South Africa no longer has an active ballistic missile program. The South African missile development program started in the late 1970s, and culminated with the launch of a version of the Israeli Jericho II missile on 5 July 1989, from the Overberg test site. Two similar launches were also reported to have taken place in 1990 and 1991. South Africa’s missile development program received substantial technical assistance from Israel. The two countries reportedly worked together on both nuclear weapons and the development of ballistic missiles.
The Rocket Research Institute (RRI), established in 1964, was the primary agency responsible for research and development in the missile technology field. In 1968, the South African government set up the Armaments Development Corporation of South Africa (Armscor) with the mandate to develop the domestic defense industry and supervise arms manufacture. Later, in 1973, the Propulsion Division at Somerset was formed with the mandate of conducting development up to the production stage of missiles, warheads, propellants, and propulsion systems. In 1976, the Armaments Board and Armscor merged to form the new Armscor, which assumed responsibility for the procurement and production of armaments for the South African National Defense Force (SADF).
The 1977, a UN mandatory arms embargo imposed on South Africa was a turning point for the defense industry, and led to establishment of new production facilities by Armscor. In 1978, military research formerly carried out by the National Institute for Defense Research (NDIR) and RRI was transferred to Armscor. The restructuring and expansion of Armscor was made possible by a secret government grant of R1.2 billion. In the new arrangement, the private sector’s primary responsibilities included the supply of materials, components, and subsystems, whereas Armscor concentrated on weapon systems development and integration.
By the late 1980s, defense production had become one of the most significant economic activities in the country. By this time, defense-related industries employed over 130,000 people directly or indirectly, and accounted for 9% of manufacturing employment. From 1989 to 1998, altered domestic and regional situations led to a 50% cut in the defense budget.
In the early 1990s, the external strategic environment and domestic situation changed dramatically, following the withdrawal of South African troops from Angola, the independence of Namibia, and the end of apartheid. On 1 April 1992, Armscor was divided into two separate organizations. The reorganized Armscor remained responsible for acquisition management, defense industrial development policy, and arms control, while the newly created Denel (Pty) was given the responsibility for production of armaments. Somchem, a division of Denel (Pty), was put in charge of development and upgrading of all solid-propellant rocket and missile propulsion systems. In 1993, South African President F.W. de Klerk officially acknowledged that South Africa had pursued and terminated a nuclear weapons program. The following year, the space program was terminated, and in 1995, South Africa became a member of the Missile Technology Contro Regime (MTCR).
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Updated May 2003 |
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