The World Defence Show (WDS) 2026, held from February 8 to 12 in Riyadh, served as a primary venue for Hensoldt South Africa to consolidate its role within the Middle Eastern security landscape. This third iteration of the biennial event recorded 1,486 exhibitors from 89 countries and hosted over 137,000 visitors, signalling the rapid expansion of the Saudi Arabian defence market.
During the five-day exhibition, the Saudi government announced 60 defence contracts totalling approximately 33 billion Saudi Riyals ($8.7 billion). For Hensoldt South Africa, the event provided an essential platform to align its portfolio with the localisation goals of Saudi Vision 2030, an economic framework designed to reduce oil dependence and foster a robust domestic military industry.
Hensoldt South Africa maintains a deep-rooted history in the region, with its GEW business unit delivering electronic warfare (EW) solutions to the Kingdom since 2007. The company operates through Hensoldt Middle East LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary that manages on-the-ground technical support and knowledge transfer. This local entity ensures that the sophisticated systems deployed remain operational in the harsh, arid conditions characteristic of the Arabian Peninsula while building a pipeline of local technical expertise.
“The World Defence Show is more than an exhibition – it is a strategic touchpoint for long-term partnerships,” said Gilbert do Nascimento, Managing Director of the GEW business unit. “Our sustained presence at this show reflects the importance of Saudi Arabia to our business and our commitment to localisation. Through technology transfer, training and in-country support, we are investing in capabilities that will endure well beyond individual programmes.”
A focal point of the exhibition was the Taervus range, the newly branded tactical land electronic warfare systems from the GEW business unit. These systems are engineered to navigate increasingly contested electromagnetic environments, where the density of signals requires advanced processing to maintain situational awareness. The Taervus line represents a decades-long evolution of signals intelligence (SIGINT) and electronic attack capabilities.
The importance of this portfolio was emphasised by a substantial multi-year contract finalised on September 3, 2025, between Hensoldt South Africa and SAMI Advanced Electronics Company. This agreement stands as one of the most expansive undertakings in GEW history. It focuses on integrating advanced communications intelligence (COMINT) tools into the Saudi Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) framework. Beyond the hardware delivery, the partnership includes comprehensive training initiatives to ensure Saudi operators can independently manage these systems. This collaboration follows preliminary discussions regarding defence electronics cooperation initiated in August 2025, reflecting a steady deepening of industrial ties between the two nations.
Next-Generation Airborne and Land Optronics
The World Defence Show also provided a venue to clarify the organisational structure of the group, confirming that the Optronics business remains a core component of the Hensoldt South Africa identity. The business unit displayed its multi-sensor electro-optical systems, specifically the ARGOS-15 and its smaller counterpart, the ARGOS-8.
The ARGOS-15, which debuted globally at the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) Expo in 2024, represents a leap in Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) technology. It utilises multispectral sensors to provide high-definition imagery across varying light levels. A critical feature of the ARGOS-15 is its image fusion capability, which digitally merges data from thermal, daylight, and short-wave infrared (SWIR) sensors into a single, cohesive video stream. This allows operators to see through atmospheric haze, dust, or smoke, which is a frequent requirement for regional border security and counter-terrorism operations. The compact ARGOS-8 offers similar high-fidelity performance for smaller unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and light tactical aircraft, where weight and power consumption are primary constraints.
Integrated Air Defence and Radar Innovation
In the domain of airspace management, Hensoldt South Africa showcased its radar and Identification Friend-or-Foe (IFF) solutions. The Quadome Land, a mobile 3D air-defence and surveillance radar, was a centrepiece of this display. Quadome is designed for rapid deployment to detect and track a wide variety of targets, from high-performance aircraft to small drones with low radar cross-sections.
The development of the Quadome family represents one of the most ambitious radar engineering programs in South African history. It began in late 2019 in collaboration with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Before the land-based variant was showcased in Riyadh, the Quadome 3D surface and surveillance maritime radar was demonstrated to the South African Navy in February 2024. These systems provide the foundational data for air defence architectures, ensuring that commanders have a clear, three-dimensional picture of their surroundings.
Complementing the hardware is the DL-6000 secure datalink and advanced IFF systems. These components are vital for preventing fratricide and ensuring that sensor data is shared securely across different platforms in real-time. In a modern battlespace, the ability to identify a target and transmit its coordinates to a firing unit over an encrypted link is as critical as the initial detection itself.
The participation of Hensoldt South Africa at WDS 2026 reflects a broader shift toward industrial partnership rather than simple equipment sales. Gilbert do Nascimento, Managing Director of the GEW business unit, noted that the exhibition serves as a strategic touchpoint for long-term investments in technology transfer. This approach aligns with the requirements of the Saudi General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), which mandates high levels of local content in major defence acquisitions.
As Saudi Arabia continues to navigate regional geopolitical tensions, the demand for integrated electronic warfare, high-resolution optronics, and reliable radar networks is expected to grow. The 2025-2026 contract wins suggest that Hensoldt South Africa has positioned itself as a preferred technical partner capable of meeting these needs. By combining decades of South African engineering with local Saudi support structures, the company aims to sustain a presence that supports both regional stability and the growth of the domestic Saudi defence industry.