EADS in Brazil

The creation of EADS Brasil in 2003 represented an important step towards the consolidation of the Group in the country. EADS’ operations in Brazil are overseen by EADS Brasil, which is based in São Paulo.

In 1998, TAM started operating the first of its A330-200s, and now operates about 140 Airbus aircraft, making it the biggest Airbus fleet in the region (119 A320 Family aircraft, 18 A330 and two A340s). TAM has repeatedly added Airbus aircraft to its fleet, making Airbus the leading aircraft supplier to the Brazilian airline. In July 2010, TAM reaffirmed its confidence in Airbus when it ordered another 20 A320 Family and five A350 XWBs aircraft as part of its fleet renewal programme; bringing its total Airbus aircraft orders to 176, and solidifying TAM’s position as Airbus’ biggest customer in the southern hemisphere. Today, TAM has a backlog of around 80 Airbus aircraft. Airbus welcomed a new Brazilian operator in 2010 - Ocean Air (now Avianca Brasil) which currently operates four A320 Family aircraft. Since 2005, the Brazilian Air Force has operated an Airbus Corporate jet (ACJ) for the Presidential transport.

On the defence side, the Brazilian Air Force currently operates 12 C295 transport aircraft and Airbus Military is also modernizing 9 P-3 Orion for the same customer. The Brazilian Air Force will use the P-3 aircraft for maritime patrol, anti-submarine warfare, and a range of civil missions including economic exclusion zone enforcement and search and rescue.

In order to further develop its presence in Brazil, Astrium decided to join forces with Brazilian space company Equatorial Sistemas (EQSA) and became a shareholder of the company in 2006. The two companies have been collaborating since 2000 on projects such as the humidity sounder instrument for the Aqua observation satellite (NASA) and the joint CBERS (Brazil – China) programme for remote-sensing satellites series. Together with Equatorial, Astrium was awarded contracts to supply equipment for the Multi-Mission Platform (MMP) program. Astrium is also present through Spot Image Brasil which supplies high definition images to public and private Brazilian entities and was established in 2009.

France-based turboprop manufacturer ATR is well established in Brazil. Today it has 4 operators in the country: AZUL Linhas Aéreas, TRIP, Pantanal and Total Linhas Aéreas. These 4 carriers currently operate some 50 ATR aircraft. TRIP, with 35 ATR in its fleet, is the second largest ATR operator in the world and the first in Latin America. ATR has recently inked a deal for 20 ATR 72-600 aircraft, plus 20 options, with AZUL Linhas Aéreas.

Helicópteros do Brasil - Helibras - is a subsidiary of Eurocopter, the world’s leading helicopter manufacturer in the civil and parapublic market. Established in Brazil since 1978, Helibras is the sole helicopter manufacturer in Latin America. Since its creation, Helibras has produced and delivered some 500 helicopters and leads the Brazilian market for turbine helicopters in operation. Helibras has a 53% share of the civilian market and 66% of the military market. Its helicopters also make up for 82% of the parapublic fleet in operation in Brazil, where the Ecureuil is much appreciated and suited for these missions. Helibras plays an important role in the Brazilian aeronautics industry. The company employs more than 500 people at its facilities in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and Itajubá (Minas Gerais), where the main plant is located. Following the contract for 50 EC725s for the Brazilian armed forces, signed in late 2008, Helibras will assure the production, assembly and maintenance of the Brazilian Army’s EC725 fleet. Helibras has also signed two important service contracts with the Brazilian Army. The first one, signed at the end of 2009, will involve a major upgrade program of 34 AS565K Panthers. The second contract was signed at the end of 2010 and will lead to the modernization of the Brazilian Army’s fleet of 36 AS350 Ecureuils.

At the end of 2006, Cassidian created EADS Secure Networks Brasil which supplies radio communication networks based on TETRAPOL technology to the Brazilian Federal Police, in the frame of the Proamatec programme. Since 2005, Cassidian has been securing important contracts to provide TETRAPOL equipment and laboratories for the Proamatec project. In September 2010, Cassidian announced the inauguration of the TETRAPOL IP network to secure Federal Police operations in the metropolitan area of Fortaleza and the main cities of Ceara State. In September 2010, Cassidian established a Joint Venture with Brazilian company Odebrecht with the objective to offer Brazil-based solutions for defense and security integrated systems, products and services to customers in Brazil and in other countries to be defined. This initiative will mainly focus on engineering, production and procurement activities which can be realized in Brazil in the future.

MBDA, an EADS affiliated company, is also a provider to the Brazilian armed forces. In the frame of a contract for re-motorizing the Brazilian Navy’s Exocet missiles, MBDA established a cooperative agreement with local companies Mectron and Avibras to develop new engines.