[4] The exterior resembles the Panhard VBL used by the French army, but the LAV has 4 doors and a large cabin for carrying soldiers.

[5] The Komatsu LAV was developed in 1997 to meet a JGSDF need for an armored wheeled vehicle that could provide armored protection since their Toyota High Mobility Vehicles and Mitsubishi Type 73 light trucks were not adequate to provide protection from small arms fire.

[6] It had made its first appearance in Kuwait when JGSDF units had deployed the Komatsu LAV prior to humanitarian operations in Samawah, a city in Iraq, 280 km (174 mi) southeast of Baghdad.

[4] The Komatsu LAV has open-split roof hatch of the vehicle provides additional protection to the gunner from all directions, if it is locked in an upright position.

[2] The vehicles deployed in Iraq are fitted with reinforced bulletproof windshields, wire cutters and an armoured tub around the gun mount for extra protection.