Quote:The sun of the African savannah highlights the sleek, innovative design of the AHRLAC Mwari aircraft as it graces the runway after a successful test flight. As South Africa’s first aircraft to be designed and manufactured since the 1980s, Mwari proves what South African engineers are capable of. The aircraft is distinguished by its modular, multirole versatility, tailored to excel in any mission, from border surveillance disaster relief to direct combat engagements. Developed to allow the two-man crew to take off from short airstrips and rough terrain with ease, it can quickly jump into action engaging targets with a 20-millimeter cannon, or precision-guided munitions. Well-equipped as it is, Mwari’s designer, Paramount Group, designed it with affordability in mind, providing developing countries access to operational capabilities that have, until recently, been restricted only to superpowers. With a low starting price of ten million dollars and blending the functions of a UAV, helicopter and surveillance aircraft, orders are starting to come in for Paramount’s aircraft. But with financial challenges and a fierce competition on the global market, will the Mwari be enough to jumpstart Africa’s first attempt at an aeronautical industry?