Brazilian marine commander details artillery upgrades
The Brazilian Marine Corps has recently added an anti-ship missile capability to its Astros II Mk 6 FN system. (Victor Barreira)
The Brazilian Navy's Marine Corps is developing efforts to strengthen the field artillery and air-defence capabilities of the Marine Fleet Force, Commander of Marine Material Command Rear Admiral Cláudio Lopes de Araujo Leite told Janes on 21 May.
The upgrade of the field artillery principally includes procurement of four batteries of a 155 mm/52 lightweight towed howitzer around 2033, as well to soon refurbish the existing 39 L118 Light Gun howitzers at the Brazilian Army's War Arsenal of SĂŁo Paulo, he said.
The Marine Artillery Battalion is principally equipped with the 105 mm/39 L118 Light Gun, the 155 mm/23 M114A1 towed howitzers, and the Astros II Mk 6 FN multiple rocket and missile launching system. The Aerial Combat Battalion fields the Mistral 1 manportable very-short-range air-defence (VSHORAD) system and the Saber M60 mobile L-band 3D low-altitude radar.
The Marine Corps Technological Center is converting the third and final Avibras (AV)-LMU (Lançadora MĂşltipla Universal) Mk 6 6Ă—6 multiple rocket launching unit of the Astros II Mk 6 FN system for the coastal defence role by adding the Brazilian-made MANSUP (MĂssil Antinavio Nacional de SuperfĂcie) anti-ship missile capability.
To deliver protection against aerial threats, the marines seek to acquire a new VSHORAD system, or to upgrade the Mistral 1 to the Mistral 3 standard, as well as to procure mobile air surveillance and search radar system, Rear Adm Leite said.
The Brazilian Marine Corps is also looking to receive a battery of a ground-based medium-range air-defence system as part of the Sis AAAe Me Altu (Sistema de Artilharia Antiaérea de Média Altura) project.
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