By Garth Calitz In less than a week, the skies over Pretoria will once again become considerably busier as aircraft, defence systems, aerospace companies and thousands of aviation enthusiasts converge on Air Force Base Waterkloof for Africa Aerospace and Defence 2026. The 13th edition of AAD runs from 16 to 20 September, with three days dedicated to the trade exhibition before the gates open to the general public for the two-day air show on 19 and 20 September. For five days,

Saab’s latest Gripen has finally done what aircraft are generally expected to do: it left the ground. But while the first flight of a new aircraft is hardly an unusual event in the aviation world, the first flight of the Gripen F represents a significant milestone in one of the more ambitious international fighter-development partnerships of recent years. The two-seat Gripen F, developed by Saab in close cooperation with Brazilian industry, completed its maiden flight on 28 A

India’s AMCA programme has entered a significantly more serious phase during 2026. What was once largely a long-term design exercise is now becoming an industrial programme, with the Indian Ministry of Defence inviting bids for the development and manufacture of five flying prototypes and a structural test specimen. The development programme carries an approved investment envelope of approximately ₹15,000 crore, making AMCA one of India’s most ambitious indigenous aerospace p

The idea of an artificial intelligence system controlling a fighter aircraft in combat once belonged firmly in the realm of science fiction. Today, it is becoming an increasingly practical engineering challenge, and one that the aerospace and defence industry is tackling at remarkable speed. In the latest demonstration, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works®, working with the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School (TPS) and industry partners, has taken another significant step towards autono

By Abri Kriegler I've now been to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh four times, and somewhere around visit three, something shifted. It stopped being an event I was discovering and started being one I was navigating. That sounds like a small difference. It isn't. The first time you go to Oshkosh, everything is a surprise. You don't know that the crowd by the flightline starts building an hour before anything actually happens. You don't know that Boeing Plaza has a rhythm to it, a schedu

Swedish aerospace and defence company Saab has signed a contract with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) for the acquisition of 16 Gripen E multirole fighter aircraft that will be provided to Ukraine as part of Sweden's long-term military assistance programme. The contract is valued at approximately $2.55 billion and will be recorded in Saab's order book during the third quarter of 2026. Deliveries to FMV are scheduled for 2029 and 2030. In addition to the airc

The Royal Air Force (RAF) has introduced a new low-cost counter-drone capability for its Typhoon fighter aircraft, providing an affordable and effective option for engaging unmanned aerial threats during ongoing operations in the Middle East. The capability centres on the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), a laser-guided rocket system that converts standard unguided rockets into precision-guided munitions. Originally developed to provide a cost-effective strike op

At the 2026 ILA Berlin Air Show, Boeing announced the expansion of its German industry team supporting the MQ-28 Ghost Bat collaborative combat aircraft programme. The move strengthens Boeing’s efforts to tailor the Australian-developed autonomous aircraft to the requirements of the German Air Force (Luftwaffe). Joining the programme are German defence and technology companies Diehl Defence and Rohde & Schwarz, which will work alongside strategic partner Rheinmetall. Rheinmet

By Garth Calitz Photos By Garth Calitz and Trevor Cohen Thousands of aviation enthusiasts braved the cold at Air Force Base Swartkop on Saturday, 6 June, for the annual South African Air Force (SAAF) Museum Airshow. Reports from the SA Weather Service confirmed that Friday night was the coldest night in 2026, but the subzero temperatures did not deter the 11000-odd aviation enthusiasts that qued at the gates from as early as 6 am. They were rewarded with several visiting airc

Saab has officially rolled out the first Gripen F two-seat fighter aircraft destined for the Brazilian Air Force, marking a significant milestone in the long-standing partnership between Sweden and Brazil. The aircraft was presented during a ceremony held on 2 June at Saab's production facilities in Linköping, Sweden. The Gripen F is the two-seat variant of the latest-generation Gripen E fighter and has been specifically developed to meet the evolving training and operational