The is a Japanese military vehicle first produced in 2002. Currently used exclusively by the

Japan Self-Defense Force The Japan Self-Defense Forces ( ja, 自衛隊, Jieitai; abbreviated JSDF), also informally known as the Japanese Armed Forces, are the unified ''de facto''Since Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution outlaws the formation of armed forces, th ...

(JSDF), it has seen use in the

Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...

. It is built by Komatsu Ltd. Defense Systems Division in

Komatsu, Ishikawa is a city located in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 108,509 in 42,664 households, and a population density of 290 persons per km². The total area of the city was . Geography Komatsu is located in southwes ...

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. Komatsu's factory designator for the vehicle is KU50W. The exterior resembles the

Panhard VBL Panhard was a French motor vehicle manufacturer that began as one of the first makers of automobiles. It was a manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its final incarnation, now owned by Renault Trucks Defense, was formed ...

, used by the French army, but the LAV has 4 doors and a large cabin for carrying soldiers. The LAV can also be transported by air in vehicles like the CH-47J and the C-130H.

History

The Komatsu LAV was developed in 1997 to meet a

JGSDF The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force ( ja, 陸上自衛隊, Rikujō Jieitai), , also referred to as the Japanese Army, is the land warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Created on July 1, 1954, it is the largest of the three service b ...

need for an armored wheeled vehicle that could provide armored protection since their Toyota High Mobility Vehicles and

Mitsubishi Type 73 Light Truck The is a series of military light trucks that are used as mini SUVs in the JSDF. They have been under production by Mitsubishi Motors since 1973. In JSDF service, it is officially known as the 1/2 Ton Truck.This JSDF name designation is used onl ...

s were not adequate to provide protection from small arms fire. They were initially created with the concept of a potential Soviet invasion during the Cold War before they were relegated to anti-terrorist/invasion operations. It had made its first appearance in

Kuwait Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...

when

units had deployed the Komatsu LAV prior to humanitarian operations in

Samawah , nickname = Samawa , settlement_type = City , motto = , image_skyline = مدينة السماوة.jpg , imagesize = , image_caption = Samawah , image_flag = , fl ...

, a city in Iraq, 280 km (174 mi) southeast of Baghdad. An initial 400 LAVs were brought into JGSDF service in March 2005. JASDF base security units are also equipped with the LAV as a main vehicle for patrols. In February 2019, Komatsu announced it will no longer develop new models of the LAV, citing high cost in developing a new model and low profit return.

Variants

No variants are known to be available, but the vehicle appears to have been built in at least three production models, namely KU50W-0002K, KU50W-0003K and KU50W-0005K.

Design

The Komatsu LAV has open-split roof hatch of the vehicle provides additional protection to the gunner from all directions, if it is locked in an upright position. The vehicles deployed in Iraq are fitted with reinforced bulletproof windshields, wire cutters and an armoured tub around the gun mount for extra protection. According to reports, the vehicle is bulletproof against 5.56 and 7.62 bullets. It is unknown whether other bullet calibers can easily penetrate the LAV or not. For the LAV's engine, it is fitted with a liquid cooled 4-cycle diesel engine of 160 hp. The power pack is mounted centre forward of the vehicle to distribute weight more evenly between the axles. The propulsion system provides a top speed of 100 km/h, traveling more than 200 miles without refueling. It is fitted with all run-flat tires. The low turning radius allows the vehicle to negotiate narrow passages. The Komatsu LAV can be armed with the Sumitomo M249 LMG or Sumitomo M2HB 12.7mm machine gun for anti-personnel duties. It can also mount the

Type 01 LMAT The is a Japanese man-portable fire-and-forget anti-tank missile. Development began in 1993 at Kawasaki Heavy Industries and was accepted into service in 2001. During development, the missile was designated with the codename XATM-5. Later it was ...

or a Kawasaki Type 87 anti-tank missile for anti-armored missions.

Smoke grenade Smoke grenades used at demonstrations in Paris, 2008 upBritish L83A1 Smoke Grenade manufactured in May 2008. This grenade has already been used. A smoke grenade is a canister-type grenade used as a signaling device, target or landing zone mark ...

dischargers can be mounted on the rear sides of the vehicle.

Operators

Sources

References

* ''Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary'', Kenkyusha Limited, Tokyo 1991,

External links

Official JGSDF Page.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Komatsu Lav Armoured cars of Japan Wheeled reconnaissance vehicles Internal security vehicles Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Armoured fighting vehicles of Japan LAV Post–Cold War military equipment of Japan Military vehicles introduced in the 2000s Military light utility vehicles Komatsu Limited