EE-T1 Osório |
|
|---|---|
| Country | Brazil |
| Role | Main battle tank |
| Produced | 1986 |
| Built | 2 prototypes |
Source: EE-T1 Osório on Wikipedia
| Engesa EE-T1 Osorio Walk Around | |
|---|---|
| Photographer | Unknow |
| Localisation | Unknow |
| Photos | 19 |
See also:
General Characteristics
The Engesa EE-T1 Osorio was a Main Battle Tank (MBT) developed in the 1980s by the Brazilian company Engesa. It was a private venture, designed almost entirely for the export market, especially to meet the demanding requirements of Middle Eastern nations like Saudi Arabia (for which it was the final contender in a major competition). The Osorio featured a lightweight, compact hull built around a high-power-to-weight ratio and utilized advanced modular armor technology for high protection. While two variants were planned—the EE-T1 with a 105 mm gun for the Brazilian Army and the EE-T2 with a 120 mm gun for export—the project was canceled after the main customer (Saudi Arabia) chose the M1A2 Abrams, largely due to political factors. The Osorio remains a significant technical achievement, showcasing Brazil’s advanced engineering capabilities.
| Property | Typical Value (EE-T2 Export Variant) |
|---|---|
| Role | Main Battle Tank (MBT) |
| National Origin | Brazil |
| Manufacturer | Engesa |
| Development Period | 1983–1991 |
| No. Built | 4 Prototypes |
| Crew | 4 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver) |
| Combat Weight | 43.7 tonnes |
| Length (Gun Forward) | 9.34 m (30 ft 8 in) |
| Height | 2.37 m (7 ft 9 in) |
Armament and Fire Control
- Main Armament (EE-T2 Export): 1 x 120 mm GIAT G1 smoothbore gun (French design, 40 rounds carried).
- Main Armament (EE-T1 Brazilian): 1 x Royal Ordnance L7 105 mm rifled gun.
- Secondary Armament:
- 1 x 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun.
- 1 x 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun on the commander’s cupola.
- Fire Control: Advanced digital fire control system (FCS) from Marconi, featuring:
- Laser rangefinder.
- Thermal sight for the gunner and commander.
- Full day/night, all-weather fighting capability.
Protection and Mobility
- Armor: Modular, multi-layered composite armor developed by Engesa. The design utilized aluminum and composite ceramics to offer protection against both kinetic energy (KE) and chemical energy (CE) threats, comparable to contemporary Western MBTs but at a significantly lower weight.
- Engine: MWM-Deutz TBD 234 V12 air-cooled diesel engine (built under license in Brazil).
- Power Output: 735 kW (1,000 hp).
- Power-to-Weight Ratio: Approximately 22.9 hp/tonne (very high for its time).
- Maximum Speed (Road): 70 km/h (43 mph).
- Operational Range: 550 km.
- Suspension: Highly capable hydro-pneumatic suspension system (similar to the Challenger 1), offering superior cross-country mobility and crew comfort.
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