CSIR aeronautical research contribution to the RSA aerospace industry: A historical perspective

BA Gerryts, K Naidoo, D Barker

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION

South Africa had a strong centrally planned 's domestic arms industry mission oriented approach to R&D investment originated in 1940 with the appointment of an during the pre-1994 era. Between 1990 and Advisory Committee on Defence Force 1994, the government terminated Requirements to study and to assess the this strategy and as a result, the R&D spending country's military-industrial potential. Relying decreased from 1.1% to 0.7% of GDP. Post on its recommendations, the government, with 1994, Science and Technology was seen as an British assistance, established six factories to instrument to help address the socio-economic produce or to assemble ammunition, bombs, needs in South Africa and subsequent policies howitzers, mortars, armoured vehicles, and were aimed at growing S&T investment and electronic equipment. A number of private capacity. companies also produced weapons during World War II. Most weapons factories were In the pre-1994 era, one of the national R&D dismantled in the late 1940s. mission topics centred on achieving independence in South Africa’s defence Seeking long-term military research and requirements. The manner in which this was development capabilities, the government in achieved was by means of backwards 1945 established the Council for Scientific and integration of the national system of innovation. Industrial Research (CSIR) to study the This process of local assembly, local product country's overall industrial potential. The Board improvement, re-engineering and ultimate new of Defence Resources, established in 1949, local product development, together with and the Munitions Production Office, focussed R&D programmes, enabled the SA established in 1951, oversaw policy planning aerospace and defence industry to develop concerning armaments. In 1953 the first rifle and support its own equipment such as the factory was established, and the Lyttleton Rooivalk, Ratel and guided weapons such as Engineering Works, formerly the Defence and the V3 air-to-air missile. Ordnance Workshop, collected technical data and information on manufacturing methods. In The role of aeronautics R&D has not been 1954 the government established the National explicitly highlighted in past publications. This Institute for Defence Research (NIDR) to paper aims to focus on the contribution and the assess and to improve the fledgling defence mechanism of aeronautics research in South industry. Africa. Aeronautics research in South Africa, based at the CSIR, gave rise to a number of In 1960 the increasingly security-conscious spin-off companies and products – for example National Party (NP) government stepped up the establishment of Dynamics (guided programs to improve the arsenal of the armed weapons), the manufacture of the Rooivalk forces. Pretoria raised arms production levels, attack helicopter and the establishment of a sought new foreign sources of weapons, and number of UAV programmes. began to acquire new defence technology systems. These efforts intensified after the A focussed research approach in aeronautics, 1963 United Nations (UN) Security Council especially DPSS, can make it possible to once resolution restricting the sale of arms, again lead the industry and the South African ammunition, or military vehicles to South aerospace industry in the development of Africa. The Armaments Act (No. 87) of 1964 appropriate research and technology which established an Armaments Production Board to could help increase the global competitiveness manage the Lyttleton Engineering Works and a of the industry, increase innovation and thereby state-owned ammunition plant. The board create wealth and improve the quality of life of assumed responsibility for coordinating arms South African citizens. purchases among government, military, and private agencies.

