South Africa has an Air Force??

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[@witsend008]

Amazing ! I did not know that 2 of the 26 Gripen Jets still could fly ! At least - most important - the ANC got the bribes from the arms deal.

[@jackoninja2691]

We used to have an air force, but that was another time...

[@user-jl7oc5ps3c]

we still have a proper air force

[@jackoninja2691]

@@user-jl7oc5ps3c Compared to what it was? Absolutely not. Most of our aircraft are grounded. Plus, this current abomination of a government is too broke to properly fund all the maintenance of our entire military. Our current military would be completely annihilated by the old one using older equipment. If you think the state owned entities like Eskom and the rest are doing badly you should see the military.

[@dezmoraps9141]

A very proper and effective one indeed

[@dapuf]

if we keep letting ANC win, its not gonna get better

[@louisfourie3823]

Please say what the REAL reason is........ANC

[@reneestevez7193]

¿African National Congress......???

[@dapuf]

yes, so vote for another party damnit

[@ausman794]

1 aircraft 2 aircraft 3 aircraft No aircrafts. 😮

[@shev5986]

Fr

[@soidog659]

Was one of the oldest and most efficient air forces in the world, some one hundred plus years old founded circa 1920. Sadly, now almost defunct due to lack of funding.

[@user-mx2fr6fh7b]

Mmmmmm....south africa HAD a airforce !!

[@avi8tor971]

YEA ITS ALL AIR AND NO FORCE 😢 THANK YOU ANC 😢

[@dapuf]

"didnt even know we had an airforce" my boet, we have the second oldest airforce in the world, how do you not know

[@AsherPardey]

My boet, it’s a joke. 🤦🏽‍♂️ I know we have one, just currently not much of one.

[@dapuf]

@@AsherPardey ill give you that one, we have such little aircraft that we might as well start hiring the hadidas as planes

[@Loneranger670]

When I served in 1 Parachute battalion during the 80’s we were often based at Ondangwa airforce. There were always a couple of Mirage F1, Impala, Puma Helicopters, Alleouette gunships, Dakotas, bosbok spotters and occasionally some C130 hercs. Then one still had Rundu and Ruacana airforce bases with similar numbers. ……..and now we have only 2 fighter jets???? Another ANC stuff up

[@ObakengKontle]

Oh 😂OK I was asking my self how many air fighter plane we have now I understand

[@sithembilemabunda7024]

Every so often in Soweto, though everyone knew this

[@Daniel-mw2lf]

Currently down to 1 hawk in flag livery.very pretty!

[@avgeek3.0]

how did bro not know we had a airforce my brain alomost exsploded

[@AsherPardey]

Bro does know 😅 I just hadn’t seen or heard of much happening in my 25 years in SA. The Air Force is in shambles, so there’s not much left.

[@Lesciba]

​@@AsherPardeyIts not in shambles... we have 28 grippens, and half of them are in a what I can describe as a hibernation (to keep them as new), so should war break out they would be easily filled up with liquids & fuel and then attack.

[@frankhollier2241]

As a child i grewup in 80's . We lived in Voortrekkerhoogte. Close to Waterkloof Air force bace. Yhere was a crap load of plains abd Helicopters, constantly training. It is no secret that ANC and thiere nickampoops is reason we are at risk of invasion by any other country and we cant do didlysquat. Welll done ANC .

[@chriserasmus]

I think South Africa had up to 1997 the second oldest Air Force or Commercial Airways in the world. ( I know what went wong). P.S The yanks inderectly had part of the change of scenery of this country.

[@petelosuaniu]

Sounds like the NZ Airforce where most aircraft are always in maintenance and grounded lol Small airforces always seem to have major issues with keeping planes maintained. Too expensive.

[@AsherPardey]

Yeah it seems like it!

[@koketso_dithipe]

Surprising but not really surprising tbh

[@AsherPardey]

True 😅

[@henco9306]

Welcome to the world of South African aviation. It's not all glamorous, but do yourself a favor and study the history of the Atlas cheetah aircraft. I think you will find it very intriguing.

[@Dyson_Cyberdynesystems]

Those fighters aren't combat effective if they do manage to get them in the air. Turns out they never bought weapons with the jets back in the 2000s. I worked for a company next to Waterkloof that was drilling out Mk82 fuses from old stockpiles to try and make them functional again. That's why you never see photos of SAAF Gripens with A-A missiles on them. And if you think that's sad you can look at the Navy, who can't put any of the 4 "state of the art" Frigates or 3 Submarines out to sea. And when they do there's some sort of disaster. One sub which was just about totaled when someone plugged the wrong shore power cable (SAS Manthatisi 2007). The SAS Queen Modjadji ran into the sea floor in 2012.

