The South Korean KLTV light utility vehicle has been proposed for the UK tender to replace Land Rover Defender off-road vehicles. The future order is estimated at 1,400 units in 12 categories.
According to Hankyung, KIA, the manufacturer of the vehicle, was invited by the British themselves as one of the options. It is stated that the tender will be announced in December 2025. Among the competitors are Volkswagen, Jeep, and Land Rover, whose vehicles have served as a stable foundation of the United Kingdom's military since the 1940s.
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It is planned that the winner of the tender will be selected in 2026, and deliveries will take place between 2027 and 2033. Ukraine may be able to obtain additional old Land Rover Defenders through new military aid packages, around 8,000 of which are still in use by the British military in various conditions.
As for the KLTV, it is a respectable vehicle that has been nicknamed the "Korean Humvee" due to its visual similarity to the American vehicle. Overall, both the standard and armored variants of the Korean vehicle are less expensive.
Currently, KIA already supplies these vehicles to the armies of South Korea, Chile, Nigeria, Turkmenistan, and Poland. The latter customer is noted as a significant achievement that has proven the company's position in the market.
In terms of characteristics, the KLTV is built on a 4x4 chassis with a 225 hp engine and an 8-speed automatic transmission. In the lightly armored variant, the combat weight is 5.7 tons, and the maximum speed is up to 130 km/h with a range of up to 600 km.
Another notable feature is the 7-tonne payload capacity on the base chassis and up to 4 tonnes for a full-fledged off-road vehicle. This means it can be a good platform for installing various additional systems.
However, since the tender has not yet been announced, it is difficult to predict the winner. Nevertheless, KIA is hopeful for success and is preparing to present its vehicle at DSEI 2025 in London.
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