PROJECT PHOENIX: BRIEFING TO THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE

1. Air Force Reserve Structures

    1. Air Force Reserve Council (AFRC). Brig Gen S.D. Mathe has been

      2. appointed as the new Chairperson of the AFRC.

    2. Air Force Reserve Directorate at Air Command. This was a new requirement. The Directorate is functioning but the structure is not yet finalised. Indications are that the proposed structure would be finalised and approved by 31 March 2004.

    3. Conventional Air Force Reserve. The Air Force Reserve (AFR) structure consists of 1231 approved pool posts and as soon as the structure of the AFR Directorate has been approved 1148 of the approved posts will be decentralised to Force Structure Elements. The remainder of the posts excluding the posts of the Direcotrate AFR, will remain in a structure (pool) at Air Command. It is foreseen that this exercise will not be finalised before 31 March 2005.

2. Other Considerations

    1. Representivity in the Air Force Reserve Squadrons (AFR Sqns). To

      2. promote representivity in the AFR Sqns, entry requirements have been relaxed. The minimum flying hours has been reduced from 500 to 200. The pilots will fly as co-pliots, until the required 500 hours are obtained and will then undergo a wing test and a command check before been presented with his wings. The first Indian pilot in the Reserve Squadron received his wings in December 2002. Currently there is a Coloured pilot under preparation for wings test, and efforts to recruit members of colour and gender is seriously conducted and on a ongoing basis. In this endeavor the AFR will link up with and support Project Siyandiza to foster aviation awareness amongst the youth.

       

    2. Conventional AFR. At present, the Air Force is experiencing a shortage of

qualified transport pilots and flight engineers. A recruitment drive was launched and good progress is being made with the staffing and ranking of retired or serving SAA Boeing qualified pilots and flight engineers for employment as reservists at 21 and 60 Squadrons. One of the pilots is an African male.

3. Policy Development. The Directorate AFR supports the DOD in the formulation of policy and the revision of the General Reluations for the Regular Force and Reserve Force.