Rojoef Manuel May 21, 2025
The New Zealand Army has taken delivery of a VAMTAC ST5 four-wheel drive vehicle prototype from Spain as part of a 2024 contract.
The platform was transferred from Galicia to the Wellington International Airport via a Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft.
It will now receive communications design and testing according to the military’s requirements, and will be used for associated clearances and operator training once necessary evaluations are completed.
Replacing Utility Fleet
The platform supports New Zealand’s goal to modernize the army’s ground-based workhorse fleet with 20 VAMTAC ST5 light and 40 VAMTAC CK3 medium utility vehicles, all developed by Spanish defense company Urovesa.
Systems to be replaced under this initiative are the Unimog and Pinzgauer trucks introduced in the 2000s, which make up approximately 25 percent of the service’s existing utility fleet.
Upon their arrival, the new systems will be distributed for defense operations, humanitarian tasks, search and rescue deployments, disaster relief, and vehicle training programs.
Urovesa received 100 million New Zealand dollars ($59.3 million) to assemble the first vehicles, with deliveries to begin in 2027.
The VAMTAC System
VAMTAC is the abbreviation of “Vehículo de Alta Movilidad Táctico,” which translates to “High Mobility Tactical Vehicle.”
Urovesa’s VAMTAC in the ST5 configuration is 6 meters (20 feet) long and has a gross weight of 6,000 kilograms (13,228 pounds).
It can carry up to 1,700 kilograms (3,740 pounds) of cargo and travel at a speed of 110 kilometers (68 miles) per hour.
Meanwhile, the VAMTAC CK3 weighs approximately 9,950 kilograms (21,930 pounds), has a payload capacity of 3,390 kilograms (7,473 pounds), and has a similar length and speed to the ST5.
“UROVESA vehicles are known for their versatile, efficient and robust design,” New Zealand Deputy Defence Secretary for Capability Delivery Sarah Minson stated.
“They are already used by more than 20 countries, including Singapore and a number of NATO member nations. The new VAMTAC fleet will be equipped to drive safely while off-road in challenging conditions, with high ground clearance using 4×4 drive and inter-axle and inter-wheel differential locks.”
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