The Brazilian Army has received the first of 220 Leopard 1A5 main battle tanks from German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW).
As part of the contract signed between Brazil and KMW in December 2008, the company will modernise the tanks and develop and install specific Brazilian subsystems.
The scope of the contract also includes provision of training equipment, simulators, driver training vehicles and local technical support.
The Leopard 1A5 main battle tank has been equipped with a main gun thermal sleeve, stabilisation system, and new tracks and skirts, as well as being refitted with an EMES-18 FCS and thermal sights.
The stabilisation system controls elevation and traverse to acquire and engage the target, while providing enhanced first-round hit probability.
All the overhauled and modernised tanks are from the reserve stocks of the German Army and are expected to be delivered by 2012.
