List of aircraft of the South African Air Force

The following is a list of current and historic aircraft of the South African Air Force. Note that aircraft type photographs do not necessarily represent aircraft of the same mark or actual aircraft belonging to the SAAF.

Current aircraft

Aircraft Origin Role No used Notes
Saab Gripen C and D  Sweden Multirole fighter 26 [1][Note 1]
British Aerospace Hawk Mk.120  United Kingdom/ South Africa Trainer 24 [Note 2]
Pilatus PC-7 Mk.II   Switzerland Trainer 60 [Note 3][2]
Atlas Oryx MK.I & MK.II  South Africa Transport helicopter 39 [3]
Denel Rooivalk Mk.I  South Africa Attack helicopter 11 [Note 4][5]
MBB/Kawasaki BK 117  Japan/ Germany Utility helicopter 3-6 [6][Note 5]
Agusta A109 LUH  Italy Utility helicopter 29 [3]
Westland Super Lynx Mk.300  United Kingdom Maritime helicopter 4 [Note 6]
Lockheed C-130BZ Hercules  United States Transport 9 [3][Note 7]
Douglas C-47TP Dakota  United States Maritime patrol / transport / EW 10 [Note 8]
Cessna 208B  United States Utility / observation 11 [Note 9][9]
Beechcraft Super King Air 200/300  United States Transport 4
Pilatus PC-12   Switzerland Transport 1 [Note 10]
CASA C-212-200 & 300 Aviocar  Spain Transport 3
Boeing 737  United States Presidential transport 1
Dassault Falcon 900  France VIP transport 1
Dassault Falcon 50  France VIP transport 2
Cessna 550 Citation  United States VIP transport 2

Historic aircraft

Aircraft types no longer in service.

