South African Army Artillery Formation

South African Army Artillery Formation
Active 1999 to date
Country  South Africa
Allegiance  South African Army
Branch  South African Army
Type Artillery
Part of South African Army
Colors Guardsmen Red and Oxford Blue[1]
Commanders
General Officer Commanding (GOC) Brig Gen Deon Holtzhausen
General of the Gunners Maj Gen Roy Andersen CSSA SD SM MMM JCD JCD with 30 Yr Clasp[2]
Insignia
Collar Badge Bursting grenade with seven flames
Beret Colour Oxford Blue
Artillery Battery Emblems
Artillery Beret Bar circa 1992

The South African Army Artillery Formation is the controlling entity of all South African Army artillery units. It draws much of its history from the South African Artillery, established in 1934 but with roots that reach back to 1921. The formation consists of both regular and reserve units. There is a separate South African Army Air Defence Artillery Formation that directs army anti-aircraft warfare units.

History

The South African Permanent Force, created in 1913 as the Permanent Force and re-designated with effect from 23 February 1923, included the South African Field Artillery (SAFA), and the South African Permanent Garrison Artillery (SAPGA). The SAPGA had begun operations some time before, when the coastal defences of the Cape Peninsula (manned by the Cape Garrison Artillery) had been handed over to South Africa in December 1921.

SANDF G5 artillery Lohatla

In Proclamation No. 246 of 1934, the Governor General of the Union of South Africa merged the two organisations with effect from 1 September 1934 and created one Corps titled the South African Artillery (SAA) (see South African Army corps and branches).

Nine field regiments, two medium regiments, and three anti-tank regiments served in North Africa and Italy during the Second World War. (http://nigelef.tripod.com/saregt.htm)

1st Medium Regiment SAA (SAHA) was formed briefly from 1 October 1939 - July 1941, when it was broken up in Egypt to provide replacements for the field regiments of the SAA. It was reformed with headquarters at Cape Town from 1 January 1946. It was transferred from Cape Town and out of Cape Command to Oudtshoorn from 31 December 1953, but was then disbanded after a Citizen Force reorganisation on 1 March 1960.[3]

From 1 July 1951 8 Field Regiment SAA was active, but was redesignated the Johannesburg Regiment in 1960.

The army's reorganisation after the creation of the new South African National Defence Force was lengthy. The SA Army Office was established. The Corps were restructured with Regular and Reserve Regiments under command. The so-called “Type Formations” were established which assumed responsibility for the provisioning of combat-ready forces to be employed under the direction of Joint Operations Division.

G6 Rhino Howitzers at the Klipdrift military base


10 Artillery Brigade, active with 4 and 14 Regiments since 1983, and 14 Artillery Regiment disbanded on January 1, 1993.


In 1997 the 7th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, active since the 1960s, was disestablished. Regiment Overvaal (ROV) was established on 1 April 1969 as an Afrikaans Anti-Aircraft Regiment based on Vereeniging Military Base in Vereeniging. P Battery of Regiment Vaalrivier was transferred on 1 October 1969 to form 8th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (8LLA). The name changed from 8LLA to ROV on 27 April 1993. The regiment was disestablished in 1997.[4]

The South African Artillery re-organised itself into the South African Army Artillery Formation, directed by the SA Army Artillery Formation Headquarters.[1][2] The South African Army Arty Formation HQ was established in April 1999.[5]

SAMIL 100 carrying a Vulture UAV.


In the annual report for the 2013-14 fiscal year, the SANDF reported the development of artillery cooperation and the establishment of the Namibian Army School of Artillery.[6] The SA Army assisted the Namibian Defence Force with the development of courses and ultimately the establishment of the Namibian School of Artillery.

Regular units

Reserve units

Maj Gen Roy Andersen with the GOC, Brig Gen Deon Holtzhausen, and Sgt Maj of the Formation accompanied by the NFA OC, Major Craig Nel, just after the NFA gunners fired the salute at the Gunner's Memorial Service in Durban 2014

Equipment

The Formation uses the following equipment, among others:

To be acquired:

Conventional Artillery

Cannon

Variant Description Comment Image
G1 Cannon 25 pounder, high explosive, anti tank and smoke shells  United Kingdom design
G2 Cannon 5.5 inch medium gun, high explosive United Kingdom design
G4 Howitzer 155mm, high explosive Israel design, stopgap until the G5 cannon entered service
G5 Howitzer 155mm, high explosive, Samil 100 Gun tractor South Africa design
G6 Howitzer 155mm, high explosive, Self driven South Africa design
Vulture UAV Vulture Forward Observation South Africa design. Used for target acquisition, fall-of-shot detection and fire correction in support of Towed and Self Propelled Gun Howitzer Systems.[7]

Multiple Rocket Launcher Systems

Variant Description Comment Image
Valkiri MLRS 127mm rocket MLRS South Africa design Unimog chassis, pre fragmented warhead, 24 launch tubes
Bateleur MLRS 127mm rocket MLRS South Africa design Kwevoel chassis, pre fragmented warhead, 40 launch tubes

References

  1. 1 2 Engelbrecht, Leon (9 February 2010). "Fact file: The SA Artillery". DefenceWeb. ITWEB. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Artillery School : SA Army Artillery Formation Officers’ Dinner". Gunner's Association South Africa. Gunner's Association. 22 June 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
  3. ↑ http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za/pub/article/viewFile/464/497
  4. ↑ "War In Angola: - HOME". warinangola.com.
  5. ↑ http://www.rfdiv.mil.za/pdfs/publications/gunner/gunner.pdf
  6. ↑ SA Army overstretched - DoD, Guy Martin, 6 Nov 2014 (http://defenceweb.co.za)
  7. ↑ "The Vulture UAV". Paramount Group. 2012. Retrieved 2015-04-01.

External links

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