Defence industry of South Africa

Last updated

The South African defence industry is the most advanced in Africa and one of the most advanced and largest in the world with over 20 defence companies. [1] The defence industry provides weapons and equipment to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and for export customers. The South African defence industry develops weapons and combat systems such as rifles, armored fighting vehicles, tanks, artillery, military aircraft, navy ships and missiles. [2]

Contents

Companies

Rheinmetall Denel Munition

Small arms and light weapons

Rifles

Assault rifles

Vektor CR-21 Bullpup assault rifle CR21.jpg
Vektor CR-21 Bullpup assault rifle

Battle rifles

Sniper rifles

Truvelo CMS Sniper rifle Truvelo 12,7 x 99mm CMS Rifle.jpg
Truvelo CMS Sniper rifle

Anti-material rifles

Denel NTW-20 Anti-material rifle NTW-20 rifle.jpg
Denel NTW-20 Anti-material rifle

Machine guns

General purpose machine guns

Submachine guns

Grenade launchers and anti-tank launchers

Grenade launchers

Neopup PAW-20 Direct-fire grenade launcher Neopup PAW-20.png
Neopup PAW-20 Direct-fire grenade launcher

Anti-tank launchers

Handguns

Land systems

Armored vehicles

Armored fighting vehicles

A Mbombe 8 Infantry fighting vehicle Barys 8x8 APC.jpg
A Mbombe 8 Infantry fighting vehicle

Armored personnel carriers

Marauder armored vehicle Marauder Multi Role Armoured Vehicle (9676433800).jpg
Marauder armored vehicle

Mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles

RG-35 Mine-protected vehicle BAe Systems RG35 MPV (9689841884).jpg
RG-35 Mine-protected vehicle

Light tactical vehicles

Internal security vehicles

Tanks

Olifant Mk2 Main battle tank Olifant Mk2 AAD2014.JPG
Olifant Mk2 Main battle tank

Artillery

Towed artillery

Self-propelled artillery

G6 Rhino Self-propelled howitzer Denel G6-45 Ysterplaat Airshow 2006.jpg
G6 Rhino Self-propelled howitzer

Rocket artillery

Other vehicles

Armoured ambulance

Utility vehicles

Military trucks

Air systems

Military aircraft

Fighter aircraft

The Atlas Cheetah fighter jet Atlas Cheetah static display.jpg
The Atlas Cheetah fighter jet

Attack aircraft

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)

Bateleur UAV BateleurUAV.jpg
Bateleur UAV

Helicopters

Attack helicopters

The Denel Rooivalk attack helicopter Denel AH-2 Rooivalk (2006).jpg
The Denel Rooivalk attack helicopter

Transport helicopters

Patrol vessels

Warrior-class Multi-role patrol vessel SAS King Sekhukhune I underway off Simonstown.jpg
Warrior-class Multi-role patrol vessel

Other ships

Weapon systems

Close-in weapon systems (CIWS)

Missiles, bombs and turrets

Missiles

The RSA-3 Ballistic missile RSA-3-002.jpg
The RSA-3 Ballistic missile

Anti-tank missiles

Cruise missiles

Surface-to-air missiles

Umkhonto Missile system Umkhonto gbads1 (cropped).jpg
Umkhonto Missile system

Air-to-air missiles

Ballistic missiles

Bombs

Turrets

Remote weapon systems

Reutech Rogue 12.7mm Rogue.jpg
Reutech Rogue

Autocannons

Combat turrets

Denel GI-30 Turret LCT30 turret.jpg
Denel GI-30 Turret

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vektor R4</span> Assault rifle

The Vektor R4 is a South African 5.56×45mm assault rifle. It entered service as the standard service rifle of the South African Defence Force (SADF) in 1980. In South African service, the R4 replaced the R1, a variant of the 7.62×51mm FN FAL. It was produced by Lyttelton Engineering Works, now Denel Land Systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denel Dynamics Bateleur</span>

The Bateleur is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) prototype designed and built by Denel Dynamics. It has been designed as a MALE UAV, with its primary role being surveillance, with a secondary signals intelligence capability.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South African National Defence Force</span> Military of South Africa

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) comprises the armed forces of South Africa. The commander of the SANDF is appointed by the President of South Africa from one of the armed services. They are in turn accountable to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans of the Defence Department.

