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The Brazilian Army inaugurated the production line of the Guaicurus armored vehicle at the Iveco Defence Vehicles headquarters in Sete Lagoas (MG), with a contract for 420 units until 2033 and 15 already scheduled for this year, the same armored vehicle used by Italy, the United Kingdom, and Spain, and tested in real combat in Afghanistan and Lebanon.
The Brazilian Army has just taken a concrete step in modernizing its armored forces. This Tuesday (March 31), the Brazilian Army participated in the official inauguration of the production line of the Guaicurus Multi-Purpose Light Armored Vehicle on Wheels (VBMT-LSR) 4×4 at the Iveco Defence Vehicles (IDV) headquarters in Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais. According to the portal Naval Air Defense, the contract signed between the Brazilian Army and IDV provides for the delivery of 420 units by 2033, with 15 vehicles already scheduled for delivery this year.
What makes this armored vehicle particularly relevant is that it is not a theoretical project. The same vehicle is already used by European armies such as Italy, the United Kingdom, and Spain, and has been tested in real combat in missions in Afghanistan and Lebanon, two of the most demanding operational scenarios of recent decades. Now, the Brazilian Army is producing this armored vehicle on national soil, generating technological autonomy, jobs, and self-maintenance capability.
What is the Guaicurus armored vehicle and why did the Brazilian Army choose it
The Guaicurus is a permanent 4×4 light multi-purpose armored vehicle, weighing approximately eight tons. Despite its relatively low weight for an armored vehicle, the vehicle impressively combines robustness and technology: its armor withstands 7.62 mm caliber shots and offers protection against explosions from below, an essential requirement in scenarios where landmines and improvised explosive devices are constant threats. The fuel tank features special puncture-resistant coating.
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The Brazilian Army’s armored vehicle integrates an automated weapon system that allows the shooter to detect targets at long distances, even in low visibility conditions, without needing to leave the protection of the vehicle. Additionally, it has the capability to traverse flooded terrains and a command and control system integrated with the IMBEL TRC-1193 Mallet radio. It is the type of armored vehicle designed for real operations, not for parades. And the combat history in Afghanistan and Lebanon proves this.
420 units until 2033: the contract that puts the Brazilian Army in a new phase
The contract between the Brazilian Army and Iveco Defence Vehicles provides for the delivery of 420 Guaicurus armored vehicles by 2033, with 15 units already scheduled for this year.
The inauguration of the assembly line in Sete Lagoas is part of the Army’s Strategic Program for Armored Forces, which aims to transform ground combat capability through the mechanization of Infantry Brigades and the modernization of Cavalry Brigades.
Army General Hertz Pires do Nascimento, Chief of the Department of Science and Technology, highlighted the significance of national production: “The one who wins is the Brazilian Army, the one who wins is the company, but mainly the one who wins is our Brazil”.
Production in Minas Gerais goes beyond tactical gain for the Brazilian Army, ensuring technological autonomy in the maintenance of armored vehicles and boosting the national economy with job creation and development of specialized technical knowledge.
Tested in combat in Afghanistan and Lebanon: the operational curriculum of the armored vehicle that the Brazilian Army now produces
The armored vehicle that the Brazilian Army chose is not a gamble; it is a platform proven in combat. Countries such as Italy, the United Kingdom, and Spain employ the same vehicle in their armed forces, and it has been used in real operations in Afghanistan and Lebanon, theaters of operation where ballistic protection, mobility in rough terrain, and mechanical reliability are matters of life and death.
The choice of an armored vehicle already tested in combat by reference armies significantly reduces operational risk for the Brazilian Army.
Instead of developing a project from scratch, which would take years of testing and corrections, the Brazilian Army opted to produce nationally a vehicle that has already proven its effectiveness in extreme scenarios.
The technology transfer from IDV to the assembly line in Sete Lagoas ensures that Brazil is not just a buyer but a manufacturer with the capacity to perform maintenance, adaptation, and evolution of the vehicle on national soil.
Beyond the Guaicurus: the new versions of the Guarani that the Brazilian Army presented
At the same event, the Brazilian Army also presented new versions of the 6×6 Guarani armored vehicle, which has more than 800 units planned in the Force’s schedule.
The Ambulance version was designed for health support in combat, allowing for the treatment and evacuation of the wounded with mobility and armored protection, a critical resource in operations where field hospitals may be tens of kilometers away.
The Command Post version functions as a mobile tactical center, enhancing the command and control capability of troops in real-time.
The Guarani program, combined with the Guaicurus, places the Brazilian Army in a position of accelerated modernization with light and heavy armored vehicles being produced on national territory and with technology that matches the most advanced military vehicles in the world.
The Brazilian Army now manufactures armored vehicles with combat history on two continents
The inauguration of the Guaicurus assembly line in Sete Lagoas marks a concrete moment in the modernization of the Brazilian Army.
There are 420 armored vehicles planned until 2033, a vehicle tested in real combat by three European armies, national production with technology transfer, and integration with the Guarani program that anticipates more than 800 units. It is the largest renewal of armored vehicles in the Brazilian Army in decades.
What started as a defense contract now generates jobs, technology, and autonomy in Minas Gerais. And the armored vehicle that protected European soldiers in Afghanistan and Lebanon will now be assembled and operated by Brazilians with the mission of defending the largest country in South America.
Are you following the modernization of the Brazilian Army? What do you think about producing combat-tested armored vehicles here in Brazil? And are 420 units until 2033 sufficient for the country’s needs? Leave your opinion in the comments.
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