AAD 2026 opens in Pretoria with 300 exhibitors from 30 countries

Africa’s largest aerospace and defence gathering opened in Pretoria on Wednesday, with more than 30 countries taking part and around 300 exhibitors showing military products, technologies and trade opportunities.

The Africa Aerospace and Defence Trade Exhibition and Air Show 2026 runs for five days and closes with its biggest draw, an air show on Saturday and Sunday that is expected to bring thousands of aviation enthusiasts, families and spectators to the show grounds.

Speaking at the official opening, the Minister of Defence said the event is not only about putting cutting edge defence and aerospace technology on display. It is also about strengthening defence diplomacy, advancing the country’s own defence capabilities and improving national security.

The minister told delegates that advanced aerospace platforms, unmanned technologies and cyber solutions are more than tools of defence. They are engines of industrialisation, because they generate jobs, stimulate research and development, and build skills among South Africans.

What is on show

Exhibitors are presenting a wide range of military products and technologies, alongside the trade opportunities that come with them. Organisers are inviting the public to look closely rather than watch from a distance.

“We want to peak their interest so that they can come and see all the technologies, all the things that they only see in the movies,” one organiser said. “They can literally come and see and touch and they can speak to the people who actually manufacture them.”

The appeal to families was direct. Anyone with teenagers or younger children was urged to bring them through.

Women-led businesses in the spotlight

This year’s exhibition puts a particular focus on women-led small, medium and micro enterprises. Among the companies exhibiting is a wholly black woman-owned firm that supplies electronic systems for vehicles in aviation, aerospace, land and marine applications.

Another exhibitor manufactures high speed explosion and dust suppression systems. Both are South African companies selling technical work into a market that has historically been dominated by large international contractors.

For small firms, the value of a week like this is access. A stand at AAD puts a company in the same hall as buyers and manufacturers from more than 30 countries, which is a shorter route to a contract than a cold approach from a workshop in Gauteng.

Careers on the table

About 12 000 learners have been invited to the exhibition to explore possible careers in the defence sector.

The response from the school pupils who attended was immediate. One learner said the day had changed their thinking. “I wanted to be a lawyer, but now I think I’m more into science, but I’m still exploring my options,” they said.

Another said the exhibition had opened their eyes to what is available after school. “It’s so amazing and I see many opportunities for myself after grade 12.”

That is the part of the week with the longest tail. A learner who arrives curious about aircraft and leaves with a plan for a qualification in engineering, electronics or aviation maintenance is a skills pipeline starting, and the sector needs one.

Beyond defence

The exhibition’s organisers frame the week as more than a defence trade show. The stated focus extends to innovation, investment and market expansion, and to South Africa’s position as a gateway to high growth opportunities across the continent and a partner in global markets.

The air show on Saturday and Sunday is open to the public and is expected to draw the largest crowds of the five days.

Source: SABC News (YouTube), 13th AAD Exhibition and Air Show takes flight, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFOpK4pNTDg