Broederbond-Afrikaans for “band of brothers.” A secret society established in 1918. Members had to be both ideologically and racially pure
Afrikaners, committed to the reestablishment of “Afrikaner culture” and the imposition of apartheid as a governmental system. Broederbond cells permeate Afrikaner political parties, businesses, schools, and churches.
Until recently, only Broederbond members held political or party office inside South Africa’s ruling National Party.
BTR-Bronetransportr-A Russian term for a series of armored personnel carriers.
BTR-60-An eight-wheeled armored personnel carrier, it first appeared in the early 1960s. The first of a long series of similar designs, it has a boat-shaped hull and can carry fourteen men. One flaw in this design is its two gasoline engines, located behind thin armor. This was corrected in later versions.
Buffel-A wheeled personnel carrier, it is arguably the ugliest an-no red vehicle ever built. Specially designed to be mine resistant, it can carry a squad of infantry and is often used by South African paramilitary or police forces.
C4-The designation for a type of plastic explosive used by the U.S. Army and others. It can be worked like modeling clay, burned, or dropped, but will not detonate without an igniter.
C-5 Galaxy—The largest aircraft in the U.S. inventory, this monster can carry 110 tons of cargo. It can also carry troops,
but is usually used to carry items too bulky or heavy for the C-141
Starlifter.
C-130 Hercules-An American four-engine turboprop cargo plane, this successful design is used by dozens of countries around the world.
C-141 Starlifter-This four-engined transport is the standard cargo plane for the U.S. Air Force. It can carry over two hundred troops or thirty-five tons of cargo.
Cactus-A South African version of the French-designed Crotale, Cactus is a short-range surface-to-air missile system designed to protect high-value installations from air attack. It consists of a wheeled launcher vehicle with four missiles and a guidance radar, and separate command vehicle and search radar. It has a range of about five miles. Although never used in combat, the system has a good reputation.
Carl Gustav-A man-portable antitank weapon, this Swedish-designed weapon is used by many countries. It is lighter and cheaper than an antitank missile, but has shorter range and less hitting power. It can be used to attack targets other than tanks and still packs a respectable punch. In the 1982 Argentine invasion of South Georgia, British troops nearly sank a frigate with two hits from the weapon.
Chain gun—A form of automatic cannon, the gun takes its name from the fact that a bicycle chain forms part of the drive mechanism. These rapid-fire, medium-bore cannon pack a terrific punch and are often capable of defeating lightly armored vehicles.
Claymore mine-Most land mines are buried in the ground and are tripped when a vehicle or soldier passes over them. The Claymore is different.
Spikes hold it upright on the surface of the ground. It is tripped electrically, on command, and sends out a fan-shaped pattern of steel balls that shred anything in their path. It is called a “directional” mine.
Company-A ground unit of one hundred to two hundred men, made up of three or four platoons of three or four squads
each. Normally three platoons will be of the same type infantry or armored vehicles, while the fourth platoon is made up of heavy support weapons or other specialized equipment. In the cavalry, a company-sized unit is called a troop.
DivisionA large ground unit, often containing three brigades or nine maneuver battalions, plus separate support units-engineers, artillery, supply and maintenance personnel, and others. A division will have between ten and twenty thousand troops, hundreds of vehicles, and dozens of helicopters.
Eland-An older armored car still in service with the South African Army.
Designed and built in South Africa, it is based on a 1950s-vintage French design and mounts a 90mm, high velocity gun on a very small chassis. Like all armored cars, it is lightly armored, but its wheels make it faster over flat terrain than many tanks.
F-14 Tomcat-A twin-engine, two-seat, swing-wing fighter used by the
U.S.
Navy for fleet air defense. It carries a powerful radar and very long range missiles.
F/A-18 Hornet-A twin-engine, single-seat jet designed to replace the
A-7
Corsair 11. The F/AI 8A is a multi role aircraft intended to be equally adept as either an attack aircraft or an air-superiority fighter. Very maneuverable, it is designed to be launched from carriers.
G-5 guns-The best artillery piece in the world, the G-5 was designed and built in South Africa using technology stolen from several sources, including the United States. It can fire a 155mm, (six-inch) shell twenty-four and a half miles with phenomena] accuracy. The G-5 is towed behind a truck or logistics vehicle. The related G-6 mounts the same gun on a six-wheeled, lightly armored chassis.