Brazilian EMGEPRON and TideWise eye Brazilian MCM requirement with the Suppressor 7 USV

The Suppressor 7 USV, pictured here, was designed to carry out a range of roles, including MCM and maritime surveillance. (Victor Barreira)

The Brazilian state-owned company Empresa Gerencial de Projetos Navais (EMGEPRON) is looking to place the Suppressor 7 multi-purpose unmanned surface vehicle (USV) into a requirement of the Brazilian Navy for a mine-countermeasures (MCM) capability, the company's special adviser André Gabriel Sochaczewski told Janes .

The local USV specialist TideWise Engenharia e Serviços Navais is scheduled to launch the construction of the Suppressor 7 USV for the MCM role in June, Sochaczewski said.

EMGEPRON has awarded TideWise a contract worth BRL18.3 million (USD3.2 million) in February 2024 to build the USV.

The basic design project of the Suppressor 7 was carried out in 2024, and the detailed design project is being finalised, Sochaczewski said.

As the Suppressor 7 USV is equipped with a range of sensors and effectors suited for the MCM role, it can meet the Brazilian Navy requirement for an MCM system.

For more information about Brazilian MCM efforts, please seeKeel laid for first Macaé-class patrol ship with MCM capability .

Sochaczewski pointed out that once the USV's construction and sea trials are completed in 2026, it will be demonstrated to the Brazilian Navy.

The 7.20 m-long and 2.4 m-wide USV, displacing 4,800 kg and offering a top speed of 24 kt and a 400 nm range, consists of a hull made of naval aluminium that mounts a mast equipped with sensors for communication, navigation and identification, and bays to deploy mission systems such as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and multibeam sonar systems.