The NewEraOf DefenceAdvantage.

Guided by responsible governance

Dates: 12–14 July 2027

Venue: CSIR International Convention Centre, Pretoria, South Africa

Hosted by

The host nation

South Africa

South Africa is home to one of Africa's most established aerospace, defence, research and advanced technology sectors, with growing capabilities in intelligent and autonomous systems.

In July 2027, South Africa will proudly welcome more than 500 senior delegates from the country's defence forces, government, research and technology sectors, alongside foreign military delegations from across Africa and around the world.

The Summit will take place in Pretoria, South Africa's administrative capital and a key centre for national defence, government and military leadership. The city provides a strategic setting for international engagement, while also giving participants the opportunity to experience its history, culture and character.

Introduction

Intelligent & AutonomousDefence Systems

A global platform for defence knowledge, connections and partnerships.

Intelligent and autonomous technologies are transforming every aspect of defence, from surveillance, intelligence and command systems to unmanned platforms, electronic warfare, cyber defence, logistics and multi-domain operations.

Recent conflicts, military exercises, defence studies and major capability announcements have demonstrated the growing importance of forces that can detect earlier, process information faster, make better decisions and respond with greater speed, precision and coordination.

The Summit has been created as a focused, two-day, closed-door forum built around direct engagement between defence forces, government, research institutions and industry.

The programme will enable knowledge sharing, technology collaboration, strategic partnerships and meaningful one-to-one discussions between senior decision-makers and solution providers.

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IADSS

Global Advisors

Global expertise. Strategic insight. Independent perspective.

Lt Gen AB Shivane, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd)

Former Director General, Mechanised Forces | Former Strike Corps Commander, Indian Army

Defence Strategist, Author & Military Technology Expert | UAS/CUAS Advisor & Future Warfare Analyst

Brigadier General Ahmed Bin Abdullah (Retd)

Former Officer, Saudi Ministry of Defence | Academic Lecturer | Senior Advisor, Gulf Research Center

Political Science, Defence, Security & Strategic Affairs Specialist

Air First Marshal Asst. Prof. Dr. Ir. Arwin Datumaya Wahyudi Sumari, APEC Eng., GCMC

Special Staff to the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Air Force

Director of Cognitive Artificial Intelligence Research Group | Cognitive AI, Military AI, & Cyber Defense Expert

Air Marshal GS Bedi (Retd)

Former Director General (Inspection & Safety), Indian Air Force

Fighter Pilot, Defence Strategist & Author

Zachary Kallenborn

Researcher / Analyst, King’s College London

Future Drone Warfare, Risk & Global Catastrophic Risk Specialist

Brigadier General Olivier Kempf (Retd)

Former Digital Transformation Officer, French Army | Former NATO Strategic Foresight Official

Cyber Defence, Digital Transformation & European Defence Expert

Sandile Ndlovu

Executive Director, AMD | CEO, SAAMDEC | Executive Chairperson of AAD28 Organising Committee

Defence Industrial Strategy & Development, International Defence Cooperation & Strategic Partnerships Expert

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600+High-profile

Summit Participants

A high-level, closed-door gathering of senior defence leadership, government and industry shaping the future of defence.

Express Your Interest

Speaking & Panellist

Sponsoring & Exhibiting

Media Partnership

2030 global market projections

Leading industry reports

Compiled from multiple industry reports. As countries accelerate their shift towards intelligent and autonomous defence capabilities, the wider global opportunity may be significantly greater.

$32.5B

Military robotics

$30.2B

Autonomous weapons systems

$22.8B

Military drones

$19.3B

Artificial intelligence in military systems

Summit strategic

Objectives

Driving intelligent defence for a safer, stronger future

Driving technology partnerships

Facilitating structured interactions that lead to partnerships, joint development and long-term cooperation across defence ecosystems.

Strengthening defence capabilities

Connecting defence forces with advanced technologies to accelerate the adoption of intelligent, autonomous and integrated systems.

Enabling meaningful collaboration

Bringing together defence leadership, industry and experts in a focused environment designed for real engagement and practical outcomes.

Accelerating knowledge exchange

Providing direct access to global expertise, operational insights and emerging technologies shaping modern defence.

Responsible & ethical use of intelligent systems

Ensuring discussions around governance, accountability and the responsible deployment of autonomous and AI-driven defence technologies.

Creating a high-impact environment

A closed-door summit built around relevance, seniority and outcome-driven discussions rather than large-scale participation.

12–14 July 2027 · Pretoria

Provisional Event Agenda

Select a summit day, then explore each scheduled briefing in sequence.

6:00 pm – 9:00 pmPre-Event VIP Cocktail ReceptionAn exclusive evening welcoming senior defence leaders, military delegations, government representatives, international partners, speakers, sponsors and industry leaders ahead of the Summit.Programme briefing

Exhibiting categories across

Key capability areas

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Defence engagements

Our Defence Events and Hosted Military Delegations Worldwide

116 delegations hosted across air, naval and land commands at IADSS events worldwide.

01Algerian Air ForceAir Force

Air Force events & engagements