The Iveco Medium Tactical Vehicle (MTV), military designation Manticore, is an
infantry mobility vehicle
An infantry mobility vehicle (IMV) is a wheeled armored personnel carrier (APC) serving as a military patrol, reconnaissance or security vehicle. Examples include the ATF Dingo, Iveco LMV, Oshkosh M-ATV, AMZ Dzik, AMZ Tur, Mungo ESK, and Bushma ...
designed and manufactered by
IVECO Defence Vehicles for the
Netherlands Armed Forces
The Netherlands Armed Forces ( nl, Nederlandse krijgsmacht) are the military services of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The core of the armed forces consists of the four service branches: the Royal Netherlands Navy (), the Royal Netherlands ...
. The acquisition is part of the Joint Replacement Programme of Wheeled Vehicles of the
Dutch Ministry of Defence
The Ministry of Defence ( nl, Ministerie van Defensie; MinDef) is the Dutch Ministry responsible for the armed forces of the Netherlands and Veterans Affairs. The Ministry was created in 1813 as the "Ministry of War" and in 1928 was combined wi ...
, with deliveries planned from 2023 until 2026. In Dutch service, the Manticore will replace the ageing fleet of
Mercedes-Benz 290GDs of the
Royal Netherlands Army
The Royal Netherlands Army ( nl, Koninklijke Landmacht) is the land branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Though the Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, its origins date back to 1572, when the was raised – making the Dutc ...
, the
Land Rovers
Land Rover is a British brand of predominantly four-wheel drive, off-road capable vehicles, owned by multinational car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), since 2008 a subsidiary of India's Tata Motors. JLR currently builds Land Rovers ...
of the
Netherlands Marine Corps
The Netherlands Marine Corps ( nl, Korps Mariniers) is the elite naval infantry corps of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The marines trace their origins back to the establishment of the on 10 December 1665, by the then grand pensionary of the Dut ...
and the remaining
YPR-765
The YPR-765 is a Dutch infantry fighting vehicle that is based on the AIFV design that was developed by the FMC Corporation. It replaced the AMX-VCI and YP-408 of the Royal Netherlands Army and entered service in 1977. The Dutch YPR-765s were ...
s of the
Royal Netherlands Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = ''Parade March of the Royal Netherlands Air Force''
, mascot =
, anniversaries =
, equipment ...
and
Royal Netherlands Marechaussee. Deliveries are planned for the second half of 2023 and should be completed by 2026.
Being the launching customer for the MTV, the vehicle was developed in close cooperation with the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) and adjusted to the requirements of the Dutch military. The Manticore is being procured with the aim to provide troops with improved protection and payload capacity, as well as for modularity purposes. The vehicle can be equipped with a range of add-ons, including
remote weapon station
A remote controlled weapon station (RCWS), or remote weapon station (RWS), also known as a remote weapon system (RWS), is a remotely operated weaponized system often equipped with fire-control system for light and medium- caliber weapons which c ...
s,
armour packages,
jammers
Jammer may refer to:
Signal blocking devices
* Radar jammer, a device used in radar jamming and deception
* Radio jammer, a device used in radio jamming
* Radio-controlled Improvised Explosive Device jammer, a counter-IED device
* Mobile phone ...
and
CBRN defence
Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defence (CBRN defence) are protective measures taken in situations in which chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear warfare (including terrorism) hazards may be present. CBRN defence consist ...
equipment, among others.
Procurement
To revitalise the ageing fleet of wheeled vehicles within the armed forces, the
Dutch Ministry of Defence
The Ministry of Defence ( nl, Ministerie van Defensie; MinDef) is the Dutch Ministry responsible for the armed forces of the Netherlands and Veterans Affairs. The Ministry was created in 1813 as the "Ministry of War" and in 1928 was combined wi ...
launched the ''Defensiebrede Vervanging Operationele Wielvoertuigen'' programme (DVOW, Joint Replacement Programme of Wheeled Vehicles). The Iveco MTV has been selected for the 12
kN category, which indicates that the vehicle will be capable of carrying payloads of approximately 1,200
kilogram
The kilogram (also kilogramme) is the unit of mass in the International System of Units (SI), having the unit symbol kg. It is a widely used measure in science, engineering and commerce worldwide, and is often simply called a kilo colloquially ...
s. The MTV will function in various roles and will replace multiple ageing vehicles, including variants of the
M577
The M577 Command Post Carrier, also known as the M577 Command Post Vehicle or Armored Command Post Vehicle, is a variant of the M113 Armored Personnel Carrier that was developed and produced by the Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation (FMC ...
command post vehicles,
YPR-765
The YPR-765 is a Dutch infantry fighting vehicle that is based on the AIFV design that was developed by the FMC Corporation. It replaced the AMX-VCI and YP-408 of the Royal Netherlands Army and entered service in 1977. The Dutch YPR-765s were ...
armoured personnel carrier
An armoured personnel carrier (APC) is a broad type of armoured military vehicle designed to transport personnel and equipment in combat zones. Since World War I, APCs have become a very common piece of military equipment around the world.
