UAE’s EDGE launches cyber defense center with Brazilian army

BEIRUT — Emirati defense conglomerate EDGE Group announced it has launched a Cyber Defense Centre of Excellence (COE) with the Brazilian army — the first of its kind in South America, according to the company.

The COE, will “operate under a tripartite model bringing together government, industry, and academia. The initiative reflects an equal, strategic commitment between the two founding institutions to establish a permanent, internationally benchmarked organisation serving Brazil’s cybersecurity requirements and contribute to the wider region,” EDGE said in a statement on Wednesday. 

EDGE said that the center will provide “specialised services” to both the Brazilian army and federal institutions for training, cyber incident response, R&D for cyber defense “doctrine and capabilities,” and the “development of advanced cyber defence capabilities and solutions.”

“Through this COE, we will combine advanced technology, operational expertise and shared knowledge to build lasting capability and position Brazil as a leading centre of cyber excellence in Latin America,” EDGE CEO Hamad Al Marar said in the statement. Al Marar said the center will draw “on international practice including the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence.”

Emirati firms including EDGE have long seen Brazil as not only an attractive defense customer, but as a strategic foothold for the defense industry on the continent. In April 2023 EDGE opened its first international office in Brazil to serve Latin America, and has a number of defense joint ventures there, including work on Mansup surface-to-surface anti-ship missiles and counter drone systems.

Today EDGE also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Brazilian navy to “establish a framework for technical cooperation focused on maritime monitoring, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.”

Wednesday’s announcement with the army was also not EDGE’s first cyber initiative with Brasilia. In April the company inked an agreement with the navy to “enhance cyber defense capabilities” and to establish a framework to boost maritime and critical infrastructure cybersecurity.