SIATT – Engenharia, Indústria e Comércio, a prominent Brazilian precision weapons and integrated systems firm, is embarking on a substantial expansion of its facilities in São José dos Campos, São Paulo state. This expansion is part of a strategic collaboration with the state-owned Edge Group in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which acquired a 50% stake in SIATT on September 29, 2023. In accordance with the restructuring and expansion plan, SIATT aims to enlarge its headquarters from 1,000 m² to around 7,000 m². This expansion will include the establishment of new administrative and engineering offices, as well as production facilities, according to a statement released by SIATT on January 15. The company anticipates that its dedicated workforce will grow to more than 200 employees. The expansion project is set to be completed within two years and is expected to create over 600 indirect jobs, as stated by SIATT.
Over the past year, Edge Group has entered into agreements with the Brazilian Navy, including a significant memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Navy Weapon Systems Directorate (DSAM) on June 20, 2023. This MOU pertains to the development of long-range anti-ship missile technology for the MANSUP (Míssil Antinavio Nacional de Superfície) anti-ship missile project, overseen by the Navy Materiel General-Directorate (DGMM). SIATT is actively contributing to this project by supplying the guidance, navigation, control section, and telemetry head for the missile. Additionally, SIATT has developed a MANSUP hardware-in-the-loop simulator and a MANSUP missile launch console.
This collaboration marks the initial outcome of the partnership agreement signed between EDGE and the Brazilian Navy at the LAAD defense exhibition in Rio de Janeiro in April of the same year. The agreement focuses on the co-development of advanced long-range anti-ship missile technology as part of the MANSUP national anti-ship missile project. The official signing of the Letter of Intent (LOI) occurred at EDGE’s stand during the Dubai Airshow, with Mansour AlMulla, Managing Director & CEO of EDGE Group, and Rear Admiral Marcelo Menezes Cardoso, Director of Navy Weapons Systems of the Brazilian Navy, signing on behalf of their respective organizations.
The MANSUP project, also known as AV-RE40, is a collaborative effort involving Avibras, Mectron, Atech, and Omnisys for the Brazilian Navy. Designed to match the performance of the MBDA MM40 Exocet Block II, the MANSUP-ER systems developed by EDGE, in partnership with SIATT, are intended to meet the defense requirements of the UAE Navy, the Brazilian Navy’s Frigate program, and potential international export. These systems, currently in advanced discussions with several prospective customers, boast adaptive sea-skimming capabilities, a range of 200 km, and are equipped with inertial guidance and active radar homing. The MANSUP solutions are undergoing rigorous testing by Brazil’s naval fleet and are expected to be adapted for integration onto selected air and land systems in the future.
