SUID-AFRIKAANSE LUGMAG

Inleiding

Die S A Lugmag is in twee streekskommandemente en vier funksionele kommandemente onderverdeel. Lugmag-hoofkwartier is in Pretoria gelee. Lugmagbasisse wat nie onder een van die streekskommandemente ressorteer nie, val onder Lugmaghoofkwartier.

Westelike Lugkonunandement

Met sy hoofkwartier in Windhoek, beheer Westelike Lugkommandement alle lugoperasies ter ondersteuning van teeninsurgensie-optrede, voorsieningsvlugte, die afvoer van beseerde personeel en die aflaat van voorrade. Voort-gesette hulp aan die inwoners van die noordelike gebiede sluit die invlieg van mediese spanne, voorrade en voedsel na droogtegeteisterde en/of vloedrampgebiede in.

Suidelike Lugkommandement

Hierdie Kommandement is saam met die SA Vloot by Silwermyn (Kaapstad) gevestig. Met lugmagbasisse en eskaders by Ysterplaat, Langebaanweg en Port Elizabeth, onderneem die Kommandement operasies in die Kaapprovinsie en oor die oseaangebied langs die RSA se kuslyn.

Suidelike Lugkommandement werk ten nouste saam met Kommandement Westelike Provinsie, Kommandement Oostelike Provinsie en die Vlootkommandemente. Bevel en beheer word uitgeoefen via die Gebiedsbevelspos en twee Voorste Lugmagbevelsposte terwyl skakeling met die Bevelspos te Durban gehandhaaf word.

Lugmagbasis Rooikop, wat by Walvisbaai gelee is, res­sorteer ook onder hierdie Kommandement en word deur vliegtuie gebruik wat maritieme vlugte van en na die Suid-Afrikaanse enklawe onderneem.

Die Kommandement het 'n trotse rekord van operasies en soek en reddingsvlugte. Dit het gelei tot internasionale erkenning wanneer skepe van ander nasionaliteite betrokke is.

Humanitere operasies word gereeld in samewerking met burgerlike en staatsinstellings onderneem. Hierdeur word oorlewendes gered en eiendom beskerm.

Lugruimbeheerkommandement

Lugruimbeheerkommandement   is verantwoordelik vir die verskaffing van vroee  waarskuwing en lugverdedigings-rugsteun (lugafweerstelsels) aan die Lugmag asook die voorsiening van  lugverkeerbeheerdienste aan verbruikers van die Suid-Afrikaanse lugruim. Dit word bewerkstellig deur middel van 'n mobiele en 'n statiese  stelsel onderskeidelik.

Mobiele stelsels kan op kort kennisgewing feitlik op enige plek in Suid-Afrika ontplooi word. Radareenhede gee dekking aan taktiese elemente van die Lugmag tervyyl lugafweermissiele en kanonne gebruik word om nasionale strategiese punte te verdedig.

'n Hoogs gesofistikeerde statiese stelsel verseker dat die industriele hartland van die land teen vyandelike lugoptredes beskerm word deur die aanwending van vegvliegtuie in die onderskeppingsrol.

'n Ge'i'ntegreerde lugverkeerbeheer-organisasie, wat gesamentlik deur die SA Lugmag en die Direktoraat Burger-lugvaart bedryf word, word tans ontwikkel. Hierdie stelsel sal vliegveiligheid in die Suid-Afrikaanse lugruim aansienlik verbeter en tot direkte voordeel van alle verbruikers van genoemde lugruim wees.

Vlugbeheerders en lugruimoperateurs word by die Lugruimbeheerskool te Lugmagbasis Waterkloof opgelei.

Luglogistiekkommandement

Hierdie kommandement lewer die spesialis en logistiese dienste al ingenieurswerk en die verskaffing van onderhouds en voorsieningsdienste wat die SA Lugmag nodig het. Dit sluit die skepping van nuwe ontwerpe en die goedkeuring van modifikasies in. Oorhoofse kontrole word verkry deur die benutting van hoogs gesofistikeerde rekenaarbeheerde verkrygingsfasiliteite.

Die Lugmag het meer as 778 000 items op sy inventaris, een van die grootste inventarisse in die suidelike halfrond.

SALM Opleidingskommandement

Met sy hoofkwartier in Pretoria, beheer SALM Opleidings­kommandement alle opleidingsinstellings in die SA Lugmag. Dit sluit die opleiding van vlieeniers, navigators, lugbemanningslede en tegniese personeel in. Basiese tegniese opleiding word by die Skool vir Logistieke Opleiding (Verwoerdburg) aangebied. Die meeste vakleerlinge moet egter 'n deel van hul opleiding by een van 'n aantal Technikons in Suid-Afrika voltooi. As gevolg van die verskeidenheid gesofistikeerde uitrusting en vliegtuie wat deur die SA Lugmag gebruik word, is daar 'n wye reeks tegniese rigtings wat aan die lede 'n bevredigende en opwindende loopbaan bied.