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The Armaments Development and Production dollars) over the five-year period from 1984 to Act (No. 57) of 1968 established a special 1988. The best year was 1985, when it earned production unit, the Armaments Development roughly US$102 million. and Production Corporation (), to Armscor did however, experience the effect of consolidate and to manage public and private the cutback in weapons sales in the late 1980s. arms manufacturing. Through Armscor's Its work force had increased from 10,000 to efforts, South Africa soon achieved self- 33,000 between 1974 and 1984, but had sufficiency in the production of small arms, declined to about 20,000 by 1989. At that time, military vehicles, optical devices, and Armscor purchased most of its manufacturing ammunition. During the mid-1970s, Armscor, components from twelve subsidiary companies reorganised as the Armaments Corporation of and an estimated 3,000 private contractors and South Africa (still Armscor), expanded existing subcontractors, representing a total work force arms industries, and assumed control over of more than 80,000 employees. The most research and development done by government began to privatise parts of the NIDR. Before the voluntary UN arms embargo arms industry in the early 1990s. was declared mandatory in 1977, South Africa received military technology through licensing Under a major restructuring that began in April agreements, primarily with West Germany, 1992, a segment of Armscor and several of its Italy, Israel, France, Belgium, and Canada. manufacturing subsidiaries were reorganised Licensing and co-production agreements in the as an independent weapons manufacturing 1970s and 1980s made it difficult to distinguish company, Denel. Denel and several other between fully indigenous military manufacturers produced equipment on contract manufacturers and those that relied on foreign with Armscor, which retained overall manufacturing capabilities. responsibility for military acquisitions. Armscor also acted as the agent of the state, regulating During the 1980s, Armscor was a central military imports and exports, issuing marketing feature of South Africa's military-industrial certificates, and ensuring adherence to complex, a state corporation that depended on international agreements. private industry for specific processes and components. Armscor's financial autonomy EMBARGO DEFIANCE was evident in its access to the capital market Despite the numerous international embargoes for loans, but at the same time, many of its functions were closely tied to the government. against arms trade with South Africa in the Armscor executives reported directly to the 1970s and 1980s, it nonetheless developed the most advanced military-industrial base on the minister of defence. Armscor's ten-member continent. In the late 1970s, it ranked behind corporate board had overlapping membership Brazil and Israel, among developing-country with the ministry's Defence Planning arms suppliers. The reasons for this apparent Committee and included leading businessmen, financiers, and scientists, as well as the irony are evident in South Africa's defence government's director general of finance and production infrastructure, which had developed even before the first UN embargo in 1963; in the chief of the SADF. In addition, Armscor was the incremental, haphazard, and inconsistent represented on the government's high-level ways in which the arms embargoes were military planning and policy bodies. imposed and enforced; in the deliberate refusal Armscor's marketing and sales department, by several countries to comply with the Nimrod, undertook an aggressive arms export embargoes; in Pretoria's use of clever and promotion campaign in the 1980s. It covert circumvention techniques; and in its participated in international arms exhibitions, in ability to develop and to exploit advanced Greece in 1982, in Chile each year from 1984 commercial and "dual-use" technologies for through the end of the decade, and in Turkey in military applications. 1989 (displaying its G-5 howitzer and armoured vehicle). Armscor also displayed its By the late 1960s, South Africa had acquired at least 127 foreign production licenses for arms, manufactures at numerous demonstrations and ammunition, and military vehicles. South Africa trade fairs in South Africa. Despite the UN ban had purchased fighter aircraft, tanks, naval on arms sales to Pretoria and a 1984 UN ban vessels, naval armaments, and maritime patrol on the purchase of arms from South Africa, Armscor's business flourished. The corporation aircraft, primarily from Britain. After that, did not disclose export figures or customers military equipment was carefully maintained, upgraded, and often reverse-engineered or during the 1980s, but the United States copied, after the embargo made it difficult to government estimated South Africa's arms obtain replacements or replacement parts. sales at US$273 million (in constant 1989

