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.

Current aircraft

2019[1]

Aircraft Origin Role No used Notes
Saab Gripen C and D  Sweden Multirole fighter 17 and 9 [2][Note 1]
British Aerospace Hawk Mk.120  United Kingdom/ South Africa Trainer / Light Attack 23 [Note 2]
Pilatus PC-7 Mk.II   Switzerland Trainer 35 [Note 3][3]
Atlas Oryx MK.I & MK.II  South Africa Transport helicopter 44 [4]
Denel Rooivalk Mk.I  South Africa Attack helicopter 12 [Note 4][6]
MBB/Kawasaki BK 117  Japan/ Germany Utility helicopter 6 [7][Note 5]
Agusta A109 LUH  Italy Utility helicopter 26 [4]
Westland Super Lynx Mk.300  United Kingdom Maritime helicopter 4 [Note 6]
Lockheed C-130BZ Hercules  United States Transport 9 [4][Note 7]
Douglas C-47TP Dakota  United States Maritime patrol / transport / EW 3 [Note 8]
Cessna 208B  United States Utility / observation 7 [Note 9][10]
Beechcraft Super King Air 200/300  United States Transport 4
Pilatus PC-12   Switzerland Transport 1 [Note 10]
Lockheed C-130B Hercules  United States Transport 6
CASA C-212-200 & 300 Aviocar  Spain Transport 2
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 BosbokItaly/S. AfricaUtility1973–199240[11]
Aeronca KCAUSLiaison??
Aeronca 50C ChiefUSLiaison1940-?1[11]
Aeronca 65C Super ChiefUSLiaison??
Aérospatiale SA365N DauphinFranceHelicopter1994–19981[11]
Aermacchi/Atlas MB.326 ImpalaItaly/S. AfricaTrainer1966–2005251[11]
Aermacchi/Atlas C.4M KuduItaly/S. AfricaUtility1976–199140[11]
Airco DH.4UKBomber1919–192710[11]
de Havilland DH.9UKBomber1919–194211[11]Airco DH.9 until 1920. Some had Bristol Jupiter engines as DH M′pala
Airspeed AS-6J EnvoyUKTransport1936–19407[11]
Airspeed AS-10 Oxford Mk.I & IIUKTrainer1940-1950700[11]
Atlas Cheetah C, D, ESouth AfricaFighter1986–200868[11]
Auster AOP-3, 5, 6 & 9UKLiaison1945-1967
Avro 504K & NUKTrainer1919–?31+[11]
Avro AvianUKTrainer?-193621+[11]
Avro TutorUKTrainer1930–193859[11]
Avro AnsonUKTrainer1940–1947750+[11]
Avro York C.1UKTransport1944–19521[11]
Avro Shackleton MR.3UKMaritime Patrol1957–19848[11]
Beechcraft C-45 ExpeditorUSTransport19452[11]
Beechcraft B-80 Queen AirUSTransport1975–19922[11]
Boeing 707USTransport1986–20075[11]
Bristol Blenheim Mk.I, IV & VUKBomber1939–194310+[11]
Bristol Beaufort I, IA, II, IIAUKBomber1941–194458[11]
Bristol Beaufighter Mk.II, VI, XUKAttack1943–19447+[11]
British Aircraft Double EagleUKLiaison1939–19401[11]
Britten-Norman IslanderUKTransport1994-?2[11]
Bücker Bü 131A/B/D JungmannGermanyTrainer1936–1939?
Bücker Bü 133 JungmeisterGermanyTrainer1939-??
Canadair Sabre Mk.6CanadaFighter1956–198034[11]
CASA CN-235SpainTransport1994-20121[11]
Cessna C-34 AirmasterUSLiaison?1[11]
Cessna 185A, D & E SkywagonUSLiaison?45[11]
Cessna 320USTransport1965–19671[11]
Cessna SkymasterUSTransport??
Cessna 411USTransport??
Consolidated Catalina Mk.IB/IIIUSMaritime Patrol1943–194618[11]
Consolidated Liberator B.Mk.VIUSMaritime Patrol1944–194516[11]
Curtiss MohawkUSFighter1941–1942159[11]
Curtiss Tomahawk, Kittyhawk & WarhawkUSFighter1940–1948210+[11]
Dassault Falcon 20FranceTransport19661[11]
Dassault Mirage IIIFranceFighter1963–199057[11]
