Agrale Marruá

Agrale Marruá
A Marruá of the Ecuadorian Army
Type	Light Utility Vehicle
Place of origin	Brazil
Service history
In service	2005 – present
Production history
Manufacturer	Agrale
Produced	2004 – present
Specifications
Weight	2,460 kilograms (5,420 lb)
Length	3.8 metres (12 ft)
Width	1.92 metres (6.3 ft)
Height	1.95 metres (6.4 ft)
Crew	4-6

Main armament	see text
Engine	MWM turbocharged four-cylinder diesel^[1] 132 horsepower (98 kW)
Suspension	Independent 4x4
Operational range	1,000 kilometres (620 mi)
Speed	128 kilometres per hour (80 mph)

The Marruá ("wild bull") is a family of four-by-four wheeled transport and utility vehicles, built by Agrale in Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Developed in the early 2000s to serve as a replacement for ageing jeeps and other vehicles in Brazilian service, it has also been adopted by several other Latin American armies, and is used on peacekeeping missions with the United Nations in Haiti.

Design

Following the bankruptcy of Engesa (Specialized Engineers SA) in early 1990, former employees of the company acquired the rights to the Engesa EE-4/EE-12 utility vehicle, and, working with the Agrale company, developed an improved version of the vehicle between 2003 and 2005 to meet a specification for a 1/2 ton, 4x4 Viatura de Transporte Não Especializada (Non-Specialised Transport, VTNE) for the Armed Forces of Brazil, to replace the Jeeps previously in service.^[1] Three prototypes were constructed for testing by the Brazilian Army, with Agrale investing $11 million into the project, and the Marruá was accepted for Brazilian service on 27 July 2005.^[2]

Designed to be versatile, robust, and easy to maintain,^[1] the Marruá underwent over 60,000 miles (97,000 km) of testing during its development, and is capable of carrying four fully equipped soldiers, anti-tank missile launchers, recoilless rifles, machine guns, or communications equipment.^[3]

Models

Four models of the Marruá were produced:

the baseline AM1 MB with four seats;
the VTL Rec for armed reconnaissance missions,
the VTNE, a 3/4-ton pickup truck, and
the AM20-VDC, a command and control vehicle.^[4]

In addition, the AM2 MB-NET is a specialised version for the Brazilian Marine Corps, with rust-resistant paint, high-flotation tires, and seating for six.^[1]

Operational history

The Marruá has entered service with both the Brazilian Army and the Brazilian Marine Corps,^[1] in addition to being acquired by the armies of Ecuador^[5] and Argentina, the latter using eighteen vehicles as part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Haiti starting in 2009.^[6]

Operators

Map of Agrale Marrua operators in blue

Agrale Marrua of the Namibian Special Forces

Current operators

Specifications

from ^[10]

Dimensions

Length: 3.8 metres (12 ft)
Overall Height: 1.95 metres (6.4 ft)
Height with windshield folded: 1.40 metres (4.6 ft)
Width: 1.92 metres (6.3 ft)
Capacity: 4-6 soldiers

Weights

Weight in running order: 1,960 kilograms (4,320 lb)
Gross weight: 2,460 kilograms (5,420 lb)

Performance

Maximum speed: 128 kilometres per hour (80 mph)
Minimum sustainable speed: 4 kilometres per hour (2.5 mph)
Maximum incline: 60%
Maximum lateral incline: 30%
Ford depth without snorkel: 0.60 metres (24 in)
Ground clearance: 0.26 metres (10 in)
Approach angle: 64°
Departure angle: 52°
Maximum payload: 500 kilograms (1,100 lb) + 500 kilograms (1,100 lb) trailer
Fuel capacity: 100 litres (22 imp gal; 26 US gal)
Range: 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) (on road)

Transmission

Model: Eaton FS 2305, mechanical
Gears: 5 forward gears and 1 reverse

Engine

Brand / Model: MWM 4.07TCA SPRINT-EII turbodiesel, 2.8-liter four-cylinder inline, water cooled
Power: 132 horsepower (98 kW) at 3,600 rpm
Torque: 340 Nm at 1,800 rpm

References

1 2 3 4 5 Marinha do Brasil recebe viaturas militares Agrale Marruá. Secco Consultoria. (Portuguese) Accessed 2010-05-26.
↑ Bastos, Expedito Carlos Stephani. Agrale Marruá - Um legítimo 4x4 militar Made in Brazil (Portuguese). Accessed 2009-09-23.
↑ AGRALE Marruá. WarWheels.net. Accessed 2010-05-26.
↑ Agrale Marrusa family of vehicles. Company website. (Portuguese) Accessed 2010-05-26.
↑ Exército do Equador Adquire Segundo Lote de Utilitários Agrale Marruá. Política Externa Brasileira. (Portuguese) Accessed 2010-05-26.
↑ Veículos Agrale Marruá serão utilizados pela ONU no Haiti. Secco Consultoria . (Portuguese) Accessed 2010-05-26.
↑
↑ http://robertopcosta.blogspot.com.br/2015/04/agrale-expoe-na-laad-2015-sua-familia.html/
↑ http://www.defesanet.com.br/naval/noticia/16328/Brasil-ajudara-a-fortalecer-Forca-Naval-do-Suriname/
↑ Agrale S.A.. Especificações do Agrale Marruá. (Portuguese) Accessed 2009-12-14.

External links

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Official website

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