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During the 1970s, South Africa expanded and weapons. Numerous other reports of South refined its ability to acquire foreign assistance African arms sales to the Middle East, to Peru, for domestic military production. Its broad- to several leaders of breakaway Yugoslav based industrial growth enabled it to shift republics, and to other countries indicated the imports from finished products to technology international awareness of the strength of and components that could be incorporated South Africa's arms industry. The London- into locally designed or copied military based humanitarian organisation, Oxfam, systems. Through this manoeuvre, multi- criticised South Africa in 1992 for having sold national firms and banks became major automatic rifles, machine guns, grenade sources of technology and capital for South launchers, and ammunition to war-torn Africa's defence industry, even during the Rwanda. Military sales to Rwanda continued in embargo era. Dual-use equipment and the mid-1990s, even after that country's technology such as electronics, computers, genocidal outbreak of violence in 1994. communications, machine tools, and industrial The new Government of National Unity in 1994 equipment, and manufacturing techniques, faced the dilemma of whether to dismantle the were not subject to embargo and were easy to defence industry many of its leaders had exploit for military applications. South African reviled for two decades or to preserve a engineers also were able to modify, to lucrative export industry that still employed tens redesign, to retrofit, and to upgrade a wide of thousands of South Africans. After some range of weapons using foreign technology and debate, President Mandela and Minister of systems. Defence Joe Modise decided to maintain a South Africa also invested in strategic foreign high level of defence manufacturing and to industries; recruited foreign technicians to increase military exports in the late 1990s. The design, develop and to manufacture weapons; industry, they argued, would benefit civil rented and leased technical services, including society in areas such as mass transportation, computers; and resorted to cover companies, medical care, mobile services, information deceptive practices, third-country shipments, management, and other areas of infrastructure and outright smuggling and piracy to meet its development. Increasing defence exports, they defence needs. By the 1980s, the defence maintained, would bolster foreign currency industry, as extensive as it was, was reserves and would help reduce nonetheless incapable of designing and unemployment. Moreover, they pledged that producing some advanced military systems, military exports to other countries would require such as high-performance combat aircraft, cabinet approval and verification by Armscor; tanks, and aerospace electronics. and, they promised, arms would not be sold to countries that threatened war with their Even as Pretoria's diplomatic isolation 1 neighbours. increased in the 1980s, as many as fifty countries, including several in Africa, CHARACTERISTICS OF AEROSPACE purchased Armscor's relatively simple, INDUSTRIES dependable, battle-tested arms for their own The technological importance of a national defence needs. The Johannesburg Weekly aerospace industry goes far beyond the Mail, citing government documents, disclosed development of air vehicles and the accruing arms shipments in the mid-1980s to Iraq, socio-economic benefits. The high technology Gabon, Malawi, Chile, France, Belgium, and benefits generate spillovers to other industries, Spain. Morocco and Zaire obtained Ratel create knowledge, increase competitiveness, armoured vehicles from Pretoria, and South stimulate innovation and spur the aerospace Africa's mobile razor-wire barrier, used for area family on in becoming an integral component of protection and crowd control, was exported to the world’s aerospace community. at least fifteen countries, including several in Africa, and to United States forces in West Tapping into the global supply chain in turn Germany. creates international confidence in the capabilities of the local aerospace industry Reports of the Iran-Iraq conflict of the 1980s which inevitably leads to foreign direct and of the Persian Gulf War of early 1991 highlighted Pretoria's previous sales to several countries in the Middle East. Armscor had sold G-5 towed howitzers to both Iran and Iraq, and

G-6 self-propelled howitzers to the United Arab 1 Emirates. South Africa also provided vaccines South Africa Growth of the Defense Industry (Revised 10- Nov-04 Copyright © 2004 Photius Coutsoukis (all rights to Israel for that country's use as a precaution reserved) against the possible Iraqi use of biological

3 investment, a highly desirable economic The National Science Board (Committee on component of a developing economy. The Prospering in the Global Economy of the 21st aerospace sector is characterised by the Century: An Agenda for American Science and following: Technology 2007:6-5) describes the benefits of high-technology industries to nations as: High-technology content. Strategic importance. High-technology is associated with innovation, and firms that innovate Globalised supply chains. tend to gain market share, create new Advanced manufacturing technologies. products/markets, and/or use Clustering of industries and suppliers. resources more productively. Risk and revenue sharing. Industrial R&D performed by high- technology industries benefits other High technology industries and areas have commercial sectors by generating new become strategically important, especially in 2 products and processes that increase neo-classical economics , where countries and productivity, expand business and companies are expected to specialise. High create high-wage jobs. technology areas generally have high entry barriers (high R&D costs, infrastructure, high High-technology firms develop high- risk, etc.) Because of the high entry barriers, valued-added products and are the incumbent companies will receive successful in foreign markets, which substantial profits. Governments want to enter results in increased competition. high technology markets due to: Hickie (2006:702) states that “In a high- The perceived high profit margins of technology business one could reasonably companies in the high technology expect to face technological risks and markets. difficulties, but aerospace has also been subject to radical fluctuations in demand; and The spill over effects associated with a major organisational restructurings, often high technology company, which externally imposed by governments. Demand forces other companies to improve for military aircraft can oscillate violently in the their quality, response time, light of prevailing international relations. In competitiveness, etc. 1944 Boeing employed 50,000 people, but in the immediate post-war years this fell to 9000 The net effect is a more capable and and its Denton plant, near Seattle was closed.” sophisticated economy. From the literature on high-technology

industries, it is clear that it presents a special Higher technology industries develop case of high impact and return, but also of high knowledge intensive sectors, which are government involvement as discussed in the considered to be havens, which are next section. Developed countries use high- immune to international competition technology as a mechanism to increase (for example competition based on low competitiveness and to create entry barriers wages). against competition from low wage

