African Aerospace & Defence (AAD) is a biennial international exhibition held in South Africa that integrates a defence and aerospace trade exhibition with a full-scale air show.

The event is hosted at Air Force Base Waterkloof, near Pretoria.

AAD provides a strategic meeting point for military decision-makers, government officials, system integrators, OEMs and technology providers. The exhibition showcases air, land and maritime defence systems, aerospace platforms, unmanned technologies, radar and surveillance solutions, cyber defence and advanced military electronics.

The first three days are dedicated to trade visitors and official delegations, while the final two days include public air displays, making AAD both a professional defence exhibition and a large-scale aerospace show.

Sectors of Participating Companies

• Aerospace and aviation systems
• Land defence platforms and armoured vehicles
• Naval and maritime security systems
• Unmanned aerial and ground systems (UAV / UGV)
• Radar, surveillance and electronic warfare systems
• Defence training, simulation and mission support technologies

Importance for the Defence Industry

AAD is the largest and most influential defence and aerospace exhibition on the African continent. It plays a critical role in:

• Strengthening defence cooperation between African nations and global suppliers
• Facilitating technology transfer and joint production opportunities
• Showcasing next-generation defence systems tailored to regional security needs
• Enabling direct engagement between governments, armed forces and industry leaders

Previous Edition – Number of Participating Companies

At the previous edition (AAD 2024), approximately 250+ companies from over 30 countries participated in the exhibition.

Key Highlights of the Previous Edition

• High-level international military and government delegations attended the event
• Major product launches in air defence, UAV and radar systems
• Extensive live air demonstrations featuring military aircraft
• New cooperation talks and partnership discussions focused on African defence needs