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EE-11 Urutu Anti-Aircraft
Urutu: The Multifunctional Armored Vehicle
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The Urutu was the armored troop transport vehicle developed by Engesa in collaboration with the Brazilian Navy. Its fundamental feature was its amphibious capability, being approved in 1972 after successful testing in various conditions, including open sea, for which it was adapted with snorkels, propellers, and a wave breaker.
Pre-production began in 1973, sharing the same suspension, engine, and transmission as the EE-9 Cascavel. Although it achieved significant sales in countries like Iraq, Libya, and South America, the Urutu did not achieve the same success as the Cascavel. Throughout its production, both the Cascavel and the Urutu underwent various upgrades, including different engines, transmissions, and different hull designs.
The Urutu was operated by a driver and a commander and could carry up to 10+2 fully equipped infantry soldiers. Furthermore, it was highly adaptable, allowing for the installation of various turrets, including a redesigned version of the Cascavel turret. An anti-aircraft variant of the Urutu was also developed, equipped with a twin turret armed with a 20mm automatic cannon and radar on the hull.
In addition to turrets, the Urutu offered a wide range of optional components, such as automatic fire suppression systems, amphibious equipment, and protection against nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) weapons, all according to customer preferences.
Stages of the Urutu Anti-Aircraft Concept:
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- Origins of the Concept:
The concept of an Urutu Anti-Aircraft vehicle was considered around 1973 to 1974 when the Urutu was still in the pre-production phase.
- Initial Disappearance:
The concept disappeared in the early brochures of the EE-11 M2 production models.
- Prototype Development:
Sometime between 1976 and 1980, a prototype was built on top of a slightly modified EE-11 Urutu M2 hull.
- Vehicle Configuration:
The vehicle had a crew of 3 people, was equipped with a French TA-20 turret with access to the RA-20 radar, and the crew compartment was adapted to accommodate necessary internal systems.
- Enhanced Stability:
Two external hydraulic pistons were added on each side of the vehicle to provide additional stability during firing.
- Partnership with French Companies:
The Hispano-Suiza TA-20 turret was originally combined with the French Panhard M3 VDA, which was developed for export starting in 1972.
- Roles of Companies:
Hispano-Suiza designed the turret and supplied the automatic cannons, ESD was responsible for the radar system, and Galileo provided the sights.
- Entry into Production:
The Urutu Anti-Aircraft prototype was completed by the end of 1973, and the Panhard M3 VDA entered production in 1975, with 48 units sold to the United Arab Emirates.
- Vehicle Variants:
The TA-20 was offered in two variants: a lead vehicle with installed radar and a satellite vehicle that received target information via radio connection, allowing two vehicles to operate under a single radar, reducing acquisition costs.
- Engesa’s Considerations:
Engesa considered offering an anti-aircraft option, and the sale of the TA-20 to the United Arab Emirates may have influenced the adaptation of the French system for the Urutu. The company may have also seen opportunities in the African market for affordable anti-aircraft systems, although this did not materialize.
Details of the Urutu Anti-Aircraft:
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- General Dimensions:
The Urutu Anti-Aircraft shared the same overall dimensions as the base Urutu, except for its height and weight due to the turret. It had a length of 6.15 meters (20.2 feet), width of 2.59 meters (8.5 feet), and a height of 2.95 meters (9.7 feet), excluding the radar, which had an unknown height. Its weight was around 13 tons, approximately 1 ton more than the original Urutu, although this could vary depending on the engine used. It was operated by a crew of three: commander, driver, and gunner.
The general layout of the Urutu AA.
- Hull:
The hull of the Urutu Anti-Aircraft was similar to that of the Urutu, with minor differences such as the addition of hydraulic stabilizer pistons and a redesigned troop compartment. The choice of engine, transmissions, and modifications like automatic fire extinguishers were left to the customer’s discretion.
- Armor:
The Urutu Anti-Aircraft had armor with a thickness of 12 mm (0.5 inches) at the front and 6 mm (0.25 inches) on the sides and rear. It used bimetallic steel that offered a better protection-to-weight ratio compared to standard steel. The bimetallic armor provided about 1.8 times the effective thickness of an equivalent homogeneous plate against 7.62 mm ammunition, meaning the Urutu had an effective homogeneous thickness of 21.6 mm (0.85 inches) at the front and 10.8 mm (0.43 inches) on the sides and rear against 7.62 mm fire.
- Driver’s Position:
The driver was positioned at the front left of the vehicle, next to the engine. The engine was located in a separate compartment. The Urutu Anti-Aircraft was fully amphibious, although amphibious equipment like propellers, rudders, and snorkels were optional.
- Mobility:
The Urutu Anti-Aircraft was offered with two main engines combined with various transmissions. The vehicle had 6x6 traction, with the rear 4 wheels forming part of the Boomerang suspension. It had a maximum road speed of around 95 km/h and a maximum amphibious speed of about 8 km/h. It also featured a remote tire pressure control system. Its off-road capabilities included a slope climbability of around 60%, a maximum lateral slope of 30%, and the ability to cross a vertical obstacle of 0.6 meters in height. Its operational range was 850 km.
- Turret and Armament:
The Urutu Anti-Aircraft used the French TA-20 turret, equipped with two 20 mm automatic H820 SL cannons (later Oerlikon KAD-B cannons after Oerlikon acquired the Swiss branch of Hispano-Suiza) as the main armament. It also had a secondary 7.5 or 7.62 mm machine gun for close defense. The turret included a search and tracking radar (RA-20) installed at the rear, and each side of the turret had two smoke dischargers.
Diagram of the TA-20 turret
- RA-20 Radar:
The RA-20 radar featured a dual-curved parabolic reflector antenna with an 8° beam width in azimuth and an elevation of 45°. It provided continuous 360° scanning coverage with a rotation speed of 240° per second. The radar used a 400 Watt E-band frequency bandwidth, similar to the German Gepard’s S-band. It could track two targets simultaneously as standard, with an option to track up to four. The radar’s target position data was transferred automatically directly to the vehicle or via radio to surrounding vehicles when the radar acted as a lead vehicle for other anti-aircraft systems in the area. It could detect an aircraft like the Mirage at about 9 km and a Alouette helicopter at about 7 km with an accuracy of ± 30 meters and an azimuth of ± milliradians with an additional correction error of ±10% for range and speed.
Specifications of the EE-11 Urutu Anti-Aircraft:
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- Dimensions (L-W-H): 6.15 m (20 ft) x 2.59 m (8 ft) x 2.95 m (8 ft)
- Total Weight: 13 tonnes (14.3 US tons)
- Crew: 3 (driver, gunner, and commander)
- Propulsion: Diesel Mercedes-Benz OM352A-S
- Suspension: Boomerang suspension
- Speed (Road): Approximately 95 km/h (59 mph)
- Operational Range: 850 km (528 miles)
- Armament:
- 2x 20 mm H820 L cannons
- Armor:
- Hull
- Front: 12 mm (0.5 inch, Bimetal) at 70°
- Front (Lower Glacis): 12 mm (0.5 inch, Bimetal) at 30°
- Sides: 8 mm (0.3 inch, Bimetal)
- Rear: 8 mm (0.3 inch, Bimetal) at 10°
- Turret: 8-10 mm
- Hull
- Produced: 1 Prototype
Source:
Spoiler
Blindados no Brasil – Expedito Carlos Stephani Bastos
Engesa’s Marketing Brochures
Engesa EE-9 Cascavel 40 anos de combates 1977-2017