According to information released by the Defesa Aérea & Naval website on August 28, 2020, the 7th armored infantry battalion of the Brazilian army has received the last modernized M113 tracked Armored Personnel Carrier (APC). Brazil has started the program to modernize its fleet of M113 in July 2010, for a total of 386 vehicles.
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A new modernized version of the Brazilian army M113 tracked APC Armored Personnel Carrier vehicle. (Picture source Defesa Aérea & Naval)
The M113 upgrade program dates back to 2010 when Brazil first initiated a program to upgrade 150 M113Bs. BAE Systems was awarded a $41.9 million contract in December 2011 to upgrade 150 vehicles. A follow-on deal was signed in July 2015 worth $55 million to upgrade a further 236 M113s, bringing the total up to 386. Under the contract, the vehicle hulls, hatches and ramps are being reused, while all other components, including the engines, transmissions and cooling systems, are being replaced or upgraded.
Modernization of Brazilian army M113 also includes a new Detroit Diesel 6V53T engine developing 265 hp, an Allison TX100-1A cross-drive transmission, Harris FALCON III radios, and Thales SOTAS intercom.
The M113 is one of the largest families of armored tracked vehicles in the world and includes more than 80,000 vehicles worldwide with 40 variants.
The production of the M113 started in 1961 and it is the most massively produced armored vehicle in the world. The all-welded aluminum armor hull of the vehicles provides protection against the firing of small arms and artillery shell splinters.
The M113 has a crew of two including driver and commander, and the rear part of the vehicle can accommodate up to 11 infantrymen. The driver sits at the front of the hull on the left side while the commander is seated to the rear of the engine compartment. The infantrymen enter and leave the M113 via a power-operated ramp in the rear of the hull that opens downwards and has a door on the left side.
