Distiller….South Africa generates almost 30% of the GDP of the entire African continent.It has the 10th largest stock-exchange worldwide , and is the 20 richest nation worldwide if total GDP is considered.It is not a matter of “using them against their black bretheren”.South Africa is a racially diverse country with bizarrely enough , the Chinese section the fastest growing.It has poverty , it has aids , but it also has some of the most mature financial systems in the world and a very developed heavy industry sector….I think that South Africa , Brazil and China(?) formed a Non-aligned pact a little while back…..anyway , the point of the purchase of these aircraft is in line with the justifiable moaning of the USA that South Africa play a part in African peacekeepng more commesurate with it’s size…and to do this will require aircraft with larger capacity/range characteristics than the C-130 and CASA tpt’s.With the Iraqi occupation requirements and events like Mogadishu , this makes sense from a US political perspective….Just think the C-17 would be a little too large.

I take it you have tried http://www.denel.co.za

Kentron are the main manufacturer , but I think they are called Denel Aerospace now or something.

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