Brazil orders man-portable air defense system from Saab

Oct. 30 (UPI) -- The Brazilian Army has ordered additional RBS 70 Very Short Range Air Defense systems from Saab Defense for delivery in 2018 and 2019.

The RBS 70 system is in-service with the Brazilian Army. It is a man-portable system, which first came into service in the late 1970s. It has a range of nearly five miles and a flight altitude of about 16,400 feet.

Saab Defense, which did not detail the monetary value of the order, said the contract includes man-portable launchers, training simulators, camouflage systems and associated equipment for operators and system maintainers.

"Brazil has an ambitious program for strengthening their air defense capability and this is our third order from the customer in recent years," Marianna Silva, country manager for Saab Brazil, said in a press release. "We are proud to have been selected as a supplier in that transformation, knowing that our system plays an important role in protecting their airspace and defending critical infrastructure."

"The overall market for short-range air defense systems is growing and we see an increasing demand from Brazil and other customers around the world," said Görgen Johansson, senior vice president and head of Saab's Dynamics business area.