The Brazilian Army has selected the MBDA EMADS GBAD with CAMM ER missiles
The General Staff of the Exército Brasileiro has approved the procurement of the new Medium Altitude/Medium Range (Missile) Air Defence System and selected the MBDA EMADS (Enhanced Modular Air Defence Solution) based on CAMM ER missile and Leonardo Kronos Land multifunction radar. The first phase of the programme concerns the procurement of equipment for an air defence battalion under a proposed Gov-to-Gov agreement with Italy
With the procurement order No. 1.686/2025 published on 9 January 2026, the Brazilian Army General Staff has approved the procurement for the new Sistema de Artilharia Antiaérea de Média Altura/Médio Alcance (Sis AAAe Me Altu/G Altu) or Medium Altitude/Medium Range (Missile) Air Defence System. The project falls under the Air Defence Strategic Programme (Programa Estratégico do Exército Defesa Antiaérea, Prg EE DAAe) and was identified as an emergency operational requirement earlier this year.
With the same order, the Brazilian Army officially confirmed the selection of the MBDA EMADS solution with the CAMM ER missile and Leonardo Kronos multifunction radar to equip an air defence battalion in the first phase of the programme, and the intention to proceed with the procurement through a Government-to-Government (G2G) agreement with Italy. All the modules and carrying vehicles will be customized with communication equipment adopted by the Brazilian Army, including the local BR2 data link. No information was however on the programme timeline; as for funding the programme will be launched upon receipt of extra-budgetary resources. Eight proposals were submitted to the Brazilian Army during the previous stages of the acquisition process, according to local medias.
The Brazilian Army took a strategic step towards strengthening its air defence capabilities with the transformation of the 12th Field Artillery Battalion (12th GAC) into the 12th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion (12th GAAAe). The military ceremony was held on July 15, 2025, in Jundiaí (Sao Paulo State), near Sao Paulo, where the battalion is based, at the presence of Lt.Gen.Tomás Miguel Miné Ribeiro Paiva, Commander of the Brazilian Army. The change is part of the process of transforming the Land Force and is included in the Army Strategic Plan to take place until 2027. The 12th GAAAe will be the first unit to receive the Medium Altitude/Medium Range (Missile) Ground-based Air Defence (GBAD) system, which will also equip another unspecified unit.
According to the document, the air defence battalion will consist of a Command Battery and two Fire Batteries with missile launchers, command-and-control (C2) and radar. All the air defence equipment is carried on high-mobility vehicles. Each of the two fire batteries includes a containerized radar module centred on the Leonardo Kronos Land multifunction 3D surveillance and tracking radar with extending mast to enhance system coverage, a (tactical) command and control module, and three 8-cell missile vertical launcher modules each, in addition to a missile reloading module, one maintenance workshop module and spare parts supply module. The Command Battery is equipped with two Leonardo Kronos Land radar containerized modules, a C2 module, one maintenance and one spare parts supply modules.
The procurement package also includes two classroom simulation packages with unspecified systems, while options include the addition of an electro-optical system on each missile launcher module. Each battalion will have an inventory of 48 CAMM ER missiles and 12 dummies for training.
The programme should also include a three-year maintenance agreement. Regarding the initial training, this will be conducted at contractors’ facilities abroad and, if possible, in-country, with a total initial number of 20 trainees. First-level maintenance and activities will be based and conducted at battalion level while the second and third levels will be conducted by a maintenance support battalion. Companies are expected to be certified in Brazil to provide third-level maintenance services. A special contractor warehouse with spare parts will also be established in-country.
Although no information was released about the tender process, among other undisclosed factors, the order highlighted that the Medium Altitude/Medium Range Ground-based Air Defence (GBAD) system has become a high priority programme due to the international instability and the pressing requirement for a multi-layer air defence capability based on the lesson acquired in recent crisis. This project is the first to gain momentum under the Prg EE DAAe programme, which was launched in 2012 and has the objective “to regain and procure the air defence capabilities in the low, medium and high altitudes, enhancing the units of the Land Force and creating benefits for Brazil”.
To satisfy this requirement, the G2G has been identified as the quickest procurement process, also considering the historical bilateral cooperation in the defence sector with Italy and the well-established G2G cooperation structure. In recent time this included the development of the Guarani 6×6 wheeled armoured vehicle for the Brazilian and the establishment of the IDV production site in-country, alongside the procurement of the Centauro 8X8 wheeled armoured vehicle in 2022, and the production of the Guaicurus 4X4 in Brazil starting from 2026.
The document also highlighted different advantages connected with the selection of the MBDA EMDAS GBAD: the first is its open architecture that allows to integrate different radars including the Saab Giraffe AMB within the UK Sabre GBAD, the Rheinmetall Italia X-TAR and the Leonardo Kronos Land within respectively the Italian Army and Air Force GBAD solutions. According to the document, this will support the second phase of the programme, as the second air defence battalion is planned to be equipped with a national radar, once it will be ready.
The selection of the CAMM ER will provide significant interoperability, standardization and life support benefits as the missile system belongs to the CAMM family already procured by the Brazilian Navy to be installed on board the Tamandaré-class frigates.
The MBDA EMADS-ER, as the GBAD has been identified in the document, not only completely satisfies the Land Force operational requirements but has characteristics that give it great adherence to the desirable operational requirements, among which the maximum operational altitude of almost 20,000 meters, providing coverage in the higher altitude layer.
Finally, the vehicles used by the EAMDS system come from IVECO, recently acquired by Leonardo which also provide the Kronos Land radars, allowing for reduce life cycle costs and greater possibility of component nationalization. With expected bilateral agreements on local partial production and maintenance as well as technical support, the programme could benefit of reduced life cycle and operational costs.
Graphics courtesy Brazilian Army, photos courtesy MBDA and Leonardo
