British vehicles to replace ageing Army land rovers

1.00pm

The Government today signed a deal to buy 188 new Pinzgauer light operational vehicles (LOVs) for the Defence Force. They will start arriving in the country in October.

The British-built vehicles will be the first tranche of a fleet of 321 vehicles to replace the army's ageing Land Rovers.

Defence Minister Mark Burton told reporters he hoped a second tranche of 133 vehicles, including 60 armoured vehicles, would be finalised later this year.

"It will mean for the first time in some time that the vehicles that the army use are younger than the people driving them."

Mr Burton today signed the contract for the 188 LOVs with suppliers Automotive Technik Ltd.

He said the total cost of the fleet of vehicles would be between $60 million and $110 million.

He could not be more specific about the final cost because negotiations were yet to be completed on the armoured version.

"But I can say we are well inside budget and we are confident that the total project for the 321 vehicles will come in on or inside the budget range.

"It's a vehicle that's well proven. It's in active service with a number of defence forces around the world.

"I had the opportunity last year to have a look at the vehicle in Britain and indeed to meet some of the operational personnel from the British defence forces who use the vehicles in a number of operations. They couldn't speak highly enough of it."

Brigadier Ric Ottoway said army personnel would use the vehicles in training at first but they would be used on overseas deployments.

"These vehicles fill a wide range of roles. They carry command and control elements, in other words people who are controlling operations, they carry small loads of equipment. They can carry specialist equipment and some of them will be modified to be repair vehicles, some will be ambulances. They're basically going to be the general purpose workhorse for the army when we need a small vehicle as opposed to a larger truck."

The vehicles could be transported overseas by aircraft but more than likely would be transported by ship, Brigadier Ottoway said.

The 6mm armoured steel on the armoured version could withstand small arms fire and offered some protection from shell splinters and mines.

- NZPA