The Italian Army and the Austrian Government have each awarded substantial contracts for the supply of Ineos Grenadiers.

The company says they represent the first orders from sovereign defence forces – a significant milestone for the brand. Details of the contracts - such as volumes - were not made available.

Ineos said the Italian Army order marks the the first NATO country to place a 'sizeable' Ineos Grenadier order for its military.

ATflow, Ineos Automotive’s regional distributor, will commence deliveries from early 2027.

Separately, an Austrian Government tender was won by Valentin Tusch GmbH, a vehicle armouring and conversion specialist, to supply the Austrian Defence and Interior security forces with Grenadiers adapted for enhanced protection. First deliveries and trials will begin by the end of this year.

Ineos said that in both tenders, the Grenadier was deemed the best available platform – versatile body options, multiple wheelbases, fewer parts for straightforward maintenance and strong solid axles capable of carrying massive weight across hostile terrain over prolonged periods.

Ineos also said that it is in advanced procurement discussions with other European and NATO armed forces, including the Team Grenadier consortium, which has been selected to move forward to the trials stage of the British Ministry of Defence's Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) programme.

"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," said Mike Whittington, Chief Commercial Officer at INEOS Automotive.

"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 is already being used by police, border patrols, special forces and emergency rescue services around the world. This, it said, includes elite counterterrorism and tactical intervention units in Germany, France and Spain. Further, Ineos says that ‘nearly every country on the eastern border of Europe has chosen the Grenadier for their security and border forces, including Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Serbia and Slovakia’.