First camera images from ZAcubeSat2. Camera for wildlife detection and monitoring.

SA Special Forces

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ADVANCED GAS TURBINES TO EXTEND GUIDED MISSILE RANGE AND UAV CAPABILITIES

Project Status:
Ongoing
The CSIR, in collaboration with Cape Aerospace Technologies and Stellenbosch University, is working on a 200 N (Newton) micro gas turbine engine for the hobby market, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and potential small-diameter precision-guided weapons. The CSIR is also developing a 1 000 N turbojet engine capable of vastly extending the range of large guided missile systems.

With the lack of a propulsion systems capability in South Africa having been identified as a deficiency in the aerospace industry, and with a clear market for an emerging gas propulsion sector, an ideal opportunity was presented to create a local gas turbine industry. This would enable the continued development of South Africa's considerable capability in guided weapons development.

A 200 N engine is being assembled for testing, while the larger 1 000 N engine is in the detailed design phase with specific sub-systems being manufactured for component testing. The core for both designs is based on mixed flow compressor design, simultaneously enabling high-mass flow and pressure ratios in single stages. The results of the compressors that have been tested to date are encouraging.

Apart from the turbojets currently envisaged, there are many variant designs possible, for instance, by adding turbine stages or converting the engine to bypass engines with higher thrust for helicopter applications and UAVs, respectively.

The work being done on these engines, with assistance from the Aeronautical Industry Support Initiative (AISI) of the Department of Trade and Industry, is key in the creation of a local gas turbine industry that could be of great economic value to the country.

Gas turbines are extremely high value-added sub-systems. The project has the potential to create a high-value export commodity, as well as promote skilled job creation for the South African manufacturing sector.

ZACube2 nano satellite working as planned. Data showing vessels along African coast.

After years of painful delays, the process has finally actually begun. New IPV's for SA Navy under construction.

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SA...

Better pic.

Not the clearest of pics (screengrab from video), but it looks like they've mounted Starstreak on the Gecko's.

nemesis8u:


Possibly problem with flight control , also since it is sounding rocket strong cross winds can play spoil sport , though atmospheric conditions r factored in before launch.

Correction. Engine failure. Launched, then cut-out almost immediately.

Rocket launched but soon made a U-turn towards the ground. Aim was 10km.

bidexiii:



A university project been tested at the "Denel test" range, right ?

Yes. Department of Science & Technology funded the university to develop it (and further iterations). They were just using Denel's launch facilities.

University of KwaZulu Natal. Phoenix 1B sounding rocket. Being prepared for launch at Denel test range.

CSIR develops wide area surveillance system for armoured vehicles

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has developed a panoramic 360 degree Wide Area Surveillance System which would give armoured vehicle crews enhanced situational awareness, whilst allowing them to remain safely under armour.

The wide area surveillance system provides a 360 degree view of the scene around a vehicle as well as the locations of threats or targets in combat situations whilst the gunner, driver and commander are safe inside their armoured vehicle.

The system allows for the elimination of windows, which are often the weakest point in armour and, according to the CSIR, almost allow the crew to see through metal.

The system can operate by day and night on both land and on maritime vessels.

The surveillance system uses proprietary camera calibration techniques and stitching algorithms to fuse data into the output view. The calibrated cameras compensate for wide-angle lens distortion that occurs in standard camera visuals and procures a panoramic real-time stitch of the scene that is geometrically accurate.

Overlapping adjacent views can be stitched together to create a high-resolution, wide field of view image. Overlapping visual and thermal frames can also be fused into a visual/thermal composite output.



Algorithms used in the stitching of images are patented and part of the novel camera calibration that is part of what distinguishes the CSIR product from similar offerings, the Council said.

Regarding applications, the CSIR said the main users would be the army and for maritime users it provides 360 degree day and night optical surveillance that complements radar for detecting wooden pirate boats and other surface threats, thereby eliminating close range blind spots around large vessels.

The system would also be of value to operators of cash-in-transit services for improved situational awareness around vehicles without adversely compromising the protection offered by vehicle armour.

The CSIR is looking for partners to industrialise the system and is also aiming at the South African military – the South African Army’s future Badger infantry combat vehicle, for example, uses several different cameras rather than a single panoramic one and could be a good candidate for the vehicle.

