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, Oshkosh , Iveco LMV , M-ATV, AMZ Dzik, AMZ Tur, Mungo ESK, and Bushmaster IMV. This term also applies to those vehicles fielded as part of the MRAP program.
IMVs were developed in response to the threats of modern warfare, with an emphasis on crew protection and mine-resistance. Similar vehicles existed long before the term IMV was coined, such as the French VAB and South African Buffel. The term is coming more into use to differentiate light 4x4 wheeled APCs from the traditional 8x8 wheeled APCs. It is a neologism for what might have been classified in the past as an armored scout car, such as the BRDM, but the IMV is distinguished by having a requirement to carry dismountable infantry. The up-armored M1114 Humvee variant can be seen as an adaptation of the unarmored Humvee to serve in the IMV role.
Design
IMVs generally feature a v-hull shaped underbelly with additional crew protection features such as four- point seat belts and seats suspended from the roof or sides of the vehicle. Most feature a remote weapon system in place of a crew-served weapon system.
Models
The term refers to a wide range of vehicles, though the exact classification is contentious, but includes:
- ATF Dingo
- AMZ Dzik
- AMZ Tur
- AMZ Żubr
- Bushmaster IMV
- BAE Caiman - Part of the American MRAP program
- Casspir - Basis for the American MRAP program and forerunning IMV.
- Cougar - Part of the American MRAP program
- GAZ Tigr
- GAZ Vodnik
- Golan Armoured Vehicle
- Hunter TR-12
- International MaxxPro - Part of the American MRAP program
- Iveco LMV - Several thousand ordered by Italian military and other European militaries
- Mungo ESK
- Nexter Aravis
- Oshkosh M-ATV - Part of the American MRAP program
- Oshkosh L-ATV - Selected to meet US military's JLTV requirement on 25 August 2015
- Otokar Cobra
- RG-31 Nyala/RG-33
- RMMV Survivor R Joint venture between RMMV of Germany and Achleitner of Austria
- Ural Typhoon - Part of the Russian Typhoon program
- Kamaz Typhoon - Part of the Russian Typhoon program
Gallery
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AMZ Tur - Polish armoured car
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Driver's compartment of AMZ Tur (MSPO20080
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AMZ Tur's gunner's control panel on MSPO2008
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The RMMV Survivor R is a medium weight armoured-wheeled vehicle developed jointly between Germany’s Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles or RMMV and Austria’s Achleitner, and was publicly displayed for the first time at Eurosatory 2014.
External links
- Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle (L-ATV)
- RMMV Survivor R
- GAZ Vodnik
- Infantry Mobility Vehicles (IMVs) from General Dynamics Land Systems
- Bushmaster IMV
- Project Bushranger