Armored Vehicles

Badger ILAV

Also known as
  • Iraqi Light Armored Vehicle
  • International Light Armored Vehicle
  • Iraqi Light Armoured Vehicle
  • Yemen Light Armored Vehicle
  • ILAV
  • YLAV

The Badger ILAV is the Iraqi/International Light Armored Vehicle, a Cougar-derived 4x4 MRAP built through the BAE Systems, Force Protection, and Spartan Chassis production team for protected troop movement, route clearance, and EOD support. Open-source evidence places at least one Badger in Houthi-controlled Sanaa during the 2014 Yemen Civil War, while U.S. and industry sources document the larger Iraq and Yemen ILAV procurement background.

Badger ILAV, Cougar-derived 4x4 mine-resistant armored personnel carrier, Armored Vehicles
Image source: Iraqi Army Soldiers get "badgered" in the field

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United States
Type
Cougar-derived 4x4 mine-resistant armored personnel carrier
Service note
Mid-2000s ILAV program; later documented in 2014 Yemen Civil War open-source vehicle imagery
Designer
Force Protection Industries Cougar platform; ILAV configured by the BAE Systems Land and Armaments, Force Protection, and Spartan Chassis team
Designed
2006 ILAV foreign military sales program, based on the Force Protection Cougar platform
Unit cost
Army Guide lists a $369,572 average unit cost across recorded ILAV Badger contracts
Produced
Initial ILAV production awards began in 2006, with second-generation and repair-kit work continuing into 2011-2012
Number built
More than 700 ILAV-family vehicles delivered to Iraq, Yemen, and U.S. military customers by late 2011; public contract figures vary by source and scope

Specifications

Configuration
4x4 wheeled armored personnel carrier
Seating
2 crew plus 8 passengers
Dimensions
About 309 in long, 106 in wide at the rear side marker lights, and 110 in high
Weight
About 33,460 lb curb weight and 36,000 lb maximum weight
Payload
About 2,540 lb maximum payload
Mobility
55 mph governed cruise speed, 65 mph operational sprint, about 350 mi range, 36 in fording depth, and 45/24 degree approach/departure angles
Powertrain
Caterpillar C7 FMM diesel with Allison 3500 SP transmission, rated at 330 hp and 860 ft-lb torque
Protection
4x4 V-shaped hull mine-protected vehicle; armor, glass, and mine protection configured per customer requirement
Route-clearance equipment
Interrogator/Ferret Arm variants were used to investigate suspected IEDs from a protected distance; the brochure describes a 28 ft IED interrogator arm option
Program variants
BAE Systems identified base ILAV, Interrogator Arm, EOD, Joint Surrogate Vehicle, and MRAP Training variants by 2011
Known Yemen order
18 vehicles reported for Yemen in a 2007 Force Protection order
Base family
Derived from the Cougar 4x4 MRAP family
Variants

BAE and Spartan describe five ILAV variants built from a common 4x4 V-hull platform, while Builtmore/Spartan also lists customer or program labels such as YLAV and ILAV Navy Trainer.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
International Light Armored VehicleBase vehicle

BAE Systems and Spartan Chassis list the base International Light Armored Vehicle as one of five ILAV variants, and DVIDS reporting shows Iraqi Army engineer units receiving Badgers for protected route-clearance support.

Sources: Providing Critical Mine Protection for Soldiers, Spartan Chassis Receives Order From BAE Systems for International Light Armored Vehicles, Iraqi Army Soldiers get "badgered" in the field

Interrogator ArmRoute-clearance / suspected-IED investigation variant

BAE's 2011 contract covered three Interrogator Arm variants, and DVIDS coverage describes Badgers with Ferret Arms for Iraqi engineer and EOD use.

Sources: Providing Critical Mine Protection for Soldiers, Iraqi Army Soldiers get "badgered" in the field

ILAV EODExplosive ordnance disposal configuration

BAE Systems identified Explosive Ordnance Disposal as an ILAV variant and listed six EOD vehicles in its 2011 U.S. Army TACOM contract announcement.

Sources: Providing Critical Mine Protection for Soldiers

Joint Surrogate VehicleTraining / surrogate configuration

BAE Systems and Spartan Chassis list Joint Surrogate Vehicle as one of the five ILAV variants.

Sources: Providing Critical Mine Protection for Soldiers, Spartan Chassis Receives Order From BAE Systems for International Light Armored Vehicles

MRAP TrainingTraining configuration

BAE Systems and Spartan Chassis list MRAP Training as one of the five ILAV variants.

Sources: Providing Critical Mine Protection for Soldiers, Spartan Chassis Receives Order From BAE Systems for International Light Armored Vehicles

YLAVYemen Light Armored Vehicle

Builtmore lists YLAV as Yemen Light Armored Vehicle within its ILAV 4x4 defense-vehicle work, while Defense Industry Daily separately reported 18 ILAVs ordered for Yemen in 2007.

