EE-3 Jararaca

The EE-3 Jararaca is a 4 wheeled armoured reconnaissance vehicle developed and manufactured by Brazilian company Engesa and in use by the Brazilian and other armies. It is named after the jararaca, a South American venomous pit viper.

History

Brazil was looking for a replacement for their ageing fleet of M8 Greyhound which dated back to the Brazilian Expeditionary Force that fought in Italy during World War II. The vehicle was developed at the end of the 1970s. It went into commercial production in 1980. It was initially intended for use in reconnaissance and patrolling but other variants were also developed, some fitted with anti-tank or anti-aircraft guided missiles. It was purchased by the Brazilian armoured forces but was also exported to a number of African and Latin American countries.

Design

EE-3 Outline

The driving compartment is located in the front, combat compartment in the middle, and the engine compartment is placed at the rear. It is operated by a crew of 3: driver, commander, and signaller-observer. The armored hull is protected by multi-layer welded armour, consisting of two layers of steel. The driving compartment is fitted with three periscopes. Driver access to his compartment is through a hatch in the roof. The commander's turret is placed behind the driving compartment to the right side and is also fitted with three periscope observation devices. The turret is equipped with a 20mm autocannon and a 12.7mm machinegun, both of which can be fired from inside the turret. The signaller's-observers seat is placed to the left of the commander's turret and has its separate hatch.

Operators

Map of EE-3 operators in blue

Current operators

•  Brazil
•  Cyprus
•  Ecuador
•  Gabon
•  Uruguay
•  Tunisia
•  Iraq

References

• Army Recognition
• Enemy Forces
• Military Today
• ufjf defence (in Portuguese)

External links

• EE-3 Jararaca - prototype pictures (in Portuguese)