CSIR unveils gunshot and missile detection system

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has unveiled an optical-based gunshot and missile detection system that is quite unique in that it does not rely on acoustic sensors and can be used for both ground and air applications.

Most gunshot detection systems rely on several microphones to detect and pinpoint gunshots. The CSIR has taken a different approach, using infrared sensors to detect when a firearm is discharged or a rocket motor fired. This makes it more cost effective (and unobtrusive) than radar-based systems and more versatile than missile or firearm only detection systems.

The gunshot detection system uses a near infrared camera with proprietary optical filters and image processing techniques to detect muzzle flashes within the field of view. In addition to the primary muzzle flash, the system can also detect secondary flashes, which are enhanced if there is a flash suppressor on the muzzle.

In addition to detecting missiles/gunshots, the system is able to classify, position and work out the origin of the source. It can be used by aircraft operators, cash-in-transit companies, police and others who run CCTV surveillance centres.

Whilst the system has been designed to detect gunshots and missile launches, it can detect other explosive sources such as mortars, hand grenades etc. – essentially most forms of explosion as the combustible elements used are similar and the infrared signature similar.

The CSIR has done field evaluation of the system but further testing is required, especially with other firearms and propellant types. An industrial partner is being sought to further test and develop the technology – companies have already expressed interest in the system.



“With the support of an appropriate partner agency, the technology will be further enhanced by refining sensors, expanding field measurements as well as further simulation and hardware development. This would be well supported by access to an aircraft for testing, as well as arranging missile firing, sourcing of components and a hardware manufacturing and assembly capability. The distances at which detection occurs during early tests are impressive and would bode well for market opportunities for the commercialised product as a missile approach warning and/or gunshot detection system,” the CSIR said.

“This is still a very new idea,” said Edwin Magidimisha at the CSIR’s Defence, Peace, Safety and Security division. He told defenceWeb that the system has only been under development for the last couple of years.

Success and Challenges for Denel Dynamics

Denel Group division Denel Dynamics recorded a R460 million loss for the 2017/2018 financial year in spite of progress with several programmes, including the Seeker 400, A-Darter and Al Tariq.

According to the latest Denel annual report, with revenue of R1.278 billion for 2017/18, Denel Dynamics contributed 20% of the Group’s revenue. Around half of this was from export contracts. However, the division made a loss of R463 million, compared with a loss of R2 million for 2016/17.

One of the main contributors to the loss was the Al Tariq guided bomb. “In June 2018, we completed the production of the Al Tariq precision guided munitions together with Tawazun Dynamics. The design portion of the contract had been delayed leading to further delays in the production. This was at a severe cost contributing R319 million in losses for the current year,” the Denel annual report for 2017/18 stated.

Denel designed and developed the Umbani (Al Tariq) bomb kit system to improve the accuracy and range of Mk 81 and Mk 82 bombs. It provides the user with an all-weather, day or night operational capability, utilising GPS/INS guidance or imaging infrared (IIR) with a complete automatic target recognition (ATR) capability or a semi-active Laser (SAL) seeker for increased targeting accuracy.

A centre of excellence for manufacturing these weapons has been established in the United Arab Emirates as a part of a joint venture established by Denel and the country’s partner Tawazun Dynamics, which also contributes to Denel’s offset obligations. The programme accounted for revenue of R308 million (2016/17: R168 million) during the year.

On the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) front, Denel Dynamics has made progress with the Seeker 400 UAV and was contracted to supply the Seeker 400 to the United Arab Emirates. Denel said the product offering is a comprehensive solution consisting of six aircraft, two ground control stations, six electro-optic payloads, as well as the integration of other sensors, such as the synthetic aperture radar (SAR), satellite communication (SATCOM), and the integration of weapons. The weapon of choice for the client is the P2, recently designed for Tawazun Dynamics.

The Seeker 400 system produced for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has been successfully completed with the handover of the system during the 2017/18 financial year. Finalisation of the military type certification was due to follow in the last quarter of 2018 after the end user’s operational tests and evaluation. This is expected to be accomplished in the 2018/19 financial year and marks the completion of the programme. The value of the programme is R339 million of which R333 million has been invoiced to date.

