Programme
Conference Agenda – Day Three
Three days of strategic content – from the future of warfare to Africa’s defence industry and the role of aviation in continental security.
DAY 3
Friday, 18 September 2026
Commercial & Military Aviation
Air Force Base Waterkloof, Pretoria
07h30-08h30
Registration, refreshments and exhibition visit
Registration & Coffee
08h30-08h40
Welcome and introduction from the Chair
Hamilton Wende, War Correspondent, Author, Journalist and Professional Speaker
08h40-09h10
Keynote address: Military aviation as a catalyst for Africa’s security, resilience and continental connectivity
- Examining the evolving role of military aviation in strengthening Africa’s security, sovereignty and strategic connectivity
- How can air forces and other military aviation stakeholders enhance their ability to respond to emerging threats, including terrorism, organised crime, border insecurity and humanitarian crises?
- How can African countries strengthen regional cooperation, interoperability and joint capabilities through initiatives such as multinational exercises, shared training, intelligence and coordinated air operations?
- How can African governments balance the need to modernise military aviation with affordability, local industrial development and the development of indigenous aerospace and defence capabilities?
- What role can partnerships with international allies and the private sector play in strengthening Africa’s military aviation ecosystem while supporting long-term self-reliance?
Lieutenant Gen. Carl Moatshe, Chief, South African Air Force (SAAF)
09h10-09h40
Airport security and integrated protection
This session will explore physical security, perimeter surveillance, access control, incident response and cyber-physical convergence, especially for high-traffic hubs.
MC de Beer, CEO, Milkor Saudi Arabia
09h40-10h10
The use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for commercial, humanitarian and military operations
- How are unmanned systems reshaping air operations across Africa?
- What are the most prominent commercial uses of UAS today and what applications are likely in the future?
- How have unmanned systems changed military surveillance, reconnaissance and tactical operations?
- To what extent will unmanned systems complement or eventually replace certain manned missions?
- What are the biggest regulatory hurdles regarding commercial and military UAS integration into national airspace?
- How will unmanned systems and advanced air mobility platforms expand dual-use possibilities?
Dean Polley, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, SSASS Holdings
10h10-10h40
South African air force future combat capability beyond 2050
- Strategic context: South African Air Force fighter fleet is ageing with no major aircraft acquisition since 1999, declining defence spending (<0.7% GDP), and no renewal plan in the 2025–2030 Defence Strategic Plan despite rapid technological change.
- Future of fighter capability: Manned fighters remain essential but are evolving into command nodes within manned–unmanned teaming ecosystems; key enabling technologies are connectivity/data fusion, electronic warfare, stealth and AI, with reduced emphasis on speed and manoeuvrability.
- Training transformation: Pilot development must shift from pure flying skills to systems management and decision-making, supported by live-virtual-constructive simulation and integrated manned-unmanned teaming training approaches.
- Risks and strategic response: Underfunding and industrial decline threaten long-term air combat relevance and sovereignty; recommended response is a hybrid force doctrine, reinvestment in local EW/UAV/AI capabilities, modernised training systems and a ring-fenced funding case for air combat.
Lieutenant Colonel Scott Logie, South African Air Force (SAAF); Base Aviation Safety Coordinator, Air Force Base Makhado
10h40-11h10
Morning refreshments, networking and exhibition visit
11h10-11h40
Transforming African aviation infrastructure: from strategy to delivery
- What actually delivers complex aviation infrastructure projects across national boundaries and cultures – building a team
- Examples of portfolio and project management in aviation infrastructure
- Making the most of resources and methods – performance-based teams with shared resources
- Communication across the key stakeholders – airlines, airports, air traffic management, regulators and military
- How to fund aviation infrastructure projects
Richard Powell, CEO, Project Boost Ltd
11h40-12h25
Panel discussion: Addressing the skills shortage in the aviation industry
- How is the lack of skills currently impacting the growth of Africa’s aviation industry?
- Where are the most critical skills shortages currently – pilots, engineers/ technicians, air traffic controllers, safety regulators, etc.?
- What are the operational risks associated with persistent staffing shortages?
- How can partnerships between airlines, universities and technical institutions be strengthened?
- How are AI, automation and digitalisation reshaping aviation workforce requirements? What new skills will be needed?
- What policy interventions are most urgently needed to strengthen aviation skills development?
