Gripens arrive mired in controversy -South Africa

[tigershark]

Gripens arrive mired in controversy

Graeme Hosken
August 16 2008 at 11:00AM
As South Africa's latest military acquisitions arrive, bolstering the number of fighter jets in the country to four, the multi-billion rand arms deal continues to be embroiled in financial controversy.

The latest two Gripen fighter jets touched down in South Africa this week when they arrived in Cape Town harbour on Wednesday before being flown to Air Force Base Makhado in Limpopo where they are to be permanently stationed.

As part of the country's 1999 Strategic Defence Procurement programme, South Africa purchased, among others, 26 Gripen fighter jets and 24 Hawk lead-in-fighter trainers.

The Gripens, nine dual-seaters and 17 single-seaters, have replaced South Africa's ageing Cheetah fighter jet force while the Hawks have replaced the Impala jet trainers.
The defence ministry, in reply to parliamentary questions, admitted that the budget allocated for the operating costs of the Hawk and the Gripen for the 2008/2009 financial year fell short by more than R75-million.

To operate the Hawks and the Gripens the air force requires R254,4-million, but to date it has only received R178,5-million.

The operating costs include those of operating the squadrons, fuel, maintenance, repair, ammunition and survival requirements.

Added to this is the fact that of the 243 air and ground crew positions available for the aircraft programs, only 149 have been filled, with the Gripen programme being the worst affected.

Twelve of its 19 pilot posts are vacant as are nearly half of its 111 ground crew positions.

The admission comes a week after the South African Air Force (SAAF) admitted that a cash crisis had forced it to decommission the Cheetah fighter jets four years too early, rendering the air force nearly powerless to defend the country from an aerial attack.

SAAF chief Lieutenant-General Carlos Gagiano last week said that because of funding "we had to close the Cheetah programme so that we could start the Gripen programme".

"The bottom line is that our funding dose not allow two systems to be operated simultaneous," he said.

Attempting to allay fears, Gripen spokesperson Linden Birns said that the remaining Gripens would continue to arrive between now and 2012.

"The next Gripen is set to arrive later this year followed by the rest which will continue to arrive up until 2012," he said, adding that the delivery process was on track.

Birns said the modern Gripen C and D fighter aircraft would enable the SAAF to simultaneously downsize its fighter inventory while maintaining its full operational capability for national defence and regional peace missions.

Source
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=139&art_id=vn20080816081211256C649699

[tigershark]

I didn't follow this arms deal closely but Hawk's are costly and maybe another more basic trainer might have been selected to better save funding for the Gripen's?   

[Viggen]

Though start for the South African Air Force with the Gripen program. I hope it will work out in the end when all their new flight students gets their wings.