Bernardini AM-IV
Notes: This is a small APC
used by Brazil and Chile as a riot control vehicle. First deliveries began in
1988. The AM-IV looks basically like an armored SUV, and has the engine under
the front hood, a cab to the rear of that, and a section in the rear for troops
and passengers. A siren and flashing
lights are normally a standard installation, as the AM-IV is primarily a police
and security vehicle. A small searchlight is also often fitted. In the sides of
the cab there are a pair of doors, and the front of the cab has a
bullet-resistant front windshield.
The rear has a door, which can be opened by the troops or the driver.
The cab has firing ports in the doors, the commander’s side under the
windshield has a firing port, and the sides each have a two firing ports, with
two firing ports being in the rear.
Atop the vehicle is a hatchway, but this is not fitted with a cupola or weapon
mount. In addition to the front
windshield, there are windows in each door, and long, narrow windows down each
side of the passenger compartment.
The armor is light, providing protection against basic small arms.
Power is provided by a 94-horsepower diesel engine. Early production
versions has a collective NBC system, but this was later deleted.
Air conditioning is standard. A manual fire suppression system is mounted
inside the vehicle and in the engine compartment.
Recently, a cluster of three smoke grenade launchers were added to each
front corner of the front roof.
Twilight 2000 Notes: As the situation deteriorated, they were taken into
service as surrogate armored personnel carriers.
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
$16,901 |
D, A |
600 kg |
3.4 tons |
2+4 |
2 |
WL Searchlight |
Enclosed |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
299/56 |
66/13 |
102 |
44 |
Stnd |
W(2) |
HF3 HS2
HR2 |
Notes: Sharing many basic
automotive components with the EE-9 Cascavel reconnaissance car, the EE-11 Urutu
(which translates as “rattlesnake” or “viper” – it is a venomous Brazilian
snake) is a Brazilian 6x6 wheeled APC designed for both domestic service and the
export market. Development began in the mid-1970s, and by 1977, the Urutu was on
the export market as well as being in Brazilian service. Production ended in
1987, though upgrade and refurbishment work continues. The largest customer was
actually Iraq, who had 2000 on hand at the start of the 1991 Gulf War (though
virtually all have since been destroyed); Brazil herself currently has 215 in
service with another 11 being refurbished for active use, and though some 15
other countries use the Urutu, most of these countries use less than 100 each
and most of those 20 or less Urutus). The Urutu has seen combat service as a
part of several countries’ contingents to IFOR and KFOR, and has also seen
service in Haiti, as well as the occasional border conflict.
The Urutu can have no turret (a simple pintle weapon mount instead) or
one of several turrets; an upgrade was also made in 1988 to the Urutus of
several countries, giving it three choices of a more powerful engine and an
automatic transmission to match the new engines.
Though it is slated for replacement by the Brazilian Army and in some
other countries, most of these users have experienced budget problems and the
Urutu will probably continue to soldier on for a decade longer or more in most
countries.
The basic form of the Urutu is a sort of long, flat 4x6 vehicle with the
front wheels being well ahead of the two rear wheels.
The four rear wheels are the drive wheels. These wheels are large, with a
cross-country suspension, and have run-flat tires.
The driver is in the front left and has three wide-angle vision blocks to
the front, the center of which can be replaced by a night vision block. The
Urutu is amphibious, propelled in the water by waterjets and to a lesser extent
by the motion of the wheels. A removable windscreen can also be erected, both
for use when the driver has his head out of the hatch and to stop splashes
during amphibious operations or in mud.
The windscreen is of simple clear plastic and folds away inside the
driver’s compartment when not in use.
On the original version, power is provided by a 158-horsepower
turbocharged diesel with a manual transmission, though the driver’s controls are
conventional. The engine is to the
right of the driver. On the front
right, just off-center, is the commander’s position; he has a weapon on a pintle
mount, and often has AV2 gun shields surrounding his position.
