Defense & Security News - Lebanon
 
Guarani 6x6 armoured vehicle produced in Brazil is now in service with Lebanese Army.
According pictures released on the Facebook account of the Military Vehicles in Lebanon, the Guarani 6x6 armoured vehicle personnel carrier is now in service with the Lebanese armed forces. In July 2015, it was announced that the Iveco plant in Sete Lagoas (Brazil) will produce 10 Guarani armoured vehicles which will be delivered directly to Lebanon without armament.
     
According pictures released on the Facebook account of the Military Vehicles in Lebanon, the Guarani 6x6 armoured vehicle personnel carrier is now in service with the Lebanese armed forces. In July 2015, it was announced that the Iveco plant in Sete Lagoas (Brazil) will produce 10 Guarani armoured vehicles which will be delivered directly to Lebanon without armament.
Guarani 6x armoured personnel carrier at military parade in Lebanon (Source picture Military Vehicles in Lebanon)
     
According the SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute), transfers of major conventional weapons database, Lebanon has ordered in 2014 a total of 20 VBTP Guarani 6x6 armoured personnel carrier from Brazil for a total amount of €30 million.

The VBTP-MR Guarani is a 6×6 armoured personnel carrier developed by Iveco for the Brazilian Army as part of its "URUTU-III" modernization program aimed to replace all EE-11 Urutu 6x6 armoured vehicle in service with the Brazilian army since 1990.

The Guarani is based on a 6×6 version of Iveco's Superav armoured personnel carrier. The Guarani was presented for the first time at the Defence Exhibition LAAD in April 2011. In December 2012, The Italian Defence Company IVECO has delivered the first batch of VBTP-MR Guarani 6x6 armoured vehicle to the Brazilian army.

One of the Guarani variant order by the Brazilian Army will be equipped with an UT30 turet, armed with a 30mm gun and 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun. This remote controlled weapon station is being delivered by Elbit's Brazilian subsidiary, AEL Sistemas, which received a $260 million framework contract to supply ‘a few hundred' UT30 turrets for the project.

The Guarani used by the Lebanese armed forces seems to have no turret or armament. The vehicle in APC (Armoured Personnel Carrier) is able to carried a total of 9 military personnel.

Some other countries in South America as Chile, Colombia and Ecuador have showed interest to purchase the Guarani armoured vehicle produced by Brazil.