Professional Summary: Francois Anderson
Francois Anderson obtained a BSc degree in Electrical Engineering (cum laude) at the University of
Pretoria, RSA in 1975 and a Master of Science degree in Electronic Engineering (cum laude) at the
Georgia Institute of Technology, USA, majoring in Signal Processing, Communication and Radar in
1979. He also successfully completed the Executive National Security Programme at the SA
National Defence College in 2000.
He started work at the CSIR in January 1976 and is still employed in the CSIR Unit for Defence,
Peace, Safety and Security as a Chief Radar and EW Systems Engineer. He also serves as a CSIR
Fellow. His role is to provide technical leadership to research and development teams in the field of
radar technology and applications, to perform technology fore sighting, help define strategic direction
and provide planning and contracting inputs in areas of science and technology of relevance to
defence, peace, safety and security applications in Africa.
In addition to his long standing interest in radar systems, their applications, their protection against
electronic countermeasures and the physics and technology that make them work, his current focus
is on wide area, real time surveillance systems and sensors for border zone safeguarding missions
under Southern African environmental conditions.
Mr. Anderson is a member of the SA Institute for Electrical Engineers (SAIEE) and is registered by
the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA). He has also been elected as a Fellow of the South
African Academy of Engineering (FSAEE).
1 Appointments and responsibilities
1971: National Service in the SA Navy. Serves on the frigate SAS President Steyn.
1972: CSIR Bursar.
1976: Join the National Institute for Defense Research (NIDR) of the CSIR as Research
Officer.
1979: NIDR becomes the National Institute for Aeronautics and Systems Technology
(NIAST). Appointed as Head of the Signal Processing Section.
1983: Appointed as Head of the Electronic Systems Division.
1987: NIAST becomes the Division for Aeronautical Systems Technology (Aerotek) of the
CSIR. Appointed as Radar Program Manager.
1994: Appointed as a Fellow of the CSIR.
1995: Appointed as management team member of the Defence Electronics Programme at
Aerotek.
1999: Aerotek becomes the Division for Defence Technology (Defencetek) of the CSIR.
Serves on the Division Management Team and the Defence Electronics Management team
as Strategic and Technology Advisor. Continues work as Technical Specialist in Radar,
Electronic Warfare and Air Defence.
2005: Defencetek becomes the Operating Unit for Defence, Peace Safety and Security
(DPSS) of the CSIR. Serves on the Unit Management Team, the Radar and EW
Competency Management Team and in the Radar and EW Applications Research Group as
strategic and technology advisor. Continues work as technical specialist and Systems
Engineer in Radar, Electronic Warfare, Air Defence and Surveillance.
2006: Assessed as a Chief Radar and EW System Engineer on the new CSIR Career
Ladder for Researchers
2 Achievements and awards
1975: University of Pretoria's Siemens Award for the best final year thesis project titled:
"The influence of the reed on the tone colour of the clarinet".
1986: Armscor Prize for the local development of a millimetrewave monopulse tracking radar
in South Africa.
1986: Armscor Chairman’s Award for outstanding achievement on the same project.
1988: CSIR Merit Award for the development of a South African monopulse tracking radar.
1992: Winner of the SA Institute of Electrical Engineers President's award for valuable
contributions to Electrical Engineering in the field of development and implementation of
radar measurement and system evaluation techniques.
1994: Awarded a Fellowship of the CSIR for outstanding contributions to and particular
expertise in the field of S&T in South Africa.
1998: CSIR Outstanding Achiever Award for defence technology policy and strategy
planning as well as for providing leadership in the implementation of these by establishing
and reinforcing relationships between the CSIR and the SANDF.
2006: CSIR Defence Peace Safety and Security Excellence Award 2006 in the category
Career Achievement
2006: CSIR Excellence Award for Career Achievement
2008 CSIR DPSS Excellence Award for Contract R&D Excellence
2009 CSIR DPSS Excellence Award for Contribution to R&D Impact
3 Experience
Study potential Electronic Warfare threats to South Africa.
Develop counter insurgency radars.
Analyse, design, specify, develop, integrate and test radar signal processing hardware and
software.
Analyse, design, specify, develop, integrate and test radar systems as radar systems engineer.
Lead the development of a Ka-band range only radar.
Lead the development of a Ka-band monopulse tracking radar.
Compile the requirement statement and value system for a modern airborne fire control radar
for the SA Air Force.
Measure dynamic radar cross-sections of aircraft, clutter and counter measures.
Design and evaluate active and passive radar counter measures.
Specify, integrate, and test anti-aircraft systems.
Identify trends and manage Radar and EW technology as part of the joint
SANDF/Armscor/CSIR research institute management committee.
Provide technical acquisition support to SANDF acquisitions in the field of Radar and EW
including the Lace Airborne Multifunction Radar on the Cheetah fighter aircraft, the Caret
Maritime Patrol Aircraft Radar, the SA Army Ground Based Air Defence System radars, the
AR-3D radar upgrade of the SA Air Force, the Radar and EW subsystems on the Gripen
fighter aircraft, the Optronic Radar Tracker (ORT) on the SA Navy Patrol Corvettes and the
Maritime Surveillance Radar on the Lynx helicopter.
Edit and write parts of the position paper that informed most of what is now published as
Chapter 4 of the White Paper on the Defence Related Industry of 1999 dealing with Defence
R&D and the role and functions of a proposed national Defence Evaluation and Research
Institute (DERI) – a term coined then and now in general use for this concept.
Member of the Armscor / SANDF joint team that developed the SANDF Joint Air Defence
Philosophy, Policy, Strategy and Plan.
Provide technical guidance on Pulse Doppler Radar Research projects at CSIR DPSS and
various radar test and evaluation projects.
Member of the management team of the MECORT advanced pulse Doppler radar research
facility.
Develop the formal philosophy, policy, strategy and plan for the development of the Electronic
Counter Countermeasures for the SA Navy’s Optronic Radar Tracker on the Patrol Corvettes.
Provide strategic planning support in the areas of Defence Research, Radar and EW to the
DoD, SANDF, Armscor and the CSIR.
Perform a study into HF Surface Wave over-the-horizon radar as a strategic surveillance
system for the SA Navy.
Formulate the concept of Persistent Area Surveillance, define the AwareNet project, champion
the capability establishment in South Africa and lead the multidisciplinary technology
development team.
Take part in the design workshops of RRS's DBR-XL 3-D Search and Tracking radar.
Take part in the design workshops and project management forums of the SAAF’s radar based
missile approach warning system.
Establish and take part in the SA Navy / DERI / Industry Tracker Workgroup that conceives
and directs the continuous improvement projects of the Optronic Radar Tracker on the SA
Navy’s Frigates.