AAD 2026 Dates — Sep 16-20 Centurion South Africa | Aerospace Defence Stand

AAD 2026 (Africa Aerospace & Defence) takes place 16-20 September 2026 at AFB Waterkloof, Centurion (Pretoria), South Africa. Organised jointly by the South African Department of Defence, Armscor (Armaments Corporation of South Africa) and AMD (Aerospace, Maritime and Defence Industries Association of South Africa), AAD is Africa's largest aerospace and defence exhibition — the 2022 edition registered 350+ exhibitors from 30 countries, 25,000+ trade visitors and 65,000+ public attendance across the two flying-display days.

## Why Exhibit at AAD 2026?

South Africa's defence budget for FY 2024-25 is approximately ZAR 102 billion (USD 5.4 billion). While modest by global standards, South Africa is the gateway market for sub-Saharan defence procurement — Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique defence delegations consistently attend AAD as the de-facto African procurement event. The African Union Peace and Security Council also uses AAD for coordinated continental defence dialogues.

Specific buyer categories present: - South African National Defence Force (SANDF) — Army, Air Force (SAAF), Navy - Armscor — South African defence procurement authority - Department of Defence procurement secretariat - African Union defence ministers and senior officers - 25+ African nation defence delegations - US AFRICOM visiting delegations - European defence attachés (France, Germany, UK) - Major South African primes: Denel (rotary aircraft, artillery, missiles), Paramount Group (Mbombe, Mwari aircraft), Saab Aerostructures SA, ATE, Reutech Radar - South African defence SMEs increasingly seeking ITAR-free alternatives + AGOA-eligible suppliers

Africa's defence procurement is shifting toward Turkish, Korean and UAE-origin systems as alternatives to traditional French, US and Russian suppliers — making AAD strategically important for Turkish defence exporters specifically.

## Exhibition Stand Solutions for AAD 2026

Evreka Stand provides turnkey exhibition stand solutions for AAD exhibitors. Three typical engagement formats:

• •Foreign OEM / Tier-1 supplier custom stand — 100-300 m², integrated product mock-ups, African delegation hosting zone, separate procurement-officer meeting cabins. Typical budget €45,000-€130,000.
• •SME / Tier-2 supplier modular stand — 18-50 m², Maxima modular + meeting cabin + product showcase. Typical budget €12,000-€32,000.
• •National pavilion / trade-promotion body — 100-400 m² coordinated multi-company pavilion. Relevant for Turkish defence (SSB-aligned), Korean (DAPA-aligned), European and Indo-Pacific export groups targeting sub-Saharan Africa.

## International Exhibitor Logistics — Istanbul to Pretoria

Sealed-container sea freight Istanbul → Durban Port (18-22 days) + truck to Pretoria (8-hour drive) is the standard path; air freight via OR Tambo International (JNB) is the fallback (5-7 days). South African Revenue Service (SARS) accepts ATA Carnet for temporary import. Visa: Turkish business passport holders require a visitor visa from the South African consulate — typical processing 2-3 weeks.

OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) is 60 km from AFB Waterkloof; Lanseria Airport (HLA) is closer at 45 km but with limited international flights.

## Venue and Floor Plan at AFB Waterkloof

AAD uses an active South African Air Force base as venue, with temporary indoor exhibition halls erected on the apron alongside the static-aircraft display ramp. The format is unique among defence shows: visitors transit secure perimeter checkpoints, then encounter halls + outdoor static + active runway for flying demonstrations within metres of each other.

Hall allocation by category: - Indoor halls (3 main) — Avionics, weapons, simulation, C4I, training, electronic warfare - Static aircraft ramp — Gripen (SAAF), Hawk, Rooivalk, Oryx, Casa C-295, Saab 340 - Outdoor land display — Mbombe APC, Casspir family, artillery - Active runway display — Rooivalk attack helicopter demos, Gripen aerobatics, Black Eagles (visiting)

Booth allocation typically closes 4-5 months before the show — by April-May 2026 for the September 2026 edition.

## Past Editions — Reference Data

• •AAD 2022 (21-25 September 2022) — 350+ exhibitors, 30 countries, 25,000 trade visitors, 65,000 public attendance
• •AAD 2018 (19-23 September 2018) — 400+ exhibitors, 25 countries, 60,000+ total attendance
• •AAD 2016 (14-18 September 2016) — 380+ exhibitors

## Booking Timeline

For a turnkey custom stand to open Day 1 of AAD 2026 (16 September 2026):

• •April-May 2026 — Booth allocation confirmed with AMD/Armscor
• •May-June 2026 — Design brief + 3D concept + revisions (4-5 weeks)
• •June-July 2026 — Production at Istanbul facility (5-6 weeks)
• •Early August 2026 — Sea freight to Durban Port (18-22 days transit + 7-day customs buffer)
• •Late August-Early September 2026 — Truck to Pretoria + on-site assembly + AFB Waterkloof security clearance
• •16 September 2026 — Show opens

## Frequently Asked Questions

When and where is AAD 2026? 16-20 September 2026 at AFB Waterkloof, Centurion (Pretoria), South Africa. Biennial event.

How large is AAD? 2022 edition: 350+ exhibitors from 30 countries, 25,000+ trade visitors, 65,000+ public attendance across two flying-display days.

Is South Africa a viable defence export market? Yes for both the SANDF directly and the broader sub-Saharan procurement market — Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Botswana, Namibia delegations consistently use AAD as their procurement evaluation event. ZAR 102B / USD 5.4B SA defence budget plus continental purchasing.

What is the typical AAD booth size and cost? SME / Tier-2: 18-50 m² modular (€12-32K). Tier-1 OEM: 100-300 m² (€45-130K). National pavilion: 100-400 m².

Can Evreka Stand build a stand for AAD 2026? Yes — turnkey design, build and on-site Pretoria installation. Contact Evreka Stand for a written budget within 24 hours.