Popular Mechanics (South Africa)
Rolling Thunder
Highlights from Africa Aerospace and Defence Expo 2016.
THE SOUTH AFRICAN DEFENCE INDUSTRY may have spent a while in the doldrums, but in 2016 it certainly is bursting with life, on the evidence of this year’s edition of the biennial hardware-fest that is Africa Aerospace and Defence. That’s a sentiment echoed by prominent players in the local industry and underscored by South Africa’s Defence minister.
Interest in the local defence industry is growing and by broad agreement stands among the best in the world, notably in development of innovative products, Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-nqakula stated while opening the five-day show at Pretoria’s Waterkloof air force base in September. Of particular significance in the opening trade day’s audience (whose outfits sported more gold braid than you’d find at most gold braid factories) was a significant proportion of visitors from the continent of Africa itself, a fact noted by the Minister. This year, the Africa pavilion at AAD for the first time hosted delegates from Nigeria, Uganda, Namibia and the Sudan. Overall, the show drew more than 440 exhibitors from 34 countries and drew more than 50 000 visitors to ooh and ah over the static displays and marvel at aerial acrobatics. Here are some of the highlights. Rooivalk Mk 2? Tied up in a Rooivalk upgrade programme focusing on reliability and obsolete items is the suggestion that this work will feed into future developments of the much-admired yet commercially unsuccessful aircraft. The upgrade is a collaboration between Airbus Helicopters and Denel Aviation; the current Rooivalk fleet uses Airbus technologies for its dynamic components.
“As part of the Rooivalk roadmap we developed, we will launch a market assessment and feasibility study into a modernised version of the Rooivalk, incorporating enhanced operational capabilities,” said Mike Kgobe, CEO of Denel Aviation. “Our ultimate objective is to offer a South African product that will provide an attractive solution for potential export customers around the world.”
Fighting light Denel has launched its Inkunzi PAW semi-automatic weapon to the global market. Described as being capable of taking out selected high-value targets including light-armoured vehicles and machine-gun nests up to a range of 1 000 metres, the Inkunzi – “bull” – is the latest version of the Personal Area Weapon platform initially designed by Neopup Marketing and manufactured in South Africa by Denel PMP. Denel PMP CEO Phaladi Petje says the Inkunzi PAW was designed with the needs of the 21st century combat soldier in mind in spheres of battle that encompass jungle, desert, rural or urban. It can be carried and fired by a single soldier and its unique design reduces recoil. The semi-automatic weapon fires grenades and 20 mm bursting ammunition from a conventional box magazine holding five rounds.
Water flyer Cape Town shipbuilder Hysucat has teamed up with Denel to develop and market a range of patrol vessels, based on uniquely South African tech, that can be deployed on both inland lakes and rivers and along coastlines.
Hysucat’s design for a hydrofoil-supported-catamaran hull is said to offer exceptionally high speed and agility, combined with superior fuel efficiency and stability. It’s already been applied across a range of water craft.
Hysucat was established as a result of Stellenbosch University research into the application of hydrofoil technology in the marine racing and leisure environments. The technology has since been extended for security and military applications, with some products already in use by police and defence forces.
In addition to its foil design, the Denel-hysucat can provide bulletproof areas and advanced remote-controlled weapon systems.
World-first tech Big local news from the Paramount Group, the African-based global defence and aerospace company, was the local launch of its Mbombe 8 unveiled recently at Dubai. It’s the range-topper of the organisation’s family of Mbombe Infantry Combat Vehicles (ICV), comprising 4x4, 6x6 and 8x8. Billed as the pinnacle of land system technologies, they can be modified to serve as either combat vehicles or armoured personnel carriers. The vehicles are locally designed, using local technology and are built here.
The common platform is a big deal, says Ben Jansen, CEO of Paramount Combat Systems. The three vehicles share around 80 per cent parts commonality. And, besides helping keep a lid on operating costs, they also simplify training and logistics. “We are the first company in the world to have achieved this,” he says.
The conventional front-engined powertrain layout is another plus in the sense of proven efficiency and power transfer to the wheels, as opposed to unconventional drivelines, such as with side-engined vehicles.
According to the Paramount Group’s founder and executive chairman, Ivor Ichikowitz, it’s taken just six years to design, develop and manufacture these three high-speed, long-range and low-profile armoured combat vehicles.
“Twenty-two years into our democracy… 22 years ago, everyone said the defence industry would die. Exactly the opposite has happened. Today we have a vibrant, modern, First World defence industry that is leading the way. This series of platforms will form an ecosystem that will strengthen and grow the South African defence industry into the future,” he said. At the same time, he emphasised the group’s belief in the power of partnerships with leading companies and governments and the role this played in developments such as the Mbombe family. Those comments resonated with a subsequent announcement of a strategic alliance with Usa-based The Armored Group (TAG) to promote a complete portfolio of armoured vehicles for military, civilian, commercial and law enforcement purposes globally.
Paramount revealed an innovative simulated joint Command Post developed by its Advanced Technologies division. The joint Command Post integrates an unparalleled range of systems, enabling military commanders to efficiently assess and stabilise a crisis such as a terrorist attack. It’s designed to maximise limited resources, making it ideal for developing countries facing terrorist threats. It presents commanders with a 2D and optional 3D picture of their resources and tasks currently assigned to those resources, as well as actual and perceived enemy positions and entities. The display is regularly updated, helping the commander make decisions in real-time. The commander’s own plans can also be overlaid on the current picture to show deviations and allow in-time re-planning.