South Africa, and Africa's, largest exhibition of air, sea and land capability, Africa
Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2012, swung into action today at Air Force
Base (AFB) Waterkloof near Pretoria, South Africa.
Countries that will be exhibiting include India, Russia, Italy, Belgium, China, Turkey, Romania, Brazil, Pakistan, the UK and the US with trade and static display days from September 19 to 21, followed by an air show on September 22 and 23, which will be open to members of the public. It is expected that the open days will attract more than 50 000 visitors a day.
Amongst the exhibitors this year are: Alenia, Boeing, EADS, Lockheed Martin, Bombardier, Dassault, Gulfstream, Pilatus, Hindustan Aeronautics, RusAvia. Click here for a complete list of exhibitors.
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| Denel/Atlas Cheetah D, a derivative of the Mirage 3 D2Z (Ryno Albrecht) |
►Many thanks the posters & photographers from this thread; all photos posted here remain the copyright of their respective owners.
- Hawker H25B
- Cessna 402B
- GA8 TC
- Sport Cruiser
- Bomabrdier Global 6000
- Challenger 300
- Cessna Citation 510 Mustang
- Cessna XL560
- Cessna XL560
- Cessna 182
- Pilatus PC12
- Cessna 208
- King Air 250
- KA350ER
- Bonanza g36
- Hawker 4000
- C90GTX
- King Air 350i
- Cirrus SR22
- Cirrus SR20
- Cirrus SR22
- Beech 1900D
- Kodiak 100
- Piper Matrix
- Nextant 400XT
- Eclipse 500
- Bell Huey II
- Robinson R66
- B‐727
- Beech Craft‐HS125
- Dassault Falcon 900B
- Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350i
- Bombardier Learjet 45
- Dassault Avation‐F2000LX
The AAD2012 organisers have strict policies regarding the type of products that may be exhibited: Aircraft
and aircraft engines; aerospace and defence-related power plants;
guided weapons, space vehicles and satellite equipment, including
avionic and ground equipment, components and materials used in points
research; development activities directly applicable to aerospace and
defence; as well as allied equipment and service-type products.
DEVELOPMENTS
- Airbus pleased with SA firm’s A350XWB parts contribution
"European aircraft manufacturer Airbus is happy with how South African aeronautics company Aerosud has responded to the challenges posed by the A350XWB airliner programme. The local company manufactures small, but key, parts of the aircraft, known as frame clips and track cans. "We're pretty focused on the A350 production ramp-up, and Aerosud is part of that," Airbus international cooperation VP Simon Ward told Engineering News Online at Africa Aerospace and Defence 2012 on Friday."Source [Engineering News]
- Eurocopter homes in on African law enforcement prospects
"Eurocopter Southern Africa (Esal) reported on Friday that, for it, this year's Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) show, which is taking place at Air Force Base Waterkloof, south of Pretoria, has had a strong law-enforcement focus. "For us, law enforcement is the active market in the region," explained Esal CEO Fabrice Cagnat. On Thursday, the company delivered an EC145 helicopter to the Namibian Police – the third Eurocopter machine supplied to the Namibian Police, but the first EC145. The other two Eurocopters operated by the Namibian Police are AS350B3 Squirrels – the Namibian Police fleet is 100% Eurocopter."Source [Engineering News]
- SAAB's New generation Gripen could be opportunity for South Africa
"The president of Saab South Africa (Saab SA), Magnus Lewis-Olsson, believes that the development of the new generation JAS39E/F versions of the Gripen fighter could provide opportunities for South Africa. Sweden and Switzerland have agreed in principle to jointly develop and purchase the new generation Gripen, with Sweden set to acquire between 40 and 60 of the new type and Switzerland buying 22 (subject to a probable referendum on the deal). "There are opportunities for South Africa, and other countries, to participate in the development of the new generation Gripen," Lewis-Olsson told Engineering News Online on Thursday at the 2012 Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition in Pretoria."Source [Engineering News]
- South Africa's State-owned defence industrial group Denel Denel seals new partnership, with UAE company.
