The Nigerian Army has commenced production of its indigenous Infantry Patrol Vehicle (IPV) at the Nigerian Army Vehicles Manufacturing Company (NAVMC) at Rigachikun located in Kaduna state.
According to the Nigerian Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, the production was officially commissioned on 26 January 2019.
The NAV-C facility has produced already 50 IPV/NAC-V units in the last two months, and also revamped some Otokar Cobra light armored vehicles, a BTR recovery vehicle, and an MT-LB tracked carrier.
According to the General, the Armored Fighting Vehicles and other tactical and logistics vehicles commissioned today will be deployed to support the ongoing anti-Boko Haram operations in the North East and other parts of Nigeria.
The IPV is armed with 12.7 mm DsHK and 7.62 mm FN MAG machine guns and reportedly weighs 650 kg.
Nigerian Army locally made Infantry Patrol Vehicle (IPV)
Nigerian Army had invested extensive research into developing the IPV to meet its requirements and that several had already been used in counter-insurgency operations in the northeast of the country. The General indicated that Nigerian Army will start exporting combat vehicles to other African countries around 2030 after meeting Nigerian Army requirements around 2025.
