This is a list of equipment of the South African Army. It includes equipment such as small arms, combat vehicles, explosives, missile systems, engineering vehicles, logistical vehicles, artillery, air defence systems, as well as future equipment. Due to how large and secretive the South African Army is, it is currently almost impossible to calculate all equipment in the army.
| Name | Image | Origin | Type | Calibre | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Handguns | ||||||
| Vektor Z88[1] | Semi-automatic pistol | 9×19mm Parabellum | 15-round magazine. License-built Beretta 92F. Standard issue side arm since 1989 alongside the SP1. | |||
| Vektor SP1 | Semi-automatic pistol | 9×19mm Parabellum | 15-round magazine. Standard issue side arm alongside the Z88 since 1992. | |||
| Submachine guns | ||||||
| Milkor BXP[2] | Submachine gun | 9×19mm Parabellum | 22 or 32-round magazines. An indigenously designed 9mm submachine gun similar in appearance to the MAC-10. In service since 1984. | |||
| HK MP5[3] | Submachine gun | 9×19mm Parabellum | 30 or 40-round magazines. Used by the SOSF and military police. | |||
| Assault rifles & Battle rifles | ||||||
| Vektor R4[4] | Assault rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO | 35-round or 50-round magazines. Standard Service rifle since 1980. Many of the R4 and R5 rifles were modernized in 2010 throughout Project African Warrior for the South African Army's Soldier Modernization Programme. The updated version of the rifle has a folding/collapsible stock, railed handguard, and side-mounted rail and comes equipped with the Trijicon ACOG TA11 or other optical sights, foregrips and grenade launchers.[5] | |||
| Vektor R5 | Carbine rifle | 5.56×45mm NATO | 35-round magazine carbine version of the Vektor R4. | |||
| Vektor R1[6] | Designated marksman rifle | 7.62×51mm NATO | 20-round magazine. Former service rifle of the South African Army. Remaining rifles in service are used in and anti-poaching patrols and others made into designated marksman rifles.[7] | |||
| Precision rifles | ||||||
| Denel NTW-20[8] | Anti-materiel rifle | 20×82mm 14.5×114mm | 3-round magazine. In service since 1998 by the South African Special Forces and Army Infantry sniper sections. Comes equipped with the 8 × 56 Lynx Telescopic sight.The NTW-20 can penetrate through walls and armored vehicles. | |||
| Truvelo CMS[9] | Sniper rifle | .338 Lapua .50 BMG 7.62x51mm NATO | CMS (Counter Measure Sniper Rifle). Standard-issue sniper rifle in service since 2018 comes equipped with 5-round or 10-round magazines. | |||
| Shotguns | ||||||
| Stoeger SP312[10] | Pump-action shotgun | 12 gauge | Used for crowd control. | |||
| Machine guns | ||||||
| Vektor SS-77[11] | General-purpose machine gun | 7.62×51mm NATO | Belt-fed GPMG in service since 1986 alongside the FN MAG.100-round pear-shaped pouch in general use, 200-round rigid box.Can use both non-disintegrating DM1 and NATO M13 or R1M1 disintegrating link belts. | |||
| FN MAG[12] | General-purpose machine gun | 7.62×51mm NATO | Belt-fed GPMG. Main automatic weapon of dismounted infantry sections.100-round pear-shaped pouches in general use and 200-round disintegrating link metal belts.Can be mounted on a Tripod as well as vehicles. | |||
| Browning MG4 | | Medium machine gun | 7.62×51mm NATO | M1919A4 Browning Medium Machine gun modified by Lyttleton Engineering Works, now Denel Land Systems, to fire the 7.62×51mm round.It is Belt fed and generally fitted to armoured and infantry vehicles as well as certain helicopters as a secondary or tertiary armament. | ||
| M2 Browning | Heavy machine gun | .50 BMG | Belt fed machine gun mainly mounted on Tripods, armoured and infantry vehicles. The weapon fires .50 calibre rounds at a rate of 485-635 rounds-per-minute out to an effective range of 2,000 metres. | |||
| Grenade launchers | ||||||
| Milkor MGL[13] [14] | Grenade launcher | 40×46 mm | Variants used by the Army include the Milkor Y2 which was in service since 1983 and the Y4 SuperSix in service since 2019. 6-round revolving, swing out-type cylinder. Comes equipped with optical sights. | |||
