Pretoria - The Africa Aerospace and Defence 2022 exhibition and air show drew thousands of families, friends and colleagues to Air Force Base Waterkloof over the weekend for the internationally renowned event for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
The streets and the base were jam-packed with cars and people, and buses were used to ferry people who parked too far from the gates, while snake-like queues stretched even further away from the entrances as thousands of people waited to make their way inside.
With the loud noise produced by the jets, helicopters and canon blasts shaking the ground, people said they would not have missed it for anything.
It was a family event which saw a lot of children walk up and down and into the aircraft and stands, as families took pictures of defence force vehicles, boats, trucks and aircraft.
Others relaxed on camp chairs and shared meals and drinks, and all said they were happy that the City of Tshwane had resumed its role as the host city for the event after the 2020 instalment could not take place.
The overhead aircraft on both days also provided a feast for the eyes, as planes flipped and exhibited formations for the crowds below who screamed and clapped for every demonstration. There were a staged mini war, top tier VIP protection and security, and a demonstration of an airborne fuel refuelling process.
All this while exhibitors from across the world took their time to take visitors through defence equipment and new technology, which were set up for business deals that took place during the business days of Tuesday and Friday last week.
Organisers said the event, held every other year and in its 16th year now, was a major boost to Africa’s indigenous aerospace industry.
Paramount Aerospace Industries, a subsidiary of the global aerospace and technology company Paramount Group, announced that it had secured customers and orders from multiple air forces for its revolutionary “Mwari”, the advanced reconnaissance, surveillance and precision strike aircraft.
Mwari addresses a key global security requirement from air forces around the world of any size for advanced reconnaissance and precision strike capabilities. In doing so, it performs missions that previously required several aircraft.
It integrates design concepts from helicopters, surveillance platforms and reconnaissance aircraft with the ability to carry multiple systems, such as surveillance radar and electro optic sensor systems.
Paramount Group founder Ivor Ichikowitz said: “Mwari is a game changer for air forces. It’s purposefully designed for the kind of asymmetrical warfare that modern military forces across the world are today being asked to conduct. The aircraft has a critical role to play in the connected battlefield, providing forces on the ground and in the air with a force multiplier competitive advantage.”
Tony Johnson and Johan Swanepoel were among the visitors to the event, and they said they were happy as they had also seen a lot of new technology that could be purchased by defence forces and governments to defend countries without a need to risk lives by sending humans to fight every battle.
Sisters Nkele and Teboho Manamela loudly ululated as jets performed stunts. They had come with their families and sat on camp chairs around a cooler box where they had fun that only stopped when a new demonstration was about to start.
Teboho Manamela said: “We are happy people, man. We love being joyful and enjoying our time with our brothers and all our children. We were just having the time of our lives. We are Centurion residents, so we feel at home when we are here. This event is basically taking place in our backyard.”
Pretoria News