South African prototypes, projects, concepts, etc.

I wasn't sure where would be best to place this info - however I think that this thread suites it best...

To The Point International sets its sights on new turret range​


The most interesting part for me was the following paragraph:

"Previous work has resulted in the sale of intellectual property to Zeiss (for miniature stabilised sighting system) and Thales (for the stabilised sighting system for the Starstreak surface-to-air missile system (Thales Air Defence Limited) as well as for armoured fighting vehicles (Thales Optronics Taunton Limited). According to Kroeger, not many companies the size of TTPI can claim to have done this out of South Africa."

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/editor...national-sets-its-sights-on-new-turret-range/
 

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History of the Casspir MPV.

At 16:00, there is footage of the Sesspir 6x6 concept.
At 20:50, there is footage of some of the prototype replacement projectvehicles seen in this thread..such as the Veldskoen, Soetdoring, and Project Remark vehicles.

I had not seen some of this brief footage previously.

View: https://youtu.be/T6Uuj6S-Mps?si=3ZGZKMESroT215Tq
 
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https://www.defenceweb.co.za/galler...-defence-industry-at-exercise-vukuhlome-2023/

A few private sector demo vehicles seem to have made their way to recently held SA Army exercise. Maybe someone will know if there has been a solicitation for light combat vehicles recently?
Few samples:

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/wp-content/uploads/SADI-at-Exercise-Vukuhlome-2023/DSCN0188_resize.jpg

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/wp-content/uploads/SADI-at-Exercise-Vukuhlome-2023/DSCN0194_resize.jpg

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/wp-content/uploads/SADI-at-Exercise-Vukuhlome-2023/DSCN0213_resize.jpg

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/wp-content/uploads/SADI-at-Exercise-Vukuhlome-2023/DSCN0218_resize.jpg

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/wp-content/uploads/SADI-at-Exercise-Vukuhlome-2023/DSCN0223_resize.jpg

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/wp-content/uploads/SADI-at-Exercise-Vukuhlome-2023/DSCN0227_resize.jpg

 
The Armour museum in Bloemfontein has moved around their exhibits.
The Olifant Mk1A, Olifant Mk1B, TTD, and Olifant Optimal (Original Olifant Mk2) are now lined up, allowing an interesting comparison.
Below is the TTD and Olifant Optimal making an interesting comparison.
Edit: hmm..struggling to post picture
 
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kaiserbill said:
The Armour museum in Bloemfontein has moved around their exhibits.
The Olifant Mk1A, Olifant Mk1B, TTD, and Olifant Optimal (Original Olifant Mk2) are now lined up, allowing an interesting comparison.
Below is the TTD and Olifant Optimal making an interesting comparison.
Edit: hmm..struggling to post picture
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Hey there
See page 49, posted some pics I took while there. Just check to see if it looks the same.
 
Frank111 said:
Hey there
See page 49, posted some pics I took while there. Just check to see if it looks the same.
Click to expand...
Not exactly the same perspective, but from the same, new display..where the tanks have now been moved inside the hangar.
The one I was going to post contains only the TTD and Optimal, side by side, from the front.
It's an interesting perspective.
On the lineup, it seems they have lined the tanks up in chronological order of development, left to right, as per your photo below, and the ones I have seen.
Mk1A, Mk1B, TTD, and Optimal.
 

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In post number 1982, page 50, I mentioned that it was now clear that the Optimal turret was new, and not an original Centurion/Olifant turret. As can be seen on those pics in that post.
This turret below is also at Bloemfontein, and was posted a while back, by sabushwar.
To me at least, it's clear now this is also an Optimal turret, or a development model/prototype of the Optimal turret, before the wedge shaped armour modules are fitted.
I have long suspected that more than one turret of the Optimal (original Olifant Mk2, not the upgraded Mk1b later known as the Mk2) was manufactured.
I stand under correction though, as always, but the pics speak for themselves I think.
 

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This finally and officially serves as confirmation for us, and especially Herman who was convinced it was, that the strange derelict vehicle with IFV features is indeed the Springkaan. Nice detective work, Herman. This was the SA Army Technical Corps entry into the requirement that led to the Ratel, and it sat unloved and in the elements for years.


https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1499129680565503

Edit: I hate linking to sites, as videos tend to disappear, and disjoint posts...but FB is notoriously difficult to download from.
 
