Image source: topwar.ru
The Brazilian Ministry of Defense has completed the decommissioning of Leopard 1A1 tanks, which have been in service with the country since 1987, when 128 copies were purchased from Germany.
The process of decommissioning this model began in the second half of the 2010s and provided for the conversion of part of the fleet into training vehicles, the "cannibalization" of a number of units (to maintain the combat capability of the slightly newer Leopard 1A5 BR) and, as the last step, sending for scrap. In 2020, no more than 41 MBTs of this type were already in service.
Despite the decommissioning of the Leopard 1A1, Brazil's tank fleet remains the largest in Latin America. It has an estimated 292 MBTs. The basis is the Leopard 1A5 BR (about 220-250 units), which has been undergoing a "rejuvenation" process since the beginning of 2025, restoring combat capability, although so far in small quantities. At the same time, their repair and maintenance are becoming more and more difficult tasks. On this occasion, the local edition of Tecnologia & Defesa states:
Leopard 1A5 BR:
Image source: topwar.ru
The second most important platform in the Brazilian fleet is the M60A3 TTS (about 30-40 units). In early 2026, the Patton 2025 program was completed, during which 17 tanks were returned to service after major repairs.
Ukrainian observers bitterly note that the decommissioned Brazilian tanks will not be seen in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.:
