South Korean KIA Delivers 14 LRV to Poland

A new batch of 14 LRV (Light Reconnaissance Vehicles) arrived in Poland and were immediately sent to Rosomak S.A., which will retrofit them.

The state-owned Polish enterprise Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa said that a total of 400 such armored vehicles are planned to be delivered.

The 4×4 LRV, also known as the K153, is manufactured for Poland by the South Korean company KIA.

The LRV is the Polish version (called in Poland as Lekki Pojazd Rozpoznawczy—LPR) of the South Korean army’s KLTV off-road vehicle, or rather its armored version, the K153.

In April 2024, the first batch of these light reconnaissance vehicles arrived in Poland under a contract signed in 2023.

Rosomak S.A. have to localize its production, so the LRV 4×4 will undergo a retrofitting phase there.

In total, the Polish government has ordered 400 of these armored vehicles worth PLN 1.2 billion, or about $292.3 million. They are to complement the fleet of HMMWV, Cougar and M-ATV armored vehicles.

It is expected that the degree of localization of this vehicle will increase in the future by assembling and starting production of components at local enterprises.

The reconnaissance vehicle has localized cab armor that meets Class 1 according to NATO STANAG 4569. It should provide protection against fire from conventional 5.56×45 and 7.62×51 caliber ammunition.

The localized K153 is all-wheel drive and has an independent suspension. It has a 225-horsepower diesel engine and an 8-speed automatic transmission.

The Polish armored vehicles also received a rotating open turret with the ability to mount weapons, such as a heavy machine gun or automatic grenade launcher.

Due to its modular design, the armored vehicle can be used as a platform for an ATGM, mortar, electronic warfare system, or modules that turn it into a command and control vehicle.