Cheetah Ordnance.

Information in this section was sourced from public records, leading publications and static exhibits accessible to the general public.

• Note: All Cheetah aircraft can be fitted with the extra hard points under the air intakes and not only a feature of the Cheetah C.
  

Auxiliary Fuel Tanks:

The Cheetah can carry a wide range of auxiliary fuel tanks - ranging from the original Mirage III types to the modern combo types. The combo type may be fitted with two free fall iron bombs in tandem at the bottom of the auxiliary fuel tank.

Some of the auxiliary fuel tanks as used on the Cheetah. The aircraft is fitted with the combo unit ( fuel and bomb rack combination ). An Mirage III type auxiliary fuel tank is also on display.

Iron Bombs:

A wide variety of dumb ordnance may be carried by all Cheetah variants, in both 125kg and 250kg iron bomb types. South Africa developed a wide variety of fuses, explosive charges etc. highly effective against specific threats. One such impressive development is the boosted iron bomb, which use a semi rocket charge at the back of the bomb to increase the bomb's glide path to the target. This was first demonstrated to the general public at TFDC Fly-Inn ‘99. Also, a wide variety of cluster bombs were locally developed.  

Boosted iron bomb.	Retarded iron bomb.
Inert iron bombs.	A Cheetah C with inert free fall bombs.

LGB - Laser Guided Bomb:

In the last stages of the Border War conflict, the SAAF used indigenously developed PGM (Precision Guided Munition) munitions including (LGBs) Laser Guided Bombs. This was also developed for the Cheetah and shown as part of static exhibits during the later SAAF 75th anniversary air shows. This LGB is of the 250kg variety and use a unique seeker head with 8 fins. Photos of this capability by the SAAF appeared in almost all leading aerospace publications during 1995. However, the method of designation is still classified.

The Cheetah uses a number of specific bomb configurations depending on the mission, but specific details are on the classified list.

Air to Air Missile:

Possibly one of the most interesting aspects of SA's armament industry is our missile technology, which is almost an entire history volume on its own. But most details are on the classified list and only during 2002 in an article in "SA Soldier" some of the SAAF's impressive missile capability was finally acknowledged. During the mid-70s SA embarked on its own indigenous missile technology. This was largely due to operations in the Border Area, where it was quickly realised that our missiles then in service were severely lacking in capability and due to the arms embargo, could not be replaced. The SAAF faced ever increasing advanced Soviet technology and found itself outclassed in many aspects, especially when the Soviet AA-8 "Aphid" entered service against our aircraft. Virtually over night the balance of power shifted in favour of the enemy and forced the SAAF to adopt a completely new operational profile. But this actually had a positive effect as the SAAF realised what the future requirements of missile technology would be almost a decade before most other air forces came to the same conclusion. All aspect, self guided, ultra high manoeuvrability, with high immunity to counter measurers and a very long range are now considered essential to any future missile development of the 5th generation. According to the report in SA Soldier of 2002 it seems the SAAF already had most of these capabilities for a number of years. Often overlooked, but this was the main reason for the Cheetah programme, to equipped the SAAF with a platform that could house advance systems in order to carry such advanced missiles into future conflicts. This significant BVR (Beyond Visual Range) capability and the advanced missiles of the Cheetah make it a formidable opponent to many of even the most advanced fighter aircraft. A recent exercise between the US Marines and Israeli warplanes highlighted this aspect. The F/A 18 of the Marines is a formidable dog fighter and the type's air show routine, which include a square outside loop is remarkable to say the least. But the pilots of the US Marines in their F/A 18s found it extremely frustrating as the exercise almost never came to a dogfight nor could they achieve even maximum range to fire their latest version of the Sidewinder. The reason: the Israeli aircraft had already achieved missile lock and missile firing status, at a range and attitude beyond the normal dogfight or short range air-air missile range.

Early Missiles:

The first air-air missile in service with the SAAF was the MATRA R550 "Magic" followed by the MATRA R530. There are some reports that suggest a small number of early Sidewinders were also in service. Air to Air missiles were incorporated into the F1 CZ from its very first day in the SAAF. In the early days, for short range the Infra Red guided, Matra 550 was used. For longer range the radar guided, Matra R530 was used. However, R530 proved to be unsuitable for the demanding conditions in terms of war in Africa. Due to the number of problems experienced, the R530 was not used in the Border War area after the initial testing phase. It was also withdrawn from use within SA. The F1 CZ could carry two R530s on both inner wing pylons. Normally only one R530 was carried on the centre line pylon. The R550 was also found to be ineffective in the Border War (See "Vlamgat" by D. Lord for more info) and the development of locally designed air-air missile started in 1969 at the NIDefR (National Institute of Defence Research) by reverse engineering a Sidewinder's IR sensor. The first missile attempt were known as the V1 - simlar in appearance to the AIM 9B. From this atempt the V2 emerged and a local high tech company "Kentron" (today part of the DENEL group) was formed.	Matra R550 on Mirage F1CZ.
	Matra R530 used on Mirage III and F1CZ.
	Similar to V1A or AIM 9B.