countries/firms. Developing countries uses Moving up the value-added ladder can high-technology, amongst others, as a therefore be considered a state goal. mechanism to stimulate growth in other sectors Knowledge intensive industries are thought to and as a mechanism to become part of the be less prone to competition as they are global value chain. funded on the ideas and tacit knowledge of their highly skilled workers, which cannot be AEROSPACE AND DEFENCE INDUSTRY IN replaced by unskilled, low-wage workers. High SOUTH AFRICA technology companies prefer globalisation to help reduce/spread their financial risk and to The establishment of an aerospace industry in increase their market access. To successfully the RSA was forced upon the country by the enter and succeed in high technology contingencies of the UN Arms Embargo that industries, a national will and supporting prevailed on the RSA during the period 1977 to strategies are essential. 1994. The concomitant strategic requirement for self-sufficiency within aerospace activities obviously generated the necessity for a research and development capability which included, flight test. 2 which is based on comparative advantage

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With only a limited capability at Atlas Flight In 1996 the UK Aerospace industry had the Test, which catered primarily for Production second highest value added per employee in Acceptance Testing, it was left to the SAAF to high-tech manufacturing, Marshall in Lawrence take the ownership for establishing the (1999:180). necessary flight test infrastructure to support Due to, amongst others, the high-technology, the local defence industry that had sprung up prestige and national security aspects which to counter the adverse effects of the Arms are all embedded in the aerospace industry, Embargo. With the high costs, long lead times national governments are strongly involved in and the possible violation of security by this sector. McGuire, in Lawrence (1999:230) outsourcing system’s modifications to the go as far as stating that ’given the pervasive foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers and government involvement in the aerospace a rapid increase in demand for modifications sector, the correct actor to study is the state, and developmental flight testing, it was only not firms.’ He therefore proposes that logical that the SAAF moved to establishing its technological diffusion in aerospace is own flight test capability which consequently examined by focusing on political economy led to the establishment of TFDC. The rather than corporate strategy. The recent enormous development testing and clearance announcement by the South African workload was considered more than adequate government that the aerospace sector is a justification for the country to develop a priority, reaffirms the above statement. sophisticated flight test capability. Niosi, quoted in Peters (2006:20), states that The establishment of a sophisticated the dominant element in most national state aerospace research and development initiatives is the State as it finances most of the capability was certainly unique for such a small R&D. The South African aerospace sector country with such a small air force, but there presents an interesting case as it was really was no other alternative. At that time established by government in the 1970s with and even today, only the major first world the aim of becoming self sufficient. countries possess an independent aerospace Government investment in this sector occurred research and development viz USA, UK, mainly via the DOD spending France, Russia, India, Canada, Australia, etc. Currently, smaller countries rely on the OEM In 2004 the South African government stated for all modifications and flight testing to their air that requirement for the aerospace industry to vehicles, but this is an expensive and slow be as healthy and vibrant as the automotive process, dependent on the whims and industry by the year 2014 and that by this date, availability of OEM capacity. South Africa will have a sustainable, growing, empowered and internationally recognized The aerospace sector is defined (adapted from industry. The aerospace sector is therefore Hatty (2000:1)) as that industry which covers viewed as a mechanism to: the R&D, design, test and evaluation, manufacture, support, maintenance, Grow the economy – via job and conversion and upgrade of: wealth creation.

Rotary and fixed wing aircraft. Help alleviate the national skills shortage, especially in the high- Satellites and satellite launch and technology domain. tracking systems. Increase national innovation and assist Air traffic control systems. in the national system of innovation Integrate South African industries into Unmanned aircraft. the global aerospace supply chains. The military aerospace sector in South Africa Weapons systems, including their has undergone radical change since the early relevant subsystems, components and 1990s. The requirement for local weapon processes. systems and capabilities disappeared with the end of the Border War. Besides the fact that The aerospace sector in general is considered the local market disappeared virtually ‘high-tech’ based on the degree of R&D overnight, South African companies had to investment by the sector. It is highly compete with large multinationals on home soil, competitive and technology is a key as demonstrated with the Strategic Defence differentiator and essential for competitiveness, Packages of 1999. This large capital according to Marshall in Lawrence (1999:179). acquisition programme, sought major

