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Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday said he took a deliberate decision to quicken the pace at which the country’s forces are capacitated in terms of competitive conditions of service, provision of material and logistical support as well the modernisation of that strategic sector.
The President said this while officiating at the Joint Commissioning and Wings Parade for the Number 69 Pilot Training Course and Number Six Anti-Aircraft Artillery Command Officers Course at the Josiah Tungamirai Air Force Base in Gweru.
Both courses were the first with officer cadets simultaneously studying for relevant degrees with the National Defence University.
The Number 69 pilot’s course was the second under the Second Republic, and the 14th to undergo basic flying training at Six Squadron since Independence.
Twenty pilots made up of eight women and 12 men were presented with wings while 25 regular officer cadets were commissioned by President Mnangagwa.
Addressing the graduates, the President said the security of the country as well as a patriotic and unflinching loyal security service sector, remained the cornerstone to the preservation of the country’s independence, unity, peace, stability and sustainable development.
The orientation of students seeing that the Zimbabwe Defence Forces were a people’s force, with a mandate to uphold the national constitution, had to see the graduates playing their part to jealously guard the gains of the hard-won independence.
“This is critical against the ever mutating threats to our country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” said President Mnangagwa.
“In your individual and collective capacity, the wings you have received today, must in all respect, truly be the fortress of the nation.
“As Commander in Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, I have made a deliberate decision to heighten the pace with which our forces are capacitated. This is in terms of competitive conditions of service, the provision of material and logistical support, as well as the modernisation of this strategic sector.”
President Mnangagwa said the officers who graduated yesterday were unique, and served as a beacon of hard work, focus and perseverance due to the intensity and broadness of the programmes.
“The graduating officers are the pioneer courses of the Air Force of Zimbabwe officer cadets to undergo cadet and pilot training courses concurrently with degree programmes under the Zimbabwe National Defence University,” he said.
The fact that the newly commissioned pilots are proceeding into their final semester for the Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Aviation Sciences majoring in aircraft systems and operations, is commendable, said the President.
Similarly, he said, the newly commissioned air defence officers are now in the second semester of their first year in the Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Disaster and Security Management programme.
“The incorporation of the Aviation Science degree programmes into the Air Force of Zimbabwe pilot training courses is timely and dovetails with the heritage-based Education 5.0 model initiated by my Government.
“This new education model entails that our institutions of higher education and universities, including the Zimbabwe National Defence University, must be the champions of the industrialisation and modernisation of Zimbabwe,” said President Mnangagwa.
The emphasis of Education 5.0 is on science, technology and innovation, as well as creative thinking and entrepreneurial learning towards strengthening national capabilities for the realisation of Vision 2030.
President Mnangagwa said institutions of higher learning have become the drivers of more “Made in Zimbabwe” quality goods, products and services.
“In this regard, it is pleasing that the Zimbabwe Defence Forces is not being left behind,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said the fact that five trainee pilots of the course were selected to continue with their pilot training in China in September 2019 speaks volumes of the capabilities of the young men and women.
“In this respect, I want to express my gratitude to the Government of the People’s Republic of China for its unwavering support of the training needs of our personnel in the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, which dates back to the days of our liberation struggle.
“It is praiseworthy that the five cadets all successfully completed their training in China and have received their wings today, along side their counterparts,” he said.
The inclusion of two officers who were already commissioned Air Lieutenants and joined the course at the flying training phase, receiving their flying wings must serve as a motivation to other officers wanting to diversify within the Air Force of Zimbabwe.
Of the 20 trainee pilots who graduated in the Number 69 Pilot Training Course, a third were female pilots, which bears testimony of the commitment by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces to gender mainstreaming.
Under the Second Republic, President Mnangagwa said the Government shall continue to facilitate that both male and female children have equal opportunities in line with their talents, dreams and potential.
“Having undergone the comprehensive curriculum for Number 69 Pilot Training Course, with the military training phase also applying to Number 6 Anti-Aircraft Artillery Command Officers’ course, I am confident that the young civilian trainees who began these courses in 2018, have been appropriately transformed into well trained military officers,” said President Mnangagwa.
Aspects in the curriculum such as service writing, weapon handling, map reading, field craft, conventional and low intensity operations, coupled with the flying ground school academic phase, form the basis of the officer’s careers.
President Mnangagwa said the in-depth study of aircraft systems and other aviation-related subjects such as principles of flight, aviation industry, aircraft engineering, navigation, aerodynamics, radar technology, development, laws, military professional aviation and regulations, among others, remained the hallmark of the profession of air force pilots.
“Additionally, I am informed that the basic flying training phase equipped trainee pilots with appropriate skills and techniques to enable them to excel in flying any of the Air Force of Zimbabwe aircraft platforms.
“Students were drilled and examined in various flying exercises such as general handling, circuit flying, instrument flying, navigation, night flying, formation flying and advanced aerobatics until each of them attained at least 120 hours, being the standard minimum prerequisite for passing a military pilot training course,” he said.
In October 2022, President Mnangagwa said, the Number 69 PTC was part of the AFZ contingent which attended the African Aerospace and Defence Expo at the invitation of the South African National Defence Force.
He said such military synergies between the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and other regional forces go a long way to consolidating relations on matters of bilateral and common interests.
Turning to the Anti-Aircraft Artillery Command Officers’ Course, President Mnangagwa said the cadets commenced their Regular Officer Cadet Course on 8 November 2021 with 34 officer cadets, of which 25 officers graduated.
Following the completion of their Regular Officer Cadet training in July 2022, the cadets immediately proceeded for specialised Air Defence training, which they completed in February this year.
In the same month, the Air Defence officer cadets commenced the degree programme in Disaster and Security Management.
President Mnangagwa congratulated the graduating course for their fortitude and persistence, “which has seen you score such milestones”.
In line with the standing bilateral protocols between the ZDF and other regional and international defence forces, President Mnangagwa said four of the Air Defence officer cadets were selected to train in the field of Air Traffic Control in South Africa, while three others from the same course were selected to undergo training in the Russian Federation; one as a drone pilot, the other as an air traffic controller and the last one as a pharmacist.
President Mnangagwa said one officer cadet qualified to train as an air traffic controller locally, while another was dropped from the course and discharged for indiscipline.
“To the newly commissioned officers, I commend you for choosing to serve our beloved country within the Air Force of Zimbabwe. Well done.
“I also wish to appreciate that your success today was a result of your individual commitment, positive attitude, patriotism, loyalty, excellence and ability to be a team member.
“You must nurture and entrench these values throughout your career, emboldened by the many who have gone ahead of you to make the Air Force of Zimbabwe a reputable and highly regarded Force,” said President Mnangagwa.
Further, he said, the ZDF in general is recognised worldwide for high standards of discipline and professionalism, and the graduates are therefore commanded to be beyond reproach in terms of both military discipline and personal conduct.
“In the same vein, I also urge you to refrain from indulging in self-destructive behaviour such as drug abuse and other harmful substances.
“If you choose such a path, stand fore-warned that your days in the Air Force of Zimbabwe and indeed in the Zimbabwe Defence Forces will be short-lived,” said the President.
Online Reporter