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Defence & Aerospace

Covid-19 causes Rolls-Royce to halt most activities at its civil aerospace plants in the UK

By: Rebecca Campbell 30th March 2020 UK-based industrial technology group Rolls-Royce announced on March 27 that it would “significantly reduce all but essential activity” at its civil aerospace facilities in Britain with effect from midnight on that day, and for a period of one week. This was in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.... →

Ramaphosa writes to Parliament, reveals 2 820 soldiers could be on SA's streets until June

By: News24Wire 27th March 2020 Members of the South African National Defence Force could be patrolling the country’s streets well beyond the 21-day lockdown period. This is contained in a letter President Cyril Ramaphosa sent to the speaker of the National Assembly on Wednesday, informing members of Parliament of the... →

Opinion: War declared during peacetime

By: Donna Slater 24th March 2020 The outbreak of coronavirus in every continent (except Antarctica) has resulted in a war-time mobilisation of national assets and resources, as well as a shift in production by some companies from their core products to the manufacture of products that can support the fight against the... →

Photo by Reuters
Members of the South African National Defence Force gather at the premises of the Rand Light Infantry in Craighall Park on March 23 in preparedness for mobilisation to help enforce the presidents national lockdown.

Boeing announces work suspension at major plants owing to Covid-19

By: Rebecca Campbell 24th March 2020 US aerospace giant Boeing announced on March 23 that it was temporarily suspending production at its facilities in the Puget Sound area of the US state of Washington. The suspension would start on March 25 and would run for 14 days. The decision was taken following the proclamation, that same... →

Airbus imposes temporary Covid-19 shutdown at its French and Spanish plants

By: Rebecca Campbell 17th March 2020 Europe-based major global aerospace group Airbus announced on Tuesday that it was temporarily halting work in its facilities in France and Spain. This is the result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The halt, which will see a temporary cessation of production and assembly work at these facilities, will... →

Photo by Duane Daws/Creamer Media
An Airbus A350 XWB airliner

Programme to help startup drone companies launched in Gauteng

By: Rebecca Campbell 13th March 2020 The first drone (unmanned air vehicle) start-up accelerator programme in Africa was recently launched in Katlehong, south east of Johannesburg. (Katlehong lies within the City of Ekurhuleni.) The programme is being hosted by the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Rapid Incubator (CfERI) of the... →

SAA says adhering to safety protocols on Covid-19

By: African News Agency 12th March 2020 National carrier South African Airways said on Thursday its operational health and safety procedures were in line with the World Health Organisation’s protocols to protect its passengers and crew from contracting Covid-19. On Wednesday WHO declared the coronavirus disease a pandemic as it... →

Accelerator to help start-up drone companies launched in Gauteng

By: Rebecca Campbell 28th February 2020 The first drone (unmanned air vehicle) startup accelerator programme in Africa was launched in Katlehong, south east of Johannesburg, on Friday. The programme is being hosted by the Ekurhuleni Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College. The initial programme is a pilot of the... →

Defence contract signed with German armed forces

21st February 2020 Germany’s unified armed forces and civil administration and procurement authority The Bundeswehr, has joined with defence contractor Rheinmetall to carry out new measures for extending the service life of its Marder infantry fighting vehicles. In order to maintain the operational readiness of... →

The upgrades to the Marder tanks will expand the life of the tanks which have been in service since 1971

Big armoured vehicle delivered

21st February 2020 Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering (KPE), a joint venture between global aerospace and technology business Paramount Group and defence industry complex Kazakhstan Engineering, has successfully delivered a series of Arlan 4 X 4 mine-protected armoured wheeled vehicles to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of... →

ROLL OUT The supply of 1 000 armored vehicles to the Kazakhstan government was finalized in November by Paramount Group

Rolls-Royce starts manufacture of the world’s largest aeroengine fan blades

By: Rebecca Campbell 21st February 2020 UK industrial technology group Rolls-Royce has announced that it has started manufacturing the world’s largest aeroengine fan blades. These are for its UltraFan demonstrator power plant, which will be unprecedentedly efficient and sustainable. A full set of UltraFan blades will have a diameter of... →

Denel upgraded by Fitch Ratings as it closes aerostructures business

By: Rebecca Campbell 21st February 2020 South Africa’s State-owned defence industrial group has Denel welcomed the recent decision by Fitch Ratings to affirm its long- and short-term ratings for the group, and to upgrade its outlook. Fitch affirmed Denel’s national short-term rating at “B(zaf)” and its national long-term rating also at... →

