Programme
Conference Agenda – Day Two
Three days of strategic content – from the future of warfare to Africa’s defence industry and the role of aviation in continental security.
DAY 2
Wednesday, 17 September 2026
African Defence Industry Showcase
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: The current status of Africa’s defence industry
- How is defence manufacturing developing across the continent and what does this mean for sovereignty, industrialisation and partnerships?
- Analysing defence-industrial strategies and priorities across the continent
- What is the role of the public vs private sector in developing defence manufacturing capabilities?
- How can regional cooperation and intra-Africa trade be improved to enhance Africa’s defence industry?
- What is the outlook for Africa’s defence manufacturing capabilities in the short to longer term?
09h40-10h10
Developing industrial capacity in the African defence industry
- What are the biggest obstacles – technical, regulatory, financial – to building a sustainable defence industry in Africa?
- What is the role of industry in developing defence manufacturing capabilities?
- What lessons can be learned from countries that have successfully scaled up their defence industrial base?
- What export markets exist outside of Africa for defence companies to sell to?
- What role do research and development, universities and innovation hubs play in developing an industrial base for the defence industry?
Mphahlela James Thaba, Impact Area Manager: Technology for Special Operations, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
10h10-10h40
Funding models for the defence industry
- Analysing current trends in defence expenditure across Africa: what is driving defence procurement and in which regions/countries?
- What public, private and hybrid funding mechanisms are available for the defence industry?
- What innovative funding models could be considered?
- What is the role of DFIs and VCs in financing the defence industry? What will and won’t they fund?
- What are the obstacles that are hindering investment into the sector and how can they be overcome?
10h40-11h10
Morning refreshments, networking and exhibition visit
11h10-11h40
The role of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) for defence
- How can PPPs help to create more competent/effective defence forces and support economic growth and job creation?
- What opportunities are there for PPPs in the land, air and maritime sectors?
- What is the role of PPPs in defence technology development and commercialisation?
- How can sustainable partnerships be created across the continent?
- How does the defence sector interact and partner with the private sector in other countries and what can Africa learn from these partnerships?
Andries van Wyk, Chief Defence Analyst, Defence Decision Support Institute (DDSI), Armscor
11h40-12h10
New defence capabilities – from prototype to operational deployment via R&D partnerships and co-development funding models
- Idea versus innovation
- Sources of defence R&D inspiration
- Understanding technology / system readiness level
- Routes to get from prototype to operational deployment
- Partnership / co-development as an R&D model
- R&D funding target for creating defence capability
- A potential way forward for unlocking defence sector innovation
James Kerr, Owner, Orion Consulting
12h10-13h30
Lunch, networking and exhibition visit
Track One
13h30-14h00
Unlocking the potential of South Africa’s defence ecosystem: building indigenous capability through strategic collaboration
- Babcock’s global defence capability model and its focus on mission-led solutions
- How international collaboration can be leveraged to build sustainable indigenous defence capability
- Practical lessons from Canadian and Australian case studies on partnering with local industry and SMEs
- Babcock’s strategic approach to developing South Africa’s defence industrial base
- Opportunities for local collaboration that contribute to a strong, sovereign defence ecosystem
Andrew Munday, Global Technology Director, Engineering & Technology, Babcock International Group
14h00-14h30
Unlocking Denel’s untapped potential: revitalising a strategic asset for defence sovereignty and industrial growth in Africa
Denel remains one of Africa’s most strategically important yet underutilised defence-industrial assets at a time when geopolitical uncertainty and supply chain disruptions are increasing the need for defence sovereignty across the continent. This paper examines how Denel can be revitalised through a multi-layered strategy that combines domestic procurement reform, public–private partnerships, regional market expansion, and institutional renewal. It argues for positioning Denel as a preferred supplier to South African security agencies while leveraging regional integration through the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and a federated “Denel Africa” model involving strategic partnerships across key African markets.
Addressing challenges such as funding constraints, competition, and governance, the paper explores innovative financing, strengthened oversight, and enhanced research and development collaboration. It concludes that Denel’s revival represents not only a national industrial imperative but also a broader continental opportunity to advance industrialisation, technology transfer, and African defence capability through coordinated procurement, public–private cooperation, and regional integration.
Dr Makhabane Molapo, Chief Systems Engineer, Denel Integrated Systems Solutions
14h30-15h00
The use of space-based technologies in modern military operations
- How exposed are modern militaries to the loss or degradation of space services?
- What forms of resilience matter most: redundancy, deterrence or rapid recovery?
- How does reliance on commercial space providers change military risk and accountability?
- Is space becoming a warfighting domain or a critical enabler that must be protected?
- How can Africa contribute meaningfully to space security without sovereign space technology? Why should African countries invest in space-based infrastructure?
