Graviteam Tactics: Operation Moduler

About This Content

In the 1987, the Angolan (FAPLA) battle plan was direct: forces would move from Cuito Cuanavale to the South and South-East towards the Lomba river, cross it and occupy the town Mavinga. Mavinga was important because of its airstrip, which would enable the AAF to support a further phase of the offensive, an advance to Jamba, UNITA’s HQ. Once Jamba fell, the expectation was UNITA would be finished.

Over the years, South Africa gave military aid to UNITA, as this movement occupied the South-East corner of Angola and prevented SWAPO guerrillas from entering the Caprivi and Okavango territories in Namibia. In 1987 the SADF sent 20th SA Brigade under the command of Colonel Deon Ferreira to support UNITA. It comprised 61st Mechanized Battalion Group, two motorised infantry companies from 32nd Battalion and AT squadron, as well as two motorised infantry companies from 101st Battalion. There were also three artillery batteries. The whole force was 2609 men strong. In addition, there were an unknown number (several thousand) of UNITA fighters alongside the SA.

For the 1987 offensive, FAPLA employed a total of 8 brigades. Four acted as the garrison and escort, the other four formed the hammer fist of the offensive. This force comprised about 6000 men and 80 tanks, plus artillery, augmented with air support. 47th Brigade being the strongest of the four attacker FAPLA brigades on the front line. 47th and 59th FAPLA Brigades advanced in a pincer movement: while 47th rounded the western source of the Lomba river and moved eastwards along the southern shore, 59th moved in conjunction with 47th on the northern side. 47th and 59th Brigades were collaborating in the construction of a TMM bridge just east of the confluence of the Lomba and Cuzizi rivers.

October 3, 1987, between 8:00-9:00, the SADF forces launched an attack on 47th Brigade.

• Two operations for the Angolan FAPLA and SADF & UNITA sides.
• Precisely recreated area near confluence of Cuzizi and Lomba rivers, 144 sq. km wide.
• Historical organizational structure of units at the time of the operations Saludando a Octubre and Moduler.