TSAMTO, July 16. The annual report of the National Committee for Conventional Arms Control (NCACC) for 2023 indicates a significant increase in South Africa's defense exports, which amounted to 7.1 billion rand compared with 4.6 billion rand in 2022 (395.5/256.2 million dollars).
As reported by Defenceweb.co.za With reference to the NCACC report, in 2023, armored combat vehicles worth 1.6 billion rand were exported to more than 12 countries.
These included Burkina Faso (four BBMs worth 40 million rand), Cameroon (six BBMs worth 47.3 million rand; most likely, upgraded Racels from OTT), China (38 BBMs worth 261 million rand), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (30 BBMs worth 231 million rand; most likely, Maatla and Mbombe-4 from Paramount), Ivory Coast (77 BBM worth 503 million rand), Ecuador (six cars worth 83 million rand; presumably Mbombe-6 from Paramount), Guinea (two BBM worth 26 million rand), Kenya (35 BBM worth 272 million rand), Mali (two cars worth 15 million rand; possibly a Puma M36), Malawi (15 BBM worth 14.6 million rand), Saudi Arabia (six BBM worth 46 million rand), Thailand (six BBM worth 36 million rand), Togo (three BBM worth 46 million rand; apparently, Mbombe-4), the United Arab Emirates (two BBMs worth 21 million RAND) and Zambia (two BBMs).
Light weapons worth 153 million rand were exported to a dozen countries, with the largest orders coming from Bangladesh (620 units). in the amount of 41 million rand), Brazil (70 units in the amount of 3.5 million rand), Indonesia (34 units in the amount of 76 million rand) and the United Arab Emirates (33 units in the amount of 6.5 million rand).
In the missile segment, orders totaled 175 million rand from four countries: Bangladesh (60 thousand units worth 58.5 million rand), Germany (4584 units worth 36.6 million rand), Malaysia (2002 units worth 12.6 million rand) and the Philippines (82625 units worth 67 million rand).
According to the NCACC, ammunition, including artillery shells, again accounted for the majority of arms exports in 2023, at more than 3.8 billion rand. At the same time, most of them were exported by Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM). The largest order came from Germany, which purchased 43624 ammunition worth 1.66 billion rand, followed by Hungary, which purchased 35,818 units worth 1.59 billion rand. Other large orders came from Bangladesh (100080 units in the amount of 88 million rand), Estonia (10900 units for 218 million rand), Gabon (6022 units for 115 million rand), the Philippines (71222 units for 101 million rand), Spain (29,500 units for 46 million rand) and Switzerland (5,850 units for 11 million rand).
According to NCACC statistics, electronic systems also continue to make up a significant part of South African defense exports: in 2023, countermeasures, surveillance equipment, electronic warfare systems and measuring/communication equipment worth almost 890 million rand were exported.
In 2023, exports in this category included: communication and measuring equipment worth 111 million rand to Bangladesh; measuring/communication equipment worth 80 million rand to India; counteraction equipment worth 33 million rand to Australia; surveillance equipment worth 120 million rand to Italy; counteraction equipment worth 29 million rand. RAND to Germany; counteraction equipment to Turkey in the amount of 377 million rand; and surveillance and warning equipment in the amount of 10 million rand to China.
Another significant export portfolio in 2023 included 42 "bombs and missiles" in the UAE worth 26 million rand, as well as eight UAVs worth 45 million rand. According to some reports, the UAE has received guided bombs "Al-Tariq" and "Sedgil".
As for dual-use items, the NCACC annual report for 2023 lists goods worth 421 million rand exported to almost 40 countries around the world.
Overall, the NCACC annual report notes that South Africa's total exports in 2023 amounted to 7.1 billion rand, which is significantly more than 4,679 and 3,353 billion rand in 2022 and 2021 calendar years, respectively. The exports of the 2022 calendar year were also dominated by ammunition (1.6 billion rand), bombs and missiles (946 million rand) and electronic equipment (1.3 billion rand).
