Brazil proceeds with Cascavel 6×6 upgrade, awards contract

Shown here is the EE-9 Cascavel armoured vehicle in September 2019 at a military parade in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The country has selected local contractors to modernise the vehicle fleet. (Janes/Victor Barreira)

The Brazilian Army had signed a contract with Consórcio Força Terrestre, a consortium formed by local companies, for the modernisation of nine ENGESA EE-9 Cascavel M VII 6×6 armoured reconnaissance vehicles.

The deal was inked on 7 July and is valued at BRL74.6 million (USD14.2 million), Director of the Manufacturing Directorate General Tales Eduardo Areco Villela told Janes . Consortium members, Akaer Engenharia, Opto Tecnologia Optrônica, and Universal – Importação, Exportação e Comércio – are tasked with developing two prototypes and seven pilot batch vehicles, he added.

The consortium plans to start work on the first prototype in the third quarter of 2022 with plans to deliver it to the service in the third quarter of 2023, a spokesperson for Akaer Engenharia told Janes.

For now, Brazil intends to modernise 98 Cascavel vehicles by 2031 as part of the Army Strategic Program “Armoured Forces” (Prg EE FBld). Ultimately, up to 103 additional vehicles could be modernised depending on funding, Gen Tales Villela said.

The modernisation effort includes the installation of a central tire inflation system (CTIS), a new powerpack, ballistic computer, air conditioning unit, optronics for the driver, commander, and gunner, launcher for anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), electric-turret drive system, as well as updating the existing electrical, suspension, braking, and cooling systems.

However, the service has not yet made the final decision on some items such as, which ATGM will be used, the general added.