Dassault Mirage F1AZ & CZFranceFighter1975–199751[11]
de Havilland DH.60 Moth/Gypsy Moth/Moth MajorUKTrainer1939-?28[11]
de Havilland DH.66 HerculesUKTransport1934–19433[11]
de Havilland DH.80A Puss MothUKLiaison1939-?1[11]
de Havilland DH.82A Tiger MothUKTrainer1939–1958675[11]
de Havilland DH.83 Fox MothUKTransport1939-??
de Havilland DH.84 DragonUKTransport1939-?1[11]
de Havilland DH.85 Leopard MothUKLiaison1939–19437[11]
de Havilland DH.87B Hornet MothUKLiaison1939–194019[11]
de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide/DominieUKTransport1939-?21[11]
de Havilland DH.90 DragonflyUKTransport1939-?3[11]
de Havilland DH-94 Moth MinorUKTrainer1939-??
de Havilland DH-98 MosquitoUKBomber1943–194522+[11]
de Havilland DH.100 Vampire FB.5, FB.6UKFighter1950–197856[11]
de Havilland DH.115 Vampire T.11, T.55UKTrainer1953–197827[11]
de Havilland DH.104 Dove 5UKTransport1949–19659[11]
de Havilland DH.114 Heron 2UKTransport1955–19622[11]
Desoutter Mk.IIUKLiaison?1[11]
Dornier Do 27BGermanyLiaison1958–19752[11]
Douglas Boston Mk.IIIUSBomber1941–194318[11]
Douglas DakotaUSTransport1943–?149[11]
Douglas DC-4-1009, C-54 SkymasterUSTransport1966–19948[11]
English Electric Canberra B(1)12UKBomber1963–19916[11]
English Electric Canberra T.4UKTrainer1964–19913[11]
Fairey Battle B, T, TTUKTrainer1939–1942340[11]
Fairchild F-24G, R Argus IIIUSLiaison1939-?1[11]
Fieseler Fi 156C-7 StorchGermanyLiaison1946-?1[11]
General Aircraft ST-4 II MonosparUKTransport?1[11]
General Aircraft ST-25 UniversalUKTransport?1[11]
Gloster GauntletUKFighter1939–19436[11]
Gloster Gladiator Mk I & IIUKFighter1939–194131[11]
Gloster SurveyUKTransport1933–19421[11]
Gloster Meteor F.3UKFighter1946–19491[11]
Hawker Hartbees Mk.IUKBomber1935–194069[11]
Hawker HartUKBomber1936–1944320[11]
Hawker AudaxUKFighter1937–194480[11]
Hawker Fury Mk.I & Mk.IIUKFighter1936–194253[11]
Hawker Hurricane Mk.I & IIUKFighter1939–1945193[11]
Hawker-Siddeley HS-125UKTransport1970–19998[11]
Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S.Mk.50UKBomber1965–199116[11]
Farman HF.27FranceTrainer1915-?
Junkers A-50 JuniorGermanyTrainer??
Junkers F.13GermanyTransport?-19441[11]
Junkers Ju 52-3mGermanyTransport1939–195323[11]
Junkers Ju 86GermanyTransport1939–194518[11]
Klemm Kl 25GermanyTrainer??
Koolhoven F.K.46NetherlandsTrainer??
Lockheed Super ElectraUSTransport?3[11]
Lockheed LodestarUSTransport1940–194431[11]
Lockheed HudsonUSBomber1940-?1[11]
Lockheed Ventura GR.VUSMaritime Patrol1942–1960395[11]
Lockheed C-130F HerculesUSTransport1997–19987[11]
Martin Maryland Mk.I & IIUSBomber1940-1942148+[11]
Martin BaltimoreUSBomber1941-194526+[11]
Martin Marauder I, II & IIIUSBomber1942-194556+[11]
Miles M.2H HawkUKTrainer1943-?2[11]
Miles SparrowhawkUKTrainer1939–19411[11]
Miles MagisterUKTrainer1940-?7[11]
Miles Master T.IIUKTrainer1941–1945426[11]
Miles FalconUKTrainer?1[11]
Nord C160Z TransallFranceTransport1969–19939[11]
North American Harvard/TexanUSTrainer1942–1995744[11]
North American Mustang IIIB, IV, IVAUSFighter1945, 1951-195295+[11]
Northrop Nomad Mk.IUSTrainer1941–194457[11]
