Leopard 1A5. Photo: Wikimedia
Despite being far from the military might of Russia and even Ukraine, Brazil currently has the most potent collection of tanks (or combat vehicles, in military jargon) in South America. At least in terms of numbers.
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According to Global Firepower, Brazil currently holds the 35th largest tank force in the world with 466 units.
Brazil’s Tanks
Leopard 1A5
Presently, the most powerful armored vehicle in the Brazilian arsenal is the German Leopard 1A5. Developed in the 1980s, it was the latest update of the combat vehicle introduced in the mid-1960s.
From the category MBT (Main Battle Tank), which gathers the most potent combat vehicles of armies, the Leopard 1 features a 10-cylinder diesel engine with 830 horsepower and a 105mm cannon.
The Brazilian tanks were acquired from the German Army in the 2000s. There, they were replaced by the newer Leopard 2. Here, they joined older units of the 1A1 version, purchased from Belgium in the late 1990s.
M60 A3 TTS
M60 A3 TTS. Photo: Wikimedia
Almost at the same time as the Leopard 1A1, the Brazilian Army also began using a group of American combat vehicles M60.
Predecessor to the M1 Abrams in the United States Army, it combines a 105mm cannon with a V12 diesel engine of 760 horsepower. The most advanced version, A3 TTS, also arrived in Brazil and was developed in the 1980s.
SK105 Kürassier A2S
SK105 Kürassier. Photo: Wikimedia
The Marine Infantry also operates units of the Austrian SK105 Kürassier A2S.
Developed in the 1970s, it is a light armored vehicle equipped with a six-cylinder diesel engine of 324 horsepower, and it is also operated by other countries in the region such as Bolivia and Argentina.
