By Mikateko Mbiza.
Tshwane, South Africa, 18 September 2026: The ability to respond quickly to changing threats is central to Saab Grintek Defence’s showcase at the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) exhibition, taking place at Air Force Base Waterkloof from 16 to 20 September 2026.
The exhibition is the first AAD led by Sara Radu, who was appointed President and Managing Director of Saab Grintek Defence in July 2026. An engineer by training, Radu has approximately 20 years of international experience in manufacturing, supply chain management, risk management and global sales. She previously served as Sweden’s Trade Commissioner and Country Manager for South Africa at Business Sweden.
“Operating environments change quickly as new threats and tactics emerge, and existing technologies are used in different ways,” says Radu. “Defence forces need systems that can be updated and adapted without lengthy development cycles or extended periods out of service. The industry must be able to respond at the same pace.”
At AAD, Saab Grintek Defence is showcasing a selection of air, land and naval capabilities relevant to three areas of growing operational importance, including protecting people and platforms, improving situational awareness, and preparing personnel for more demanding missions.
Responding to changing threats
Aircraft and military vehicles are progressively exposed to threats from different directions and at shorter notice. Effective protection depends on identifying the threat early and deploying the appropriate countermeasure quickly.
Saab Grintek Defence’s air offering includes the Integrated Defence Aids Suite, which combines radar, missile and laser warning with countermeasure management. The system detects and responds to multiple threats, reducing the demands placed on aircrew while they carry out the mission.
The DVM-200 adds a further layer of aircraft protection by directing countermeasures towards approaching threats. Initially adapted for helicopters, it is intended to improve protection against guided and unguided threats, particularly during lower-altitude operations.
For the land domain, Land Electronic Defence Systems provide modular protection for military vehicles and personnel. The systems detect guided threats and can trigger countermeasures automatically or manually, depending on the operational requirement.
“These systems are intended to give crews more time to respond while helping to keep vehicles and aircraft operational,” says Radu. “Protection is not only about the strength of a platform. It also depends on how early a threat is identified and how effectively the system responds.”
Improving situational awareness
The volume of information available to military operators has increased considerably, but it is only useful if it can be interpreted and acted on in time.
Saab’s Naval Laser Warning System alerts naval command teams to laser activity and provides information about the direction and classification of a potential threat. It can operate independently or be integrated with a vessel’s combat management and countermeasure systems.
The company’s SME and UME naval electronic support measures and electronic intelligence systems enable naval forces to detect and analyse signals within the electromagnetic environment. This helps crews build a clearer picture of activity around a vessel, including potential threats that may not be visible through conventional surveillance.
The Gripen E-series applies the same principle in the air. It brings together information from different sensors and shares it across a tactical unit, giving pilots a clearer view of the operating environment. Its avionics architecture is also designed to accommodate capability updates as threats and operational needs change.
“Operators do not necessarily need more information. They need the right information, presented in a way that supports a clear and timely decision,” says Radu. “That is becoming increasingly important in environments where conditions can change within minutes.”
Preparing people for operational conditions
Saab is also showcasing its training and simulation capabilities, which combine live and virtual training environments. These systems allow personnel to rehearse complex scenarios, assess their decisions and prepare for conditions that may be difficult or costly to reproduce through live exercises alone.
Training and simulation can also help defence forces introduce new threats and operating scenarios more quickly, without waiting for them to be encountered during an actual deployment.
“Equipment is only part of operational readiness,” says Radu. “Personnel need regular exposure to realistic and demanding scenarios so that they know how to respond when conditions become more complex.”
Supporting South African defence expertise
Saab Grintek Defence’s AAD presence is also highlighting the role of South African engineering and technical expertise within Saab’s international operations.
The local business develops, integrates and supports electronic warfare and self-protection systems for customers across the air, land and maritime domains. Radu says retaining and developing these specialist skills will be important to the long-term position of South Africa’s defence industry.
“South Africa has an established base of defence engineering expertise. The priority now is to retain these skills, create opportunities for the next generation and ensure that locally developed expertise remains connected to international programmes and markets,” she says.