Despite Milkor having allocated five of its 380 drones to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), South Africa has yet to complete the purchase. According to Milkor, the aircraft assembled in Cape Town is currently being operated for a client in the Middle East.
Milkor's Vice President for Africa, Daniel du Plessis, stated in an interview for the podcast TechCentral, recorded after the Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition in Waterkloof, that South Africa is not a direct buyer in terms of making a purchase. He noted that at the AAD 2022 exhibition, Milkor signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Defence, Armscor, and the South African Air Force (SAAF) to produce five aircraft in 2023 for testing and potential use in South Africa.
Du Plessis clarified that since then, there have been 'extensive trials and demonstrations, as well as contract negotiations,' and the process 'is still ongoing.' The main obstacle, he said, is financial provision, not a lack of interest in using the drones. He described the SANDF as 'severely underfunded' and emphasized the need for government funding. There are plans that, 'we hope within the next year,' will allow the integration process of these drones into the SANDF to begin.
He cited the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where South African troops served until the present, noting that many of these operations could have been better supported by a platform like the Milkor 380.
Operation Abroad
A statement from the joint standing committee of the parliament on defence on June 5 indicated that about 70% of the defence budget is now spent on salaries, whereas the planned allocation provided for 40% for personnel, 30% for operational costs, and 30% for capital expenditure. Co-chair Firoan Fala stated that the armed forces cannot 'restore their capabilities' or 'support the defence industry that supports them.'
TechCentral contacted SANDF, Armscor, and SAAF regarding the fate of the 2022 memorandum, the progress of contract negotiations, and the existence of a budget line item for the 380, but no answers were received by the time of publication.
Du Plessis declined to name the buyer for confidentiality reasons but reported that the 380 has been operating in the Middle East for some time. He also mentioned that orders are expected from African countries, and there is 'huge interest' from Latin America.
The 380 has a takeoff weight of 1.5 tons, can fly for over 30 hours, and cover a distance of 4000 km. Its primary purpose is surveillance and reconnaissance, although some end-users express a desire to use it for strike capabilities.
At the AAD exhibition, Milkor signed a memorandum of understanding with European missile manufacturer MBDA, which, according to Du Plessis, 'provides an agreement for the integration and supply of the MBDA weapons system line onto the Milkor 380 worldwide.' At the exhibition, the 380 was demonstrated with two MBDA Sea Venom/ANL anti-ship missiles.
Du Plessis stressed that most of Milkor's exported products were developed in South Africa, and that 'it would be a huge benefit for the country to have and use it.' In his opinion, the most suitable local option is the Border Management Authority (BMA), to whom Milkor presented the 380 in a submission in July. He noted that the BMA covers vast territories that are not patrolled by vehicles and are limited by human resources and soldiers on the ground.
The BMA began using drones as part of a pilot project during the holiday season in 2024/2025 and launched four of its own drones in April 2025. By December 2025, it received eight multirotor drones purchased through Armscor, and two fixed-wing aircraft are also being procured, according to a parliamentary response that acknowledged a 'significant lack of investment in modern surveillance technologies such as drones.'
Du Plessis added that the BMA's doctrine regarding large drones 'is not yet properly defined,' and that it also has 'limited available funds.'
Production in Cape Town
According to Du Plessis, about 99% of the 380 is produced locally, including software and firmware 'down to the printed circuit board level,' while the engine is imported. Cameras, synthetic aperture radar, and electronic warfare systems come from other South African defence companies.
Milkor also signed memorandums of understanding with foreign suppliers for certain types of equipment: radar integration with Hanwha Systems at the Paris air show in 2025; active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and EW equipment with Korean LIG D&A in April; and optronics and navigation systems with Safran at the AAD exhibition.
When asked for clarification, Du Plessis explained that the agreements with Hanwha, LIG, Safran, and MBDA 'are intended for sensor and payload integration,' and that this equipment 'is not manufactured by Milkor.' He explained that the 'Milkor 380 is designed to accommodate multiple payloads from suppliers worldwide to enhance operational efficiency, meeting end-user requirements.' Milkor handles the integration of this equipment and supplies the aircraft as a single system.
He concluded by noting that the South Africans working at Milkor in Cape Town 'have created something that many countries, even companies, but countries tried and failed.'
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