IAV 2023: Brazil to procure new MBT, IFV, and SPH

The Brazilian Army plans to procure 98 Centauro II armoured vehicles (pictured at Eurosatory 2018). (Janes/Patrick Allen)

Brazil is to procure a new main battle tank (MBT), infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), and self-propelled howitzer(SPH), Janes learnt at Defence iQ's International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2023 conference held in London from 23 to 26 January. It is seeking 36 wheeled SPHs.

At the same time, Brazil plans to upgrade 52 of its Leopard 1A1 tanks starting in 2023, with a request for proposals to be made in June.

Brazil is also procuring hundreds of wheeled vehicles from Iveco. In November 2022, the Brazilian Army selected the Centauro II 8×8 armoured vehicle armed with a 120 mm gun from La Società Consortile Iveco – Oto Melara (CIO) as its Wheeled Medium Armoured Cavalry Vehicle (Viatura Blindada de Cavalaria Média Sobre Rodas). Janes learnt at IAV 2023 that 98 Centauro IIs are planned to be procured and will be equipped with a Brazilian battle management system. Under a contract signed in December 2022, two prototypes are expected to be delivered in early 2023 for technical evaluations, which, if successful, will be followed by a further seven for doctrinal experimentation and then 89 serial production vehicles over a 15 year period.

The Brazilian Army is procuring 850 6×6 Guarani armoured amphibious vehicles with 30 mm remote-controlled weapon stations from Brazilian-based Iveco Latin America in the armoured personnel carrier, command post (CP), communications, heavy mortar, and ambulance versions.

Brazil is also procuring 186 Iveco Defence Vehicles LMV 4×4 light armoured vehicles in the multirole patrol, mortar carrier, CP, battlefield radar carrier, electronic warfare, anti-tank carrier, forward observer, and nuclear, biological, and chemical reconnaissance versions.