HENSOLDT South Africa

Name

HENSOLDT South Africa

Legal name

HENSOLDT South Africa (Pty) Ltd

Website

https://hensoldt.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

HENSOLDT South Africa is a wholly-owned subsidiary of HENSOLDT AG and the parent group's largest industrial base outside Germany, providing sensor solutions in electronic warfare, radar, and optronics to government defence, civil aviation, and naval customers across more than 40 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Defence Electronics and Sensor Systems

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)

akta.pro primary industry

Radar Systems & Subsystems (Airborne, Ground, Naval) (IMABAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

IFF/Identification, Beaconing & Cooperative Surveillance Systems (IMABAGAF), Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) Electronics for Weapons (IMABAGAH)

Keywords

• Defence electronics
• Electronic warfare systems
• Radar surveillance
• Optronics sensors
• Spectrum management

Headquarters

HQ city

Centurion

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Defence Electronics and Sensor Systems: Sale of advanced sensor technologies including radar, optronics, electronic warfare systems, and spectrum management solutions to defence and civil government customers
2. Defence and Security Services: Services and support for defence and security electronics including product lifecycle support and manufacturing services

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

HENSOLDT South Africa designs, manufactures, and supports sensor technologies for defence and civil markets. Operating through three specialised business units (GEW for electronic warfare, Radar, and Optronics), the company delivers nearly 70 advanced products spanning land electronic warfare systems, airborne optronics, next-generation 3D surveillance radars, IFF and datalinks, air traffic management, and spectrum management solutions.

Product overview

HENSOLDT South Africa operates as a platform-plus-specializations organization spanning three specialized business units (GEW, Radar, and Optronics) offering nearly 70 advanced products. The portfolio comprises sensor technologies including: electro-optical systems (ARGOS-15, Bushbaby 100/200) for surveillance and target acquisition; electronic warfare systems (GMJ9 jammer, GRJ8500 communications attack, SAS2000S signal analysis, MRD72 direction-finding) for electromagnetic warfare operations; and radar systems (Quadome Naval and Land variants) for air and surface surveillance. The products serve defence and civil markets across 40+ countries, addressing applications in land electronic warfare, airborne optronics, next-generation radar, air traffic management, and spectrum management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ARGOS-15 Intelligent E/O system Electro-optical intelligent imaging system for surveillance and target acquisition applications, designed for defence and security operators.
• Bushbaby 100 Electro-optical system Compact electro-optical system designed for mobile surveillance and reconnaissance missions for military and security customers.
• Bushbaby 200 Long-range electro-optical surveillance Long-range electro-optical surveillance system for extended area monitoring and threat detection.
• GMJ9 Software-defined multirole jammer Software-defined electronic warfare jammer capable of multiple roles in electronic attack operations for military forces.
• GRJ8500 Communications electronic attack system Communications-focused electronic attack system for disrupting enemy communications and command systems.
• Quadome Naval Radar Naval radar system providing integrated air and surface surveillance capabilities for maritime operations.
• Quadome Land ground-based surveillance radar Ground-based 3D radar system for air and surface surveillance in land operational environments.
• SAS2000S Interactive signal analysis Interactive signal analysis system for electronic warfare threat identification and analysis.
• MRD72 Multirole direction-finding and monitoring Multirole direction-finding and monitoring system for electronic support and signals intelligence operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 70 advanced products in portfolio
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Robin Radar SystemscoreTechnology or Integration · 26 May 2026Collaboration on next-generation avian radar deployment at King Shaka International Airport. Robin Radar Systems supplies bird detection radar technology with HENSOLDT South Africa as prime contractor leading the deployment.
• Airports Company South Africa (ACSA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2026Partner in avian radar deployment at King Shaka International Airport for aviation safety and biodiversity protection.
• University of KwaZulu-NatalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2026Collaboration partner in avian radar project at King Shaka International Airport supporting aviation safety and biodiversity protection.
• Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 July 2025Strategic partnership with CSIR for development testing of Quadome 3D radar system. HENSOLDT South Africa hosted university students at CSIR where the new-generation radar is deployed.
• University of PretoriaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 July 2025Academic partnership providing radar and electronic warfare students with hands-on experience at HENSOLDT facilities. Led by Professor Warren du Plessis with ten students visiting CSIR.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Thales Group: Thales is a global defence electronics incumbent with extensive radar, EW, optronics and air traffic management portfolios serving military and civil customers. It directly competes with HENSOLDT South Africa's product lines across all three business units and serves a similar international customer base.
• Saab AB: Saab is a major Swedish defence and security electronics incumbent offering radar (e.g., Giraffe, Sea Giraffe), electronic warfare, and optronics products with overlapping customer bases in military and civil aviation. It is broadly comparable as a diversified sensor and defence electronics provider competing for similar procurement budgets.
• BAE Systems Electronic Systems: BAE Systems' Electronic Systems segment manufactures EW, sensors and communications products serving US and allied defence customers. While US-focused, it is a broadly comparable defence electronics incumbent with similar product categories to HENSOLDT South Africa.
• Leonardo S.p.A. Leonardo is an Italian defence and aerospace prime with strong radar (e.g., RAT, Kronos family), electronic warfare and optronics offerings serving NATO and allied customers. Its product portfolio and customer base overlap materially with HENSOLDT South Africa's sensor solutions.
• Rheinmetall AG: Rheinmetall is a major German defence prime with growing exposure to defence electronics, sensors and air defence systems. As a fellow German defence company and HENSOLDT AG supplier/partner, it shares operational context and customer base with HENSOLDT South Africa.

Direct peers

• HENSOLDT AG: HENSOLDT AG is the German parent company and direct corporate peer; it shares the same sensor portfolio across radar, electronic warfare, IFF and optronics, and serves overlapping defence and civil customers globally. HENSOLDT South Africa is the parent group's largest industrial base outside Germany, making it essentially a country-specific operating unit of the broader HENSOLDT franchise.
• Elbit Systems: Elbit Systems is an Israeli defence electronics company specialising in EW, optronics, radar and intelligence systems, directly comparable to HENSOLDT South Africa's three business units. It competes for similar global defence and homeland security sensor contracts.
• Indra Sistemas: Indra is a Spanish defence and traffic management electronics company with radar, EW and air traffic management offerings. Its portfolio is directly comparable in scope and customer base to HENSOLDT South Africa's products, particularly in air traffic management and naval radar.

Emerging players

• Robin Radar Systems: Robin Radar Systems is a specialist bird detection radar company that partnered with HENSOLDT South Africa on the King Shaka International Airport avian radar deployment. While smaller and focused on a niche, it operates in adjacent airspace surveillance and radar technology.

Regional players

• Tellumat (Pty) Ltd (heritage entity): Tellumat is a South African defence and technology company whose defence heritage was consolidated under HENSOLDT South Africa. While continuing in non-defence segments, it represents a regional peer with shared historical lineage and overlapping South African defence customer relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hensoldt-south-africa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HENSOLDT South Africa