Defence Acquisitions: Unpacking the Package Deals

With the worst pains of the transformation behind it, the SADF is struggling to re-focus on its primary role and functions

With the worst pains of the transformation behind it, the South African Department of Defence is now struggling to re-focus on its primary role and functions and the equipment to support these. This has generated an unprecedented public debate on the foreign procurement of defence equipment.

Large procurement programmes take a number of years from the identification of the user requirement to actual delivery, since substantial effort is required to negotiate and agree upon the exact detail of the end-user need, and for management of the procurement process. Typically, the more complex the system, the longer the delivery time. Therefore one could expect up to six years for delivery in the case of a fighter aircraft less with other systems. Lead times are thus important considerations in the timing of defence acquisition programmes.  

Author

Jakkie Cilliers, Executive Director, Institute for Security Studies