Embraer and the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that establishes a cooperation for ‘the study and evaluation of the necessary capabilities for the conceptual design and development of an advanced unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to meet FAB’s needs’.

FAB Commander, Lieutenant-Brigadier Carlos de Almeida Baptista Junior, said: “In modern operations, it is essential to use unmanned aerial platforms, operating alone or in conjunction with conventional aircraft. Such technology makes it possible to reduce costs and risks without losing effectiveness in fulfilling the missions assigned to the Brazilian Air Force.”

Jackson Schneider, president and CEO of Embraer Defence and Security, said: “This study is of fundamental importance for the maintenance and expansion of Embraer’s competencies in the development of aerial defence systems with high technological content and great integration complexity. A major challenge for this aerial system will certainly be its integration and joint operation with other systems and aircraft — manned or unmanned.”

The cooperation within the scope of this MoU aims at the joint study of the needs of the FAB in the context of its missions, as well as the ‘understanding and prioritisation’ of operational and logistical elements related to the development of a ‘superior class unmanned aircraft system of multiple capacities’.

Since it was founded in 1969, Embraer has delivered more than 8,000 aircraft. The company is ‘the leading manufacturer of commercial jets up to 150 seats’ and the main exporter of high value-added goods in Brazil. The company maintains industrial units, offices, service and parts distribution centres (among other activities) across the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe.