Thanks for the article Jonathan.
Looks like Brazil, IVECO and even ELBIT are the big winners in the S. American armor game. The VBTP-MR is the most advanced armored vehicle being produced on that continent.
The pending sale of these vehicles to Argentina bodes well for all three companies in different ways. Brazil gets its domestic arms industry up and running in a big (and this time) sustainable way. They tried this once and it didn't quite work out. IVECO gets to supply parts to that industry and has a solid foothold in a rapidly arming section of the world...and ELBIT gets out front with its 30mm RWS system. Their main competitor RAFALE just isn't getting much traction with their offering. Check this out from UPI.
Argentina is on track to buy 14 Brazilian Guarani 6x6 armored vehicles being developed with Italian manufacturer Iveco's help.Details of the defense deal weren't released but confirmation of the planned procurement by the Argentine army comes from Brazilian army Brig. Gen. Philip Linhares Luiz Gomes, head of research in Brazil's land forces.The 6x6 VBTP-MR Guarani armored vehicle is the result of Brazil's collaboration over several years with Italy's Iveco S.p.A.Argentine procurement officials apparently decided on the purchase after trials of the armored vehicle during military exercises.Argentina is the first foreign customer for the Guarani but Brazilian officials have indicated they are keen to expand the market for the APC while deploying an unspecified number of units in various branches of Brazilian armed forces.The six-wheel Guarani Viatura Blindada Transporte de Pessoal, Media de Rodas, or VBTP-MR, is envisaged as a military vehicle family that can replace Brazilian inventories of Engesa EE-11 and EE-9 wheeled vehicles.Read it all here.