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The Class 2 platform is also being moved.
Thus was a front engined IFV and weapons platform that shared components early in the Rooikat programme.
It was later fitted with a Ratel 20 IFV turret.

Seems that a few vehicles are being moved, rehoused, and repositioned recently, which seems to be good news to restoration and upkeep.
The mover is the Mack based Bulperd also at the museum.
Edit: Mack recovery truck. The Bulperd was the modified Mack with armoured cab.

Again, linked from FB which I don't like doing.
I'd prefer a direct video onto the forum for longevity and posterity.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=608095317551145
 
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kaiserbill said:
This finally and officially serves as confirmation for us, and especially Herman who was convinced it was, that the strange derelict vehicle with IFV features is indeed the Springkaan. Nice detective work, Herman. This was the SA Army Technical Corps entry into the requirement that led to the Ratel, and it sat unloved and in the elements for years.


https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1499129680565503

Edit: I hate linking to sites, as videos tend to disappear, and disjoint posts...but FB is notoriously difficult to download from.
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Sprinkaan is a very interesting concept. It is a great pity that we don't know where it was built and who designed it. If I remember correctly, it used Magirus Jupiter axles but they were mounted on coil srpings, with longitudinal and transverse locating links, and a custom made yoke locating the second axle. The steering for the front two axles was also a custom made setup, and it was powered by a GM 6V-71, two-stroke diesel. The point is, it wasn't just some pampoen tiffie with a hammer and a welding torch who cobbled it together; quite a bit of thought and design went into it and we'll probably never know by whom, and where. All the vehicles evaluated during the development of the Ratel are discussed in the two-volume "Ratel, the making of a legend" books, yet there is nary a mantion of the Sprinkaan.

In the video, it is dragged off somewhere. Where is it currently housed?
 
Herman said:
In the video, it is dragged off somewhere. Where is it currently housed?
Click to expand...
No idea.
It seems a few vehicles were moved in the last year or so. The tanks being housed chronologically in the hangar is an example.
I recall from your earlier post upthread that when you asked about this vehicle on your visit, it was apparently the pet project of one of the officers to restore it.
Let's hope this move is the start of that process.
 
Reumech's brochures in English and Arabic for Eland (90, 60, and even 20 model depicted in the last page of the Arabic one) retrofitted with a diesel turbo engine.
Edit: last page in Arabic mentions the power output being 77 kw (103 horsepower) at 4000 rpm, which is also a decent upgrade over the 65 kw (87 horsepower) at 4600 rpm.
 

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I too am interested in the SAHV missile development.
Just for completeness, the current naval Umkhonto started in 1993 was based on the work done on the SAHV, and could be considered to be the naval IR version of the SAHV.
The timeframe for the SAHV programme is the mid '80s to 1993.

See the pics below.
The SAHV was designed to be a local SAM, in both IR and Radar variants, and was to replace the Cactus (Crotale) system.
A little known fact is that the Crotale was majority funded (85%) by South Africa, who also placed technicians into the development programme in France. This was part of the industrialisation programme at the time to build up the local defence industry/design capability, to counteract a changing world/sanctions.

There was definitely a working SAHV missile prototype/s as can be seen by the Kentron brochure picture of it being fired below, where it is labelled as the SAHV-3.

I have always wondered about the SAHV-3 designation...what were -1 and -2?

Also, there is this thread dealing with South African missiles.
 

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To add...the SAHV was designed to be compatible with the Cactus/Crotale launch vehicle, which was ironic as deployment in the operations deep into Angola in the late 80's showed the Crotale vehicles to be too fragile for offroading in the African bush.
Hence the development of Rooikat and G-6 chassis SAM versions.
So the launch vehicles, even for the more civilised airbase/infrastructure versions, would have been changed anyway in an operational version, even if for nothing else than for commonality with existing vehicles.
I suspect a SAMIL chassis/platform for duties within the republic.
 

