Iveco LMV explained

Iveco LMV
Origin:	Italy
Type:	Infantry mobility vehicle
Wars:	War in Afghanistan Syrian Civil War Russo-Ukrainian War Russian invasion of Ukraine
Is Vehicle:	yes
Number:	10,000+
Design Date:	1990s
Production Date:	2001–present
Manufacturer:	Iveco Defence Vehicles BAE Systems (UK only) MVPS (Russia only)
Length:	Depending on the version
Width:	22001NaN1
Unit Cost:	€405,000
Suspension:	Independent, Double A-Arm
Speed:	> 130km/h
Vehicle Range:	500km (300miles)+
Engine:	FPT F1C (3.0L Inline 4)
Armour:	STANAG 4569 Level 1-3
Clearance:	4731NaN1

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"),^[1] 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

The LMV uses modular armour packs to adjust its level of protection to its mission requirements. In regards to mine protection, the vehicle's ground clearance has been increased to without increasing the overall height (which is less than 2m (07feet)); 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.^[2]

The LMV was designed in the 1990s and the first LMVs were produced in 2001^[3] while the UK's Panthers were produced between 2006 and 2009.^[4]

Variants

British Panther CLV

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).^[5]

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.^[5] 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.^[6]

Russian Rys LMV

The Rys is the Russian variant of the Iveco LMV, manufactured by MVPS, an Iveco Russia and Oboronservis LLC joint venture company,^[7] with complete knockdown assembly^[8] on the premises of the 127th Wheeled Vehicle Repair Plant in Voronezh. The Rys' supply chain is from different plants around Russia.

Other variants

The LMV is available in two different wheelbases, 3.21NaN1 and 3.51NaN1. A two-door, two seater is also available.

Since 2015, LMV production has featured a host of improvements: these include a more powerful 220hp 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 to create more internal volume and an electronic architecture has been fitted for easier upgrading in the future.

Marketing

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.

Operators

Current

Albania

• Albanian Land Force bought 23 Iveco LMV in 2015, 2 more donated in 2017.^{[9] [10] [11]}

Austria

• Austrian Army operates 150 Iveco LMV
  • 123 GMF Husar and Husar MP (infantry mobility vehicle)^{[12] [13]}
  • 3 GMF Husar PsyOps^[14]
  • 22 BAA-EO GMF Husar.^{[15] [16]} (12 for reconnaissance companies, 6 for artillery observation, 4 for the Jagdkommando)^[17]
  • 3 GMF Husar Beagle (equipped with a ground surveillance radar).^{[18] [19] [20]}

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.^[21] The vehicle will be replaced by the JLTV. ^[22]
  • 80 donated to Ukraine (announcement in January 2023).^[23]
  • 300 pledged to Ukraine in March 2024.^[24]

Bosnia and Herzegovina

• Brazilian Army operates 48 LMV Lince and LMV-BR as of 2024.^{[25] [26]} More 420 LMV-BR2 variant ordered in July 2024, with national production and deliveries planned to start in 2026. 105 LMV-BR2s will be armed with the REMAX IV remote weapon system.^{[27] [28]}

Croatia

• Croatian Army operates 14 Iveco LMV^[9]

Czech Republic

• Czech Army bought 120 Iveco LMV^{[9] [29]} and ordered 80 for CBRN reconnaissance.^[30]

Indonesia

• Indonesian Army^[31]

Italy

• Italian Army received most units from about 2,000 Iveco LMV in March 2013; 3,850 total planned to 2034 ^{[32] [9]}
• Italian Air Force
• Italian Navy
• Carabinieri
• Guardia di Finanza
• Italian Red Cross
• Italian Civil Defence

Lebanon

• Internal Security Forces bought 25 Iveco LMV in 2014 and 20 Iveco LBTP in 2015,^{[33] [9]} more donated in late 2021.

• Norwegian Army 170 Iveco LMV on order, last delivery of 62 units in February 2018^{[9] [34]}
  • 14 donated to Ukraine in September 2022.^[35]

Qatar

• Qatar Armed Forces^[31]

• Russian Army received 67 Iveco LMV Rys' delivered in 2012. Additional 358 were locally assembled between 2013 and 2014.^{[36] [9]}

Slovakia

• Slovak Army bought 40 Iveco M65E 4x4 LMV for Special Forces.

