Brazil is moving closer to fielding a new medium-range ground-based air defense system, with Italy emerging as the preferred partner over India.
The Brazilian Army is expected to pursue the EMADS system developed by MBDA, with Italian firm Leonardo playing a key role.
Negotiations are ongoing, and a deal could be finalized later this year, potentially worth up to 3.4 billion Brazilian reals ($624 million) under a government-to-government arrangement, CNN Brasil reported.
It follows an internal directive signed by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Francisco Humberto Montenegro in December, which sets technical requirements that effectively ruled out Indian defense contractors BDL (Bharat Dynamics Limited) and BEL (Bharat Electronics).
Brazilian officials previously sought the Indian-made Akash air defense system, but left negotiations in July after BDL and BEL were only willing to offer an older version the army regarded technologically outdated.
EMADS
EMADS, also known as the Land Ceptor, employs the Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM) family of surface-to-air missiles.
The standard CAMM has a range of 25 kilometers (15.5 miles), while the extended-range CAMM-ER reaches 45 kilometers (28 miles). These missiles are designed to defeat aerial threats, including drones and cruise missiles.
If the acquisition plan is approved, it would represent a substantial improvement over the army’s current surface-launched air defense coverage, which is limited to roughly 3,000 meters (9,843 feet) in altitude.
In addition, the Brazilian Navy has already ordered the Sea Ceptor air defense system — using the same CAMM missiles — for its Tamandaré-class frigates in 2021.
Adopting EMADS would allow the army and navy to share ammunition, training pipelines, and logistical infrastructure.
The army reportedly plans to deploy artillery batteries to protect key strategic areas: two are expected to be stationed at the 12th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Group in Jundiaí and at the 11th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Group in Brasília, while a third would cover northern Brazil.