Percival Gull VIUKTrainer1940-?1[11]
Piaggio P166 AlbatrossItalyTransport1969–199327[11]
Pilatus PC-6 PorterSwitzerlandTransport1994–19981[11]from Bophuthatswana Air Force
Pilatus PC-7 Turbo TrainerSwitzerlandTrainer1994–19963from Bophuthatswana Air Force, returned to Pilatus
Piper J-3USTrainer??
Piper J-4 Cub CoupeUSTrainer?1[11]
Piper PA-23 Aztec 250USLiaison1981–19922[11]
Piper PA-28 Cherokee 140USLiaison1981–19921[11]
Rearwin SpeedsterUSLiaison1939-??
Rearwin SportsterUSLiaison1939-?12+[11]
Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2c & eUKReconnaissance1915–1921
Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5AUKFighter1919–193124[11]
Ryan ST-AUSTrainer1939-?3[11]
Short Sunderland GR.VUKMaritime Patrol1945–195716[11]
Sikorsky S-51USHelicopter1948–19683[11]
Sikorsky WhirlwindUSHelicopter1956–1968
Simmonds SpartanUKTrainer19251[11]
Stinson HW-75USLiaison??
Stinson SR-5A & 10C ReliantUSLiaison?2[11]
Sud Aviation Alouette II & IIIFranceHelicopter1960–2006126[11]
Sud Aviation SA-321L Super FrelonFranceTransport Helicopter1967–199017[11]
Sud Aviation Puma SA330C, H, J, LFranceTransport Helicopter1969–1997109[11]
Supermarine Spitfire V, VIII, IXUKFighter1942–1954205[11]
Supermarine Spitfire PR IXeUKReconnaissance1947–1954?
Swearingen Merlin IVAUSTransport1975–19857[11]
Taylorcraft BC/BL/BL-65USLiaison1939-??
Tipsy S.2 TrainerBelgiumTrainer1939-?1[11]
Vickers Type 264 ValentiaUKTransport1940–194311[11]
Vickers WellesleyUKBomber1940–1941?
Vickers WellingtonUKBomber?-?24[11]
Vickers Warwick Mk.VUKBomber1945–194632[11]
Vickers 781D ViscountUKTransport1958–19911[11]
WACO biplanesUSLiaison??
Westland WapitiUKBomber1931–194331[11]
Westland Wasp HAS 1UKHelicopter1963–1990

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. 60 "Pilatus Astra" delivered, 35 had avionics upgrade (now PC-7 Mk.II) between 2010 and 2013. Seven lost. 18 "Astras" not upgraded to be sold
  4. 1 lost to accident.[5]
  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.[8][9]
  10. Primarily used as VIP transport.

References
  1. World Air Forces 2019, Flightglobal Insight
  2. DefenceWeb - Gripens arrive at last.
  3. Martin, Guy (September 2013). "SAAF PC-7 Upgrade Complete". Air International. 85 (3): 26.
  4. "South Africa". defenceWeb. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  5. "The South African Air Force". Saairforce.co.za. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  6. Final Rooivalk Handover Cements Relationship Between Denel and SAAF - Defenceweb.co.za, 13 March 2013
  7. Isby, David C. (September 2013). "South African AW109's Grounded". Air International. 85 (3): 41.
  8. "Caravan crash victims named". defenceWeb.co.za. defenceWeb. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  9. DefenceWb - SAAF C208 crash-lands
  10. "Fact file: Cessna C208 Caravan". defenceWeb. 1 February 2010. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  11. "South African Air Force". Aeroflight. 9 April 2016. {{cite web}}: Check |archive-url= value (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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