This is a list of equipment of the South African Army. It includes equipment such as small arms, combat vehicles, explosives, missile systems, engineering vehicles, logistical vehicles, artillery, air defence systems, as well as future equipment. Due to how large and secretive the South African Army is, it is currently almost impossible to calculate all equipment in the army.
35-round or 50-round magazines. Standard Service rifle since 1980.
Many of the R4 and R5 rifles were modernized in 2010 throughout Project African Warrior for the South African Army's Soldier Modernization Programme.
The updated version of the rifle has a folding/collapsible stock, railed handguard, and side-mounted rail and comes equipped with the Trijicon ACOG TA11 or other optical sights, foregrips and grenade launchers.[5]
20-round magazine. Former service rifle of the South African Army. Remaining rifles in service are used in and anti-poaching patrols and others made into designated marksman rifles.[7]
3-round magazine. In service since 1998 by the South African Special Forces and Army Infantry sniper sections. Comes equipped with the 8 × 56 Lynx Telescopic sight.
The NTW-20 can penetrate through walls and armored vehicles.
Variants used by the Army include the Milkor Y2 which was in service since 1983 and the Y4 SuperSix in service since 2019. 6-round revolving, swing out-type cylinder. Comes equipped with optical sights.
Large numbers of RPG-7s were captured during the mid-1970s and are used as the primary infantry anti-armour rocket launcher and is deployed at section level for use against armoured vehicles.
Currently the Army is looking for a replacement for this ageing system.
46 Milan ADT (Advanced Digital Technology) launchers as well as 300+[19][20] Milan ER (extended range) SACLOS missiles are in service since 2007[21] with the Army’s airborne and motorised infantry battalions as well as with the Special Forces Brigade. Soldiers train on the four simulators acquired from MBDA.
All systems are equipped with Video output devices and 15 launchers are equipped with Thermal imaging systems.
A grenade which consists of an aluminium case containing the illuminating composition, to which is fitted a conventional fly-off lever striker mechanism. The illuminating grenade provides sufficient light for target identification and attack. The grenade
can also be used as a light source for emergency conditions when other pyrotechnic light sources are not
available.
A grenade which consists of a cylindrical tinplate body containing the smoke composition, a spring-loaded striker mechanism of the fly-off lever type and a pyrotechnic igniter/delay system. The fly-off lever is retained by a conventional safety pin and pull ring. The grenade has a variety of signalling applications and may also be used for screening and for
Second generation South African rifle grenades manufactured by RheinmetallDenel Munitions (formerly Swartklip Products, a division of Denel). The grenade incorporates a bullet trap and deflector in the tail tube. This allows them to be fired without the need to unload the rifle of its ammunition. Bullet Trap rifle grenades available includes HE/AP (High Explosive/Anti-Personnel), Practice and HE/DP (High Explosive/Dual Purpose) grenades. The HE/DP type has a shaped charge warhead which can penetrate 150 mm of rolled homogeneous armour or 450 mm of reinforced concrete. Grenades can be fired from both 5.56mm and 7.62mm rifles in the South African arsenal.
A shaped charge grenade, based on the Belgian ENERGA anti-tank rifle grenade and designed to be fired from most 7.62mm rifles. Can penetrate 275 mm of rolled homogeneous armour. Presumably largely phased out of South African service along with the large majority of 7.62mm R1 rifles. No longer in production.
A heavily modified and modernized Centurion tank. The MK1A tanks were commissioned in 1985, MK1Bs were commissioned in 1991 and the MK2 tanks were commissioned in 2007.[27]
~ 182 MK1A
~ 44 MK1B
~ 26 MK2
The fleet is soon to be replaced by a new MBT in the future through project aorta.[28]
Armoured fighting vehicle used for reconnaissance, aggressive search-and-destroy, anti-armour operations, combat patrols, raids, day and night hot pursuit operations.[30]
The Rooikat is armed with a 76 mm or 105 mm cannon as well as two 7.62mm machine guns, one co-axial to the main armament and one at the commander’s position providing both ground and aerial defence, its countermeasures are 2 x 81 mm smoke grenade launchers, mounted in a forward firing position on each side of the turret.[31]
A total of 1,380 units were delivered to the army in all variants. At least 355 Ratels were sold to foreign countries bringing the total down to 1,025 units as of 2024.
The Badgers are a new generation of armoured fighting vehicles planned to partially replace the Army's current Ratel IFV fleet over the next decade.[37]
Armament:
Standard variant (EMAK-30 30 mm Cam Gun, 7.62 mm Browning M1919 coaxial)
Fire support variant (EMAK-30 30 mm Cam Gun, 7.62 mm Browning M1919 coaxial and 2 x ZT3 Ingwe ATGM launchers)
Mortar variant (60 mm breech-loading gun-mortar, 7.62 mm Browning M1919 coaxial)
Tank destroyer variant (2 x ZT3 Ingwe ATGM launchers, 7.62 mm Browning M1919 coaxial, can also be fitted with a 120 mm gun)
Originally 264 were ordered, of which 22 pre-production vehicles have been delivered from Finland. Due to staff shortages at Denel, there have been numerous delays in completing the project so the order has been revised to only 254 units.
