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 BosbokItalyUtility1973–1992
Aeronca KCAUSLiaison?
Aeronca 50C ChiefUSLiaison1940-?
Aeronca 65C Super ChiefUSLiaison?
Aérospatiale SA365N DauphinFranceHelicopter1994–1998
Airspeed AS-6J EnvoyUKTransport1936–1940
Airspeed AS-10 Oxford Mk.I & IIUKTrainer1940-1950
Atlas Cheetah C, D, ESouth AfricaFighter1986–2008
Aermacchi/Atlas MB.326 ImpalaItaly/South AfricaTrainer1966–2005
Aermacchi/Atlas C.4M KuduItaly/South AfricaUtility1976–1991
Airco DH.4UKBomber1919–1927
Airco DH.9UKBomber1919–1942Also 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 & 9UKLiaison1945-1967
Avro 504K & NUKTrainer1919–?
Avro AvianUKTrainer?-1936
Avro TutorUKTrainer1930–1938
Avro AnsonUKTrainer1940–1947
Avro York C.1UKTransport1944–1952
Avro Shackleton MR.3UKMaritime Patrol1957–1984
Beechcraft C-45 ExpeditorUSTransport1945
Beechcraft B-80 Queen AirUSTransport1975–1992
Boeing 707USTransport1986–2007
Bristol Blenheim Mk.I, IV & VUKBomber1939–1943
Bristol Beaufort I, IA, II, IIAUKBomber1941–1944
Bristol Beaufighter Mk.II, VI, XUKAttack1943–1944
British Aircraft Double EagleUKLiaison1939–1940
Britten-Norman IslanderUKTransport1994-?
Bücker Bü 131A/B/D JungmannGermanyTrainer1936–1939
Bücker Bü 133 JungmeisterGermanyTrainer1939-?
Canadair Sabre Mk.6CanadaFighter1956–1980
CASA CN-235SpainTransport1994-2012
Cessna C-34 AirmasterUSLiaison?
Cessna 185A, D & E SkywagonUSLiaison?
Cessna 320USTransport1965–1967
Cessna SkymasterUSTransport?
Cessna 411USTransport?
Consolidated Catalina IB/IIIUSMaritime Patrol1943–1946
Consolidated Liberator B.Mk.VIUSMaritime Patrol1944–1945
Curtiss MohawkUSFighter1941–1942
Curtiss Tomahawk, Kittyhawk & WarhawkUSFighter1940–1948
Dassault Falcon 20FranceTransport?
Dassault Mirage IIIFranceFighter1963–1990
Dassault Mirage F1AZ & CZFranceFighter1975–1997
de Havilland DH.60 Moth/Gypsy Moth/Moth MajorUKTrainer1939-?
de Havilland DH.66 HerculesUKTransport1934–1943
de Havilland DH.80A Puss MothUKLiaison1939-?
de Havilland DH.82A Tiger MothUKTrainer1939–1958
de Havilland DH.83 Fox MothUKTransport1939-?
de Havilland DH.84 DragonUKTransport1939-?
de Havilland DH.85 Leopard MothUKLiaison1939–1943
de Havilland DH.87B Hornet MothUKLiaison1939–1940
de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide and DominieUKTransport1939-?
de Havilland DH.90 DragonflyUKTransport1939-?
de Havilland DH-94 Moth MinorUKTrainer1939-?
de Havilland DH-98 MosquitoUKBomber1943–1945
de Havilland DH.100 Vampire FB.5, FB.6, F.9UKFighter1950–1978
de Havilland DH.115 Vampire T.11, T.55UKTrainer1953–1978
de Havilland DH.104 Dove 5UKTransport1949–1965
de Havilland DH.114 Heron 2UKTransport1955–1962
Desoutter Mk.IIUKLiaison?
Dornier Do 27BGermanyLiaison1958–1975
Douglas Boston Mk.IIIUSBomber1941–1943
Douglas DakotaUSTransport1943–?
Douglas DC-4-1009, C-54 SkymasterUSTransport1966–1994
English Electric Canberra B(1)12UKBomber1963–1991
English Electric Canberra T.4UKTrainer1964–1991
Fairey Battle B, T, TTUKTrainer1939–1942
Fairchild F-24G, R Argus IIIUSLiaison1939-?
