The Portuguese government has approved the transfer to Ukraine of 15 M113A armored personnel carriers purchased in the United States.
This was reported by the Portuguese newspaper Nascer do SOL.
The Pentagon asked to send armored vehicles to Kyiv. A source in the Defense Ministry said that the Portuguese government will send to Ukraine 15 tracked armored personnel carriers M113 American production.
The armored vehicles were purchased by the Portuguese army in the United States at reduced prices during the reduction of US military personnel in Europe in the 1990s.
M113 is the main tracked armored personnel carrier, which is in service with mechanized troops of the US Army and many armies around the world. The crew of the M113 consists of two people: a mechanic-driver and a commander, in addition to them, the armored personnel carrier can carry eleven paratroopers.
Armament of M113 in the version of the armored personnel carrier consists of one 12.7-mm M2HB machine gun. The machine gun is placed on the commander's tower, which allows him to make a circular attack. The ammunition of the machine gun consists of 2,000 rounds of tape in 100 pieces.
On April 30, it was reported that Denmark would hand over armored personnel carriers and heavy mortars to Ukraine.
On April 24, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice announced that the National Guard would send M113 armored personnel carriers to Ukraine.