South African defence company Milkor Group and France’s Safran Electronics & Defense have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the integration of Safran’s airborne optronics, position-navigation-timing (PNT) systems and related technologies onto the Milkor 380 medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle and future platforms, including the larger Milkor 780.
The agreement was formalised this week in Pretoria during the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2026 exhibition. Alexandre Ziegler, Director of the Defence Division at Safran Electronics & Defense, and Julian Coetzee, CEO of Milkor, signed on behalf of their respective companies. In a statement accompanying the signing, Ziegler noted that the partnership will enable Safran’s optronic and navigation systems to be integrated into drones exported by Milkor worldwide, highlighting collaboration with “this very dynamic and innovative group in the rapidly growing tactical drone market.”
Under the MoU, the parties will work in good faith to define potential workshare arrangements and explore mutually beneficial opportunities of cooperation associated with integrating Safran’s equipment on the Milkor 380 and future platforms. The companies may also pursue joint marketing, promotional and communication activities including participation in trade shows. The MoU is intended primarily to facilitate discussions and express the parties’ current business intentions.
The collaboration builds on clearly complementary strengths. Safran Electronics & Defense brings established expertise in airborne optronics, resilient PNT solutions (including inertial and GNSS technologies) and guided weapons. Milkor contributes proven capabilities in the design, development and manufacture of unmanned aerial systems. The Milkor 380, Africa’s largest indigenously developed MALE UAV, offers endurance of up to 30–35 hours, a range exceeding 4,000 km and a payload capacity of around 220 kg. It is already in production, has secured export interest and continues to attract attention for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and strike missions. The larger Milkor 780 remains under development and is expected to expand the family’s operational envelope further.
This latest partnership continues Milkor’s pattern of international collaborations aimed at enhancing the sensor and mission-system suites available on its UAV platforms for global customers, particularly in Africa, the Middle East, Europe and other export markets. For Safran, it expands the reach of its defence electronics portfolio into the fast-growing unmanned systems sector and underscores the growing role of cross-border technology partnerships in delivering integrated, export-ready solutions, the companies said.
As the Diamond Sponsor of AAD 2026, Milkor has a sizeable presence at Air Force Base Waterkloof this week. Taking pride of place on its stand is its flagship Milkor 380 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) – with an 18.6 metre wingspan, it is the largest such aircraft built in Africa. At this year’s edition of AAD it is fitted with two Sean Venom/ANL anti-ship missiles manufactured by MBDA. Weighing 120 kg, and delivering a 30 kg semi-armour piercing warhead, the Sea Venom is able to strike targets at ranges out to 30 km using infrared guidance.
Daniel du Plessis, Vice President: Africa at Milkor, told DefenceWeb that the addition of the Sea Venom onto the Milkor 380 is part of the company’s focus on products and systems adapted to the latest market requirements. This includes air-launched weapons, counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (C-UAV) systems, one-way attack drones and stand-off capabilities, amongst others.
The Milkor 380 at AAD 2026 is also fitted with a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) pod, Hensoldt Argos 15 gimbal, FZ rocket launchers, larger satellite communications antenna and other refinements of the production model. The aircraft is being manufactured at Milkor’s Cape Town facilities, where production is being ramped up to meet demand.
Another notable product on the Milkor stand is the Bushcat 4×4 armoured vehicle, which has been selected by Armscor as the South African Army’s new border patrol vehicle. It recently completed trials across South Africa. The South African National Defence Force hopes to acquire 462 vehicles over three years, in Section, Command and Ambulance variants. The Bushcat variant for the SA Army is not required to have landmine protection (no V-hull) so is built on a body on chassis basis that saves weight and speeds up production. A commercial driveline further eases the production process.
Other highlights from Milkor include new additions to the company’s landward and naval portfolio, such as the integration of Dynateq International’s Super Land Rogue 30 mm remotely operated weapon station on Milkor’s Vanguard armoured vehicle.
Milkor’s naval range is growing rapidly, and now encompasses the new 30 metre Interceptor patrol boat, complementing the smaller Inshore Patrol Craft. Additionally, Milkor is expanding its naval offerings with systems such as the Arsenal, Commander, and Ripper, all of which are sub-35-metre vessels aimed at bringing speed and awareness to inshore naval operations.
Meanwhile, on the aerial side, Milkor continues development of its Milkor 780 high altitude, long endurance UAV, which will have a 24 metre wingspan. It is expected to carry 2 700 kilograms of payload on nine hardpoints and have a flight time of 30–40 hours, giving a maximum range of 9 300 km (line-of-sight communications range will be 250 km).
In comparison, the Milkor 380 has an endurance of up to 30 hours and range in excess of 4 000 km. Maximum take-off weight is 1 500 kg and payload capacity up to 220 kg, including a variety of mission-specific equipment, including electro-optical/infrared sensors, synthetic aperture radar, and precision-guided munitions.