| Denel Y3 AGL | Grenade machine gun | 40×53 mm HV | A belt-fed, high velocity, long-recoil, open-breech automatic grenade launcher in service with a fire rate of 360 to 425 rounds per minute.Can be mounted on both armoured vehicles and tripods. Electronic indirect sight and Aim point direct sight can be mounted. | |||
| Anti-tank weapons | ||||||
| RPG-7[15] | Rocket-propelled grenade launcher | 40 mm | Large numbers of RPG-7s were captured during the mid-1970s and are used as the primary infantry anti-armour rocket launcher and is deployed at section level for use against armoured vehicles.Currently the Army is looking for a replacement for this ageing system. | |||
| FT5[16] | No image available | Anti-tank rocket launcher | 100 mm | A powerful anti-tank rocket weapon designed to destroy modern main battle tanks, bunkers and fortifications.Since 2007 the weapons have been placed in reserve. | ||
| AT4[17] | 84 mm smoothbore recoilless rifle | 84 mm | Replacement for the RPG-7. | |||
| Carl Gustaf M4 | 84 mm recoilless rifle | 84 mm | Replacement for the RPG-7. | |||
| M40 recoilless rifle | 105 mm recoilless rifle | 105 mm | A direct-fire, crew served weapon issued in units of six to the motorised and airborne infantry anti-tank platoons. | |||
| MILAN ER[18] | Wire-guided anti-tank missile system | 115 mm | 46 Milan ADT (Advanced Digital Technology) launchers as well as 300+[19] [20] Milan ER (extended range) SACLOS missiles are in service since 2007[21] with the Army’s airborne and motorised infantry battalions as well as with the Special Forces Brigade. Soldiers train on the four simulators acquired from MBDA.All systems are equipped with Video output devices and 15 launchers are equipped with Thermal imaging systems. | |||
| ZT3 Ingwe[22] | Beam-riding anti-tank guided missile system | 152 mm | Multipurpose long-range jam-resistant beam-riding guided missile similar to the American BGM-71 TOW and Russian 9M133 Kornet.The missile is launched from a ground-based launcher and can also be launched from a triple launcher atop a Ratel ZT3 or other vehicles. The ZT3 Ingwe is operated by the Armoured Corps and the Mechanized infantry battalions. | |||
| Grenades | ||||||
| M26[23] | Fragmentation hand grenade | N/A | Manufactured by Rheinmetall Denel Munitions, based on a US design. In service with the South African Army Infantry Formation. | |||
| RDM Illuminating Hand Grenade | No image available | Hand grenade | N/A | A grenade which consists of an aluminium case containing the illuminating composition, to which is fitted a conventional fly-off lever striker mechanism. The illuminating grenade provides sufficient light for target identification and attack. The grenadecan also be used as a light source for emergency conditions when other pyrotechnic light sources are notavailable. | ||
| M854 Smoke Grenade[24] | accessdate=20 August 2014--> | No image available | Smoke grenade | N/A | A grenade which consists of a cylindrical tinplate body containing the smoke composition, a spring-loaded striker mechanism of the fly-off lever type and a pyrotechnic igniter/delay system. The fly-off lever is retained by a conventional safety pin and pull ring. The grenade has a variety of signalling applications and may also be used for screening and fortraining exercises in riot control. | |
| RDM Bullet Trap (BT) Rifle Grenades[25] | No image available | Rifle grenade | 54 mm (HE/AP), 60 mm (HE/DP) | Second generation South African rifle grenades manufactured by Rheinmetall Denel Munitions (formerly Swartklip Products, a division of Denel). The grenade incorporates a bullet trap and deflector in the tail tube. This allows them to be fired without the need to unload the rifle of its ammunition. Bullet Trap rifle grenades available includes HE/AP (High Explosive/Anti-Personnel), Practice and HE/DP (High Explosive/Dual Purpose) grenades. The HE/DP type has a shaped charge warhead which can penetrate 150 mm of rolled homogeneous armour or 450 mm of reinforced concrete. Grenades can be fired from both 5.56mm and 7.62mm rifles in the South African arsenal. | ||
