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New Zealand Light Armoured Vehicle (NZLAV)

The NZLAV provides New Zealand with a world class vehicle capable of providing protected mobility to soldiers on the battlefield. The NZLAV is highly mobile, and comes equipped with a lethal arsenal of weapons and systems making it an ideal vehicle for combat, security and peace support operations.

A New Zealand Army Light Armoured Vehicle (NZLAV) in tussock grass, another NZLAV in the background.
20210611 NZDF K1055157 007

New Zealand Light Armoured Vehicle (NZLAV)

The New Zealand Light Armoured Vehicle (NZLAV) is a General Dynamics Land Systems – Canada (GDLS-C) Third Generation Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV-III).

The NZLAV is an eight-wheeled, highly mobile Light Armoured Vehicle that can be operated on and off road. The vehicle has a 19 - 21 metric tonne Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (depending on configuration) and is transportable by land, sea and air, including C-130H airlift (at reduced weight).

A mid-mounted turret carries the vehicle armament, consisting of an M242 25mm cannon, co-axial and roof-mounted MAG-58 7.62mm machine guns, and two banks of 76mm grenade dischargers.

Up-armoured NZLAV were deployed to Afghanistan, and have been credited with protecting personnel from IED attacks on several occasions.