The Brazilian Army and Iveco Latin America today signed a contract for the supply of 2044 units of the base model of the new family of armoured personnel carriers (VBTP-MR).

Iveco Latin America and the Brazilian Army in ˆ2.5 billion Defence Vehicle Supply Contract

The Brazilian Army and Iveco Latin America today signed a contract for the supply of 2044 units of the base model of the new family of armoured personnel carriers (VBTP-MR). The vehicles will replace the old models Urutu used today by the Brazilian armed forces. The contract is valued at 6 billion Brazilian Reais (about ˆ2.5 billion) over 20 years.

The manufacturing batch of 2044 units is planned to start in 2012, with completion in 2030. The production of models, including engines, will take place in Brazil, where Iveco will prepare a production area purposely designed to meet this demand. The local supply chain will involve more than 100 direct suppliers and some hundreds of indirect suppliers.

The agreement was signed at a ceremony held at the Army Headquarters in Brasilia, attended by General Enzo Martins Peri, Commander of the Brazilian Army, General Fernando Sérgio Galvão, Chief of Army Staff, the President of Iveco Latin America, Marco Mazzù and the General Manager of Iveco Defence Vehicles, Pietro Borgo.

The VBTP-MR project is part of the National Defence Strategy which includes the reorganization of domestic defence to ensure that the equipment needs of the Brazilian armed forces are supported by best-in-class technology.

For the Brazilian Army, the VBTP-MR project will increase the effectiveness of the land forces, increasing capacity to act in several missions where the use of this type of vehicle is suitable, with different settings (personnel carrier, reconnaissance, rescue, ambulance, etc.) to meet various operational needs.

The VBTP-MR is a family of diesel engined vehicles with a GVW of 18 tonnes, 6x6 drive, amphibious capability and capable of carrying 11 soldiers. The basic dimensions are 6.91 metres long, 2.7 metres wide and 2.34 metres high. The model can be equipped with a turret armed with remote control operation for several different applications. The model can be transported by an aircraft of type C-130 Hercules.

This family of armoured vehicles is currently under development. The work is being carried out jointly by the Brazilian Army (through the project Mobility Strategy and the DCT - Department of Science and Technology) and Iveco. Around 30 million Brazilian Reais (ˆ12 million) has been applied to the definition of this project in which major specialist Brazilian companies are also involved.

The first prototype is under construction in Brazil and will be ready in the first half of 2010. Another 16 units of a pilot batch will be produced by Iveco in Brazil between 2010 and 2011.

The VBTP-MR family is the result of the bidding process launched by the Army in 2007 and won by Iveco. One of the decisive factors in this choice was the experience of Iveco Defence Vehicles, which designs, produces and markets a full range of military vehicles, including models similar to the Brazilian VBTP-MR.

A full-scale mock-up of the VBTP-MR was exhibited at the Latin America Aero & Defence (LAAD), the largest military equipment fair in Latin America, held in Rio Centro, Rio de Janeiro in April 2009.

Iveco designs, manufactures, and markets a broad range of light, medium and heavy commercial vehicles, off-road trucks, city and intercity buses and coaches as well as special vehicles for applications such as fire fighting, off-road missions, defence and civil protection.

Iveco employs over 27,000 people and runs 27 production units in 16 Countries in the world using excellent technologies developed in 6 research centres. Besides Europe, the company operates in China, Russia, Australia and Latin America. More than 6,000 service outlets in over 100 Countries guarantee technical support wherever in the world an Iveco vehicle is at work.

Iveco
22.12.2009