South Africa's Military on the Move J.P

Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies, Vol 18, Nr 1, 1988. http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za

SOUTH AFRICA'S MILITARY ON THE MOVE J.P. McWilliams Col, USMC (Ret)*

If one looks at the South African Defence Force is widely believed that the South African govern- (SADF), it becomes apparent that it is the strong- ment possesses the ability to develop a tactical est defence force in Africa based on trained nuclear weapon capability." The report goes on, manpower, organisation, weapons systems, mo- "The military's political influence and direct par- bilisation capacity and defence budget. The Re- ticipation in the highest councils of government public of South Africa has the capability to pro- have increased substantially ..... cure and manufacture the overwhelming major- ity of its weapons and armaments through its The question of the arms embargo against South existing parastatal, Armaments Corporation of Africa has intensified the debate over whether, South Africa Ltd. (Armcscor). According to The because of the embargo, South Africa is less Military Balance, 1986-87, published by the In- dependent on outside sources, thereby forcing it ternational Institute for Strategic Studies, (1ISS), to produce its own arms and thus creating a South Africa has 250 Centurian/Olifant tanks, degree of independence heretofore not estab- 1 600 Eland armoured cars, 1 500 Ratel Infantry lished previous to the 1963 and 1977 arms em- combat vehicles, 372 combat aircraft, 16 armed bargoes. Some pundits have argued that the helicopters and 144 other helicopters. The SADF arms embargo has not met the objectives of the can mobilize over 400 000 personnel. Defence international community but has managed to expenditures for 1985/6 were 2,27 billion dollars. create a stronger SADF less dependent on the The defence budget for 1986/7 indicates alloca- political whims of arms sales from external tions of 2,012 billion dollars. sources. The Secretary of State's Report fol- lowed this logic when it emphasized that South In September 1985, according to General Mag- Africa has developed its own independent arms nus Malan, Minister of Defence, South Africa industry, which is nuw the third largest industrial was ninety-five percent self-sufficient in military group in the country, with some 16 000 em- production. In initiating its "preparedness pro- ployees. Furthermore, the Report states it is gen- gramme" long before the 1977 mandatory arms erally agreed that this would not have been embargo by the West, Malan said that the Re- possible without direct or indirect assistance public was self-sufficient. This included the con- from foreign sources (notably Israel, France and ception, design and development of armaments. Taiwan).

Speaking at the unveiling of the newest addition With the foregoing in mind, the role of Armscor to South Africa's defence arsenal, the Cheetah becomes of critical importance to those con- fighter aircraft, in July 1986, State President P.W. cerned with Southern Africa. So-called experts Botha underscored the importance of techno- in our government should be analysing the role logically superior weapons systems when he of Armscor in the military, political and economic said, "... we have come to expect that Armscor structure of the Republic of South Africa (RSA). and the Defence Force ensure our security and The interlocking industrial corporate structures we expect them to be at the forefront of techno- that support Armscor, links with other national logy." He also reiterated his theme that South institutions and international states and/or bod- Africa has developed its own highly sophis- ies are the nexus of Armscor's sub rosa political ticated arms industry since the arms embargo power in Pretoria. against the Republic. He emphasized that Arms- cor had already achieved success in foreign As a matter of hindsight, the United Nations marketing and "forcing the world to take cogni- arms embargo acted as a catalyst in the arma- zance of the unique ability which exists in South ments production in South Africa. Africa ... " Corroborating Botha's statement is the 1987 Report of the U.S. Secretary of State's Armscor generates interest as an integral part of Advisory Committee on South Africa which the larger South African question. As such, the states, "The South African Defence Force role of Armscor becomes critical in carrying out (SAD F) occupies an important position in the the policies of the South African Government. If country's power structure ... is the best trained South Africa is able to counter the mandatory and equipped military on the African continent. It arms embargo through circumventing the em-

62 Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies, Vol 18, Nr 1, 1988. http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za