Spain

• Spanish Army — 395 Iveco LMV in March 2013^[9]

• Syrian Arab Army operates Rys' variant supplied by Russia in 2017.^[37]

• Somaliland National Army Operates between 2 and 3 LMV donated by Taiwan in 2022.

Tunisia

• Tunisian Army^[9]
• Tunisian National Guard

• Ministry for National Security^[38]

Ukraine

• Ukrainian Ground Forces
  • 380 from Belgium.
  • 14 donated by Norway in September 2022.

Former

United Kingdom

• British Army received most of the ordered 401 Panther CLVs, these were placed for disposal in April 2018 and sold to Thai Defence Technology Institute rebadged as DTI Tornado for prototype testing by Royal Thai Army.^{[6] [9] [39]}

See also

• Iveco MTV, future infantry mobility vehicle for the Dutch Armed Forces

External links

• Official website
• LMV Iveco Defence Vehicles Technical data sheet - specifications - description - pictures
• https://web.archive.org/web/20110324100350/http://www.kolesa.ru/news/2010/09/10/minoborony_priznalo_plany_sozdaniya_sp_po_vypusku_italyanskih_lmv_video

Notes and References

1. Web site: Veicolo Tattico Leggero Multiruolo (VTLM) "Lince" - Esercito Italiano.
2. Web site: Autoruote 4x4 - Web magazine sulla mobilità 4x4 e sull'offroad: Fiat Oltre: l'Hummer Made in Italy (2005) . 2016-12-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161220135523/http://www.autoruote4x4.com/it/231205_fiat_oltre_l_hummer_made_in_italy_2005.html . 2016-12-20 . live .
3. Web site: Iveco LMV . 24 July 2006 . 2018-04-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180501004542/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/2758052/IVECO-LMV.html?image=1 . 2018-05-01 . live .
4. Web site: Archived copy . 2007-08-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110429185833/http://www.defense-update.com/products/m/MLV.htm . 2011-04-29 . dead .
5. Web site: Defence News : mod.uk . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080714125503/http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/EquipmentAndLogistics/RangeOfNewDefenceEquipmentUnveiledAtGiantEvent.htm . July 14, 2008 .
6. News: Foss . Christopher . UK sells Panther fleet . https://web.archive.org/web/20181011093846/https://www.janes.com/article/79677/uk-sells-panther-fleet . dead . 11 October 2018 . Jane's 360 . 30 April 2018 . 2020-01-06 .
7. Web site: 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 . 2017-08-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170831215815/https://www.armyrecognition.com/september_2016_global_defense_security_news_industry/italian_iveco_rys_4x4_light_multirole_vehicle_will_enter_in_service_with_russian_army_military_police_11009162.html . 2017-08-31 . live .
8. Web site: Russia continues to buy Iveco LMV armored cars from Italy . 25 January 2016 . 2017-08-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170725151215/https://www.rbth.com/defence/2016/01/25/russia-continues-to-buy-iveco-lmv-armored-cars-from-italy_562027 . 2017-07-25 . live .
9. Web site: Foss. Christopher. LMV is much improved [DSEI15, D2]]. IHS Jane's. 1 September 2016. 16 September 2015.
10. Web site: Albanian military buys new equipment for air and land forces PHOTOS . 2 November 2015 . 2017-02-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170223001814/http://www.balkaneu.com/albanian-military-buys-equipment-air-land-forces-photos/ . 2017-02-23 . live .
11. Web site: Bozinovski. Igor. Italy to gift rifles to Albania. IHS Jane's 360. 4 October 2017. https://archive.today/20171004145610/http://www.janes.com/article/74620/italy-to-gift-rifles-to-albania. 4 October 2017. 4 October 2017.
12. https://www.bmlv.gv.at/waffen/waf_iveco.shtml
13. Web site: 2016-vorhaben-wfa-100 – Wirkungsmonitoring . 2024-05-17 . wirkungsmonitoring.gv.at.
14. Web site: SCHILLER . ALEXANDER . 12 October 2021 . Psychological Operations - Teil 2 .
