A5 AVL offers a compact, lightweight armored command vehicle and transporter fitted with steel and aluminum armored hull providing STANAG 4569 Level 2 protection comprising of high hardness plates with exterior aluminum metal sheets panels. The vehicle is protected against small arms fire, splinters and anti-personnel mines and run-flat tire utilizing Hutchinson’s VFI inserts. Optional Level 3 protection is also available. The vehicle is equipped with an Iveco turbo diesel engine developing 167 HP at 3,500 RPM (410 Nm torque at 1,250 RPM). AVL has a gross total weight of 7 tons, carrying a payload of 2.23 tons.
The French Army is buying 900 ALV vehicles and could extend the procurement to 1500. The German Army is buying the Gavial, a special configuration of the AVL fitted with Iveco 8140.43N Turbo diesel-pneumatic suspension which can lower the height of the vehicle for transport in a CH-53 helicopter. The vehicle can also be transported in the C-130, C-160 and A-400 transport aircraft. Gavial is produced under cooperation between Rheinmetall Landsysteme and Panhard General Defense. In the configuration preferred by the German Army, Gavial will be equipped with the WS 609L weapon Station, coproduced by Rheinmetall and Kongsberg.
