A key concern of this year’s South African Joint Air Defence Symposium (Sajads) will be the development of an indigenous joint air defence capability, which would be in line with the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI’s) programme to strengthen South African industry. Indeed, the theme for Sajads 2013 is 'Integrated Joint Air Defence within SADC [Southern African Development Community] and Department of Trade and Industry’s Industrial Action Plan to enhance indigenisation'.

The technologies and systems required for an effective joint air defence capability are not necessarily exclusively of military value. “Joint air defence is about being aware of what is happening,” stressed Rear-Admiral (junior grade) Karl Wiesner at a media briefing in Pretoria on Wednesday. “You must have awareness. Air defence is about how do I establish a network? How do I use that network to know what is going on around me? How do I use that awareness for effective command and control?”

He pointed out that the latest edition of the biennial symposium would take place against the backdrop of the release of the DTI’s revised Industrial Action Plan and the decision to place the major part of the international Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope in South Africa. “From the Department of Science and Technology there is a lot of momentum to develop scientific and technological expertise within this country,” he cited. A lot of the capabilities required for the SKA would also be applicable to joint air defence, and vice versa.

The term joint, in military jargon, refers to integrated operations between the army, navy and air force. The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) seeks indigenisation of its future joint air defence capability to reduce its dependence on overseas industry and, hopefully, increase cost-effectiveness.

SANDF hopes to do this in line with, and as a contribution to, the DTI’s industrial development strategy. The SANDF further hopes it can be used to reinforce cooperation and integration, military and industrial, within SADC. “We want to ensure that this indigenisation is within SADC,” stated Wiesner.

Sajads 2013 will take place from September 10 to 12 at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria.