SAO PAULO — A Brazilian defense organization has introduced an exploding drone prototype dubbed Anshar.
Its unveiling comes as the weapons class gains prominence amid Russia’s war in Ukraine. Also known as loitering munitions, they typically are able to remain in flight until a remote user issues the order to crash into a target.
Mac Jee Group, which displayed the loitering munition prototype at the Dubai Airshow this week, said the weapon has a range of 120 kilometers (62 miles), operates at 612 kph (380 mph), has a one-hour endurance and can carry a payload of 20 kilograms (44 pounds).
“It’s a new product from Mac Jee that aligns exactly with the new war doctrines,” Mathieu Izquierdo, the group’s sales business development director, said in reference to similar weapons used in Eastern Europe conflicts. “The Anshar was developed to meet the requirements of our customers outside Brazil.”
The drone “was designed to destroy high-value targets at a low cost, with simple maintenance and easy operation,” Izquierdo said, without providing details about the equipment cost.
Izquierdo noted a demonstration of the drone will take place next year during the World Defense Show in Saudi Arabia, which is scheduled for Feb. 4-8. “Mac Jee exports the majority of its products to the Middle East,” he added.
The company plans to launch the actual product in early 2025, he said.
Mac Jee is based in one of Brazil’s main defense hubs, the city of São José dos Campos, which is also home to aerospace specialist Embraer and other defense firms.
Pedro Pligher is a Latin America correspondent for Defense News. He has reported on politics, economics and the Brazilian small arms industry.
