New Zealand modernizes Army wheeled tactical vehicles fleet with 60 Spanish-made VAMTAC.

On November 21, 2024, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) signed a contract with the Spanish company UROVESA to replace part of its utility vehicle fleet. This marks the first significant procurement from Spain in the land domain by the NZDF. From 2027, 60 VAMTAC vehicles (40 CK3 medium variants and 20 ST5 light variants) will be delivered to the New Zealand Army, Ngāti Tūmatauenga, under the first tranche of the Protected Mobility Capability Project (PMCP).
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The 60 Vamtac utility vehicles are intended to enhance the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF)’s capacity to perform various roles, including combat, disaster relief, and training. (Picture source: New Zealand MoD)

The agreement, signed at Defence House on November 21, 2024, was overseen by Secretary of Defence Brook Barrington, with Major General Rose King, Chief of the New Zealand Army, as an official witness. Tranche one, supported by NZ$100 million from Budget 2024, includes the vehicles, spare parts, computing and communications equipment, support equipment, project costs, and introduction into service costs. The new fleet will replace approximately 25% of the Army’s current Unimog and Pinzgauer fleet, which has been in service for close to 40 years.

The operational utility vehicles are intended to enhance the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF)’s capacity to perform various roles, including combat, disaster relief, and training. These vehicles will be equipped with Network Enabled Army-compliant communication systems to ensure interoperability with international partners. Sarah Minson, Deputy Secretary of Defence for Capability Delivery, described the utility fleet as essential for transporting personnel and equipment in stability operations, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief missions. She also noted that the VAMTAC vehicles are currently used by over 20 countries, including NATO members and Singapore, highlighting their operational reliability.

The VAMTAC CK3 medium vehicle has a maximum authorized gross vehicle weight of 9,950 kg and a payload capacity of 4,000 kg. It can carry up to ten personnel and wade through water up to 1.5 meters deep. The VAMTAC ST5 light vehicle has a maximum authorized gross vehicle weight of 6,000 kg and a payload capacity of 1,700 kg, with a wading depth of 750 mm. Both variants are equipped with features such as rollover protection and an internally operated tire inflation system to adjust to varying terrain conditions. These capabilities are designed to meet operational demands in New Zealand’s terrain and international deployment environments.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Brendon Jones, PMCP Capability Integration Lead, the vehicles are expected to provide a more reliable and modern alternative to the existing fleet. Their specifications, such as carrying capacity and off-road performance, align with the Army’s requirements for domestic and regional civil emergency responses. The first tranche of vehicles will replace current Pinzgauers and Unimogs assigned to specific operational units.

The Protected Mobility Capability Project (PMCP) aligns with the Ministry of Defence’s long-term plans to modernize the NZDF’s fleet. In November 2022, a Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued for right-hand-drive Utility Vehicles–Medium (UV-M) and Utility Vehicles–Light (UV-L). This sought replacements for 321 Pinzgauer 6x6 vehicles acquired in 2004 and 82 Mercedes-Benz Unimogs. Together, the UV-M and UV-L weight classes will replace the Unimog and Pinzgauer fleets across the NZDF. The procurement plan covers between 143 and 334 vehicles.

The Pinzgauer and Unimog vehicles have been used extensively for operational and disaster relief tasks, including deployments during the 2021 Canterbury Floods, Cyclone Gabrielle, and the Solomon Islands Assistance Force. Their retirement is planned as part of the broader modernization of NZDF transportation capabilities, with the VAMTAC CK3 and ST5 vehicles representing the first step in this process.