Turkish company Aselsan identifies Brazil as a key partner in its Latin American defense strategy at LAAD 2025.

On March 27, 2025, the Turkish company Aselsan announced its participation in the LAAD 2025 exhibition, scheduled to take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from April 1 to 4. The company plans to use the exhibition to expand its engagement in Latin America by presenting a range of products and systems relevant to defense and public security requirements in the region. These include precision-guided munitions, surveillance equipment, secure communications tools, and law enforcement technologies.
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Aselsan President and CEO Ahmet Akyol has identified Latin America, with specific reference to Brazil, as a focus area within the company’s international strategy, and views LAAD 2025 as a venue to pursue new partnerships. (Picture source: Aselsan)

At stand G50, Aselsan will exhibit a selection of its air-launched munitions. These include the Sadak 2T smart twin carriage rack, which enables aircraft to carry two munitions on a single hardpoint; the Tolun GPS/INS-guided munition, which uses a combination of satellite and inertial navigation to improve targeting accuracy; the Gözde 82 laser precision guidance kit, designed to convert general-purpose bombs into guided munitions using semi-active laser seekers; and the LGK 82 laser guidance kit, which similarly provides laser-based targeting functionality. These systems are intended to support strike operations requiring accurate engagement of fixed or mobile targets.

In addition to guided munitions, Aselsan will display several technologies for public security and homeland protection. These include the Astela 3710 hand-held radios, which are described as mission-critical communication tools for security forces; the Midas intrusion detection system, designed to monitor for and detect unauthorized access attempts; and the Odakan “CityGuard” surveillance system family, developed for use in urban security operations to support situational awareness and monitoring.

Aselsan is also active in regional modernization and support programs. For instance, the company is contributing to the upgrade of the Chilean Army’s Leopard 2A4CHL main battle tanks by integrating new electronic fire control systems intended to improve the tanks’ engagement capabilities. The project reflects Aselsan’s wider involvement in similar efforts, such as the modernization of Türkiye’s own Leopard 2A4 tanks, where the company has provided comparable upgrades focused on fire control and situational awareness. These efforts are positioned as part of broader programs aimed at extending the operational life and functional capabilities of land, air, and naval platforms used by regional defense and security forces.

The company has established a local office in Santiago, Chile in April 2024. This step follows Aselsan’s prior strategy of opening regional offices in locations such as Kazakhstan and Ukraine to coordinate in-country support, manage relationships with local entities, and serve as operational hubs for technology integration. The Santiago office is expected to facilitate cooperation with regional stakeholders, support project implementation, and enable more direct participation in modernization initiatives.

Aselsan plans to work with Brazilian industrial actors to develop production and upgrade programs that utilize existing local infrastructure. This approach is consistent with the company’s previously stated objective of engaging in joint development, co-production, and technology transfer agreements, as seen in its activities with partner countries such as Pakistan and Qatar. These agreements have typically focused on adapting Aselsan’s systems to partner nations’ requirements while enabling domestic industry participation in both production and lifecycle support.

Aselsan President and CEO Ahmet Akyol has identified Latin America, with specific reference to Brazil, as a focus area within the company’s international strategy. He stated that LAAD 2025 is viewed as a venue to pursue new partnerships and expand cooperation in fields such as modernization, precision-guided weapons, and public safety technologies. He also indicated that Aselsan seeks to engage in joint development activities, industrial collaboration, and technology transfer agreements in the region.