| 75 mm HEAT rifle grenade | No image available | Rifle grenade | 75 mm HEAT | A shaped charge grenade, based on the Belgian ENERGA anti-tank rifle grenade and designed to be fired from most 7.62mm rifles. Can penetrate 275 mm of rolled homogeneous armour. Presumably largely phased out of South African service along with the large majority of 7.62mm R1 rifles. No longer in production. | ||
| Name | Image | Origin | Type | Quantity | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Main battle tanks | ||||||
| Olifant[26] | Main battle tank | 70 (Active) 178 (Reserve) | A heavily modified and modernized Centurion tank. The MK1A tanks were commissioned in 1985, MK1Bs were commissioned in 1991 and the MK2 tanks were commissioned in 2007.[27]
The fleet is soon to be replaced by a new MBT in the future through project aorta.[28] | |||
Tank destroyers | ||||||
| Rooikat[29] | Tank destroyer | 176 (Active)64 (Reserve) | Armoured fighting vehicle used for reconnaissance, aggressive search-and-destroy, anti-armour operations, combat patrols, raids, day and night hot pursuit operations.[30] The Rooikat is armed with a 76 mm or 105 mm cannon as well as two 7.62mm machine guns, one co-axial to the main armament and one at the commander’s position providing both ground and aerial defence, its countermeasures are 2 x 81 mm smoke grenade launchers, mounted in a forward firing position on each side of the turret.[31] | |||
Infantry fighting vehicles | ||||||
| Badger IFV[32] | Infantry fighting vehicle | 22 (Active)[33] 228 (On order) | The Badgers are a new generation of armoured fighting vehicles planned to partially replace the Army's current Ratel IFV fleet over the next decade.[34] Armament:
Originally 264 were ordered, of which 22 pre-production vehicles have been delivered from Finland. Due to staff shortages at Denel, there have been numerous delays in completing the project so the order has been revised to only 250 units. | |||
| Ratel IFV[35] | Ratel IFV (973): Ratel ZT3 (52): | Infantry fighting vehicle | 570 (Active) 455 (Reserve) | Primary armoured fighting vehicle in service with the South African Mechanized infantry units.[36] Armament:
A total of 1,380 units were delivered to the army in all variants. At least 355 Ratels were sold to foreign countries bringing the total down to 1,025 units as of 2024. | ||
Armoured personnel carriers | ||||||
| Mamba[38] | Armoured personnel carrier, MRAP | 538 | Mine-resistant APC with significant protection against anti-tank mines and small arms fire.Mamba Mk2 and Mk3 variants are used by the Army with an undisclosed number of Mamba's in reserve/storage. Armament:
Around 100 Mamba APC's in reserve were refurbished and brought back into service at the end of 2023 and were assigned to the light modern brigade.[39] [40] | |||
| MAX 3[41] | Armoured personnel carrier, MRAP | 6 | An undisclosed number of 4x4 and 6x6 MAX 3s were acquired from South African Defence Contractor SVI Engineering in early 2024 and delivered to the Joint Operations Division of the SANDF.The Army is currently looking to acquire a mix of 462 different APC's / MRAP's from multiple South African companies in three variants: 210 Section variants, 144 Command variants, and 108 Ambulance variants.[42] | |||
| Casspir[43] [44] | Infantry mobility vehicle, MRAP | 370+ (Active)1,800 (Reserve) | Multi-purpose mine-resistant infantry mobility vehicle with significant protection against anti-tank mines and small arms fire. More than 2,800 Casspirs were manufactured in South Africa in multiple variants, around 600 of these were sold to foreign countries. The Army uses the Casspir Mk3 variant and has around 370 in its active inventory, a further estimate of 1,800 Casspir Mk2 and Mk3's are in reserve/storage. Armament:
At the end of 2023 an unspecified number of the Casspir's in reserve were added into the active inventory. | |||
| RG-31 Nyala[45] [46] | Infantry mobility vehicle, MRAP | Limited (+ 210 on option) | Multi-purpose mine-resistant infantry mobility vehicle with significant small arms fire and mine blast protection.The vehicles are equipped with a 20 mm remote controlled weapon station (RCWS) and can also be fitted with a 40 mm Denel Y3 Grenade Machine gun, overall armor protection of the vehicle exceeds NATO STANAG 4569 Level 2. Mk5E variant in use, a more heavily armoured and protected vehicle than that of the Mamba APC. Up to 210 RG-31's are likely to be acquired as section vehicles for the SA Army's latest APC/MRAP project.[47] | |||