bargo and/or satisfactorily manufacturing its international defence analysts that Pretoria's armaments needs, a so-called mandatory arms armaments industry is a growing phenomena. embargo becomes mute. Like so many efforts by the U.S. and others, sanctions and embargoes are not having the Moreover, as the world's major gold producer, desired effect. In fact, blacks are increasingly South Africa's economic position has been able being economically deprived and South Africa is to expand significantly into other industrial areas becoming stronger, economically and militarily. forming a solid national economic base reduc- ing its vulnerability to foreign pressures. With this When will we learn to be more adept at persuas- in mind, the Republic's armaments industry be- ion through covert efforts rather than circus comes increasingly important. It follows, then, events performed in Washington? It becomes that the scope, direction and role of Armscor, critical that the holy bandwagon of South Africa coupled with the domestic industry's interlocking "bashers" start doing their homework and con- structures, are important facets in answering the centrate on the results of their actions rather than country's future security. The economic power, the lemming-like pursuits of misled mindless political will, public determination, technical ex- moralities. pertise and zeal of the Republic coupled with its pariah status in the international community hap- pen to be a unique subject that warrants con- Opinions expressed by individual tinuous media coverage. Although various types contributors do not necessarily reflect the of pressures are being exerted on South Africa, official viewpoint of the SADF. there is little visible evidence that the Republic is meaningfully modifying its policy on political Persoonlike menings in the loop van 'n franchise. A matter of concern is the possibility artikel uitgespreek, word nie noodwendig that sanctions and the arms embargo may have deur die SAW onderskryf nie. the opposite effect. A case can be made to show a cause/effect relationship of the arms embargo and the growing self-sufficiency of the South African Defence Industry. On the other *Col James P. McWilliams, Jr, USMC hand, the broad scope of Armscor's pro- grammes and the defence policy as outlined in Colonel McWilliams was commissioned a Sec- the latest South African White Paper on Defence ond Lieutenant of Marines upon graduation from and Armaments Supply, are indicators of the LaSalle College in 1957. After completing the Republic's determination to resist outside press- Basic School in 1958, where he was the Edson ure and to "go it alone" in its pursuit of internal Trophy winner, he reported to the 5th Marines, policy. Camp Pendleton where he served as a rifle Pla- toon Commander and assistant operations offi- Certain events acted as catalysts in Armscor's cer and then as the Commanding Officer of creation in response to the RSA's increased se- Company A when his unit transplanted from the curity and defence requirements. International First Marine Division to the Third Marine Division. criticism, domestic turbulence in the black com- Later in his tour on Okinawa, he served as Aide- munities, the insurgency in Namibia, sanctions de-Camp to the Commanding General. and the arms embargo hastened the necessity for a monolithic coordinating body for the dom- Returning to the United States in 1960, Colonel estic control of weapons systems. Thus, the re- McWilliams was assigned to the 2nd Force Re- sult was the rising prominence of Armscor with connaisance Company where he served as a the attendant industrial, political and economic Pathfinder Team Leader, Reconnaisance Pla- power. Commandant Piet Marais, chairman of toon Commander, and Company Operations Of- Armscor, speaking on the number of people em- ficer until 1963, with his duties carrying him ployed in armaments production, emphasized throughout the Caribbean, Africa, and Indian that Armscor was "the third or fourth biggest Ocean areas. In 1963, then Captain McWilliams, employer in South Africa". completed French Language School and served his first tour in Vietnam as an Infantry Field Advi- Where does South Africa stand in relation to sor, 3rd Vietnamese Marine Battalion. From the existing weapons systems, the ability to maintain Orient in 1963 Colonel McWilliams moved in these systems and state-of-the-art technology? 1964 to England where he acted as a Company There is factual and discernable evidence by Commander, Instructor and Student with the

63 Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies, Vol 18, Nr 1, 1988. http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za

Royal Marines during an exchange tour. While Marine Division as the Battalion Commander, on this tour he completed the rigorous com- Third Battalion, t~inth Marines. After leaving Oki- mando course as the honour graduate. nawa in 1977, Colonel McWilliams was assigned as the head Politico-Military Division, Studies, From 1965 to 1968, he was assigned as an in- Analysis and Gaming Agency, Joint Chiefs of structor and Student Company Commander at Staff, Pentagon. In 1980 he was transferred as the Basic School, Quantico, and it was during Head, Officer Assignment Branch, Headquar- that tour that he was promoted to Major. In early ters, Marine Corps. Colonel McWilliams returned 1969, after completing the course of instruction to Japan in May 1982 to be the Commanding from the Armed Forces Staff College, Colonel Officer, 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Divi- McWilliams returned to the Republic of Vietnam sion. Presently, Colonel McWilliams is assigned where he served as the Battalion Executive Offi- to the Naval Council of Personnel Boards. cer of the First Battalion, Ninth Marines. His personnel decorations include the Silver Assigned to the Navy ROTC Unit at Villanova Star, Defence Superior Service Medal, Navy University, he was the Assistant Professor of Marine Corps Medal, Bronze Star Medal (2 Gold Naval Science for two years. While at Villanova, Stars in lieu of 3rd Award), Navy Commendation Colonel McWilliams was ordered to Washington, Medal, Navy Achievement Medal and Purple D.C. to be the Marine Corps Aide to the Chief of Heart (Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Award). Naval Operations in 1972. Later he was transferred to Headquarters Marine Corps until 1975 He received a BA degree from LaSalle College when he was selected to attend The Naval War and a MA in Political Science from Villanova College, Newport, Rhode Island, where he was a University. He is currently a PHD candidate in distinguished graduate. He returned to the Third African Studies.