Chair: Reshika Singh, Human Resources Executive, Federal Airlines
Panelists:
Ryan van Wijk, CEO, Alt Academy
Shaun Ledlie, Managing Director, Kershal Aviation; Director, The Drone Council of South Africa
Timo Eckardt, Head of Customer Support Africa, Airbus
Jason Pretorius, Director: Asia West, Milkor
Kariska Engels, Executive Manager: Human Resources, Airlink
12h25-12h40
The role of an aviation regulator in economic growth and regional integration
Dean Khumalo, Executive Aviation Safety Operations, SA Civil Aviation Authority
12h40-13h40
Lunch, networking and exhibition visit
13h40-14h10
The evolution of aviation safety with technology and AI
This session will cover how emerging technologies and AI are transforming safety management, enabling proactive risk identification, enhancing system reliability and supporting more informed decision-making. The session will also highlight the evolving safety culture, including increased data sharing, transparency and collaborative risk management.
Vaughn Gruneberg, Manager, Flight Safety & OHSE, Solenta
14h10-14h40
The role of commercial companies in dual-use aviation and civil–military partnerships
- How can commercial aviation be leveraged as a strategic national asset without compromising commercial viability?
- What safeguards are necessary to prevent overreach or market distortion?
- How can commercial aircraft be used for disaster response, humanitarian airlifts and medical evacuations?
- Which commercial aviation assets – aircraft, airports, MRO facilities, training academies, etc. – are most strategically valuable for dual-use?
- To what extent can dual-use strategies stimulate local aerospace manufacturing, technology transfer and MRO development?
Thomas Kruger, Director, Hussar Security & Defence Solutions
14h40-15h10
Addressing cyber security challenges in aviation
In this session we will discuss how aviation systems are evolving and adopting the latest technologies, interconnectivity and AI. As a result, the industry is now facing unprecedented huge amounts of cyber-related risks, including:
- Aircraft systems – connected avionics and related threats
- Ground infrastructure – baggage handling, flight scheduling systems and airport risks and threats
- Data security – pax (passenger records) data breach incidents and their impact on the industry
- Supply chain – interconnected networks, third-party vendors and vulnerabilities
- Air Traffic & Navigation Systems (ATNS) – latest challenges and weather systems, patterns, incidents and risks
Thokozani Miya, Founder & Director, Neo Aviation
15h10-15h30
Afternoon refreshments, networking and exhibition visit
15h30-16h00
Mapping aerospace critical material supply chains
The aerospace industry is reliant on nearly the whole periodic table to advance modern technologies that enable light-weighting and high-performance alloys, as well as the newest computing technology. Project Blue has built aircraft and jet engine parts analysis to understand the detail of the demand for aerospace-grade materials.
Together with our supply chain analytics, we are able to show data behind supply chain bottlenecks, all the way back upstream to the mine. With the geopolitical environment centred around critical material policies and trade wars, access to raw materials is being leveraged as a major threat to competing economies. For the time being the commercial aerospace industry has been exempted, such as titanium from Russia, but with an increasing focus on military dual-use policies in China and USA, the latest high-tech materials are being starved of traditional supply chains.
In this presentation, Project Blue will be able to showcase the history and outlook of raw materials and superalloys delivered in commercial, military and private sectors, linking these to fundamental upstream supply chain concerns.
Fiona Macdonald, Senior Analyst, Project Blue
16h00-16h30
The current status of military aviation in Africa and the operational readiness of African air forces
- Is African military aviation keeping pace with evolving security threats and technological change?
- Are African air forces flying enough? If not, why not?
- Where are the most significant capability gaps—combat aircraft, ISR platforms, transport, helicopters, air defence?
- How are budget constraints influencing modernisation strategies?
- How do maintenance challenges and spare parts’ availability affect fleet readiness?
- How effectively are African air forces cooperating in joint operations and peace support/humanitarian missions?
- To what extent does Africa possess the industrial base to support the long-term sustainability of military aviation?
Kaval Shah, Regional Sales Manager, Pratt & Whitney Canada
16h30-17h00
What does the future of aviation look like?
- How will aviation evolve in the short and longer term and what are the implications for African connectivity, industry growth and global competitiveness?
- Which technological innovations will have the biggest impact on aviation in the near future?
- How will digital transformation – biometrics, mobile platforms and AI – enhance customer experience?
- What role do regulatory frameworks and carbon markets play in shaping aviation’s environmental future?
- What partnerships are most critical to achieving future-ready aviation systems?
Rennie van Zyl, Independent aviation expert; former Chief Director, Civil Aviation
17h00-17h05
Closing remarks from the Chair
17h05
End of Conference Day Three
Attend All Three Days
Early Bird registration closes 7 August 2026. Full conference passes give you access across all three days.
