UPDF helicopter crashes at Mogadishu – five deaths reported
A Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) Mi-24 helicopter detached to the African Union (AU) mission in Somalia crashed at Mogadishu’s Aden Abdulle International Airport...
Denel to deliver first production A-Darter missiles to the SAAF this month
Denel Dynamics is due to deliver the first operational A-Darter fifth generation air-to-air missiles to the South African Air Force (SAAF) this month, after...
The spread of low-cost aerial weapons levels the playing field, enables terror attacks
When security forces in Puntland, Somalia, raided a vehicle convoy traveling south from Garowe, they confiscated a collection of drones capable of delivering explosives....
Somalia receives T-129 attack helicopters from Turkey
Somalia has taken delivery of three T-129 attack helicopters from Turkey as part of growing Turkish support for the East African country’s military.
Three T-129...
Tunisia orders a dozen Bell 412EPX helicopters
The Tunisian Air Force has ordered 12 Subaru Bell 412EPX helicopters for multi-role military and security missions, marking the first order for this Bell...
SAAF belatedly sends Oryx to Eastern Cape for flood relief
A shortage of qualified flight engineers, pilots and aircraft has meant that the South African Air Force (SAAF) belatedly managed to send only a...
Milkor and Hanwha Systems sign agreement for AESA radar integration on Milkor 380 UAV
South Korea’s Hanwha Systems has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to integrate its Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) on...
Five benefits Africa’s new space agency can deliver
The African Space Agency was officially inaugurated in Cairo’s Space City in April 2025. The event marked a milestone in a process that had...
Aerial Works bringing computer vision to its UAVs
The development of computer vision software is a key focus for UAV Aerial Works, which sees it as a competitive advantage for unmanned aerial...
15 Squadron’s Charlie Flight sets the standard for SAAF rotorcraft display flying
A show stopper at the South African Presidential inauguration last June was a breathtaking display by two BK117 helicopters operated by 15 Squadron’s Charlie...
Drones: a propaganda tool for Africa’s armed groups?
Ukraine’s recent drone attack on Russia shows how potent weaponised UAS can be, both on and off the battlefield.
Africa is experiencing a rapidly expanding...
Old but still working – SAAF responds to claims of radar net failure
South African Air Force (SAAF) “radar sensor systems” in use for over 35 years are “still serviceable in spite of long lead times on...
Egypt and China conclude historic Eagles of Civilization 2025 joint air exercise
Egypt and China have marked a significant milestone in their bilateral relations and regional military dynamics by hosting the inaugural Eagles of Civilization 2025...
Inauguration of the African Space Agency
Africa’s space aspirations reached a significant milestone on 20 April with the inauguration of the African Space Agency (AfSA) at its headquarters in Egyptian...
Algeria shoots down Malian UAV, escalating tensions
A Malian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), or drone, shot down over the border in Algeria has escalated tensions between the two countries as they...
Alouette II beats Gautrain in pre-airshow race
A South African Air Force (SAAF) Museum Alouette II helicopter raced and beat the Gautrain this morning in the annual pre-SAAF Museum air show...
Top student on SAAF airspace control course scores 97 plus percent
Command and control (C2) is long recognised in the wider military sphere as being essential to successful operations, and this is now inherent in...
Table Mountain National Park safety and security boosted with the use of a helicopter
In a major step towards public security and crime avoidance, South African National Parks (SANParks) has activated a dedicated helicopter officially at Table Mountain...
Clear weather forecast for Saturday’s SAAF Museum air show
The first Saturday in May is traditionally SA Air Force (SAAF) Museum air show day and this Saturday will be the fourteenth time what...
Purpose-built hangar for Spitfire Restoration Project
The Spitfire Restoration Project (SRP) underway at what was Air Force Base (AFB) Swartkop, now Air Force Mobile Deployment Wing (AF MDW), is making...
Military drone proliferation marks destabilizing shift in Africa’s armed conflicts
A revolution in unmanned systems is reshaping the dynamics of Africa’s armed conflicts. Professional militaries must balance the tactical advantages of drones with an...
SAAF King Air door found on farm
The SA Air Force (SAAF) King Air light transport aircraft door that came adrift soon after take-off from Lanseria International Airport just over a...
Egypt close to acquiring FA-50 light combat aircraft from South Korea
According to a statement from the Egyptian ambassador to South Korea Khaled Abdelrahman, Cairo is on the verge of concluding a deal with Seoul...
SAAF King Air light transport aircraft loses door
A twin-engined SA Air Force (SAAF) B200C King Air lost its fuselage panel fitted with a door on take-off from Lanseria International Airport at...
Denel and Embraer partner on KC-390
South African defence conglomerate Denel was at the just ended Latin America Aerospace and Defence (LAAD) exhibition where it entered into a memorandum of...
