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Loading at the Port of Santos Marks the Second Phase of the Export Contract, with Delivery Expected to the Philippines This Month.
Nine armored personnel transport vehicles Guarani 6×6 are ready to leave Brazil.
They are awaiting loading at the Port of Santos, in São Paulo, with departure scheduled for August 10. The destination is the Port of Manila, in the Philippines, with arrival expected before the end of the month.
This information was confirmed by the Brazilian portal Tecnologia & Defesa.
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The shipment marks the activation of the second phase of the export contract signed between the two countries.
Contract Details
The batch is part of an agreement signed in 2021, which included 28 vehicles.
So far, five units have already been delivered to the Philippine authorities. Another 14 are in production at the Iveco Defense Vehicles factory in Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais.
The schedule has experienced delays due to a lack of components, particularly due to approval from the German Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA).
Even so, the contract remains valid and may expand, as the Philippines has expressed interest in acquiring up to 114 vehicles in total.
The Guarani 6×6 Vehicle
Officially named VBTP-MR, the Guarani 6×6 is the result of a joint project between the Brazilian Army and Iveco. It was designed to operate in urban, rural, and forested areas.
It combines tactical mobility, ballistic protection, and firepower.
It has been in service in Brazil since 2013 and has already been exported to Lebanon, which received 16 units in 2015 for internal use. The model is also offered to other interested countries.
Role in the Philippine Army
In the Philippines, the Guarani is part of the Horizonte 2 program of the Revised Armed Forces Modernization Plan.
The acquisition was facilitated by the Israeli company Elbit Systems, responsible for integrating subsystems such as a remotely controlled weapon station, 12.7 mm machine gun, battle management system, and tactical communication.
Sources indicate that the Philippine batch may receive a more powerful version, with a remote-controlled turret and a 30 mm automatic cannon. This would enhance combat capability, both in urban missions and in open areas against various threats.
Military Strategy and Industrial Impact
For the Philippines, the goal is to have a more mobile and equipped ground force, ready to respond to internal and external challenges. For Brazil, the agreement opens up space in the Asian market and strengthens the national defense industry.
The total contract was signed in 2020, valued at US$ 46 million, with staggered deliveries. The loading of the nine armored vehicles now represents another step before the final delivery of 14 units.
Cooperation and Next Steps
Despite delays caused by German export controls, the project continues to progress.
The delivery of these armored vehicles strengthens cooperation between Brasília and Manila and keeps the possibility of new orders open.
The integration of the Guarani into the Philippine Army marks an advance in the military modernization process of the Asian country and consolidates Brazil as a relevant supplier in the international defense sector.
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