Monch reported that Israel-based international defense electronics company Elbit Systems has announced the sale of an initial quantity of 11 Iveco Defense GUARANI 6×6 armoured personnel carriers to Ghana, under a government-to-government sales similar to the arrangement recently announced with the Philippine Army. The vehicles will be manufactured by Iveco Defense Vehicles at its Brazilian facility in Sete Lagoas, and will feature a remotely-controlled weapon station (RCWS) similar to the REMAX, to be supplied by Ares Aeroespacial e Defesa.
The VBTP-MR Guarani (Viatura Blindada Transporte de Pessoal – Média de Rodas) is a 6×6 armoured personnel carrier developed by Iveco and the Brazilian Army as part of its “URUTU-III” modernization program aimed to replace all EE-11 Urutu by 2015. The 8×8 version of the VBTP-MR is the base of Iveco’s Superav armoured personnel carrier. In the program other Brazilian Companies also participated, such as IMBEL (Communications), ELBIT (Armaments), Usiminas and Villares (development of national ballistic structural steel).
REMAX – (Reparo de Metralhadora automatizada X) is a Brazilian remote weapon system produced by CTEx (Brazilian Army engineers) and Ares Aeroespacial e Defesa S.A. It’s a flexible system able to receive many configurations, like 7.62×51mm NATO, 12.7 mm and 30mm MK44 Bushmaster II. The system gives soldiers 360° capacity and is equipped with night vision, thermal vision, high resolution camera and zoom. The project is in advanced stage. From now on, only minor modifications will be made in order to reduce the weight of the system, thus improving their performance.
Ares Aerospacial e Defensa is a Brazilian arms company which has operated since 2010 as a subsidiary company of the Israeli defense company Elbit Systems Ltd. The company concentrates its activities in the planning, design, development, manufacture, integration, maintenance and commercialization of products in three main lines of business: Stations of Arms, Naval Systems, Optical and Electro-Optical. Elbit Systems Ltd. is an Israel-based international defense electronics company engaged in a wide range of programs throughout the world.
