7:59 am, October 6, 2026
The Ineos Grenadier has secured its first major orders from national armed forces after winning military contracts in Italy and Austria.
The Italian Army and Austrian government have both selected the British-designed 4×4, marking a significant move into the defence market for Ineos Automotive.
Italy has become the first NATO country to place what Ineos describes as a ‘sizable’ military order for the Grenadier, although the manufacturer has not disclosed how many vehicles will be supplied or the value of the contract.
Deliveries to the Italian Army will be handled by regional distributor ATflow and are due to begin in early 2027.
Meanwhile, Austrian vehicle armouring and conversion specialist Valentin Tusch GmbH has won a government tender to supply adapted Grenadiers to the country’s defence and interior security forces.
Those vehicles will be modified to provide enhanced protection, with the first deliveries and trials scheduled to begin before the end of 2026.
Ineos said the Grenadier was selected in both tenders because of its versatility, payload capabilities and relatively straightforward maintenance, pointing to its solid axles and ability to carry heavy loads over difficult terrain for extended periods.
The two deals could be followed by further military orders, with Ineos confirming that it is in advanced procurement discussions with other European and NATO armed forces, which includes the UK.
The Team Grenadier consortium has been selected to progress to the trials stage of the British Ministry of Defence’s Light Mobility Vehicle programme.
Mike Whittington, chief commercial officer at Ineos Automotive, said: ‘In a world where geopolitical tensions are rising, military forces are bolstering their capabilities and resilience, they need the best, modern equipment available.
‘As a robust and highly capable vehicle, this is what the Grenadier was built for – to unremittingly serve armed forces in mission-critical roles.’
He added: ‘Our most recent military agreements signal a huge vote of confidence in Grenadier as a benchmark already, as talks with other nations’ defence procurement teams continue.’
The Grenadier has already found customers among police, border patrol, emergency rescue and specialist security organisations.
Ineos says the vehicle is being used by counter-terrorism and tactical intervention units in Germany, France and Spain, while security and border forces in countries including Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Serbia and Slovakia have also adopted the 4×4.
The latest contracts represent a step up in scale, however, with the Italian deal marking the Grenadier’s first substantial order directly for a NATO country’s military.