The 2020 edition of the annual Aerospace, Maritime and Defence (AMD) conference will still take place this year, but for the first time ever it will be an online only event due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has cancelled most trade shows scheduled for 2020.

The conference, set for the 29^th of September aims to bring the local and international defence industry together, allowing it to engage, collaborate and potentially close deals with key players in the market as well as provide content, insight and business growth opportunities to those in attendance, the organisers said.

Whilst the speaker lineup is still being finalised, previous editions have featured heavyweights like the Secretary for Defence Dr Sam Gulube and representatives from the United Nations, Armscor, Denel, Milkor, Paramount, the Department of Trade and Industry, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Hensoldt and many others.

The 2020 edition will be no different and after consulting with the industry, the AMD 2020 organisers have drafted several themes, covering maritime, border security, unmanned aerial vehicles and insurgency, amongst others. Topics under review will include maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and implications for the oil and gas industry; the escalating Islamist insurgency in Mozambique and consequences for southern African security; the growing importance of border security during the coronavirus pandemic; and drones and counter-drone technology.

Other topics that will be put under the microscope are the coronavirus and its implications for defence forces; the rise of cyber crime and cyber warfare as the coronavirus pandemic pushes criminals online; the emergence of unmanned ground vehicles; and the growing role of the South African Military Health Service.

The virtual exhibition will consist of an introductory seminar followed by a series of workshops and plenary sessions providing analysis and insight about a myriad of industry related topics, with a full-scale digital set and stage streaming in speakers from across the world. Speakers will present in front of a large screen where their presentations will be displayed – exactly how it would be at a physical event.

The platform easily allows for breakaway sessions, virtual networking, exhibition, live polling and voting, with interaction via live chat or private chats. A moderator will queue audience questions for a presenter to answer at the end of their talk. Other audience members can upvote one another’s questions so presenters can give attention to burning issues. Audience members will be able to be called onto stage via the streaming capability for them to ask their questions directly.

As the 2020 edition is online, it is highly accessible to international companies and the organisers expect a third of attendees to be international delegates, and a quarter local. The conference is also expected to attract a significant number of government staff, original equipment manufacturers, defence attaches and small to medium sized enterprises. Being online means the AMD conference will mean new audiences and business markets will be accessible.

The AMD conference has been held by Creative Space Media since 2014. Some of the highlights have been from the United Nations inviting companies to become registered suppliers with the organisation, Denel revealing details of its turnaround plan and the Secretary for Defence giving a candid view of the state of the South African National Defence Force as well as discussions on the fourth industrial revolution, unmanned aerial vehicles, and more.