Regarding air-to-air missiles, Denel noted that the performance qualification flight trials for the A-Darter air-to-air missile were successfully completed. This also completed the critical design review and established the product baseline ready for industrialisation and manufacturing. The initial batch of four acquisition trainer missiles is planned for delivery to the South African Air Force (SAAF) in the 2018/19 financial year with the final batch of operational missiles scheduled for delivery in the 2021 calendar year.

The value of the joint South Africa/Brazil programme is just over R2 billion. The follow-on production contract for the SAAF with a value of R939 million was placed with Denel in March 2015 and revenue to the value of R223 million (2016/17: R219m) was recognised during the last financial year.

Meanwhile, the radar seeker for the Marlin missile was tested in a number of ground and captive flight tests during the year under review. After completing successful integration on the missile during November 2017, a successful guided flight test was conducted from a ground launch to a manoeuvring target. The test proved the maturity status of the missile and the radar seeker design, Denel said.

In 2017/2018 Denel Dynamics was contracted by Patria Aviation Oy to upgrade the Umkhonto-IR Vessel Mounted Equipment (VME) on four Hamina class vessels of the Finnish Defence Force. This includes the supplying of services for the commissioning of all four Hamina-class vessels. The contract also includes the supply of integrated logistic support training and documentation for the upgraded Umkhonto-IR surface-to-air missile system.

Progress was also made with the EO-SAT1 earth observation satellite being designed by Denel Dynamics. High resolution payload detailed design of the satellite was completed (optics and detector electronics). The first successful radiation tests on electronics components was carried out and data reduction completed. Communications between satellite and ground station was achieved with software-defined radios.

Covert1:


Setbacks are part of military operations. A war is made up of many battles. Who wins the war carries the day. Now that's our forte, to win wars which we do quite well and it's not about to change anytime soon. BHTs incredible capacity to rebound is not a dent in the capability of the Nigerian Army to vanquish them.

Nigeria's direct and covert support for the MPLA led to them not only capturing SA POWs but to defeat them. That's the historical reality which is glaring enough.

We might as well then just give the credit to Saudi Arabia for supplying the oil, which was refined to jet fuel, that filled the tanks of Nigerian aircraft . Stand back Cuba, stand back Russia....Nigeria's got this. Lol.
Have a good day sir. Cheers.

Covert1:


And yet holding ground. Leave the Nigerians to their upheaval, they can bash themselves as always but you know what always get the job done in the end which is the common goal. BHT holds no territory and is doing what only it can do against lightly defended FOBs it can't hold for any few hours. It's called harassing the enemy and friendly forces in turn reinforce to give them a beating which inflicts maximum casualties.

If BHT enter your country by now you'd be in Abuja begging for those same Nigerian soldiers. You think ISWAP are poachers or the MPLA. Wait till you see them then you know the difference in fighting for survival and fighting to die with a grin on your face.

Historical evidence abounds that Nigeria's military diplomacy denied Apartheid South Africa the sphere of influence it wanted in Angola. In all its foreign forays Apartheid lead Pretoria avoided direct confrontation with Lagos like a plaque. Every student of history knows that. Don't know what your pain is about a historical reality like you are invisible which you're not.

There's a reason why they do what they do in Nigeria and not in SA. So your "if" is meaningless. Their friends are trying their luck in Mozambique at the moment.

There is no historical reality to the post Henry made. Nigerian soldiers did not capture South Africans, Angolans did. End of story.

People must rather focus on why their army constantly runs away and gets overrun, as opposed to posting fake news. Even after being corrected & told where, when and by whom these men were captured, you continue. Shame.

http://www.defenceweb.co.za/mobilesite/defenceweb/home/item_id-54021/

Armscor places nearly R2 billion in contracts in 2018


The 2018 calendar year saw Armscor place new contracts for defence and defence-related equipment to the value of R1.8 billion.

"The bulk of these were for maintenance and support of various systems for the SA Air Force (SAAF) and SA Army," Kevin Wakeford, chief executive of the acquisition agency said adding some spending went to "various technology-related contracts with defence evaluation and research institutes".

Among "significant acquisition contracts" placed this year he cited seven.

