It’s time for the big guns
The Rand Show is South Africa’s biggest consumer event, making it a natural choice for the SANDF to get its nation-serving message across. From 18-28 April, the Rand Show is going to be positively bristling with exhibits and displays to showcase the SANDF’s capabilities.
DEFENCE FORCE ON DISPLAY As they do every year, the four arms of the SANDF are putting together an action-packed programme for Rand Show visitors. For four days, from Friday, 18 April to Monday 21 April, the SA Army, SA Air Force, SA Navy and SA Military Health Service (SAMHS) will demonstrate the end results of their rigorous military training, with capability demonstrations that simulate the manoeuvres used in real battle situations, precision marching drills, and action-filled scenario demonstrations.
SANDF PROGRAMME OF ARENA EVENTS
| Friday, 18 April | |
| 11 a.m | SANDF Official Opening Ceremony, Parade & Fly Past |
| 12-12:30 p.m | SANDF Air Display |
| 12:30 p.m | Specialised Infantry Capability Display |
| 1:15 p.m | SA Army Precision Drill |
| 2 p.m | SANDF Capability Display |
| 3 p.m | SA Navy Precision Drill |
| Saturday to Monday, 19-21 April | |
| 10:30 a.m | SANDF Capability Display |
| 11:30 a.m | SA Army Precision Drill |
| 12:15 p.m | Specialised Infantry Capability Display |
| 1:00 p.m | SA Navy Precision Drill |
| 2 p.m | SANDF Air Display |
| *Programme is subject to change without notice. |
SANDF OUTDOOR EXHIBITS From 18-28 April, on Terrace 1.
THE SA ARMY
The SA Army is bringing a fleet of military vehicles to the Rand Show’s Terrace 1. Climb aboard a Ratel ZT3, a MAN tank transporter with Olifant MK2 tank, a Gecko, a Badger infantry combat vehicle, and a Rooikat MK ID armoured car. There will also be a bridge-laying vehicle and mine-detection systems, including the Husky and Meerkat.
You’ll be able to test your skill with the Starstreak, the Army’s missile simulator, and try shooting with one of four Elac simulators, or have a go in a driving simulator.
And if you’ve ever wondered what army food is like, now’s your chance to taste it, at the Army’s 250-man cooking unit, where the catering service will be preparing food for public sampling.
Add to this radar systems, signalling equipment, mobile workshops, advanced surveillance products, and a tactical intelligence control post with cameras deployed across the exhibition area, and you’ve got hours of entertainment to be had.
THE SA AIR FORCE
In the Air Force zone, there will be a Buffalo fire truck on display, as well as two Umlindi radars, tech and ops cabins, and a mobile ATC control tower. There will be various displays of survival kit and armour, and a number of exhibits on aircraft mechanics, including the machine shop and the aircraft structure, welding, plating and painting sections.
The SAAF Museum will put on an exhibit of memorabilia from bygone decades.
THE SA NAVY
The SA Navy is preparing an armament display and a static hydrographic display, and will be bringing a hydrographic survey boat. Take a look through the portholes of the 3m-deep tank at the naval divers submerged inside, before taking at look at what it’s like inside a two-man decompression chamber.
THE SA MILITARY HEALTH SERVICES
The Military Health Service (SAMHS) will exhibit its emergency medical, disaster, and search-and-rescue equipment, and will have a display of a field hospital and an Mfezi ambulance. The School for Military Health Training will be giving first-aid briefings.
The Department of Defence and the SANDF are organising a number of indoor exhibits across the various capabilities, ranging from an army engineering exhibit to displays on the eye-testing, dental and dietician work done by the SA Military Health Services.
The SA Army Signal exhibition will pit first-generation communication methods like Morse code against the latest signalling equipment.
Visitors can write a goodwill postcard to our troops in the DRC and other peace-supporting countries, and send it from the showgrounds via the 11 Field Postal Unit.
The SA Army Specialised Infantry Capability (SASSIC) is preparing a fascinating exhibit on visual tracking. What tracks do people leave as they walk? What do the tracks of a heavily laden person look like? What signs are left when someone is purposefully trying to throw off a tracker, using anti-tracking techniques like walking backwards?
This capability will also show visitors the survival skills used by members of the armed forces, such as how to accumulate water.
SASSIC is also bringing motorbikes, horses and dogs which offer logistical support to the SANDF.
Visitors who are interested in seeing what career paths are open for them in the SANDF can chat to representatives at the SA Army, Air Force, Navy and SAMHS recruitment stands.
The SA Army’s Young Lions will also be on hand to talk to youth interested in joining the army specifically. The Young Lions are young Joburgers involved in a schools youth programme that aims to prepare them for life after school, cultivating specific qualifications which would serve them in the army.
The Air Force’s young fliers from the Young Falcons youth programme will also be at the Rand Show, to tell visitors more about becoming a pilot, navigator or aircraft engineer.
Finally, there will be a static display celebrating 20 years of freedom.
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