The Dutch Ministry of Defence has unveiled the first example of the Manticore Medium Tactical Vehicle (MTV). On 15 August 2019, State Secretary of Defence Barbara Visser announced that the Ministry of Defence had selected Italian truck manufacturer IVECO to supply new light tactical vehicles to the Dutch Armed Forces. The acquisition is part of the Joint Replacement Programme of Wheeled Vehicles of the Dutch Ministry of Defence, with deliveries planned from early 2023 until 2028. The IVECO Medium Tactical Vehicle (MTV), also known as IVECO Manticore, is designed by Italian manufacturer IVECO Defence Vehicles as the future infantry mobility vehicle for the Dutch Armed Forces.
Dutch Military Vehicles has been awarded the contract by IVECO Defence Vehicles to develop and produce over 1300 bodybuilding components. These include Rear Cargo Bodies (Hard-Top and Soft-Top), Superstructures, and different variants of furnishing for these Superstructures. 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 kilograms. The MTV will function in various roles and will replace multiple ageing vehicles, including variants of the M577 command post vehicles, YPR-765 armoured personnel carriers and Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen ‘Wolf’ off-road vehicles.
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 remaining 257 vehicles have been ordered through the existing option in the contract.
Manticore weighs around 13,000 kg and has a payload of around 2,000 kg. The vehicles reach a maximum speed of 90 km/h powered by a NEF67 EUIII diesel engine. The hardtop variants can be armed with a remote controlled weapon station (RCWS), 130 of which will be also be delivered by Iveco. The combat variant consists of a hardtop and softtop variant that have been optimised for tactical use. The hardtop variant can be equipped with the RCWS included in the contract and can host up to four occupants. The softtop variant will be uses by the Dutch special operations forces, KCT and NLMARSOF.
Vandaag is de nieuwe Manticore gepresenteerd. Met uiteindelijk 1185 exemplaren vervangt hij veel van de huidige terreinwagens binnen de landmacht. Dit voertuig biedt een betere bescherming en is terreinvaardiger. Vanaf volgend jaar de uitrol. pic.twitter.com/GWhGKKmSNy
— Christophe van der Maat (@DefensieStas) April 22, 2022
