Chronicle Editor
Patrick Chitumba – [email protected]
AMID the fluttering of wings and the pride of a nation, President Mnangagwa took centre stage at the Josiah Tungamirai Air Force Base in Gweru yesterday, where he officiated the Joint Commissioning and Wings Parade for the Number 69 Pilot Training Course (PTC) and Number Six Anti-Aircraft Artillery Command Officers Course. It was a momentous occasion, as the President revealed his deliberate decision to propel the country’s forces to new heights.
The Number 69 PTC was the second under the Second Republic and the 14th PTC to undergo basic flying training at Number Six Squadron since independence. A total of 20 pilots made up of eight women and 12 men were presented with wings while 25 regular officer cadets were also commissioned by President Mnangagwa.
In his stirring address, President Mnangagwa expressed his unwavering commitment to fortifying the security of the nation and nurturing a patriotic and loyal security service sector. He emphasised that these factors formed the bedrock of preserving Zimbabwe’s independence, unity, peace, stability, and sustainable development. To safeguard these cherished gains, the graduates were called upon to embrace the mantle of guardianship.
“This is critical against the ever-mutating threats to our country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. 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 (ZDF), 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,” he said. What made this occasion particularly extraordinary was the integration of education and military training. The newly commissioned pilots and Air Defence Officers had undergone comprehensive degree programmes alongside their respective courses.
“The officers graduating today are unique and serve 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 the degree programmes under the Zimbabwe National Defence University,” said President Mnangagwa.
The President 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.
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.
He said the emphasis of Education 5.0 is on Science, Technology and Innovation as well as creative thinking and entrepreneurial learning towards strengthening our national capabilities for the realisation of Vision 2030.
“Institutions of higher learning have thus 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 boys and girls.
“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, alongside their counterparts,” he said.
President Mnangagwa 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 graduating in the Number 69 Pilot Training Course, I applaud that 33 percent are female pilots, which bears testimony of the commitment by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces to gender mainstreaming. Under the Second Republic, my Government shall continue to facilitate both our male and female children to have equal opportunities in line with their talents, dreams and potential,” he said.
President Mnangagwa added, “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 begun these courses in 2018, have been appropriately transformed into well-trained military officers.”
He said aspects in the curriculum such as service writing, weapon handling, map reading, field craft, and conventional and low intensity operations, coupled with the flying ground school academic phase formed 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, remain the hallmarks of their profession as 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 that exist 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 a total of 34 officer cadets, of which, 25 officer cadets 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 2023. In the same month, the Air Defence officer cadets commenced the Degree Programme in Disaster and Security Management.
Well done to you the graduating course for your fortitude and persistence which has seen you score such milestones,” he said.
Online Reporter