(The weapons are representative of the class of weapons and may not be
exact.) The troops are in the rear of the vehicle and enter and exit through a
door in the rear of the vehicle or a door in the left side under and to the left
of the commander’s position on the left side.
The rear deck also has a large hatch for the troops. The rear door can be
opened by the troops or by the driver.
Two firing ports are in each side of the troop compartment and one in the
rear door. As an option, five firing
ports can be mounted on each side and one in the rear door; the rear can also
optionally have two firing ports (one in the door, and one to the left of it).
In each case, the troops sit down the sides of the vehicle facing the
center. Most vehicle components are indigenously designed or license-produced;
overall design is indigenous.
Optional turrets include a low-profile turret mounting a heavy and light
machinegun, a turret mounting a 25mm autocannon and coaxial machinegun, the
turret of the EE-9 Cascavel reconnaissance car (using the Mark III turret) armed
with a 90mm gun and coaxial machinegun, and a Swedish turret which is the same
as mounted on the Pbv-302 APC. The front hull often has clusters of three smoke
grenade launchers on the top of the front hull on either side, though on
turreted versions these are normally mounted on the turret.
In the case of the 25mm-armed turret and the 90mm-armed turret, the
turret replaces the commander’s station; in the version with the Pbv-302 turret
or the low-profile machinegun turret, the turret
is the commander’s station. Most
Urutus have a simple pintle mount at the commander’s station, though usually
surrounded with the gun shields mentioned above.
An optional 1988 upgrade brought automatic transmission to the Urutu,
along with a choice of a 6V53 212-horsepower engine (the same as on the M-113
APC), or an upgraded versions of this engine, developing 230 or 260 horsepower.
The 260-horsepower engine is the most common engine upgrade. The engine
upgrades relieve the underpowered nature of the Urutu’s stock engine. Armor
protection of the Urutu from the frontal arc is surprisingly good, though side
and rear armor is only mediocre. So
far, no appliqué armor kits have been devised or offered for the Urutu.
Command and ambulance versions of the Urutu also exist.
Command versions have one short, two medium, and two long-range radios,
along with map boards and various plotting and office-type supplies; later
upgrades included making one of the long-range radios data-capable and a laptop
computer, along with a hand-held thermal imager, image intensifier, and laser
rangefinder for the command crew.
(This is the version reflected below.) The medical version has room for a medic
and up to four stretcher cases and three seated patients or two stretchers and
five seated patients, along with medical supplies such as an oxygen
administration kit, a defibrillator, a small refrigerator, and the equivalent of
2 doctor’s medical bags and 20 personal medical kits.
