Article

The Dominican Republic presented its first locally assembled armored military vehicle, the VBD-1, during an event led by President Luis Abinader and Defense Minister Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre. The initiative aims to enhance national defense, reduce reliance on foreign suppliers, and cut costs by nearly 50%.

Built on a Ford Super Duty F-250 chassis, the VBD-1 can carry 11 soldiers and features advanced ballistic protection and surveillance systems. Plans for additional models, including the VBD-2 and VBD-3, were announced as part of the strategy to strengthen the Dominican Military Industry, which has been established as a state-owned public company.