MAX 1.2 ATGM from SIATT detonating.

SIATT and Brazilian Marines sign for MAX 1.2 ATGMs

ATGMs are a versatile and capable tool that offers significant lethality for infantry forces. Brazil is procuring a system designed around the MAX 1.2 ATGMs from SIATT to enhance its ability to project force. 

Brazilian company SIATT, which is a part of the EDGE Group, has been awarded a contract by the Brazilian Marine Corps to deliver the Expeditionary Anti-Tank Missile System (SMACE), according to a November 19th press release. 

So what is SMACE? Well, it’s a combination of the SIATT MAX 1.2 anti-tank guided missile mounted on two lightly protected 4×4 vehicles and a drone that can be used both in the ISTAR and ground-attack roles. 

“The Marine Corps Materiel Command (CMatFN) has outlined tactical and conceptual requirements to enable light forces to operate effectively and project on land, with emphasis on rapid engagement and disengagement, distributed operations, long-range remote observation via drones, and tactical data links for real-time coordination of anti-tank missions,” the press release explains. 

This concept of operations is becoming quite common for marine forces, and is similar to that being pursued by both the Dutch and Royal Marines. A highly mobile platform enables them to cover a lot of ground quickly, which means that they can be inserted in less well-guarded areas before making their way to the target area. And distributed or dispersed operations complicate the task of finding them. However, doing so does place a premium on a robust communications network. 

The MAX 1.2 ATGM is a tube-launched semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) weapon with a range of 3.2 km and a high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead that can penetrate 700 mm of armoured steel. Alternate warheads include a tandem HEAT warhead, which is designed to penetrate explosive reactive armour, as well as a bunker busting munition. SACLOS is a common form of guidance for ATGMs. It essentially requires the user to keep a laser beam focused on the target, the system then automatically transmits corrections to the missile, keeping it within the laser beam as it races towards the target at 240 m/s. In contrast, the previous generation relied on manual command to line of sight, where the user had to track both the missile and the target, and manually steer the missile back onto the right path if it strayed too far. 

The drone in question is not specified, but indicates the ambition to project force beyond the range of the MAX 1.2 Delivery of the first system is expected in 2026 and then production capacity is projected to double after that. SIATT has provided a range of systems for the Brazilian armed forces but is also set to benefit from being part of the EDGE Group. Its missile the MANSUP has been selected to equip the Rabdan off-shore patrol vessels that are being built for the UAE, and could be included in the record deal for Falaj 3 patrol vessels for Kuwait. 

Calibre comment: ATGMs, a versatile tool

ATGMs have been used for a variety of purposes in recent conflicts and are often directed against bunkers or buildings as much as vehicles. They provide infantry with a very lethal and precise form of firepower that they may not have to seek permission to use. Their utility has, to some extent, been overshadowed by drones. However, it is rare for a drone to deliver the type of lethality that an ATGM can yield. Some reporting from Ukraine indicates that using these weapons against light vehicles or personnel can result in a 75% fatality rate. They are therefore a multi-purpose tool, and far more than a simple anti-tank weapon as the name would suggest. 

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on November 20th, 2025. The lead image shows the detonation of a MAX 1.2 missile. Credit: SIATT.

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