Introduction
Like the abbreviation MDW, MCU is also not
very familiar to the SAAF community. The Mobile Communications Unit (MCU) is part of the
Mobile Deployment Wing (MDW) and situated at the old Snake Valley. It is our duty to
provide communications and to be more specific, wherever you require our services. We got
a lot of different ways and means to provide it, from satellite phones, the commonly known
2-way radio’s, to digital microwave links. The Microwave links can also handle data
communication for computers.
We successfully completed more than 74
deployments during the 2002/3 financial year with Lt Col J. Nel
as our Officer Commanding, ±76 members and 50 vehicles. MCU in vehicle terms,
with a serviceability of more than 80%, consists mainly of CCV 4x4’s, Samil 50’s
and Land Rovers. The Samils are used to carry containers with all the different types of
equipment, the Land Rovers, the point to point communication equipment and the CCV
4x4’s for Command and Control.
MCU was
part of the SAAF Telecommunications Centre (SAAFTC) at AFB Waterkloof. Because of the
ever-growing demand for mobile communications in the SAAF, MCU was founded as a unit in
1990, situated at Snake Valley. During 1999, however it became a unit of the Mobile
Deployment Wing.
Unit Organisation
Except for the command cadre, MCU consists
of 4 sections:
- Planning Cell and Command Post, the heart of MCU, is under
the control of Capt J.J. Taljaard.
- Capt’s H.K. Metsi and L.M. Zini manage the Flights,
accommodating the Telecommunication Operators.
- Capt W.J. Jordaan is the Logistics Manager, consisting of
the workshops, transport, commodities and services and configuration management.
- Capt L.L. Mtrirara manages training.
The Mobile Communications Unit is totally
dependable on technology and in order to be the leader in our field it is of utmost
importance to keep abreast of the latest technology. The personnel of Mobile
Communications Unit have both the knowledge and experience to achieve this goal. The only
negative aspect to this objective is the expensive nature of this particular environment
but through own initiative and determination, this obstacle is crossed. In order to
maintain a competitive edge, members are afforded the opportunity to qualify and train
themselves.
In order to fulfil
the mandate of MCU, the following tasks needs to be performed by experienced and qualified
personnel:
- Provide single- and multiple- channel command and control
communications in the following applications:
- Tactical Air Base (TAB) deployments.
- Tactical Mobile Radar (TMR) and other radar deployments and
camps.
- Tactical Air Force Command Post (T/AFCP), Tactical Forward
Air Command Post (T/FACP) and Mobile Sector Control Centre (MSCC).
- Standby for static communications services.
- Helicopter Administration Area (HAA), Mobile Ground Signal
Intelligence System (MGSS), Remote Piloted Vehicle (RPV) and South African Air Force
College, Command and Control School and Air Force Gymnasium training.
- Air Defence Artillery (ADA) and Electronic Warfare (EW)
force preparation and flying squadron training.
- Joint Operations (J OPS) with military (SADC, United
Nations) and external parties (SAPS, World Food Program).
- Provide secure SAAF in flight and ground command and control
communications in the following applications:
- Conventional-, jumping- and air transportable Mobile Air
Operation Teams (MAOT).
- Humanitarian aid operations.
- Crime prevention operations in support of the SAPS.
The
aforementioned tasks are of a specialised nature, as the standards required must conform
to military doctrines and procedures. These actions were assessed and training schedules
and programmes were developed to suit the need. The MCU subsequently managed to become a
specialist in the field of mobile command and control communications. This capability
empowers the MCU to effectively, supply mobile command and control communications to all
clients internally as well as externally to the borders of the RSA.
Our communication requirements
make use of almost all the popular communication frequency bands, namely:
- High Frequency Communication
- Very High Frequency Communication
- Ultra High Frequency Communication
In a nutshell, we at
MCU are equipped to provide all requirements for the SA Air Force.
We are the sole suppliers of deployable command and control
communication services within the South African Air Force
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