IVECO's Light Multirole Vehicles (LMV)

12:27 GMT, September 6, 2008 IVECO announces that on September 5, 2008 the Czech Army and IVECO signed a contract for a further batch of 15 Light Multirole Vehicles (LMV). The newly signed contract comprises 15 LMV vehicles in the configuration as delivered previously. The contract signed now is a follow-on order to the 4 vehicles ordered in 2007 (2 crew carriers + 2 with 12.7mm Kongsberg remote weapon station). This contract results from the customer’s full satisfaction with the performance and reliability of the first 4 vehicles which are already in service in Afghanistan.

Designed to incorporate high tactical mobility with high maximum road speed and optimal off-road and cross-country performance, the LMV has high protection levels against anti tank and anti personnel mines with an emphasis on crew protection rather than vehicle integrity. High reliability, ease of maintenance and low through life costs were key considerations during the design of LMV.

Built in and external diagnostics allow timely identification of impending malfunctions, allowing preventive maintenance to be undertaken, whilst the facility to collect functional data allows effective whole fleet management. The use of COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) main assemblies such as the gearbox and engine ensures that performance and reliability have been proven over many millions of road miles in demanding environmental conditions. This provides an outstanding level of reliability and consequently excellent fleet availability.

The LMV is suitable for numerous weapon system installations such as 7,62mm or 12.7mm remote weapon stations as well as 40 mm grenade launcher and is therefore well adapted to any peacekeeping and patrol mission.

The LMV was selected for front line duties by the Italian (1216), the British (401 units), the Spanish (120 units), the Norwegian (60 units), the Belgian (440 units) and the Croatian (10 units) forces. Other contracts are under negotiation.

Since the beginning of operations in Afghanistan, LMV has proved in many occasions to play a decisive role in saving the life of the crew.

Last on September 3rd when an LMV of the Czech army on patrol mission in Mohammad Agha district in the Logar province was struck by explosion on his way back to the headquarters. Thanks to the high level of protection of the LMV, the three soldiers did not suffered major injuries. Other attacks occurred in February 2008, in March 2007 and in September 2007 against LMV of the Italian army also did not result in causalities. Within the Italian army, soldiers refer now to the vehicle as the “life-rescuer”.