Brazil organises the 15th edition of the LAAD Defence and Security Expo in Rio de Janeiro. The event included 359 companies and institutions displaying capabilities spanning land, sea, air, public, and corporate security sectors.
Among the many exhibitors and official delegations LAAD 2025 welcomes are top Brazilian Navy, Army, and Air Force officials, national police forces, special operations units, government agencies, and important global defence industry players.
This year, Turkiye is represented by a delegation of government agencies and defence and aviation companies. Participants include: Armelsan, ASELSAN, ASFAT, ASPİLSAN, Ateşçi, Baykar, Birant, Canik, Electroland, FNSS, HAVELSAN, Nurol Makina, Otokar, Repkon, the Secretariat of Defence Industries, Sarsılmaz, STM, TAIS, TUSAŞ, and Volt.
At the 2019 LAAD, TUSAŞ showed their T129 ATAK helicopter to the Latin American market.
TUSAŞ presented its T129 ATAK helicopter to the Latin American market during the 2019 LAAD. TUSAŞ will also present its piloted and unmanned air platform portfolio. The company has established GSATCOM Space Technologies Inc. with Argentina's state-owned technology company INVAP S.E. The company has established a regional office in Santiago, Chile.
ASELSAN has also actively sought Latin America, naming Brazil a major partner in its regional road map. Aiming to harness Brazil's current industrial base for joint manufacture and knowledge transfer, the firm is trying to create local partnerships orientated on production and modernisation initiatives. ASELSAN has also inaugurated its Latin America regional office in Santiago, Chile, in April 2024 to enable direct interaction with stakeholders and assist continuous initiatives. Among upgrading projects in the area, the business has worked on fire control and situational awareness systems for Chilean Leopard 2A4 tanks. ASELSAN presents various reasonably priced modernisation projects, public security technologies, and precision-guided systems at LAAD 2025.
Otokar is also increasing its regional operations and displaying its TULPAR modular tracked armoured vehicle with a 120 mm HITFACT MkII turret from Leonardo at LAAD 2025. The Brazilian Army reportedly evaluates TULPAR as part of its New Armoured Vehicle Family programme.
Defence Ministry’s company ASFAT will present its Ada Class Corvettes in LAAD. The company has already exported four corvettes to Pakistan Navy. In addition, ASFAT introduced ADA Class Corvettes and İSTİF Class Frigates to the Royal Thai Navy within the scope of the MİLGEM Project. There are also reports that Romania has initiated the process for the purchase of HİSAR Class Offshore Patrol Vessels from Türkiye.
Turkiye's state-owned defence producer MKE is also looking for chances in Brazil, especially its YAVUZ truck-mounted 155 mm howitzer, under an ongoing Brazilian artillery purchase plan.
Historically, Brazil wants to establish defence connections with Turkiye. Embraer proposed constructing C-390 transport aircraft with TUSAŞ in the past. Brazil has also provided Turkiye with non-lethal riot control tools. Some of the tear gas shells deployed by Turkish police during the 2013 protests were verified to be of Brazilian origin, manufactured by the defence contractor Condor.