Acc ...
s and
Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen 'Wolf' off-road vehicle
An off-road vehicle, sometimes referred to as an overland or adventure vehicle, is considered to be any type of vehicle which is capable of driving on and off paved or gravel surface. It is generally characterized by having large tires with dee ...
s.
On 15 August 2019, State Secretary of Defence
Barbara Visser
Barbara Visser (born 16 August 1977) is a Croatian-Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). From 31 August 2021 to 10 January 2022, she served as Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management of the Netherlands ...
announced that the Ministry of Defence had selected
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
truck manufacturer
IVECO
IVECO, an acronym for Industrial Vehicles Corporation, is an Italian multinational transport vehicle manufacturing company. It designs and builds light, medium, and heavy commercial vehicles. The name IVECO first appeared in 1975 after a merger o ...
to supply new light tactical vehicles to the
Dutch Armed Forces
The Netherlands Armed Forces ( nl, Nederlandse krijgsmacht) are the military services of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The core of the armed forces consists of the four service branches: the Royal Netherlands Navy (), the Royal Netherlands Ar ...
. In addition, the project includes delivery of
remote controlled weapon station
A remote controlled weapon station (RCWS), or remote weapon station (RWS), also known as a remote weapon system (RWS), is a remotely operated weaponized system often equipped with fire-control system for light and medium-caliber weapons which ca ...
s (RCWS) which can be installed on the vehicles. The contract includes the development and provision of 918 vehicles and 120 RCWS, an additional 357 vehicles and 10 RCWS can be ordered through an option in the contract. This would bring the total to 1275 vehicles and 130 RCWS, while additional vehicles can be ordered within five years after the delivery of the final vehicle.
On 28 November 2019, the state secretary signed the contract with IVECO at the NIDV Exhibition Defence & Security, which took place in
Rotterdam
Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"N ...
.
In the ''Defensie Projectoverzicht'' (DPO, Defence Projects Overview) of September 2020, the Ministry of Defence announced that the order for an additional 357 vehicles was delayed. An examination of the project found that the current distribution of vehicles among the service branches was sub-optimal. Consequently, a requirement for 100 vehicles was removed from the project and transferred to a new project for amphibiously transportable vehicles for the
Netherlands Marine Corps
The Netherlands Marine Corps ( nl, Korps Mariniers) is the elite naval infantry corps of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The marines trace their origins back to the establishment of the on 10 December 1665, by the then grand pensionary of the Dut ...
. The remaining 257 vehicles have been ordered through the existing option in the contract.
Technical description
Only limited technical detail has been released by either the Dutch Ministry of Defence or Iveco. Only basic outline dimensions and limited operating weight and automotive data is available, and is included in Specifications.
Engine
The MTV is powered by an EF67 EUIII 6,7L six-cylinder
turbo-diesel
The term turbo-diesel, also written as turbodiesel and turbo diesel, refers to any diesel engine equipped with a turbocharger. As with other engine types, turbocharging a diesel engine can significantly increase its efficiency and power output, ...
engine, producing 267 HP (207 kW) and 1000 Nm of torque, linked to an
automatic transmission
An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving c ...
. The engine has been fully fully militarised and is capable of running on military fuel, the maximum range amounts to 600 kilometres. The fording depth of the standard vehicles is 750 mm, the navy variants have an improved fording depth of 1500 mm. The top speed of the MTV is limited to 90 km/h. Due to the military off-road requirements of the vehicle, the Manticore has a
ladder frame
A vehicle frame, also historically known as its ''chassis'', is the main supporting structure of a motor vehicle to which all other components are attached, comparable to the skeleton of an organism.
Until the 1930s, virtually every car had a ...
,
leaf spring
A leaf spring is a simple form of spring commonly used for the suspension in wheeled vehicles. Originally called a ''laminated'' or ''carriage spring'', and sometimes referred to as a semi-elliptical spring, elliptical spring, or cart spring, it ...
s and
anti-roll bar
An anti-roll bar (roll bar, anti-sway bar, sway bar, stabilizer bar) is a part of many automobile suspensions that helps reduce the body roll of a vehicle during fast cornering or over road irregularities. It connects opposite (left/right) wheels ...
s. The vehicle comes with permanent
four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case ...
and three
locking differential
A locking differential is a mechanical component, commonly used in vehicles, designed to overcome the chief limitation of a standard open differential by essentially "locking" both wheels on an axle together as if on a common shaft. This forces ...
s, the MTV's
disc brake
A disc brake is a type of brake that uses the calipers to squeeze pairs of pads against a disc or a "rotor" to create friction. This action slows the rotation of a shaft, such as a vehicle axle, either to reduce its rotational speed or to hol ...
s are combined with an
anti-lock braking system
An anti-lock braking system (ABS) is a safety anti-skid braking system used on aircraft and on land vehicles, such as cars, motorcycles, trucks, and buses. ABS operates by preventing the wheels from locking up during braking, thereby maintaini ...
