N Scale 1:160 USMC LAV-25 3D Printed and Hand Painted- US Marines - OD GREEN

Turret is able to rotate 360 degrees, all other components are static. 

Service History: 1983 – present

Length: 1.6in

Width: .6in

Height: .65in

Weight: .2oz

The LAV-25 (Light Armored Vehicle) is a member of the LAV II family. It is an eight-wheeled amphibious armored reconnaissance vehicle built by General Dynamics Land Systems and used by the United States Marine Corps and the United States Army.

During the 1980s, the U.S. Marine Corps began looking for a light armored vehicle (LAV) to give their divisions greater mobility. In April 1981, the United States Department of Defense opened submissions to the LAV program. Three contractors were down selected.

The Marine Corps evaluated the three LAV submissions. In September 1982, the General Motors submission was selected. GM was awarded initial production contract for 969 LAVs. The Army type designated the 25 mm gun variant as the M1047. The Army sought 2,350 of the 12.7 mm (.50) caliber-armed light squad carrier variant, and at one point was expected to be the LAV's biggest buyer. Congress canceled funds for the LAV-25, causing the Army to drop out of the program. The Marine Corps managed to secure enough funding to buy 758 LAVs in six variants.

The LAV entered service with the Marines in 1983. The Army borrowed at least a dozen LAV-25s for use by the 82nd Airborne Division, 3 squadron-73rd Armor for a scout platoon during the Gulf War. These LAV-25s were returned to the Marine Corps after the conflict.The USMC ordered 758 vehicles of all variants. LAVs first saw combat during the invasion of Panama in 1989 and continued service in the Persian Gulf War, Iraq War, and the War in Afghanistan.

As of 2023, the table of organization and equipment for a U.S. Marine Corps light-armored reconnaissance (LAR) battalion includes 46 LAV-25s, 12 LAV-ATs, 12 LAV-C2s, 18 LAV-Ls, 6 LAV-Ms, 6 LAV-Rs, and 4 LAV-MEWSS vehicles.