[@NicoBotes]

There are Photos of a Gripen with A-A missiles from 2010 when they protected the airspace in the World Cup.

[@tevandorkin7402]

Are you serious, South Africa makes it's own air to surface and air to air missiles

[@blackwatch6649]

I believe the pronunciation is along the lines of GREE-pen.

[@AsherPardey]

Ah cool, thank you!

[@Sanderford]

That's how I've always heard Swedes say it, and it's their plane, so... It means Gryphon, if you want to call it that.

[@duanstrydom1771]

It's Gruhpin

[@linuslalinder3301]

Im Swedish and from the city were they make them. It is pronounced GREEPN in Swedish

[@AsherPardey]

Thanks! @@linuslalinder3301

[@eugenedupreez4738]

Did SAAB and the other airplane manufacturers not train ground crews to maintain these aircraft?

[@ViolentCabbage-ym7ko]

Training isn't the only issue. Sometimes it can be due to cost because the funding is small, and the air force can't afford to maintain its fleet.

[@dapuf]

its mostly because the government keeps stealing funds for everything

[@NOM-X]

As a JFO, I would love to work with this platform, and see short strike," abilities. In all actuality, it is just a F-16 with front downward flaps. They would dip in dive through the northern mountains which is hard for 16's to do, (even 10's). Would love to work with them, in CSAR, and high altitude LRS-C, and CAS! Nice video. Keep it up! - NOM

[@dapuf]

its really not an f16 my boet...

[@guntherjager482]

I watched an A109 helicopter fall from the sky in Centurion back in 2019 because they were not maintained.

[@AsherPardey]

Sheesh that’s crazy 😳

[@Majaweed17]

We have an air force, that's not really a force 😂

[@dennisleighton2812]

I think you got the name wrong - isn't it the SA Air Farce? You should also look into the state of the SA Gravy, and establish how many ships are actually operational?

[@jimmysweat2200]

Gripen is a monster fighter lots of toys come with it .

[@lindelanimashaba1684]

It’s grip’pen 😂

[@deonengelbrecht5951]

Is our gripens still operational? What? Amazing

[@wisaninchenya9662]

We have many of them go look at 2023 parade bro

[@johanberglund6240]

I can hear the creator is not used to hear fighter aircraft considering JAS as loud. JAS is a further development of a plane called Viggen which is considerably heavier and with a much more powerful motor. Viggen is loud. When it is driving by you can feel it in the ground, hear a sound from the window glasses as they are shaking, car alarms starts to go off and you get a stiffy: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oabNeHugftBqgNE kzbin.info/www/bejne/gIPQpX2Jg8mCaM0si=QXhdDQ1JSqq0eP1_&t=91

[@somefuckstolemynick]

The Gripen is not a development of the Viggen. The A20 was a development on the Viggen, but that project was scrapped to make way for a new design; The Gripen.

[@Robin-rk4tm]

Do we still have an Air Force...or are those 2 Grippen fighters, The Air Force.?

[@user-jl7oc5ps3c]

we have an air force, most are just in storage

[@neerajoshi5473]

How the mighty have fallen during the Cold War, South Africa had over 200 fighter aircraft but now they only have 20 and half of them are not even in working condition if South Africa goes to war now, they will definitely lose but during the Cold War, they had one of the strongest armies in the world they were so strong that they could even fight the Soviet Union on their own 😞

[@user-rv4pc5lp5x]

The ruling party has ruined everything they have touched. Literally. This is just another example.

[@izak5356]

I guessed Saab Viggen based on the shape, close I guess

[@wilmeroberg9794]

Operating a Viggen in 2023 would be crazy lol

[@linuslalinder3301]

It is SAAB JAS Gripen the viggen is retired since 20+ years

[@somefuckstolemynick]

@@wilmeroberg9794 Crazy, but crazy cool. Love the Viggen. Such a fantastic aircraft for it's time.

[@douw004]

South Africa had an air force, the 2nd oldest in the world. Able of shooting down two Migs in the border war as well. Then the ANC took over and everything in this country went downwards.

