Denel establishes new maritime division

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Aerospace and defence group Denel has launched its new Denel Integrated Systems and Maritime division (DISM), which it says will expand the range of products and services offered to the South African defence and security sectors and open up new markets for the company.

“The creation of Denel ISM is the next step in the evolution of Denel as a company. We are opening up a new strategic area of business that will ensure Denel’s activities cover the broader spectrum of defence and security markets and enable us to meet the needs of our primary client, the SA National Defence Force, more effectively,” said Denel Group CEO, Riaz Saloojee.

Saloojee said the creation of the maritime division will enable Denel to meet the recommendations of the 2014 Defence Review, which calls for the company to develop sovereign capabilities in strategic areas such as Command-and-Control and Electronic Warfare.

DISM will also develop local South African capacity through research and investment in Maritime Systems, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Cyber Warfare and Security, Integrated Defence and Security Systems and Civil Security.

The CEO of Denel Aerostructures, Ismail Dockrat has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of Denel ISM. In the past he has been responsible for the successful turnaround of both Denel’s Aviation and Aerostructures divisions. Theo Kleynhans, the Deputy CEO of Denel Aerostructures becomes the new CEO of the company.
“It is a natural next step for Denel to establish a presence in the maritime environment. We have been a global name in landward defence for many decades and a leader in the development of long-range artillery and mechanised infantry vehicles,” Saloojee said.
“In the aerospace sector we designed, developed and manufactured the Rooivalk which is broadly-recognised as being best-of-breed among combat helicopters. We will soon launch our new-generation unmanned aerial vehicle, the Seeker 400 while the A-Darter surface-to-air missile is at an advanced stage of development.
“Denel’s biggest strength is to integrate different systems and to provide our client with a complete and comprehensive solution,” said Saloojee. “Modern defence forces require the different branches to interact with each other and utilise systems that can be easily integrated into a single command-and-control network.
“With Denel Integrated Systems and Maritime we now close all the gaps and offer the South African and global security markets a single point of entry into an all-inclusive defence solution.”

Saloojee said the new business opportunities that will emanate from the division will strengthen Denel’s business model, create new job opportunities in the high-technology sector and lead to more investment in research and development.
“This is another important step in our journey to grow from being a good company to becoming a great company,” Saloojee said.