"South Africa's State-owned defence industrial group Denel announced at Africa Aerospace and Defence 2012 on Thursday that it had established a joint venture (JV) with United Arab Emirates company Tawazun Holdings. The JV is called Tawazun Dynamics and is 51% held by Tawazun Holdings and 49% by Denel. Within Denel, responsibility for the JV is held by the group's precision weapons, missiles and unmanned air vehicles company, Denel Dynamics. This is the first partnership involving Denel Dynamics which will be based outside South Africa, giving the company an international footprint. Denel Group CEO Rias Salojee described it as a "very significant agreement". Denel Dynamics CEO Jan Wessels stated that, "for us at Denel, and Denel Dynamics specifically, it is of huge importance"."Source [Engineering News]
- Swedish group SAAB offers SA low-cost alternative for sea surveillance
"Aerospace and defence group Saab is offering South Africa its Saab 340 MSA aircraft for the country's maritime surveillance requirements. The company is displaying its demonstration aircraft at Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2012 at Air Force Base Waterkloof, just south of Pretoria. "This is not a development programme," assured Saab South Africa CEO Magnus Lewis-Olsson at AAD on Thursday, "you can operate it today. The idea is to have a more affordable solution." MSA stands for maritime security aircraft. "The aircraft on the [AAD] flight line – in that configuration, with no changes, the cost of the aircraft is $18-million each," stated Saab South Africa senior marketing executive: air (sub-Saharan Africa) Philip Willcock."Source [Engineering News]
- Former SAAF aircraft and other equipment on sale at air show
"South Africa’s defence acquisition, research and development and equipment disposals agency Armscor is offering a number of former South African Air Force (SAAF) aircraft for sale, marketing them at the 2012 Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition now under way at Air Force Base Waterkloof, just south of Pretoria. The aircraft involved are Pilatus PC-7 Mark II turboprop training aircraft, known to the SAAF as Astras, and Cessna 185 light observation and utility aircraft (which can also be used for training). Twelve of each aircraft are on offer. The SAAF originally acquired just over 60 Astras during the first half of the 1990s. Some 40 of these are being put through a major modernisation programme, centred on new avionics, and developed by the South African aerospace industry."Source [Engineering News]
- Boeing mulls offering jumbo C-17 Globemaster airlifter to SA Air Force
"Giant US aerospace group Boeing is looking at whether the South African Air Force (SAAF) could be a customer for its C-17 Globemaster III large military transport plane. "We're investigating if there are any opportunities for the C-17 in the future with South Africa," Boeing representative for business development: mobility programmes (defence, space and security) Michael Marshall told Engineering News Online at Africa Aerospace and Defence 2012 on Friday. "We know there's a dire shortage of airlift on the continent and we know that the SAAF is looking at different options to modernize its airlift fleet."Source [Engineering News]
- Denel offers Hungwe UAV
"South Africa's Denel is developing a new unmanned aircraft for the African market called the Hungwe. "We're developing this for all the markets out there, obviously with the emphasis on the African market," a senior Denel official says. "It's used for surveillance, border patrol, Rhino poaching [prevention] and also intelligence collection." The key to the aircraft's appeal to less developed nations is the type's low acquisition and operating costs and minimal logistical footprint."Source [FlightGlobal]
- South African firm VliegMasjien offers armed M-Wolf
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| VliegMasjien C-Wolf (FlightGlobal) |
"South African aviation start-up VliegMasjien is hoping to market a military variant of its C-Wolf amphibious bush aircraft, which is still in the prototype phase. "The reason why we're looking at the M-Wolf is typically from an African perspective we think the affordability of current military planes puts them out of the range of any African country," says VliegMasjien marketing consultant Andre Labuschagne. Many African nations have vast coastal waters and long borders, but they do not have the means to adequately patrol those huge expanses. Moreover, the terrain is usually rugged and infrastructure is limited and dispersed."Source [FlightGlobal]