30 Zim, Namibian pilots honoured Air Force of Zimbabwe Commander Air Marshal Perrance Shiri (left) hands over a certificate to Namibian Sergeant Elvin Kalunda in Harare on Friday after completing an exercise dubbed Savannah Thunderbolt One held in Kwekwe
Air Force of Zimbabwe Commander Air Marshal Perrance Shiri (left) hands over a certificate to Namibian Sergeant Elvin Kalunda in Harare on Friday after completing an exercise dubbed Savannah Thunderbolt One held in Kwekwe

Air Force of Zimbabwe Commander Air Marshal Perrance Shiri (left) hands over a certificate to Namibian Sergeant Elvin Kalunda in Harare on Friday after completing an exercise dubbed Savannah Thunderbolt One held in Kwekwe

Herald Reporter—
Thirty Zimbabwean and Namibian pilots and technicians have been awarded certificates for successfully undergoing a week- long training exercise aimed at perfecting skills. The servicemen were honoured at a reception held for the Acting Commander of the Namibian Defence Forces, Air Vice Marshal Martin Pinehas, at Manyame Airbase on Friday.

The officers drawn from the Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) and Namibian Air Force (NAF) conducted joint training and intensive fire power demonstrations code-named “Savanna Thunderbolt One”.

The demonstrations were held using locally manufactured bombs, dropped from K8 fighter jets at Kutanga Range in Kwekwe and also conducted dawn attacks at Nyanga All Arms Battle School Training area.

In his address, Acting Commander of NAF Air Commodore Paavo Kamanya said the exercises were meant to ensure the prevailing peace and tranquillity in the two countries was maintained.

“The Namibian Air Force and the Air Force of Zimbabwe have showcased dedication and commitment to the strategy of partnership to the defence of our people and our countries. This marks a major milestone in the cooperation of our two air forces.

“Zimbabwe and Namibia are inseparable and it is so because we belong to the same family and by nature we share the same biological genes. The exercise is a result of fruitful interactions we have had before and it is a result of visionary leadership in the two country’s air forces,” he said.

Air Commodore Kamanya hailed the grounds crew who said the success of the operation depended on the contribution from various arms in the air forces’ crew.
AFZ Commander Air Marshal Perrance Shiri said the fire power demonstrations held in Kwekwe and dawn attack in Nyanga were meant to polish skills of airmen and corroborate them in the event of joint military operations.

“We celebrate the successful conclusion of our joint training exercise code -named Savanna Thunderbolt One. Air forces are now looked upon as the important players in the defence of territorial integrity of nations. I am most pleased that the fire power demonstration at Kutanga Range and air strikes in support of ground forces in Nyanga amply demonstrated our excellence in flying and delivering blow to security threats in our respective countries and the region at large.

“The exercises have helped us to achieve inter-operability between the Air Force of Zimbabwe and Namibian Air Force.
“The exercises were necessary to expose especially the young pilots to the dynamics of working with ground forces,” he said.

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