First Iveco LMV 2 NEC armored vehicles enter service with Italian army.

On January 22, the 82nd Infantry Regiment "Torino" (82 ° Reggimento Fanteria "Torino") of the mechanized brigade "Pinerolo" (Brigata meccanizzata "Pinerolo") of the Italian army, stationed in Barletta, received the first 12 light tactical armored vehicles LMV 2 (Italian military designation : VTLM 2 NEC, or Lince 2) manufactured by Iveco Defense Vehicles, BMPD Live Journal reports.
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Iveco LMV 2 NEC, or Lince 2 (Picture source : Army Recognition)

The 82nd Infantry Regiment "Torino" received the first 12 LMV 2 vehicles, and at the end of January, 4 more vehicles are to be transferred, which will enter the 82nd Regiment, but will be used there for training the personnel of the other two regiments of the mechanized brigade "Pinerolo "- 9th Infantry" Bari "and 7th Bersaglieri, which should also receive LMV 2.

The vehicles were delivered under a contract issued by the Italian Ministry of Defense in 2017 for the first 34 serial LMV 2s worth 53 million euros and made in the NEC (Networked Enabled Capability) configuration under the Forza NEC program with new network-centric control systems at the squad, platoon and company levels. In fact, the first vehicles under this contract were delivered to the Italian Ministry of Defense back in November 2018, but their equipping with NEC systems and their fine-tuning delayed the delivery to combat units for another two years.

The LMV 2 armored vehicle was first displayed at Eurosatory 2016 exhibition in Paris. The company produced four prototypes of the LMV 2 for factory tests, and in June 2017 supplied the Italian Ministry of Defense with two more prototypes in the Lince 2 NEC configuration for state tests, as a result of which, at the end of 2017, a contract was issued for the first 34 production Lince 2 vehicles. NEC. The general plans of the Italian army provide for the purchase of 2,000 LMV 2 units until 2034, with a partial replacement of the LMV fleet. It is reported that the cost of the serial LMV 2 in purchases, excluding the cost of weapons and special equipment, will be 500 thousand euros (the cost of the latest LMV releases for the Italian army is 400 thousand euros).

At the beginning of 2021, it was reported that the Italian army approved the purchase of a new batch of 650 Lince 2 NEC vehicles, for which funds were allocated for the purchase of 165 units under the 2021 budget and a contract will be signed for them in the near future.

The first light armored vehicles Iveco LMV 2 (Italian military designation : VTLM 2 NEC, or Lince 2) delivered to the Italian army at Barletta on 22 January 2021 (Picture source : reportdifesa.it)

The LMV 2 has only a slight increase in the basic geometric dimensions of the previous LMV, but has a total combat weight of 8,100 kg (instead of 7,000 kg) and a payload of 1,500 kg, which is 40% more than that of the LMV. The LMV 2 is powered by the new Iveco F1C 220hp diesel engine (instead of 182 hp), a new 8-speed automatic transmission ZF 8 HP 90S and a 2-speed transfer case. The vehicle has an automatic transmission control system ADMS and the new ESP (electronic stability control system). The maximum speed is 110 km / h. The LMV 2 has a completely new reinforced suspension and can use larger tires. The electrical system has been reinforced to enable the use of additional equipment.

Due to a slight increase in the size and rearrangement of the fighting compartment of the LMV 2, the ergonomics and placement of personnel have been improved (the capacity is now nominally five people), the number of roof hatches has been increased. The height of the manned compartment was increased by 100mm, the roof of the vehicle was reinforced and made of armored steel to accommodate a manual or remote-controlled turret with a heavier weapon.

The armored hull of the LMV 2 is made of Swedish SSAB Domex 700 armor steel with a higher level of strength and fluidity than the FeE490 armor steel of the LMV armored hull. To enhance mine protection, a double bottom has been introduced. The LMV 2 vehicles supplied to the Italian army are nominally equipped with a Leonardo Oto HITROLE Light remote-controlled combat module (with the installation of a 7.62 or 12.7mm machine gun or a 40mm automatic grenade launcher) and eight smoke grenade launchers above the windshield. The combat module is controlled from the gunner's console, which is in the middle position in the center of the fighting compartment; the commander (sitting in the front right) has a duplicate combat module control panel.

The vehicles supplied in the NEC configuration (Networked Enabled Capability) are made in accordance with the implementation of the so-called segment 4.9 of the Forza NEC program of the Italian army for the implementation of a network-centric troop command and control system, including at the level of lower units.