Central/South American Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

TerraN_EmpirE said:

The Brazilian Ministry of Defense Where the 80 are never ended! Sorry I could not resist. any was How wide is Gaucho? I mean can it fit in say a chinook, I know that the Brazilians don't use them but if they intend to export such a feature might be a good selling point.
And more Importantly are the Drivers issued Leg warmers?

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Brazilian army to receive first enhanced Panther K2 helicopters
By: DOMINIC PERRYLONDON Source: Flightglobal.com 11:43 14 Mar 2014
Airbus Helicopters will deliver the first two upgraded AS365 Panther K2s to the Brazilian army later this month, ahead of operational evaluations by the service.

Assuming the trials prove favourable, a further 32 examples of the medium twin-engined helicopter will be updated to a standard recently agreed with the nation's defence ministry, enabling the type to remain in service for another 25 years.

Work will continue on the upgrade programme until 2021, says Airbus Helicopters, with the enhancements carried out by its Brazilian subsidiary Helibras.


The K2 upgrade of the Panther was developed entirely in Brazil by Helibras, and is the first helicopter to be fully certificated by the country’s Aerospace Technology and Science Department.

Under the R347 million ($147 million) contract the helicopters are fitted with new, more powerful Turbomeca Arriel 2C2CG engines, increasing maximum speed to 175kt (324km/h) from 150kt previously. Other enhancements include a glass cockpit with a four-axis autopilot and night vision goggle-compatibility, a new altimeter and weather radar, communication upgrades and an improved tail rotor.

Helibras believes the upgrade programme is key to its expansion plans, as it enables the company to gain expertise working on high-tech systems.

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14 March 2014 Last updated at 20:42 ET
Venezuela accuses US secretary of state of 'murder'
Venezuela's Foreign Minister Elias Jaua has accused US Secretary of State John Kerry of inciting violence and called him a "murderer".
Mr Jaua was reacting to comments by Mr Kerry, who accused Venezuela of waging a "terror campaign against its own people" in its response to protests.
Venezuela has repeatedly accused the US of orchestrating the unrest, which already left 28 people dead.
The US argues Venezuela is using it as a scapegoat for its domestic problems.
On national television, Mr Jaua said he was not going to "tone down" his rhetoric following Mr Kerry's strong words on Thursday.
"Mr Kerry, we denounce you before the world. You are inciting violence in Venezuela, and we will denounce it in every part of the world. We denounce you as a murderer of the Venezuelan people," Mr Jaua said in Caracas.
'Not telling the truth'
"Every time we're about to isolate and reduce the violence, out comes Mr Kerry with a speech and immediately road blocks are reactivated in the mains spots of violence," he added.
While US State Departments' spokeswoman Marie Harf declined to comment on Mr Jaua's comments, she said the Venezuelan government was "not telling the truth" about the protests.
On Thursday, US Secretary of State John Kerry also said the Organization of American States (OAS), allies and neighbours should demand accountability of Venezuela over the protests.
"We are trying to find a way to get the [President Nicolas] Maduro government to end this terror campaign against his own people and to begin to, hopefully, respect human rights in an appropriate way", Mr Kerry told a committee in the US Congress.
American legislators say they are ready to impose sanctions on the oil-rich nation, although no decision has yet been taken on the matter.
President Nicolas Maduro, however, offered his American counterpart, Barack Obama, some advice on Friday.
"Let's hope that with two remaining years left [in his presidency], Mr Obama doesn't pass into history as the man who attacked Venezuela and filled it with violence," he told foreign reporters in the presidential palace in Caracas.
He also said the destabilisation of Venezuela would have "unbearable consequences" for the United States, bringing about "political instability in Latin America" and thousands of people to seek refuge in the richer neighbouring nation.
The protests started in the western states of Merida and Tachira at the beginning of February by disgruntled students, who demanded more security in the region.
The opposition says it will remain on the street protesting against Venezuela's high inflation, food shortages and violence levels.
But the government vowed to tackle the roadblocks and demanded that mayors from the opposition also take action to open up the streets.

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13 March 2014 Last updated at 20:20 ET
John Kerry says Venezuela 'terror campaign' must end
US Secretary of State John Kerry has said the government of Venezuela must end its "terror campaign against its own citizens".
Mr Kerry said the Organization of American States (OAS), allies and neighbours should demand accountability of Venezuela over the protests.
Authorities say 28 people have died since they began more than a month ago.
Venezuela accuses the United States of helping "right-wing fascists" to plot a coup with the unrest.
Mr Kerry's remarks are the starkest from Washington since the protests began.
Engagement
"We are trying to find a way to get the [President Nicolas] Maduro government to engage with their citizens, to treat them respectfully, to end this terror campaign against his own people and to begin to, hopefully, respect human rights in an appropriate way", Mr Kerry told a committee in the US Congress.
American legislators have been debating whether or not to impose sanctions on the oil-rich nation.
President Maduro said his week that his government had "neutralised" a "right-wing coup".
He blamed groups in the United States, Venezuela and other Latin American countries for the alleged plan.
The Venezuelan government has already expelled the Panamanian ambassador and three other diplomats.
Last month, three US diplomats were also declared "persona non-grata", following accusations of conspiring with protesting students.
Venezuela's Attorney General Luisa Ortega Diaz said on Thursday that 28 people had died in the protests.
Also on Thursday, renewed clashes between protesters and security forces took place in Caracas, where government supporters also marched.
The protests started in the western states of Merida and Tachira at the beginning of February by disgruntled students, who demanded more security in the region.
Dozens of demonstrators were arrested.
Less than two weeks later, three people were shot dead in Caracas on the fringes of a protest demanding students and other activists be freed.
On Wednesday, another three people died in fresh protests in the central city of Valencia.
The government and the opposition have traded accusations over the killings.
Rival marches have been taking place nearly on a daily basis, with street barricades in place in opposition strongholds.
But the government vowed to tackle the roadblocks and demanded that mayors from the opposition also take action to free the streets.

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12 March 2014 Last updated at 06:53 ET
Mexico vigilante boss Mora held on suspicion of murder
Mexican security forces have detained one of the founders of a vigilante movement in the western state of Michoacan on suspicion of murder.
Hipolito Mora was arrested in connection with the murder of two other vigilantes on Saturday, officials said.
Mr Mora has denied any involvement in the killings.
The "self-defence" groups were created a year ago by locals who said the security forces had not done enough to protect them from drug cartels.
The groups have been growing in power and in January took control of a number of towns in Michoacan.
Heavily armed, they not only clashed with members of the Knights Templar drug cartel, which has its stronghold in the western state, but also with the security forces sent to disarm the vigilantes.
On 27 January, they signed an agreement with the government to join the official security forces.
Since then, they have been in de facto control of more than a dozen municipalities.
Rivalries
But in the town of La Ruana, Mr Mora and his supporters have been clashing with another vigilante leader and his followers.
The two men killed on Saturday reportedly belonged to this rival group. Their bodies were found in a lorry which had been set alight.
On Monday, hundreds of police and soldiers were sent to the town to break up a dispute between the two armed factions.
The BBC's Will Grant in Mexico City says the fear for the people of Michoacan is that the relationship between the different vigilante groups could deteriorate further and end in a cycle of violent retribution.
Local officials said they were "conducting mediation efforts to defuse the conflict".

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