Brazil has recently significantly increased its investments into defence and security technologies in response to the aggravating global security situation. The fact that it represents a very interesting partner for the Czech Republic in defence exports was reflected in the bilateral meetings in the LAAD 2025, a prominent defence and security exhibition held in Rio de Janeiro.
The Czech display was opened by the Director General of the Czech MoD’s Industrial Cooperation Division, Ms. Radka Konderlová. Along with the Czech Air Force Commander Major General Petr Čepelka, she came to support 22 Czech defence industries. The country with the tenth largest economy in the world hosted a total of 400 exhibitors and delegations from 40 nations.
“It gives me a great pleasure to have the opportunity to strengthen Czech-Brazilian partnership and foster closer ties between our industries. That is crucial for creating new joint projects. We have also succeeded in cultivating cooperation beyond the acquisition of the two Embraer C-390 Millenium medium transport aircraft,” Director General Konderlová appreciated.
The Czech Armed Forces faces a long-term requirement to strengthen its capabilities to airlift larger and heavier cargo as well as passengers over longer distances, including into hotpots. “The introduction of this aircraft will boost medium and long-range airlift capabilities and increase effectiveness of a wide variety of tasks ranging from military missions, firefighting, in-flight refuelling through to humanitarian operations,” Major General Čepelka explained.
In and around the exhibition, Director General Radka Konderlová had many bilateral meetings. She discussed industrial cooperation with President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security Joao Bosco Costa Jr. The meetings were attended by PBS Group, Ray Service and Tatra Trucks. Accompanied by José Gustavo, Embraer Vice President of Sales and Business Development, the Czech delegation saw the manufacturing facility in the municipality of Gavião Peixoto, where a unit for the Czech Republic is being assembled. Director General Konderlová discussed potential expansion of cooperation in space industry and in the domain of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defence with a delegation of the Brazilian MoD led by Secretary General Luiz Henrique Pochyly da Costa. MG Čepelka addressed lessons learnt with training on the C-390 aircraft with Brazilian Air Force Commander Lieutenant General Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno.
Czech businesses are extremely interested in operating in the Brazilian market. From the aircraft’s development stage, Aero Vodochody Aerospace company has been a strategic partner for the manufacturing and delivery of some parts of the C-390. Tatra Trucks has also been successful with the supplies of military trucks and COLT CZ Group in the field of small firearms. There is also a high untapped potential in supplies by Aircraft Industries, Excalibur International, PBS Group and Eldis.
Brazil has been investing around 1.3 percent GDP in national defence, particularly in support of domestic defence industries. In 2024, the country’s defence budget was about US$ 24.75 billion, which is roughly 1.1 percent GDP.
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