KMW Hands Over 1st LEOPARD 1A5 to Brazilian Army

A total of 220 systems to be supplied to Brazil from German army stocks by 2012

KMW overhauls the vehicles in Germany and provides local servicing

(Kassel, October 29, 2009) -- On 28 October 2009, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) handed over the first of 220 LEOPARD 1A5 main battle tanks to the Brazilian army at the company's site in Kassel, Germany. The tanks come from the reserve stocks of the German army and have been overhauled and modernised since the start of this year. Delivery of all the systems is scheduled by 2012.

Brazil purchased the main battle tanks in the context of a government-to-government agreement with Germany. The Federal Office of Defence Technology and Procurement in its turn commissioned KMW at the end of December 2008 as the general contractor to overhaul the tanks and to develop and install specific Brazilian sub-systems. In addition the contract scope provides the South American country with training equipment, simulators, driver training vehicles and local technical support.

The LEOPARD 1 was introduced to the German Army in 1965. The last main battle tank of this type was decommissioned in Germany in 2003. Irrespective of this, the system is still considered to be a technological leader in its class. It has undergone multiple combatimprovement programs and is in use with countries such as Belgium, Chile, Greece, Italy and Turkey.

Source : Krauss-Maffei Wegmann - click here for more information