Brazilian Marines Sell Light Tanks as Scrap, Wait for Replacements
BRAZIL · DEFENSE
Key Facts
—The headline: The Brazilian Navy’s Marines deactivated their fleet of SK-105 A2S light tanks, exposing a Brazilian Marines armored gap, with seven hulls now being auctioned as scrap metal.
—The numbers: Only about three of 18 SK-105 A2S vehicles acquired in 2001 from Steyr-Daimler-Puch, now part of General Dynamics European Land Systems, can still operate with severe restrictions.
—The auction: Brazilian state defense firm Emgepron is managing the scrap sale of seven hulls valued at 105,000 reais total, equivalent to about 21,000 US dollars at recent exchange rates.
—The replacement plan: The Brazilian Marines issued a request for quotation in June 2025 to Otokar, FNSS, General Dynamics European Land Systems, BAE Systems and Rheinmetall for 17 replacement vehicles plus one recovery vehicle.
—Latin American impact: The auction underlines the obsolescence pressure facing Latin American armored forces with limited maintenance budgets.
The Brazilian Marines armored gap widened this week as the Navy’s Cuerpo de Fusileros Navais formally retired its SK-105 A2S light tank fleet. Seven hulls go to auction as scrap metal at a total valuation of 105,000 reais. The decision closes a 25-year chapter and underlines the procurement urgency for a fleet replacement.
How the Brazilian Marines armored gap opened
The Brazilian Navy’s Cuerpo de Fusileros Navais, known by its Brazilian acronym CFN, received 17 SK-105 A2S Kürassier light tanks and one 4KH7FA Greif recovery vehicle from Austria in 2001. The acquisition was decided in 1998 and built on a longer history of armored support for amphibious operations dating back decades.
The original supplier was Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeug of Austria. The company has since been integrated into General Dynamics European Land Systems through corporate consolidation. Brazil joined a club of regional operators that included Argentina, Bolivia, Tunisia and several others.
The fleet served the Batalhão de Blindados, the armored battalion of the CFN, with daily exercises in the Rio de Janeiro area and at larger training grounds such as Formosa near Brasília. Crews trained on the tank’s 105 millimeter rifled gun, a French-origin family of weapons capable of penetrating most period armor.
The auction and the Brazilian Marines armored gap today
Only about three of the 18 vehicles can still move, communicate and fire with severe restrictions. The reduced operational status was reached after years of cannibalization, in which working parts from non-functional vehicles were used to keep a minimum fleet alive. The fleet last fired the Mistral surface-to-air missile in joint training in 2016.
Emgepron, the state-owned Brazilian Navy defense management firm, is administering the scrap sale of seven hulls. The lot is valued at 105,000 reais, equivalent to about 21,000 US dollars. The remaining vehicles remain assigned to the CFN for now.
The 21,000 dollar valuation captures the scale of the loss. The original 1998 contract for the 17 tanks and the recovery vehicle ran into the tens of millions of dollars. A quarter century later, what remains is sold by the kilo.
What the SK-105 did for the Brazilian Marines
The SK-105 A2S was a light tank designed in Austria in the 1960s as a tank destroyer for the Austrian Army. It carries an oscillating turret similar to the French AMX-13 design. The 105 millimeter gun can fire kinetic-energy ammunition such as APFSDS rounds at velocities of about 1,430 meters per second.
The vehicle was relatively maneuverable for its weight. It offered the Brazilian Marines a measure of armored fire support for amphibious operations, including the conquest of beachheads. It was a capability that other regional naval infantry forces did not have at the time of its arrival.
The SK-105 acquisition controversially displaced the older EE-9 Cascavel armored car from earlier in the 2000s. Some Brazilian defense analysts argued at the time that the Cascavel had been retired prematurely. The current end of the SK-105 era leaves the CFN without organic armored fire support.
The replacement: closing the Brazilian Marines armored gap
In June 2025 the CFN issued a request for quotation, known in defense terms as an RFQ, to five international vehicle makers. The recipients were Otokar of Turkey, FNSS of Turkey, General Dynamics European Land Systems, BAE Systems of the United Kingdom and Rheinmetall of Germany. The CFN asked for prices on 17 replacement vehicles plus one recovery vehicle.
The vehicles on offer include the Turkish Tulpar from Otokar with a 120 millimeter HITFACT MK2 turret, the Kaplan from FNSS with a 105 millimeter 3105 turret, the Swedish CV90/120 from BAE Systems, the ASCOD 2 MMBT from General Dynamics European Land Systems, and the Lynx 120 from Rheinmetall with a 120 millimeter L44 gun.
Brazilian defense analysts have flagged the possibility of a joint procurement with the Brazilian Army’s Programa Forças Blindadas, which is evaluating similar platforms. A combined order would generate scale for the chosen manufacturer and lower the per-unit cost. The two programs have overlapping technical requirements.
Regional read on the Brazilian Marines armored gap
The SK-105 family is at the end of its life across most regional operators. Several Latin American armored forces still operate modified AMX-13 derivatives or vintage T-55 variants. The South American armored fleet sits in a multi-year transition window.
Argentina retains the TAM 2C A2 as its main battle tank and is modernizing through Plan ARMA. Chile operates Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks and recently conducted live-fire testing of those at Fábricas y Maestranzas del Ejército, known as FAMAE. Peru is preparing to receive 54 K2 Black Panther main battle tanks from Hyundai Rotem of South Korea.
Brazil’s procurement timeline will shape the next generation of regional armor. A 120 millimeter light or medium platform selected by both the CFN and the Army would set a continental benchmark. The Vigilante radar, the Centauro II program and the Marines RFQ form a single procurement landscape.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Cuerpo de Fusileros Navais?
The Cuerpo de Fusileros Navais, known by its Brazilian acronym CFN, is the marines component of the Brazilian Navy. It provides ground forces for amphibious operations and base security. The CFN operates from the Ilha do Governador complex in Rio de Janeiro.
What is the SK-105 A2S?
The SK-105 A2S Kürassier is an Austrian light tank originally designed in the 1960s. It carries a 105 millimeter gun in an oscillating turret. The Brazilian Marines acquired 17 of these in 2001, along with one 4KH7FA Greif recovery vehicle.
What is Emgepron?
Emgepron is the state-owned defense management company of the Brazilian Navy. It runs procurement, asset management and naval engineering activities. The auction of seven SK-105 hulls is being administered by Emgepron.
Who could supply the replacement vehicles?
The five firms that received the request for quotation are Otokar, FNSS, General Dynamics European Land Systems, BAE Systems and Rheinmetall. They offer the Tulpar, Kaplan, ASCOD 2 MMBT, CV90/120 and Lynx 120 respectively. A final contract has not been signed.
When will replacements arrive?
A timeline has not been published. The request for quotation issued in June 2025 is the formal opening of the procurement process. Selection and contracting typically take 12 to 24 months from this stage. Deliveries would follow.
Connected Coverage
For more on Brazilian defense, see our piece on the Brazilian radar test against the Gripen. Also read our coverage of the Argentine Army Day ceremony and our analysis of Milei’s growth message to investors.
The Rio Times — Friday, May 29, 2026 — 03:00 BRT — By Sofia Gabriela Martinez
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