Gunship
6th Dec 2002, 08:34
Pretoria - Cabinet has approved a request by the SA National Defence Force
(SANDF) to commission the locally manufactured Rooivalk combat support
helicopter, government spokesperson Joel Net*****nzhe said on Thursday."The
helicopter programme represents significant levels of South African
industrial and innovation expertise commensurate with world-class
technology," he told reporters in Pretoria.
The approval came on Wednesday. South Africa was one of five countries in
the world producing a dedicated combat helicopter.
"This capability will stand the SANDF in good stead both in securing the
country and in peacekeeping missions."
Defence department spokesperson Sam Mkhwanazi said 12 helicopters would be
commissioned. Two were still under construction and 10 were being prepared
for operational use. The helicopters should be introduced into service in
about two-and-a-half years' time. It would cost the SANDF about R660m to get
the helicopters in the air and maintain them, Mkhwanazi said.
Net*****nzhe also announced that Cabinet had approved a bill to improve
corporate governance arrangements :eek: (Making Bribes easier? - ed) :eek: at arms procurer Armscor. Staying with
defence matters, he said Cabinet had given the go-ahead for a six-month
extension of SANDF participation in peacekeeping in Burundi - until June
next year. It had also approved a 16-month extension, until March 2004, for
12 military personnel forming part of African Union and United Nations
missions in Ethiopia and Eritrea.
(SANDF) to commission the locally manufactured Rooivalk combat support
helicopter, government spokesperson Joel Net*****nzhe said on Thursday."The
helicopter programme represents significant levels of South African
industrial and innovation expertise commensurate with world-class
technology," he told reporters in Pretoria.
The approval came on Wednesday. South Africa was one of five countries in
the world producing a dedicated combat helicopter.
"This capability will stand the SANDF in good stead both in securing the
country and in peacekeeping missions."
Defence department spokesperson Sam Mkhwanazi said 12 helicopters would be
commissioned. Two were still under construction and 10 were being prepared
for operational use. The helicopters should be introduced into service in
about two-and-a-half years' time. It would cost the SANDF about R660m to get
the helicopters in the air and maintain them, Mkhwanazi said.
Net*****nzhe also announced that Cabinet had approved a bill to improve
corporate governance arrangements :eek: (Making Bribes easier? - ed) :eek: at arms procurer Armscor. Staying with
defence matters, he said Cabinet had given the go-ahead for a six-month
extension of SANDF participation in peacekeeping in Burundi - until June
next year. It had also approved a 16-month extension, until March 2004, for
12 military personnel forming part of African Union and United Nations
missions in Ethiopia and Eritrea.