yourself useful to the SF Reserves!]
Thanks for the clarification man really helpful stuff. Was under the impression it was selection for actual SF, hope to meet some recruitment/operators at AAD next year for more info about the different options and their advice. Definitely not a small decision and not to be taken lightly and I want to qualify! However serving in any capacity/branch would still be an honour and I may be of more use elsewhere anyway.
A previous post wasn't visible so I thought putting it in bold would help. Still finishing undergrad mate so would be in the 2017 MSDS stream. From the information I have gotten on the net seems there's an SF MSDS stream of first year regular infantry training then applying for a selection course the second year. Ah yes made the mistake of forgetting the years of training/evaluation post selection. Certainly know the difference was just young when I met the operator. Thanks man
Ouch, the bold really hurt my eyes mate! First things first. Passing Selection does NOT make one anything. There's a process, and a long one before one wears the badge. I have a general idea but having not taken that path (I know what I can and can't do), I can't advise you. As for post MSDS, have you tried joining the regular force? That should stand you in good stead? If your goal is SF, surely you can find the info you seek? STF is police, you know that right? Very highly trained and specialised police. What's your MSDS stream, anyway?
Not really sure how to respond to your original post. Congrats to your mates and all others who passed selection! Pretty intrigued by the SADC element to this: do they receive operator badges or certificates of qualification in different areas? I think its great for commonality in things such as a SADC QRF. Only worry would be human rights abuses like in Lesotho recently. Really considering giving the SANDF a go once I'm finished studying too. Not to be intrusive, but does qualifying as an operator mean being offered a full contract post MSDS? Your response would really be appreciated as an insight into my research around this. Hope to speak to an operator at AAD 2016. Spoke to one and all I could think of asking was how they differ from the Special Task Force lol and received a training manual in 2010 that piqued my interest in applying. Thanks for the informative posts
frumentius: Hearty congratulations to a Para friend and a MRS (Marines) acquaintance who passed SF Selection! Not forgetting the 2 Namibians, 1 Zimbabwean, 2 Tanzanians, 2 Kenyans, 1 Zambian and 1 Angolan. To the assorted SADC candidates who failed at the last phase: you have one more chance!
Yes a few years back one operator was killed during response to CIT haven't heard anything since. Considering that we barely get any reports around STF work, it's possible a few more have been KIA since. http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Rambo-dies-after-failed-heist-20071119 A few have been killed, but not many. I know in the late 90's or early 2000 an operator was travelling with a cash van as security (when cash heists spiked during those times, the police sometimes escorted them). They apparently emptied a full magazine into him, before going after the cash.
Foreign Affairs / Re: African Militaries/ Security Services Strictly Photos Only And Videos Thread by gees9: 8:14pm On Nov 09, 2015 