Brezilya ordusu hakkında her şey

We will be talking about a country that ranks among the world’s 15 most powerful armies. Brazil has a large population of 212 million. Although it hasn’t engaged in active conflict since World War II, it stands out with its military structure, projects, and defense equipment exports. Despite having 9 different neighbors, it has no territorial disputes. The country can produce many of its own equipment. At the same time, it expands its inventory through foreign procurement. It also has a localization rate of nearly 60%. They aim to increase this to 70% by 2030. I will explain in detail the equipment they produce and their exports in the video. They carry out many joint production, modernization, and localization projects. They also have close contact with Türkiye. They purchased heavy machine guns produced by Canik. They are interested in the Bayraktar TB2 and the FNSS Kaplan. I will share details of other projects and all other information in the video. What equipment do they use? Which Brazilian-made products are in service? What equipment do they want from Türkiye? Before we dive into the content, we have a small favor to ask. While preparing the video, my teammates and I go through hours of research and editing. We would be very happy if you support us by joining and subscribing to our channel. In this episode of our Modern Armies series, we will focus on Brazil. I’m Sinan Bakioğlu. Enjoy watching. Let’s start with the structure of the military. The Brazilian Armed Forces are the largest army in Latin America. Their equipment consists of both domestic and imported systems. Compulsory military service is in effect in the country. It is mandatory for men between the ages of 18 and 45. The duration ranges from 10 to 12 months. However, not all registered individuals are conscripted each year. A selection process is applied according to the army’s needs. For instance, around 1.5 million young people registered in 2023. Yet only about 100,000 were conscripted. In Brazil, unlike Türkiye, not every man is drafted when his term arrives. There is no compulsory military service for women. Since the 1980s, women have been allowed to join the military. Since 2017, women have started to serve actively in combat roles within the land forces. They can serve in artillery, infantry, and armored units. Women make up about 10% of the total personnel in the armed forces. The army is composed of three branches. These are the land forces, naval forces, and air forces. It is the second-largest army in the Americas. The United States, of course, ranks first. The country’s defense budget is approximately 26.1 billion dollars. The number of soldiers in the army is estimated at around 360,000. Of these, approximately 220,000 serve in the land forces. Around 70,000 are estimated to be in the naval forces. Another 70,000 are believed to be in the air force. According to research by the Global Firepower Index, Brazil’s military ranks 11th out of 145 countries. It is among the 15 most powerful armies in the world. The inventory of the Brazilian army consists of both domestically produced and imported weapons. I’ll go into more detail later in the video. A large portion is procured from Europe and the United States. There are also joint production efforts with other countries. Let’s continue with the equipment used by the army. We’ll start with the land forces. As an anti-tank missile and system, the Brazilian-made MAX 1.2 AC is currently in use. Currently, 50 to 60 units are in service. In 2023, 200 new units were ordered. Israeli-made Spike LR2 systems are also valued. There are 10 launcher systems and 100 missiles from these as well. They were added to the inventory in 2024.We encounter three types of tanks. Here, we see American and German models. The M60A3 TTS tanks were purchased from the U.S. in 1997. As of 2024, 31 units are in inventory. As for the Leopard 1A-1BEs, there are 41 units. These also entered service in 1997. As of 2024, 41 units are operational. Lastly, the Leopard 1A-5BR tanks were sold to Brazil during the major production boom of 2009. The Italian-made Centauro-2 armored tank destroyer is also in the inventory. However, only two units were delivered in the initial phase. After testing is completed and approval is granted, an additional 96 units will be ordered. The number one armored fighting vehicle is the EE-9 Cascavel. This was produced by Brazil. There are 409 units. We could say it’s a bit old school. Production began in the 1970s and it’s still in use. Let’s move on to armored personnel carriers. Here, we also see foreign procurement and joint productions. M113s were purchased from the U.S. Brazilian-made EE-11 Urutus are also in service. There are also VBTP-MR Guaranis, a joint Italian-Brazilian production acquired in 2014. A total of 1580 units were ordered. There are also 64 M 577 A2 units purchased from the U.S. in 2024. Finally, the VBMT-LSR Guaicurus, another Italian-Brazilian collaboration, completes the vehicle list. 48 are currently in service. 