Iveco LMV

Iveco LMV
VTLM2-NEC in 2020
TypeInfantry mobility vehicle with MRAP capabilities
Place of originItaly
Service history
Wars
Production history
Designed1990s
Manufacturer
  • Iveco Defence Vehicles
  • BAE Systems (UK only)
  • MVPS (Russia only)
Unit cost€405,000[1]
Produced2001–present
No. built10,000+
Specifications
Mass
  • 7.1T (LMV-Standard Cab)[2]
  • 7.5T (LMV-Standard Cab)
  • 7.1T (LMV-Short Cab)
  • 7.5T (LMV-Short Cab)
  • 7.1T (LMV-Medevac)
  • 8.1T (LMV2-Crew Cab)[3]
  • 7.1T (LMV2-Chassis Cab)
  • 7.75T (LMV2-Chassis Cab)
  • 7.1T (LMV2-Medevac)
LengthDepending on the version
Width2,200 mm (7 ft 2.6 in)
Height
  • 2,050 mm (6 ft 8.7 in) (LMV Crewcab)
  • 2,172 mm (7 ft 1.5 in) (LMV2 Crewcab)
Crew
  • 1+4[1]
  • 1+3 (Panther)
  • 1+6 (Stretched Variant)
ArmorSTANAG 4569 Level 1-3[1]
Main
armament
EngineFPT F1C (3.0L Inline 4)
  • 142 kW (190 hp) (LMV)
  • 162 kW (217 hp) (LMV2)
Payload capacity
  • 800 kg (1,800 lb) (LMV Crewcab)
  • 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) (LMV2 Crewcab)
Transmission
  • 6 speed fully-automatic (LMV)[4]
  • 8 speed fully-automatic (LMV2)
SuspensionIndependent, Double A-Arm
Ground clearance473 mm (18.6 in)
Operational
range
500 km (310 mi)+
Maximum speed > 130 km/h (81 mph)

The Iveco LMV (Light Multirole Vehicle) is a 4WD tactical vehicle developed by Iveco, and in service with several countries. After its adoption by the Italian Army as the Veicolo-Tattico-Leggero-Multiruolo (VTLM) Lince ("Light tactical multirole vehicle Lynx"),[5] it won the Future Command and Liaison Vehicle (FCLV) competition of the British Army as the Panther, but the fleet was put up for sale in 2018.

It has been adopted by the armies of Albania, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Norway, Russia and Spain. The Italian Army took vehicles to Afghanistan for ISAF and Lebanon for the UN Interim Force. In Afghanistan, Lince vehicles have saved passengers' lives in several attacks with IEDs.

Design

[edit]
Italian Army 3rd Bersaglieri Regiment VTLM Lince
Bersaglieri Brigade "Garibaldi" during exercise Allied Spirit IV at the Hohenfels Training Area
Norwegian Iveco LMV.
Panther CLV.
Russian Iveco LMV Rys'.

The LMV uses modular armour packs to adjust its level of protection to its mission requirements.[4] In regards to mine protection, the vehicle's ground clearance has been increased to 493 mm (19.4 in) without increasing the overall height (which is less than 2 metres or 6.6 feet); it also uses suspended seats of aeronautical derivation, v-hull under body, and a collapsible sandwich structure in the floor to deflect and absorb mine blasts. Its exhaust is piped through its C-pillars, and its turbocharger is located underneath the engine to reduce its thermal signature. Mobility is helped by a run-flat system, allowing the vehicle to move even with completely deflated tires. It is related to the Fiat Oltre concept car unveiled in 2005.[6]

The LMV was designed in the 1990s and the first LMVs were produced in 2001[7] while the UK's Panthers were produced between 2006 and 2009.[8]

Variants

[edit]

British Panther CLV

[edit]

The Panther Command and Liaison Vehicle or Panther CLV was the British Army variant of the Iveco LMV. The Panther CLV came from the "Future Command and Liaison Vehicle" (FCLV) project. Design modifications were made by BAE Systems to allow assembly at BAE Systems Land Systems' factory in Newcastle upon Tyne. Over 300 Panthers were assembled at BAE Systems factory in Newcastle upon Tyne under a £160 million contract. It was intended that the Panther would replace vehicles including Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (tracked) (CVRT) family, FV 432, Saxon and Land Rover Truck Utility Medium (TUM).[9]

The Panther seated four people. They were equipped with Enforcer RCWS weapons stations which were developed by SELEX Galileo. This weapons station could be armed with a 7.62 mm general purpose machine gun, a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun or a 40mm automatic grenade launcher. Panther was reduced to a three-seat vehicle when a large amount of communication equipment was placed in the right rear seat. This reduced its utility as, because it was classed as an armoured vehicle, the commander and driver were always required to stay in the vehicle.