5 equipment from overseas. This R30 billion replace the ageing North American Harvard, package had strong requirements for local due to two factors. Firstly, it would have taken defence industry participation (DIP) and too long to bring it into production for the National Industry Participation (NIP). However, SAAF's requirements, and secondly, the despite the strong counter trade requirements, changing political climate made it possible for there was no technology strategy from which the SAAF to purchase from Pilatus in any guidelines could be derived for the specific Switzerland. counter trade technologies, resulting in an uncoordinated transfer of technology. Despite this, a number of South African firms were able to capitalise on the counter trade opportunities and became part in the global manufacturing and product development network. In a survey performed by AMD and Vuxaka in 2006 it was found that 97% of the South African Defence exports are generated by 90% 3 of the defence related industries. They are Figure 1. The collaborative effort between members of and represented by the South CSIR aeronautics and materials research, African Aerospace, Maritime and Defence in conjunction with Atlas Aviation, both Industries Association (AMD). The parastatal organisations, produced South AMD/Vuxaka report further states that South Africa’s first fixed wing composite trainer. African Defence Related Industries (SADRI) had total revenue of R9.6b in 2005, of which R4.3b was exports. The total revenue was Having lost the potential to be selected as the 0.56% of GDP and 3.42% of the manufacturing SAAFs basic trainer replacement, Atlas and percentage. CSIR Aerotek determined that the lifting of the arms embargo could provide export orders and they renamed the aircraft the ACE, or All- The SADRI consists of approximately 77 Composite Evaluator, demonstrating and companies (revenue between R3b) with 60 exhibiting the aircraft at international airshows, firms multinationals or SMMEs and 17 B- where although there was a degree of interest, BBEEs. It states that the SADRI displays the no sales ever materialised. All further highest export propensity and the highest level considerations on the future of the aircraft were of innovation, of industries in South Africa. terminated when the aircraft crashed during FLAGSHIP SA AEROSPACE PROJECTS landing after suffering flight control failure.

Ovid. The RSA aerospace industry’s first South African design, the Ovid, which held the distinction of being the world's first all- composite trainer, being made from a carbon/glass honeycomb structure was fully aerobatic, with excellent flying qualities, visibility and ergonomics and a very low parts count. Impressively, Atlas was prepared to underwrite a 20 000hr fatigue life which at that stage of composite developments for aircraft structures, was remarkable. The Ovid first flew on the 29 April 1991, as an Figure 2. The Hummingbird prototype, experimental developmental model and flew designed to provide low altitude, low 180 hours over 15 months before being airspeed, observation capabilities was the modified and emerging as an advanced culmination of CSIR aerospace research developmental model, allowed the capabilities.. developmental programme to continue until the end of 2003. Unfortunately, the Ovid was too late to scoop the SAAF initial trainer contract to Hummingbird Observation Aircraft. A lesser known aerospace programme conducted by CSIR was the development of the Hummingbird observation research vehicle which saw the entire aeronautic research 3 capability pursuing the design and manufacture From the AMD/Vuxaka report, 2006.

6 of the air vehicle. This included complete airship. The research effort was constituted by aerodynamic and structural design, prototype high altitude airborne platform systems manufacture, detailed systems design, systems analysis, study of high altitude atmospheric integration, ground vibration testing, flutter conditions over Southern Africa, feasibility clearance flight testing and performance flight study for high altitude airborne platform and testing. This vehicle never entered production. Modelling and Simulation of the Airship mission.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Within the aerospace research world, unmanned aerial vehicles provide aeronautics researchers with the ideal platform to integrate various research technologies prior to entering developmental programmes. In this field, CSIR has become South Africa’s most experienced UAV house having developed several UAVs of various sizes capable of carrying sophisticated payloads. Collaboration with local aerospace Figure 3. Considerable CSIR resources industry partners included ATE, Denel were dedicated to advancing helicopter Dynamics and Denel Aviation and the technology through computational fluid spectrum of aerospace research spanned a dynamics, modelling and simulation, wide range of air vehicles from mini-UAVs to aeroelasticity, advanced structures and technology demonstrators. The historical wind tunnel facilities in development of aeronautical research involvement by the CSIR the Rooivalk. in the UAV field is tabulated below.

