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Introduction

The army's ground forces in the mid-1990s could field an imposing array of equipment, most of it produced in South Africa. Their arsenal includes tanks, armored reconnaissance vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles, and armored personnel carriers. The army also has a wide array of artillery pieces, including towed and self-propelled heavy artillery, multiple-rocket-launcher systems, as well as mortars and antitank and air defense weapons.

The absence of any immediate military threat to South Africa, the low probability of a significant threat within the foreseeable future, the reductions in the defence budget since 1989 and the likelihood that the budget will remain restricted for some time, have created a situation where the maintenance of extensive military capabilities is neither necessary nor affordable. The 1998 Defence Review Option 1 therefore represented the minimum force level that can be maintained as a growth core, in accordance with a core force approach, without the permanent loss of capabilities.

In late June 2002 Members of the Parliamentary defence portfolio committee were told that the army had only four running Olifant tanks and eight Rooikat armoured cars out of a estimated fleet of 168 and 242 respectively. But SANDF spokesman Colonel John Rolt denied this, saying the figures were wrong. "In the regular component we have 30 of the more than 150 Olifant Mk1A main battle tanks ready for deployment - six at the School of Armour and 24 managed and maintained by 1SA Tank Regiment." Rolt said 18 Rooikat vehicles were currently being "managed and maintained," with eight in use at any one time at the School of Armour. "This number is based on the available funds for the Financial Year 2002/03 to sustain these vehicles. Additional funding would be required to operate more tanks and armoured cars." The rest of the fleet, the size of which he declined to confirm for reasons of security, was being kept in running order in low-cost preservation.

Tanks provide a unique combination of mobility, firepower and resilience, and are the main combat element of the conventional land battle. The SA Army had 224 Olifant Mk1A/1B tanks on inventory in 1998, while Defence Review Option 1 required 154. The capability of tanks is vastly improved by using tank transporters for deployment over distances. The Olifant is due for replacement by a new generation main battle tank system from the year 2009.

Armored cars are used in reconnaissance, attacks and counter-attacks against minor enemy strongholds, and in rear areas against lines of communication, providing high mobility and firepower in situations where heavy armour is uncalled for. They are a vital component of peace support/enforcement operations. Armoured cars cannot replace tanks and will only be used against tanks from defile positions or in static direct fire support. The Eland armoured car system is largely being phased out and replaced by the Rooikat. In 1989 the SA Army had 1 268 Eland and 18 Rooikat, compared with the 235 Eland and 176 Rooikat by 1998. Defence Review Option 1 required 146 Eland and 242 Rooikat.

The ZT-3 anti-tank missile system, mounted on the Ratel 6 x 6 chassis, provides effective, highly mobile defence against tanks and other armoured vehicles. There were 53 systems on inventory in 1998, meeting the Defence Review Option 1 requirement. Replacement by a new-generation system is anticipated from 2008.

Artillery provides indispensable indirect fire support to the land battle. This capability is provided by the G5 155mm towed medium artillery gun, the G6 155mm self-propelled medium artillery gun and the Bateleur 127mm multiple rocket launcher. There were 72 G5, 43 G6 and 25 Bateleur on inventory in 1998, compared with the Defence Review Option 1 requirement of 45 G5, 43 G6 and 25 Bateleur.

The Ratel infantry combat vehicle (ICV), in service since 1976, provides mobility for the infantry and command and control elements of the mechanised forces of the SA Army. The 1998 inventory of 1,243 is close to the 1,214 required by Defence Review Option 1. It will be replaced by a new generation ICV from 2005. The mobility of the bulk of the infantry units is dependent on a range of vehicles, including the mine-protected Casspir, Buffel and Mamba (numbering 3,227 in total) and the unprotected Samil/Kwe 20 and the Samil/Kwe 50. The Defence Review Option 1 requirement is for 4,304 protected vehicles due to a greater emphasis on protection against mines, small-arms fire and shrapnel. These vehicles are essential for mobility conventional operations, area protection and peace support operations, and are due for replacement from 1999.

By 2010 Denel was developing a truck-mounted vertical-launch version of the Umkhonto-IR air defence missile to complement the SA Army's short-range Thales Starstreak. Firing trials were due to start shortly. A proposed radar version of Umkhonto could increase maximum range from 12,000 to 20,000 metres, and the Umkhonto-ER project would boost this figure to 30,000 meters [Umkhonto we Sizwe (or MK), translated "Spear of the Nation," was the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC)]. In the first wave of arms purchases, the South African Army failed to have its old Olifant MBTs (upgraded Centurions) replaced. In its second-wave wish list, the army wanted 132 tanks, one contender being an upgraded pre-used Leopard 2A4.

Upgraded Z13 anti-tank missiles, Rooikat armored cars and Casspir armored protected personnel carriers were delivered in 2010/11. After operational tests and evaluation of the tactical intelligence processing system had successfully been completed, the system was commissioned by the SA Army.