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RCSSA completes Project Swatch deliveries

By Projects

Pretoria-based Redeployable Camp Systems South Africa (RCSSA), part of the Canvas and Tent Group, has finished supplying tents to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) as part of Project Swatch for a new Transportable Camp System.

RCSSA has completed its portion of the project, which entailed the supply of canvas products and providing operational support for them.

According to RCSSA’s group marketing manager Karen Coetzer, the canvas products consisted of small, medium and large accommodation tents constructed of a modular barrel shaped steel. The tents are covered by a durable, flame-retardant PVC fabric barrel cover.

“We also supplied vehicle tents for daily parking and execution of vehicle maintenance and repair tasks,” she explained. “The products were packed in specially developed steel crates for ease of deployment.”

She added that the crates are all packed in six metre ISO shipping containers that serve a dual role for storage and transportation. This also allows the consignment to fit into C-130 Hercules aircraft for air transportability.

The Canvas Products accommodation tents are supplied complete with solid doors, interlocking rubber floor tiles for a raised floor, furniture and support equipment. Accommodation tents has the option to be constructed on a prepared surface such directly on the ground or on a raised floor. Raised floors consisting of steel beams, jacks for levelling and wood inserts were supplied as part of canvas products

“As with all modular systems that we provide, the mess tent power distribution is essentially ‘plug-and-play’”, Coetzer said. “Electrical distribution boards are pre-assembled and electricity is distributed via harnesses to power outlets and connectors. High quality and reliable LED lighting is utilised throughout the facility.”

A trolley with capacity of 1.5 tons was developed by RCSSA to move crates and tent components from the container storage to the construction area. Several trailers may be linked together to form a train to be pulled by a vehicle at speed not exceeding 20 km/h.

(The trailers are not suitable for public road application). A hand-operated hydraulic stacker is also provided.

Project Swatch was completed by Armscor late last year. Designed to supply expandable field accommodation and related items including ablution, storage of goods ranging from ammunition through to rations and medical supplies, the project first saw the light of day in 2001.

The focus of Swatch is to provide transportable – and durable – “camping systems” for use in deployments less than eight weeks long.

The system utilises canvas tented products, expandable containers for water storage, ablution and laundry use; waste management; cooling and storage as well as offices for clerks, paymasters and other administrative functions.

In addition to showers, basins and toilets, the ablution component is fitted with holding cells for military justice system offenders ahead of court appearances or transfers to other holding facilities.

“The new system,” SA Soldier writes, “recognises the hardship of deployment and the difficulty operational soldiers experience trying to keep neat and tidy. The new system helps transcend the physical and environmental challenges of deployment, allowing soldiers to operate effectively at all times with limited disturbance – especially in countries such as Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Sudan”.

Originally published on Defencenet.co.za on 17 January 2022

Delivery of new soldier field accommodation underway

By Projects

Twenty years ago the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) recognised a need to replace field accommodation and water supply capabilities under Project Swatch which will be realised in totality by year-end.

A LinkedIn post by Lieutenant Colonel GG Sebogodi, personal staff officer (PSO) to the Deputy Chief Logistics, has it Project Swatch was “solely to improve living conditions of soldiers during operations to boost morale and spirit”.

The project initiated in 2001 was to deliver expandable accommodation and water related equipment for a brigade. To date the project has delivered equipment and products for a battalion plus, with more equipment expected to be delivered toward year-end.

Project Swatch is a set of mission ready deployment accommodation of tent products, basic and expandable containers. They range in size from a two to 10 man tents housing a platoon section with each soldier allocated a mini cupboard with portable table and chair, study lamp and a plug. This obviates the need to share when charging cell phones or laptops. The tents will be electrified and air-conditioned and comply with UN specifications.

Sebogodi writes: “With an increase in joint force employment requirements, externally and internally, from the Department of Defence (DoD), it was evident the delay in issuing this equipment to support operations led by Joint Operations Division could be detrimental to operations and the perceived military posture of South Africa”.

“Following deliberations exacerbated by recent unprecedented events (presumably referring to last month’s violent civil unrest), CSANDF issued a directive galvanising efforts to support Joint Operations to deliver on its joint force employment requirements. Logistics Division, Joint Operations Division and the SA Army brought together a team at Mobilisation Centre in Bloemfontein to assess delivered equipment to be issued on loan to SA Army Force Preparation in support of Joint Operations.

“Project officers and technical troops from 11 and 17 Maintenance Units trained to assemble the equipment led by Logistics Support Formation product support manager assembled the tents with Armscor personnel at the Mobilisation Centre.

“This,” the lieutenant colonel writes, “was to ensure that on arrival generals from Logistics and Joint Operations divisions and the SA Army could be given a tour of final products assembled and initial packing of equipment”.

“This,” he continues, “is a commendable milestone for the SANDF at a time when the requirement for the national defence force to bring peace and stability to South Africa and African is evidently inevitable”.

