Brazilian defence manufacturer Mac Jee is in the process of developing a new loitering munition called the Anshar. The system was announced at the Dubai Air Show, which runs from 13-17 November 2023.
Named after the god of the celestial horizon from Babylonian mythology, the Anshar was developed in Brazil by Mac Jee using its own research investment and is claimed by the company to represent “a leap in technology and capacity for Brazil’s defense industry base”.
The Anshar has a maximum a speed of 170 m/s (612 km/h), a minimum altitude of 10 m (sea skimming) and maximum altitude of 8,000 m, a range of 100 km and an endurance of one hour. The system has a maximum take-off weight of 160 kg, a payload of 20 kg and a fuel weight of 46 kg.
Judging from the Mac Jee website, the Anshar is Mac Gee’s first foray into the development of loitering munitions; the company mostly produces aerial targets and rocket launchers. An image of the system was not provided by the company to accompany its press release.
“Anshar was developed to fly at high altitude and high speed, with excellent manoeuvrability and integration of a wide variety of payloads,”, Simon Jeannot, president and founder of the Mac Jee Group, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “We used our knowledge and resources to develop a low-operational-cost solution, with a simplified manufacturing and maintenance process, to guarantee the air forces of allied nations the conditions to fulfill their duty with the best results.”
The Anshar is currently in advanced development and will be produced at Mac Jee’s facilities in the Vale do Paraíba region in the interior of Brazil’s São Paulo state.
Mac Jee asserted in its press release that the company is “committed to developing new solutions that are increasingly electronic and even use artificial intelligence”.
“It’s a natural step,” added Jeannot. “We will never stop innovating, always following our strong ethical conduct.”
