The Urutu was the first fully amphibious armored vehicle developed in Brazil. The vehicle was specially developed at the request of the Brazilian Army in the late 1960s, based on the drivetrain and chassis components of the EE-9 Cascavel armored vehicle. Mass production started from 1974 to 1990, with a total of more than 1,700 units produced, and exported to more than 20 countries around the world, making it a popular economic choice worldwide.