EE-9 Cascavel
| EE-9 Cascavel | |
|---|---|
 EE-9 Cascavel of the Ecuadorian Army |
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| Type | Armoured car |
| Place of origin |  Brazil |
| Service history | |
| Wars |
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| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Engesa |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 10,900 kg empty, 13,400 kg combat |
| Length | 5.2 m hull, 6.2 m overall |
| Width | 2.64 m |
| Height | 2.68 m |
| Crew | 3 |
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| Armor | 6–12 mm two-layer steel plating |
| Main armament |
1 × 90 mm cannon |
| Secondary armament |
1 × 7.62 mm MG (coaxial), 1 × 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm (AA) |
| Engine | Detroit Diesel 6V-53N, 6-cylinder water-cooled diesel 212 hp |
| Suspension | 6×6 Engesa Double Axle Boomerand Drive |
| Operational range |
880 km |
| Speed | 100 km/h |
The EE-9 Cascavel is a 6×6 armoured car developed in the 1970s by Engesa of Brazil. It shares many components with the EE-11 Urutu APC. The suspension includes Engesa's Boomerang double-axle rear drive.
The most common configuration, the Cascavel III, is equipped with an Engesa turret mounting a 90 mm Belgian Cockerill Mk 3 gun produced under licence.
"Cascavel" is the Portuguese word for "rattlesnake".
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History [edit]
The EE-9 Cascavel was developed in Brazil by Engesa, S. José dos Campos (São Paulo), according to specifications of the Brazilian army. The EE-9 was designed as a replacement to the M8 Greyhound.
The EE-9 was a huge export success, being sold to numerous countries in South America and the Middle East. Most of these vehicles were manufactured in 1983.[citation needed]
The EE-9 is still in service in several countries and currently the Brazilian Army is running a modernisation program for the EE-9 and the EE-11, enabling them to remain in service until at least 2020.
Variants [edit]
- Cascavel I: Known as "Cascavel Magro" (Thin Rattlesnake). Initial vehicles are armed with the 37 mm gun from the old M3 light tanks.
- Cascavel II: Known as "Cascavel Gordo" (Fat Rattlesnake). Widened so it could use the French H 90 turret with a 90 mm DEFA D 921 gun for export.
- Cascavel III: Equipped with an Engesa turret mounting a 90 mm Belgian Cockerill Mk 3 gun produced under licence.
- Cascavel IV: New engine and transmission, improved day and night optics with laser rangefinder, and a 12.7 mm antiaircraft MG.
New life [edit]
The new engine used in the prototype of Urutu generates 230 hp, giving a power gain of 72 hp against the old engine's 158 hp.
- The prototype reached a top speed of 110 km/h on clear surface and proved capable of reaching 80 km/h in an off-road situation.
Operators [edit]
Bolivia: 24
Brazil: Principal user/builder, 600 units.
Burkina Faso: 2
Colombia: 174
Cyprus: 124
Dominican Republic: 20
Ecuador: 50
Guyana: 6
Iran: 189 (Most of them captured during Iran–Iraq War)
Iraq: 35 (Most of them lost during Iran–Iraq War)
Libya: 70
Paraguay: 28
Qatar: 30
Suriname: 45
Uruguay: 15
Zimbabwe: 90
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Brazilian Army Cascavel IV
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A battle-damaged Iraqi EE-9 Cascavel armored car remains buried in the sand north of Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Storm.
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A Bolivian EE-9 Cascavel.
See also [edit]
External links [edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: EE-9 Cascavel |
- EE-9 at GlobalSecurity.org
- EE-9 Cascavel Véhicule blindé léger (EE-9 Cascavel Light Armoured Vehicle) at Armyrecognition.com (French translated to English)
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