Some armoured vehicles purchased by the Defence Forces went five consecutive years without recording any mileage, newly released figures show.
The Department of Defence, however, warned that these figures may not be accurate as the odometers on the vehicles, which had a poor reputation and frequently broke down, do not work properly.
Some of the light armoured tactical vehicles (LTAVs) also had extremely high maintenance costs. One recorded just 2,100km over the course of its 14-year life but ran up more than €220,000 in maintenance and repair costs in that period. This would translate to a cost of €108 per kilometre travelled.
The data was released to the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in response to a series of questions about the vehicles’ cost and performance. This followed reports in The Irish Times earlier this detailing the LTAVs’ low usage and Ukraine’s rejection of an offer to donate the vehicles.
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In 2009, the State purchased 27 RG-32M LTAVs from BAE Systems in South Africa for €16 million excluding VAT. They were designed to fill a capability gap between soft-skinned vehicles and armoured personnel carriers.
The LTAVs were issued to the infantry, cavalry, artillery and communications corps and deployed to peacekeeping missions in Syria and Lebanon and were sent to various European states as part of Ireland’s contribution to the European Union battle group.
Most LTAVs were fitted with machine guns but they were also capable of carrying grenade launchers and other weapons.
They had a poor reputation in the Defence Forces from the outset due to reliability issues, sources said, with officers frequently refusing to deploy them on patrols in Lebanon and other potentially dangerous areas. Users reported electrical connections not matching up and driveshafts shearing off.
According to figures released to Sinn Féin TD and PAC chairman John Brady, the mileage recorded by the vehicles varied drastically. One drove more than 41,000km between 2010 and 2023, while another drove just 2,102km.
Department of Defence secretary general Jacqui McCrum warned that the mileage figures may not be accurate due to faulty dashboard instruments “including vehicle odometers”.
“As a result, a number of vehicles experienced odometer failures requiring reset or replacement of the unit. In certain instances, zero readings were also recorded following such interventions,” she said.
It is not clear how many vehicles were impacted by this issue, but the records provided to the committee indicate many of them went a year or more without recording any mileage.
Two LTAVs went five years in a row without recording any usage, according to the data. Another did not see any use in 10 years out of its 14-year lifespan.
The LTAVs were withdrawn from operations in 2024 and placed in storage. Earlier this year, the Government offered them to Ukraine as part of an international military aid programme. Kyiv declined the offer.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he was grateful for the offer, but the vehicles were “old” and in need of “renovation” before they could be used on a battlefield.
McCrum told Brady the Defence Forces would now convene a “board of survey” to recommend on the disposal of the vehicles. She indicated that one option may be to sell them.
