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List of South African military bases

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The Navy operates the following naval bases:[1]

A view of Simon's Town and the naval base
  • Naval Base Simon's Town – The base houses the frigate and submarine flotillas as well as support vessels. A naval dockyard is also situated here.
  • Naval Base Durban – This base was scaled down to a naval station in 2002 with the rationalisation of the fleet. In December 2015 it was redesignated a full naval base and became the home port of the patrol flotilla.[2]
  • Naval Station Port Elizabeth – provides support to visiting ships, no major vessels are based here.

Training units

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Air Force

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The South African Air Force has bases serving both the maritime and inland borders of the country.

Base Location Major units
Air Force Base Bloemspruit 29°05′38″S 26°18′14″E / 29.09389°S 26.30389°E / -29.09389; 26.30389 (Air Force Base Bloemspruit) 16 Squadron; 87 Helicopter Flying School
Air Force Base Durban 29°58′07″S 30°56′52″E / 29.96861°S 30.94778°E / -29.96861; 30.94778 (Air Force Base Durban) 15 Squadron
Air Force Base Hoedspruit 24°21′17″S 31°03′01″E / 24.35472°S 31.05028°E / -24.35472; 31.05028 (Air Force Base Hoedspruit) 19 Squadron
Air Force Base Langebaanweg 32°58′08″S 18°09′55″E / 32.96889°S 18.16528°E / -32.96889; 18.16528 (Air Force Base Langebaanweg) Central Flying School; Silver Falcons
Air Force Base Makhado 23°09′36″S 29°41′48″E / 23.16000°S 29.69667°E / -23.16000; 29.69667 (Air Force Base Makhado) 2 Squadron; 85 Combat Flying School
Air Force Base Overberg 34°33′17″S 20°15′02″E / 34.55472°S 20.25056°E / -34.55472; 20.25056 (Air Force Base Overberg) Test Flight and Development Centre
Air Force Base Swartkop 25°48′25″S 28°09′52″E / 25.80694°S 28.16444°E / -25.80694; 28.16444 (Air Force Base Swartkop) 17 Squadron; South African Air Force Museum
Air Force Base Waterkloof 25°49′48″S 28°13′21″E / 25.83000°S 28.22250°E / -25.83000; 28.22250 (Air Force Base Waterkloof) 2 Squadron; 21 Squadron; 28 Squadron; 41 Squadron; 44 Squadron
Air Force Base Ysterplaat 33°54′04″S 18°29′00″E / 33.90111°S 18.48333°E / -33.90111; 18.48333 (Air Force Base Ysterplaat) 22 Squadron; 35 Squadron; 80 Air Navigation School
Air Force Station Port Elizabeth[a] 33°59′24″S 25°36′37″E / 33.99000°S 25.61028°E / -33.99000; 25.61028 (Air Force Station Port Elizabeth) C Flight of 15 Squadron
  1. ^ Designated a "Station" as it is not home to at least one full squadron

Army

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The South African Army maintains large bases in all 9 provinces of the country, mostly in or around major cities and towns.[7][8][9][10][11]

List of South African military bases is located in South Africa
Oudtshoorn
Oudtshoorn
Pretoria
Pretoria
Cape Town
Cape Town
Army Bases in South Africa
The South African Army College in Pretoria.
  • An Army base is located in Kimberley which is home to the Air Defence Artillery School, 10 Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Air Defence Artillery), 3 South African Infantry Battalion (basic training), the Kimberley Regiment (Motorised Infantry) and 44 Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Air Defence Artillery).
  • The Lohatla training area and army base is home to the SA Army Combat Training Centre where large army field exercises take place. It also houses the 101 Field Workshop and the 16 Maintenance Unit.
  • An Army base in Upington is home to 8 South African Infantry Battalion (Mechanized Infantry).
  • The Potchefstroom army base is home to the School of Artillery, 4 Artillery Regiment (Artillery), Artillery Mobile Regiment (Artillery), the School of Tactical Intelligence, 1 Tactical Intelligence Regiment, Regiment De La Rey (Mechanized Infantry), Regiment Potchefstroom Universiteit (Artillery) and Regiment Mooirivier (Armoured Car Regiment).
  • The Mahikeng Army base is home to 10 South African Infantry Battalion (Motorised Infantry).
  • Orkney is home to Regiment Skoonspruit (Motorised Infantry).
  • The Zeerust Army Base is home to 2 South African Infantry Battalion (Motorised Infantry).[17]
  • Berede Center - is home to Horses (Mounted Infantry army), Bike Squad (Motorcycle Mounted Infantry) This is the South African training ground before deployment to SWA/Namibia. The SWASPES Unit is based in Otavi, they are moved from Oshivello in 1979.
1 Special Service Battalion at Tempe Base.

