TAG Dynamics company from the UAE presented a new Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV), or essentially its VELOX ISV buggy. And what distinguishes it is that the legendary Toyota Hilux pickup is used as a base chassis, which has been used for decades in numerous conflicts around the world.
So, Velox ISV has a 4x4 wheel formula with 4 seats and a payload capacity of up to 1,000 kg. Also possible is installing a turret and a gunner position according to battlefield requirements and tasks.
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Also claimed are a maximum speed of 160 km/h and a range of up to 600 km. TAG promotes its development as a highly mobile and survivable solution for dynamic environments where conditions change rapidly. However, any protection is absent, and the crew is exposed to bullets and fragments, as well as to the surrounding environment.
Overall, before us is a direct analogue of the American M1301 ISV, which was also developed based on the civilian pickup, Chevrolet Colorado ZR2. Depending on the modification, they can transport up to 9 fighters and are now replacing Stryker APCs in U.S. units.
This type of vehicle is light enough to be transported by CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. Therefore, it will be quite easy to transfer units over long distances and then ensure their mobility.
Also, highly mobile buggies can prove themselves to be quite an inexpensive means of transporting supplies and personnel in drone warfare conditions. The Ukrainian defense industry is also engaged in producing such solutions, such as VOLS from Ukrainian Armor.
At the same time, the price question arises here, because the same M1301 ISV is not much cheaper than the full-fledged JLTV armored vehicle, which raises questions about the expediency of such equipment. Accordingly, a similar question arises for Velox ISV: for some potential buyers, it will be simpler to choose an ordinary off-road vehicle or a full-fledged armored vehicle.
Overall, using a popular Toyota Hilux chassis can help TAG Dynamics sell its development, especially given the popularity of such open vehicles, which the Pentagon called better than MRAPs. And most likely these will be highly mobile units, rapid reaction forces, or special operations.
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