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AfricaTrade shows & exhibitionsPast event

16–20 Sept 2026

Africa Aerospace and Defence Expo

Air Force Base Waterkloof · Centurion, South Africa

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Africa Aerospace and Defence Expo venue
Dates
Wed, 16 September 2026 – Sun, 20 September 2026
Venue
Air Force Base Waterkloof
Location
Centurion, South Africa
Organizer
Department of Defence and Military Veterans (DOD), Armscor, South African Aerospace Maritime and Defence Industries Association (AMD), Commercial Aviation Association of Southern Africa (CAASA)
Cost
paid
Scale
major
Recurrence
biennial
Format
On-site

Market intel

Moderate pricingmedium confidence

AAD 2024 drew 259 exhibitors from 30 countries, over 22,970 trade visitors, 86 official delegations, and 37,007 public air show attendees, with 9 national pavilions.

  • The exhibitor roster is anchored by South African primes such as Denel and Armscor alongside major European and global OEMs.
  • Confidence in the AAD 2024 figures is high as they come directly from the official event website
  • Key exhibitor names for 2026 beyond confirmed South African participants are indicative based on historical editions
Notable exhibitors
DenelArmscorReutechSaab Grintek DefenceComposites SolutionsSouth African Air Force (SAAF)AirbusLeonardo

AI-researched Mon, 24 August 2026. Estimates from public sources. Verify with the organizer.

Why it matters

AAD is the only aerospace and defence exhibition on the African continent, making it the principal venue for OEMs, primes, and SMEs seeking to reach African military procurement officers, Defence Chiefs of Arms, and government delegations across more than 30 countries in a single show.

  • For exporters and startups entering African markets, AAD offers direct access to senior decision-makers that no other continental event replicates.
  • The South African government's National Event designation and Armscor's lead-partner role ensure high-level institutional backing and a buyer-rich environment for deal-making.

Registration

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About

The Africa Aerospace and Defence Expo (AAD) is Africa's only combined aerospace and defence trade exhibition and public air show, held biennially at AFB Waterkloof in Centurion, City of Tshwane, South Africa.

  • The five-day event structure dedicates the first three days exclusively to trade professionals — manufacturers, procurement officials, military delegations, and government officials — followed by two days open to the general public as an air show.
  • Recognised as a national asset by the South African Cabinet and rated among the top six defence exhibitions in the world, AAD traces its origins to the 1975 'Aviation Africa' air show and the biennial DEXSA defence exhibition, which merged in 2000 to form the current event.
  • It covers the full spectrum of air, land, and maritime defence technology, unmanned systems, cyber, and space.

Topics

AirLand systemsMaritimeUAS / DronesISR & Sensors

Who it's for

PrimesSMEsStartupsInstitutions

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