Date: 25 May 2021
Time: 10:00 – 13:15
Where: Online
Restoring and developing the South African aerospace and defence industry
defenceWeb, in partnership with SAAMDEC, is hosting a webinar on South Africa’s Aerospace and Defence Masterplan. Topics during the day will range from facilitating policy changes and leveraging key technologies to promoting public and private sector interests, furthering government, and industry support initiatives, and developing the aerospace, defence, manufacturing, and space sectors.
As part of efforts to build and restore the industry, the Aerospace and Defence Masterplan seeks to protect and create jobs; deepen sector capabilities; expand exports; and prepare for policy changes. The Masterplan will provide a clear, agreed, pragmatic and implementable plan for the industry going forward, rooted in evidence and agreed by industry, government and organised labour in a coordinated approach to industry growth and development.
South Africa has a solid aerospace and defence legacy but the sector has been eroded by budget cuts, the decline of Denel and increased international competition, amongst others. Nevertheless, South Africa has clear competitive advantages in some areas, such as missiles, UAVs, artillery, armoured vehicles and light aircraft manufacture, and other areas can be built.
Key South African developed technologies that can be further leveraged include 3D printing of titanium, aircraft design and integration of systems, avionics systems, electronic warfare systems, helmet sighting systems, laser rangefinders, missiles, multi-spectral cameras and gimbals, radar, unmanned aerial vehicles and welding technologies.
The intention of the Masterplan is to use aerospace and defence to grow the economy, develop skills, promote exports, develop local companies, preserve sovereign capabilities, develop new technologies and promote research and development and further the fourth industrial revolution.
The Masterplan aims to determine lessons for the South African industry from international cases; create a shared vision and mission for the sector; develop programmes for action and create group discussions and consultations; develop policy and regulation recommendations to government; create development targets for industry and labour; and implement a series of milestones/deliverables.
The webinar on the Aerospace and Defence Masterplan will be taking an honest look at the state of South Africa’s aerospace and defence industry and the need for cooperation, collaboration and innovation to ensure its survival, development and success. The day’s speakers include major stakeholders involved in the development and promotion of the South African aerospace and defence industry, including public and private sector speakers and decision-makers.
Attendees will be able to gain critical insight into where the country is at in terms of the Aerospace and Defence Masterplan, what it aims to achieve, how it aims to get there and progress to date. The webinar will examine how to take advantage of an industry in a significant state of change and move the aerospace and defence sector to a new high through job creation, skills development, R&D, export promotion and positive government policy.
This is not several hours of advertorial slideshows that might not be relevant to your work. This is an honest, frank discussion with defence industry professionals looking to forge a profitable new way forward for the aerospace and defence sector.
Networking opportunity
All attendees will receive suggestions on which other delegates they might be interested in meeting based on their profile information and will be able to set up private virtual meetings directly at the webinar.
Defence industry senior professionals, government stakeholders, small to large defence-related commercial enterprises seeking insight for business development and other key decision-makers and opinion-formers in the aerospace and defence sector.
Participants will see how the Aerospace and Defence Masterplan will use aerospace and defence to grow the economy, develop skills, promote exports, develop local companies, preserve sovereign capabilities, develop new technologies and promote research and development and further the fourth industrial revolution.
The Masterplan will provide a clear, agreed, pragmatic and implementable plan for the industry going forward, rooted in evidence and agreed by industry, government and organised labour in a coordinated approach to industry growth and development.
About SAAMDEC
The South African Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Export Council (SAAMDEC) has been established by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the DTIC) under the auspices of the recognised industry association‚ AMD.
Main Functions include,
For more information, visit https://www.saamdec.co.za/
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