Defence-related industries, especially those based in Africa, had to find innovative and cost-effective military equipment solutions to meet the security needs of the continent, Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota said at the opening of the Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition in Pretoria yesterday.

Lekota said in the period since the cold war, governments everywhere had been cutting back on military spending in an attempt to boost financing for socioeconomic problems and improvement of the lives of the people.

However, he said the industry and defence forces should not seek solutions that were either shoddy and inferior, or that could lead to irreversible environmental damage.

The show, at the Waterkloof Air Force Base, emphasised the overlap between civil and defence applications of aviation and aerospace technology, Lekota said.

"Alongside the missiles, jet fighters, bombers etc, we have on display search and rescue equipment, equipment for medical application, technologies designed especially for ejector seats, protective clothing, electronics and communications," he said.

Lekota said it was encouraging to note how much bigger the show was this year compared with previous years.

"We have twice the number of delegations than we had two years ago, bigger floor space and an additional day where the public will have the opportunity to come to the show."

The exhibition provides defence-related industries and the international civil aviation industry with an ideal opportunity to demonstrate the latest products and technology to visitors and delegations from around the world.

Ageing fleets were increasingly becoming a priority in Africa and the exhibition would be used by some African delegations to source new aircraft.

The exhibition is a partnership initiative between the Aerospace Maritime and Defence Industries Association, the Armaments Corporation of SA, the Commercial Aviation Association of Southern Africa and the SA Air Force.

With acknowledgements to Ernest Mabuza and Business Day.