Ambulance versions are normally unarmed; command versions normally have
only pintle-mounted weapons at their commander’s stations.
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
Urutu (Basic, 153 hp) |
$35,346 |
D, A |
1.4 tons |
14 tons |
2+11 |
8 |
Passive IR (D) |
Enclosed |
Urutu (Basic, 212 hp) |
$36,546 |
D, A |
1.4 tons |
14 tons |
2+11 |
8 |
Passive IR (D) |
Enclosed |
Urutu (Basic, 230 hp) |
$36,802 |
D, A |
1.4 tons |
14 tons |
2+11 |
8 |
Passive IR (D) |
Enclosed |
Urutu (Basic, 260 hp) |
$36,912 |
D, A |
1.4 tons |
14 tons |
2+11 |
8 |
Passive IR (D) |
Enclosed |
Machinegun Turret (153hp) |
$57,889 |
D, A |
1.3 tons |
14.3 tons |
2+10 |
10 |
Passive IR (D, C) |
Enclosed |
Machinegun Turret (212hp) |
$58,109 |
D, A |
1.3 tons |
14.3 tons |
2+10 |
10 |
Passive IR (D, C) |
Enclosed |
Machinegun Turret (230hp) |
$58,179 |
D, A |
1.3 tons |
14.3 tons |
2+10 |
10 |
Passive IR (D, C) |
Enclosed |
Machinegun Turret (260hp) |
$58,289 |
D, A |
1.3 tons |
14.3 tons |
2+10 |
10 |
Passive IR (D, C) |
Enclosed |
25mm Turret (153hp) |
$187,645 |
D, A |
1.1 tons |
15.2 tons |
3+8 |
10 |
Passive IR (D, G, C), Image Intensification (G) |
Enclosed |
25mm Turret (212hp) |
$188,076 |
D, A |
1.1 tons |
15.2 tons |
3+8 |
10 |
Passive IR (D, G, C), Image Intensification (G) |
Enclosed |
25mm Turret (230hp) |
$188,146 |
D, A |
1.1 tons |
15.2 tons |
3+8 |
10 |
Passive IR (D, G, C), Image Intensification (G) |
Enclosed |
25mm Turret (260hp) |
$188,256 |
D, A |
1.1 tons |
15.2 tons |
3+8 |
10 |
Passive IR (D, G, C), Image Intensification (G) |
Enclosed |
EE-9 Turret (153hp) |
$372,468 |
D, A |
400 kg |
16.8 tons |
3+4 |
10 |
Passive IR (D, G, C), Image Intensification (G) |
Enclosed |
EE-9 Turret (212hp) |
$373,668 |
D, A |
400 kg |
16.8 tons |
3+4 |
10 |
Passive IR (D, G, C), Image Intensification (G) |
Enclosed |
EE-9 Turret (230hp) |
$373,924 |
D, A |
400 kg |
16.8 tons |
3+4 |
10 |
Passive IR (D, G, C), Image Intensification (G) |
Enclosed |
EE-9 Turret (260hp) |
$374,034 |
D, A |
400 kg |
16.8 tons |
3+4 |
10 |
Passive IR (D, G, C), Image Intensification (G) |
Enclosed |
Pbv-302 Turret (153 hp) |
$50,636 |
D, A |
1.3 tons |
14.6 tons |
2+10 |
8 |
Passive IR (D) |
Enclosed |
Pbv-302 Turret (212 hp) |
$51,836 |
D, A |
1.3 tons |
14.6 tons |
2+10 |
8 |
Passive IR (D) |
Enclosed |
Pbv-302 Turret (230 hp) |
$52,092 |
D, A |
1.3 tons |
14.6 tons |
2+10 |
8 |
Passive IR (D) |
Enclosed |
Pbv-302 Turret (260 hp) |
$52,202 |
D, A |
1.3 tons |
14.6 tons |
2+10 |
8 |
Passive IR (D) |
Enclosed |
Command Variant (153hp) |
$348,446 |
D, A |
700 kg |
14.9 tons |
3+4 |
12 |
Passive IR (D) |
Enclosed |
Command Variant (212hp) |
$349,646 |
D, A |
700 kg |
14.9 tons |
3+4 |
12 |
Passive IR (D) |
Enclosed |
Command Variant (230hp) |
$349,902 |
D, A |
700 kg |
14.9 tons |
3+4 |
12 |
Passive IR (D) |
Enclosed |
Command Variant (260hp) |
$350,012 |
D, A |
700 kg |
14.9 tons |
3+4 |
12 |
Passive IR (D) |
Enclosed |
Ambulance (153hp) |
$39,498 |
D, A |
700 kg |
14.6 tons |
* |
11 |
