Transformed Land Cruisers Become Armored Vehicles for U.S. Department of State

Battelle will convert 229 units of standard Toyota Land Cruiser 200 series SUVs into specialized armored vehicles for the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) under a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) that was awarded in 2020.

Battelle takes existing commercial vehicles, re-engineers them with protective armor and enhances performance by redesigning and installing stronger suspensions for operations in rugged terrain and enhanced power systems to meet the needs of the upgraded system.

Since 2013, Battelle has transformed hundreds of standard pickup trucks and SUVs into specialty armored vehicles for U.S. Special Operations Command. 

Delivery of these new vehicles is scheduled to begin in March 2022 and be completed in June 2023.

“Battelle has a proven track record of performing sophisticated systems integration for military and commercial applications,” said George Lecakes, vice president and general manager for Battelle’s national security business. 

“Under this contract, our ground systems team will execute on its custom designs and integrate complex systems to meet mission requirements – at a competitive cost.”