The Italian company Iveco Defense Vehicles (part of the Iveco group controlled by CNH Industrial NV) announced that on November 30, 2023, at the NEDS-2023 defense industry exhibition in Rotterdam, it officially handed over to the Dutch armed forces the first new wheeled armored vehicle MTV (Medium Tactical Vehicle) Manticore (Dutch designation 12kN) under a 2019 contract.
The first Iveco MTV (Medium Tactical Vehicle) Manticore production wheeled armored vehicles manufactured at the Iveco Group plant in Bolzano (Italy) for the Dutch Armed Forces, 01.10.2023 (c) dmv4x4.com
Recall that in September 2019, Iveco Defense Vehicles (IDV) signed a framework contract with the procurement defense department DMO of the Ministry of Defense of the Netherlands for the supply of 1,275 new MTV (12kN) armored vehicles with a 4x4 wheel formula to the armed forces of the Netherlands as part of the Dutch DVOW program (Defensiebrede Vervanging Operationele Wielvoertuigen). In November 2019, Iveco Defense Vehicles received a firm contract for the supply of 918 MTV vehicles from 2022 to 2026, with an additional 357 vehicles remaining in the option. In December 2020, DMO awarded IDV a contract for the supply of 267 more cars, so the total number of cars in a firm contract now stands at 1,185. The remaining 90 vehicles in the option were planned to be purchased for the Dutch Marine Corps, but currently plans for its technical equipment are scheduled for revision.
The production of MTV machines is carried out at the Iveco plant in Bolzano (Italy, the former historic Lancia automobile plant), where the first production cars were presented on October 1, 2023. The first 250 production vehicles should be delivered by the end of 2024.
The MTV vehicle was specially developed by IDV under a Dutch contract, and according to IDV's statements, it should become intermediate in weight on the market between the well-known light armored vehicles LMV (Lince) and 18-ton VTTM (Orso) vehicles. The Iveco MTV machine has a curb weight of approximately 10,000 kg and a payload of 2,000 kg, depending on the variant, in general, the total combat weight can reach 12.8-13 tons. The MTV has a length of 5.76 meters, a wheelbase of 3.46 meters, a width of 2.43 meters and a height of 2.76 meters, a ground clearance of 350 mm and is equipped with a NEF67 EUIII diesel engine with a capacity of 276 hp, which gives a specific power of 23 hp/t, with an automatic transmission. The MTV can reach a maximum speed of 90 km/h on the highway, with a maximum power reserve of more than 600 km. The machine can overcome 60% of the ascent and 30% of the side slope.The simplified and cheaper chassis is made with a suspension on leaf springs with shock absorbers and stabilizer bars. The MTV is equipped with ABS disc brakes and 365/85R20 Pirelli PS22 tires equipped with a central pressure maintenance system. The main equipment of the vehicle is borrowed from military trucks of the Iveco Astra series.
The Dutch Armed Forces ordered the MTV in five main variants: basic (armored cabin for four people with an additional cargo compartment), pickup (with a double armored cabin and body), medical (transportation of two stretchers or four sedentary wounded), special forces, and police (capacity up to eight people, this option is ordered for military police and units protection of Air Force and Navy facilities). The last two options are performed with awning roofs. Nominally, all variants should be made in unarmored and armored versions, with an additional booking kit that allows quick conversion to a protected version. As expected, only armored variants will actually be used in wartime. The machine also has mine protection. Optionally, an anti-WMD protection system, anti-dust filters for the engine, as well as a complex of fired smoke grenades and passive interference Rheinmetall ROSY are installed.
120 (with an option for another 10) light remotely controlled deFNder Light combat modules manufactured by the Belgian company FN Herstal equipped with FN Minimi or FN MAG machine guns have been contracted to arm part of the MTV Manticore vehicles. Most of the remaining vehicles in the basic version should receive hatch-mounted manual armored turrets with the possibility of installing FN Minimi, FN MAG machine guns, 12.7mm M2 machine guns or 40 mm H&K GMG automatic grenade launchers. The special forces and police variants can additionally be equipped with on-board turrets for machine guns and Spike-LR ATGM launchers.
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The new Iveco MTV (Medium Tactical Vehicle) Manticore wheeled armored vehicle ordered by the Dutch Armed Forces in the basic version (c) Iveco Defense Vehicles
Variants of the new Iveco MTV (Medium Tactical Vehicle) Manticore (c) Iveco Defence Vehicles wheeled armored vehicle ordered by the Dutch Armed Forces
The ceremony of handing over to the armed forces of the Netherlands the first mass-produced new Iveco MTV (Medium Tactical Vehicle) Manticore wheeled armored vehicle at the NEDS-2023 defense industry exhibition in Rotterdam, 11/30/2023 (c) Iveco Defense Vehicles
Video with a demonstration of the prototypes: