Article Posted on : - Dec 23, 2011

M113 A2 Mk1. Photo: BAE Systems

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA (BNS): BAE Systems, in partnership with the Brazilian Army are upgrading 150 M113 armoured personnel carriers for Brazil through a foreign military sales contract worth $41.9 million.

The Brazilian Army will upgrade the M113B vehicles to the M113A2 Mk1 configuration. Under this work, the vehicle hulls, hatches and ramps will be reused while all other components including the engines, transmissions and cooling systems will be replaced or upgraded.

BAE Systems will provide the materials needed to perform the upgrade work as well as tooling and spares. The company will also transfer technology and train the Brazilian Army on the upgrade and maintenance of the vehicles.

"We have been exporting and doing upgrade work on M113s for decades. The Brazilian Army acquired the M113s from the US Army in the early 1970s. This overhaul and upgrade programme will modernize the vehicles and extend their service significantly, bring the vehicles in line with Brazil's national defence strategy and help increase their defense capabilities," said Joe McCarthy, vice president and general manager of Combat Vehicles at BAE Systems.

The work under this contract will be performed at the Brazil Army Depot in Curitiba, Brazil and is expected to be complete by November 2014.

The M113 is part of the largest family of armoured tracked vehicles in the world and includes more than 80,000 vehicles worldwide with 40 variants. It can transport 12 troops plus a driver and is capable of amphibious operation, extended cross-country travel over rough terrain and high-speed operation on improved roads and highways.