Latin America

The Saab group has signed today a contract with the Brazilian Federal Government covering the development and production of 36 Gripen NG fighter aircraft for the Brazilian Air Force. The total order value is approximately $5.4 billion (SEK 39.3 billion).

IVECO is displaying the first prototype of the VBTP amphibious armored vehicle destined for the Brazilian Army. The vehicle is the first of a 2044 production series to be manufactured by Iveco in Brazil. After the exhibit follows the prototype for the proving ground of the Brazilian Army in Marambaia (RJ), for a period of testing. At the same...

Elbit Systems is presenting the newest member of the MUSIC Directional Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) systems at the 2013 Paris Airshow. Defense-Update reports. The new, compact system dubbed ‘mini-MUSIC’ is designed to protect small rotary and fixed-wing aircraft against heat seeking Ground to Air Missiles (MANPADS) threats. In 2012 the company has demonstrated the C-MUSIC pod system in flight, mounted on...

Jakarta, Indonesia: Germany is expected to deliver 44 Leopard II Main Battle Tanks and refurbished Marder armored infantry fighting vehicles to Indonesia by November 2012, as part of the Indonesian National Army (TNI) effort to establish the ‘Minimum Essential Force’ (MEF). The new armored formation will comprise 103 tanks, 50 AIFVs and 10 tank support vehicles procured in Germany...

A Colombian Air-Force CN235 special-mission aircraft plane crashed on Friday in the north of the country, killing all 11 of those on board. The CN235 is manufactured by Airbus; the plane was produced in 1998 in Seville, Spain and was one of several aircraft converted to carry out Electronic Warfare missions.

The Brazilian Army has selected the Tepro consortium as a single provider for Sisfron, the Integrated Border Monitoring System (Sistema Integrado de Monitoramento de Fronteiras - Sisfron).

LAAD 2014 Defense-Update: Following the Memorandum of Understanding announced on 11 July 2014, Saab and Embraer have signed today an agreement for the joint management of the F-X2 Project for the Brazilian Air Force. The sale of 36 Gripen NG aircraft to Brazil under a contract worth US$ 4.55 Billion provides for a complete, ‘turnkey weapon system’, with comprehensive logistic support that includes training, spare parts, support, planning and maintenance.

The planned production of 50 Eurocopter EC725 helicopters, soon to begin at its Brazilian subsidiary Helibras new assembly line Itajubá in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil will lead to Helibras doubling its staff strength to that of 600 persons with a reinforced engineering centre. So far Eurocopter has established a strong presence in Latin America, through three subsidiaries...

Embraer rolled out the first prototype of the KC-390 military transport from the production hangar at the industrial plant of Gavião Peixoto, Brazil. The first flight, planned to take place by the end of 2014.

  Among the armored vehicles on display were the SandCat from Oshkosh, and the Gladiator, making its debut at LAAD 2011. Gladiator is a bulletproof vehicle developed as a 'shielded car'supporting Civil Disturbance Control (CDC) law enforcement teams. The vehicle, introduced at the show by the Brazilian company InbraFiltro, is the first production example of the vehicle. It is a 4x4...

A Kfir TC.12 fighter jet belonging to the Colombian air force (FAC), crashed Tuesday (18 February 2014) on a training mission, killing one of the two pilots and injuring the other. The two-seat fighter jet identified as tail# FAC3006 crashed at 4:53 p.m. local time. It was on a training mission, performing combat manoeuvres over the municipality Norcasia in...

// Embraer has signed a US$1.3 billion contract with the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) for the KC-390 military transport aircraft program. In a ceremony held yesterday (April 14) at the LAAD exhibition the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) and Brazil's aerospace manufacturer Embraer launched the KC-390 medium weight transport aircraft program. The new jet, will replace some 22...

Elbit Systems has won a new contract worth tens of millions of US$ to supply a new Latin American customer with a mixed fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles including the Hermes 900 and Hermes 450 Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). The company is expected to deliver the systems by 2014.

ISDS is introducing the Fort 1 armored combat vehicle at LAAD Security 2012; the vehicle was developed in only three months, under a joint venture established by ISDS and Global Shield. The Israeli team plans to offer the vehicle to the Brazilian special security forces an advanced, specialized urban assault and security vehicle.