An unmanned large helicopter is among the many displays for the UAE defense conglomerate EDGE Group at IDEX 2023. (Lee Ferran / Breaking Defense)
BEIRUT — Emirati defense conglomerate EDGE Group announced today it will join forces with the Brazilian Air Force’s Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA) to co-develop unmanned and autonomous systems, smart weapons and air and space projects.
A signing ceremony for the strategic agreement took place “in the city of São José dos Campos as part of an ongoing high-level EDGE delegation visit to Brazil, and was witnessed by members of EDGE’s senior management and the General Director of the Department of Aerospace Science & Technology, Air Force General Maurício Augusto de Medeiros,” according to EDGE’s statement.
EDGE said its delegation held discussions with Brazil-based defense firms SIATT and Turbomachine, as well as other local industry players. According to the company’s statement, “the visits will enable EDGE to pave the way for greater collaboration on knowledge exchange, R&D cooperation, and the co-development of advanced defence systems, among others.”
The agreement comes as EDGE is attempting to expand its reach beyond the Gulf region and into Latin America. The Emirati firm already has extensive agreements with some Brazilian firms and inaugurated its first international office in Brasilia in April.
Earlier this month EDGE signed an agreement with Brazilian turbine engine developer Turbomachine, to jointly develop engines with turbofan and propellant for the Emirati conglomerate’s unmanned systems and missile systems. In June, the Abu Dhabi-based firm signed a strategic partnership to develop long-range anti-ship missiles for the Brazilian navy, and Emirati-developed anti-jamming platforms. (SIATT, one of the firms with whom EDGE said it spoke, specializes in part in developing anti-ship missiles.)
“EDGE is trying to find a niche region that has the ambitions to build up their militaries but don’t face pressing military threats,” Senior Middle East and North Africa analyst at the RANE Network Ryan Bohl told Breaking Defense. “Latin America in general falls into that category, with countries like Brazil wanting to become more independent and looking for new defense partners, but they aren’t in a position where they’re facing imminent threats whereby they can’t take a risk on an organization like EDGE.”
He added that the Emirati firm also needs to keep in mind the economics of their new partners. “There’s a reason EDGE isn’t trying to work with, say, Argentina or Venezuela. There may be other avenues of cooperation for EDGE and other Latin American countries, but they’ll need to also compete with US firms, the traditional suppliers of arms to the region.”
At an interview in February during IDEX defense expo this year, EDGE Group’s CEO Mansour Almulla told Breaking Defense that the conglomerate is continuously looking for new opportunities.
BAE Systems’ LR-PGK: The Superior Anti-Jam Solution
Going the distance to defeat emerging jam threats.
Australia tops up Ukraine military aid with $100M
Australia has already supplied Ukraine with 120 Bushmaster vehicles, six 155mm howitzers, 56 M113 armored vehicles, 14 special operations vehicles and its signature cardboard drones.