. Tyre pressure of the 365/85R20
Pirelli
Pirelli & C. S.p.A. is a multinational tyre manufacturer based in Milan, Italy. The company, which has been listed on the Milan Stock Exchange since 1922, is the 6th-largest tyre manufacturer and is focused on the consumer production of tyre ...
PS22 tyres can be adjusted via the central tyre inflation system, operated from within the cabin.
Body
The Manticore will be procured in five primary variants – the bodywork of all variants is made of armoured steel with a high degree of
Brinell hardness
The Brinell scale characterizes the indentation hardness of materials through the scale of penetration of an indenter, loaded on a material test-piece. It is one of several definitions of hardness in materials science.
History
Proposed by Swe ...
. The hardtop, softtop and utility variants can be equipped with add-on armour packages for ballistic as well as mine protection. Therefore, these vehicles are "fitted for, but not with" protection kits. Protection kits can be installed and uninstalled from vehicles in the field using basic tools. In effect, the armour is only fitted when required which significantly reduces wear and tear as well as the related lifecycle costs. The casualty transport, military police and air force security variants come standard with the armour kits. Moreover, all vehicles can be equipped with
CBRN defence
Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defence (CBRN defence) are protective measures taken in situations in which chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear warfare (including terrorism) hazards may be present. CBRN defence consist ...
systems,
C4I
Command and control (abbr. C2) is a "set of organizational and technical attributes and processes ... hatemploys human, physical, and information resources to solve problems and accomplish missions" to achieve the goals of an organization or en ...
systems,
jammers
Jammer may refer to:
Signal blocking devices
* Radar jammer, a device used in radar jamming and deception
* Radio jammer, a device used in radio jamming
* Radio-controlled Improvised Explosive Device jammer, a counter-IED device
* Mobile phone ...
and
Rheinmetall
Rheinmetall AG is a German automotive and arms manufacturer, headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany. Its shares are traded on the Frankfurt stock exchange.
History
Rheinmetall was founded in 1889. Banker and investor Lorenz Zuckermandel
L ...
ROSY
smoke grenade launchers.
Armament
The hardtop variant can be equipped with a
remote controlled weapon station
A remote controlled weapon station (RCWS), or remote weapon station (RWS), also known as a remote weapon system (RWS), is a remotely operated weaponized system often equipped with fire-control system for light and medium-caliber weapons which ca ...
(RCWS). The Dutch Manticores are being procured with 130 deFNder Light weapon stations, produced by
FN Herstal
Fabrique Nationale Herstal (), trading as FN Herstal and often referred to as Fabrique Nationale or simply FN, is a leading firearms manufacturer based in Herstal, Belgium. It is currently the largest exporter of military small arms in Europe.
F ...
. These weapon stations will be fitted with
FN Minimi
The FN Minimi (short for french: Mini Mitrailleuse; "mini machine gun") is a Belgian 5.56mm light machine gun/squad automatic weapon developed by Ernest Vervier for FN Herstal. First introduced in the late 1970s, it is now in service in more th ...
or
FN MAG
The FN MAG is a Belgian 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale (FN) by Ernest Vervier. It has been used by more than 80 countries and it has been made under licence in several countries, inc ...
machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles) a ...
s. Moreover, the manned open turret present on the hardtop, softtop and utility variants can be fitted with
M2 Browning
The M2 machine gun or Browning .50 caliber machine gun (informally, "Ma Deuce") is a heavy machine gun that was designed towards the end of World War I by John Browning. Its design is similar to Browning's earlier M1919 Browning machine gun, w ...
heavy machine gun
A heavy machine gun (HMG) is significantly larger than light machine gun, light, medium machine gun, medium or general-purpose machine guns. HMGs are typically too heavy to be man-portable (carried by one person) and require weapon mount, mountin ...
s or
Heckler & Koch GMG
The GMG (''Granatmaschinengewehr'' or "grenade machine gun") is an automatic grenade launcher developed by Heckler & Koch for the German Army. It is also often referred to as GMW or GraMaWa (''Granatmaschinenwaffe'').
