IVECO's Medium Protected Vehicle 4x4 (MPV) is on show at DSEI 41709155.

The development of the MPV dates from a co-operation agreement signed in 2008 between Iveco Defence Vehicles and Krauss Maffei Wegmann (KMW) of Germany for the development of a new range of military vehicles in the 18 to 25 tonne class. Since then, the MPV has evolved significantly with 4x4 ambulances, route clearance and troop carrier vehicles currently in production. The MPV range is based on the Trakker MOTS truck chassis with a protected crew cell and is already in service with a number of European defence forces, including the UK, German and Swiss armies.

The cell incorporates the driver’s cab and the mission compartment and offers more than 13m³ of internal space 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 which is capable of mastering the toughest of terrains, gives the MPV 4x4 excellent tactical mobility on all missions.

The inherent flexibility of the platform-design allows it to be adapted to a wide variety of roles and configurations while maintaining the same level of protection as the standard variant. With a contract value of €120M, the Route Clearance Project is of particular interest, representing a unique and innovative solution to the challenges of route clearance. The Route Clearance Convoy comprises five vehicles, each fulfilling a complimentary function and includes surveillance units with mast mounted sensors and a unit with a manipulator arm designed to disarm and remove IEDs. The last variant, named the RCP3 is on display at the Land Vehicle Zone. Each vehicle within the convoy is named for its specific role: Decoy (RCP1), Detection (RCP 2), Confirmation (RCP3), and Observation (RCP4 and RCP5). Oto Melara, Selex and MBDA are also participating in the project, with Iveco acting as system integrator.

MPV sales successes: The Italian Army has already ordered 16 Ambulances and 40 Route Clearance versions of the MPV (designated VTMM by the Italian Army), which are currently being delivered. Moreover, the contract signed by Iveco Defence Vehicles with Lebanon includes 5 MPV in troop carrier configuration.