Co-production agreement signed

21st February 2020 Saudi Arabia-based electronics, optronics, communication, unmanned aerial systems and related services provider Intra Defense Technologies and South Africa-based precision optronic solutions supplier Hensoldt Optronics, have signed an exclusive partner agreement for the joint development and... →

SHAKE ON IT The agreement to join forces was made last year

Organisers aim high for defence and aerospace expo

By: Halima Frost 21st February 2020 Despite various challenges in South Africa, as well as in other Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) Expo organisers hope to host a successful event this year, says AAD exhibition director Leona Redelinghuys. These difficulties include... →

AIMING HIGH The Africa Aerospace and Defence Expo will showcase South African Air Force’s capabilities in an ever better air show this year

EU renews Zimbabwe arms embargo, defence-company assets freeze

By: Bloomberg 17th February 2020 The European Union (EU) has renewed its arms embargo against Zimbabwe and will maintain a targeted assets-freeze against the State-controlled armaments company, Zimbabwe Defence Industries. The decision takes into account the “situation in Zimbabwe, including the yet to be investigated alleged... →

Mboweni moots referendum on rescuing State-owned companies on Twitter

By: African News Agency 17th February 2020 After a short hiatus from Twitter, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni is once again posting prolifically, using the platform at the weekend to call for a public debate, possibly a referendum, on the use of taxpayers' money to bail out failing State-owned enterprises. "We must develop a democratic... →

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni

Latest Airbus airliner gains certification from both Europe and the US

By: Rebecca Campbell 14th February 2020 Europe-based global aerospace group Airbus has announced that its A330-800 widebody airliner has been jointly certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the US Federal Aviation Administration. This joint Type Certification followed 132 flights totalling 370 test flying hours,... →

Photo by Airbus
The Airbus A330-800

Denel’s outlook upgraded by Fitch Ratings

By: Rebecca Campbell 11th February 2020 South Africa’s State-owned defence industrial group Denel on Tuesday welcomed the decision by Fitch Ratings to affirm its long- and short-term ratings for the group, and to upgrade its outlook. Fitch affirmed Denel’s national short-term rating at “B(zaf)” and its national long-term rating also at... →

Photo by Rebecca Campbell/Creamer Media
Denel’s flagship product: the Rooivalk combat helicopter

Rolls-Royce has started making the world’s largest aeroengine fan blades

By: Rebecca Campbell 11th February 2020 UK industrial technology group Rolls-Royce announced on Tuesday that it has started manufacturing the world’s largest aeroengine fan blades. These are for its UltraFan demonstrator power plant, which will unprecedentedly efficient and sustainable. A full set of UltraFan blades will have a... →

Correct policies, equipment vital for substance testing

By: Mc'Kyla Nortje 7th February 2020 Without the correct drug-testing policies and correct testing equipment in place, companies can face serious legal implications, warns workplace testing company ALCO-Safe MD Rhys Evans, adding that these policies serve as guidelines for employees and employers. “Having policies in place ensures... →

WELL INFORMED Policies ensure employees understand the drug-testing equipment better and eliminate misconceptions

Airbus reaches legal settlements to end bribery and compliance probes

By: Rebecca Campbell 7th February 2020 Europe-based major aerospace group Airbus has issued a brief press release, concerning its negotiations with regulators and law enforcement agencies in three countries. The release stated in full: →

Denel reports it has almost finished closing its aerostructures division

By: Rebecca Campbell 6th February 2020 Denel reported on Thursday that the closing down of “the greater part” of its aerostructures business had reached “an advanced stage”. It gave the assurance that it had taken “major steps” to minimise job losses within the group. The business was being closed because it was not sustainable for... →

Photo by Duane Daws/Creamer Media
Denel Aerostructures workers assembling a fuselage top shell for an Airbus A400M military airlift aircraft, back in 2013

Further postponement announced in Boeing 737 MAX return to service

By: Rebecca Campbell 31st January 2020 US aerospace giant Boeing has reported that its 737 MAX single-aisle airliner would remain grounded for longer than the company had hoped. The grounding of the aircraft was imposed after two fatal crashes, in late 2018 and early 2019, which killed a total of 346 people. A system fitted to the 737... →

Airbus reports agreement with authorities regarding various charges against it

By: Rebecca Campbell 28th January 2020 Europe-based major aerospace group Airbus issued a brief press release on Tuesday, concerning its negotiations with regulators and law enforcement agencies in three countries. The release stated in full: “Airbus confirms that it has reached agreement in principle with the French Parquet National... →

