Media Advisory
To: ALL Media
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) will participate in the 2026 Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) Expo, taking place from 16 to 20 September 2026 at Air Force Base Waterkloof in Pretoria.
AAD is Africa’s premier aerospace and defence exhibition, combining a trade exhibition with an air show to showcase air, land and sea technologies. The three-day trade exhibition will bring together defence and aerospace industry leaders, government representatives, research institutions, technology developers and international delegations to showcase innovations and explore opportunities for collaboration, industrial development and technological advancement.
The CSIR will showcase an array of innovations aimed at supporting South Africa’s defence, aerospace and security capabilities through science, engineering and technology. The exhibition will feature technologies and capabilities spanning radar and sensor systems, aerospace, electronic warfare, cyber defence, situational awareness, surveillance, advanced manufacturing and defence systems. Moreover, these technologies demonstrate the CSIR’s role in developing and supporting the growth of South Africa’s defence and aerospace industries.
The CSIR plays an important role in supporting government priorities in national security while contributing to the development and competitiveness of South Africa’s defence and aerospace industries. This includes developing and transferring technologies, supporting local industry and building research and engineering capabilities through partnerships and collaborative ventures.
Exhibits on display will include collaborative radar test and evaluation platforms; partnerships supporting border security and defence and security operations; advanced aerospace and electronic warfare technologies; cyber early warning and digital identity solutions; situational awareness and asset management systems; optical surveillance and physical security intelligence technologies; and simulation and training systems. Featured technologies will include the Swift Target Drone, CSIR wind tunnels, Operation Command Centre Asset and Fleet Management System, Cmore Situational Analysis Platform, Cyber Early Warning System, digital identity solutions, Optronic System Simulator, Electronic Countermeasure Trainer, Rino and Tyto optical systems, Physical Security Intelligence, C-Gull Synthetic Aperture Radar, Inundu Pod, Passive Radar and the Electronic Warfare Mission Support System.
AAD 2026 will also provide an important platform for showcasing the CSIR’s partnerships with industry and other torganisations. A further highlight of the event will be the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Aerospace Industry Support Initiative on 17 September 2026. This milestone will showcase the contribution of sustained public investment, supplier development, localisation and industry collaboration to the growth of South Africa’s aerospace, defence, marine and advanced manufacturing sectors.
In addition to the above, the CSIR will be participating in the concurrent AAD Youth Development Programme, where learners and young people can obtain insight into and information about study fields related to careers in the SET domain. The CSIR offers bursaries, vacation and studentship support options, particularly to science and engineering students and young professionals interested in careers in the defence, laser technology and aeronautics domains.
Media enquiries:
Phetolo Phatsibi, CSIR Media Practitioner
Email: PPhatsibi@csir.co.za
Mobile: 081 396 8871
About the CSIR
The CSIR, an entity of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, is one of Africa’s leading organisations in scientific and technology research, development and implementation. Constituted by an Act of Parliament in 1945 as a science council, the CSIR undertakes directed and multidisciplinary research and technological innovation, as well as industrial and scientific development, to improve the quality of life of all South Africans.
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