Dienspligtiges en Staandemaglede ontvang hul basiese militere opleiding by die Lugmaggimnasium in Valhalla. Personeel in die Lugmag moet verskeie kursusse by die Skool vir Logistieke Opleiding en die SALM Kollege slaag terwyl offisiere hul ontwikkelings en stafkursusse by die SALM Kollege voltooi.

Taktiesesteunkommandement

Taktiesesteunkommandement se taak is om ten voile toegeruste, tydelike mobiele vlieglandingstroke of burgerlike vliegvelde aan te le en te bedryf.

Sy hoofelemente is taktiese vliegveldeenhede (Burgermag) wat oor die land versprei en gereed is vir vinnige mobilisasie. Hoogs gespesialiseerde mobiele eenhede verseker dat voorsiening gemaak word vir elke denkbare fasiliteit sodat 'n basis vir tot 500 mense feitlik op enige plek in die RSA opgerig kan word.

Dit sluit in elektrisiteit, watervoorsiening en suiwering, afvalverwydering, ablu-siegeriewe, mobiele kantiene, werkswinkels, kommunika-siegeriewe, lugverkeerbeheer en landingsfasiliteite, berging en operasionele bevelsposte.

SOUTH AFRICAN AIR FORCE

Introduction

The SA Air Force is organised into two regional and four functional commands. The headquarters is in Pretoria. Air bases that are not under the direct control of one of the regional commands, resort under SAAF headquarters.

Western Air Command

With its headquarters in Windhoek this command con­trols all air operations in support of counter-insurgency missions, supply flights, evacuation of injured personnel and dropping supplies. On-going assistance to the inhab­itants of the northern areas includes flying in medical teams, supplies and food to drought-stricken and/or flooded areas.

Southern Air Command

The Command is co-located with the SA Navy at Silvermine, Cape Town. With air bases and squadrons at Yster­plaat, Langebaanweg and Port Elizabeth, maritime and land air operations are carried out in the Cape Province and the oceans surrounding the Republic of South Africa.

Close co-operation exists between Western Province and Eastern Province Commands and Naval Commands. Command and control is exercised through the Regional Command Post and two Forward Air Force Command posts, and liaising with the Command post at Durban.

Air Force Base Rooikop situated at Walvis Bay also falls under this Command and is used by aircraft conducting maritime flights to and from the South African enclave.

The Command has a proud history of operations and search and rescue missions. This has led to international recognition when ships of other nationalities are involved.

Humanitarian operations are also regularly carried out with civil and government organisations, resulting in the rescue of survivors and the protection of property.

Airspace Control Command

Airspace Control Command is responsible for supplying early warning and air defence weaponry back-up to the Air Force, while providing air traffic control services to users of South African airspace. This is done by deploying two main systems, i.e. mobile and static.

Mobile systems can be deployed at short notice almost anywhere in the country. Radar units give cover to tactical elements of the Air Force while air defence missile and gun weaponry are used to protect strategic national points.

A highly sophisticated static system ensures that the industrial heartland of the country is safeguarded against enemy air activity by employing fighter aircraft in an interception role.

An integrated Air Traffic Control organisation, jointly operated by the SAAF and the Directorate of Civil Aviation is currently being developed. This system will greatly improve flight safety in South African airspace and will be of direct benefit to all users of the airspace.

Flight control and airspace operators are trained by the Airspace Control School at Air Force Base Waterkloof.

Air Logistics Command

The Command provides the specialist and logistic services namely engineering, maintenance and provisioning as recfuired by the SA Air Force.

These include creating new designs, and approving modifications. Overall control is obtained through utilising highly sophisticated computer-controlled purchasing fa­cilities.

The Air Force has over 778 000 items in its inventory, one of the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.

SAAF Training Command

Headquartered in Pretoria, SAAF Training Command controls all training institutions in the SAAF. This includes pilots, navigators, flying crew and technical personnel training. Basic training for technicians is given at the School for Logistic Training, Verwoerdburg.

Most apprentices must complete part of their training at one of a number of technikons. Due to the variety of sophisticated equipment and aircraft in use, there are many satisfying and exciting careers offered to members.

National servicemen and Permanent Force members complete their basic military training at the Air Force Gymnasium, Valhalla. Air Force personnel must pass various courses at the School for Logistic Training and the SAAF College, while officers complete their development and staff courses at the SAAF College.

Tactical Support Command

Tactical Support Command has the task of establishing and operating fully equipped mobile temporary field strips or civilian airfields.

Its main elements are Citizen Force Tactical Airfield units located around the country and ready for rapid mobilisation. Highly specialised mobil units ensure the provision of every conceivable facility that may be re­quired for a base of up to 500 people, and established literally anywhere, is provided for.

This includes electricity, water supply/purification, refuse removal, ablutions, mobile canteens, workshops, communications, air traffic control and landing facilities, storage and operational command posts.