Mine-resistant APC with significant protection against anti-tank mines and small arms fire.
Mamba Mk2 and Mk3 variants are used by the Army with an undisclosed number of Mambas in reserve/storage.
Armament:
Mamba Mk2 (M2 Browning .50 Cal MG, 40 mm Denel Y3 Grenade machine gun)
Mamba Mk3 (M2 Browning .50 Cal MG, 40 mm Denel Y3 Grenade machine gun)
Around 100 Mamba APCs in reserve were refurbished and brought back into service at the end of 2023 and were assigned to the light modern brigade.[39][40]
An undisclosed number of 4x4 and 6x6 MAX 3s were acquired from South African Defence Contractor SVI Engineering in early 2024 and delivered to the Joint Operations Division of the SANDF.
The Army is currently looking to acquire a mix of 462 different APCs / MRAPs from multiple South African companies in three variants: 210 Section variants, 144 Command variants, and 108 Ambulance variants.[42]
Multi-purpose mine-resistant infantry mobility vehicle with significant protection against anti-tank mines and small arms fire.
More than 2,800 Casspirs were manufactured in South Africa in multiple variants, around 600 of these were sold to foreign countries.
The Army uses the Casspir Mk3 variant and has around 370 in its active inventory, a further estimate of 1,800 Casspir Mk2 and Mk3s are in reserve/storage.
Armament:
Casspir Mk3 (3 × 7.62 mm MG, M2 Browning .50 cal MG, + optional 40 mm Denel Y3 Grenade machine gun, can also replace the M2 Browning with a 20 mm autocannon)
At the end of 2023 an unspecified number of the Casspirs in reserve were added into the active inventory.[48]
A system designed to clear routes of mines, usually they operate in pairs one after the other.
The leading vehicle acts as a Mine Detection Vehicle (MDV) and is designated as "Meerkat".
The second Husky in the system tows a trailer called a "Duisendpoot" and is known as a towing /mine detection vehicle (T/MDV).
The latest version of the Husky, the 2G, has high sensitivity low metal content detectors, ground penetrating radar, powerful air blowers and a robotic arm.
Upgraded Magirus Deutz 130M7FAL 4×4 2-ton (load) truck. The trucks serve as the primary off-road light general purpose truck of the SANDF and comes in several variants, each fulfilling a different role. These include general cargo/fuel/troop transport variants, artillery fire control posts, variants with office and workshop bodies, a battery charger variant, a light recovery variant (designated "Pegasus") and a variant with a Light General Repair(LAD) rear body.
Upgraded Magirus Deutz 192D12AL 4×4 5-ton (load) truck. Trucks are utilised in different roles as personnel/cargo transporters, field repair and maintenance vehicles, water/fuel transporters, field recovery vehicles (variant designated as "Springbok"), refuse collection trucks, mobile showers, mobile offices, bridge transporters, radio and technical bins and pantry vehicles(with refrigeration capability).
Upgraded Magirus Deutz 320D22AL 6×6 10-ton (load) truck. Trucks are utilised in different roles as personnel/cargo transporters, water/fuel transporters, field recovery vehicles (variant designated as "Kameel"/Mine protected variant designated as "Withings"), dry canteen vehicles, field repair and maintenance vehicles (designated as "Waterbok"), UAV launchers, UAV recovery vehicles and gun tractors (for towed artillery pieces).
The army employs several variants of this vehicle. The "Skimmel" is a heavy recovery vehicle which is fitted with a tow arm, a winch, a crane and various other equipment. The "Zebra" is a maintenance and repair variant of the truck. The "Kameelperd" version carries the Army Air Defence Artillery's ESR220 Thutlwa mobile battery fire control post and early warning radar. The trucks also have tank transport and bridge layer variants.
The G6 Rhino also known as "GV6 Renoster" is a South African 155 mm long-range mine-resistant wheeled self-propelled howitzer and is the largest piece of artillery system in the South African Army arsenal; the army originally had 153 in service, but due to the lack of external threats and the end of the Cold War, the government sold 110 units to foreign countries leaving the army with only 43 G6s in service as of 2024.
The G6 Rhino holds the world record of scoring the longest 155 mm artillery shot recorded at 76 kilometres, making it one of the most accurate artillery systems in the world.[64]
Denel was awarded a contract to upgrade the Rhinos to the latest G6-52 standard by 2024.[65]
The Umkhonto GBADS vertical launching system is currently in testing for the South African Army’s ground-based air defence system (GBADS) requirement. The Umkhonto GBADS can carry up to eight Umkhonto-R and Umkhonto-IR (Infrared) Mk II missiles.
