EE-3 Jararaca

The EE-3 Jararaca is a Brazilian scout car developed for route reconnaissance, liaison, and internal security purposes. It was engineered by Engesa in response to a perceived Brazilian Army requirement for a light armored car capable of replacing its unarmored utility vehicles in the liaison and security role. The first Jararaca prototype appeared in 1979 and serial production commenced in 1982 after extensive operational testing in Brazil. It was ultimately rejected for large scale service with the Brazilian Army due to concerns over the limited mobility of its four-wheeled chassis but achieved some minor successes on the export market. After the early 1980s, the Jararaca was marketed solely towards potential export customers such as Iraq and Libya, both of which influenced the vehicle's continued development. Nevertheless, much of Engesa's marketing efforts for the Jararaca were stymied by a combination of a trend towards heavier wheeled armored fighting vehicles and a surplus of cheaper light armored cars available to the armies of developing nations, particularly during the final years of the Cold War.