India's Larsen & Toubro to facilitate Light Armor System Upgrade for Philippine Marines, Air Force Light Armored Vehicles

A Cadillac Gage V-150 Commando 4x4 LAV (left) and a V-300 6x6 LAV, both operated by the Philippine Marine Corps, during the live fire exercise phase of PH-US Balkatan Exercises in Crow Valley Bombing Range, Tarlac.

The defense arm of Indian conglomerate Larsen & Toubro (L&T) was awarded a deal to upgrade the Cadillac Gage V-150 Commando 4x4 armored vehicles of the Philippine Marine Corps and Philippine Air Force, as well as the V-300 6x6 armored vehicles of the Philippine Marine Corps, as part of the Light Armor Systems Upgrade (LARSU) project.

Among those involved in the upgrade are improvement and repair of the manned turrets, as well as rehabilitation of machinery and electrical systems of the armored vehicles. No specific quantity of vehicles were mentioned,

The project is part of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program's Horizon 2 phase, which cover the years 2018 to 2022. The proposed budget for the project is PHP 711.9 million (US$ 13.56 million).

L&T was said to have been awarded similar contract several years ago, which involved the LARSU works on several V-150 Commando 4x4 armored vehicles of the Philippine Marine. Among the improvements made were in turret repair, improved sighting system, and repair of the hull and mechanical systems of the vehicles.

The V-150 and V-300 LAV are both standard armored vehicles of the Philippine Marine Corps, while the V-150 is used by the Philippine Air Force's 710th Special Operations Wing for airbase defense and other ground support missions.



[1] Navy Recognition
[2] MaxDefense Philippines
[3] MaxDefense Philippines