[@user-yj9fe5xl5c]

Where have you been, living under a rock. BAE systems did the deal for Hawks and Gripens as at that time BAR had shares in SAAB Technology, The problem for the South Africans is they can’t afford to keep them airworthy and can’t afford the updates. Shame

[@aviator_nic2043]

Your data is a bit off as of Feb 2024, last week 4 hawks, 3 Gripens and 5 PC-7's were in JHB. Yes that's still not much better but you should attend the Swartkops Airshow in May and AAD in September and you'll see it's not as bad as you think

[@AsherPardey]

Hey man, yes I’m aware. I made this video last year, based on what was in operation then. 😅 The air shows are cool, it’s just sad that so many of our aircrafts are out of service.

[@gary5481]

Nevertheless it's bad! You obviously have a genuine interest in aviation & have no doubt attended SAAF Museum Flying Days & other airshows. Although I haven't been to one for at least 15 years, the quality & quantity of their displays in the past, far exceeds their offering now. I remember watching the flyover for Mandela's inauguration in 1994 from my home just behind AFB ZWKP at the time, while listening in on my VHF radio. We had an 8 ship of almost every aircraft type participating at the time. Where an 8 ship couldn't be made up, like with Buccaneers, the Canberras joined them, as with the VIP Wing. There were almost 100 aircraft airborne at the same time, which obviously did not represent, the full strength at the time. At a push, including Museum & VIP aircraft, they may get 15 now.

[@ThatGuy-vi6cj]

Are you sure it's not that bad coz I REALLY wanna go man aviation is one of my passions and I hope it's not that bad like are the planes still operational can I learn to fly at least??

[@johanberglund6240]

P. W. Botha ... I wonder what he would think if he saw this. Any South African here who could say what Botha would think of it?

[@douw004]

One of the reasons PW did not want to release Mandela. He knew the terrorist and his cadres will destroy South Africa.

[@derekhalford187]

PW Botha knew full well the destruction the ANC would bring about on South Africa if given the chance to rule, that's why he didn't entertain these communists and its leader Mandela!

[@2011granit]

Maybe by the Bricks club!!!!!

[@neilcombrink5231]

It is wat it is

[@HenkBoshoff]

Just close the airforce - it is not supposed to be an excuse to pay salaries.

[@neerajoshi5473]

South Africa had an air force since the 1960s why are people surprised South Africa had a lot of aircraft during the Cold War

[@AsherPardey]

I know they have an airforce, the problem is most their planes are out of working order.

[@dapuf]

the airforce actually started as far back as the 1920's so i am eqally confused as you are on how people dont know

[@adisura9904]

SA . Really needs to fix its economy and invest in at least maintaining a fleet. We need to see those swedish beasts roar! Best wishes from Bharat (India)

[@dapuf]

thankyou for you wishes my boet, we will try atleast to fix it. best wishes from Weskus (West Coast, South Africa) P.S. i love your guy's ability to keep those beautiful MiG 21's up and running, truly and old but gold fighter

[@derekhalford187]

Wow. ignorance is bliss. The South African Air Force has a proud history stretching from 1920 to present times, though it's now been allowed to dwindle into a grounded paper tiger, which is very sad, considering it was the strongest and most capable air force in Africa once upon a time.

[@AsherPardey]

Very true! It’s crazy how bad it’s become. I was born in 1999 so I’ve never known about the thriving Air Force we once had. Digging into the history is fascinating!

[@jeankoen2392]

DON'T COMPLAIN NOW... JUST VOTE ANC/DA.... whatever party you vote for... There is something seriously wrong here....

[@vuyosayasholento3714]

Other people / Countries can see our growth but us here in South Africa nothing we thank! I glad this guy is happy to see those Jets fly. Be greatfull and wish for better! Most of comments its like during apartheid everything was okay! Shame on them .

[@dapuf]

we may have a worse economy now, but atleast we can work together to fix it now, to get rid of the corruption. no more apartheid, thats one step further to a perfect country

[@user-jl7oc5ps3c]

I can't tell if you are joking or not... cause if you are not this is sad as hell, how clueless can you be?

[@AsherPardey]

Hey man, I know there’s not much of an air force. 😅 That’s why I made the video. I’m just surprised that they had at least 1 fighter plane.

[@user-jl7oc5ps3c]

@@AsherPardey The South African Air Force is larger than a lot of European Air Forces and prominent Middle Eastern countries Air Forces too. We have 17 Gripens, some are in storage and some are active, no longer than a week ago 3 Gripens participated in exercises.

[@bigpeter2767]

Great whites?

[@albertoambrosio3060]

Era meglio prima il Sudafrica 😭

[@user-ol1qm9ey7g]

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