Jane's Military Iltis in Canadian Service

[Stuart Fedak]

I thought the following many be of interest regarding the Iltis. There are several variants of the Iltis, and they were manufactured as the German VW Iltis, Canadian Bombardier Iltis and the Belgium Bombardier Iltis.

Ref: Jane's Military Vehicles and Logistics

Note: the information below includes both Canadian and Belgium variants

Bombardier Iltis (4 × 4) 500 kg light vehicle

Development
In October 1981, Volkswagen AG of Germany agreed to cede and transfer to Bombardier Inc. of Canada the design and manufacturing technology of its Iltis (4 × 4) 500 kg light vehicle as used by the German Army. The agreement also granted to Bombardier the worldwide rights for the marketing, sale and distribution of the Iltis, as well as the rights to manufacture and market the civilian version. As part of this arrangement, Bombardier acquired the tooling equipment used in the manufacture of the Iltis.

Before this announcement, the Canadian Department of National Defense sked the company to submit a proposal, based on the Iltis, for the replacement of the existing utility (4 × 4) vehicles of the Canadian Forces. In November 1983, it was announced that the Canadian government had awarded a contract for 1,900 (later increased to 2,500) Iltis vehicles to the Logistic Equipment Division of Bombardier Inc. The contract included the supply of spare parts, manuals and training programmes for operators and maintainers and was valued at CAD68 million. Production for this contract began at the end of the second quarter of 1984 and was completed by the end of 1985. During 1984 an order for over 2,500 vehicles was placed for the Belgian Armed Forces (2,673 were delivered).

Cameroon also received a never-quoted quantity of Bombardier-built Iltis vehicles, as did Oman. Production ceased in 1988.

The Canadian Department of National Defense has now completed the CAD241 million Light Utility Vehicle, Wheeled project, its focus to acquire a replacement for the Iltis fleet. Two different types of vehicle are involved, with the Iltis fleet replacement understood to have been completed by early 2006.

In November 2002, the Canadian Department of National Defense announced its intention to award a CAD49.7 million contract to GM Defense for 861 MilitaryCommercial-Off-The-Shelf (MilCOTS) trucks as the first stage of the replacement programme. Based on the GM Silverado LSSV series, 801 basic variants and 60 cable layers were initially ordered, with a contract option for an additional 200 basic variants subsequently being exercised. All 1,061 vehicles involved were delivered between November 2003 and November 2004.

In service, the LSSV is primarily used by reserve units within North America. Full details of the GM Defense Light Service Support Vehicle (LSSV) range an be found elsewhere in this section.

The Standard Military Pattern (SMP) part of the Light Utility Vehicle, Wheeled project (valued at USD130.4 million) was finally awarded to Mercedes-Benz in October 2003 for a vehicle based on the 2.85 m wheelbase G-Class with a maximum permissible GVW of 4,800 kg.

Canadian troops in Kabul, Afghanistan, took delivery of the first 60 vehicles between 5-13 March 2004, with all 802 vehicles and 160 Armour Protection system (APS) kits called for under the original contract delivered by December 2004. In July 2004 the Canadian Department of National Defence announced that it had exercised a CAD81 million contract option for an additional 357 vehicles and 20 protection kits. A further order for an additional 25 vehicles was subsequently placed, deliveries concluding in July 2006.

In service the SMP G-Class is used by both regular and reserve forces, and in addition to replacing the Iltis has also replaced Cougar Direct Fire Support Vehicles. Full details of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class can be found elsewhere in
this section.

In August 2005, the Belgian Army awarded IVECO DVD of Italy a contract for 440 IVECO Light Armoured Tactical Vehicles (LATVs) plus 120 applique armoured protection kits, the contract including an option for a further 180vehicles and 60 kits in two batches of 90 vehicles and 30 kits each. The ATV will part replace the Belgian Army's Iltis fleet, 931 of which remained in service as of February 2009. The original Belgian requirement, which specified a vehicle with an anti-personnel mine blast protected floorpan as standard plus add-on applique ballistic protection kits, called for 830 vehicles and 300 kits. It is expected that a militarised commercial pattern light vehicle will eventually be procured to make up the replacement shortfall.

Description
Originally a Volkswagen design, the Iltis uses components from the Volkswagen Polo and Audi Quattro vehicles. The all-steel body has a conventional layout with the engine at the front and the cargo area to the rear. The driver and front passenger have separate seats with seating for two more passengers to the rear. The rear seats can be folded down to increase the load-carrying area and the vehicle is provided with a folding hood, removable side flaps and a folding windscreen. The driver can select either a full 4 × 4 drive for cross-country or 4 × 2 for road drive, in which case the front axle is disengaged. An integra roll bar is provided.