The first Panthers were delivered to the 1st Mechanised Brigade and a small number underwent hot weather trials in Afghanistan.[9][dead link‍] At end of April 2018, the UK Defence Equipment Sales Authority put the entire Panther 4x4 fleet up for sale with 395 vehicles available. The Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (tracked) (CVRT) family, FV 432, and Land Rover Truck Utility Medium (TUM) remain in service.[10]

Russian Rys LMV

[edit]

The Rys is the Russian variant of the Iveco LMV, manufactured by MVPS, an Iveco Russia and Oboronservis LLC joint venture company,[11] with complete knockdown assembly[12] on the premises of the 127th Wheeled Vehicle Repair Plant in Voronezh. The Rys' supply chain is from different plants around Russia.

Other variants

[edit]

The LMV is available in two different wheelbases, 3.2 m (126.0 in) and 3.5 m (137.8 in).[4] A two-door, two seater is also available.[4]

Since 2015, LMV production has featured a host of improvements: these include a more powerful 220 horsepower (164 kW; 223 PS) diesel engine coupled to a new eight-speed automatic transmission, an upgraded drive line for higher performance and a new air filtration system. The payload of the LMV has been increased by some 40 per cent and it is now fitted with new specially designed suspension units and recently developed all-terrain tyres for a higher level of cross-country mobility. A key feature of the latest LMV batch of improvements is that they can be backfitted to the entire legacy LMV fleet to enhance their capabilities. The internal layout of the LMV has also been redesigned for greater crew comfort, with new seats, a next-generation dashboard and an upgraded hardtop. The internal cab height has been increased by 100 mm (3.9 in) to create more internal volume and an electronic architecture has been fitted for easier upgrading in the future.

Marketing

[edit]

As of September 2015, Iveco Defence Vehicles had achieved sales of more than 4,000 LMVs Lince 4X4. Iveco LMV was authorized by the Italian government to sell to Ukraine for 41 million euros on 14 September 2014, but never confirmed delivery.[citation needed]

Operators

[edit]

Current

[edit]
 Albania
 Austria
  • Austrian Army operates 150 Iveco LMV
    • 123 GMF Husar and Husar MP (infantry mobility vehicle)[16][17]
    • 3 GMF Husar PsyOps[18]
    • 22 BAA-EO GMF Husar.[19][20] (12 for reconnaissance companies, 6 for artillery observation, 4 for the Jagdkommando)[20]
    • 3 GMF Husar Beagle (equipped with a ground surveillance radar).[21][22][23]
 Belgium
  • Belgian Army:
    • 440 Iveco LMV purchased with 120 add-on armour kits, and had an option for 180 additional LMV that was never activated.[13][24] The vehicle will be replaced by the JLTV. [25]
    • 80 donated to Ukraine (announcement in January 2023).[26]
    • 300 pledged to Ukraine in March 2024.[27]
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
 Brazil
 Croatia
 Czech Republic
 Indonesia
 Italy
 Lebanon
 Norway
  • Norwegian Army 170 Iveco LMV on order, last delivery of 62 units in February 2018[13][37]
    • 14 donated to Ukraine in September 2022.[38]
 Qatar
 Russia
  • Russian Army received 67 Iveco LMV Rys' delivered in 2012. Additional 358 were locally assembled between 2013 and 2014.[39][13]
 Slovakia
  • Slovak Army bought 40 Iveco M65E 4x4 LMV for Special Forces.
 Spain
 Syria
 Somaliland
 Tunisia
 Turkmenistan
 Ukraine
 United Kingdom

