Defence to begin replacement of utility vehicle fleet

Defence has signed a contract to begin the replacement of its most frequently deployed operational utility vehicle fleet.

Spanish military vehicle manufacturer, UROVESA, will deliver 60 new VAMTAC ST5 light and CK3 medium sized unarmoured utility vehicles to Defence from 2027.

The current fleet is made up of Unimog and Pinzgauer vehicles, which are regularly used by New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) units for domestic training and overseas operations.

"The operational utility vehicle fleet has long-been the backbone of NZDF land operations, deployed to transport personnel and critical equipment during stability and security operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions, and search and rescue deployments," said Sarah Minson, Deputy Secretary of Defence, Capability Delivery.

"The VAMTAC ST5 and CK3 vehicles are modern, efficient and fit for purpose. They have a proven track record, with more than 20 countries around the world using them including Singapore, as well as Spain and a number of other NATO nations," said Sarah Minson.

The Government has approved the first tranche of the Ministry of Defence-led project, which received $100 million in funding as part of Budget 24.

The first tranche will deliver 40 medium CK3 variants and 20 light ST5 variants to replace 25 per cent of the New Zealand Army's Pinzgauer and Unimog vehicles assigned to operational roles.

Tranche one covers the purchase of the vehicles, spare parts, computing and communications equipment, support equipment, project costs and introduction into service costs.

Chief of Army, Major General Rose King, says these new vehicles represent a significant improvement in the New Zealand Army's capabilities, and will provide soldiers with a robust and versatile vehicle.

"Both the Unimog and Pinzgauer vehicles have served the New Zealand Army well over the years - but their retirement from service is overdue. And so, it is with great excitement that we can see the replacement of these essential platforms begin," said Major General King.

"These new vehicles will improve our effectiveness across a variety of scenarios while making our people safer and able to deliver their outputs easier. They will be equipped with communications systems, which will continue to provide interoperability with our partners who use similar platforms. The carrying capacity of the new vehicles - with the medium variant able to load nearly four tonnes of equipment or up to ten personnel, and the light variant up to 1.7 tonnes - is also really impressive. Both variants perform really well off-road and the medium variant can operate in water up to 1.5 metres deep."

The new vehicles will have integrated rollover protection and a tyre inflation system, which adjusts tyre pressure for operations on difficult or soft terrain.

The existing operational utility vehicle fleet has provided the NZDF with critical transportation capabilities for close to 40 years. Vehicles were recently deployed to the Solomon Islands to support the regionally-led Solomon Islands Assistance Force, following civil unrest. They were also deployed following Cyclone Gabrielle, to transport supplies to areas that other vehicles could not access.