The Brazilian Beast: The ‘Urato’ EE-11 Armored Personnel Carrier
The EE-11 “Urutu”, which translates to mean “Crossed Pit Viper”, is another Engesa design still used by more than 20 countries, including Angola, Jordan, Tunisia and, of course, Brazil.
When it comes to the design and production of armored fighting vehicles, the first countries that likely come to mind are the likes of France, America, Russia, Britain and Germany. It is a highly competitive, specialist field, but that has not prevented some less likely candidates from taking some chances and coming forward with designs for AFVs. One such builder was the Brazilian company of Engenheiros Especializados S.A., referred to as “Engesa” for short. Founded in 1958, the company enjoyed brief success in supplying armored fighting vehicles to 18 overseas client states, including Iraq and Libya, before being forced to close due to bankruptcy in 1993, after 35 years.
Engesa also supplied vehicles to the Brazilian armed forces, including light wheeled vehicles, trucks and 6x6 AFVs such as the EE-9 “Cascaval”’ armored car and EE-11 “Urutu” APC. The company’s only attempt to break into the tank market with its “Osorio” EE-T1 was a short-lived project which ended in failure in 1986 with only two prototypes produced. It was these marketing failures, combined with a series of ill-advised choices and internal national crises, which finally brought about the company’s closure.
‘Crossed Pit Viper’
Although Engesa no longer exists as a company, many of the vehicles it produced, including the Cascaval, still remain in military service. The EE-11 “Urutu”, which translates to mean “Crossed Pit Viper”, is another Engesa design still used by more than 20 countries, including Angola, Jordan, Tunisia and, of course, Brazil. Series production of the Urutu began in 1974 and continued until 1990, during which time 1,719 were turned out in four different versions. The basic design led to nine different variants being developed for specific roles, which included ambulance, anti-tank and vehicle recovery duty.
A few examples have made their way into museums, including the example on display at the Tank Museum near Bovington, Dorset in England. This example was presented to the Tank Museum after having been captured from the Iraqi Army by Coalition forces during the Gulf War of 1990-1991. On occasion it is driven in arena displays to demonstrate lesser-known types of AFV — a rare treat for enthusiasts.
Engesa rose from relative obscurity. During the 1960s, the company was not widely known outside of Brazil, but gradually the Brazilian government instituted a program to promote the country’s defense industries. Throughout the 1970s the Brazilian Army was using aging designs such as the American-produced M8 armored car and M41 Walker Bulldog alongside the more modern M-113 APC.
Military leaders hoped these would be replaced, or at least be augmented, by other modern designs, especially those coming from the drawing board of the Engesa design team. One of these was the fully amphibious Urutu, which was capable of carrying 13 fully equipped troops along with the driver and co-driver. Early examples of the vehicle were demonstrated to the Brazilian Marine Corps, which eventually acquired six vehicles for further trials. The vehicles did not prove suitable for operating in open water and no further purchases were made. On the other hand, the army was more taken with the design and placed an order for more than 200 of the vehicles.
The vehicles were dubbed Carro De Transporte Sobre Rodas Anfibo (CTRS), which translates from the Portuguese as “Amphibious Wheeled Transport Vehicles”. Production began in 1974, with the first examples entering service in 1975. A series of variants were developed for other roles, including ambulance and engineering. The new design also proved to be a suitable platform for a range of armament upgrades, from 20mm cannons to turret-mounted 90mm guns.
The hull of the Urutu was of composite steel construction with a thickness varying between 6mm and 12mm, which gave adequate protection against small arms fire. The driver’s seat was at the front on the lefthand side with the engine mounted to his right. Different engine types could be fitted to meet the requirements of overseas clients, which affected certain capabilities of the vehicle, such as speed and operation range. In the basic APC configuration, a single side-hinged rear door featured a firing port to allow a soldier to use his weapon from inside the vehicle. Similar firing ports could be mounted along the hull sides, and hatches in the roof allowed soldiers to use heavier weapons without disembarking.
Some versions were fitted with a single access door on the driver’s side, while others had a door on each side, depending on customer requirements. The roof of the Urutu allowed for a range of different types of turret to be mounted, including the type fitted to the Commando produced by the American company Cadillac Gage. Such configurations allowed fire support to be provided to the infantry when deploying. They also extended the operational role of the vehicle to include internal security duties.
Various types of turrets could be fitted to the vehicle to suit specific requirements from overseas armies to increase firepower. Courtesy of John Norris
In amphibious roles the vehicle could cope with river crossings and even lakes. When in the water the vehicle is driven by two rear-mounted propellers operated by a power take-off from the transfer case. Steering fins act like rudders and are controlled by the driver. The underside of the vehicle’s leading edge is well sloped to aid smooth entry into water and prevent “digging in” when exiting up steep embankments. A board or “trim vane” is fitted to the front edge of the glacis plate to prevent the bow wave from washing up over the driver’s position. On-board pumps keep the levels of water low and if these should fail there were back-up hand-operated pumps.
The 6x6 vehicle and is fitted with double-wishbone suspension on the front axle with the two sets of rear axles fitted with semi-ellipitcal springs. These axles are mounted together in tandem on a frame referred to as a “boomerang” or “walking beam” type. The vehicle had two axles that move up and down together, which serves to equalize the load on the frame. The same feature was used on other Engesa designs and gave improved stability over uneven ground.
Serving many masters
The Urutu was developed into four versions, Mk I to Mk IV, which mainly involved the fitting of different transmissions. During the 1980s, a variant known as the “Uruval” involving elements of the Cascaval design was developed as a Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) for the U.S. Marine Corps. The versatile vehicle was air-portable and featured an EC-90 turret mounted on an a Urutu and fitted with a Cockerill 90mm Mk III gun. An example was ready for trials in 1985, but it failed. A few examples of this 6x6 hybrid design were sold to the Tunisian National Guard, but otherwise failed to attract any interest.
Engesa produced a series of variants of the Urutu, each designed to fill a specific specialist role in combat situations, including internal security operations. The most basic of these types was the cargo transportation vehicle, capable of carrying 2 short tons of ammunition and other stores. An ambulance, vehicle recovery unit, and command and communications vehicles were produced, with some of the final fitting being left to the end user to suit their own specific requirements. An earth-moving type was also developed with a dozer blade attached to the front that could be used the break through barricades during anti-riot duties. Air defense and anti-tank versions were also developed along with a mortar-carrying type that extended the potential of the Urutu as a weapons platform.
Some of these variants have been used in combat situations and been proven useful when deployed in support of internal security duties. One of the largest military contracts outside of Brazil came from Libya, which placed an order for 200 vehicles. Libya went on to deploy these during the war against Egypt in 1977 and during the protracted war against Chad between 1978 and 1987. Libyan leaders must have been impressed by the vehicle’s performance, because in 1981 they placed another order with Engesa for a further 180 vehicles. The armies of Iraq and Iran had a substantial fleet in service, which they deployed during their war between 1980 and 1988.
Since then, many armies have either replaced their Urutu fleets with modern designs or placed them in reserve storage. Modernizing programs and upgrades allowed them to continue to be used in some cases, perhaps longer than they otherwise should.
Its production run between 1974 and 1990 did not result in great numbers. Still, the Urutu proved its worth and influenced other future designs. That influence is perhaps its greatest legacy, and today those examples held in museums can allow enthusiasts to familiarize themselves with this important and historic design.
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