4 hundred 20 units have been ordered. Let’s continue with the artillery elements. Here as well, we see both domestic production and imports. The Astros 2 and AV-VBL are Brazilian-made multi-barrel, self-loading rocket launcher systems. The self-positioning artillery systems are entirely imported. American-made M109s and M992 A2s are in the inventory. There are no domestically made towed howitzers yet. The aging M114s acquired from the U.S. are still in service, along with the M101A1 howitzers. Italian-made Oto Melara Mod 6s are also part of the inventory. Lastly, there are British-made L118s. Heavy mortars were acquired from France and also manufactured by Brazil. These include the MO-120RT and the Morteire Pesado M2 Raiado. Krauss-Maffei Gepard 1A2s are in use as self-propelled anti-aircraft batteries. For portable air defense systems, Russian-made 9K338 Igla-S and Swedish-made RBS-70 Mk.2 systems are available. Let’s conclude the land forces with army aviation elements. Attack helicopters are not used. The total number of aircraft is 95. We are introduced to the French-made HA-1 Esquilo helicopters. Airbus-produced HM-1 Panteras are also present. U.S.-made HM-2 Black Hawks provide additional support. Lastly, there are the HM-3 Cougar and HM-4 Jaguar models. Let’s move on to the naval forces. We’ll start with submarines. There are a total of four. Two of them belong to the Riachuelo class, and the other two to the Tupi class. The Riachuelos are domestically developed by the country. Additionally, three more units have been ordered. Deliveries are scheduled to be completed by 2032. The Tupi-class submarines were co-produced with Germany. The helicopter carrier Nam Atlantico is the flagship of the Brazilian Navy. One Broad Sword-class warship is also in the inventory. It was purchased from the United Kingdom in 1997 and renamed Rademaker. In addition, five Niteroi-class ships are in service. Lastly, there are two Inhauma-class ships. Let’s move on to amphibious warfare vessels. There are two in total. These belong to the Foudre and Round Table classes. Next are the offshore patrol vessels. There are a total of 22 in inventory, 12 of which are Brazilian-made. The rest are foreign acquisitions. The Grajau-class was developed by Brazil. There are 3 Amazonas, 3 Macae, and 4 Bracui vessels. There are also 3 Aratu-class mine-hunting and disposal ships. An order has been placed for 8 Tamandare-class stealth ships. Deliveries will be completed by 2028. These ships will be co-produced by Brazilian company Embraer and German company ThyssenKrupp. Two Albion-class amphibious ships have also been ordered from BAE Systems. Lastly, 2 MACAE offshore patrol vessels and 11 NPA-500MB ships will be added to the inventory. They are currently under production. Let’s continue with the air force. We will mostly see Brazilian-made aircraft, though there are also foreign acquisitions. I’ll explain the details. We begin with attack aircraft. There are multi-role JAS-39 Gripens co-produced with Sweden. Currently, there are 9 in the inventory. Another 31 are under production. The Northrop F-5s, purchased from the U.S., are also in use. There are 42 in inventory. They will be gradually retired by 2029. Now we have a veteran aircraft. The AMX Internationals, co-produced by Brazil and Italy, are in service. There are 24 in total. The plan is to retire all of them by the end of 2025. The Embraer EMB-314s serve as counter-insurgency aircraft. There are 68 in the inventory. For early warning and control, only the Brazilian-made Embraer E-99s are used. For reconnaissance missions, there are the Embraer R-99 and Embraer EMB-110 aircraft. There are 3 and 4 units respectively. Lastly, the Learjet 35s acquired from the U.S. are also present. There are 6 in the inventory. For maritime patrol missions, 18 Embraer 110s and 3 Lockheed P-3s are used. The latter was sold by the American company Lockheed Martin. Now let’s move on to transport and logistics aircraft. We mostly see Brazilian-made models. Using their own products is important—it ensures resilience during wartime conditions. Two Airbus A330-200s are in use. Embraer C-390s are used for aerial refueling and transfer missions. Seven are currently in the inventory. CASA C-295s were purchased from Spain—11 in total. Embraer 100s and Embraer 110s are used for logistics operations. Embraer 120 and Embraer 190 aircraft are also used for the same purpose. Lastly, U.S.-made Cessna 208s and Embraer ERJ-145s are preferred for transport. All helicopters were procured through foreign purchases. French-made Eurocopter EC-725 and EC-135 models are in service. Let’s move on to training aircraft—there are three different models. One of them is domestically produced, while the other two are imported. The Embraer EMB-312 is an indigenously developed trainer aircraft. Northrop F-5s were purchased from the U.S. Finally, Eurocopter AS-350 helicopters from France are also used. In terms of UAVs, we observe Israeli dominance. Four Hermes 450s, three Hermes 900s, and two IAI Herons are in operation. Additionally, one more Hermes 900 has been ordered. Let’s open a short parenthesis here. Talks are ongoing with Türkiye. There is interest in the Bayraktar TB2. While there’s no official agreement yet, it could happen in the future. In 2023 and 2024, Brazilian officials visited Baykar twice. They exchanged ideas about the products and discussed their suitability for Brazil. The same applies to the Bayraktar Kızılelma.Now let’s turn to Brazil’s ongoing military projects.To deepen our understanding, I spoke with foreign policy columnist Hüsamettin Aslan. Brazil is developing projects through both local and international collaborations to strengthen its defense industry and reduce foreign dependency. Brazil has— Three major companies it presents to the world, and these three companies have each produced— Three signature products. At the top of this list is aircraft manufacturer Embraer. It is the world’s third-largest after Airbus and Boeing. We see that Embraer ranks third globally. Embraer has also entered the field of combat aircraft