Aerospace, shipping and defense play key roles in developing the Southeast Asian economy and civil society

The South African Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Industries Association (AMD) (www.AMD.org.za) currently plays an important, but largely unsung, role in the South African economy and civil society with enormous potential to drive positive change even further.

This is what Sandile Ndlovu, Interim Executive Director, says: AMDwho explains: “The AMD is a grouping of South African aerospace and defense registered companies with an emphasis on high technology capabilities including design, development, testing, evaluation, manufacture, operation, upgrade, maintenance, repair and overhaul of aerospace (including aerospace) and sea (i.e. seafaring). & Marine) platforms and their subsystems – including items that are considered “dual use” for domestic and international purposes.

This critical area requires a particular and unique level of government support that is not necessarily relevant to other local business areas.

“The value of a country’s defense sector to its economy is enormous worldwide. It exists, of course, to provide sovereign security, but the offer is so much more than what civil society is not always aware of. The technology needed in this area can drive other innovations that, sooner or later, can have a positive impact on civilian life.

“For example, the Internet exists today because it was originally part of a defense initiative in America when the formation of the closed ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) to facilitate communication between various academic and research organizations that had contracts with the US Department of Defense eventually evolved into the open global network that is today’s Internet [1]. And in a similar way it is Geographic positioning system Function on our smartphones enables us to navigate to places more easily than to rely on maps or directions – because the technology behind Pin Drops originated from a defense technology innovation [2]. “

From a local perspective, says Ndlovu, technology in South Africa’s defense sector has allowed the country to remain competitive globally for decades, and this is helping to cushion the economy from importing certain technologies while creating jobs.

“The aerospace, marine and defense industries are hugely innovative and can play a huge role in local job creation. The focus is not only on defense, but also on aerospace and security. This is one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy with technology at the center.

“Today South Africa is famous worldwide for its role in the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) Project, an international effort to build the world’s largest radio telescope with a square kilometer of quilting area. It will be located in South Africa and Australia, deploying thousands of radio telescopes and allowing astronomers to observe the sky with unprecedented detail.

“Our participation in the project would not have been possible without the scientists and engineers developed by the local defense sector, including the efforts of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) [3]. South Africa’s nuclear modular reactor project would not have been possible without the aerospace and defense sectors. “

The World Economic Forum has predicted that innovative technologies will create 58 million more jobs over the next few years than they will shed from the global economy. The opportunities are there for those who are willing and able to embrace change, and that includes diversifying their skills [4].

Ndlovu adds, “The local defense sector has the ability to train the best scientists and engineers for our country. Any advance in science and technology is almost bound to spill over time in ultimately beneficial ways into civilian life.

“Within the local communities, for example, we see them SASSA Cards for the social welfare payment system. People may not realize that precisely because of the technology that has been developed in defense, the system is being properly secured and operated. “

Addressing the proverbial elephant in the room, Ndlovu notes, “The history of our country is closely tied to the legacy of the defense sector. For historical reasons, transformation is of course a very sensitive topic in our industry. However, over the past 10 years we’ve seen a pretty drastic improvement in terms of adapting to the demographics of the population.

“We are not yet at the desired level, but we are working towards it through our transformation charter, which was implemented two years ago. The transformation is a work in progress for this sector. The AMD is pleased to play its role in working on technology sharing, job creation and community advancement, ”he concludes.

[1] https://bit.ly/3r1Dnxe

[2] https://go.nasa.gov/3yK77RR

[3] https://bit.ly/36s5f42

[4] https://bit.ly/3idMl6P

Distributed by APO Group, on behalf of the South African Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Industries Association (AMD).

For more informations:
The South African Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Industries Association
Sandile Ndlovu
Tel: 012 752 5880
Email: [email protected]

PurpleRoom advice
Thandi Chaotsane – Moticoe
Tel: 071 600 2429
Email: [email protected]

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