The Iveco VM 90 is an Italian multirole military vehicle, something between a lorry and a tactical SUV, made by Iveco on the base of the Iveco Daily. From it was later derived the 40.10WM civilian version, designed for law enforcement and civil protection. It serves with the Italian Army in three forms: the Torpedo, the armoured Protetto and an ambulance.
Iveco VM 90 at a glance
| Type | multirole military vehicle on a Daily base |
|---|---|
| Versions | Torpedo, Protetto and ambulance |
| Engine | 2,499 cc four-cylinder diesel |
| Torpedo power | 100 hp at 3,800 rpm |
| Protetto and ambulance power | 103 hp at 3,800 rpm |
| Torpedo size | 4,500 mm long, 2,000 mm wide, 2,483 mm high |
| Protetto size | 4,680 mm long, 1,980 mm wide, 2,380 mm high |
| Gearbox | five-speed manual |
| Torpedo speed | 102 km/h, with a range of 800 km |
| Seats | 1 + 8 in the Torpedo, 1 + 6 in the Protetto |
| Civilian derivative | Iveco 40.10WM |
| Licensed versions | Canada, China and Egypt |
History of the Iveco VM 90
The VM 90 sits between a lorry and a tactical SUV and is built on the chassis of the Iveco Daily. The Torpedo is the basic version, with a tilt over the rear and room for ten men besides the driver, suited to carrying troops, towing small artillery pieces or serving as a tactical command post; it has no armour. It has a 2,499 cc four-cylinder diesel of 100 hp, a five-speed manual gearbox, a top speed of 102 km/h and a range of 800 km, and it is used by all the departments of the Italian Army, which took it on every mission abroad.
The Protetto has a fully armoured body in place of the rear platform, with a rear door, windows and firing ports. It was criticised as unsafe for its crew, because the armour gave little protection, but was adopted as a temporary solution while the VBL Puma was awaited. It served in Somalia during Operation Restore Hope and in Iraq during Operation Antica Babilonia, and Italian soldiers nicknamed it the scarrafone, the big ugly cockroach. On 27 April 2006 an improvised explosive device exploded under a VM 90P in Nasiriyah with five servicemen aboard; three were killed at once and the other two died later of their burns.
The ambulance version is a development of the Torpedo for carrying wounded off-road at tactical level, with two stretchers, and it works alongside the Fiat Ducato ambulances of the Italian Army. The vehicle has been bought widely: Italy has 3,634, Pakistan 2,200, Albania 250, Canada 2,879 built under licence by Western Star as the LSVW, Egypt has built it under licence since 1998 as the Tiger Kader 120, and China produces it as the Nanjing NJ2046. Portugal, Spain, Poland, Malaysia, Peru, Somalia and Ukraine are among the other users.
In Canada, Western Star built a licensed version for the Canadian Forces during the 1990s called the Light Support Vehicle, Wheeled, or LSVW, with a turbocharger raising power to 115 hp and a four-speed automatic gearbox. The Chinese Naveco NJ2046 has been seen in Mongolia, and the Egyptian Tiger Kader 120 has been built in lorry and ambulance form.
Design and features
- Daily base: simple, proven mechanicals from the light van.
- Three bodies: open Torpedo, armoured Protetto and ambulance.
- Wide service: used by Italy and more than twenty other countries.
- Licensed production: built in Canada, China and Egypt.
Iveco VM 90 versions
- VM 90T Torpedo: open tactical vehicle carrying ten men besides the driver.
- VM 90P Protetto: fully armoured body with firing ports.
- Ambulance: two stretchers and a body for casualty evacuation.
- 40.10WM: civilian version for police and civil protection.
- Western Star LSVW: Canadian licensed version with 115 hp and automatic gearbox.
The VM 90 is the military relative of the Daily and works alongside the LMV Lince. More Iveco vehicles are in the Iveco collection.
Sources
- Iveco VM 90, English Wikipedia: versions, engines, dimensions, operators, licensed production
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