production. We had mentioned the interest in Bayraktar from Türkiye. In addition, Otokar’s Tulpar and FNSS’s Kaplan MT light tank are currently undergoing tests. In 2023, a technical specification was issued for Bayraktar TB2 UCAVs. The Brazilian Army visited Baykar in July 2023 and May 2024. The purchase of 3 UCAVs is being planned. A memorandum of understanding was signed between TUSAŞ and Embraer at the LAAD 2025 Defense and Security Expo. A sale of KC-390 transport aircraft to Türkiye and the production of the E-2 jet in Türkiye are expected. However, no formal agreement has been finalized yet. As Turkish companies enter the region with heavy weaponry, in fact, in South America and Brazil— Medium-scale weapons, Technology transfers, And mutual— Educational services, which we refer to as exchanges, offer tremendous opportunities that could be seized exceptionally well. In this context, especially considering Brazil’s public security challenges, there is a significant gap when it comes to the widespread use of night vision camera systems, other security surveillance networks, and their nationwide integration— particularly given that around 50,000 civilians, innocent people, are killed annually in Rio de Janeiro alone. This gap becomes even more evident when we realize that Turkish defense companies have failed to identify this opportunity. Swedish company Saab and Embraer are collaborating on joint production and technology transfer. For this, 36 JAS-39E Gripen aircraft were acquired. This move positioned Brazil as a regional leader in 4.5-generation fighter jet technology. They also want to replace their aging F-5 and AMX aircraft. We know they are seeking various partners for joint production of aircraft engines. In this context, even though Sweden is— Importing Gripen aircraft, we know that it is also seeking partnerships with the Saab Group for engine transfer and joint engine production. Embraer is actively involved in avionics and assembly processes. A project is also being developed with France for Riachuelo-class submarines. Brazil aims to modernize its submarine fleet and establish nuclear submarine infrastructure. Four Scorpène-class diesel-electric submarines have been acquired. The first was delivered in 2022. One key detail: production is taking place at the Itaguaí shipyard in Brazil.Additionally, the Álvaro Alberto nuclear submarine is under development. It is scheduled for completion in the 2030s. If completed, Brazil will become the 7th country to possess a nuclear submarine. Through the Astros 2020 program, Brazil also aims to modernize the Astros II rocket launcher system. One of Brazil’s strongest companies in the global defense industry is Avibras. Avibras is a renowned company known for its missile, rocket, and launcher systems. In the 1970s and 80s, Avibras was also known for supplying weapons to various Middle Eastern countries such as Iraq, Syria, and Libya, as well as to countries like Afghanistan, where the Western alliance had imposed arms embargoes. It was known for supplying weapons to such embargoed nations. New-generation missiles will be produced by Brazilian company Avibras. A range of 300 kilometers is expected, with advanced targeting and digital fire control systems. Completion is expected in 2025. A new armored vehicle family project is also underway. The goal is to replace the outdated EE-9 Cascavel and EE-11 Urutu vehicles. Brazil has acquired 98 Centauro 2 8×8 armored vehicles from Italy. Embraer and AEL Sistemas are working on domestic UAV projects. The Falcão UAV is being developed. Let’s continue with the country’s production and export projects. One of Brazil’s strongest elements in the defense industry is Taurus, known for its production of pistols and— Low-intensity firearms, which hold an important global position in the market. Taurus also supplies weapons not only to Middle Eastern countries, but also to Nigeria in Africa, South Korea and Afghanistan in Central Asia, and Iraq, Syria, and Libya in the Middle East. Brazil’s defense industry is coordinated by the Indústria de Defesa Brasileira. The country has achieved approximately 70% domestic production. Embraer sold its Super Tucano aircraft to Chile and Colombia. Additionally, the C-390 Millennium was sold to Portugal and Hungary. Astros II rocket launcher systems were delivered to Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. The IA2 rifle produced by IMBEL has been made available to infantry units. As of 2021, defense exports reached approximately 2 billion dollars. Let’s conclude the video with an editorial comment. It is a country with a broad military inventory thanks to arms purchases from the West and other countries. To avoid dependency issues, it is carrying out major localization and R&D projects. Its domestically produced armored reconnaissance vehicles, armored personnel carriers, multiple rocket launchers, and various aircraft stand out. I also find the close engagement with Türkiye significant. They want to enhance their capabilities in the UAV field—currently dominated by Israel—with Turkish UAVs offering different abilities. The video is over. I’d love to hear your thoughts—let’s meet in the comments. Don’t forget to join and subscribe to GZT for more content like this. Thank you for watching. We’ll be talking about a country ranked among the world’s top 15 strongest militaries. Brazil has a large population of 212 million. Although it hasn’t been involved in active conflict since World War II, it stands out with its military structure, projects, and defense equipment exports.