Armor: July 29, 2002

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South American Armor- Chile, which acquired more than 200 Leopard-I tanks from Germany and the Netherlands, wants to refit them with improved fire controls. The only plausible foreign option is the Atlas EMES-18 system, but Chile appears likely to have local companies develop their own copy as this will improve the domestic technology base and reduce the price by as much as 50 percent. Meanwhile, Argentina has resumed low-rate production of its TAM tank using parts kept in storage for 15 years. Argentina built about 250 TAMs during the 1980s. The Argentines plan to refit these tanks with a day-night fire control system using thermal imaging bought from El-Op of Israel.Stephen V Cole