The main South African Army Headquarters are located in Salvokop, Pretoria in the Dequar Road Complex along with the 102 Field Workshop unit, 17 Maintenance Unit and the S.A.M.S Military Health Department.

Maj. Gen. William B. Garrett III of United States Army Africa visits the Bloemfontein School of Armour at Tempe Base.

Special Forces

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The South African Special Forces Brigade is an independent special forces unit under the direct command of the Chief of the SANDF. It is the only unit permanently assigned to the Joint Operations Division. The unit consists of the following sub-units based at various locations:

References

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  1. ^ Bennett, C. H. & Söderlund, A. G. (2008). South Africa's Navy : A Navy of the People and for the People. p. 149. ISBN 978-0-620-41446-3.
  2. ^ Helfrich, Kim (9 December 2015). "Minister says it's Naval Base Durban, not Station". defenceWeb. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  3. ^ "SAS Saldanha Home Page". Navy.mil.za. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  4. ^ Bennett, C. H. & Söderlund, A. G. (2008). South Africa's Navy : A Navy of the People and for the People. p. 153. ISBN 978-0-620-41446-3.
  5. ^ Bennett, C. H. & Söderlund, A. G. (2008). South Africa's Navy : A Navy of the People and for the People. p. 157. ISBN 978-0-620-41446-3.
  6. ^ "Presentation by Chief of the SA Navy on the transformation of the SA Navy to the Joint Standing Committee on Defence (SJCD)" (PDF). Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  7. ^ Engelbrecht, Leon (9 February 2010). "Fact file: The SA Infantry Corps". defenceWeb.co.za. DefenceWeb. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  8. ^ Engelbrecht, Leon (9 February 2010). "Fact file: The SA Armoured Corps". defenceWeb.co.za. DefenceWeb. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  9. ^ Engelbrecht, Leon (9 February 2010). "Fact file: The SA Artillery". defenceWeb.co.za. DefenceWeb. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  10. ^ Engelbrecht, Leon (9 February 2010). "Fact file: The SA Air Defence Artillery". defenceWeb.co.za. DefenceWeb. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  11. ^ Engelbrecht, Leon (9 February 2010). "Fact file: The SA Tactical Intelligence Corps". defenceWeb.co.za. DefenceWeb. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  12. ^ "Army Bases South Africa". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  13. ^ Engelbrecht, Leon (17 June 2010). "Fact file: Regiment Bloemspruit". defenceWeb. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  14. ^ "SA Army Contact Us: Free State Province, South Africa". Army.mil.za. SA Army: RSA Dept of Defence. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  15. ^ "SA Army Contact Us: Gauteng Province, South Africa". Army.mil.za. SA Army: RSA Dept of Defence. 13 December 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  16. ^ a b "SA Army Contact Us: Western Cape Province". army.mil.za. SA Army: RSA Dept of Defence. 13 December 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  17. ^ "SA Army Contact Us: North West Province, South Africa". army.mil.za. SA Army: RSA Dept of Defence. 13 December 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  18. ^ "SA Army Contact Us: KwaZulu Natal Province, South Africa". army.mil.za. SA Army: RSA Dept of Defence. 13 December 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2014.