Passive IR (D) |
Enclosed |
Ambulance (212hp) |
$40,698 |
D, A |
700 kg |
14.6 tons |
* |
11 |
Passive IR (D) |
Enclosed |
Ambulance (230hp) |
$40,954 |
D, A |
700 kg |
14.6 tons |
* |
11 |
Passive IR (D) |
Enclosed |
Ambulance (260hp) |
$41,064 |
D, A |
700 kg |
14.6 tons |
* |
11 |
Passive IR (D) |
Enclosed |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
Urutu (Basic, 153 hp) |
110/56 |
30/15/3 |
380 |
79 |
Stnd |
W(3) |
HF10 HS4
HR3 |
Urutu (Basic, 212 hp) |
134/68 |
37/18/4 |
380 |
109 |
Stnd |
W(3) |
HF10 HS4
HR3 |
Urutu (Basic, 230 hp) |
142/72 |
39/19/4 |
380 |
119 |
Stnd |
W(3) |
HF10 HS4
HR3 |
Urutu (Basic, 260 hp) |
155/78 |
42/21/4 |
380 |
136 |
Stnd |
W(3) |
HF10 HS4
HR3 |
Machinegun Turret (153hp) |
108/55 |
30/15/3 |
380 |
80 |
CiH |
W(3) |
TF3 TS2
TR2 HF10
HS4 HR3 |
Machinegun Turret (212hp) |
132/67 |
36/18/4 |
380 |
111 |
CiH |
W(3) |
TF3 TS2
TR2 HF10
HS4 HR3 |
Machinegun Turret (230hp) |
140/71 |
38/19/4 |
380 |
121 |
CiH |
W(3) |
TF3 TS2
TR2 HF10
HS4 HR3 |
Machinegun Turret (260hp) |
153/77 |
41/21/4 |
380 |
138 |
CiH |
W(3) |
TF3 TS2
TR2 HF10
HS4 HR3 |
25mm Turret (153hp) |
97/49 |
26/13/3 |
380 |
86 |
Trtd |
W(3) |
TF5 TS3
TR2 HF10
HS4 HR3 |
25mm Turret (212hp) |
121/61 |
33/17/3 |
380 |
118 |
Trtd |
W(3) |
TF5 TS3
TR2 HF10
HS4 HR3 |
25mm Turret (230hp) |
129/64 |
35/18/4 |
380 |
130 |
Trtd |
W(3) |
TF5 TS3
TR2 HF10
HS4 HR3 |
25mm Turret (260hp) |
141/71 |
38/19/4 |
380 |
148 |
Trtd |
W(3) |
TF5 TS3
TR2 HF10
HS4 HR3 |
EE-9 Turret (153hp) |
92/46 |
27/13/3 |
380 |
95 |
Trtd |
W(3) |
TF6 TS6
TR4 HF10
HS4 HR3 |
EE-9 Turret (212hp) |
112/56 |
33/16/3 |
380 |
131 |
Trtd |
W(3) |
TF6 TS6
TR4 HF10
HS4 HR3 |
EE-9 Turret (230hp) |
119/59 |
35/17/4 |
380 |
143 |
Trtd |
W(3) |
TF6 TS6
TR4 HF10
HS4 HR3 |
EE-9 Turret (260hp) |
130/65 |
38/18/4 |
380 |
163 |
Trtd |
W(3) |
TF6 TS6
TR4 HF10
HS4 HR3 |
Pbv-302 Turret (153 hp) |
105/53 |
29/14/3 |
380 |
82 |
CiH |
W(3) |
TF2 TS2
TR2 HF10
HS4 HR3 |
Pbv-302 Turret (212 hp) |
128/65 |
36/17/4 |
380 |
114 |
CiH |
W(3) |
TF2 TS2
TR2 HF10
HS4 HR3 |
Pbv-302 Turret (230 hp) |
135/68 |
37/18/4 |
380 |
124 |
CiH |
W(3) |
TF2 TS2
TR2 HF10
HS4 HR3 |
Pbv-302 Turret (260 hp) |
148/75 |
41/20/4 |
380 |
142 |
CiH |
W(3) |
TF2 TS2
TR2 HF10
HS4 HR3 |
Command Variant (153hp) |
103/53 |
28/14/3 |
380 |
84 |
Stnd |
W(3) |
HF10 HS4
HR3 |
Command Variant (212hp) |
126/65 |
34/17/3 |
380 |
116 |
Stnd |
W(3) |
HF10 HS4
HR3 |
Command Variant (230hp) |
133/68 |
36/18/4 |
380 |
127 |
Stnd |
W(3) |
HF10 HS4
HR3 |
Command Variant (260hp) |
145/75 |
39/20/4 |
380 |
145 |
Stnd |
W(3) |
HF10 HS4
HR3 |
Ambulance (153hp) |
105/54 |
29/14/3 |
380 |
82 |
Stnd |
W(3) |
HF10 HS4
HR3 |
Ambulance (212hp) |
128/68 |
36/17/4 |
380 |
114 |
Stnd |
W(3) |
HF10 HS4
HR3 |
Ambulance (230hp) |
135/70 |
37/18/4 |
380 |
124 |
Stnd |
W(3) |
HF10 HS4
HR3 |
Ambulance (260hp) |
148/76 |
41/20/4 |
380 |
142 |
Stnd |
W(3) |
HF10 HS4
HR3 |
Vehicle |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
Urutu (Basic)/Command Variant |
None |
None |
M-2HB (C) or MAG (C) |
