AFB Waterkloof
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Air Force Base Waterkloof (ICAO: FAWK) is an airbase of the South African Air Force. It is situated on the outskirts of Pretoria, and is the SAAF's busiest airbase. The base's name, Waterkloof, is Afrikaans, it means Water Ravine in English. Despite the name, this base is not located in Waterkloof, Pretoria, but lies to the south of Pretoria, 4.34 nmi (8.04 km) to the northeast of Centurion, Gauteng, and 3.37 nmi (6.24 km) from AFB Swartkop.
The base motto is Acquirit Qui Tuetur (He Obtains Who Defends).
[edit] Units Hosted
- 21 Squadron - VIP transport
- 28 Squadron - Medium transport
- 41 Squadron - Light transport
- 44 Squadron - Light transport
- 60 Squadron - In-flight refuelling, transport, EW/ELINT/AEW
- 111 Squadron - Light transport (reserve)
- 140 Squadron - Light transport (reserve)
- 504 Squadron - Security
- 5 Air Servicing Unit - Maintenance support
- Central Photographic Institute - Photographic services
- JARIC, The UK's National Imagery Exploitation Centre - Strategic Imagery Intelligence (IMINT) support
- Mobile Deployment Wing - Emergency response
- SAAF Telecommunications Centre - Communications
[edit] History
The base was officially opened on the 1 August 1938 as Waterkloof Air Station. Since that time it has always been in the service of the SAAF. It was upgraded to Air Force Base during WWII.
