Embraer, the world's fourth-biggest aircraft maker, announced Thursday
an agreement with Israel's Elbit Systems to develop and produce unmanned
drones in Brazil.
As part of the joint venture, a new company -
Harpia Sistemas S.A. - will be created in which Embraer will have a 51
percent stake and AEL Sistemas, Elbit's Brazilian subsidiary, will hold
the remaining 49 percent.
The main goal of the agreement is to 'focus on the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles market', Embraer said in a press release.
The
new company will be headquartered in Brasilia and its activities will
involve marketing, development, systems integration, manufacture, sales
and UAV after-sale support, as well as flight simulators and the
modernisation of avionics systems.
Harpia Sistemas 'will provide
broader solutions for complex systems, increasing the market-share of
Brazilian-made products in the national defense and security market',
according to Embraer, the world leader in the regional jet market and
also a manufacturer of military aircraft.
'Included among the
guidelines of Brazil's national defense strategy are the pursuit of
partnerships for technological development and capacity and the
manufacture of national defense products,' said Luiz Carlos Aguiar,
president of Embraer Defense and Security.
'The creation of Harpia,' he added, 'will be an important instrument for meeting the needs of the armed and security forces.'
As
part of the joint venture and to participate in the process of
technology transfers from Elbit Systems to Brazil, Embraer Defense and
Security also will acquire 25 percent of AEL Sistemas' capital.
AEL
currently supplies the avionics for Embraer's Super Tucano light attack
and advanced training turboprop, as well as the F-5M fighter jets,
Embraer said in the press release.
Brazil's Federal Police
launched a programme two years ago to monitor the country's land borders
with UAVs equipped with powerful cameras manufactured by Israeli
state-owned firm Israel Aerospace Industries.
Police acquired two Hermes 450 drones from Elbit Systems to conduct surveillance in the Brazilian Amazon.