South African industry will be invited to tender for contracts with the UK Ministry of Defence under a new initiative intended to increase offset business linked with the country's procurement of BAE Systems Hawk 120 trainers and Saab/BAE Gripen multirole fighters.
Announcing the development at last month's Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) exhibition, UK defence procurement minister Lord Bach said the move was aimed at "a challenging programme of investments" contained in South Africa's defence industrial participation (DIP) package. "So far the DIP is beating its milestones, but there's a long way to go and we will have to work hard."
South African companies have been invited to provide business details via the UK's Defence Procurement Agency website, and will be notified of forthcoming defence contract and subcontract opportunities on UK programmes. Business already awarded to South African industry includes the manufacture of head-up displays for the Hawk and Eurofighter Typhoon by Denel.
In a related development, officials from the UK MoD's Disposal Services Agency have held initial discussions with their South African counterparts on the possibility of assisting in the disposal of excess South African defence equipment. Surplus aircraft exhibited at the AAD show included an air force Dassault Mirage F1 fighter and an Alouette light-utility helicopter.
CRAIG HOYLE / LONDON
Source: Flight International