New High Tech Generation:

The first practical missile was based on the R550 due to the numbers already in service with the SAAF. A new air-cooled IR seeker was developed which could be slaved to an indigenous developed, pilot helmet-mounted sight. This system offered the pilot the capability to achieve off axis missile lock-on. This missile was known as the V3A and entered service by 1978 for initial use by the F1 AZ and Mirage IIIs. It seemed Kentron was on the right track and work started almost immediately on the V3B "Kukri". The B model introduced a new improved rocket motor, new more sensitive IR seeker, better discrimination of the intended target and more resistance against counter measures. The helmet-mounted sight was improved with even larger off axis missile lock-on capability. The V3B has a unique profile which incorporated shaped canards. It was effectively a tail aspect missile with maximum range of between 2 - 4 km, which is the length of a commercial runway! It entered service from 1982 and was the standard missile used in the Border War and even saw service on the early Cheetahs. Greater range and all aspect capability were urgently needed, but everything needed to be developed from scratch due to the arms embargo.The next generation was the V3C ("Darter") and the profile looks similar to the later MATRA Magic. The previous missiles used moving canards, but the C model used moving elevons. Maximum range was increased and was the first air-air missile with genuine all-aspect capability, with the use of a high-tech IR seeker. Due to the delivery period, and as an interim measure, an all aspect missile, called the "Snake" was aquired, but arrived in the final few weeks when hostilities came to an end in the Border War. On the V3C the designator limits of the helmet sight were increased further while the seeker head had both bore sight and seeker modes. The missile used digital systems with "smart" capability. Various algorithms are pre programmed to increase the chances of a kill and not simply home in on the hottest spot. A 16-kg fragmentation warhead is used and is lethal out to a radius of 7m. The V3C was for many years the backbone of SA's air defence capability and saw extensive service on the Cheetah and Mirage F1 CZ / AZ. The missile was too late for the Border War and the first generation of the V3C entered service in the early 90s. Kentron managed to constantly improve the missiles with newer technology components and the final version of the V3C was renamed the "U-Darter". This version first entered service in 1997 as the standard short range missile with a range of 8km. All the air-air missiles so far were essentially WVR (Within Visual Range) missiles. Due to lessons learnt in the Border War conflict, the SAAF set out on a programme to offer BVR (Beyond Visual Range) missiles to its fighters. As an interim measure the V3S was developed utilising key components from the Rafael Python 3 and Kentron V3C missiles. But this missile arrived in inventory after hostilities ceased in the Border War and was thus not used operationally This missile was fully integrated on the F1 AZ. The next missile considered came as a result of the possible upgrade of the SAAF's F1s with the Russian SMR-95 engine. The missile considered was the AA-11 Archer. Initially this missile was named V3P but in the end this was only a feasibility study and the whole project cancelled. This was also due to the CZ retirement, the cancellation of the Russian engine project and the new V4 missile already under development. However the V3P was for specific use on the F1CZ and possibly later the AZ. The V3C and "U-Darter" were followed by the V4 or "R-Darter" and entered production in 1994 as a 4th generation missile. This high tech missile gave the SAAF a very capable BVR (Beyond Visua Range) capability. Although the SAAF's BVR capability is supposed to be on the classified list, this aspect is highlighted in the report in "SA Soldier" published in 2002. As the V4 has sophisticated BVR, look-down / shoot-down capability, it offered the SAAF a strategic capability very few other air forces had. Further the missile may be launched in either of two modes: LOBL ("Lock On Before Launch") or LOAL ("Lock On After Launch"). Even more exceptional: this capability existed in the SAAF for a number of years, but is only now considered essential for future fighter aircraft. However this missile was not used on the F1. The V4 will also be used by the Gripen in SAAF service.	V3B top, V3A middle, AIM 9B bottom. Note: different launcher rails.
	V3C.
	U- Darter.
	V4 or R-Darter.
	Kentron 5th generation missile - A Darter.

Cannon:

All Cheetah aircraft with the exception of the Cheetah R retain the twin internal DEFA canons of the Mirage III. The cannons received some local modifications and component upgrades.

Reconnaissance:

Info from SAAF Video Magazine, SA Flyer, additional A. Dyason.

Vinten Vicon 18 Series 600.

The cancellation of the Cheetah R left a gap in the operational capability of the SAAF or did it? At first, many thought the Cheetah R was in fact going ahead as a secret project, but the suspected secret project turned out to be an entire different programme, "Project Tunny" in the form of the Cheetah C. Only one Cheetah R was completed and used for system testing. So this meant the SAAF no longer had a tactical reconnaissance capability, which proved vital for successful operations during the Border War. In recent years the SAAF acknowledged the use of the Vinten Vicon 18 series 600 reconnaissance pod. Some local modifications were carried out and it is said the pod is more capable than the types in use on the British Harrier. Any Cheetah C can carry the pod on the centre line pylon. Flight profiles used in aerial reconnaissance were developed during the Border War conflict, but the SAAF has not released any specific details on the profiles or specific detail of the Vinten pod, but the pod provide low altitude tracking and stand-off photography as well as medium and high, long range oblique and vertical photography. A new modern reconnaissance section was implemented at AFB Louis Trichardt (Makhado) during 1996. The personnel is trained extensively in the use of the new high tech facilities. This capability makes the Cheetah C even more remarkable as a true modern multi role aircraft. It is possible to combine strike missions with reconnaissance while maintaining a formidable air-air capability. The Cheetah C also transformed the role of 2 Sqdn, being employed for a large number of years in the mainly air defence role. It is now a true multi role ( air defence, strike and reconnaissance ) sqdn, while at the same time maintaining a professional training role. The Cheetah C is thus an ideal building block for the SAAF, offering experience to the flight crews in similar systems that will be in use on the Gripen!