Aircraft Origin Role Service period No. operated Notes
Aermacchi AM.3C BosbokItalyUtility 1973–1992
Aeronca KCAUSLiaison ?
Aeronca 50C ChiefUSLiaison 1940-?
Aeronca 65C Super ChiefUSLiaison ?
Aérospatiale SA365N DauphinFranceHelicopter 1994–1998
Airspeed AS-6J EnvoyUKTransport 1936–1940
Airspeed AS-10 Oxford Mk.I & IIUKTrainer 1940-1950
Atlas Cheetah C, D, ESouth AfricaFighter 1986–2008
Aermacchi/Atlas MB.326 ImpalaItaly/South AfricaTrainer1966–2005
Aermacchi/Atlas C.4M KuduItaly/South AfricaUtility 1976–1991
Airco DH.4UKBomber 1919–1927
Airco DH.9UKBomber 1919–1942 Also known after 1920 as de Havilland DH.9. Several re-engined with Bristol Jupiter engines as de Havilland M′pala variant
Auster AOP-3, 5, 6 & 9 UKLiaison 1945-1967
Avro 504K & NUKTrainer 1919–?
Avro AvianUKTrainer ?-1936
Avro TutorUKTrainer 1930–1938
Avro AnsonUKTrainer 1940–1947
Avro York C.1UKTransport 1944–1952
Avro Shackleton MR.3UKMaritime Patrol 1957–1984
Beechcraft C-45 ExpeditorUSTransport 1945
Beechcraft B-80 Queen AirUSTransport 1975–1992
Boeing 707 USTransport 1986–2007
Bristol Blenheim Mk.I, IV & VUKBomber 1939–1943
Bristol Beaufort I, IA, II, IIAUKBomber 1941–1944
Bristol Beaufighter Mk.II, VI, XUKAttack 1943–1944
British Aircraft Double Eagle UKLiaison 1939–1940
Britten-Norman IslanderUKTransport 1994-?
Bücker Bü 131A/B/D JungmannGermanyTrainer 1936–1939
Bücker Bü 133 JungmeisterGermanyTrainer 1939-?
Canadair Sabre Mk.6CanadaFighter 1956–1980
CASA CN-235SpainTransport1994-2012
Cessna C-34 AirmasterUSLiaison ?
Cessna 185A, D & E SkywagonUSLiaison ?
Cessna 320USTransport 1965–1967
Cessna SkymasterUSTransport ?
Cessna 411USTransport ?
Consolidated Catalina IB/IIIUSMaritime Patrol 1943–1946
Consolidated Liberator B.Mk.VIUSMaritime Patrol 1944–1945
Curtiss MohawkUSFighter 1941–1942
Curtiss Tomahawk, Kittyhawk & WarhawkUSFighter 1940–1948
Dassault Falcon 20FranceTransport ?
Dassault Mirage IIIFranceFighter 1963–1990
Dassault Mirage F1AZ & CZFranceFighter 1975–1997
de Havilland DH.60 Moth/Gypsy Moth/Moth MajorUKTrainer 1939-?
de Havilland DH.66 HerculesUKTransport 1934–1943
de Havilland DH.80A Puss MothUKLiaison 1939-?
de Havilland DH.82A Tiger MothUKTrainer 1939–1958
de Havilland DH.83 Fox MothUKTransport 1939-?
de Havilland DH.84 DragonUKTransport 1939-?
de Havilland DH.85 Leopard MothUKLiaison 1939–1943
de Havilland DH.87B Hornet MothUKLiaison 1939–1940
de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide and DominieUKTransport 1939-?
de Havilland DH.90 DragonflyUKTransport 1939-?
de Havilland DH-94 Moth MinorUKTrainer 1939-?
de Havilland DH-98 MosquitoUKBomber 1943–1945
de Havilland DH.100 Vampire FB.5, FB.6, F.9UKFighter 1950–1978
de Havilland DH.115 Vampire T.11, T.55UKTrainer 1953–1978
de Havilland DH.104 Dove 5UKTransport 1949–1965
de Havilland DH.114 Heron 2UKTransport 1955–1962
Desoutter Mk.IIUKLiaison ?
Dornier Do 27BGermanyLiaison 1958–1975
Douglas Boston Mk.IIIUSBomber 1941–1943
Douglas Dakota USTransport 1943–?
Douglas DC-4-1009, C-54 SkymasterUSTransport 1966–1994
English Electric Canberra B(1)12UKBomber 1963–1991
English Electric Canberra T.4UKTrainer 1964–1991
Fairey Battle B, T, TTUKTrainer 1939–1942
Fairchild F-24G, R Argus IIIUSLiaison 1939-?
Fieseler Fi 156C-7 Storch GermanyLiaison 1946-?
General Aircraft ST-4 II MonosparUKTransport ?
General Aircraft ST-25 UniversalUKTransport ?
Gloster GauntletUKFighter 1939–1943
Gloster Gladiator Mk I & IIUKFighter 1939–1941
Gloster SurveyUKTransport 1933–1942
Gloster Meteor F.3UKFighter 1946–1949
Hawker Hartbees Mk.IUKBomber 1935–1940
Hawker HartUKBomber 1936–1944
Hawker AudaxUKFighter 1937–1944
Hawker Fury Mk.I & Mk.IIUKFighter 1936–1942
Hawker Hurricane Mk.I & IIUKFighter 1939–1945
Hawker-Siddeley HS-125UKTransport 1970–1999
Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S.Mk.50UKBomber 1965–1991
Farman F-27FranceTrainer 1915-?
Junkers A-50 JuniorGermanyTrainer ?
Junkers F.13GermanyTransport ?-1944
Junkers Ju 52-3mGermanyTransport 1939–1953
Junkers Ju 86GermanyTransport 1939–1945
Klemm Kl 25GermanyTrainer ?
Koolhoven F.K.46NetherlandsTrainer ?
Lockheed Super ElectraUSTransport ?
Lockheed LodestarUSTransport 1940–1944
Lockheed HudsonUS 1940-?
Lockheed Ventura GR.VUSMaritime Patrol 1942–1960
Lockheed C-130F HerculesUSTransport 1997–1998
Martin Maryland Mk.I & IIUSBomber 1940-1942
Martin BaltimoreUSBomber 1941-1945
Martin Marauder I, II & IIIUSBomber 1942-1945
Miles M.2H HawkUKTrainer 1943-?
Miles SparrowhawkUKTrainer 1939–1941
Miles MagisterUKTrainer 1940-?
Miles Master T.IIUKTrainer 1941–1945
Miles FalconUKTrainer ?
Nord C160Z TransallFranceTransport 1969–1993
North American Harvard/TexanUSTrainer 1942–1995
North American Mustang IIIB, IV, IVAUSFighter 1945, 1951-1952
Northrop Nomad Mk.IUSTrainer 1941–1944
Percival Gull VIUKTrainer 1940-?
Piaggio P166 AlbatrossItalyTransport 1969–1993
Pilatus PC-6 PorterSwitzerlandTransport1994–1998 1 from Bophuthatswana Air Force
Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer SwitzerlandTrainer 1994–1996 3 from Bophuthatswana Air Force, returned to Pilatus
Piper J-3USTrainer ?
Piper J-4 Cub CoupeUSTrainer ?
Piper PA-23 Aztec 250USLiaison 1981–1992
Piper PA-28 Cherokee 140USLiaison 1981–1992
Rearwin SpeedsterUSLiaison 1939-?
Rearwin SportsterUSLiaison 1939-?
Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2c & eUKReconnaissance 1915–1921
Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5AUKFighter 1919–1931
Ryan ST-AUSTrainer 1939-?
Short Sunderland GR.VUKMaritime Patrol 1945–1957
Sikorsky S-51USHelicopter 1948–1968
Sikorsky WhirlwindUSHelicopter 1956–1968
Simmonds SpartanUKTrainer 1925
Stinson HW-75USLiaison ?
Stinson SR-5A & 10C ReliantUSLiaison ?
Sud Aviation Alouette II & IIIFranceHelicopter 1960–2006
Sud Aviation SA-321L Super FrelonFranceTransport Helicopter 1967–1990
Sud Aviation Puma SA330C, H, J, LFranceTransport Helicopter 1969–1997
Supermarine Spitfire V, VIII, IXUKFighter 1942–1954
Supermarine Spitfire PR IXeUKReconnaissance 1947–1954
Swearingen Merlin IVAUSTransport 1975–1985
Taylorcraft BC/BL/BL-65USLiaison 1939-?
Tipsy S.2 TrainerBelgiumTrainer 1939-?
Vickers Type 264 ValentiaUKTransport 1940–1943
Vickers WellesleyUKBomber 1940–1941
Vickers WellingtonUKBomber ?-?
Vickers Warwick Mk.VUKBomber 1945–1946
Vickers 781D ViscountUKTransport 1958–1991
WACO biplanesUS Liaison ?
Westland ScoutUK Helicopter 1976–1990
Westland WapitiUK Bomber 1931–1943
Westland Wasp HAS 1UKHelicopter 1963–1990

