- Shared Accord 17
- Ratel formation approach a target on a range at Lohatla
- 8 SAI Ratel IFVs on a training range in a mechanised assault, Lohatla Army Battle School, 1993
- G5 howitzer on range
- Infantry in fire and maneuver at Lohatla
South African Army Combat Training Centre | |
---|---|
Postmasburg, Northern Cape province, [South Africa] | |
Type | Military Training Area |
Area | 158,000 hectares or 1,580km^2 |
Site information | |
Owner | Department of Defence |
Controlled by | South African Army |
Condition | In use |
Site history | |
Built | 1978 |
In use | 1978 –present |
Garrison information | |
Current commander | Brigadier General Manyonyo Mofokeng |
Lohatla is a training area of the South African National Defence Force. It is located in the Northern Cape province of South Africa and is home to the SA Army Combat Training Centre, [lower-alpha 1] which is part of the South African Army Training Formation.
The SA Army Combat Training Centre is unique in the sense that it is one of only ten such institutions in the world that provide exclusive and permanent facilities for landward warfare training. Only two of these institutions are located in the Southern hemisphere, of which the SA Army Combat Training Centre is the largest, 150,000 hectares (370,000 acres) in total. [1] }
This military training institution was founded on 15 January 1978 and was known as the South African Army Battle School. [2]
The Battle School originated due to a need by the Department of Defence for a military training facility where conventional and integrated training on divisional level could be executed. [3]
The Ga-Thlose Nature Reserve was proclaimed in 1890 and was managed as its domain by Agricultural Credit. Ownership by the local population was denied through a proclamation in 1976 and the Reserve was proclaimed a restricted military area. The local population living in the area were to be relocated in the passage of time. In the meantime it was agreed that the specific group of the local community could graze their cattle in the designated grazing areas. The movement to Ga-Thlose from the Sishen Gate was also permitted.
The purchase of farms east and south of the above-mentioned area was completed in 1981 and the area, as a whole, was proclaimed as a restricted military area. The infrastructure taken over from the farmers was in a good condition.
During the early nineties, nine self accounting units were permanently based on the terrain:
A Forward Air Command Post and Medical Command Post helped to integrate elements from the Air Force and Medical Service.
Stemming from a reorganisation at Oshivello in 1989 from the 'ABS Rapid Deployment Force', an operational mechanised Brigade called 60 Brigade managing 61, 62 (placeholder battalion based on 4 SAI) and 63 (placeholder battalion based on 8 SAI) mechanised battalions as a joint entity was briefly housed at Lohatla from 1989 to 1994. This Brigade was primarily aimed at planning readiness for a conventional mechanised war and based on lessons learned from Operation Merlyn. [4]
Each unit visiting for training is accommodated in one of thirteen unit lines which has tank paving, maintenance areas and stores.
A long-running land dispute involving the South African Army Combat Training Centre (CTC) at Lohatlha in the Northern Cape ended when the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform found alternative land to settle some of the community displaced by the 158 000 hectare base and training area in 1977. [5]
The institution was renamed the South African Army Combat Training Centre on 24 October 2000. [6] [7]
Exercise Seboka demonstrates the training of units in operations from each combat discipline. Infantry, Armour, Artillery, Intelligence, Air Defence Artillery, Engineers as well as elements from the Air Force and Military Health Serves are integrated. The exercise gives units the opportunity to plan and execute mobile warfare operations in real-time command and control under the supervision of experienced commanders. [8] [9] [10]
The Army Combat Training Centre hosted the Amani Africa 2 field exercise to demonstrate the African Unions rapid deployment capability in 2015. The field exercise involved five regional economic communities, as structures of the African Union. Approximately 5,400 members from the military, police, and civilian components, representing four of the regional economic regions of the AU participated in the exercise. Countries involved included Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. [11]
From | Commanding Officer | To |
1978 | Brigadier F.E.C. van den Berg | 1981 |
1981 | Brigadier C. van Rooyen | 1984 |
1984 | Brigadier Eddie Webb | nd |
1 March 2005 | Brigadier General J.D. Magasela | 1 December 2007 |
1 December 2007 | Brigadier General Nontobeko Mpaxa | 1 March 2013 |
1 March 2013 | Brigadier General Bhasie Gqoboka | 31 December 2014 |
1 January 2015 | Brigadier General Mawethu Mdlulwa | nd |
nd | Brigadier General Manyonyo Mofokeng | Present |
From | Regimental Sergeant Major | To |
c. 1978 | WO1 J.H. Burger | c. 1980 |
c. 1980 | WO1 G. Venter | c. 1981 |
The South African Army is the principal land warfare force of South Africa, a part of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), along with the South African Air Force, South African Navy and South African Military Health Service. The Army is commanded by the Chief of the Army, who is subordinate to the Chief of the SANDF.
The South African Military Health Service is the branch of the South African National Defence Force responsible for medical facilities and the training and deployment of all medical personnel within the force. Though unusual, as most national militaries integrate their medical structures into their existing service branches, the SANDF regards this structure as being the most efficient method of providing care and support to the SANDF's personnel.
The South West Africa Territorial Force (SWATF) was an auxiliary arm of the South African Defence Force (SADF) and comprised the armed forces of South West Africa from 1977 to 1989. It emerged as a product of South Africa's political control of the territory which was granted to the former as a League of Nations mandate following World War I.
The South African Army Infantry Formation supervises all infantry within the South African Army.
Operation Moduler was a military operation by the South African Defence Force (SADF) during the South African Border War. It formed part of what has come to be called the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale. The Angolan objective was to advance south-east to attack the UNITA at Mavinga. The SADF objective was to protect UNITA by stopping that advance. The advance was halted with heavy Angolan casualties. The South African forces and its UNITA allies then began offensive operations against the Angolan forces, who had retreated back to a defensive line east of the Cuito River with the objective of destroying them once and for all.
Operation Prone was a proposed military operation by the South African Defence Force (SADF) and South West African Territorial Force (SWATF) during the South African Border War and Angolan Civil War between May and September 1988. With the advance of the 50th Cuban Division towards Calueque and the South-West Africa border, the SADF formed the 10 SA Division to counter this threat. The plan for Operation Prone had two phases. Operation Linger was to be a counterinsurgency phase and Operation Pact a conventional phase.
Operation Sceptic was the largest anti-South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) sweep during the South African Border War up to that point. The operation was also known as Smokeshell though this was the codename for the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) base which was the main focus of the attack. This operation followed Operation Safraan and preceded Operation Klipklop.
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62 Mechanised Infantry Battalion Group was a unit of the South African Army (SADF); although it was classed as mechanized infantry, it was a combined arms force consisting of a Mechanised Infantry Battalion forming the core of the group, Main Battle Tank Squadron, Armoured Car Squadron, Air-defence Battery, Engineer Squadron, Artillery Battery, specialists i.e. EW, MAOT, etc. and all the supporting staff and functions required for such a force.
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