The German government’s Office of Export Control (Bundesamt für Wirtschaft und Ausfuhrkontrolle – BAFA) has blocked the sale of 28 Brazilian-built Guarani 6×6 armored personnel carriers to the Philippines, the Brazilian website Tecnodefensa reported Thursday, adding that the order could ultimately cover as many as 114 vehicles in various versions.
The presence of German components in the vehicle allows Germany to veto their re-export. A spokesman for BAFA, reached on Friday after repeated attempts by telephone and email, could neither confirm nor deny the report by press time.
The Guarani project was specifically developed by Italy’s Iveco Defense for the Brazilian Army, which owns its intellectual property and which receives royalties on each export sale. It is produced by the company IDV in Sete Lagoas and was sold to the Philippines army by the Israeli company Elbit Systems as part of a large Government-to-Government agreement managed by the Directorate of International Defense Cooperation of the Israeli Ministry of Defense (SIBAT), Tecnodefesa reported.
IDV has already produced and officially delivered the first five vehicles , but they remain on the company’s premises.
Currently, the Manufacturing Directorate (DF) of the Army and IDV are working to develop an improved version of the vehicle, called “Guarani 2.0,” which will also replace all German components.
Removing uncertainties about its exportability is a major issue for Brazil, as IDV has already concluded an export contract with Ghana , while further sales are also being negotiated with Argentina, Malaysia and other countries, Techdefesa reported.
Some Brazilian observers have interpreted the German veto as payback for Brazil’s refusal to provide Ukraine with 35mm ammunition used by the Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle, as Berlin has repeatedly requested.
Article from www.defense-aerospace.com
Follow us on our Telegram channel