Representatives from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and ELTA presented a range of equipment to the senior leadership of the Paraguayan Army as part of the branch’s ongoing efforts to strengthen capabilities and advance technological modernization.
Among those attending the presentation were Army Commander General Manuel Rodríguez and Chief of the General Staff Major General José Santander, along with senior officers, junior officers, and non-commissioned officers, who were briefed on the capabilities, performance, and scope of the systems introduced by ELTA’s representatives.
In conversation with Zona Militar, General Rodríguez specified that the equipment presented by ELTA represents one of several options currently being considered by the Paraguayan Army as part of a modernization plan to be submitted to the Executive Branch.
“We are looking at different capabilities that we need to strengthen, one of them being technological upgrades. This company, like others, comes to offer us products that may be of interest to us,” General Rodríguez explained, adding: “They brought a large package of software, radars, and signals intelligence systems that can help strengthen command and control.”
ELTA also showcased a variety of autonomous vehicles, unmanned vehicles, and drones that could be employed by the Army, expanding the aerial capabilities available to ground personnel.
“These control packages are useful for line surveillance, which we could use as a remote monitoring system for open spaces, land areas, bodies of water, airspace, among others,” the Army commander noted.
In the final months of 2025, General Rodríguez toured several border areas of the country, particularly in the Paraguayan Chaco region bordering Bolivia. “We have more than 800 kilometers of dry border with Bolivia; it is a very complex area to control and also a sensitive one. This technology could serve as a control system that can be integrated with the Super Tucano, providing a ground-based capability,” he emphasized.
The capabilities covered by ELTA’s offerings include electromagnetic spectrum intelligence, alert systems, and radars—several of which can be integrated into vehicles currently in service or planned for acquisition by the Paraguayan Army, such as the 4×4 Oshkosh M-ATV armored vehicles expected to be incorporated starting in 2027. “Everything offered can be integrated; the goal is for everything to be compatible and to form an interoperable system with other defense forces,” General Rodríguez concluded.
Cover photograph used for illustrative purposes only.
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