South Africa’s Paramount defence group is ready to put country’s first home-grown aircraft since the 1980’s into service.
South Africa’s first aircraft since the Apartheid era, the AHRLAC is back in production and poised for deliveries, and is marketed as an adaptable reconnaissance and security platform for budget-conscious customers.
Production of AHRLAC (Advanced High Performance Reconnaisance Light Aircraft) aircraft at the factory at Wonderboom airport is proceeding apace as Paramount nears completion of the programme’s business rescue plans.
The state-of-the-art factory at Wonderboom has been operational for several months under Paramount’s stewardship, with manufacturing being ramped up to ensure the timeous delivery of aircraft to customers around the world, Paramount said on 18 August that approximately 85% of the original staff of the Aerospace Development Corporation (ADC) have been retained.
The AHRLAC was conceived by Aerosud and developed with Paramount funding of approximately ZAR 1 billion (USD 57 million) through the joint venture Aerospace Development Corporation.
A dispute between Paramount and the Aerospace Development Corporation saw the programme enter business rescue in February 2019.
In October 2019 a business rescue plan for the AHRLAC was adopted, which led to the reopening of the factory and production resuming, under the stewardship of Paramount Aerospace Industries, part of the Paramount Aerospace and Technology Group.
Under the October 2019 plan, Paramount Aerospace Industries acquired the businesses of ADC and its subsidiaries.
Paramount said the AHRLAC addresses a key global security requirement by performing missions that previously required several different aircraft.
The AHRLAC integrates designs from helicopters, surveillance platforms and reconnaissance aircraft, with the ability to carry multiple systems, such as surveillance radar and electronic systems. A modular mission pod underneath the aircraft can be quickly and easily changed according to the mission, setting the AHRLAC apart from competitors. Robust landing gear ensures operations from rough terrain.
Paramount said that in keeping with its portable production model, the aircraft could, depending on customer requirements, also be exported in kit format for final assembly in customer countries.