15. Page 6 (Bergefahrzeuge schwer/Rad gepanzert) https://www.bmlv.gv.at/download_archiv/pdfs/bilanz_doskozil.pdf
16. Web site: 2016-10-01 . Premieren in Wiener Neustadt . 2024-05-16 . milnews . de-DE.
17. Web site: 2016-10-01 . Premieren in Wiener Neustadt . 2024-05-16 . milnews . de-DE.
18. Page 6 (Bergefahrzeuge schwer/Rad gepanzert) https://www.bmlv.gv.at/download_archiv/pdfs/bilanz_doskozil.pdf
19. Web site: Bundesheer . 2021-10-06 . Bodenüberwachungsradar: Beagle-Systeme für ÖBH . 2024-05-17 . de-DE.
20. Web site: 2017-10-04 . Moderne Geräte für die Grenzüberwachung . 2024-05-17 . burgenland.orf.at . de.
21. Web site: 2024-07-15 . myprivacy.dpgmedia.be.
22. Web site: Admin . 2020-10-13 . Belgium Contracts 322 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV) from Oshkosh Defense . 2024-07-15 . Oshkosh Defense . en-US.
23. Web site: Service . Flanders News . 2023-01-27 . Belgium to send €92 million in military aid to Ukraine . 2024-07-15 . belganewsagency.eu . en-BE.
24. Web site: Belgium pledges 300 Lynx combat vehicles and three minehunter vessels to Ukraine Shephard . 2024-07-15 . www.shephardmedia.com . en.
25. News: 16 blindados Iveco Lince para a Intervenção Federal no Rio. pt. 25 May 2021.
26. News: VBMT-LSR - Exército Brasileiro oficializa a compra da LMV com a IVECO Veículos de Defesa. pt. 25 May 2021.
27. News: Mais 420 Guaicurus para o Exército. pt. 5 July 2024. Tecnodefesa.
28. News: 420 Guaicurus para el Ejército Brasileño. 5 July 2024. Pucará Defensa. es.
29. Web site: Kominek . Jimi . Czech MoD announces plans to buy about 700 new light vehicles . IHS Jane's 360 . 3 March 2017 . https://archive.today/20170303142632/http://www.janes.com/article/68420/czech-mod-announces-plans-to-buy-about-700-new-light-vehicles . 3 March 2017 . Prague, Czech Republic . 2 March 2017 . dead .
30. Web site: Pivoňka . Michal . Our chemists have received the first pieces of S-LOV-CBRN and LOV-CBRN II light armoured reconnaissance vehicles . CZ Defence . 31 March 2023 . 28 January 2022.
31. Web site: IVECO showcases its LMV 2 at Eurosatory 2018 | Eurosatory 2018 Official News Online | Defence security military exhibition 2018 daily news category . 11 June 2018 . 2018-06-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142336/http://armyrecognition.com/eurosatory_2018_official_news_online/iveco_showcases_its_lmv_2_at_eurosatory_2018.html . 2018-06-12 . live .
32. Web site: Error . 2017-02-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170212164751/http://www.esercito.difesa.it/Rapporto-Esercito/Documents/RE16%20PDF%20INTERNET%20RIDOTTO.pdf . 2017-02-12 . live .
33. News: Kington. Tom. Iveco Cuts 80-Vehicle Deal With Lebanon. DefenseNews. 1 September 2016. 24 December 2014.
34. Web site: Giorgi. Francesco. Veicoli blindati leggeri LAV di Iveco: preferiti anche dalle forze armate norvegesi. Motori.it. 7 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180207210104/http://www.motori.it/play/711837/veicoli-blindati-leggeri-lav-di-iveco-preferiti-anche-dalle-forze-armate-norvegesi.html. 7 February 2018. it. 7 February 2018. live.
35. Web site: Germany, Norway to Donate Armored Vehicles, MLRS to Ukraine . 2024-07-15 . www.defensemirror.com.
36. News: Soper. Karl. Russia completes assembly of Iveco armoured vehicles. IHS Jane's. 1 September 2016. 13 November 2014.
37. Web site: Syrian Army Equips IVECO Vehicles with Russian-Made Automatic Weapons | Farsnews Agency . 2017-08-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170831174941/http://en.farsnews.ir/newstext.aspx?nn=13951208001516 . 2017-08-31 . dead .
38. Web site: Mitzer . Stijn . Oliemans . Joost . Turkmenistan's Parade Analysis: What's New? . Oryx Blog . 3 October 2021.
39. https://www.army.mod.uk/equipment/protected-patrol-vehicles/#section-4318694b-3a24-456c-aa92-af7d208a86e0 Official British Army page