They are grenade rocket launchers; elements of a field kitchen system; elements of a field camping system; elements of a ground-based air defence system (GBADS); autonomous gun fire unit elements for air defence; a sniper rifle capacity and tactical communication systems.

Wakeford also noted development of a 30mm remote control weapon station and a radar upgrade as being among the more significant work undertaken during the year.

SAAF instructors in the air during wings parade for newly qualified pilots. 16 ship formation.

Cheetah C-RAM development picks up speed

"A series of successful trials of Denel’s Cheetah C-RAM (counter-rocket, artillery, and mortar) effector earlier this year have taken it closer to full integration with Rheinmetall Defence’s Oerlikon Skyshield close aerial protection systems, according to Reinart Moraal, Denel Dynamics’ chief systems engineer for the Cheetah and Mongoose 3 effector systems.

The Cheetah, along with the Mongoose 3, is proposed jointly by South Africa’s Denel group and Rheinmetall Defence to complement Skyshield. The system is featured among Rheinmetall Defence’s networked air-defence systems and has been shown internationally as part of its Skynex configuration.

According to Moraal, the development of Cheetah is now at intermediate technology readiness level (TRL) of between TRL 3 and 4."

darkelf:


Trust Nigerians. Misplacement of priorities.

Why are these ones not in Borno?

Are they given brand new weapons to take pics or to go and fight insurgency. Yet we complain that we are outgunned and out manned

We aren't serious in this part of the world

Because taking nice pics for Instagram is completely different to being a competent soldier, under a competent chain of command. People are shocked that so many Nigerian soldiers can be killed, because they're assuming a level of competence based on fancy pics. The numbers don't lie. There is no valid reason to have so many men killed, while fighting terrorists on motorbikes.

Centrifude:


I hope the S.A Government and Military are watching closely because we might be facing a similar situation sooner than we think.

Chief of the SA Army has already spoken about the threat posed from Mozambique. So they know about it. I would reckon South African Special Forces have already made a couple reconnaissance visits to the area.

Henry240:

No sir.

Only a couple units of Puma helicopters received that upgrade.

Evidence of Significant Rarely upgrade, and what was upgraded?

Your Olifant upgrade has been debunked multiple times, won't be going back there.

Badger IFV, is almost 10 years late. Not a single badger has entered military units.



What evidence of significant army purchase?

Almost all your armoured vehicles, Rates Casspir, MRLS, Trucks are from the apartheid era.

So what significant purchase has been made?

Badger is not 10 years late. It was never meant to enter service in 2007/2008. Badger is 36 months (3 years) behind schedule.

Henry240:

Dude, the South-African Air Force would kill to fly the number of hours the Nigerian Air Force flies a year. The Nigerian Air Force as a service has flown more than 7,000 combat sorties in the last 12 months alone.

Haven't SAAF C-130 gone into obsolescence? With only 2 units of 6 available for operations?

The incident with the F-7s was an accident, well acceptable with operationally acceptable standards.

Nigerian army soldiers getting killed or ambushed?

Let me think............. I kind of remember the northeast being an active theater of operations. Actual combat is something the SANDF knows nothing about. You got totally decimated in the CAR.

Please don't mix and match "military words" you've learnt throughout the years, just to pretend you have some type of point. The F7 incident did not happen during any type of combat or operational flying. It was straight and level display flying. So you can go throw your "operationally acceptable standards" right in the dustbin.

It was simply the incompetent of one or more of those pilots that lead to the accident. Watch the video. End of story.

And before you even waste your time saying how similar mid-air collisions have occurred in other air forces....they were not performing any type of acrobatics or risky flying. Just straight and level incompetence.

If your soldiers consistently get killed in groups of 5-15 (or even more) during ambushes. Then maybe your troops need to stop wasting their time taking pics for Instagram, and rather focus on counter-ambush drills.

Blakjewelry:
death by submarine should be classified as one of the worst way to die

Well not really. If there is a decompression at a submerged depth, the hull collapses within milliseconds. Think of a balloon popping, but in reverse. So it's a quick and painless way to die.

Maybe for the family and friends yes, since you'll never recover a body.

Apologies for that long a.s.s text in a pic thread.

Algerian1:
30 years ago ..


