History UsefulNotes / SouthAfricansWithSurfaceToAirMissiles

* Barrett Tillman's 1992 novel ''TheSixthBattle'' is based on the premise of an invasion of South Africa by neighboring states backed by a [[MakeTheBearAngryAgain resurgent Soviet Union in all but name]].

* In the MLPFIM fanfic ''TheConversionBureau: [[TheConversionBureauNotAlone Not Alone]]'', the South African military makes the biggest contribution in defeating the ponies, seeing how Equestria spawned near the Cape Town coastline. The city was destroyed by Equestria's advancing barrier.

* In the MLPFIM fanfic ''TheConversionBureau: [[TheConversionBureauNotAlone Not Aloné]]'', the South African military makes the biggest contribution in defeating the ponies, seeing how Equestria spawned near the Cape Town coastline. The city was destroyed by Equestria's advancing barrier.

* In the MLPFIM fanfic ''TheConversionBureau: [[TheConversionBureauNotAlone]]'', the South African military makes the biggest contribution in defeating the ponies, seeing how Equestria spawned near the Cape Town coastline. The city was destroyed by Equestria's advancing barrier.

South Africans fought for Britain during WorldWarTwo and their Air Force turned up in Korea (earning a US [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Air_Force#Korean_War Presidential Unit Citation]]).

During TheApartheidEra, the South Africans fought a border war with Angola (and unsuccessfully tried to stop Namibia, ex-German South West Africa, from gaining independence) against Marxist guerrillas- a reason why the US and UK were reluctant to challenge the regime too closely. Their main allies in Angola were the pro-West (but anti-colonialist) independence group [[http://www.unitaangola.org/ UNITA]]. Their enemies were the Communist-backed MPLA, as well as forces from Cuba and the Soviet Union. While in Angola, the South Africans did quite well, but they eventually withdrew when reinforcements were needed for homeland defense.

Today, far smaller, it focuses on peacekeeping, participating in African Union and United Nations missions in Burundi and the Congo (DRC), among other areas. It has been renamed the South African ''National'' Defense Force (formerly, it was the SADF, no N). The SANDF today is a combination of the former SADF, together with the ex-Bantustan defense forces and the former armed wings of the ANC and its allies.

* Matthew Reilly's novel ''Area 7'' features ex-South African commandoes fighting to gain a biological weapon that will allow them to bring back Apartheid.

During TheApartheidEra, the South Africans fought a border war with Angola (and unsuccessfully tried to stop Namibia, ex-German South West Africa, from gaining independence) against Marxist guerrillas- a reason why the US and UK were reluctant to challenge the regime too closely. Their main allies in Angola were the pro-West (but anti-colonialist) independence group [[http://www.unitaangola.org/ UNITA]] (it helped that Angola's colonial power was UsefulNotes/{{Portugal}}, which was at the time recalcitrant, isolationist, and fascist). Their enemies were the Communist-backed MPLA, as well as forces from Cuba and the Soviet Union. While in Angola, the South Africans did quite well, but they eventually withdrew when reinforcements were needed for homeland defense.

Also during TheApartheidEra, for reasons which passeth almost all understanding, South Africa was a nuclear state. The rationale was, while it was nominally allied to the West in the Cold War, it had Soviet-leaning neighbors who had no complicated embargo issues hindering their military development. Also, South Africa has a great deal of uranium. Also - in a strictly unofficial capacity - South Africa and Israel, the wild children of the non-communist world, entered into a technical-expertise-for-uranium trade relationship. And finally also, at the end of the 80s South Africa magnanimously destroyed their entire six-nuke arsenal and signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. The fact that the Apartheid administration was going to have to give way to the black majority in the near future was, of course, entirely coincidental.

During TheApartheidEra, the South Africans fought a border war with Angola (and unsuccessfully tried to stop Namibia, ex-German South West Africa, from gaining independence) against Marxist guerrillas- a reason why the US and UK were reluctant to challenge the regime too closely. Their main allies in Angola were the pro-West (but anti-colonialist) independence group [[http://www.unitaangola.org/ UNITA]] (it helped that UNITA's enemies were UsefulNotes/{{Portugal}}, which was at the time isolationist, recalcitrant, and fascist). Their enemies were the Communist-backed MPLA, as well as forces from Cuba and the Soviet Union. While in Angola, the South Africans did quite well, but they eventually withdrew when reinforcements were needed for homeland defense.

During TheApartheidEra, the South Africans fought a border war with Angola (and unsuccessfully tried to stop Namibia, ex-German South West Africa, from gaining independence) against Marxist guerrillas- a reason why the US and UK were reluctant to challenge the regime too closely. Their main allies in Angola were the pro-West (but anti-colonialist) independence group [[http://www.unitaangola.org/ UNITA]]. Their enemies were the Communist-backed MPLA, as well as forces from Cuba and the Soviet Union. While in Angola, the South Africans did quite well, but they eventually withdrew when reinforcements were needed for homeland defense.

It is receiving Swedish Gripen fighters to replace the domestic Cheetahs, which in turn are being sold off to Ecuador. Its military hardware production capabilities are now tooled mostly to producing armored vehicles for peacekeeping, policing, and civilian security, in which it is a market leader. It exports armored vehicles to countries such as Canada and India, and high-tech self-propelled artillery to several Middle Eastern countries, including the UAE.

It is receiving Swedish Gripen fighters to replace the domestic Cheetahs, which in turn are being sold off to Central American countries. Its military hardware production capabilities are now tooled mostly to producing armored vehicles for peacekeeping, policing, and civilian security, in which it is a market leader. It exports armored vehicles to countries such as Canada and India, and high-tech self-propelled artillery to several Middle Eastern countries, including the UAE.

