SA Air Force (SAAF) Chief, Lieutenant General Wiseman Mbambo, was in Pakistan earlier this month (July) where, reports have it, “revamping” of the South African airborne service’s training regime was an agenda item.
The South African three-star expressed his “desire” for support from the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) to develop a modern and comprehensive training framework, beginning at academy level. During his meeting with PAF Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Mbambo requested the participation of SAAF officers as observers in major PAF operational exercises to enhance learning and foster collaboration, according to Pakistan Armed Forces ISPR (Inter-Services Public Relations).
Also on the agenda was increased technical collaboration between the two air forces, with aircraft maintenance a high priority. “Acknowledging the technical excellence and cost-effective maintenance capabilities offered by PAF’s engineering infrastructure, he also conveyed the intent of the South African Air Force to undertake the inspection and maintenance of its C-130 fleet in Pakistan,” the ISPR department said of Mbambo.
Defence and aviation expert Dean Wingrin noted that Pakistan operates a fleet of five elderly C-130B Hercules transports, similar to what the SAAF operates. The PAF also has nine C-130E and four C-130H. India, on the other hand, operates 12 of the much more modern C-130J variant. “So there is some commonality between South Africa and Pakistan,” he stated.
During the 2 July meeting, the South African air boss “lauded” the PAF’s operational readiness, commending its multi-domain warfare capabilities and success in maintaining a credible deterrence posture. He acknowledged the high standards maintained by the PAF and expressed his admiration for its technical excellence, according to ISPR.
In turn, Sidhu highlighted the strong bilateral relationship between Pakistan and South Africa, emphasising shared values and aspirations underpinning the two nations’ “deep-rooted friendship”. He reiterated the PAF commitment to strengthening SAAF aerial combat capabilities through tailored training and capacity-building initiatives, ISPR reported.
Pakistan and South Africa hold regular military engagements – for example in August 2024 Sidhu spent six days visiting his counterpart in South Africa, and in October, South African Special Forces were in Pakistan for a two-week long exercise with their Pakistani counterparts, with a focus on counter-terrorism.
South African and Pakistani military representatives have made numerous visits to each other’s respective countries over the years – notably, Chief of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), General Rudzani Maphwanya, visited Pakistan in July 2021.
In March 2017, South Africa and Pakistan signed a government-to-government defence co-operation agreement which included industrial co-operation. The Pakistani military has sent students to the Army College in South Africa while Pakistan accepted South African officers for staff college training. Pakistan has also trained South African personnel in special forces roles. In 2019 the SANDF said around 40 South African commanders were trained in Pakistan. This included counter-terrorism training.
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