Philippine Army Begins Receiving 6×6 “Guarani” Armored Vehicles
In February 2020, the defense company Elbit Systems announced it had been awarded a $46 million contract to supply a number of "Guarani" armored vehicles, manufactured by Iveco Defence, to the army of a Pacific Asian country, which was later identified as the Philippines.
(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — The Philippine Army has reportedly begun receiving the first batch of five 6×6 “Guarani” armored vehicles from the Israeli defense company, Elbit Systems.
These armored vehicles were delivered to the Philippine Army at the end of last month and are currently undergoing technical inspections by the Army’s units, according to Philippine Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Dema-ala.
“Once the technical inspections are completed, the ‘Guarani’ armored vehicles will be deployed for service with the Army,” he stated.
The “Guarani” vehicles were developed by the Italian defense company, Iveco Defence.
The Guarani armored vehicles now in possession of the Philippine Army were showcased during a ceremony at Camp O’Donnell in the Santa Lucia region of Tarlac City.
At the same event, the Southeast Asian country’s army also displayed the Sabrah ASCOD II light tanks.
In February 2020, Elbit Systems announced it had been awarded a $46 million contract for the supply of “Guarani” armored vehicles to an army in the Asia Pacific region, intended to meet the requirements of the Philippine Army.
Other media reports indicate that the Philippine Army has ordered a total of 28 Guarani armored vehicles equipped with a Remote Control Weapon System (RCWS) featuring a 12.7mm machine gun and a 40mm automatic grenade launcher.
Some of these vehicles will also be equipped with a 30mm turret.
The vehicles’ armor can withstand small arms fire and artillery shrapnel, and for added protection, they can be fitted with add-on armor and a V-shaped hull to mitigate damage from improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The 16.7-ton “Guarani” vehicles can be armed with various weapons, including remote-control weapon stations for 7.62mm and 12.7mm machine guns, a 40mm grenade launcher, or a 120mm mortar.
Equipped with a Battle Management System (BMS), they can carry two crew members and nine fully armed soldiers.
These armored vehicles are powered by an Iveco Cursor 9 turbocharged engine, delivering 393 horsepower.
In the middle of last month, members of the Philippine Army reportedly completed their first training on operating, driving, and maintaining the newly acquired “ASCOD 2 Sabrah” light tanks at Camp O’Donnel on Luzon Island.
The ASCOD 2 Sabrah light tanks were supplied to the Philippine Army by GDELS-SBS in collaboration with the Israeli defense company, Elbit Systems.
In November of the previous year, the Philippines received a second batch of ASCOD 2 “Sabrah” light tanks purchased from the defense company GDELS-SBS, in cooperation with Elbit Systems.
This second delivery, consisting of nine light tanks from the Israeli defense company, arrived at Subic Bay to be delivered to the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
In June 2021, the Philippine government and Israel signed a contract to acquire more than 20 “ASCOD 2 Sabrah” light tanks in both tracked and wheeled variants, along with other support vehicles, in a deal valued at $172 million (approximately RM774 million). — DSA