The Iltis can be lifted by the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and has been tested for low-altitude parachute extraction from transport aircraft and for parachute dropping.

Optional extras for the Iltis included a turbocharged diesel engine, electric winch kit, rear pintle hook, three-door glass fibre hardtop and up to three radio equipment outlets. Also provided are weapon mounting systems for 7.62 mm and 0.50 inch/12.7 mm machine guns, the MK19 40 mm grenade launcher and Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) systems such as MILAN and TOW.

Variants of the basic Iltis include an ambulance, command vehicle, cable layer, communications vehicle and a version carrying artillery sound ranging equipment.

Specifications
Iltis
Dimensions and weights
Crew: 1+3
Length
overall: 3.887 m (153.0 in)
Width
overall: 1.52 m (59.8 in)
Height
overall: 1.837 m (72.3 in)
Ground clearance
overall: 0.225 m (8.9 in)
Track
front: 1.23 m (48.4 in)
rear: 1.26 m (49.6 in)
Wheelbase: 2.017
Weight
unladen: 1550 kg (3417 lb) (1.6 t)
laden: 2050 kg (4519 lb) (2.0 t)
towed load: 2000 kg (4409 lb) (2.0 t) (braked)
750 kg (1653 lb) (0.8 t) (unbraked)
Payload
land: 500 kg (1102 lb) (0.5 t)
Mobility
Configuration
running gear: wheeled
layout: 4 × 4
Speed
max speed: 130 km/h (80.8 mph)
Range
main fuel supply: 700 km (435.0 miles)
Fuel capacity
main: 85 litres (22.45 US gallons)
Amphibious: no Fording without preparation: 0.600 m (23.6 in)
Angle of approach: 41°
Angle of departure: 32°
Gradient: 77% (34.6°)
Turning radius: 5.5 m (216.5 in)
Engine: VW 183, 1.7 litres, in line-4, liquid cooled, petrol, 75 hp at 5,000 rpm
Gearbox
type: manual
forward gears: 4
reverse gears: 1
Steering: rack and pinion
Clutch
model: single dry plate
type: friction clutch
Brakes
main: dual circuit, hydraulic, drums front and rear
parking: mechanical
Tyres: 6.50 × R-16
Suspension: overhead semi-elliptic leaf springs and double acting shock-absorbers
Electrical system
vehicle: 24 V
Batteries: 2 × 12 V, 45 Ah


Status
Production complete. Some remain in service with Belgium (2,673 delivered, 931 in service as of February 2009; replacement underway), supplied to Cameroon's Armed Forces (status uncertain), replaced in the Canadian Army by early 2006, supplied to Oman (status uncertain).

Contractor
Bombardier Inc

(Bombardier are no longer involved in this market sector.)

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German Iltis

VW Iltis (4 × 4) 500 kg light vehicle

Development
In 1976, the Federal German Army issued a requirement for a (4 × 4) vehicle that could carry 500 kg of cargo both on roads and cross-country. Both Daimler-Benz and Volkswagen built prototypes for trials and in 1977 the Volkswagen Iltis was selected for production as the Lkw 0.5t tmil gl.

Production of the Iltis continued until December 1981 when the last of 8,800
vehicles was handed over to the German Armed Forces. Of this total, 8,470 went to the Army, 310 to the Luftwaffe and the remaining 20 to the Navy.

Production in Germany ceased in 1982, but in 1983 production of the Iltis was transferred to Bombardier of Canada. Full details of Canadian production can be found elsewhere in this section.

The Iltis has now been replaced in German military service by the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, with surplus Iltis vehicles having been supplied to a number of
countries including Estonia (250 in 1997; 200 to the Defence Forces, 50 to the Border Guard), Latvia, Macedonia (300), Nicaragua (delivered 1983) and Niger. The French Army Berlin Brigade used approximately 50 vehicles between 1978-1991; these are probably no longer in service.

Status
Production complete. Phased out of German military service (approximately8,800 supplied) with some vehicles having been transferred to other countries
including Estonia (250), France, Latvia, Macedonia (300), Nicaragua (delivered
1983) and Niger. In October 1981 the Canadian company Bombardier Inc. obtained a licence to produce the Iltis. Further details can be found elsewhere in this section.

Contractor
Volkswagenwerk AG .
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EUROPE, IN BRIEF GERMANY GIVES ESTONIA VEHICLES

DATE: 10-Sep-1997

EDITION: 1997

VOLUME/ISSUE: 028/010

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TEXT:
Germany has donated 250 Volks- wagen Iltis 4 x 4 light utility vehicles to Estonia. The Estonian Defence Forces will use 200 and the border guard 50.