| Husky[48] [49] | Vehicle mounted mine detection system, MRAP | Unknown | A system designed to clear routes of mines, usually they operate in pairs one after the other. The leading vehicle acts as a Mine Detection Vehicle (MDV) and is designated as "Meerkat". The second Husky in the system tows a trailer called a "Duisendpoot" and is known as a towing /mine detection vehicle (T/MDV). The latest version of the Husky, the 2G, has high sensitivity low metal content detectors, ground penetrating radar, powerful air blowers and a robotic arm. | |||
| Name | Image | Origin | Type | Quantity | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olifant Armour Recovery[50] | Armoured recovery vehicle | 18 | |||
| Olifant Armour Bridge Layer | No image available | Armoured vehicle-launched bridge | 2 | ||
| Toyota Land Cruiser Utility[51] | No image available | Utility vehicle | 435 | Used for border patrol. R500 million will be spent in 2024/25 to replace these vehicles with new mine-resistant APCs. | |
| SAMIL 20[52] [53] | 4×4 logistics truck | Several thousand | Upgraded Magirus Deutz 130M7FAL 4×4 2-ton (load) truck. The trucks serve as the primary off-road light general purpose truck of the SANDF and comes in several variants, each fulfilling a different role. These include general cargo/fuel/troop transport variants, artillery fire control posts, variants with office and workshop bodies, a battery charger variant, a light recovery variant (designated "Pegasus") and a variant with a Light General Repair(LAD) rear body. | ||
| SAMIL 50[54] [55] | 4×4 military logistics truck | Several thousand | Upgraded Magirus Deutz 192D12AL 4×4 5-ton (load) truck. Trucks are utilised in different roles as personnel/cargo transporters, field repair and maintenance vehicles, water/fuel transporters, field recovery vehicles (variant designated as "Springbok"), refuse collection trucks, mobile showers, mobile offices, bridge transporters, radio and technical bins and pantry vehicles(with refrigeration capability). | ||
| SAMIL 100[56] | 6×6 military logistics truck | Several thousand | Upgraded Magirus Deutz 320D22AL 6×6 10-ton (load) truck. Trucks are utilised in different roles as personnel/cargo transporters, water/fuel transporters, field recovery vehicles (variant designated as "Kameel"/Mine protected variant designated as "Withings"), dry canteen vehicles, field repair and maintenance vehicles (designated as "Waterbok"), UAV launchers, UAV recovery vehicles and gun tractors (for towed artillery pieces). | ||
| Kynos Aljaba Trucks[57] | 8×8 heavy military logistics truck | Several thousand | The army employs several variants of this vehicle. The "Skimmel" is a heavy recovery vehicle which is fitted with a tow arm, a winch, a crane and various other equipment. The "Zebra" is a maintenance and repair variant of the truck. The "Kameelperd" version carries the Army Air Defence Artillery's ESR220 Thutlwa mobile battery fire control post and early warning radar. The trucks also have tank transport and bridge layer variants. | ||
| MAN Trucks[58] | 8x8 heavy military logistics truck | Several thousand | Primarily utilised as prime movers, firefighting vehicles and low-bed transporters. | ||
| Giraffe[59] | 8x8 heavy military logistics truck | Unknown | Designated as "Giraffe". Used as a cargo/vehicle transporter. | ||
| Toyota Dyna | Medium-duty truck | Unknown | Designated as "Wildebees" | ||
| Scania transport buses | Personnel transport bus | Unknown | These buses are used to ferry personnel to and from bases. | ||
| Gecko 8×8 ATV[60] | | All-terrain utility vehicle | 100 | Used by the Parachute Regiment and Special Forces. | |
| Various cars and light trucks. | No image available | Light armoured utility vehicles | Unknown | Various civilian utility vehicles are utilized by the army for light transport/patrol purposes (primarily Ford, Toyota and Land Rover vehicles). | |
