An impasse between Celso Amorim, special advisor to the President, and the Ministry of Defense has put the brakes on the purchase of 36 armored vehicles manufactured by Israel.
(UOL)
What happened
The Army has been investing in a program to modernize its mechanized infantry since 2017. The international tender was won by the Israeli company Elbit Systems, but the former Chancellor convinced President Lula (PT) to hold up the deal.
Amorim used Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s criticism of the Brazilian president. Lula was declared “persona non grata” by the Israeli government after he equated the situation of the Palestinians during the war against Hamas to the Holocaust.
The interruption of the deal left the army unhappy. The Israeli equipment was far superior to its competitors in technical evaluations. The purchase of the weapons of war, called howitzer armored combat vehicles, is valued at R$1 billion.
The acquisition is essential for the Armored Forces Program. The project would put Brazil at the forefront of infantry in the Americas, behind only the United States. It also hinders long-term plans.
The implementation of the Armored Forces requires a series of changes in Army processes. These include troop training and a new operating doctrine for a series of armored vehicles. The interruption of the purchase delays the timetable and leaves the modernization process in a lurch.
The standoff has been going on since April and has prompted the Defense Minister to step in. José Múcio has put a plan in motion to convince Lula to change his mind and resume the purchase of the vehicles.
Impasse with Israel
Dissatisfied with Israel’s attitude towards Brazil, Amorim intervened to prevent the purchase from going ahead. In the view of the former chancellor, who is Lula’s main advisor on international affairs, it makes no sense to continue negotiations with a country that mistreats its main leader.
The Defense Ministry and the Army say it’s a matter of state. Both the ministry and the corporation argue that although Netanyahu has mistreated Lula, Brazil maintains diplomatic relations with Israel. They argue that this would be a controversy between rulers, while the armored vehicles in question have lasted longer than the terms of office of both Lula and the prime minister.
Amorim questioned whether the contract could be passed on to the second-placed bidder, a Czech company. The request was rejected by the Defense, explaining that there were no technical arguments for making the change and that this could set a “dangerous” precedent.
Múcio nods to PT
The Defense Minister is going to bet on national production if the purchase of the 36 howitzers is to go ahead. According to sources linked to the Planalto², Múcio spoke directly to representatives of Elbit Systems in Brazil and heard that, if the deal goes through, they intend to build a new factory to make the armored vehicles here. The company already has two plants in the country: in Rio Grande do Sul and Rio de Janeiro.
There would be a kind of test. The first two units would be made with 60% parts from Israel and 40% from here, so that the equipment can be tested and prove that it meets the Army’s specifications.
The other 34 howitzers would be manufactured domestically. All the equipment would be made in a new Elbit Systems plant in the country, to be completed by 2027.
This was the proposal made by Múcio to Lula last week. According to UOL, Lula told the minister that he would “resolve the issue”. No deadline has been set for a final decision.
Creating high-tech jobs is considered an argument for gaining PT¹ support. Lula’s party is a proponent of opening up vacancies for skilled labour and of reindustrialization.
Another front would be to confront Celso Amorim’s argument. Last week, the Defense Minister sent a letter to the TCU (Federal Court of Auditors) stressing the impossibility of choosing the runner-up in the international tender. The agency is expected to give a response later this week.
Defense hopes that the proposal to use Czech equipment will be denied. The Army regrets that this will delay a process that has been dragging on since 2017.
The strategic importance of howitzers
A howitzer is a weapon capable of firing a projectile over long distances. The equipment selected by the Army has a 155-millimeter cannon mounted on an armored car. The shot describes a parabola-shaped trajectory that passes over allied troops and hits opponents who are kilometers away.
The howitzers selected by the Army complement other armored vehicles: Guarani, Centauro and Guaicuru. The trio is armed with large-caliber machine guns, missiles and cannons. An army officer explained to UOL the reasons why the Israeli model was selected to operate with these armored vehicles.
The first difference is speed. The howitzers reach 120km/h when traveling on roads. In off-road mode, they are capable of reaching 80 km/h. They are therefore able to follow other armored vehicles.
A howitzer that is left behind on the battlefield can become inoperable. It is so far away from allied troops that its projectile can turn into friendly fire.
Having wheels is another positive factor. Tracked vehicles, that track that appears below the traditional image of the battle tank, develop less speed. Another disadvantage of this locomotion system is that the friction with the asphalt damages the roads and the track itself.
The speed with which the Israeli howitzer is ready to fire is the last difference mentioned. Computerized systems adjust the parts so that the equipment is ready to fire. Because it is on a vehicle, there is no need for stabilization actions before firing.
For comparison, there are howitzers pulled by trucks. They need to be uncoupled, fixed to the ground in holes to be dug by soldiers and have the parts aligned. The process can take up to half an hour, by which time the target may have moved out of range.
How the bidding process went
The Army finished the process in April. The choice is made through a process called international procurement. UOL found that the Israeli equipment was considered the best by “fairly wide margins”.
The next step was for the Army General Staff to proceed with the acquisition. This was the phase when the deal was interrupted. In the words of one officer, “there was political influence and the process got out of control of the military”.
The Israeli proposal is considered much better. The other options for howitzer vehicles that have been classified to take part in the international purchase come from companies in the Czech Republic, France and China.
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¹The Labor Party (PT – Partido dos Trabalhadores) is a center-left Brazilian political party. The party to which the current president belongs.
²When people talk about “the Planalto” in the Brazilian political context, they usually mean the Esplanade of Ministries, located in Brasília, the country’s capital. The Esplanade of Ministries is a large area where the main government buildings are located, including the ministries and the headquarters of the executive branch. This is where the president and his team work and make administrative and political decisions.
Translated by DEFCONPress FYI Team