Mon séjour en Afrique du Sud (Cape Town)

First show for SA vehicle LAND Systems SA will be displaying its new Mark 5 RG-31 armoured vehicle at the exhibition, the first time the vehicle will be on display at an international show. Land Systems' international business development director Tony Savides says: We have already exported a number of RG-31s to Canada, the US and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and we will have a vehicle on show of a very similar type to that used by the UAE armed forces. Benoni-based Land Systems SA, which was acquired by BAE Systems in 2004, has two divisions armoured vehicle manufacturer Land Systems OMC and Land Systems Gear Ratio, both of which will be exhibiting. Land Systems Gear Ratio is a specialist manufacturer of transmission systems, drive lines and drive line components for the local and overseas markets. Land Systems OMC SA's primary producer of military vehicles has already achieved an annual R1bn turnover target compared with R200m in 1999.

This has been boosted by a vigorous export programme. The RG-31 mine- protected armoured personnel carrier has been the company's major export success over the past two years, with the concept derived to some extent from the Mamba armoured vehicle, which is also manufactured by Land Systems OMC and still in service with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), says Savides.

He points out that Land Systems OMC has successfully negotiated a list of new contracts, including a US army order for 148 RG-31 armoured personnel carriers the largest single deal to date. Canada has already ordered 75 RG-31s and the UAE has ordered 76. We don't sell anything that does not conform strictly to the NCACC (National Conventional Arms Control Committee) regulations. All South African companies operating within this industry sector are responsible and adhere to the NCACC requirements for arms exports. We are always looking to improve the vehicle, Savides says, especially in instances where we receive operational feedback. The company once received a letter from two American soldiers serving in Afghanistan who survived a landmine blast in an RG-31 thanking them for saving their lives. In an e-mail discussion, it transpired that the two were unable to engage their seat belts while wearing their bulky operational kit. As a result, the company has lengthened seatbelts in all of the vehicles. He says: It is important to note that notwithstanding the successes that the company has enjoyed internationally, the South African customer remains our number one client. Land Systems OMC supports more than 95% of the South African Army's armoured vehicle capability. The contracting party is Armscor.

The company is also responsible for the maintenance and support of SANDF equipment. The South African Police Services is its other major local client.

Savides says that a wide-ranging transformation initiative within Land Systems OMC's dealer network has seen a dramatic increase in the number of black dealers, who now constitute by far the majority of the company's dealership network.