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Belgium vehicles

Light vehicles
IVECO 40.10 1,500 kg (4 × 4) (Gendarmerie)
IVECO LMV (4 × 4) (440 + 120 appliqué protection kits) (deliveries commenced 2006) (optional 2 × 90 vehicles and 30 protection kits)
Land Rover Defender 110 (4 × 4) (status uncertain)
VW Iltis 500 kg (4 × 4) (2,673) (<900 as of 2011 - replacement pending)

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Nicaragua vehicles

Light vehicles
UAZ-469B series 600 kg (4 × 4)
VW Iltis 500 kg (4 × 4) (ex-German army stocks)

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Cameroon

Light vehicles
Auverland/SAMO (4 × 4)
VW Iltis 500 kg (4 × 4)

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Oman

Light vehicles
AM General HMMWV (4 × 4) (est 150)
Chenowth Light Strike Vehicle (LSV) (small number)
Jeep (CJ) (4 × 4)
Jeep TJ-L (4 × 4) (4) (trials)
Land Rover Defender (4 × 4) (>1,100 including 100 soft top Defender 110 delivered 2001-03)
Mercedes-Benz G-Class 750 kg (4 × 4)
Pinzgauer (6 × 6) (2001-03)
SDP Pinzgauer (4 × 4 and 6 × 6) (>1,200) (mostly 6 × 6)
Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series (4 × 4)
Toyota Land Cruiser 80 or 105 Series (4 × 4)
VW Iltis 500 kg (4 × 4) (status uncertain)

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Germany

Light vehicles
VW Iltis 500 kg (4 × 4) (8,800 delivered) (many cascaded to other nations; few, if any, remain)
KMW Mungo (4 × 4) (388) (contract awarded early 2004)
Land Rover Discovery (4 × 4) (<10) (2006)
Mercedes-Benz G-Class 750 kg (4 × 4) (12,000)
Mercedes-Benz G-Class 270 CDI (4 × 4) (from 2003)
Mercedes-Benz G-Class 280 CDI (4 × 4) (from 2007)
Mercedes-Benz G-Class (RLS LIV) (4 × 4) (21) (2004)
Mercedes-Benz Enok LAPV (4 × 4) (76) (2011-2013) (Police) (approx. 10
developmental/trials vehicles also delivered; Army)
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (4 × 4)
Multicar (4 × 4) (ex-NVA)
RLS LIV (SO) (4 × 4) (21) (2003) (G-Class-based)

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[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally a Volkswagen design, the Iltis uses components from the Volkswagen Polo and Audi Quattro vehicles. The all-steel body has a conventional layout with the engine at the front and the cargo area to the rear.

Not quite, the Iltis was an Audi design. It did use VW components, but the driveline was further developed into the one used for the Audi Quattro.

See the quote from my research below - my web site is gone but still cached at http://web.archive.org/web/200910271...w183/index.htm

When the 'Europa-Jeep' project was finally cancelled in 1976, the Bundeswehr issued a new requirement for 8,800 4x4 vehicles with a cargo capacity of 500 kg both on and off roads. The amphibious requirement was dropped. Both Daimler-Benz and Volkswagen were approached to build prototypes for trials.
Volkswagen, meanwhile, had acquired Auto Union in Ingolstadt in 1965, dropped the DKW marque and let the name Audi re-emerge. Audi, being the successor of the original Munga manufacturer, was interested in producing field cars for the Bundeswehr. Volkswagen really only furnished its name and the capital needed. During the fall of 1975 the first talks took place, and in May 1976 a contract was closed for the delivery of ten prototypes the next November.
Apart from having experience with the Munga, the pressure of time led to the step to further develop it into what became the VW 183 Lkw 0,5 t gl, alias Iltis. The drive line and front and rear axle were of the same concept: independent suspension with transversal leaf springs and wishbones, interchangeable suspension components and drive shafts front and rear and the front differential incorporated in the gearbox. The styling of the bodywork reminded of the Munga's shape, and in fact the rear half of the prototype bodies were hardly more than that of the Munga's elongated variant. The production version of the Iltis bodywork had several improvements such as under-bonnet stowage boxes incorporated in the front mudguards. Many automotive components were sourced from contemporary mass-produced cars: the 1.7 litre, 75 horsepower engine originally came from the Audi stable and was used in the South-American versions of the Volkswagen Passat. Likewise, the gearbox/differential housing and clutch were taken from the Audi 100.