South African Army
The South African Army is the army of South Africa.
History
Founding
Although military units (both regular and irregular) had been in existence throughout the whole of its history, the army of the (then) Union of South Africa was formed in 1912.
Initially, it consisted of five regular mounted regiments and a small artillery section. Conscription was also introduced the in same year and half of the white males aged from 16 to 25 were drafted by lots into the Active Citizen Force (ACF).
World War I
When World War I broke out, South Africa joined the Allies. General Louis Botha, the then prime minister, immediately sent troops to invade German South West Africa (now Namibia), despite widespread Afrikaner opposition.
During the war, the army was led by General Jan Smuts, who had rejoined the army on the outbreak of the war.
Over 146,000 men served in South African military units during the war, including 43,000 in German South West Africa and 30,000 on the Western Front. An estimated 3,000 South Africans also joined the Royal Flying Corps.
Total South African casualties during the war totalled about 18,600 (with over 6,600 killed).
World War II
Of the 132,194 men who volunteered for full time service in the South African Army during the war, nearly 3,400 were killed, 7,236 were wounded and 12,271 were either missing or a POW.
The 'Border War' (1966 - 1989)
From 1966 to 1989 the SADF fought a counter insurgency campagian against Marxist SWAPO rebels in South West Africa (Namibia). They also carried out operations in support of UNITA rebels in Angola and aganist the Cuban troops that supported the Communist Angolan government.
The current South African Army
In 1994 when South Africa achieved full democracy the army was made open to all races. Today the SANDF (South African National Defence Force) has racial quotas to make sure that White, Black, Coloured, and Indian South Africans are equally represented in the armed forces.
Units
Weapons
- Star 9mm automatic pistol (being replaced)
- Vektor R4 5.56mm assault rifle replaced the R1 (license-built FN FAL) 7.62mm assault rifle.
- Vektor R5 and R6 assault rifles (shortened barrel R4)
- Uzi 9mm light-weight submachine gun
- Vektor SS-77 5.56mm general purpose lightweight machine gun replaced the 7.62mm FN MAG
- ArmTech MGL-6 a six round 40mm grenade launcher
- A new lightweight Anti-tank guided missile launcher replacing the RPG-7
Combat vehicles
- Olifant series main battle tank (phased out of service)
- Rooikat series wheeled armoured fighting vehicles replaced the Eland series wheeled reconnaissance vehicle
- Ratel family of infantry fighting vehicles.
- G5 155mm howitzer.
- G6 155mm self-propelled howitzer.
Non-combat vehicles
- RG-32 Nyala Mine protected vehicle replacing both the Buffel and Casspir.
- SAMIL 20 an (upgraded Magirus Deutz 130M7FAL) 4x4 truck
- SAMIL 50 an (upgraded Magirus Deutz 192D12AL) 4x4 truck
- SAMIL 100 an (upgraded Magirus Deutz 320D22AL) 6x6 truck
See also
