LOV-1

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BVP LOV-1

Type	Armoured personnel carrier
Place of origin	Croatia
Specifications
Weight	8.800 kilograms (19.40 lb)
Length	5.89 metres (19.3 ft)
Width	2.36 metres (7 ft 9 in)
Height	2.10 metres (6 ft 11 in)
Crew	2 + 8

Armor	7 - 8 mm steel
Main armament	12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun 1000 rounds
Engine	Torpedo BT6L 912S (diesel) 97 kW (132 hp)
Power/weight	15.0 hp/tonne
Suspension	torsion bar
Operational range	500 kilometres (310 mi)
Speed	85 kilometres per hour (53 mph) on land

The LOV-1 (Cr:Lako Oklopno Vozilo/EN:Light Armoured Vehicle) is a wheeled armoured personnel carrier currently in use with the Croatian army.

History

During the Croatian War of Independence, the Croatian army lacked proper light armoured personnel carrier. The Croatian Ministry of Defense asked local firms to provide a solution for a light, fast and reliable armoured personnel carrier which could be produced quickly and in large quantities, without the need to import parts from abroad due to the UN Arms embargo which was imposed on Croatia at the time.

A local firm from Rijeka developed a basic armoured personnel carrier based on the HV 4x4 TK-130 T-7 military truck. The Army ordered 50 LOV-1 vehicles in 1993/94, with the first vehicle being delivered in late 1994.

A total of 72 vehicles were manufactured in various configurations, today only 45 vehicles remain.

There are long term plans to replace the LOV-1 with Patria AMV and Iveco LMV counterparts, but the LOV-1 is currently set to remain in service with the Croatian Army for the short term.

Versions

LOV-Z - Reconnaissance and scout vehicle armed with a 20mm RT-20 heavy sniper rifle and M79 Rocket Launcher ATGM
LOV-ABK - Nuclear and Biological vehicle
LOV-RAK 24/128 mm - Equipped with a light RAK 24 128mm Multiple Launch Rocket System MLRS and M2 Browning machine gun.
LOV-UP1 - Artillery observer vehicle responsible for directing artillery fire and spotting enemy artillery positions, vehicle is equipped with GPS and LLLTV, Thermal viewing camera, laser range finder, and ground artillery radar.
LOV-UP2 - Artillery command vehicle.
LOV-ED - Electronic warfare vehicle.
LOV T2 - Light Armoured Personal Carrier - entered service in 1997.

Combat history

The LOV-1 saw action in the Croatian War of Independence, particularly in Operations Flash and Storm.

References

v t e Wheeled infantry fighting vehicles and armoured personnel carriers

4 × 4	ABC-79M BOV Chaimite Condor Fahd First Win LOV-1 M1117 Guardian Puma Rakhsh RG-34 Simba Type 6614 Textron TAPV UR-416

6 × 6	Anoa EE-11 Urutu Ejder Fuchs Grizzly Mbombe Pandur I Pasi Pegaso Puma RN-94 Type 93 VAB Valuk VBTP-MR

8 × 8	Al-Fahd AMV Arma ASLAV Bison Boxer BTR-3 BTR-4 BTR-80 BTR-90 BTR-94 CM-32 Freccia Iveco Superav LAV-25 LAV III Lazar 2 MPC OT-64 SKOT Pandur II Pars Piranha RG41 Rosomak Ryś Saur 1 Stryker TAB Terrex Type 92 Type 96 VBCI

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