On Wednesday, 26 January, a ceremony was held in Liberec at the October 6 Barracks to receive the first ten (or five pairs) of S-LOV-CBRN and LOV-CBRN II light armoured reconnaissance vehicles, which will be used by the 31st Regiment of Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection of Major General Oskar Starkoč to carry out professional tasks, in particular to carry out radiation, chemical and non-specific biological surveys and observation and sampling. The regiment will receive a total of 20 pairs of these vehicles. The handover ceremony took place in the presence of the Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces Army General Aleš Opata, Director of the Force Development Section of the Ministry of Defence Major General Ivo Střecha, Director of the Military Research Institute Pavel Čuda and others.

Video: New S-LOV-CBRN and LOV-CBRN II armoured reconnaissance vehicles | CZ Defence / YouTube

By the end of 2023, other units will be equipped with these vehicles. Later this year, reconnaissance teams of the 7th Mechanised Brigade, 15th Engineer Regiment, 13th Artillery Regiment and 25th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment will receive new vehicles. In total, the Army of the Czech Republic will have 40 pairs of new CBRN light armoured reconnaissance vehicles. The 31st Regiment of Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection is the only specialised unit of the Army of the Czech Republic, which is designed to perform the tasks of chemical security of the Czech Armed Forces and the most complex tasks of protection against weapons of mass destruction and other radioactive and toxic substances. Its activity is not only on the territory of the Czech Republic, but the soldiers of this regiment have also successfully performed tasks in several foreign missions.

Picture: Our chemists received the first pieces of the S-LOV-CBRN and LOV-CBRN II light armoured reconnaissance vehicles | Michal Pivoňka / CZ Defence

The genesis of the development of the 31st Regiment was well illustrated by a static display of the vehicles used by the regiment from its foundation to the present day. The new IVECO S-LOV-CBRN and LOV-CBRN II vehicles will replace the obsolete Soviet BRDM-2rch and UAZ-469 vehicles. "These vehicles of Russian origin are already mostly difficult to operate for the very reason that they do not meet any standards and spare parts for these vehicles are no longer properly available, so they are more or less not operational," General Opata said in his speech.

Picture: During his speech, General Opata described the vehicles of Russian origin as mostly difficult to operate for the very reason that they do not meet any standards and spare parts for these vehicles are no longer properly available, so they are more or less not operational. | Michal Pivoňka / CZ Defence

The paired light armoured vehicles S-LOV-CBRN and LOV-CBRN II are designed to conduct CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defence) reconnaissance and surveillance, including sampling and transport, in the operations of the Czech Armed Forces abroad and in the Czech Republic, e.g. for the benefit of the Czech IRS, through an automated CBRN superstructure with integrated detection systems for detecting CBRN situations. The vehicles are compatible with the APV IS of the Czech Armed Forces in the field command and control networks. The vehicles are constructed on IVECO LMV M65E19 VM 4x4 chassis and the crew of each vehicle consists of 2 personnel.

The S-LOV-CBRN vehicle is designed to perform tasks independently or in synergy with the LOV-CBRN II vehicle. It is equipped with detection means for reconnaissance and monitoring of the CBRN situation with automated operation, the subsystem for detection of chemical toxic substances, the subsystem for monitoring the radiation situation and the biological aerosol detector are integrated.

Picture: S-LOV-CBRN vehicle | Michal Pivoňka / CZ Defence

The vehicle also includes a reconnaissance robotic subsystem with a robot for remote CBRN as well as visual and acoustic reconnaissance of the nearby environment, with a control station and a tilt ramp sensor, without the need for the crew to leave the vehicle.

Picture: The S-LOV-CBRN vehicle includes a reconnaissance robotic subsystem with a robot (seen in the rear of the vehicle in the photo) for remote CBRN as well as visual and acoustic reconnaissance of the surrounding area | Michal Pivoňka / CZ Defence

The robotic subsystem is controlled from the vehicle from the vehicle commander's seat and recharged when stowed in its transport compartment. The PR reconnaissance robot carries a beta probe, a gamma-ray detector, an automatic chemical detector, an oxygen sensor, and an atmospheric sampling device. The robot's equipment includes three cameras (with the ability to be illuminated by one of them) and a thermal imaging camera, a GPS and a system for acoustic monitoring of the environment in the vicinity of the robot.

Picture: Reconnaissance robotic subsystem | Vojenský výzkumný ústav, s. p.

The S-LOV-CBRN vehicle also integrates an on-board delineation device with a control unit and delineation heads for marking out contaminated areas with signal (delineation) flags. The vehicle also includes a proximity warning device with a control unit and a signal flare sweeper. It enables automatic collection and processing of CBRN information from the on-board chemical detection equipment of the vehicle superstructure into the on-board information system.

Picture: Interior of the S-LOV-CBRN vehicle | Michal Pivoňka / CZ Defence

The P-LOV-CBRN trailer then includes a payload autonomous monitoring module for remote site CBRN monitoring, a payload weather station, a payload plotting kit, and other assets to support squad operations. The trailer provides power to the vehicle at the observation site from the power station or 230 V mains, alternatively it provides operation of the autonomous payload monitoring module without the S-LOV-CBRN vehicle.

Picture: P-LOV-CBRN trailer | Michal Pivoňka / CZ Defence

The LOV-CBRN II complements the capabilities of the S-LOV-CBRN. Its equipment enables, among other things, mobile and pedestrian CBRN reconnaissance via a combined detection subsystem with automated operation and message transmission to the on-board information system. The equipment also includes a kit for the collection, short-term storage and transport (preparation for transport) of liquid and solid samples containing radioactive substances, chemical warfare agents and biological substances. The vehicle is equipped with decontamination equipment for the benefit of the squad and allows the integration of a tactical jammer for protection against the detonation of booby-trapped systems.

Picture: The LOV-CBRN II vehicle complements the capabilities of the S-LOV-CBRN | Michal Pivoňka / CZ Defence

Comprehensive protection of the crews of both vehicles against the effects of firearms, including mines, and IEDs consists of ballistic protection of the crew at level 2 and mine protection at level 2a (according to STANAG 4569). The combined subsystem of protection against the effects of toxic and radioactive substances includes a pressurised cabin with a filter-ventilation device allowing operation in the vehicle without protective masks on, and an emergency clean air supply system in case of internal contamination of the crew cabin.

Fire protection for each vehicle is provided by a remotely operated digital combined arms station with a control unit, a commander's console and its own weapons station. A camera sub-system is integrated to allow the control of the area behind the vehicle and to facilitate the handling of the reconnaissance robot.

Vehicle camouflage during the growing season of the year is provided by a mobile camouflage kit, including camouflage of the payload monitoring module and internal blackout of the cabin windows.

Picture: LOV-CBRN II vehicle | Michal Pivoňka / CZ Defence