EE-T1 Osório

EE-T1 Osorio
Type Main battle tank
Place of origin Brazil
Service history
Used by See Users
Production history
Designer Engesa
Designed 1982–86
Manufacturer Engesa
Unit cost $ 6,855,859.20 BRL,
($3,840,261.00 USD)
Produced 1986
Number built 2 prototypes
Specifications
Weight 42.9 short tons (38.9 t; 38.3 long tons)
Length 9.99 metres (32 ft 9 in)
Width 3.26 metres (10 ft 8 in)
Height 2.37 metres (7 ft 9 in)
Crew 4 (commander, gunner, loader, driver)
Armor composite, including aluminum/steel, carbon fibers, and ceramics.
Main
armament
 120 mm GIAT G1 smoothbore gun(P2),
105 mm L/52 L7 rifled gun(P1),
Secondary
armament
 M2HB 12.7 mm machine gun x2
(coaxial and roof mounted)
Engine 12-cylinder MWM TBD 234 Diesel engine
1,100 hp [1]
Power/weight 26 hp/tonne
Suspension hydropneumatic
Operational
range
 550 km (340 mi) [1]
Speed 70 km/h (43 mph)
Post-Cold War tanks
Under 120 mm gun
Under 50 tonnes
Over 50 tonnes
Not in service

The Engesa EE-T1 Osório was a Brazilian main battle tank prototype. It was developed as a privately funded venture by Engesa, with little government support. It was intended to be sold first to Arab and other Third World countries, jump-starting production — and enabling the Brazilian Army to later place its own orders without having to fund development costs. However macro-political events including the Gulf War and American political pressure led to the tank's demise, and the tank was never acquired by the Brazilian Army.

Development

Development started in 1982 and the first prototype was completed in 1985.[1]

The EE-T1 was considered for service with the Saudi Arabian Army. It was evaluated against the French AMX 40, the American M1 Abrams, and the British Challenger 1 and emerged as the winner. The Osorio was quite cheap and affordable while having better results in the trials than the other three MBTs. In September 1989, Saudi Arabia quietly opted for the M1 Abrams instead and only announced its new decision shortly after Iraq invaded neighboring Kuwait, triggering the Persian Gulf War.[2] The two unique prototypes were given to the Brazilian Army as a result of Engesa going bankrupt.

Users

References

  1. 1 2 3 Gelbart, Marsh (1996). Tanks main battle and light tanks. Brassey’s UK Ltd. pp. 13–14. ISBN 1-85753-168-X.
  2. ↑ Forças Terrestres
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