Fieseler Fi 156C-7 StorchGermanyLiaison1946-?
General Aircraft ST-4 II MonosparUKTransport?
General Aircraft ST-25 UniversalUKTransport?
Gloster GauntletUKFighter1939–1943
Gloster Gladiator Mk I & IIUKFighter1939–1941
Gloster SurveyUKTransport1933–1942
Gloster Meteor F.3UKFighter1946–1949
Hawker Hartbees Mk.IUKBomber1935–1940
Hawker HartUKBomber1936–1944
Hawker AudaxUKFighter1937–1944
Hawker Fury Mk.I & Mk.IIUKFighter1936–1942
Hawker Hurricane Mk.I & IIUKFighter1939–1945
Hawker-Siddeley HS-125UKTransport1970–1999
Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S.Mk.50UKBomber1965–1991
Farman F-27FranceTrainer1915-?
Junkers A-50 JuniorGermanyTrainer?
Junkers F.13GermanyTransport?-1944
Junkers Ju 52-3mGermanyTransport1939–1953
Junkers Ju 86GermanyTransport1939–1945
Klemm Kl 25GermanyTrainer?
Koolhoven F.K.46NetherlandsTrainer?
Lockheed Super ElectraUSTransport?
Lockheed LodestarUSTransport1940–1944
Lockheed HudsonUSBomber1940-?
Lockheed Ventura GR.VUSMaritime Patrol1942–1960
Lockheed C-130F HerculesUSTransport1997–1998
Martin Maryland Mk.I & IIUSBomber1940-1942
Martin BaltimoreUSBomber1941-1945
Martin Marauder I, II & IIIUSBomber1942-1945
Miles M.2H HawkUKTrainer1943-?
Miles SparrowhawkUKTrainer1939–1941
Miles MagisterUKTrainer1940-?
Miles Master T.IIUKTrainer1941–1945
Miles FalconUKTrainer?
Nord C160Z TransallFranceTransport1969–1993
North American Harvard/TexanUSTrainer1942–1995
North American Mustang IIIB, IV, IVAUSFighter1945, 1951-1952
Northrop Nomad Mk.IUSTrainer1941–1944
Percival Gull VIUKTrainer1940-?
Piaggio P166 AlbatrossItalyTransport1969–1993
Pilatus PC-6 PorterSwitzerlandTransport1994–19981from Bophuthatswana Air Force
Pilatus PC-7 Turbo TrainerSwitzerlandTrainer1994–19963from Bophuthatswana Air Force, returned to Pilatus
Piper J-3USTrainer?
Piper J-4 Cub CoupeUSTrainer?
Piper PA-23 Aztec 250USLiaison1981–1992
Piper PA-28 Cherokee 140USLiaison1981–1992
Rearwin SpeedsterUSLiaison1939-?
Rearwin SportsterUSLiaison1939-?
Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2c & eUKReconnaissance1915–1921
Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5AUKFighter1919–1931
Ryan ST-AUSTrainer1939-?
Short Sunderland GR.VUKMaritime Patrol1945–1957
Sikorsky S-51USHelicopter1948–1968
Sikorsky WhirlwindUSHelicopter1956–1968
Simmonds SpartanUKTrainer1925
Stinson HW-75USLiaison?
Stinson SR-5A & 10C ReliantUSLiaison?
Sud Aviation Alouette II & IIIFranceHelicopter1960–2006
Sud Aviation SA-321L Super FrelonFranceTransport Helicopter1967–1990
Sud Aviation Puma SA330C, H, J, LFranceTransport Helicopter1969–1997
Supermarine Spitfire V, VIII, IXUKFighter1942–1954
Supermarine Spitfire PR IXeUKReconnaissance1947–1954
Swearingen Merlin IVAUSTransport1975–1985
Taylorcraft BC/BL/BL-65USLiaison1939-?
Tipsy S.2 TrainerBelgiumTrainer1939-?
Vickers Type 264 ValentiaUKTransport1940–1943
Vickers WellesleyUKBomber1940–1941
Vickers WellingtonUKBomber?-?
Vickers Warwick Mk.VUKBomber1945–1946
Vickers 781D ViscountUKTransport1958–1991
WACO biplanesUSLiaison?
Westland ScoutUKHelicopter1976–1990
Westland WapitiUKBomber1931–1943
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.
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