Brazilian army will buy 36 German Gepard 1A2 self-propelled anti-aircraft cannon 1304133.

LAAD 2013
International Defense & Security Exhibition
9 - 12 April 2013
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Brazilian army will buy 36 Gepard 1A2 self-propelled anti-aircraft cannon from Germany to provide security at World Youth Day and major sporting events, officials said Friday, April 12, 2013. The vehicles are likely to be used when Brazil hosts the World Cup next year and the 2016 Olympic Games. A Brazilian Defense Ministry statement said the contract would be signed in the coming days with the total value still under negotiation.

The second hand German Gepard, which were upgraded in 2010 at A2 level and fitted with new radar systems, will be able to operate until 2030, the G1 news website quoted anti-aircraft artillery brigade chief General Marcio Roland Heise as saying.

Eight of the armored vehicles are to be delivered before June 2013 and will be used during World Youth Day, the Catholic youth fest that Pope Francis plans to attend in Rio in July.

"I want all troops to be ready and trained to use this new (anti-aircraft) system at the opening and closing of the Confederations Cup and during the pope's visit to protect those who will be in stadiums," Heise said.

The Gepard anti-aircraft tank was manufactured by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW), based in Munchen, Germany, and was delivered to the armed forces of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.

The Gepard is an autonomous, all-weather-capable German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG). It was developed in the 1960s and fielded in the 1970s, and has been upgraded several times with the latest electronics.

The Gepard is fitted with a two-man electric power operated turret armed with twin Oerlikon KDA 35mm guns. The guns have automatic belt feed. Barrel length is 90 calibers (3,150mm). The rate of fire provided by the two barrels is 1,100 rounds a minute. Each 35mm gun has 320 rounds of ready-to-fire, anti-air ammunition and 20 rounds of anti-ground target ammunition.

The latest version, Gepard A2 is fitted with a digital fire control computer. The Gepard is equipped with independent search and tracking radars, the search S-band radar installed at the front rear of the turret, and the tracking Ku-band radar on the rear front of the turret.