The South African aerospace industry is bringing in billions of rands of foreign work. Companies such as Aerosud, Denel, Saab and Aerospace Monitoring Systems, are getting orders to design and manufacture hi-tech parts for civilian and military aircraft from Airbus, BAE Systems and Boeing. The growth is linked to the government’s decision to acquire eight A400M military transport aircraft from Airbus, in which it is a risk-sharing partner, with Denel and Aerosud as the main local industry participants. Work is also coming in for civilian Airbus products like the A320 and the A380.
Aerosud has several existing production contracts with Boeing, and has secured contracts from Airbus, BAE Systems, Augusta-Westlands and about a dozen airlines. Besides providing an infrared suppressor for the Westland Lynx helicopter, which has positioned Aerosud for possible participation in the UK Battlefield Helicopter programme, the company was negotiating for work on the Eurofighter-Typhoon combat aircraft. Aerosud’s work includes the supply of parts for the Hawk fighter trainer; interior and airframe parts for almost the entire range of Boeing commercial airliners; various components on the Airbus A400M; wing components, avionics racks and galleys for the Airbus A320 family, and titanium waste system pipes for the A380.
Denel has secured wide-ranging work in the military field, the most recent being in a risk-sharing partnership as a sole supplier to design and build A400M wing-fuselage fairings and the upper fuselage crown. Other contracts are for BAE Systems for extensive work on the Hawk, Gripen and Eurofighter-Typhoon. It is also negotiating to secure design work and manufacturing on other Airbus commercial aircraft.
AMS supplies monitoring systems for the Hawk programme in Australia, NATO in Canada and Harriers in the UK, as well as flight, cockpit and engine recorders. It has contracts from India to supply crash recorders for its Sukhoi fighter fleet and Sweden for its Augusta helicopter fleet.
Saab-Grinteck supplies communications, surveillance, electronic counter-measures and self-protection systems for aircraft, naval vessels and military vehicles.
The government is planning a multimillion-rand aerospace supply park near Pretoria with two others under consideration. The R130-million aerospace village cluster will bring various ancillary companies together, that supply companies such as Denel, Aerosud and Saab. The other parks under discussion are near Stellenbosch and in the Wonderboom area.
