Bravia Chaimite (Series)

The Story of Bravia Chaimite (series)

The Bravia Chaimite V series light armoured vehicle is a 4x4 armoured personnel carrier (APC) system with full amphibious mass designed and produced in Portugal. The vehicle consists of three primary operators, including a vehicle commander, a driver and a gunner. Additionally, the Chaimite can quickly transport up to 8 combat-ready personnel and is relatively protected from small arms fire and "spray" on the battlefield.

Gunners use a one-man powered turret system, which itself can be customized to include a variety of mission-specific weapons, including general-purpose machine guns, heavy machine guns, cannons, heavy mortars, tank guns, and anti-tank missile launchers.

Chaimite debuted in 1967 and is currently serving in a handful of armed forces around the world, including Portugal, Palestine (an example of Libya, later captured by Israeli forces), Peru, Philippines, Lebanon and Libya. The Chaimite series saw combat action during the Portuguese Colonial War (1961-1973) and the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), with over 600 produced by Bravia.

The design of the Chaimite collection is very simple. As a 4x4 system, four large wheels are mounted on each corner of the side of the fuselage. The sloping armor plate section of the vehicle provides ballistic protection against small arms fire. The stern of the hull slopes outward at the top, while the front has a short glacis plate.

Thick block sights are marked along the front and side roof panels for outward viewing, and most are muzzle-mounted for vehicle-safe targets. The roof is basically flat and can only be broken by the special equipment of your chosen primary weapon. Access is through various opening hatches on the sides, top and rear of the hull. The spare tire can be installed under the front of the fuselage. Power is provided by a single M75-type V8 petrol engine, water-cooled, producing up to 210 hp at 4,000 rpm.

A V6 diesel engine is also available as a customer option. Chaimite lists a highway top speed of 68 mph (less off-road, of course) and a range of 652 miles. NBC crew protection is standard and night vision support is optional.

The Chaimite V-Series 4x4 APCs have also evolved into a diverse family, including dedicated mortar transporters, battlefield ambulances, 6x6 variants and anti-tank systems, among others. The base APC is the V-200, while the V-200 "Armada 60" version is equipped with a rocket launcher. The V-300 is a fire support vehicle using machine guns and small-caliber artillery. The V-400 is fitted with a 90mm main gun.

The V-500 is a commando version with enhanced communications capabilities, while the V-600 is a playground and heavy mortar for indirect fire support. The V-700 is an anti-tank missile platform specifically designed to engage enemy armor directly. The V-800 is a dedicated battlefield ambulance, while the V-900 is an Armored Rescue Vehicle (ARV) used to recover damaged or malfunctioning vehicles of a similar level.

The V-1000 is a safety model equipped with a high pressure water cannon for riot control.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

Armor

Depends on the weapon installed. 9,250x7.62mm ammo.

Changes