SAAF urgently seeking spares for four types in its fleet
The SA Air Force (SAAF) is, via Armscor, urgently looking for spare and replacement parts for four types in its fleet.
The aircraft types are,...
Milkor busy with Milkor 380 production and deliveries as UAV project enters a new...
Milkor continues to make strides with its Milkor 380 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), with the project now moving from its development phase to an...
Counter-UAS company Sentrycs awarded African national security contract
Counter-unmanned aerial system (UAS) specialist Sentrycs has been selected to provide its solutions for a national security project in Africa.
The company on 26 March...
Lake Chad Basin insurgents raise the stakes with weaponised drones
The 24 December 2024 attack on Nigeria’s Forward Operating Base in Wajiroko in the country’s north-east, marked the first known instance of a terrorist...
SAAF VVIP squadron logs minimal flying hours
21 Squadron, the South African Air Force’s (SAAF’s) dedicated VVIP and VIP transport unit, fell far short of allocated flying hours in the 2023/24...
HeliCo: Pioneering helicopter services in Mozambique’s challenging terrain
Mozambique's vast and often inaccessible terrain has made helicopter operations an essential service for various industries, including construction, humanitarian aid, conservation, and security. HeliCo,...
Setting the record straight on SAAF aircraft availability
The South African Air Force (SAAF) is facing a severe operational crisis, with aircraft availability at critically low levels across all divisions. A recent...
SAAF pays tribute to James O’Connell following fatal Impala crash
The South African Air Force (SAAF) is mourning the loss of veteran test pilot Retired Lieutenant Colonel James O’Connell, who was killed in a...
Highlights from Verticon 2025 in Dallas
The first Verticon exhibition closed its doors on 13 March, after four days dedicated to vertical aviation in Dallas, Texas. The former Heli-Expo, which...
West Coast Air Show ends in tragedy after fatal Impala crash
Experienced test pilot James O'Connell was killed at the West Coast Air Show in Saldanha on Saturday when the Impala Mk I aircraft he...
Helicopter remains anyone?
Armscor, via its Defence Disposal Services (DDS), plans to dispose of the remains of an Agusta A109 light utility helicopter that crashed in 2016,...
Sabre 361 now a worthwhile sight at the SAAF Museum
Eight years ago “the somewhat dilapidated state” of ex-SA Air Force (SAAF) Canadair CL-13B Sabre Mk 6 (361) at the Air Force Museum headquarters...
New Milkor missile in the exploratory phase
At the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2024 exhibition, Milkor revealed a mockup of a new missile fitted to its Milkor 380 unmanned aerial...
ALTI Unmanned takes flight into fully electric future
Knysna, South Africa-based unmanned aerial systems (UAS) designer and manufacturer, ALTI has officially announced its transition to a fully electric fleet, starting with the...
Morocco receives first AH-64 Apache helicopters
The Royal Moroccan Air Force (RMAF) has taken delivery of its first AH-64E Apache helicopter from the United States.
Deliveries of 24 aircraft were originally...
Mozambique Air Force gets a C295
Mozambique’s Air Force has taken delivery of a C295W transport aircraft from Airbus as it continues to expand its transport fleet.
The C295W (FA655) departed...
African Air Chiefs Symposium set to evolve into live-fly exercise
The 14th African Air Chiefs Symposium last week came to a close in Zambia with an intention to hold an intra-continental live-fly exercise in...
Shrinking SAAF budget puts Denel’s aircraft maintenance and repair facilities in jeopardy
Answering a Parliamentary question regarding Denel aircraft maintenance capabilities, Defence and Military Veterans Minister Angie Motshekga acknowledged the State-owned defence and technology conglomerate faced...
BMA issues tender for UAV procurement
The Border Management Authority (BMA) of South Africa has announced plans to enhance its operational capacity by acquiring advanced Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for...
Turkey building rocket launch facility in Somalia
Turkey started building a rocket launch facility in Somalia on 20 December 2024, following an
announcement made a few month ago. Somalia president Hassan Sheikh...
African military orders airborne missile protection system from BIRD Aerosystems
An undisclosed African Ministry of Defence has ordered BIRD Aerosystems Airborne Missile Protection Systems (AMPS) for its Mi-17 and Mi-24 helicopter fleet in what...
Egypt shopping for Hellfire missiles and guided rockets
Egypt is looking to acquire Hellfire missiles and 70 mm guided rockets worth nearly $700 million.
On 20 December the US State Department approved possible...
SA military aviation anniversaries to be marked in January
South Africa’s military aviation fraternity, from those currently in the SA Air Force (SAAF) to those who previously wore the blue uniform, is gearing...
