Revolutionary new aircraft set to add millions to South Africa’s growth

A revolutionary new South African-designed and developed aircraft, destined for a significant role in a wide range of civilian and military tasks around the world, was unveiled in Pretoria on September 27th. The Advanced High-Performance Reconnaissance Light Aircraft (AHRLAC) is set to take the aviation market by storm, challenging dominant Western manufacturers with its low acquisition cost, reduced requirement for maintenance support and extensive operational capabilities. AHRLAC is being developed by Paramount, an African private defense and aerospace business and aeronautical engineering and manufacturing experts Aerosud. The two partners conservatively estimate that AHRLAC has the potential to generate annual revenue of up to R4-billion. Manufacture is expected to take place in and around the Centurion Aerospace Village (CAV) the highly successful industry-clustering initiative that continues to grow next to the Waterkloof Air Force Base. The two-crew aircraft can carry out a wide range of operations including surveillance, policing, border/coastal patrol and anti-smuggling; armed patrol and counter insurgency operations; disaster relief and emergency supply to remote areas; and intelligence gathering.