The Brazilian company Mac Jee is one of the leading defense companies in the field of manufacturing and developing weapon systems and air munitions. Mac Jee has acquired great experience in this field that enabled it to occupy the best positions among similar defense companies and created a high place for it in many armies of the world.
In order to shed light on the Brazilian company, its activities and products, Al Jundi Journal met with Mr. Simon Jeannot, founder and Chairman of the of Mac Jee for Defense Industries, and had the following dialogue with him:
Talk to us about the Mac Jee and its fields of work in general, and about the most prominent products that the company offers to its customers, and what is the extent of satisfaction and demand for them?
MAC JEE is a leader industrial group in the Brazilian defense base. Recognized by the Ministry of Defense as a strategic interest, MAC JEE develops and commercializes advanced products and solutions in the aeronautical field, in particular aerial ammunition and guidance systems entirely manufactured in Brazil and 100% ITAR free.
Through its subsidiaries, MAC JEE also offers solutions for the implementation of defense equipment manufacturing lines abroad, as well as the ARMADILLO, an adaptable rocket launcher system for light 4×4 military vehicles adapted to extreme weather conditions.
How important is the UAE and GCC market to Mac Jee?
MAC JEE is a company that exports its products extensively and about 90% of our business is done abroad.
The GCC and the United Arab Emirates are among our privileged partners for the professionalism of their armed forces and their permanent will to innovate which we share through our internal policy.
What are your most prominent projects for the next stage?
As a leading defense company, MAC JEE has a very active research and development sector that allows us to unveil new products and cutting-edge technologies at a high frequency. The next step will be an intelligent guidance kit for aerial ammunition associated with a fully electronic fuse totally manufactured in Brazil.
What are your company future plans ? and How do you see the company changing in two years?
The innovation policy is essential in a market in constant evolution, the progression towards intelligent autonomous weapon systems with controlled lethality is a challenge and MAC JEE Group is developing its capabilities in electronics and avionics.
How do you assess the cooperation between your company and GCC countries particularly the United Arab Emirates?
Our cooperation is excellent even if it is only the beginning of our partnership.
We have very good relations with the United Arab Emirates as well as other Gulf countries also for cultural reasons which we appreciate very much.
We hope to gradually strengthen our cooperation by investing locally and offering production opportunities in these countries.
What are your biggest accomplishments in the defense sector?
We are proud to have direct relationships with the air forces of several Gulf countries. This allows us to interact directly and better respond to local strategic needs. We will soon begin large-scale delivery of strategic products. We also hope to continue to work with our engineers to implement production solutions for ministries of defense.
What is Mac Jee’s investment in the UAE and who do you primarily work with?
MAC JEE plans in the short term to invest progressively in the region, not only to have a commercial activity but a real industrial project. We are interacting with the local authorities and we have the support of the main institutional players in the sector.
Tell us about your recent experience and participation in Dubai Airshow 2021, and did it meet your expectations?
For us, the Dubai Air Show was a key event as a manufacturer of aerial munitions and partner of the UAE forces.
This edition was particularly spectacular in terms of attendance and we are extremely honored to have been able to meet the Chiefs of Staff and present some of our new products.
What new products is Mac Jee offering the UAE and Gulf region?
Our goal is to present innovative systems at a maximum frequency of 2 to 3 years. We are convinced that our DAGGER Intelligent Guidance System for Aerial Munitions will become a best-seller for its intrinsic qualities and military capabilities. The UAE Air Force will be able to combine it with the electronic fuze that we have fully developed or use it for missions against hardened targets or underground with our 2000 lbs anti bunker ammunition. The next step will be for us to present a medium altitude, long endurance observation and attack UAV with high payload capability.
Would you like to send any message through Al Jundi Journal to the defense community in general, or in the UAE in particular?
I would first like to thank all our institutional partners in the armed forces for their confidence. We are extremely proud and honored of our first collaboration and we are only at the beginning of a long partnership. All the products offered by MAC JEE are ITAR free but above all the group offers remarkable production capacities and a permanent will of innovation which will satisfy the most demanding users. Definitely, we believe that our future is in the region and we are open to future discussions with all local partners that we greatly respect.
» Interviewed by: «AL JUNDI»