1260x.50 or 2100x7.62mm |
Machinegun Turret |
+1 |
Basic |
M-2HB, MAG |
1260x.50, 2000x7.62mm |
25mm Turret |
+2 |
Fair |
25mm KBA Autocannon, MAG |
700x25mm, 2000x7.62mm |
EE-9 Turret |
+2 |
Basic |
90mm M-61 F1 Gun, MAG, MAG (C) |
45x90mm, 2200x7.62mm |
Pbv-302 Turret |
+2 |
None |
20mm
m/47D |
505x20mm |
*See Notes for Crew and Passenger capacity.
VBT-2028 Armored Truck
Notes: This 6x6 Brazilian
vehicle was first designed as a support and launch vehicle for a multiple rocket
launcher. It has been subsequently
used as a general ammunition supply vehicle, a battalion command post, an FDC, a
battlefield mobile workshop, and a personnel carrier.
The VBT-2028 has air conditioning for the cab, and the rear area on
command and workshop versions. The
cab has bullet resistant windows in the front and sides which can be covered
with armored shutters from inside the cab, and the commander has a roof hatch
with a weapon mount (NATO tripod compatible).
A 6-ton capacity loading crane is mounted between the cab and cargo area;
four stabilizer legs are normally lowered when the crane is being used.
Armor is nothing to write home about, and note that the cargo area of the
APC and the cargo versions have side and rear armor, but no overhead protection
except for a canvas cover. Power is
also nothing special, being provided by a 280-horsepower turbocharged diesel
truck engine. The VBT-2028, however, has a satisfying cargo capacity and a
modicum of protection. The crew figure includes the space in the rear and the
cab capacity. This vehicle is in service with Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and formerly
with Iraq.
Command versions have the general command vehicle equipment, including
two short-range, medium-range, and long-range radios, one of which is
data-capable. The interior has a
table and chairs for the staff, and a ruggedized laptop computer.
Other equipment includes large map boards and plotting and office-type
equipment. The roof of the rear
cargo area has several hatches, which can be used by the command staff to
observe, including with a hand-held thermal imager, image intensifier, laser
rangefinder, and several pairs of binoculars.
These hatches do not have weapon mounts, though one could fire from them.
A 5kW APU helps run electronics when the engine is off.
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological* |
VBT-2028 APC/Cargo |
$20,681 |
D, A |
10 tons |
20 tons |
6+40 |
12 |
Headlights |
Enclosed |
Command Variant |
$244,374 |
D, A |
5 tons |
20.6 tons |
6+10 |
15 |
Headlights |
Enclosed |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor** |
VBT-2028 APC/Cargo |
219/41 |
56/15 |
700 |
147 |
Stnd |
W(3) |
HF2 HS2
HR2 |
Command Variant |
212/40 |
54/15 |
700 |
151 |
Stnd |
W(3) |
HF2 HS2
HR2 |
Vehicle |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
VBT-2028 |
None |
None |
M-2HB (C) |
500x.50 |
*For APC and
cargo versions, the rear area Radiological value is Open.
**For APC and
Cargo versions, the rear cargo area has a hull roof AV of 0.