It is receiving Swedish Gripen fighters to replace the domestic Cheetahs, which in turn are being sold off to Central American countries. Its military hardware production capabilities are now tooled mostly to producing armored vehicles for peacekeeping, policing, and civilian security, in which it is a market leader. It exports armored vehicles to countries such as Canada and India, and artillery to several Middle Eastern countries, including the UAE.

It is receiving Swedish Gripen fighters to replace the domestic Cheetahs, which are being sold off to Columbia. Its military hardware production capabilities are now tooled mostly to producing armored vehicles for peacekeeping, policing, and civilian security, in which it is a market leader. It exports armored vehicles to countries such as Canada and India, and artillery to several Middle Eastern countries, including the UAE.

Today, far smaller, it focuses on peacekeeping, participating in African Union and United Nations missions in Burundi and the Congo (DRC), among other areas. It is receiving Swedish Gripen fighters to replace the domestic Cheetahs, which are being sold off to Columbia. Its military hardware production capabilities are now tooled mostly to producing armored vehicles for peacekeeping, policing, and civilian security, in which it is a market leader.

* In Alan Paton's novel ''TooLateThePhalarope'', the main character's willingness to go off to World War II alongside the British (onetime enemies of the Dutch colonists in the past) is a major source of tension with his staunchly anti-British father.
* Matthew Reilly's novel ''{{Area 7}}'' features ex-South African commandoes fighting to gain a biological weapon that will allow them to bring back Apartheid.

During TheApartheidEra, the South Africans fought a border war with Angola (and unsuccessfully tried to stop Namibia gaining independence) against Marxist guerrillas- a reason why the US and UK were reluctant to challenge the regime too closely. Their main allies in Angola were the pro-West (but anti-colonialist) independence group [[http://www.unitaangola.org/ UNITA]]. Their enemies were the Communist-backed MPLA, as well as forces from Cuba and the Soviet Union. While in Angola, the South Africans did quite well, but they eventually withdrew when reinforcements were needed for homeland defense.

Today, far smaller, it focuses on peacekeeping, participating in African Union and United Nations missions in Burundi and the Congo (DRC), among other areas. It is receiving Swedish Gripen fighters to replace the domestic Cheetahs, which are being sold off to Columbia.

Also during TheApartheidEra, for reasons which passeth almost all understanding, South Africa was a nuclear state. The rationale was, while it was nominally allied to the West in the Cold War, it had Soviet-leaning neighbors who had no complicated embargo issues hindering their military development. Also, South Africa has a great deal of uranium. Also - in a strictly unofficial capacity - South Africa and Israel, the wild children of the non-communist world, entered into a technical-expertise-for-uranium trade relationship. And finally also, at the end of the 80s South Africa magnanimously destroyed their entire six-nuke arsenal and signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. The fact that the Apartheid government was going to have to give way to the black majority in the near future was, of course, entirely coincidental.

Today, far smaller, it focuses on peacekeeping, participating in African Union and United Nations missions in Burundi and the Congo (DRC), among other areas. It is receiving Swedish Gripen fighters to replace the domestic Cheetahs.

During TheApartheidEra, the South Africans fought a border war with Angola (and unsuccessfully tried to stop Namibia gaining independence) against Marxist guerrillas- a reason why the US and UK were reluctant to challenge the regime too closely. Their main allies in Angola were the pro-West (but anti-colonialist) independence group [[http://www.unitaangola.org/ UNITA]]. While in Angola, they did quite well, but they eventually withdrew when reinforcements were needed for homeland defense.

Subject to a large-scale arms embargo, the South African regime was forced to develop its own weaponry, such as the Vektor R4 rifle and the Cheetah (modified Mirages). Many of their products were actually world-class ''or better'' - South African artillery, for instance, was widely regarded as the best in its class for several years. Also, it produced the Casspir and Buffel Infantry Fighting Vehicles, which are proof against landmines and Improvized Explosive Devices; the latter has a variant produced in the US as the Buffalo, and is a major inspiration behind the program to replace the Humvee (which is ridiculously vulnerable to landmines).

Subject to a large-scale arms embargo, the South African regime was forced to develop its own weaponry, such as the Vektor R4 rifle and the Cheetah (modified Mirages). Many of their products were actually world-class ''or better'' - South African artillery, for instance, was widely regarded as the best in its class for several years. Also, it produced the Casspir and Buffel IFVs, which are proof against landmines and IEDs; the latter has a variant produced in the US as the Buffalo, and is a major inspiration behind the program to replace the Humvee (which is ridiculously vulnerable to landmines).

Subject to a large-scale arms embargo, the South African regime was forced to develop its own weaponry, such as the Vektor R4 rifle and the Cheetah (modified Mirages). Many of their products were actually world-class ''or better'' - South African artillery, for instance, was widely regarded as the best in its class for several years.

South Africans fought for Britain during WorldWarTwo and turned up in Korea.

During TheApartheidEra, the South Africans fought a border war with Angola (and unsuccessfully tried to stop Namibia gaining independence) against Marxist guerrillas- a reason why the US and UK were reluctant to challenge the regime too closely. They still lost, though.

Today, far smaller, it focusses on peacekeeping. It is receiving Swedish Gripen fighters to replace the domestic Cheetahs.

-->--TomLehrer on South Africa's nuclear ambitions, from the song "Who's Next?".

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