The Republic of Chile Navy will receive 22 eight-wheel drive light armored vehicles (NZLAVs) used by the New Zealand military.
A $19.8 million contract deal has been agreed as part of a program to strengthen the expeditionary capability and rapid deployment of the 1,200-strong Chilean Naval Amphibious Expeditionary Brigade.
New Zealand will send NZLAV in two waves, this year and next year.
Reportedly, Chile originally planned to buy light armored vehicles in 2014. But the program was postponed as the country focused on modernizing its frigate fleet.
Plans to equip Chilean Marines with armored vehicles resumed in 2019. However, they were again postponed. And only then did the program resume again.
Regarding the NZLAV ( New Zealand Light Armored Vehicles ), it is a third generation armored tactical vehicle.
The vehicle is equipped with a variety of weapon systems, including a 25mm M242 cannon, a 7.62mm MAG-58 machine gun and a 76mm grenade launcher.
NZLAV itself was developed in Canada by General Dynamics Land Systems Canada (GDLS-C).
The New Zealand government purchased 105 LAVs from Canada for $653 million in 2001 to replace aging armored personnel carriers.
Of this amount there is a surplus of needs so that some are sold to other countries.
