General Facts

TYPE
Reconnaissance vehicle

ORIGIN
Brazil

NICKNAMES
Carro de Reconhecimento sobre Rodas /CRR

DESIGNED
1970 - 1973

DESIGNER
ENGESA

PRODUCTION
1974 - ?

PRODUCERS
Brazil - ENGESA

QUANTITY
1.738 (includes all production variants)

UNIT COST
Unknown

CHARACTERISTICS
Good firepower
Good mobility
Limited cost
Unstabilized armament
No night vision equipment

Introduction

The EE-9 Cascavel is a wheeled reconnaissance vehicle of Brazilian origin. Due to its heavy armament it can also serve as a fire support vehicle. It was widely exported and remains the most numerous cannon armed reconnaissance vehicles.

Layout

The layout is based on the World War 2 era US M8 Greyhound scout car. The EE-9 uses a similar 6x6 wheelbase with boomerang suspension for the rear wheels. The crew of three consists of a driver, seated in the front of the hull, and a commander and gunner who seated in the turret. The engine is mounted at the rear of the vehicle.

Armament

The EE-9 is armed with a 90mm EC-90 gun, which is a copy of the Belgian Mecar 90mm gun. The maximum rate of fire is 6 rounds per minute. The gun is manually loaded and not stabilized, making firing on the move difficult. A 7.62mm machine gun is mounted as a coaxial weapon. Normally a 12.7mm machine can be mounted on the roof.

Protection

The dual hardness steel armor protects the EE-9 from 12.7mm rounds over the frontal arc and small arms fire and shell splinters all around. An NBC system is not fitted. Six smoke grenade launchers are attached to the turret.

Mobility

The 6x6 chassis provides good mobility on the road and performs reasonably in the field. The engine options include a 212hp Detriot Diesel or a 190 hp Mercedes-Benz diesel engine. Late production vehicles feature a tire pressure regulation system.

Users

Brazil is the main user of the EE-9. Many have been exported to South America, Africa and the Middle East. The EE-9 is not used by Western nations, except for Cyprus.

EE-9 Cascavel

The EE-9 is a wheeled reconnaissance vehicle, which also may serve as a fire support vehicle. No variants of the EE-9 were developed, however it was upgraded over time and equipment on export vehicles may differ. The first 10 preproduction Mk II vehicles were fitted with a 37mm turret of the M3 Stuart light tank. Mk III vehicles were fitted with a French H-90 turret as found on the AML-90 scout car, while all later vehicles were fitted with the ET-90 turret.

Specifications:
EE-9 Cascavel

Type	Reconnaissance vehicle
Crew	3 (commander, gunner, loader)
Length	5.2 m (hull), 6.2 m (gun forward)
Width	2.64 m
Height	2.28 m (hull roof), 2.68 m (commander's cupola)
Ground clearance	0.34 m (axles), 0.5 m (hull)
Weight	10.9 t (empty), 13.4 t (combat load)
Ground pressure	Variable between 2 and 4 kg/cm2
Wheelbase	6x6, 12.00 x 20 run flat tires, 1.41 + 2.34 m wheelbase
Turn radius	?
Engine	Detroit Diesel 6V53N V6 diesel, 212 hp at 2.800 rpm

Power ratio	15.8 hp/t (combat load)
Transmission	Allison MT-643 automatic, 4 forward, 1 reverse
Speed	100 km/h on road
Fuel	390 L
Range	880 km on road
Wall	0.6 m
Trench	?
Gradient	60% gradient, 30 % slope
Fording	1 m
Armor	Steel, 8.5 to 16 mm
NBC equipment	No

Night vision	Optional
Smoke	2x3 smoke grenade launchers
Remarks	-
Armament	90mm EC-90 cannon 7.62mm MAG coaxial MG, 12.7mm M2HB roof MG
Weapon1	90mm EC-90-III cannon in turret 44 rounds, 24 ready to fire -8 to +15 degrees elevation 360 degrees traverse, 24°/s non-stabilized
Weapon2	7.62mm MAG coaxial machine gun 2.200 rounds carried traverse and elevation as main armament non-stabilized
Weapon3	12.7mm M2HB heavy machine gun on turret roof manual traverse and elevation non-stabilized
Weapon4	-
Weapon5	-
Weapon6	-