Notes

  1. ↑ 9 Gripen D two-seaters and 17 Gripen single-seaters delivered 2008-2012, replacing Atlas Cheetahs.
  2. ↑ All but first flight test and development aircraft built at Denel's factory at Johannesburg International Airport.
  3. ↑ 35 have avionics upgrade. Seven lost. 18 "Astras" not upgraded to be sold
  4. ↑ 1 lost to accident.[4]
  5. ↑ Inherited from Apartheid-era "homelands", the Ciskei having acquired 3 in 1983, Venda 2 in 1985, Transkei 2 in 1986 and Bophuthatswana 2 in 1987, making a total of 10 with an extra delivered from Brazil. Two mothballed at AFB Bloemspruit. 3 Lost
  6. ↑ Operated from South African Navy Valour class frigates.
  7. ↑ Avionics upgrade under Project Ebb Completed March 2008. 4 inoperable due to funding issues.
  8. ↑ Under Project Felstone, first C-47TP "TurboDak" unveiled August 1991 and completed by 1997 with production lines at AFB Swartkop and AFB Ysterplaat. Fleet constantly updated. 5 maritime patrol, 3 transport, 2 electronic warfare.
  9. ↑ Fitted with Denel infrared system under Project Koiler in 2008. Two lost in 2011 and 2014.[7][8]
  10. ↑ Primarily used as VIP transport.

References

  1. ↑ DefenceWeb - Gripens arrive at last.
  2. ↑ Martin, Guy (September 2013). "SAAF PC-7 Upgrade Complete". Air International. 85 (3): 26.
  3. 1 2 3 "South Africa". defenceWeb. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  4. ↑ "The South African Air Force". Saairforce.co.za. Retrieved 2013-03-15.
  5. ↑ Final Rooivalk Handover Cements Relationship Between Denel and SAAF - Defenceweb.co.za, 13 March 2013
  6. ↑ Isby, David C. (September 2013). "South African AW109's Grounded". Air International. 85 (3): 41.
  7. ↑ "Caravan crash victims named". defenceWeb.co.za. defenceWeb. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  8. ↑ DefenceWb - SAAF C208 crash-lands
  9. ↑ "Fact file: Cessna C208 Caravan". defenceWeb. 2010-02-01. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
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