ALGERIA FOILED AN ISRAELI ATTEMPT TO BOMB THE PALESTINIAN LIBERATION ORGANISATION GATHERING IN ALGIERS IN 1988

This post sort of reminds me of the Al Jazeera "spy leaks" a few years back. How South African intelligence were following Mossad activities in SA.

https://www.google.co.za/amp/s/www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2015/02/spy-cables-reveal-israel-mossad-tactics-south-africa-guardian-150224124719957.html

"A secret South African spy document obtained by Al Jazeera's Investigative Unit provides insights into the tradecraft of Israel's secret service.

South African agents have, in part, compiled the information through counter-espionage surveillance of one of the Israeli Mossad's individual agents.

But they appear to have also drawn a lot of their information from a well-known book by author Gordon Thomas. Information printed in Gideon's Spies: The Inside Story of Israel's Legendary Secret Service The Mossad is liberally quoted throughout.

Among the findings of the State Security Agency's (SSA) 2009 "intelligence assessment," were claims that the Israeli agency:

"Often employs actual prostitutes" and photographs them with Palestinian sources "for potential blackmail leverage".

Sends agents abroad to seduce "an international array of embassy secretaries and airline stewardesses, for they can provide much valuable information about the diplomats, airports and cities of the Arab world".

Stepped up its assassination programme under former Director General Meir Dagan.

The report also shows the SSA so distrusted Mossad that it assigned counter-espionage agents to watch one of its operatives at work in South Africa.

They followed the Israeli as he carried out day-to-day activities, met with sources, and travelled to Cape Town with his supervisor.

They noted that the Mossad agent:

Maintains numerous sources within the South African government and police.

Has "constant contact" with Jewish community members, possibly "to assist… in intelligence activities".

Takes basic counter-surveillance steps, including slicing rubbish bags and varying regular travel routes.
Life as a Mossad spy
South Africa's surveillance of an individual Mossad agent in the country reveals he is, as expected, a deeply cautious and security-conscious individual.

"When attending liaison meetings," the document describes the Mossad operative performing counter-surveillance. He "varied his driving speed between 30km/h and 90km/h" and "would also pull over and waited next to the road for approximately four minutes for no specific reason".

The agent "also changed his access routes to his house every time he used his vehicle".

He "cut his rubbish bags in such a manner that it could not be lifted from the dustbin without spilling the content". This presumably makes it hard to rifle through his waste paper without being detected.

The SSA briefing says the Mossad operative had very close links with the Jewish community in South Africa, including the Jewish Board of Deputies, something which "might have been an indication that the Mossad utilised them in its covert collection activities".

The Mossad agent was also "in regular contact with a member of the South African Police Service" and the cooperation between them "revolved around Islamic Militancy issues in South Africa."

The counter-espionage officers say the Mossad agent "also had contacts within government departments which included the Agriculture, Trade and Industry, Health and other institutions that deal with research.

"Most of his contacts within these departments were contacting him on his cellular phone precisely because he might have been aware that it was not easy to monitor a cellular phone," says the 2009 report.

South Africa's State Security Agency (SSA) even followed the Mossad man as he travelled to Cape Town with his supervisor. They noted that he "had a possible 'brush' meeting with two persons in a public toilet, one of them of Muslim origin".

When he checked out of his hotel, the Israeli agent also paid for another guest, a U.S. citizen. The South Africans say this was "yet another point of concern".

Clearly, the report shows, South African intelligence are worried about Israel agents' activities in their country, and go to considerable lengths, at significant cost, to ascertain just what the Israelis are doing, even if they fall back on the details contained in popular books on the subject."

Sizzorkay:
Henry self, leave anything South Africa matter alone, whatever acquisition they made or didn't make no concern us now
And perhaps it will be nice if people don't resort to insults over something so simple, Jeez.
he said something about SA, if you think he was wrong, show your reason with proof and that should do it, throwing insults around only invite same, then the whole thread goes to sh!t, what ever happen to men acting like men and not children.
And if anyone feel slighted by my comment, feel free to insult me, won't respond to ya. Life's too short for drama

It's fair to say everyone can now see for themselves that he has some deep seated problem with SA. Whatever it is, who knows. Admitting that he enjoys seeing South Africans cry is straight from the troll textbook. He was already well aware of the list that Patches posted, before he made his post. Anyways... so be it