Rooivalk. The Aeronautic Systems Table 1: CSIR Historical UAV Involvement Competency at the CSIR has been a key Historical UAV Involvement technology solution provider to the South 1 2 CSIR Contribution 1 2 3 4 5 African Air Force (SAAF) for the past five 1 decades and was a major contributor to the Concept Design ••••• development of South Africa’s first indigenous Performance prediction ••••• Stability and Control ••••• 3 combat attack helicopter, the Rooivalk AH-2A. Structural design ••••• Prototype/mould ••••• The Rooivalk is a latest-generation attack manufacture 4 helicopter from Denel Aviation of South Africa Propeller design/selection ••••• of which twelve were ordered by the SAAF, the Engine integration •••• Wind tunnel model ••• 5 first of which entered service in July 1999. The manufacture helicopters form part of No. 16 Squadron at Systems integration ••• Bloemspruit Air Force Base (near Characterisation – full ••• scale Bloemfontein). Flight testing ••••

Slide 4 © CSIR 2008 www.csir.co.za Stratospheric Airship. CSIRs Aeronautic Systems Compentency undertook research in Table 2: Chronological sequence of air a collaborative project called “AwareNet”, vehicles actually flown and demonstrated, which essentially addressed research into the either in-house or in collaboration with the feasibility of a solar powered stratospheric RSA Defence Industry.

Date Airframe Client

Early Seeker 1980’ prototype s

Figure 4. Solar powered stratospheric Kentron (Denel airship research remains a future Dynamics) aerospace dream to support scientists in atmospheric research, geographic survey and weather predictions. 7

1988 Delta wing Kentron (Denel 2007 Sekwa – UAV Dynamics) unstable, demonstrator tailless mini- UAV

1992 Skyfly Target Drone CSIR In-house Prototype

CSIR In-house CROSSING THE AEROSPACE INNOVATION CHASM 1989 OVID According to De Wet (30:1) the mature technology industries in South Africa are mainly located in demonstrator the defence industry, the mining sector and the petro-chemical industries. In recent years,

South Africa has also started to focus on Atlas Aircraft specific activities, eg manufacturing, with Corporation (Denel positive results. Aviation) The role of government in innovation is crucial, as they often fund the process of technology 1992 Hummingbir development in the early high-risk phase where d observation normal companies are not prepared to take aircraft such risks. Government involvement and prototype strategising are crucial to help bridging the

“innovation chasm”, which is depicted in Figure CSIR In-house .

1993 Keen-eye RPV

CSIR In-house

1994 Vulture prototype

Figure 5. Diagrammatic representation of the innovation chasm. ATE The development of a successful aerospace industry in the RSA was only possible by the contribution received from local research 2005/ Indiza – Mini- agencies such as the CSIR, in particular, the 6/7 UAV Aeronautic Systems Competency. In fact, all RSA Defence Industry aerospace developments, in one way or the other, CSIR In-house involved research in computational, applied or experimental aerodynamics. The contribution of Aeronautic Systems Competency to innovation and competitiveness is evidenced by the achievements of the RSA within the aerospace environment.

