Komatsu LAV (Light Armored Vehicle) is a contemporary Japanese light armored and reconnaissance vehicle. The first prototypes appeared in the late 1990s, and the car began to enter the line in 2002. The curb weight of the vehicle is 4,500 kilograms, with a length of 4.4 meters and a width of 2.04 meters. The drive is provided by a single diesel engine with a power of up to 160 HP. The maximum speed of the vehicle is up to 100 km / h. The armament consists of a single 5.56 mm or 12.7 mm machine gun.
The Komatsu LAV was developed to replace the Mitsubishi Type 73 and Toyota HMV in the Japanese self-defense forces. In general, the vehicle is very similar to the French Panhard VBL. The armor is made of steel and it is assumed that it provides protection against, at least, machine gun fire with a calibre of up to 7.62 mm. Certainly, however, the cover provided to the crew is better than in the armored variants of the HMMWV. The car also has good off-road characteristics and very good performance. It can be transported by air. Currently, the line includes over 1000 vehicles of this type, and their only user is Japan.