| Name | Image | Origin | Type | Quantity | Max Range | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bateleur MRL[61] | 127 mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher | 25 | 40 km | 127 mm standard multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) of the South African Army Artillery Formation. 40 launch tubes mounted on an armoured Samil 100 6×6 truck. | |||
| Valkiri MRL | 127 mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher | 76 | 40 km | 127 mm multiple launch rocket system (MLRS). 24 launch tubes mounted on a Unimog light 4×4 truck. | |||
| G6 Rhino[62] | 155 mm self-propelled howitzer | 43 | 76 km | The G6 Rhino also known as "GV6 Renoster" is a South African 155 mm long-range mine-resistant wheeled self-propelled howitzer and is the largest piece of artillery system in the South African Army arsenal; the army originally had 153 in service, but due to the lack of external threats and the end of the Cold War, the government sold 110 units to foreign countries leaving the army with only 43 G6's in service as of 2024.The G6 Rhino holds the world record of scoring the longest 155 mm artillery shot recorded at 76 kilometres, making it one of the most accurate artillery systems in the world.[63] Denel was awarded a contract to upgrade the Rhino's to the latest G6-52 standard by 2024.[64] | |||
| T5-52[65] [66] | 155 mm self-propelled howitzer | 6 (+ option for more) | 60+ km | The T5-52 is a South African truck-mounted self-propelled howitzer, it is the latest piece of South African Artillery that was launched in 2018. 6 units of T5-52 SPHs were received from Denel as a replacement for the 6 G5 towed howitzers sold to Saudi Arabia. The Army plans to acquire more T5-52s if funding is adequate. | |||
| G5 Leopard[67] | 155 mm towed howitzer | 72 | 50–60 km | The G5 Leopard is a South African long-range 155 mm towed howitzer and is the primary piece of towed artillery in the South African Army. Small amounts of artillery pieces are used by the School of Artillery to train gun crews from multiple regiments. Denel was awarded a contract to upgrade the G5 Leopard to the latest G5-52 standard by 2024. | |||
| G4 M-71[68] | 155 mm towed howitzer | 32 | 30 km | Long-range towed 155 mm howitzer.32 units were acquired in the 1980s, these guns were replaced by the G5 Leopard and remaining G4 M-71 howitzers are kept in army reserves. | |||
| GV1[69] | 87 mm towed howitzer | 30 | 12 km | GV1 88 mm guns are still maintained in several reserve regiments such as the Cape Field Artillery regiment and the Transvaal Horse Artillery which they fire on ceremonial occasions. | |||
| M4 Commando Mortar[70] [71] | 60 mm light mortar | 2300+ | 2 km | Uses the M-61 series of bombs in High Explosive, Smoke, Illumination and Practice versions.In use with the Special Forces and Airborne Infantry. Upgraded in 2016 with improved range and accuracy.[72] | |||
| M3/M8 Mortar | 81 mm medium mortar | 1890 | 5 km | Based on the French LLR 81mm mortar. Locally produced in South Africa as the M3 and M8 mortars (improved versions with heavier barrels compared to the French LLR 81mm). The mortar is usually operated by a three-man team. It is also often mounted and fired from a armoured vehicle. Around 1890 mortars are in service with the South African Army Infantry Formation. | |||
| M5 Mortar | 120 mm heavy mortar | 36 | 6 km | 36 mortars are in service with 18 Light Regiment. | |||
| Name | Image | Origin | Type | Quantity | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Surface-to-air missiles | ||||||
| Umkhonto[73] | Mobile surface-to-air missile/anti-ballistic missile system | - | The Umkhonto GBADS vertical launching system is currently in testing for the South African Army’s ground-based air defence system (GBADS) requirement. The Umkhonto GBADS can carry up to eight Umkhonto-R and Umkhonto-IR (Infrared) Mk II missiles. | |||
| Starstreak[74] | Manportable/Vehicle mounted surface-to-air missile | 178 | Eight Lightweight Multiple Launchers (LML), two 20 km-range Thales Page continuous-wave (CW) low-observable battery air defence local warning radars as well as about 100 VSHORAD (very short range air defence) high-velocity missiles were ordered in December 2002 and are in use with 10 Air Defence Artillery Regiment. These missiles have a range of between 5–7 km. Stockholm International Peace Research Institute lists the number of Portable SAMs delivered as 96 for the GBADS phase 1 project with another order for 82[75] | |||
