Embraer and AEL Sistemas sign strategic agreement focusing the UAS market
The agreement envisages the evaluation of joint exploration of the UAS market, with potential creation of a New Company to work in the segment . São José dos Campos, April 12, 2011 – Embraer Defense and Security and AEL Sistemas, a subsidiary of the Israeli company Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ and TASE: ESLT) (“Elbit Systems”), announced today in LAAD 2011 (www.laadexpo.com), defense and security industry trade show held from 12 to 15 of April in Rio de Janeiro, the signature of a strategic agreement envisaging the evaluation of joint exploration of the unmanned aerial systems (UAS), including the potential creation of a company with majority participation of Embraer Defense and Security to work in the segment.
“The UAS are a reality and a need for solutions on defense and security, and Embraer Defense and Security considers that this agreement intends to strengthen both companies’ ability to offer solutions with an excellent cost-benefit ratio for the Brazilian Government,” said Luiz Carlos Aguiar, President of Embraer Defense and Security. “In addition, these vehicles allow for dual-use for monitoring of ports, agricultural, forest, and coastal areas, traffic, etc.”
“For AEL, this cooperation agreement with Embraer is an important step toward the consolidation of our objectives related to the development of UAS competences in Brazil. The participation with Embraer will leverage new business, speeding up the Brazilian know-how in the development and manufacture of unmanned systems with last generation technology, in order to meet the demands and specific needs of our country,” said Shlomo Erez, President of AEL Sistemas S.A.
The agreement foresees the intention to evaluate joint activities in marketing, development, systems integration, manufacturing and support of UAS, as well as in simulators and activities for the modernization of avionics systems, and the possible participation of Embraer Defense and Security in the capital of AEL Sistemas.
Embraer and AEL Sistemas have a successful track record of relationship. AEL was one of the first suppliers of systems for the turboprop Tucano basic trainer and the subsonic fighter AMX, aircraft manufactured by Embraer in the decades of 1980 and 1990. Currently, the company provides the avionics the turboprop light attack and advanced training Super Tucano, as well as avionics of fighter F-5M, modernized by Embraer for the Brazilian Air Force (FAB).
About AEL Sistemas
AEL Sistemas (www.ael.com.br) is a Brazilian company with office in Porto Alegre. Since more than two decades ago, it is dedicated to the design, development, manufacture, maintenance and logistics support of electronic products, military and civilians, for applications in air, sea and land vehicles, manned or not, and in 2001 it became a subsidiary of Elbit Systems Ltd., the largest private manufacturer of products for the defense in Israel.
Source: Embraer
