The first photograph of the indigenous Nigerian Army Vehicle Manufacturing Company (NAVMC) Light Armoured Vehicle referred to as the NAC-V 4×4 for the Nigerian Army has emerged.
The new armoured personnel carrier (APC) called NAC-V 4×4 is intended to replace soft-skinned vehicles in the Nigerian Army inventory.
The Nigerian Army Vehicle Manufacturing Company (NAVMC), which was formally commissioned on 26 January this year, displayed a prototype 4×4 armoured personnel carrier and mine roller gear. NAVMC is developing several armoured vehicles, including an All-terrain vehicle (ATV) called the NA-IPV 2. Both are 4×4 and feature 360 degree enclosed turrets.
“Nigeria has recently been bedevilled by different forms of insurgencies: Boko Haram, kidnapping, armed banditry, armed robbery and cattle rustling, but the demonstration of locally made bulletproof ballistic vests, NA armoured light tactical vehicles and mine sweepers produced by NAVMC showed that the military will soon be better equipped to stem the challenge”, Buratai added.
The NAVMC NAC-V 4×4 offers protection from small arms fire up to STAGNAG level 2-3, it can withstand 6kg of TNT/ low-yield IED. Also, it features a Night vision camera for nocturnal operations as well as the option for an indigenous Remotely Operated Weapons System (ROWS).
An initial order for 600 units is expected. However, the Nigerian Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai said the NAVMC needs at least N1 billion ($2.7 million) of investment, which the Army is sourcing to build vehicles to combat terrorists and insurgents.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant- General Tukur Buratai has said that the Nigerian Army suffered some limited setbacks in the ongoing counterinsurgency operations in the North East, partly due to the ineffectiveness of some armored fighting vehicles and other light skin vehicles imported from overseas.
He said the Service will begin to export combat vehicles to other African countries in the year 2030.