This is the Russian RGD-5 (РГД-5), Granata Distantsionnaya, Distance-Hand-Grenade or Time-Delayed (DLY) hand-grenade, a post World War 2, High-Explosive-Fragmentation (HE-Frag), Anti-Personnel (AP), defensive, hand-grenade, designed in the early 1950s, also made in...
This is the Russian TM-46 and TMN-46, High-Explosive-Blast (HE-Blast), large, metal-bodied, Anti-Vehicle (AV), landmines that may be laid mechanically or by hand, also copied in China and designated the Type 59. In addition to conventional pressure fuzes (MV-5 and...
This is the South-African R2M2, a High-Explosive-Blast (HE-Blast), circular, plastic-bodied, non-metallic, pressure-initiated, Anti-Personnel (AP) landmine designed to wound or kill by its HE-Blast effect that uses an integral fuze with a steel Firing-Pin (FP) and...
This is the South-African No 2 (R1M1), a copy of the American M18A1 often called the SHRAPNEL MINE No 2, a High-Explosive-Fragmentation (HE-Frag), claymore shaped, plastic-bodied, directional, anti-personnel (AP), landmine that is designed to wound or kill by its...
The No 8 mine is a South African a High-Explosive-Blast (HE-Blast) circular bakelite bodied, Anti-Vehicle (AV) cased minimum metal anti-tank blast mine, which is designed to damage or destroy a vehicle by its HE-Blast effect with a conventional pressure fuzing.. The...
A photo of me as a (recently turned) 20-year old 2nd Lieutenant Infantryman in 1982, filling my water bottles with 'quality' water (by bush standards) at a waterhole at Umundaungilo village, Ovamboland approximately 2km from the Angolan border. These events are still...
During Angola's long-running civil war, MiG-21s of the Cuban Air Force were frequently deployed to attack ground targets manned by rebel forces or engage South African Air Force Mirage F1s conducting cross-border strikes. Most MiG-21 losses over Angola were attributed...
On 10 June 1980, during the Border War, the SADF’s 61 Mechanised Battalion Group attacked a complex of Swapo military bases in southern Angola. A long day of bloody fighting ensued. Second Lieutenant Paul Louw led Platoon 1, in four Ratel infantry fighting vehicles,...
Air Force Base Ondangwa was initially established at the Ondangwa Airfield on 2 February 1972, under the name "Playboy". The only military presence at that time in the area was at Oshakati, which fell under 1 Military Area in northern SWA. It soon became the most...
The POMZ-2M is a stake-mounted anti-personnel fragmentation mine made in the former Soviet Union. The body of the mine is a cast-iron thick-walled tube with five rows of cast fragmentation "chunks". This is usually mounted on a short wooden stake. Because the mine is...
The PMN is a bakelite-cased, pressure operated, anti-personnel blast mine (sometimes called the 'Black-widow'). Made in the former Soviet Union, it has been found in Afghanistan, Angola, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Chechnya, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Honduras,...
The early MiG-23 variants had a number of design shortcomings, including airframe strength and reliability, engine performance, maneuverability and radar performance. A considerable redesign of the airframe was conducted, resulting in the MiG-23ML (L - Lyogkiy or...
The South African R1 series of rifles are based on the Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (FN) Fusil Automatique Léger (light automatic rifle) or FAL. Formally introduced by its designer Dieudonne Saive in 1951, and produced two years later, it has been described as the...
Long relying on foreign arms to stock its military inventory, the South African national army faced a dilemma of sorts when a UN arms embargo cut the nation off from outside support. The embargo began as a voluntary measure in 1963 and formed into a mandatory...
Fighter pilot memoirs & accounts of Cuban, SAAF and Angolan air combat in Southern African skies Most books on the Angolan Bush War, especially those in English, present the South African perspective of events. Now a former MiG-23 Squadron Commander of the Cuban...
The inside story of a Recce's Special Forces training year The South African Special Forces, or Recces, has always been known for their gruelling selection course that pushes soldiers to the ends of their physical and mental limits. Many sign up for it; only a select...