FIDAE 2026, the International Air and Space Fair held in Santiago, Chile, brought with it numerous relevant developments for the defense world. In this context, Zona Militar had the opportunity to interview Miles Chambers, Senior Vice President of the EDGE Group conglomerate, which, together with Brazil’s SIATT, presented new details and progress regarding the MANSUP anti-ship missile and the MAX 1.2 anti-tank missile, both adopted by the Brazilian Armed Forces. These were his statements:
In 2026, SIATT and EDGE continue to position themselves at the forefront of Brazil’s missile development ecosystem, with flagship programs such as MANSUP and MAX 1.2 gaining operational relevance across naval and land domains. Would you provide an updated overview of the current status of the MANSUP program, particularly regarding its transition from development to operational capabilities within the Brazilian Navy?
So, yes, an update on the MANSUP program. Today, we are under construction of our new pyrotechnics facility, which will be based in Caçapava, just outside São José dos Campos. This new facility will be dedicated to all of the propellant and explosive material mixing, composition, and fabrication for the MANSUP as well as the MAX. Phase one of the construction is just being completed, with phase two expected toward the end of the year. This coincides with our ramp-up from development to serial production for the MANSUP. In addition to the orders we have with the Brazilian Navy and with the United Arab Emirates, we see strong global demand for the MANSUP from various navies with which we are currently engaged. So we should see ourselves going into high-rate production as early as next year.
Recently, MANSUP has demonstrated steady evolution, expanding from its original naval role toward a multi-platform system, including successful testing from land-based platforms such as ASTROS. With ongoing integration efforts and future deployment aboard Tamandaré-class frigates, what are the next key milestones in this evolution, and what expectations does EDGE SIATT have regarding its full operational integration at sea?
So, obviously, from our seaborne applications, we are at a very high level of maturity as we move from development into initial production. We have already done demonstrations of the integration of the MANSUP onto land-based platforms. This is certainly an area where we believe there will be strong international growth, whether on existing platforms or by integrating it onto other 6×6 or 8×8 vehicle platforms for shore-to-sea applications.
MANSUP-ER is a project characterized by constant innovation, with ongoing efforts to expand its launch capabilities from land and sea, and potentially air platforms. In this context, the development of the MANSUP-ER and the studies surrounding air-launch variants represent significant steps forward. Could you elaborate on the main technological challenges and opportunities associated with these developments, and how they will shape Brazil’s future anti-ship and air-enabled capabilities?
The key focus for the MANSUP-ER development is on extended range, meaning being able to take the MANSUP capability up to 200 kilometers plus, together with additional development on the radar seeker head to provide advanced targeting capability and terrain-following capability. I think this will take us well into the future. For now, that remains particularly focused on naval applications, either shore-to-sea or ship-to-ship. But certainly, in terms of our development roadmap, we may also look at land-based applications, and of course this also lends itself to air-launch capability.
Turning to land warfare systems, the MAX 1.2 missile has recently entered service and is undergoing integration with platforms such as the Cascavel armored vehicle. Considering its current operational deployment and ongoing testing, what are the next steps in development, particularly regarding enhanced range, fire-and-forget capabilities, and export potential within global defense markets?
So, as you say, MAX 1.2 has entered service with the Brazilian Army. Also, during the Dubai Airshow last year in November, we announced that we had signed an agreement with the Brazilian Navy for the supply of ISV special operations vehicles that will also be integrated with a vehicle-based launch system for the MAX. So we certainly see increasing demand, not just for the soldier-deployed version, but for vehicle-based launch capability in Brazil, across the Latin American region, and also with global customers in Africa, North Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. So there is certainly strong global demand.
I think the MAX 1.2 sits at a key price point compared to our competitors, while still offering a strong level of capability. When we look to the future in terms of enhancements, yes, we are considering extended-range capability and different warhead combinations for the missile, such as tandem warheads. But I believe there will continue to be strong growth for the MAX 1.2 in its current format because it meets a price point and operational requirement that probably covers 80% of the operational needs. Much more expensive systems certainly offer extended-range capability, but for most operational requirements, the MAX 1.2 really fits well. I believe it will continue to grow in its current format because it meets the requirements of a broad user base.
Would you like to add anything specific, not only about the discussions but maybe as a closing remark?
I think EDGE, obviously exhibiting here at FIDAE, is showing for the first time in Chile, and that certainly reflects our continued expansion and growth across Latin America. With our systems and our established presence in Brazil over the last three years, and having invested more than half a billion dollars into the region, we certainly see large growth potential across South America. A couple of weeks ago, we announced the signing of a letter of intent with Ecuador for an integrated border security program. We see that this is certainly a requirement across many countries in Latin America today. So for us, Latin America is a key focus region, where we are looking for continued growth and, as we move forward, for partnerships across the region where we can bring local added value into the countries in which we work.
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