ABU DHABI / SAO JOSE DOS CAMPOS, Brazil — UAE-based advanced technology and defence group EDGE has completed its acquisition of Brazilian aerospace engineering company AKAER after all customary closing conditions and relevant regulatory approvals were fulfilled. The acquisition was completed on September 4, 2026, following the share purchase agreement announced by the companies in July.
Under the agreed corporate structure, Brazilian defence company SIATT will hold a minority equity stake in AKAER. The arrangement is intended to preserve AKAER’s status as an Empresa Estratégica de Defesa (EED), or Strategic Defence Company, within Brazil. EDGE retains control of AKAER.
EDGE Group Managing Director and CEO Hamad Al Marar said the completion of the acquisition represents an important milestone for EDGE in Brazil. He also highlighted AKAER’s engineering expertise and its continued contribution to Brazil’s defence ecosystem.
Expanded engineering and technology capabilities
The acquisition gives EDGE an established engineering base in Brazil with a multidisciplinary team covering the product lifecycle from project design and development through to industrialisation. EDGE and AKAER already work together on the development and industrialisation of unmanned systems, providing an existing basis for closer integration within the group.
EDGE said the acquisition also expands its capabilities in areas including optronics, electro-optic and infrared systems, and space-related technologies. These capabilities were identified by EDGE when it announced the planned acquisition in July.
The transaction forms part of EDGE’s expanding investment in Brazil. The group said the acquisition will support Brazil’s defence industry, strategic technologies and technological sovereignty, while contributing to direct and indirect employment opportunities and the development of national skills and capabilities.
AKAER's aerospace experience
Founded in 1992 and headquartered in São José dos Campos, São Paulo, AKAER has more than three decades of experience in aerospace engineering. The company has accumulated more than 10 million engineering hours across military and commercial aerospace programmes for global manufacturers.
AKAER has contributed to several major aerospace programmes, including Saab’s Gripen NG fighter, Turkish Aerospace’s Hürjet trainer, and aircraft programmes from Embraer, including the Super Tucano, ERJ-E1, ERJ-E2, Legacy 450/500 and KC-390. Its engineering work has also included Boeing’s 747-8 and the Brazilian Air Force’s P-3 Orion fleet.
AKAER will continue operating from Brazil, maintaining its local presence and established operations. The company’s São José dos Campos base remains part of its role in Brazil’s aerospace and defence industry.
EDGE has already expanded its presence in Brazil through investments in SIATT and Condor Non-Lethal Technologies. The completion of the AKAER acquisition adds another Brazilian aerospace and defence engineering company to the group’s portfolio.
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