General Dynamics awarded Order for 18 PIRANHA IIIC 8x8 Vehicles from Brazilian Marines

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – General Dynamics European Land Systems has received a contract from the Brazilian Navy for 18 PIRANHA IIIC 8x8 armored personnel carrier (APC) vehicles for use by the Brazilian Marine Corps.

The newly signed contract calls for vehicles to be manufactured in three amphibious configurations: Armoured Personnel Carrier, Ambulance and Command. This contract is a follow-on order to the 12 vehicles ordered in 2006 and 2007 (11 APCs and 1 Recovery Vehicle). The PIRANHAs will start to be delivered in 2010 and will be used primarily within the framework of international United Nations mission of the Brazilian Marines in Haiti and will be seen in other UN missions in the future.

General Dynamics European Land Systems believes that its products will appeal to many other customers in South America because of those countries’ interoperability requirements with NATO and/or UN forces, in light of joint peace keeping operations.

The threat situation in such missions specifically calls for a high level of vehicle crew protection against mines, ballistic weapons and IEDs. With the PIRANHA IIIC 8x8 in worldwide operation, the technology-driven company from Kreuzlingen-Switzerland offers a proven product that fulfils this high-ranking requirement of protection, comfort and mobility.

The PIRANHA IIIC amphibious has a length of 7.57 m, a width of 2.71 m, and a GVW of 18.5 t. The vehicle reaches a speed of up to 100 km/h on the road. The PIRANHA IIIC easily manages gradients of up to 60%, fording depths of up to 1.50 m and is able to swim up to a speed of 10 km/h. The 400 HP engine, together with the 7-speed automatic transmission, the modern independent wheel suspension, the tire pressure control system, and the disengageable all-wheel drive, give the PIRANHA IIIC a high degree of mobility even in difficult terrain. Moreover, the protection against ballistic threats and against mines provides the crew with a maximum degree of protection in a mission. The vehicle is equipped with all necessary features (NBC system, autonomous power supply, A/C system, etc.) that are required for the 24-hour operation of the integrated systems.