SANDF to withdraw from Vaal River intervention project by Friday

By: News24Wire 27th January 2020 The South African National Defence Force will withdraw its personnel and equipment deployed to the Vaal River Project by the end of the week. In a statement issued on Monday, the Defence Department's head of communications Siphiwe Dlamini said: "Regiments under the stewardship of the SA Army... →

Boeing announces further delay in return-to-service of its 737 MAX

By: Rebecca Campbell 22nd January 2020 US aerospace giant Boeing reported on Tuesday that its 737 MAX single-aisle airliner would remain grounded for longer than the company had hoped. The grounding of the aircraft was imposed after two fatal crashes, in late 2018 and early 2019, which killed a total of 346 people. A system fitted... →

Photo by Bloomberg
Grounded 737 MAX airliners parked near Boeing Field, Seattle

Nations dawdle on agreeing rules to control 'killer robots' in future wars

By: Reuters 20th January 2020 Countries are rapidly developing "killer robots" – machines with artificial intelligence (AI) that independently kill – but are moving at a snail's pace on agreeing global rules over their use in future wars, warn technology and human rights experts. From drones and missiles to tanks and... →

Parliamentary committee welcomes probe into SAAF aircraft crash in the DRC

By: African News Agency 13th January 2020 Parliament's defence and military veterans portfolio committee has welcomed the investigation into the cause of the South African Air Force (SAAF) aircraft crash at Goma airport in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday, January 9. The SAAF Lockheed C-130BZ Hercules aircraft, which... →

Ramaphosa discusses peaceful resolution to US-Iran tensions in call to Rouhani

By: African News Agency 10th January 2020 President Cyril Ramaphosa has told Iranian president Hassan Rouhani that South Africa is interested in seeing a peaceful and just resolution to tensions between Iran and the United States. According to Ramaphosa's spokesperson, Khusela Diko, the president phoned Rouhani on Thursday while in... →

President Cyril Ramaphosa

South African military plane crash lands in Congo

By: Reuters 9th January 2020 A South African military plane crash-landed on Thursday at the Goma airport in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a UN spokesperson said. Videos on social media showed smoke rising from the airplane but two sources at the airport, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there did not appear... →

Business confidence slowly wanes as PMI edges lower in December

By: Simone Liedtke 8th January 2020 The seasonally adjusted Absa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) edged lower to 47.1 index points in December, down from the 47.7 index points recorded in November. The December figure is also about one point below the average recorded through 2019. →

Spitfire restoration project secures high-performance sponsor

By: Rebecca Campbell 13th December 2019 The South African Air Force (SAAF) Museum Spitfire Restoration Project is set to take a major step forward, thanks to the announcement of a very significant sponsorship agreement between the Friends of the SAAF Museum association and local automotive company Performance Centre. “The Performance... →

New entity launched to stimulate SA space sector

By: Rebecca Campbell 13th December 2019 Not-for-profit company ZASpace Inc. was recently launched in Pretoria and is intended to stimulate the development of the local space industry and especially the geospatial sector, to meet the rapidly growing needs of South Africa and Africa. This will include skills development and innovative... →

Parliament seeking submissions on the Defence Amendment Bill

By: Rebecca Campbell 12th December 2019 The National Assembly’s Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans has called for written submissions from “stakeholders and interested parties” on the Defence Amendment Bill (Bill 18 of 2017). The National Assembly is the lower house of the South African Parliament. “The objective of... →

Newly appointed South African army chief dies

By: African News Agency 11th December 2019 The chief of the South African army, lieutenant-general Thabiso Collin Mokhosi, died on Tuesday morning at Unitas Hospital following a short illness. Mokhosi was promoted to the position on November 1. →

SANDF splashes R20.5m on luxury German cars, but says funding shortfall is impacting on maintaining military base in Centurion

By: News24Wire 11th December 2019 While the South African National Defence Force was unable to maintain the Thaba Tshwane military base in Centurion due to "predominantly a lack of funds", it has managed to find the cash to spend R20.5-million on "luxury vehicles", valued at over R600 000 each, for senior management in the... →

Defence & Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula

SA defence industry cultivates interest in Egyptian market

By: African News Agency 9th December 2019 South African Aerospace, Maritime, and Defence Export Council (SAAMDEC) CEO Sandile Ndlovu has urged the South African defence industry to cultivate a healthy interest within the Egyptian market, as it is the biggest on the continent, spending well over US4 billion, the trade and industry... →

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African Aerospace Conference of the Aeronautical Society of South Africa delivers engaging programme

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