Akaer will play an important role in the state’s future Aerospace Technology Park
Akaer, a global benchmark in the development of cutting-edge technologies for the Aerospace and Defense sectors, will expand its operations with the establishment of a new unit in Bahia.
The company will play an important role in the Aerospace Technology Park in Salvador, announced on Thursday (18) at a ceremony attended by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Governor Jerônimo Rodrigues.
The project for the new aerospace hub in Bahia – an environment dedicated to innovation in the aerospace field, advanced research and teaching – is the result of a partnership between the federal government, the Brazilian Air Force, the state government and SENAI Cimatec (Integrated Manufacturing and Technology Center).
“Akaer is honored to be part of such a visionary and disruptive project, of great relevance to the global aerospace sector. This project marks a new phase for the Brazilian aerospace industry, generating skilled jobs, boosting the economy and promoting technological innovation,” said the company’s CEO, Cesar Silva.
“We are ready to contribute significantly to the success of this transformative project.”
Technology
The future Bahia Aerospace Technology Park will be located at Salvador Air Base, in an area given by the Federal Government to SENAI Cimatec (the institution responsible for managing the complex). Akaer’s new unit has the potential to generate 1,000 direct jobs and another 5,000 indirect jobs within five years.
“The Aerospace Technology Park will generate science, it will generate projects, but it will also train labor in the area,” said Governor Jerônimo Rodrigues, who praised the importance of Akaer in the new hub.
“We went to São Paulo [last year] on an agenda that surprised us a lot, at Akaer. There we saw the potential and the possibility of making great progress,” he said.
“Coming here to announce the launch of an Aerospace Technology Park is no small feat,” said President Lula. “Congratulations to the Aeronautics Command, congratulations to the government of Bahia. You now have an Aerospace Technology Park.”
Akaer expanding
With its headquarters in São José dos Campos (SP) and commercial offices in Portugal and Turkey, Akaer has a solid track record spanning more than three decades, doing business in 22 countries.
It has accumulated more than 8 million engineering hours dedicated to the development of aircraft systems and structures, actively participating in more than 50 globally recognized projects, such as Gripen E/F, KC-390, Hürjet, Embraer E2, Super Tucano, A380 and Boeing 747-8.
The company is leading the modernization of the Brazilian Army’s Cascavel light combat vehicle and recently won the FINEP (Financier of Studies and Projects) public selection for the development of a nano and microsatellite launch vehicle, a milestone for the Brazilian Space Program.
Since 2019, Akaer has also been working on the production of Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The most recent project is the AKR-H2, an autonomous cargo drone funded by FINEP. The guidance system for autonomous landing of the future aircraft, using Artificial Intelligence, will be developed in partnership with SENAI Cimatec – the contract was signed during Thursday’s ceremony and will be the first major project of the Bahia Aerospace Technology Park.
“Akaer is experiencing an important moment, opening up new frontiers. A moment that finds synergy with the Aerospace Technology Park project, which will stimulate the formation of a resilient production chain, attracting investment and boosting exports,” said Cesar Silva.
Differentials
“Having a runway prepared to receive large aircraft right next to our new unit will be an important differentiator for the expansion of our operations. We also have a consolidated partnership with SENAI Cimatec, a respected center of excellence in research, development and innovation,” he added.
Akaer currently has more than 600 employees, a workforce that is expected to more than double with the new operations in Bahia. The company has been voted Brazil’s Most Innovative Company in the last three editions of the National Innovation Award, granted by the CNI (National Confederation of Industry), and projects accumulated sales of R$5 billion over the next five years.
Solemnity
Thursday’s event, held in the SENAI Cimatec auditorium in Salvador, marked the signing of the agreement formalizing the creation of the Aerospace Technology Park. Representing CAA were CEO Cesar Silva and the vice-presidents of Research, Development and Innovation, Joselito Henriques, and International Business, Marco Tulio Pellegrini.
*** Translated by DEFCONPress FYI Team ***