KMW establishes Brazilian hub in Santa Maria

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 12. April 2011 – Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and the Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft (FFG) have announced their strategic cooperation for the Brazilian market today at the defence exhibition LAAD in Rio de Janeiro.

For the industrial support and further development of the Brazilian vehicle fleet, KMW is currently opening its own development, assembly and maintenance centre in the southern Brazilian Santa Maria. The aim of both companies is to offer from this infrastructure also attractive modernisation-possibilities for the Brazilian M113 fleet.

FFG looks back on several decades of experience in this field and has modernised and updated the combat performance of the M113 transport tank for a large number of international costumers.

Increased-power rated M113 in hardware at the exhibition

At LAAD both companies present the M113 transport tank in hardware in an increased-power rated version. Known as WARAN in the market, the increased-power rated version comes with an enhanced driving gear, an enormous storage capacity and a large payload capacity. The extremely versatile transport tank is capable of loading heavy conversion kits or infantry units and protecting them from ballistic or mines threats. With the M113, KMW and FFG offer a cost-efficient alternative that closes gaps in equipment quickly and efficiently with a sustainable and multifunctional vehicle for the Brazilian Army. Denmark, as well as Australia too, have chosen the enhanced version of the transport tank. The M113 forms the kick-off to further cooperation projects between KMW and FFG on the Brazilian market.

Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co. KG leads the European market for protected wheeled and tracked vehicles. At locations in Germany, Brazil, Greece, the Netherlands, Singapore, Turkey and the USA some 3500 employees develop, manufacture and support a product portfolio ranging from air-transportable, protected wheeled vehicles (MUNGO, AMPV*, F2, DINGO, GFF4 and BOXER*) through reconnaissance, antiaircraft and artillery systems (FENNEK, GEPARD, LeFlaSys*, Armoured Howitzer PzH2000, DONAR* and AGM) to heavy battle tanks (LEOPARD 1 and 2), infantry fighting vehicles (PUMA*) and bridgelaying systems (LEGUAN). In addition, KMW has wide-ranging system competence in the area of civil and military simulation, as well as in command and information systems and remote-controlled weapon stations with reconnaissance and observation equipment for day and night missions. The armed forces of more than 30 nations worldwide rely on tactical systems by KMW. * Joint venture with national and international partners