At DSEi 2011, Iveco Defence Vehicles will be exhibiting the EOD Disposal variant of the Medium Protected Vehicle (MPV), the Special Forces variant of the successful LMV, and a Protected DROPS demonstrator based on the Protected Trakker 8x8 already in service with the British and German armies.
Each of these vehicles has been developed to meet requirements identified by our customers and demonstrates Iveco's ability to adapt and exploit novel techniques and technologies to develop new vehicle capabilities.
Iveco's new LMV Special Forces
Iveco Defence Vehicles has built on the remarkable commercial and operational success of its Light Multirole Vehicle (LMV) to develop a version dedicated to Special Forces operations. Currently deployed in Afghanistan by seven different nations, the LMV is well regarded by its users, and its high levels of protection and mobility have already saved numerous lives.
The company's decision to invest in the development of an SF version followed expressions of interest from the SF organisations of a number of countries, some of which were already equipped with the LMV standard version. The close involvement of the broad user community enabled their specific operational requirements to be taken into consideration from the design phase. The result is a robust, mobile, adaptable platform which is particularly well placed to meet the demands of SF missions.
The prototype shown at IDET and DVD in 2009 has evolved into a second prototype, which features significant design developments. The new model features the well proven drive train and running gear of the standard version, although the armoured crew cell has been stripped down to a minimum, providing optimum situational awareness and enabling rapid dismount. The foldable windscreen is now divided in two and can be folded forward to reduce the vehicle height for air and helicopter transport, a design change which also provides the vehicle commander with increased arcs of fire for the pivot mounted machine gun which can be installed on the right side. Air transportability inside a CH 47 Chinook is a particular design requirement for SF and this is being actively pursued by the Iveco DV design team. To this end, a foldable roll bar concept has been designed but not yet produced, and a vehicle solution with a width of less than 1.98m (the maximum allowable in a CH47) has been identified. The LMV SF can accommodate a crew of five, with an extra emergency seat being available, while a CASEVAC stretcher can be carried if needed. It features an open rear compartment for carriage of combat supplies, while other storage solutions can be added around the rear and sides. On the prototype, the spare wheel is carried at the rear.
The vehicle benefits from the proven LMV chassis which ensures logistic commonality for those armies which already deploy the standard LMV. The 140kW engine provides a power to weight ratio of about 20 kW/t and is coupled to a six speed automatic gearbox with a hydro dynamic coupling converter and transfer box.
MPV 4x4 / new variants on the road
Since its first official appearance at Eurosatory 2010, the MPV vehicle family has made decisive steps towards serial production and its position as the platform of choice at the heart of some of the Italian Army's most innovative and leading edge programmes (under the name of VTMM) and is under evaluation for the GFF4 programme by the German Army.
The MPV family benefits from the expertise of two of the major European armoured vehicle manufacturers, having its genesis in a cooperation agreement signed in 2008 between Iveco DV and Krauss Maffei Wegmann (KMW) of Germany for the development of a new military vehicle family in the 18 to 25 tonne weight range.
The MPV family is based on the Trakker military off the shelf truck chassis, already in service with a number of European Armies, including the UK, Germany and Switzerland, combined with a protected crew cell. This cell incorporates the driver's cab and cargo, offering more than 13m3 volume in the standard 4x4 version, increasing to 16m3 for the ambulance/Intensive treatment unit variant. The maximum combat weight of up to 18 tonnes and a chassis capable of mastering the toughest of terrains gives MPV 4x4 excellent tactical mobility in all missions.
The inherent flexibility of the platform design allows it to be adapted to meet a wide variety of roles and configurations whilst maintaining the level of protection of the standard variant. It is for this reason that the vehicle has been identified as the platform of choice for a variety of key Italian Army programmes.
The Protected Enhanced Pallet Load System (EPLS) Demonstrator
The UK MoD has selected the EPLS as its chosen way forward for future load handling and has already order a number of units. The EPLS demonstrator displayed on Iveco's stand represents the fruits of a nine month collaboration by a team of companies, each expert in their field, who have worked together to produce a highly capable system closely attuned to user requirements, but at a cost significantly below that associated with bespoke military platforms.
The core of the system is the highly successful Trakker 8 x 8 chassis fitted with a dedicated ballistic steel cab manufactured by KMW. This combination is already in service with the British and German Armies and provides outstanding ballistic and mine protection as well as high levels of mobility. The German Army has received more than hundred units in the TEP90 and Fuel Tanker configuration. AmSafe have provided a sample fit of the novel Tarian RPG protection system to the door of the cab, demonstrating how protection levels can be further enhanced. The cab has been adapted to mount both a Bowman communications fit and an ECM suite, using installation kits designed and provided by GD(UK). GD(UK) has also adapted the vehicle to further improve its EMC characteristics.
In response to the increasing user demands for provision of enhanced levels of on board power, the vehicle is fitted with the Kollmorgen eGen Power Generation System, capable of providing 30kW of power at 28V.
The all important top hamper consists of a Multilift MSH 165SE EPLS hydraulic hook lift system with a Container Handling Unit, with a flatrack provided courtesy of the UK MoD. Integration of the EPLS onto the chassis has been undertaken by Marshall Vehicle Engineering, whilst Webster Drives have developed a bespoke split screw drive allowing one power take off to power both the eGen system and the EPLS.
Following DSEI, the demonstrator will be undergoing trials with a number of prospective customers, both in the UK and overseas.
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