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
Thursday, 18 September 2026
Commercial & Military Aviation
Air Force Base Waterkloof, Pretoria
08h00-09h00
Registration, refreshments and exhibition visit
Registration & Coffee
09h00-09h10
Welcome and introduction from the Chair
09h10-09h40
Keynote address: Aviation as a catalyst for Africa’s economic growth and continental connectivity
- Analysing market growth, passenger demand and cargo trends in Africa
- How can aviation move from being a cost centre to a strategic engine of continental growth?
- How does improved air connectivity directly impact trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework?
- Which sectors benefit most from stronger aviation networks – tourism, perishables, pharmaceuticals, etc.?
- How can regulatory harmonisation reduce barriers to market entry?
- What has been the impact of the African Open Skies policy and the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM)? What challenges remain?
- What models of civil–military partnership have proven effective in aviation in Africa and elsewhere in the world?
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 can we use to deliver critical aviation projects across Africa – how does it work across Europe?
- Examples of portfolio and project management in aviation infrastructure
- Making the most of resources and methods (AI and Teams across the globe)
- Communication across the aviation value chain (airlines, airports, air traffic management)
- Military-civil coordination (flexible use of resources)
- How to fund aviation infrastructure projects
Richard Powell, Director, Project Boost Ltd
11h40-12h25
Panel discussion: The status of airport infrastructure and airspace management in Africa
- What is the current state of airport infrastructure across the continent-where are we seeing progress and where are the biggest gaps?
- What infrastructure bottlenecks limit growth – airports, air navigation systems, maintenance facilities, etc.?
- How can public-private partnerships accelerate airport development and modernisation?
- Should Africa prioritise mega-hub airports or distributed regional connectivity?
- How fragmented is African airspace management today? What are the benefits of regional airspace coordination?
- How can modern air traffic management systems increase safety, reduce delays and operational costs?
Panelists:
Richard Powell, Director, Project Boost Ltd
12h25-13h45
Lunch, networking and exhibition visit
13h45-14h15
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
14h15-14h45
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
14h45-15h15
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
15h15-15h45
Afternoon refreshments, networking and exhibition visit
15h45-16h15
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?
16h15-16h45
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?
16h45-16h50
Closing remarks from the Chair
16h50
End of Conference Day Three
Attend All Three Days
Early Bird registration closes 31 July 2026. Full conference passes give you access across all three days.
