To expand overseas, Virginia defense firms eye Africa

KOVA Global, a small Virginia Beach defense contractor, recently finished work on a naval training project that wasn't in the Middle East or the Asia-Pacific, prime areas of focus for the U.S. military.

It was in the Republic of Senegal on the west coast of Africa. That could be just the beginning, said Chris Just, who directs the firm's international training and foreign military sales division.

"Because this was a pilot program," he said, "this opens up the continent to potential business for us."