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Home› Conflicts› South African Border War
REC // BRIEFING
// OPERATION BRIEFING · THEATER FILE

SouthAfricanBorderWar

1966–1990

War on the border of South West Africa/Namibia and Angola

OUTCOME
STALEMATE
Era
1966–1990
SIDES
3
⚔ WAR INTERSTATE WAR

SouthAfricanBorderWar

South Africa
VS
Cuba Angola
Start: 26.08.1966 End: 21.03.1990 Duration: 23 years 7 months 3 days Participants: 3 countries Weapons: 66 systems
Overview
Sides
Battles & Operations
Weapons
Outcomes
01 / Overview
South African Border War
Date
1966–1990
Type
interstate war
Battles & Operations
5 records
Duration
23 years 7 months 3 days
Participants
South Africa Cuba Angola
Weapon System
66
Outcome
stalemate
02 / Sides
Belligerents 3 participants
South Africa South Africa Primary
VS
Cuba Cuba Primary Angola Angola Primary
03 / Battles & Operations · 5 records
Battle Operation Seiljag 1976 Battle Operation Reindeer 1978 Battle Battle of Cassinga 1978 Battle Operation Klipklop 1980 Battle Operation Beanbag 1981
04 / Weapons & Equipment · 61 systems
WEAPONS & EQUIPMENT SUMMARY
ORIGIN · COUNTRY
Russia
16 %24
South Africa
11 %17
United Kingdom
7 %11
Czech Republic
6 %9
France
6 %9
ORIGIN · COMPANY
FN Herstal
5 %8
Denel Land Systems
4 %6
Degtyarev plant
3 %5
Zastava Arms
3 %5
Česká zbrojovka Uherský Brod
3 %5
Total 66 distinct systems
Avg. Equipment Age 4 years all equipment
SIDE A 3 years avg. age
SIDE B 5 years avg. age
MOST EXPENSIVE $98 K · 1950 Centurion
Weapons & Equipment61systems
Country
CATEGORY
Zastava M70Assault Rifles66ENERGA anti-tank rifle grenadeHand Grenades429K34 Strela-3MANPADS55Mk 5 mineAnti-Tank Mines50CenturionTanks75M2 BrowningHeavy Machine Guns (HMG)90FN MAGGeneral Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG)89Vektor SS-77General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG)79R1 rifleBattle Rifles79G5 howitzerTowed Artillery & Mortars77IWI GalilAssault Rifles75Vektor R4Assault Rifles74Star Model BMPistols71Soltam M-71Towed Artillery & Mortars68BuffelArmoured Personnel Carriers (APC)67M-46 field gunField Guns65OlifantTanks64+12more →IngweAnti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM)65Modèle 1951 helmetHelmets65UziMachine Pistols62TM-62 series of minesAnti-Tank Mines78Zastava M55Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA)59APILASAnti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM)64Eland Mk7Recon Vehicles47M26 grenadeHand Grenades73M79 grenade launcherStandalone Grenade Launchers51FV603 SaracenArmoured Personnel Carriers (APC)44FN MAGGeneral Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG)89Browning Hi-PowerPistols75Oerlikon GDF series 35 mm twin gun mountAnti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA)73bazookaRocket-Propelled Grenades (RPG)49Sea CatSHORAD Systems44OR-201Helmets69Vektor SS-77General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG)79UK vz. 59General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG)74vz. 58Assault Rifles71RPG-75Rocket-Propelled Grenades (RPG)66Makarov PMPistols57Milkor MGLStandalone Grenade Launchers66M-65Towed Artillery & Mortars51BL 5.5 inch gunField Guns62vz. 58Assault Rifles71ZiS-3Field Guns68M-46 field gunField Guns65Mambi AMRSniper Rifles64UziMachine Pistols62ZU-23-2Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA)56vz. 52 rifleSemi-Automatic Rifles52BM-14Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS)369K31 Strela-1Medium-Range SAM31G5 howitzerTowed Artillery & Mortars77Ratel IFVInfantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV)68KPV heavy machine gunHeavy Machine Guns (HMG)82ZB-53General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG)80DShKHeavy Machine Guns (HMG)67BM-21 GradMultiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS)61R-60Short-Range AAM (SRAAM / WVR)4782-PM-41Towed Artillery & Mortars41AMD 65Assault Rifles64Star Model BMPistols71vz. 58Assault Rifles71ZiS-3Field Guns68M-46 field gunField Guns65UziMachine Pistols62Zastava M59/66Semi-Automatic Rifles60AGS-17Automatic Grenade Launchers (AGL)56ZU-23-2Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA)56vz. 52 rifleSemi-Automatic Rifles52Sa 23Machine Pistols47BM-14Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS)369K31 Strela-1Medium-Range SAM31Matra R.550 MagicShort-Range AAM (SRAAM / WVR)59Zastava M59/66Semi-Automatic Rifles60FN MAGGeneral Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG)89ZiS-3Field Guns68BuffelArmoured Personnel Carriers (APC)67M-46 field gunField Guns65Zastava M59/66Semi-Automatic Rifles60SG-43 GoryunovGeneral Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG)75LRAC F1Rocket-Propelled Grenades (RPG)71Soltam M-71Towed Artillery & Mortars689K32 Strela-2MANPADS44FerretRecon Vehicles46Vektor R4Assault Rifles74

Each system appears only once in the list.

1M2 BrowningHeavy Machine Guns (HMG)90MASS2FN MAGGeneral Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG)89MASS3KPV heavy machine gunHeavy Machine Guns (HMG)82MASS4ZB-53General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG)80MASS5Vektor SS-77General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG)79MASS6R1 rifleBattle Rifles79MASS7TM-62 series of minesAnti-Tank Mines78MASS8G5 howitzerTowed Artillery & Mortars77MASS9CenturionTanks75MASS10IWI GalilAssault Rifles75MASS
1CenturionTanks$98 K195029K32 Strela-2MANPADS$75 K19723IngweAnti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM)$40 K20094DShKHeavy Machine Guns (HMG)$2 K20125APILASAnti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM)$2 K
05 / Outcomes
Outcome & Human Cost
⚖Stalemate
FIRST DEFENSE DEALS AFTER WAR 20 deals
Year Weapon / Product Seller Buyer Type Value
1992 Vektor M1 South Africa Rwanda new-build —
1992 G 520 Germany Germany new-build $800 Mn
1993 2K11 Krug Russia Armenia second-hand —
1993 Project 254 minesweeper Russia Bangladesh new-build —
1993 Project 254K-class minesweeper Russia Bangladesh new-build —
1993 Parchim-class corvette Germany Indonesia second-hand —
1993 T-62-5TDF Ukraine Russia second-hand —
1994 Leopard 2E Germany Spain license-production $2.6 Mr
1995 Rokot Russia Germany license-production —
1995 Heckler & Koch Mark 23 Germany United States new-build $2 Mn
1995 Condor Germany Thailand new-build —
1996 Vektor R4 South Africa Republic of the Congo new-build —
1996 BPS-500-class missile boat Russia Vietnam license-production —
1997 Foxtrot-class submarine Russia Ukraine second-hand —
1997 Krivak-class frigate Russia India new-build —
1997 Talwar-class frigate Russia India new-build $1 Mr
1997 2K22 Tunguska Russia India new-build —
1997 R-73 Russia United States second-hand —
1997 Lindau-class minesweeper Germany Italy second-hand —
1998 Tupolev Tu-160 Russia Ukraine aid $285 Mn
📚 Sources
  1. Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP)
  2. Correlates of War (CoW) project
  3. Official archives and academic literature