SOUTH AFRICAN FORCE DEPLOYMENT OPERET AIRFIELD MILITARY INSTALLATION AND TRAINING AREA, NAMIBIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90T00784R000200580003-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 4, 2011
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: February 8, 1983
• Content Type: REPORT

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1. (SWN) SIGNIFICANCE: A MAJOR INCREASE IN SOUTH AFRICAN FORCES
IS OBSER E T E OPERET AREA.
2. (SWN) REMARKS: A MAJOR INCREASE IN SOUTH AFRICAN FORCES IS
OBSERVED ~ii~` OPERET AIRFIELD MILITARY INSTALLATION A1`iD TRAINING
AREA SINCE AT LEAST AN ADDITIONAL 40 TENTS 25X1
AND 190 VEHICLES, HAVE ARRIVED TOTAL 25X1
EQUIPMENT NOW PRESENT INCLUDES 40 RATEL ARMORED PERSONNEL
CARRIERS, NINE 140MM FIELD GUNS WITH ARTILLERY PRIME MOVERS,
AND 150 TRUCKS. AN INFANTRY BATTALION-SITE UNIT HAS ALSO
ARRIVED AND IS BIVOUACKED NEAR THE INSTALLATION. SIX TROOP
FORMATIONS WITH A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 150 MEN ARE IN THE
BIVOUAC AREA.
(SWN) THE INCREASED LEVEL OF ACTIVITY NOTED AT OPERET MILITARY
CAMP ONTINUES. FOUR SQUADS OF 25X1
INFANTRY ARE PREPARING TO BOARD BUFFEL LIGHT-ARMORED VEHICLES.
ACTIVITY AT ONDANGWA AIRFIELD A MAJOR FORWARD 25X1
STAGING BASE FOP. TACTICAL AIR SUPPORT, APPEARS TO HAVE RETURNED
TO NORMAL. AN INCREASE IN ACTIVITY WAS OBSERVED 25X1
(SWN) THE ARRIVAL OF THIS EQUIPMENT AT OPER.ET IS THE MOST
RECENT EXAMPLE OF A CONTINUED INCREASE IN SOUTH AFRICAN FORCES
WHICH HAS BEEN OCCURRING IN NORTHERN NAMIBIA AND SOUTHERN
ANGOLA SINCE EARLY JANUARY. A SOUTH AFRICAN 25X1
MOTORI7.,ED INFANTRY UNIT OF AT LEAST 55 BUFFEL LIGHT-ARMORED
VEHICLES WAS AT NGIVA AIRFIELD IN SOUTHERN 25X1
ANGOLA. ALTHOUGH ACTIVITY OF THIS TYPE COULD BE ASSOCIATED
WITH THE SEMIANNUAL SOUTH AFRICAN INFANTRY SCHOOL EXERCISES
WHICH TAKE PLACE IN THE OPERET/OSHAVELLO AREA DURING AUGUST AND
FEBRUARY, THE POSSIBILITY OF A SOUTH AFRICAN INCURSION INTO
ANGOLA CANNOT BE RULED OUT. THE SOUTH AFRICANS CONDUCTED
MILITARY OPERATIONS IN SOUTHERN ANGOLA DURING THIS PERIOD IN
1982; HOWEVER, THE OPERATIONS WERE PRECEDED BY AN INCREASE IN
AIR ASSETS AT ONDANGWA.
These notes have been prepared for briefing purposes only and should not be used for detailed ana-
lytical work. Their use should be restricted to the particular briefing boardlsl they were prepared for
and must be considered valid only for the reporting period as indicated by the date 'of issue.
WARNING NOTICE
Intelligence Sources
and Methodslnvolved
(c) NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER
Attachment to Z-10199/83
NPIC/PEG (2/83)
SOUTH AFRICAN FORCE DEPLOYMENT
OPERET RFIELD MI I AR INST L ION
AND TRAINING AREA, NAMIBIA
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/04 :CIA-RDP90T00784R000200580003-8
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(c) NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER
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Attachment to Z-10199/83
NPIC/PEG (2/83)
(SWN) OPERET IS APPROXIMATELY 60 NM SOUTH OF THE
ANGOLA-NAMIBIA BORDER.
3. COORDINATES 18-34-52S 017-09-51E
These notes have been prepared for briefing purposes only and should not be used for detailed ana-
lytical work. Their use should be restricted to the particular briefing boardls) they were prepared for
and must be considered valid only for the reporting period as indicated by the date of issue.
WARNING NOTICE
Intelligence Sources
and Methodslnvolved
SE('R ET
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/03/04 :CIA-RDP90T00784R000200580003-8