Engesa EE-T1 Osorio

Engesa EE-T1 Osorio Story

In the early 1980s, the Brazilian company Engesa undertook a private investment program to produce modern main battle tanks (MBTs) first for price-conscious foreign markets, and secondly for interested Brazilian troops. For decades, the Brazilian Army has relied on foreign procurement programs, most of which have resulted in the withdrawal of U.S. tank inventories. Founded in 1963, Engesa mainly focuses on military vehicles and has completed the production of a range of lightly armored platforms, utility vehicles and military trucks.

Although Engesa was eventually abandoned in 1993, it had pinned its hopes on the design, development and eventual production of indigenous MBT systems in previous years.

Design of a new main battle tank began in 1982 and continued in 1986, codenamed EE-T1 "Osorio". It became a conventional combat design by modern Western standards, with an operating weight of 43 tons, a crew of 4, and a main gun with a 120mm smoothbore. In terms of size, the barrel of the EE-T1 is 10 meters long, 3.26 meters wide and 2.37 meters high. The crew consisted of the driver (in the front hull) and the commander, loader and gunner (in the turret). Armor is designed with an aluminium/steel/carbon/ceramic formula to protect the vital interior of the machine from the threats of the modern battlefield of the time.

Power is provided by a 12-cylinder diesel engine with 1,100 horsepower, a top speed of 43 mph and a range of 340 miles. The suspension system is designed around hydropneumatic components linked to six twin-tire wheels to improve off-road driving.

The drive sprocket is at the rear of the chain system and the chain idler is at the front. Side skirt armor protects the critical upper part of the track. Overall, beautiful design by modern standards.

The main armament of the prototype was the British-born 105mm L/52 L7 rifled main gun. As is customary (and still is), the turret was topped with a 12.7mm Browning M2HB heavy machine gun to counter threats from low-flying attack aircraft (such as helicopters) and light armored vehicles. Although the EE-T1 did not use a coaxial 7.62mm machine gun mount, it deployed a second 12.7mm heavy machine gun in a coaxial position.

12 smoke grenade launchers in groups of 6 are installed along the sides (rear) of the turret.

The EE-T1 was created in 1985 as the first prototype. The Saudi Army turned out to be the only real interested party at the time, successfully testing the Brazilian system against existing systems from the American M1 Abrams and the British Challenger 1 (the eventually abandoned French AMX-40 was also in competition) . The EE-T1 proved to be a capable machine with the necessary firepower, performance and survivability sought in a thoroughly modern design - and at an ideal cost. However, Saudi's relationship with the United States - and the Iraqi invasion of nearby Kuwait (1990) - prompted the Saudi government to continue its existing relationship with the Americans, so the M1 Abrams was selected as the official main battle tank of the Saudi army. This maneuver was a decisive blow to the EE-T1 program, which eventually fell out of favor despite the completion of a second prototype (this one with the French GIAT 120mm smoothbore gun).

The Engesa Group went bankrupt in 1993 when the M1 Abrams gained a foothold on the world stage in the Gulf War (1991). Two prototypes were handed over to the Brazilian Army for further testing, although the tanks were empty and destined, now and forever, to never see the light of day in serial production.

The Brazilian army today consists of 378 ex-Belgian/ex-German Leopard 1 MBTs (versions 1A1 and 1A5, 128 and 250 respectively) and 91 ex-American M60 Patton MBTs. Currently (2012) the M60 is being phased out as the Brazilian Army attempts to modernize its inventory.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

Armor

12 x Smoke Grenade

Changes