Land Systems OMC is a South African company that produces a range of armoured vehicles which have been successfully exported and are in service with, amongst others, the U.S., Canadian and South African militaries. It is a division of Denel SOC LTD, located in Benoni, Gauteng.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vektor CR-21</span> Bullpup assault rifle

The Vektor CR-21 is a South African bullpup assault rifle chambered for 5.56×45mm NATO ammunition. It was designed by Denel Land Systems as a possible replacement for the South African National Defence Force's Vektor R4, though Denel Land Systems has since shifted focus to offering an upgraded R4 rifle to the SANDF instead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denel NTW-20</span> South African anti-material rifle

The NTW-20 is a South African anti-materiel rifle, developed by Denel Mechem in the 1990s. It is intended for deployment against targets including parked aircraft, telecommunication masts, power lines, missile sites, radar installations, refineries, satellite dishes, gun emplacements, bunkers, and personnel, using a range of specialised projectiles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armscor (South Africa)</span> Arms procurement agency and former manufacturer

Armscor, the Armaments Corporation of South Africa is the arms procurement agency of the South African Department of Defence. It was originally established in 1968 as an arms production company, by Freve and Rapelang. primarily as a response to the international sanctions by the United Nations against South Africa due to apartheid which began in 1963 and were formalised in 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa</span>

BAE Systems Land Systems South Africa is a South African defence company and a subsidiary of BAE Systems Land Systems, itself part of BAE Systems Land and Armaments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valkiri</span> South African multiple rocket launcher

The Valkiri is a South African self-propelled multiple rocket launcher. It is a 127mm system with a wheeled launcher vehicle, and fire control equipment developed by Armscor. Contemporary models consist of a single launch module with five eight-cell rocket pods on a Unimog or SAMIL-100 carrier. Its mission is to engage in counter-battery strikes against hostile artillery and air defences as far as 36 km (22 mi) away. Other potential warheads include cluster and an anti-tank mine dispenser.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ZT3 Ingwe</span> Anti-tank guided missile

The ZT3 Ingwe (Leopard) is a modern South African multi-role laser beam riding anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) manufactured by Denel Dynamics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denel</span> South African state-owned aerospace and military technology conglomerate

Denel SOC Ltd is a South African state-owned aerospace and military technology conglomerate established in 1992. It was created when the manufacturing subsidiaries of Armscor were split off in order for Armscor to become the procurement agency for the South African Defence Force (SADF), now known as the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), and the manufacturing divisions were grouped together under Denel as divisions. It is the largest of South Africa's state owned arms companies. The company had been experiencing major financial problems since 2015 and in 2021 it was announced in Parliament that Denel was on the brink of insolvency. The company stated that its woes were due to declining local defence budgets, weakened relationships with key customers and suppliers, the inability to retain or attract skilled personnel, ongoing salary disputes and a Fitch ratings downgrade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denel Land Systems</span> Division of the South African state-owned Denel group

Denel Land Systems is a division of the Denel group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Security Council Resolution 418</span> United Nations resolution adopted in 1977

United Nations Security Council Resolution 418, adopted unanimously on 4 November 1977, imposed a mandatory arms embargo against South Africa. This resolution differed from the earlier Resolution 282, which was only voluntary. The embargo was subsequently tightened and extended by Resolution 591.

Musgrave is a brand of firearms from South Africa. They are noted for their bolt-action target and hunting rifles, in particular the Musgrave RSA Target Rifle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1 South African Infantry Battalion</span> Military unit

1 South African Infantry Battalion is a mechanized infantry unit of the South African Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">8 South African Infantry Battalion</span> Military unit

8 South African Infantry Battalion is a mechanized infantry unit of the South African Army. The battalion is equipped with Ratel Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV) used for fast transport and combat mobility across rough ground. Support weapons for mechanized infantry are also provided with motorized transport, or are built directly into these IFVs, in order to keep pace with the IFVs in combat. The battalion was raised at Upington in the Northern Cape in 1973 as part of the South African Infantry Corps, and since the change in structure, has been assigned to the Infantry Formation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bateleur FV2</span> Multiple rocket launcher

The Bateleur is a South African self-propelled multiple rocket launcher. It is a 127mm system with a wheeled launcher vehicle, disposable pods, and fire control equipment developed by Denel Land Systems. Based on a mine protected Kwêvoël 100 10 ton 6x6 carrier. Its mission is to engage in counter-battery strikes against hostile artillery and air defences as far as 36 km (22 mi) away. Other potential warheads include cluster and an anti-tank mine dispenser. The weapon can fire up to 40 127mm pre-fragmented high explosive warheads to ranges of 7.5km to 36km at sea level singly or using ripple fire, firing up to 1 rocket per second. Reload can take less than 10 minutes and in/out-of-action time is one and two minutes respectively. The system is supported by a Kwêvoël 100 ammunition truck carrying 96 rockets and crew who help with the reloading.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Badger IFV</span> Infantry fighting vehicle

The Badger IFV is an 8-wheeled Infantry fighting vehicle under development by Denel Land Systems of South Africa. The Badger IFV will be a modified and better protected version of the Finnish Patria AMV, tailored for the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and modified for South African conditions.

References

  1. "South Africa: An Overview of the Defence Industry". ciaotest.cc.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
  2. Lionel, Ekene (2017-11-28). "Here are some of South African Made weapons". Military Africa. Retrieved 2023-03-30.

Further reading