“Through this COE, we will combine advanced technology, operational expertise and shared knowledge to build lasting capability and position Brazil as a leading centre of cyber excellence in Latin America,” EDGE CEO Hamad Al Marar said in the company statement announcing the new centre.
EDGE Group and the Brazilian army: a new Cyber Defense Centre of Excellence
Emirati defense conglomerate EDGE Group announced the launch of a Cyber Defense Centre of Excellence (COE) with the Brazilian army, describing it as the first COE of its kind in South America. EDGE said the COE represents an equal, strategic commitment between the two founding institutions to establish a permanent, internationally benchmarked organisation that will serve Brazil’s cybersecurity requirements and contribute to the wider region.
Services to be offered: training, incident response, R&D and capability development
According to EDGE, the COE will provide “specialised services” to both the Brazilian army and federal institutions. Those services, as listed in the company statement, include training, cyber incident response, research and development for cyber defense “doctrine and capabilities,” and the development of advanced cyber defence capabilities and solutions.
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See what we buildTripartite model and international benchmarking
EDGE said the COE will operate under a tripartite model bringing together government, industry, and academia. The company framed the initiative as an effort to create an organisation benchmarked to international practice, explicitly noting the centre will draw “on international practice including the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence.”
EDGE’s existing Brazil footprint and concurrent navy cooperation
EDGE has previously pursued a presence in Brazil. In April 2023 the company opened its first international office in Brazil to serve Latin America, and EDGE said it already participates in a number of defense joint ventures there — including work on Mansup surface-to-surface anti-ship missiles and counter drone systems.
In parallel with the army COE announcement, EDGE signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Brazilian navy to “establish a framework for technical cooperation focused on maritime monitoring, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.” The company noted that the army pact is not its first cyber initiative with Brasilia: in April the company inked an agreement with the navy to “enhance cyber defense capabilities” and to establish a framework to boost maritime and critical infrastructure cybersecurity.
What this means for the Brazilian army, the Brazilian navy, federal institutions, and Emirati defense firms
- The Brazilian army: will be a primary beneficiary and partner, receiving training, incident response support, and R&D aimed at developing doctrine and capabilities under a COE that EDGE describes as permanent and internationally benchmarked.
- The Brazilian navy: has both a new Memorandum of Understanding on maritime monitoring, surveillance and reconnaissance and prior agreements with EDGE to “enhance cyber defense capabilities” and protect maritime and critical infrastructure cybersecurity.
- Federal institutions: are identified as recipients of specialised services from the COE, including cyber incident response and training, indicating an explicit role beyond strictly military customers.
- Emirati defense firms and EDGE: the company frames this as part of an ongoing strategy in Brazil and Latin America, building on an office opened in April 2023 and existing joint ventures such as work on Mansup missiles and counter drone systems.
The announcement positions the COE as both a capability-provider and a regional centre, with EDGE emphasising international benchmarking and collaboration across government, industry and academia. EDGE’s simultaneous accords with Brazil’s army and navy, and its prior 2023 office opening and joint ventures, underline a sustained effort to translate partnerships into operational programs — beginning, per the company statement, with training, incident response and R&D activities.
Read the original report on Breaking Defense: https://breakingdefense.com/2026/08/uaes-edge-launches-cyber-defense-center-with-brazilian-army/
