04 Feb The South Africa Air Force celebrates Prestige Day today

The South Africa Air Force (SAAF) is celebrating its establishment as part of Prestige Day today (4th February). The SAAF was officially founded on 1st February 1920.

This year marks the centenary of the SAAF’s first operational deployment, and the force is celebrating today.

As part of the celebrations, the SAAF will host a Prestige Evening at Air Force Base Waterkloof. The awards will see units and squadrons honoured for their achievements in the previous twelve months. Also as part of the celebrations, the SAAF will showcase a display from their aircraft team alongside an elaborate fireworks display.

On Prestige Day itself, the Prestige Parade will take place with guests in attendance including the Chief of the Air Force, Lieutenant General Wiseman Mbambo.

Mbambo previously addressed the airforce at a medal parade back in November 2021, where he said “the organisation [the air force] must gear itself for new heights with renewed vigour.”

The new direction for the force is understood to take into account responses to a force-wide survey which allowed for “proper diagnosis” of the SAAF.

The new SAAF vision is due to be unveiled and adopted from this month. Military aviation watchers speculated it could happen at events to mark the birthday of the air force.