The growth potential of the African aerospace and defence markets will be highlighted during the largest exhibition focusing on these industries on the continent hosted in Tshwane in September. The 9th edition of Africa Aerospace & Defence – AAD 2016 – is returning to the Air Force Base Waterkloof for the third time and will attract industry leaders and exhibitors from more than 30 countries. “We have a primary focus on the African continent this year,” says Kevin Wakeford the CEO of Armscor. “The aviation sector in Africa is set to boom in the coming five years as the growth of the middle class opens new markets and as countries continue to reform the industry and open their skies to competition.”
The theme of AAD 2016 is “Unlocking Africa’s Aerospace and Defence Potential” and the exhibition will, for the first time, feature an African Unity Pavilion. This will enable companies based on the continent to showcase their products and services to the more than 100 000 visitors expected to attend the five-day event. At AAD 2014 close on 30 000 trade visitors from 84 countries attended the industry trade days while more than 74 000 people streamed to the open days to experience the air show and the exhibition.
South Africa’s top defence and technology manufacturers and general aviation companies will be present at the five-day event from 14 to 18 September, hosted in partnership by the Department of Defence and Military Veterans, the Commercial
Aviation Association of Southern Africa (CAASA), Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Industries Association of South Africa – AMD - The Armaments Corporation of South Africa (Armscor) is the lead coordinator for 2016. SAFAT Aviation Group from Sudan will be among the first-time African participants and aims to bring aircraft during the air show and the static display. Established a decade ago SAFAT offers maintenance, repair and overhaul services to a variety of helicopters and fixed wing aircraft that fly in the East and North Africa.
Uganda, Namibia and Zimbabwe are also among the countries that have already confirmed their participation and will occupy space in the Africa Unity pavilion. Wakeford is pleased with the response received thus far. “Shows such as AAD help to shape the future of the global industry and emerging companies can use them as a platform to make their way into the larger supply chains,” he says. “For African companies this is a major opportunity to meet and network with some of the larger players in the international industry.”