Design details
The GMG f ...
automatic grenade launchers, as well as the two aforementioned machine guns. In addition, the softtop variant is fitted with a manned swing mount on the passenger's side. The sofftop's MRAT (medium range anti-tank weapon) subvariant is optimised for firing
Spike
Spike, spikes, or spiking may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Books
* ''The Spike'' (novel), a novel by Arnaud de Borchgrave
* ''The Spike'' (book), a nonfiction book by Damien Broderick
* ''The Spike'', a starship in Peter F. Hamilto ...
anti-tank guided missile
An anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), anti-tank missile, anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) or anti-armor guided weapon is a guided missile primarily designed to hit and destroy heavily armored military vehicles. ATGMs range in size from shoulder ...
s.
Variants
Hardtop
The hardtop variant accommodates a driver and three passengers and has a payload capacity of approximately 15 kN. The hardtop can be fitted with the FN deFNder Light remote controlled weapon station, integrating an FN Minimi or FN MAG machine gun. The rear cargo body is fitted with modular rails and cabinets which can be adjusted for specific mission sets.
Softtop
The softtop variant accommodates a driver and three passengers as well and has a payload capacity of approximately 18 kN. As opposed to the hardtop, the softtop Manticore is fitted with a detachable canvas roof as well as detachable windows, and a removable hood on the cargo section. Moreover, the heavy weapons subvariant is adapted for use with the
Spike
Spike, spikes, or spiking may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Books
* ''The Spike'' (novel), a novel by Arnaud de Borchgrave
* ''The Spike'' (book), a nonfiction book by Damien Broderick
* ''The Spike'', a starship in Peter F. Hamilto ...
anti-tank guided missile. The manned open turret of the softtop Manticore can be fitted with a
Browning M2
The M2 machine gun or Browning .50 caliber machine gun (informally, "Ma Deuce") is a heavy machine gun that was designed towards the end of World War I by John Browning. Its design is similar to Browning's earlier M1919 Browning machine gun, w ...
heavy machine gun or
H&K GMG automatic grenade launcher. FN Minimi or FN MAG machine guns can be installed on the passenger's side manned swing mount.
Pick-up
The pick-up variant is a utility vehicle with a short two-man cabin and a range of utility modules on the rear section.
With 20 kN, the pick-up has the highest payload capacity of the five primary variants. This variant comes with a hooded cargo bed or one of the specialised superstructures. Subvariants include vehicles fitted with workshop or command & control superstructures. In addition, a subframe can be installed to transfer existing 8-feet containers from the MB290GD onto the Manticore.
Casualty transport
The casualty transport variant is a military ambulance, optimised for
casualty evacuation
Casualty evacuation, also known as CASEVAC or by the callsign Dustoff or colloquially Dust Off, is a military term for the emergency patient evacuation of casualties from a combat zone. Casevac can be done by both ground and air. "DUSTOFF" is ...
and capable of transporting two persons on stretchers or up to four persons sitting upright. Permanently fitted with an armour package, the casualty transport Manticore has a payload capacity which equals 19 kN. In addition, the ambulance is equipped with
emergency vehicle lighting
Emergency vehicle lighting, also known as simply emergency lighting or emergency lights, is a type of vehicle lighting used to visually announce a vehicle's presence to other road users. A sub-type of emergency vehicle equipment, emergency veh ...
, a
siren
Siren or sirens may refer to:
Common meanings
* Siren (alarm), a loud acoustic alarm used to alert people to emergencies
* Siren (mythology), an enchanting but dangerous monster in Greek mythology
Places
* Siren (town), Wisconsin
* Siren, Wisco ...
and work lights.
Security
The security variant consists of three subvariants: a
military police
Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. In wartime operations, the military police may support the main fighting force with force protection, convoy security, screening, rear recon ...
troop carrier and command vehicle for the
Royal Netherlands Marechaussee and an air force security vehicle for the
Royal Netherlands Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = ''Parade March of the Royal Netherlands Air Force''
, mascot =
, anniversaries =
, equipment ...
.
The security Manticore replaces old
YPR-765
The YPR-765 is a Dutch infantry fighting vehicle that is based on the AIFV design that was developed by the FMC Corporation. It replaced the AMX-VCI and YP-408 of the Royal Netherlands Army and entered service in 1977. The Dutch YPR-765s were ...
armoured personnel carrier
An armoured personnel carrier (APC) is a broad type of armoured military vehicle designed to transport personnel and equipment in combat zones. Since World War I, APCs have become a very common piece of military equipment around the world.
Acc ...
s and has room for a driver and seven passengers. The security Manticores come with emergency lighting and sirens and specific liveries.
References
{{Modern IFV and APC
Medium Tactical Vehicle
Armoured fighting vehicles of Italy
Military vehicles of the Netherlands
Military light utility vehicles
Armoured fighting vehicles of the post–Cold War period
Armoured personnel carriers of Italy