South African Deputy Director General of Public Enterprises Kgathatso Tlhakudi displays a SA flag from the cockpit of an A400M at the Paris Airshow
Photo by: Airbus Military
South African State-owned aerospace company Denel Aerostructures (DAe) has been awarded a new, €15.1-million (R200-million), work package by European manufacturer Airbus Military to produce structural parts for the A400M military transport aircraft. The contract was announced at the Paris Airshow on Tuesday evening.
This A400M work package is the third to be awarded to the South African company and covers the manufacture of the ribs, spars and “swords” – or in other words the framework – of the the vertical tail plane. DAe has already started preparations to manufacture these components and the first complete “shipset” is scheduled to be delivered to the Airbus vertical tail plane plant at Stade in Germany in March next year.
“Denel, with its diverse set of expertise, capabilities and capacities, is central to Airbus Military’s ambition to develop an expanded and multifaceted partnership with South Africa’s high-tech aerospace and defence industry, tied to South Africa’s military aircraft requirements and acquisitions,” stated Airbus Military CEO Domingo Ureña.
“Our success in establishing and maintaining partnerships like the one with Airbus Military is one of the pillars of our growth strategy, and it will make Denel profitable on a sustainable basis, improve our financial performance while also contributing to our national socioeconomic imperatives,” affirmed Denel group CEO Riaz Saloojee.
The two A400M work packages already held by DAe are for the fuselage top shells and the wing/fuselage fairings. The A400M wing/fuselage fairing is the largest single aerostructural part ever made in South Africa.