LISBON - Portugal's Ministry of Defense (MoD) is preparing to launch a tender for 192 4x4 light tactical armored vehicles (LTAVs) under its VTLB (Viatura Táctica Ligeira Blindada) program. Portugal will look to acquire these new vehicles in multiple variants as the VTLB program unfolds over the next four years under the Military Programming Law 2015-2026. These include estimates for 117 troop transport models, 10 command post variants, 20 configured for anti-tank missions, plus 27 ambulance and nine special operations vehicles for the Army's Special Forces Rapid Reaction Brigade. Another batch of nine anti-tank vehicles will be assigned to the Intervention Brigade.
The VTLB requirement has been in the project pipeline since 2007, but remained stalled due to Portugal's economic and sovereign debt woes. Since revisiting its requirement, the MoD has increased the number of LTAVs sought from 101 to 192 vehicles. Once acquired, these new vehicles will supplement the Army's current inventory of light protected vehicles which include 38 Panhard Defense VBLs and 37 of AM General's HMMWV family (M1025A2, M1151A1 and M1152A1s).