Botha Unveils New Jet--and It Looks Familiar
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — President Pieter W. Botha today unveiled a sanctions-busting jet fighter called the Cheetah, said to be a reconstructed 25-year-old French Mirage III and described as comparable in handling to the best warplanes in the world.
“We are a strong and proud nation with the faith and ability to ensure our future. . . . We are not a nation of jellyfish,” Botha told workers at the Atlas Aircraft Corp.
Because of apartheid, South Africa has been under an international arms embargo since 1977, forcing it to design its own weapons systems and find ways of refurbishing and upgrading the arms it imported before sanctions were imposed.
“This will always be our response to international boycotts and threats against us in every field of life. We will fight back with self-respect and determination,” Botha said.
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