Madzhakandila Anti-Aircraft Regiment

The Madzhakandila Anti-Aircraft Regiment (MAAR), formerly 44 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, is an air defence regiment of the South African Army.

44 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
Madzhakandila Anti-Aircraft Regiment
ActiveJan 1985 -
Country South Africa
Allegiance
Branch
TypeAirborne Anti-Aircraft
Part of
Garrison/HQCape Town
AbbreviationMAAR

History

44 Anti-Aircraft Regiment was appointed and designated as a unit of the Citizen Force in January 1985 with the headquarters at Murrayhill (Hammanskraal). The unit struggled to obtain any National Service intake as gunners posted to the parachute brigade were being passed to the battalions and were not being released to the anti-aircraft unit.[1] When the first exercise was held, only 18 parachute-trained gunners were available.[2]

Operations and exercises
  • Mocamedes: 44 Anti-Aircraft were to be dropped with the 44 Pathfinders to receive and undergo training from UNITA, on Stinger missiles before the main force dropped. The operation never took place.
  • Exercise Vlakwater: September 1989, a full troop with two gun sections of 14.5mm AA guns and one Jakkals vehicle with a Mamba double-barrelled 12.7mm AA gun, was deployed in an air drop.
  • Exercise Pegasus: 14 July 1992 at approximately 2330, the then Army Battle School parachute-qualified air defence gunners were dropped over the General De Wet Training Area. Two 24 ft pallets was dropped from a C-130 transport aircraft. At 0700 on 16 July the ground forces were attacked by air (in the form of Skylift radio-controlled aircraft) which were repelled by eight 14.5 mm double-barrelled AA guns and two shoulder-launched missiles.
  • Roodepoort Dam: 44 Anti-Aircraft has taken part in brigade "water jumps" over the Roodepoort Dam each year since 1990.

Ordnance and equipment

44 Anti-Aircraft Regiment armament and equipment, consisted of:

  • Russian SAM 7 missiles,
  • Russian 14.5mm AA guns,
  • American .50 Brownings mounted on Jakkals airborne "mini-jeeps".

Name Change

In August 2019, 52 Reserve Force units had their names changed to reflect the diverse military history of South Africa.[3] 44 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment became the Madzhakandila Anti-Aircraft Regiment, and have 3 years to design and implement new regimental insignia.[4]

Leadership
CommanderPeriod
Maj P. Case1 Jan 1986 – 31 Dec 1988
Capt J. Roux1 Jan 1989 – 31 Mar 1990
Maj J. Lourens1 Apr 1991 – 31 Dec 1991
Capt G. Krenzer1 Feb 1991 – Information Outstanding

References
  1. "Parabat – High standards are the only ones acceptable | – Site of Henri le Riche". Archived from the original on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  2. "Fact file: 44 Parachute Regiment". defenceWeb. 2 March 2010. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  3. "New Reserve Force unit names". defenceWeb. 7 August 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  4. "Renaming process has resulted in an Army structure that truly represents SA". IOL. 16 August 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
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