The British Army signed a contract with Alvis for 401 licence-produced Iveco MLV vehicles (known as Panther in British service) in July 2003. [42] These entered service in 2008, and upgraded for use in Afghanistan by 2009. In May 2018 it was reported by Jane's that the British Army was intending to dispose of its Panther CLV fleet, however as of 2024 this has not yet taken place, with Panther CLV being deployed on exercises in Estonia.[43][44][45]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Multi-Role Light Vehicle (MLV/FCLV)". Archived from the original on 2011-04-29. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  2. ^ "Iveco LMV Family". Retrieved 2024-12-17.
  3. ^ "Iveco LMV2 Family". Retrieved 2024-12-17.
  4. ^ a b c d "Army Technology - British Army - FCLV (Future Command and Liaison Vehicle)". Archived from the original on 2007-08-24. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
  5. ^ "Veicolo Tattico Leggero Multiruolo (VTLM) "Lince" - Esercito Italiano".
  6. ^ "Autoruote 4x4 - Web magazine sulla mobilità 4x4 e sull'offroad: Fiat Oltre: l'Hummer Made in Italy (2005)". Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2016-12-16.
  7. ^ "Iveco LMV". The Daily Telegraph. 24 July 2006. Archived from the original on 2018-05-01. Retrieved 2018-04-05.
  8. ^ "Multi-Role Light Vehicle (MLV/CLV/Panther)". Defense Update. Archived from the original on 2011-04-29. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
  9. ^ a b "Defence News : mod.uk". Archived from the original on July 14, 2008.
  10. ^ Christopher, Foss (30 April 2018). "UK sells Panther fleet". Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  11. ^ "Italian IVECO Rys 4x4 light multirole vehicle will enter in service with Russian army military police 11009162 | September 2016 Global Defense Security news industry | Defense Security global news industry army 2016 | Archive News year". 10 September 2016. Archived from the original on 2017-08-31. Retrieved 2017-08-31.
  12. ^ "Russia continues to buy Iveco LMV armored cars from Italy". 25 January 2016. Archived from the original on 2017-07-25. Retrieved 2017-08-31.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Foss, Christopher (16 September 2015). "LMV is much improved [DSEI15, D2]". IHS Jane's. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  14. ^ "Albanian military buys new equipment for air and land forces PHOTOS". 2 November 2015. Archived from the original on 2017-02-23. Retrieved 2017-02-12.
  15. ^ Bozinovski, Igor (4 October 2017). "Italy to gift rifles to Albania". IHS Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 4 October 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  16. ^ "Geschütztes Mehrzweckfahrzeug "Husar"". Bundesministerium für Landesverteidigung (in German).
  17. ^ "2016-vorhaben-wfa-100 – Wirkungsmonitoring". wirkungsmonitoring.gv.at. Retrieved 2024-05-17.
  18. ^ Schiller, Alexander (12 October 2021). "Psychological Operations - Teil 2". Truppendienst.
  19. ^ Page 6 (Bergefahrzeuge schwer/Rad gepanzert) https://www.bmlv.gv.at/download_archiv/pdfs/bilanz_doskozil.pdf
  20. ^ a b "Premieren in Wiener Neustadt". milnews (in German). 2016-10-01. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
  21. ^ Page 6 (Bergefahrzeuge schwer/Rad gepanzert) https://www.bmlv.gv.at/download_archiv/pdfs/bilanz_doskozil.pdf
  22. ^ Bundesheer (2021-10-06). "Bodenüberwachungsradar: Beagle-Systeme für ÖBH" (in German). Retrieved 2024-05-17.
  23. ^ "Moderne Geräte für die Grenzüberwachung". burgenland.orf.at (in German). 2017-10-04. Retrieved 2024-05-17.
  24. ^ "300 blindés supplémentaires pour l'armée belge". 7sur7.be (in French). 2009-05-12. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  25. ^ "Belgium Contracts 322 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV) from Oshkosh Defense". Oshkosh Defense. 2020-10-13. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  26. ^ a b "Belgium to send €92 million in military aid to Ukraine". belganewsagency.eu. 2023-01-27. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  27. ^ a b "Belgium pledges 300 Lynx combat vehicles and three minehunter vessels to Ukraine | Shephard". www.shephardmedia.com. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  28. ^ "16 blindados Iveco Lince para a Intervenção Federal no Rio" (in Portuguese). Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  29. ^ "VBMT-LSR - Exército Brasileiro oficializa a compra da LMV com a IVECO Veículos de Defesa" (in Portuguese). Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  30. ^ "Mais 420 Guaicurus para o Exército". Tecnodefesa (in Portuguese). 5 July 2024.
  31. ^ "420 Guaicurus para el Ejército Brasileño". Pucará Defensa (in Spanish). 5 July 2024.
  32. ^ Kominek, Jimi (2 March 2017). "Czech MoD announces plans to buy about 700 new light vehicles". IHS Jane's 360. Prague, Czech Republic. Archived from the original on 3 March 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  33. ^ Pivoňka, Michal (28 January 2022). "Our chemists have received the first pieces of S-LOV-CBRN and LOV-CBRN II light armoured reconnaissance vehicles". CZ Defence. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  34. ^ a b "IVECO showcases its LMV 2 at Eurosatory 2018 | Eurosatory 2018 Official News Online | Defence security military exhibition 2018 daily news category". 11 June 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2018-06-11.
  35. ^ "Rapporto Esercito 2016" (PDF). Ministerio della Difesa. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-02-12. Retrieved 2017-02-12.
  36. ^ Kington, Tom (24 December 2014). "Iveco Cuts 80-Vehicle Deal With Lebanon". DefenseNews. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  37. ^ Giorgi, Francesco (7 February 2018). "Veicoli blindati leggeri LAV di Iveco: preferiti anche dalle forze armate norvegesi". Motori.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on 7 February 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  38. ^ a b "Germany, Norway to Donate Armored Vehicles, MLRS to Ukraine". www.defensemirror.com. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  39. ^ Soper, Karl (13 November 2014). "Russia completes assembly of Iveco armoured vehicles". IHS Jane's. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  40. ^ "Syrian Army Equips IVECO Vehicles with Russian-Made Automatic Weapons | Farsnews Agency". Archived from the original on 2017-08-31. Retrieved 2017-08-31.
  41. ^ Mitzer, Stijn; Oliemans, Joost (3 October 2021). "Turkmenistan's Parade Analysis: What's New?". Oryx Blog.
  42. ^ "Future Command and Liaison Vehicle (FCLV) — Panther - Think Defence". www.thinkdefence.co.uk. 2024-10-07. Retrieved 2024-11-24.
  43. ^ Foss, Christopher F. "UK sells Panther fleet". Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 2018-10-11.
  44. ^ Morrison, Bob (2020-05-31). "PANTHER Command and Liaison Vehicle In Service". Joint Forces News. Retrieved 2024-11-24.
  45. ^ "@RoyalTankRegt on x.com".
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Iveco LMV.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Iveco_LMV&oldid=1265704109"