Major General Lancelot Mathebula, Deputy Chief, South African Airforce (SAAF)
15h00-15h30
Afternoon refreshments, networking and exhibition visit
15h30-16h15
Panel discussion: Space as strategic domain: how Africa can secure, commercialise and compete in the new space race
- Is Africa being left behind in the positioning of space for defence, or are we selective or limited with how to engage?
- Eyes in the sky – what South Africa’s defence and security cluster actually needs from space assets
- Building the ecosystem – can South Africa anchor an African space economy?
- Africa in orbit – partner, client, or player?
Chair: René-Peter Masoen, Senior Manager: Business Development, Dynamics SA
Panelists:
Lesetja Mogoba, Space Committee Chairperson, South African Aerospace Maritime and Defence Industries (AMD); Deputy Chair, Manufacturing, BRICS Business Council
Avin Mansookram, Director, MFT Executive Advisory Services
Leeandran Annamalai, Founder, TerraNexus Space Innovations
Jessie Ndaba, Board Member, South African National Space Agency (SANSA)
Colonel Reuban Naicker, Director System Integrity, Department of Defence
16h15-16h45
Topic TBC
–
16h45-16h50
Closing remarks from the Chair
16h50
End of Conference Day Two
Track Two
13h30-14h00
Addressing the issues around ammunition, munitions stockpiles and production capacity
- What is the current status of ammunition stockpiles and production capacity in Africa?
- What are the primary risks associated with aging or poorly maintained stockpiles?
- How do budgetary constraints, supply chain dependencies and technological gaps affect production capacity?
- What are the barriers to developing local ammunition manufacturing capacity?
- How can partnerships with international manufacturers help without compromising national security?
- How can regional coordination improve stockpile security, production capabilities and emergency supply?
Maximilian Froch, CEO, Rheinmetall Denel
14h00-14h30
Build your Defence Solution with CLASSS (Cyber, Land, Air, Sea, Space & Security)
Project CLASSS is a collaborative industry initiative designed to demonstrate how integrated capability, marketing product demonstrators and industry partnerships can accelerate defence innovation, strengthen local industrial participation and provide customers with practical, contract-ready solutions to emerging security challenges. This session covers the following:
- Defence procurement is evolving from proving that technology works to proving that it can be integrated, supported, localised, financed and contracted with confidence.
- Project CLASSS introduces Marketing Product Demonstrators (MPDs) as contract-focused instruments that extend traditional technical demonstrator principles beyond R&D into market execution and procurement acceleration.
- CLASSS demonstrators reduce procurement, integration, localisation, regulatory and stakeholder risk by providing operationally representative, regulator-visible and contract-ready demonstrations.
- Unlike traditional single-platform demonstrations, CLASSS enables multiple OEMs, multiple domains and multiple customer pathways, creating broader opportunities for engagement and contract award.
- The model reflects a new defence business reality where in-country demonstration, local partnerships, operational validation and regulator participation are increasingly essential to winning business.
- Ultimately, CLASSS applies engineering discipline to marketing and risk reduction to procurement, transforming demonstration from a technical activity into a strategic enabler of defence contracts.
Colin Singarum, Business Development Executive, Aselsan South Africa; Chairperson, Marketing Committee, Aerospace, Maritime & Defence Industries Association of South Africa (AMD)
14h30-15h00
Military support to the law enforcement agencies: Legal framework, training and tools of the trade
The SANDF has been deployed by the President of the Republic in support of the law enforcement agencies to prevent and combat illegal mining and gangsterism in the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, North West and Western Cape. Collaboration is key to ensure successful outcomes and accelerated justice for victims of crime. This session will explore how the additional man-power translates into consequence management for criminals.
Sujo Mulamattathil, Managing Director, Sparcx
15h00-15h30
Afternoon refreshments, networking and exhibition visit
15h30-16h15
Panel discussion: the role of women and female-owned companies in the African defence industry
In which positions in the defence industry are women increasingly being employed and what skills are they bringing to these roles?
What has been the impact of women in senior defence decision-making roles?
Which areas of defence are women-led small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in?
What are the barriers to inclusion and what action from governments and the private sector is needed to overcome them?
Panelists
Dr Khuls Mtsetfwa, CEO, Swatek Defence & Aerospace; Chairperson, Women in Defence SA
Zama Ledidi, Managing Director, Unipro Protective Wear
Michelle Nxumalo, International Marketing Manager, DCD Group; Chairperson, South African Aerospace Maritime and Defence Export Council (SAAMDEC)
16h15-16h45
Dual-use technology: Case study for an integrated commodity tracing and authentication system
Mthobisi Clyde Zondi, Executive Chair, South African Defence Group
16h45-16h50
Closing remarks from the Chair
16h50
End of Conference Day Two
Attend All Three Days
Early Bird registration closes 31 July 2026. Full conference passes give you access across all three days.