Eight Lightweight Multiple Launchers (LML), two 20 km-range Thales Page continuous-wave (CW) low-observable battery air defence local warning radars as well as about 100 VSHORAD (very short range air defence) high-velocity missiles were ordered in December 2002 and are in use with 10 Air Defence Artillery Regiment. These missiles have a range of between 5–7 km. Stockholm International Peace Research Institute lists the number of Portable SAMs delivered as 96 for the GBADS phase 1 project with another order for 82[76]
169 acquired (along with 75 Super Fledermaus fire control units) These guns were upgraded by Rheinmetall AG in 2017 to use Oerlikon Skyshield fire control systems and Ahead airburst ammunition capable of shooting down modern aerial threats.[78]
The Seeker 400 is the latest variant of the Seeker UAVs manufactured by South Africa's Denel Dynamics. SANDF Took delivery of the first Seeker 400 in 2015, in 2021 a SANDF Seeker 400 crashed.[81]
Acquired under Project Klooster. The Vulture is used for target acquisition, fall-of-shot detection and fire correction in support of Towed and Self Propelled Gun Howitzer Systems of the SA Army Artillery Formation. It operates without a pilot or a runway and is deployable in 30 minutes in unprepared terrain. The UAV is launched from a catapult on the back of a SAMIL 100 truck. The Vulture is monitored on the ground via the Navigator and Observer screens in a Ground Control Station. A laser system is used for automated approach, an arrestor system for its capture and an inflatable airbag for its recovery.
Mobile battery fire control post and early warning radar
4
Designated as "Kameelperd". The system uses an L-band 2D surveillance radar to provide early warning to air defence artillery troops in the field. This fully autonomous armoured system (with self-contained power plant)is transported by a Spanish-designed Kynos Aljaba 8×8 (“Skimmel” in SANDF service) truck. It is capable of tracking aircraft in a 120 km radius and can be fully operational within 10 minutes of arrival at the deployment site. The system also provides for a combined air picture derived from primary radar(through utilisation of Link-ZA, the SANDF's data link system), as well as a command and control system for effective air defence control.
Acquired in 2012 under Project Cytoon. The radars are designed to plot a pedestrian at 10 km, a vehicle at 21 km, a tank at 28 km, a helicopter at 21 km, a boat at 12 km and a ship at 48 km. The radar system uses a frequency modulated continuous wave Doppler radar and is designed to be virtually undetectable by enemy electronic warfare equipment. All systems are in service with the SA Army Tactical Intelligence Corps.
Acquired in 2012 under Project Cytoon. The Thales Sophie can spot humans at over 4 km, tanks at 10 km, helicopters at 12 km and jet fighters at 16 km. All systems are in service with the SA Army Tactical Intelligence Corps.
The LOCATS is an unmanned aerial target used to train Air Defence Artillery crews in gunnery. It is launched from a ramp fitted on the back of a flatbed truck and is recovered by parachute.
2,985 Buffels were built, after the South African Border War around 2,400 remained in service and were soon replaced by the new Mamba mine-protected armoured personnel carriers and the excess Buffels were put on sale.
Armoured car based on the Panhard AML. 1,600 were built, after the South African Border War 1,268 Eland-60s and Eland-90s remained in service and were soon replaced by the Rooikat tank destroyers and Ratel infantry fighting vehicles and excess Elands were put on sale.
^"Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Archived from the original on 2011-05-13. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
^Leon Engelbrecht (24 May 2011). "SA Army stocks up on Milan 3". Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2016. The SANDF has ordered an undisclosed further number of Milan missiles..The R57 990 630.80 purchase order was awarded to Euromissile [sic] last week. It takes the known value of Project Kingfisher – according to the Armscor Bulletin System (ABS) – to R271 076 483.37...The Kingfisher contract was placed on December 20, 2006, and initially escaped media notice. In March 2009 the military ordered a further 13 Milan ADT firing posts and four simulators under a contract worth €10.7 million (about R129.3 million at then exchange rates, but R81.5 million on the ABS.
^Leon Engelbrecht (8 October 2008). "SA Army, SOF "operationalising" MILAN". Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2016. The launchers were received in 1974, but were placed in storage in 1996. SA employed the MILAN in combat in southern Angola in the 1980s. Under Project Kingfisher, 30 launchers were upgraded to Milan ADT-ER status and 300 missiles were acquired for R167.4 million.
^ abEngelbrecht, Leon. "Cytoon handed to the Army". defenceweb.co.za. defenceweb.co.za. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
^Venter, Dewald (2019-10-31). "Buffel APC/MPV". Tank Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
^Venter, Dewald (2019-07-16). "Eland Armoured Car". Tank Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2024-02-15.