ADF

As technology plays a larger and larger role in special operations forces (SOF) missions, leaders still believe that it is humans, not hardware, that make the difference.  Highly trained operators use their courage, ethics and adaptability to make split-second decisions on the battlefield. Amid upheaval brought on by tools like artificial intelligence (AI), African security professionals stress the importance of keeping “human capital” at the center of SOF planning.  “The determining factor in SOF is the personnel, the human being,” said Maj. Gen. Mohamed Ali Barise of the Somali National Army during the 2025 Silent Warrior conference in Nairobi. “The…

The Angolan Air Force has taken delivery of three C295 maritime surveillance aircraft from Airbus to be used for search and rescue, maritime traffic control, and other duties. Angolan officials say the planes also will be equipped and used to gather intelligence and monitor illegal fishing. The Air Force ordered the three planes in 2018 at a cost of $188 million, according to defenceWeb. One reportedly was built in a transport configuration, and the other two were configured for maritime surveillance. The surveillance aircraft have tactical avionic systems that include search radar, electro-optical sensors and anomaly detectors. Weapons can include…

An Egyptian subsidiary has begun production of 10 high-tech patrol vessels for the Egyptian Navy to be used for surveillance and defense. NVL Egypt, a subsidiary of German company Naval Vessels Lürssen, is building 10 PV43-M patrol vessels for the Navy. NVL Egypt was founded in 2022. The company said production began in late 2025, after it was selected as the main contractor two years earlier.  The PV43 is a 43-meter-long offshore patrol vessel designed for maritime surveillance, emergency response and asset protection. It can be configured with large guns and anti-ship missiles, according to defenceWeb. “This program represents a…

Nigeria is working to acquire 24 M-346FA fighter jets and 10 AW-109 helicopters from Italy, a landmark deal that signals a major upgrade of its airpower. The $1.4 billion deal with defense company Leonardo includes training, spare parts and support services to maintain the fleet. At the beginning of 2026, six of the M-346FAs were in advanced stages of production, with three still under flight tests, Business Insider Africa reported. Italian sources said that once completed, Nigeria’s deal will be the largest military procurement investment by a West African nation, The Defense Post website reported.  Nigeria decided to adopt Italian…

The United States has announced a new initiative to work with African countries to strengthen space capabilities, improve access to technology and promote development.  The first U.S.-Africa Technical and Regulatory Space Training Meeting took place in December 2025. Several additional meetings took place in the run-up to the NewSpace Africa Conference in April 2026 in Libreville, Gabon.  Ambassador Jonathan Pratt, then with the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, said the program aims to support African nations in creating and funding independent domestic programs that connect with other space programs around the world. It will help nations navigate the…

The South African Border Management Authority (BMA) has partnered with high-tech defense companies to boost security at two of the country’s busiest border crossings.  The companies deployed an integrated suite of surveillance, mobility and protective technologies at the Beitbridge, Zimbabwe, and Lebombo, Mozambique, border crossings during the holiday travel season that began in December 2025. The public-private partnership was a pilot project to demonstrate what is possible when the government works with the defense and technology sectors. “This collaboration represents a growing model of South African-global technology partnership,” the companies said, as reported by defenceWeb. “These capabilities will strengthen real-time…

As cybercriminals target African businesses and government institutions, the CyberSafe Foundation is set to launch Resilio Africa, a three-year project designed to reduce the risk of cyberattacks in communities. The project, supported by Google, aims to make communities and local institutions stronger and safer in the digital space. Resilio Africa will help 200 critical community institutions (CCIs) by giving them free technical tools, cybersecurity assessments, threat intelligence and incident-response support. The program is expected to protect more than 2 million people and secure more than 15 million public records in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. It is one of the…

The Nigerian Army is launching an ambitious plan to overhaul its training and its operational and administrative frameworks. The plan was announced by Lt. Gen. W. Shaibu, chief of Army staff, during his annual conference in Lagos in December 2025. It is meant to improve professionalism, combat readiness and adaptability.  Shaibu said training must be mission-oriented and produce operational effectiveness and battlefield success. The reforms will include a comprehensive review of curricula across all Nigerian Army training institutions. “You play a critical role in shaping the competence, mindset and resilience of our officers and Soldiers,” Shaibu told attendees at Division…

When flash floods and landslides struck western Kenya, Kenya Defence Forces personnel were part of a multiagency team conducting search and rescue operations. The November 2025 operation in Chesongoch focused on rescuing survivors, recovering the bodies of victims and offering emergency medical assistance. Rain on November 1 left the region inaccessible by road. Mudslides destroyed an estimated 1,000 homes and killed more than 30 people. First responders included the Kenya Air Force’s Rapid Response Unit teams, the Kenya Red Cross, Eldoret Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital staff, the National Police Service, and local volunteers. During the first two days of…

In a first-of-its-kind event, the Senegalese Armed Forces held a competition for 20 ground force units in eight physical challenges. The Guelwaar Challenge included competitions in endurance running, an obstacle course, tactical shooting, combat first aid, orienteering, tactics and swimming.  Organizers created the event, whose Wolof name translates to “the noble one,” to raise standards of excellence and physical fitness among the rank and file. “Sport occupies a key place in the armed forces in general and in the Army in particular in the operational preparation of units,” Gen. Simon Ndour, chief of Army staff, said during the opening ceremonies…