Originally published on Defencenet.co.za on 11 August 2021

SANDF Border Post

By Projects

Market: Military

Solution: HERCon (Hard-Walled Structures)

Weatherhaven RCS supplied and installed hard-walled solutions for the SANDF Border Post camp in Sand River. The deployment consisted of accommodation and ablution units as well as a water treatment plant of the base. Weatherhaven RCS is currently performing the camp maintenance.

Sheltering South Africa’s Medical Health Services

By Projects

Market: Military hospitals

Solution: Upgrade and refurbish of UN Level 2 Medical Field

Weatherhaven RCS was contracted to upgrade and refurbish a UN Level 2 Medical Field Hospital which Weatherhaven International had supplied to the South African Medical Health Services. This hospital originally operated in Africa during peacekeeping operations. It consisted of Mobile Expandable Container Configuration (MECC™) shelters together with soft-walled PVC shelters, which would be used for:

  • Kitchens
  • Ablutions
  • Dining
  • Laundry
  • X-Ray, ICU, OR, CSR
  • Pharmacy, and
  • A resuscitation area.

Transporting our HERCon™ units to Antartica

By Projects

Market: Military and Navy

Solution: Hard-Walled Structures

The Brazilian Navy ordered a HERCon™ temporary camp from Weatherhaven International. This camp was installed in Antarctica and consisted of:

  • 12-person accommodation
  • Ablution units
  • Laundry
  • Office and communication room
  • Medical facility
  • Corridors connecting all areas
  • General storage areas
  • A structure for dry clothes
  • Workshop
  • Chemical laboratory, and
  • Containerised cold storage.

The camp was also required to have external electrical reticulation including power generation, a containerised water purification plant and storage, as well as a sewerage treatment plant with an incinerator. These units passed through eight ports before arriving in Antarctica.

Request, supply and installation

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Market: Mining industry

Solution: Integrated fully turnkey pioneering camp accommodation

A mining company operating in Niger ordered a fully integrated redeployable turnkey construction camp capable of housing all employees working on-site. The camp was shipped to site where the Weatherhaven RCS team assisted with installation. It was required to provide:

  • Sleeping accommodation
  • A kitchen
  • Diner structures
  • Offices
  • External electrical reticulation
  • Containerised water purification plant with reverse osmosis and storage, and
  • A biological sewage treatment plant with parameter fencing.

Designed for 200, upgraded to serve 600

By Projects

Market: Construction industry

Solution: Integrated fully turnkey construction camp accommodating 200 person

This camp was conceived of and provided to a construction company operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It was designed around the surrounding landscape and would later be installed by Weatherhaven RCS. Although initially designed as a 200 person camp it was later upgraded to house 600 person. The camp consisted of:

  • Senior accommodation fitted with plug-and-play electrical kits
  • En-suit ablution units
  • Bar fridges, and
  • Fully furnished.

We also supplied dormitory style accommodation with:

  • Communal ablutions
  • Recreation units
  • Diners
  • Kitchen with dry storage
  • Containerised laundry facility with separate ironing shelter
  • Offices
  • Sickbay
  • Complete external electrical reticulation
  • Containerised water purification plant with reverse osmosis and storage
  • Biological sewerage treatment plant
  • Storage containers, and
  • Reefers (cold storage).

We delivered a PVC soft-walled shelter camp

By Projects

Market: Mining industry

Solution: Integrated fully turnkey redeployable pioneering

We supplied two 50 person pioneering camps for a mining company operating in the Republic of Guinea. French manuals were provided to those residing in the camps, and we perform regular maintenance on the camps. Weatherhaven RCS provided a PVC soft-walled shelter camp on hard raised floors. It included the following:

  • Fully furnished
  • Single senior accommodation with en-suit ablution
  • Eight-man dormitory style accommodation with communal ablutions
  • Separate female accommodation with ablution
  • Gladiator kitchen or mess linked to scullery
  • Recreation
  • Offices
  • Laundry
  • Sickbay
  • Internal and external water, sewage and electrical reticulation
  • Containerised water purification plant with reverse osmosis
  • Containerised biological sewerage treatment plant
  • Synchronised silent generators
  • Storage containers, and
  • Reefers (cold storage)

Supplying prefabricated buildings to the DRC

By Projects

Market: Medical service provide

Solution: Prefabricated Clinic

Weatherhaven RCS delivered and installed three prefabricated structures to Luila, Kapata and Musunoi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These units were manufactured in South Africa and transported via aircraft to the site. Installation of these structures took place on site. These units were erected on concrete slabs, which were supplied by the client.

Big Span tactical aircraft hangers

By Projects

Market: Aviation and Military

Solution: Redeployable helicopter hangar system

The complete system included:

  • A PVC covered hangar with a complete electrical installation
  • Containerised air-conditioner and generator for the hangar
  • Operation control centre, and
  • Workshop and store in MECC™.

These were all sent as four ISO shipping containers. A corridor would connect the hangar to the relevant units to ensure maximum operational ability. Finally, we provided on-site training to ensure the upkeep and maintenance of all systems.