Air Force Base Waterkloof is an airbase of the South African Air Force. It is situated on the outskirts of Pretoria, and is the SAAF's busiest airbase. The base's name, ''Waterkloof'', is Afrikaans. It means ''Water Ravine'' in English. Despite the name, this base is not located in Waterkloof, Pretoria, but lies to the south of Pretoria, to the northeast of

Centurion, Gauteng Centurion (previously known as Verwoerdburg and before that Lyttelton) is an area with 236,580 inhabitants (2011 census) in the Gauteng Province of South Africa, between Pretoria and Midrand (Johannesburg). Formerly an independent municipality, wi ...

and from AFB Swartkop, at an elevation of 1506 metres (4940 ft). The base motto is ''Acquirit Qui Tuetur'' (He Obtains Who Defends).

Units currently hosted

* 2 Squadron – Fighter, attack, reconnaissance * 21 Squadron – VIP transport * 28 Squadron – Medium transport * 41 Squadron – Light transport * 44 Squadron – Light transport * 60 Squadron – In-flight refuelling, transport, EW/ELINT/AEW * 111 Squadron – Light transport (reserve) * 140 Squadron – Light transport (reserve) * 504 Squadron – Security * 5 Air Servicing Unit – Maintenance support * Central Photographic Institute – Photographic services * JARIC, (Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre) The SANDF National Imagery Exploitation Centre – Strategic Imagery Intelligence ( IMINT) support * Mobile Deployment Wing – Emergency response * SAAF Telecommunications Centre – Communications * Ditholo Training Area is managed as an external component of AFB Waterkloof

History

The base was officially opened on 1 August 1938 as Waterkloof Air Station. Since that time it has always been in the service of the SAAF. It was upgraded to Air Force Base during World War II.

Aviation

* Non-directional beacon – WL315.0 * VHF omnidirectional range – WKV116.9 * Tower – 124.1

Controversy

A flight full of Indian citizens who had come to attend a wedding of the Gupta family landed at Waterkloof airbase. This was in contravention of South African law since the airbase is classified as a National Key Point. It was later alleged that former president

Jacob Zuma Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma (; born 12 April 1942) is a South African politician who served as the fourth president of South Africa from 2009 to 2018. He is also referred to by his initials JZ and clan name Msholozi, and was a former anti-aparth ...

is the one who ordered the flight to land.

References

Notes

External links

Waterkloof page on the unofficial website of the South African Airforce
Checked 29 March 2012 South African Air Force bases Airports in South Africa Transport in Gauteng City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality {{SouthAfrica-mil-stub