The South African Border War - Zambia's turn
Not content with just meddling in Angolan and Mozambican affairs the SA air force would assist Rhodesia in its efforts in secret.
Canberra bombers were sent in to help the Rhodesian's in their efforts against ZIPRA and used to bomb training camps not only in Angola but in Zambia as well.
The Zambians had the Shenyang F-6, but the nature of these bombing raids rarely led to any interceptions.
Low level flights across vast areas of the African bush left plenty of areas where attacking aircraft could roam free, do their mischief and flee.
To illustrate just how low level these operations took place, at during one such bombing raid one of the Canberra bombers was damaged by shrapnel from its own dropped bombs.
Aside from air space violations, South Africa would make its own retaliatory ground incursion into Zambia called Operation Saffraan, after SWAPO and Zambian army shelled the town of Katimo Mulilo, in the Caprivi Strip.
The shelling had likely been instigated by SWAPO, and due to increasing difficulties with SWAPO militants and the Zambian armed forces, Zambia finally expelled SWAPO from its borders.
Where Zambia had been the main stage in the 60 and 70 during the 80's it would play a much more minor role in the South African Border war.
But South Africa would still find later excuses to visit Zambia again later in the decade.
Previous posts in this series can be found at the bottom of these chapters:
The South African Border War - 1976, The end of a chapter and the beginning of a new phase.
Interesting post @gavvet , I've never seen one of these inflight but has been involved in various test at the OTB test range in Bredasdorp where SAAB Gripens (our new fighter jets) and Cheethas were used.
Who knows when South Africa started using the Impala's, Hawks and Cheetahs? Which aircraft did they use to accompany these bombers?
PS The strategist would tell you, whoever controls the air space controls the war. ;)
Mirage were used as fighter support when necessary, they had superiority over the MIG 21's but later the MIG 23's had superiority over the Mirage, hence the need to develop the Cheetah. The war ended before the Cheetah could ever be combat tested against the MIG 23's
Aaa, yes, I completely forgot about the Mirage IIIs! Thanks for the interesting posts, makes me miss my awesome military friends from the domain I worked in.
@gavvet - Sir, border wars can't be avoided if we get nasty neighbor like your country had in 80's... To secure the country, secure the people that decision has to taken.... Your article nicely explain what happened at that time & this article is a best article to keep at universities & libraries as a reference.... Nice you decided to share this article Sir.... Therefore, I wish to ReSteem your post Sir.
+W+ [UpVoted & ReSteemed]
The nasty neighbor situation was unfortunately reciprocal.
Again - great update. The American media and the terrible public school system cares little about Africa and its history.
Learning about these things sheds light on why the continent seems to be the center of such strife and tribulation.
Keep posting!
Those who can't learn from history will repeat same mistake, oldmen declare war, but the unwise young will fight and perish
the borders wars were one of the closely guarded secrets that the west didnt want the world to know and turned a blind eye cause they were selling the weapons. South africa had to fight even more warscause of its aparthied regime with the rest of the african countries who shielded and helped the freedom fighters
Those who can't learn from history will repeat same mistake, oldmen declare war, but the unwise young will fight and perish
Unfortunately, USA is a superpower capable of making them the world's police, but ultimate peace is the absolute right of all nations of the world.
War ... whatever the cause of its clashes, it will only make the world a flood of blood and tears, stop wars right now, let's we focus all thoughts on improving our steam power and bitcoin, the era of the cryptocurrency economy is present in front of the eye
Nice post @gavvet
We must to rememmer all of the history
Yes we must remember all of history, but we get any lesson.
I really don't like reading about wars!
Makes me go scared!!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭
Like right now
Man's society is in a continuous change and there is no permanence in anything of this world. War peace war peace, civilization destruction civilization destruction
good info. thanks