| Oerlikon GDF (Skyshield)[76] | | Radar-guided 35 mm anti-aircraft autocannon | 169 | 169 acquired (along with 75 Super Fledermaus fire control units) These guns were upgraded by Rheinmetall AG in 2017 to use Oerlikon Skyshield fire control systems and Ahead airburst ammunition capable of shooting down modern aerial threats.[77] | ||
| ZU-23-2 Zumlac[78] | Twin 23 mm anti-aircraft autocannon | 36 | These guns were captured in the 1980s during the South African Border War and are mounted on armoured SAMIL 100 heavy trucks. | |||
| Name | Image | Origin | Type | Number | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seeker 400[79] | Unmanned aerial vehicle | 36 | The Seeker 400 is the latest variant of the Seeker UAVs manufactured by South Africa's Denel Dynamics. SANDF Took delivery of the first Seeker 400 in 2015, in 2021 a SANDF Seeker 400 crashed.[80] | |||
| ATE Vulture[81] | Unmanned aerial vehicle | 4 | Acquired under Project Klooster. The Vulture is used for target acquisition, fall-of-shot detection and fire correction in support of Towed and Self Propelled Gun Howitzer Systems of the SA Army Artillery Formation. It operates without a pilot or a runway and is deployable in 30 minutes in unprepared terrain. The UAV is launched from a catapult on the back of a SAMIL 100 truck. The Vulture is monitored on the ground via the Navigator and Observer screens in a Ground Control Station. A laser system is used for automated approach, an arrestor system for its capture and an inflatable airbag for its recovery. | |||
| ESR220 Thutlwa[82] | Mobile battery fire control post and early warning radar | 4 | Designated as "Kameelperd". The system uses an L-band 2D surveillance radar to provide early warning to air defence artillery troops in the field. This fully autonomous armoured system (with self-contained power plant)is transported by a Spanish-designed Kynos Aljaba 8×8 (“Skimmel” in SANDF service) truck. It is capable of tracking aircraft in a 120 km radius and can be fully operational within 10 minutes of arrival at the deployment site. The system also provides for a combined air picture derived from primary radar(through utilisation of Link-ZA, the SANDF's data link system), as well as a command and control system for effective air defence control. | |||
| Thales Squire radar system[83] | Battlefield surveillance radar | 14 | Acquired in 2012 under Project Cytoon. The radars are designed to plot a pedestrian at 10 km, a vehicle at 21 km, a tank at 28 km, a helicopter at 21 km, a boat at 12 km and a ship at 48 km. The radar system uses a frequency modulated continuous wave Doppler radar and is designed to be virtually undetectable by enemy electronic warfare equipment. All systems are in service with the SA Army Tactical Intelligence Corps. | |||
| Thales Sophie man-portable system | Thermal imager | 65 | Acquired in 2012 under Project Cytoon. The Thales Sophie can spot humans at over 4 km, tanks at 10 km, helicopters at 12 km and jet fighters at 16 km. All systems are in service with the SA Army Tactical Intelligence Corps. | |||
| LOCATS | No image available | Low cost aerial target systems | Unknown | The LOCATS is an unmanned aerial target used to train Air Defence Artillery crews in gunnery. It is launched from a ramp fitted on the back of a flatbed truck and is recovered by parachute. |
| Name | Image | Origin | Type | Number | Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicles | ||||||
| Buffel[84] | Infantry mobility vehicle, MRAP | 2,400 | 2,985 Buffels were built, after the South African Border War around 2,400 remained in service and were soon replaced by the new Mamba mine-protected armoured personnel carriers and the excess Buffels were put on sale. | |||
| Eland[85] | Armoured reconnaissance vehicle | 1,268 | Armoured car based on the Panhard AML. 1,600 were built, after the South African Border War 1,268 Eland-60s and Eland-90s remained in service and were soon replaced by the Rooikat tank destroyers and Ratel infantry fighting vehicles and excess Elands were put on sale. | |||