Sources: Defense Vehicles, Global MRAP: The International Light Armored Vehicle

Base Platform Family

The Badger ILAV is part of the Cougar MRAP family rather than a separate clean-sheet design.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
Cougar 4x4 MRAP, 4x4 mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle, Armored VehiclesCougar 4x4 MRAPBase MRAP family

Defense Industry Daily and the ILAV brochure describe the Badger ILAV as based on the Cougar platform, while General Dynamics Land Systems lists Cougar 4x4 as part of the MRAP family.

Sources: GDLS Products, Global MRAP: The International Light Armored Vehicle, ILAV Brochure

Timeline

Badger ILAV Key Events

  1. Manufacture and sustainment contract in place

    BAE's subcontract for ILAV manufacture and sustainment was already in place by August 2006.

    Sources: Global MRAP: The International Light Armored Vehicle

  2. Yemen order reported

    Defense Industry Daily reported an order that included 18 ILAVs for Yemen.

    Sources: Global MRAP: The International Light Armored Vehicle

  3. First Iraqi Army Badgers delivered

    The 8th Iraqi Army Division received its first two Badgers, with two more expected.

    Sources: 8th Iraqi Army Division Receives Route Clearance Equipment

  4. Badger observed in Sanaa

    An open-source image and accompanying observation documented an ILAV Badger in Houthi-controlled Sanaa.

    Sources: Houthis ILAV Badger in Sanaa observation

Media

Badger ILAV Images

Badger ILAV, Cougar-derived 4x4 mine-resistant armored personnel carrier, Armored Vehicles - view 1
Source: Iraqi Army Soldiers get "badgered" in the field
Badger ILAV, Cougar-derived 4x4 mine-resistant armored personnel carrier, Armored Vehicles - view 2
Source: Iraqi Army Soldiers get "badgered" in the field
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Sources

Global MRAP: The International Light Armored VehiclePublisher: Defense Industry Daily | Note: Supports ILAV program background, BAE and Force Protection roles, Cougar-based design, Yemen order context, and capacity/protection details. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Providing Critical Mine Protection for SoldiersPublisher: BAE Systems | Note: Supports official ILAV identity, 4x4 V-hull mine-protected description, 2011 TACOM order details, EOD and Interrogator Arm variants, Force Protection and Spartan work share, production scale, and five named variants. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Spartan Chassis Receives Order From BAE Systems for International Light Armored VehiclesPublisher: GlobeNewswire / Spartan Motors | Note: Supports Spartan Chassis subcontract work for BAE Systems, ILAV deliveries to Iraq, Yemen, and U.S. customers, 4x4 V-hull description, and five named ILAV variants. | Accessed: 2026-07-04ILAV BrochurePublisher: General Dynamics Land Systems / Force Protection | Note: Supports ILAV Cougar-platform relationship, seating, dimensions, weight, payload, mobility, powertrain, protection-by-customer-requirement, and 28 ft IED interrogator-arm option. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Iraqi Army Soldiers get "badgered" in the fieldPublisher: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service | Note: Supports Badger ILAV route-clearance background, Ferret arm use, protected-mobility design, and public-domain image licensing context. | Accessed: 2026-07-048th Iraqi Army Division Receives Route Clearance EquipmentPublisher: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service | Note: Supports the Iraqi Army delivery and route-clearance context for Badger ILAV service history. | Accessed: 2026-07-04ILAV BadgerPublisher: Army Guide | Note: Supports ILAV Badger classification, Spartan Chassis manufacturer listing, 4x4 configuration, contract data, and unit-cost context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04GDLS ProductsPublisher: General Dynamics Land Systems | Note: Supports Cougar 4x4 family background used for the Badger ILAV relationship section. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Defense VehiclesPublisher: Builtmore Contract Manufacturing | Note: Supports Spartan/Builtmore ILAV integration background, ILAV variants, Yemen Light Armored Vehicle naming, and delivery history to Yemen and other customers. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Handbook Of Pre-War Yemeni Fighting VehiclesPublisher: Oryx | Note: 2014 Yemen Civil War source documenting Badger ILAV among Yemeni MRAP vehicles fielded in the conflict-era equipment pool. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Houthis ILAV Badger in Sanaa observationPublisher: X / Mohamed Mansour | Note: 2014 Yemen Civil War direct-use observation reporting an ILAV Badger used by Houthi-aligned forces in Sanaa; treated as limited open-source imagery evidence. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Iraq Badger vehicle tackles route clearancePublisher: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service | Note: Supports public-domain image provenance for the primary gallery image of a Badger route-clearance vehicle used by the 6th Iraqi Army during training in Baghdad. | Accessed: 2026-07-04