The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is one of the most technologically advanced militaries in Africa, operating modern equipment supplied in part by a world-class local defence industry. However, its digital transformation is taking place in fits and starts, with a declining defence budget threatening much of the military’s modernisation.

Defence expert and director at African Defence Review Darren Olivier notes that when it comes to digital transformation, “the SANDF had some really good visionary steps in the 1990s and early 2000s regarding moving to a digital force”.