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THE FUTURE? research. A-Darter will be fitted to the SAAFs latest light fighter, the SAAB Gripen. In With the ever increasing threat to the future of addition, the Brazilean Air Force are partners in global aerospace posed by rapidly rising costs the co-development of the A-Darter for their of manufacturing and fuel, it has become clear future new generation fighter. that the future growth of aerospace will be determined by technological advances that can . The Umkhonto-IR missile is a reduce the costs of manufacturing and yet vertically-launched, high-velocity, infrared provide improved aircraft performance. There homing missile specifically designed for is no doubt that such gains can only be providing all-round defence against obtained through innovative technology simultaneous air attacks from multiple combat improvements in the fields of propulsion, aircraft and missiles. The missile and energy and aerodynamics. associated subsystems are supplied as a missile group for easy integration into naval combat suites or ground-based air defence systems. Designed for all-round defence against simultaneous air attacks from multiple targets, the Umkhonto-IR missile is also the first IR- homing missile to use lock-on-after-launch. Upon launch, the missile flies to a lock-on Figure 6. A-Darter represents the state of point, following on-board inertial navigation. the art air-to-air missile technology. The missile then activates its two-colour IR- seeker and locks on. Target updates are There is however, no national vision for received via data link, enabling the missile to aerospace research in the RSA. The research counter evasive manoeuvres by the target. agencies, including CSIR and the Universities An extended range version (Umkhonto-NG) is are all involved in aerospace research in one in development and it will feature a rocket way or the other, without a coherent vision or booster and a RF seeker head and it is here strategy which will guide research efforts in a where the CSIR will continue in collaboration coherent, focussed technology development. with to develop the capability Typical questions that will need to be asked of the weapon. are, where does the RSA see itself as an international role player in aerospace? To what extent will the Department of Science and Technology and even Department of Trade and Industry, be a role player? Does South Africa have the political will to remain in the sophisticated technologically competitive research field of aerospace? Lastly, if the political will exists, can this vision be financially supported by government departments and international aircraft manufacturers? Figure 7. Umkhonto SAM was developed by Denel Dynamics with significant The fact is that the RSA government in the computational and experimental White Paper on Defence, as well as the White aerodynamics research. Paper on the Defence Industry, has called for active participation by industry in ensuring that Countries in which Umkhonto is being used are the RSA maintains its role as a world player in Finland where Umkhonto-IR was ordered by aerospace. To this end, CSIR Aeronautic the Finnish Navy to arm its four Hamina Class Systems Competency is actively involved in the missile boats and its two Hameenmaa Class following aerospace programmes: Minelayers. The has selected the system for its four Meko A-200 A-Darter. A-Darter is a fifth-generation, air-to- frigates. The South African Army has the air missile system designed by Denel Umkhonto in land based service, where one Dynamics to meet the challenges of future air missile battery is composed of four launch combat against next-generation fighters in a units, one 3-D radar unit and one command hostile ECM environment. The CSIR has been unit. Brazil has also expressed an interest in involved in the initial research efforts in acquiring the missile system for its aircraft experimental and computational aerodynamics carrier Sao Paolo.

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Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. With the worldwide international level in the fields of aerospace recognition of the role of unmanned aerial research is beneficial for the socio-economic vehicles, both in military and civilian context, recovery and future development of the county. the RSA has had to expedite research However, the development of a national technologies to ensure that the country aerospace research strategy must be remains abreast of such developments. addressed as a matter of urgency if the CSIR is Current work is focussed on the development to enable the DST to grow the economy by of a UAV testbed by utilising funding from DST support to the aerospace research agencies. and developing human capital development by To this end, the CSIR Aeronautics Systems in-sourcing intellectual capability from South Competency needs to continue to be enabled African universities to contribute to national aerospace and defence industry. Future technologies being researched will include continuing with the research work started on Sekwa but possibly on a larger BWB airframe while continuing to develop a number of related technologies. This includes further development and validate prediction tools and to utilise the Modelling and Simulation environment to provide a virtual design capability for cost and risk reduction.

Figure 9. A strong feature of CSIRs aerospace research effort is focussed on modelling and simulation to reduce developmental risks and reduce costs.

References 1. 1999. Strategic Issues in European Aerospace Aldershot: Ashgate. 2. COMMITTEE ON PROSPERING IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY OF THE 21ST CENTURY: AN AGENDA FOR AMERICAN SCIENCE AND Figure 8. Concept design of new TECHNOLOGY, 2007. Rising above the unmanned aerial vehicle proposed as gathering storm: Energizing and developmental modular testbed. Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future. National Academy of Modelling and Simulation. The field of Sciences, modelling and simulation has developed to 3. HATTY, P., 2000. A Strategy for an such an extent that practically all situations can Aerospace Industry in South Africa. be mathematically modelled and events Ae021. simulated prior to advancing any process to manufacturing or production. The CSIR DPSS 4. HICKIE, D., 2006. Knowledge and is strongly involved in the development of competitiveness in the aerospace tactics and doctrine for the Gripen advanced industry: The cases of Toulouse, Seattle light fighter scheduled to enter service with the and North-West England, European in October 2008. Planning Studies, 14(5), pp. 697-716. Having exercised the multitude permutations of 5. PETERS, S., 2006. National Systems of scenarios, vast savings in flying hours will be Innovation: Creating High-Technology accrued. Industries New York: Palgrave MacMillan. CONCLUSION

Politically, the government of the RSA has concluded that continued participation at an

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