South Africa: Defence Minister Inspects New Hawk and Gripen Craft

The Hawk advanced jet trainer and Gripen fighter aircraft, the South African Defence Force's two new additions, were put on display and inspected by the Minister of Defence Mosiuoa Lekota on Wednesday. The craft, which are set to modernise South Africa's National Air force, were inspected by the minister at the opening of the Africa Aerospace and Defence 2008 exhibition at Ysterplaat Air Force Base in Cape Town. The minister also met with the aircrafts' crew. Other craft which are being displayed in the exhibition include the Agusta A109 and the SA Navy's shipborne Super Lynx helicopters, as well as the Rooivalk and Oryx. The minister said the arrival of the craft in South Africa had resulted in the British defence and aerospace company, BAE Systems, which is the prime contractor for the aircraft and Saab launching over 150 new investment, manufacturing, skills development and technology transfer projects across its aerospace, defence and civil industries. BAE Systems, together with its Gripen partner, Saab, are fulfilling their obligation to deliver $8.7 billion of new, additional economic activities to South Africa through the Joint Industrial Participation Programme. It follows South Africa's $2.2 billion acquisition of its advanced new aircraft. Their entire obligation is set to be fulfilled by April 2012. To date more than 75 South African companies are partners in BAE Systems-Saab's projects. These projects are categorised as Defence Industrial Participation (DIP), which involves the delivery of US$1.5 billion of new economic activity in the aerospace and defence sectors; and National Industrial Participation (NIP) which comprises US$1.2 billion of new economic benefits derived primarily from manufacturing-for-export ventures in various civil sectors. BAE Systems Executive Vice President, South Africa, John Williamson said: "We have fulfilled all of our NIP and DIP milestones. With more than US$1.2 billion of investments brought to the table we are now one of South Africa's biggest facilitators and providers of new direct foreign investment". In its most recent Industrial Participation reports to Parliament, the Department of Trade and Industry confirmed that BAE Systems and Saab had achieved more than 100 percent of their joint investment target.