He Ministry of Defense of Uruguay is managing the purchase of 20 armored all-terrain vehicles from USA for border control and peace missions, for an amount of 1.7 million dollars. Within the equipment plan of the Army carried out by the portfolio led by Javier García, The incorporation of a patrol vessel donated by Korea.
The Ministry of Defense continues to acquire equipment for the National Army after the recent purchase of OPV-type ocean patrol vessels that generated significant controversy. On this occasion, the portfolio manages a letter of intent with USA for the acquisition of 20 Oshkosh M-ATV vehicleswhose arrival is expected for next year and will involve an investment of 1.7 million dollars, as announced by Minister García in Parliament, in his presentation on the Accountability.
The fundamentals behind the operation are mainly based on the intention to Uruguay to apply for peace missions of the United Nations requiring rapid deployment forces. In this sense, the vehicles would be available for these missions, as well as for patrolling and controlling the country’s borders.
On the other hand, García announced to the senators that the The national army refines the process so that, in the coming weeks, the patrol ship donated by Korea can dock – with weapons from Italy, where it will receive a tune-up.
Likewise, the minister confirmed the acquisition of an oceanographic vessel that will replace the Oyarvide, which has not sailed since 2015. This purchase will cost another 1.7 million dollars, to which an extra 2 million dollars will have to be added to guarantee its safe navigation through a useful life of 15 years.
The controversy over ocean patrols, settled
García also considered that the ruling of the Court of Accounts settled the controversy over the acquisition of two ocean patrols, considering that the Justice ratified “the legality of the process and the transparency” with which the government acted.
The controversy arose over the choice of the Spanish shipyard Cardama, which led to explicit complaints from China, with the state company China Shipbuilding Trade (CSTC) questioning the sloppiness of the tender, which prevented it from closing the business.
Far from echoing that theory, Garcia noted: “The pronouncement of the Court “It speaks of the legality and legal transparency that this process had as we always proposed.” For this reason, he proposed looking to the future and highlighted that “now come the execution stages.”
The minister celebrated the arrival of the ships and contrasted his vision: “We spent 20 years discussing and in the meantime there were natural thefts, theft of fishing, illegal fishing and organized crime, which often takes place at sea and we have no way to control it.”
The leader considered that this was happening “because we lack ships,” taking into account the extensive maritime territory of Uruguay, and he showed his chest about the purchase by pointing out: “We are going to close these 20 years of indefinitions, of much debate, but no specificities.” The patrols built by the shipyard, worth 82 million euros, will not be delivered until 2025.
Source: Ambito