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curious george said:
Early days,mostly Toyota and Ford pick-up based?(off f/book)
Click to expand...
1055 reply. All this pictures were taken by myself. First vehicle (single cab) is the 'Meerkat' Ford 6 cylinder used by the then Hereo Administration. The (double cab) is the 'Rooikat' Ford 8 cylinder and used by my Father in Opuwa, SWA Police.
 
cptblackjack said:
Where was this taken exactly?
Click to expand...
The Urutu was acquired specifically for the Ratel trials. It was found to be unsatisfactory. The driver's compartment was very small (the Mercedes engine sits next to the driver, in this early model), and the gear lever for the manual box was very akward, amongst other things. By the time the Urutu was tested, the Büffel Ratel prototype had been evaluated. What immediately became clear with the Büffel, was that it was big enough to allow a two-man turret, with a turret ring diameter of 1,5 metres, to be fitted, yet still be able to carry a driver and an eight-man infantry section. All the other vehicles being evaluated, even pretty competent ones, like the French VAB, were then regarded as inadequate, simply because they were too small. Compared to other wheeled APC's at that time, the Büffel was enormous.
 
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It appears that the programme to replace the Saracen APC was changed when it was realised that the Ratel prototype (Springfield Bussing Buffel) was so much more capable than the competitor APC's, that the replacement programme morphed into an approximately 20 ton wheeled Infantry Combat Vehicle (ICV).
Over the years, this wheeled ICV over a smaller APC eventuality was mentioned in many South African publications.
The family went on to include the -20 ICV, -90 ICV/fire support/armoured car, -60 and -81 mortar, Ratel Command, Ratel ZT-3 anti tank missile, Ratel Electronic Warfare, Ratel Artillery Observation...amongst others.
An incredibly successful vehicle family that when one looks at it with hindsight, none of the other competitors could ever hope to match.
 
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kaiserbill said:
To add...the SAHV was designed to be compatible with the Cactus/Crotale launch vehicle, which was ironic as deployment in the operations deep into Angola in the late 80's showed the Crotale vehicles to be too fragile for offroading in the African bush.
Hence the development of Rooikat and G-6 chassis SAM versions.
So the launch vehicles, even for the more civilised airbase/infrastructure versions, would have been changed anyway in an operational version, even if for nothing else than for commonality with existing vehicles.
I suspect a SAMIL chassis/platform for duties within the republic.
Click to expand...

sahvspaamg6chassis01-jpg.515874


In post #1258 in this thread we have this picture of a G6 with the SAHV missile system. It's low quality, but it appears to me that the sensor unit is the ETS 2400 optronics / radar tracking system (or more likely a mockup of the system):

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/th...nd-communications-projects.21217/#post-209413
 
Does anyone have any photos of the Olifant Mk.1B/2 Transmission? I've recently been doing a deep dive into the Olifant tank series since it holds a special place in my heart. The one thing I haven't been able to find out is the physical design of the Amtra 3 transmission used in the Mk.1B and Mk.2.
 
Nowdays, you sometimes need to follow overseas companies to keep pace of new South African vehicle design... This article pretty much sums some of this up. The CEO is South African, I'm guessing that most of the design team/s are too... The vehicles for the most part (if not all) are (ex) South African designs...

Offering cutting-edge defence transport solutions: EDR On-Line talks to NIMR top management​

https://www.edrmagazine.eu/offering...ions-edr-on-line-talks-to-nimr-top-management​

 

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Graugrun said:
... The CEO is South African ... The vehicles for the most part (if not all) are (ex) South African designs...
Click to expand...

Yup.

Prior to joining NIMR, Abri [du Plessis] worked as Director of Projects, Engineering and IT at Denel Vehicle Systems in South Africa...

Earlier, Abri completed a tenure at BAE Systems Land Systems SA, where he served in several leadership positions as Director of Projects and Engineering, Director of International Projects, and Director of IT and Business Excellence.
Click to expand...

-- https://mediacenter-webfiles.edgegroup.ae/s3fs-public/2022-08/NIMR - ABRI DU PLESSIS, CEO AR.pdf
 
I've been been going through the photos I've collected of the Olifant tanks and I've notices that the rear corners of the turret differ between tanks.

Does anyone have any information on why this might be?

I've attached two photos that show the difference with the corners circled in red. Olifant Turret Corner 1.jpg Olifant Turret Corner 2.jpg
 

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