Gearing up for this year’s Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) exhibition has reached the stage where trade visitor and media accreditation is up and online.
Exhibition organisers expect over 30 000 trade visitors to Air Force Base (AFB) Waterkloof in Centurion over the 18 to 20 September period and have set up an online registration facility at https://aad2024.expowiz.com/ExWeb5/Register/Contacts/TradeVisitor.
Similarly, media planning to attend and report on Africa’s largest aerospace and defence exhibition, including an air show on Saturday and Sunday (21 and 22 September), should use https://aad2024.expowiz.com/ExWeb5/Register/Contacts/Media to register.
With an anticipated attendance of 60 000 spectators, this year’s air show promises thrilling aerobatics and displays by a diverse array of aircraft. Air show tickets will be available for purchase online at Ticket Pro soon.
The organisers are aiming at an exhibitor total in excess of 300, using hangar space as well as outside apron space on the eastern side of the base, home to 21 28, 41 and 44 SA Air Force (SAAF) Squadrons.
New additions to the AAD attractions list this year are general aviation, energy and unmanned hubs catering to specific segments, as well as conferences covering topics such as future warfare, maritime security, and the South African defence industry.
As has become standard operating procedure, AAD 2024 will again have a dedicated mobility track area where the likes of armoured personnel carriers (APCs), infantry combat vehicles well as private sector all-terrain and armoured vehicles will show their mettle.
During a 100-day countdown event in June, AMD (SA Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Industries Association) Chief Executive Sandile Ndlovu billed the September event as the most spectacular in Africa. Improvements include a digital display of relevant technology in place of the formal military parade to officially open AAD.
Echoing these sentiments, the AAD organisers highlight the exhibition as the largest aerospace and defence exhibition and air show on the African continent, “holding a flagship status in South Africa’s, and indeed the continent’s, defence industry calendar.”
