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This Background Index covers Canadian
Forces vehicles (or vehicle projects) covered in this section.
It is not a comprehensive listing of Canadian vehicles.
Note: Individual vehicles/vehicle
types are listed by subject, not chronologically.
Background — CF Vehicles / Vehicle Project Articles Index
• Light Armoured Vehicles
Afghan-standard LAVs – LAV III LORIT
LAV III LORIT ( LAV Operational Require- ments Integration Task ) is to combine and rationalize the many
survivability upgrades made to LAV IIIs in Afghanistan since the 2006 re-deployment to Kandahar
Province.
The Light Armoured Vehicle - Remote
Weapon System
The LAV-RWS Project is in the news again. The claim that these LAV TUA conversions were "rushed" into the field in
Afghanistan is a bit rich after the recent slamming that LAV-RWS Project management recently received
from the OAG's audit of this project. But the LAV-RWS are now in Kandahar - although only 18 vehicles will ever
serve there.
LAV-H – Future of the LAV III Fleet ?
There are rumblings about replacements
or rebuild/upgrades for LAV IIIs. LAV-H could
be either. This evolved LAV from GDLS is better protected and can handle heavier operational
weights due to increased power and a stronger suspension.
Textron Systems candidate for TAPV
Textron's Mobile Survivable Vehicle is a development of the M1117 Guardian ASV. By comparison
MSV for TAPV is higher, better protected, and turretless or, rather, to be equipped with a RWS.
Oshkosh M-ATV candidate for TAPV
Oshkosh Defence unveiled its TAPV candidate in Feb 2011. A Canadianised version of the
US military's M-ATV (or MRAP-All Terrain Vehicle), this TAPV entrant seems well-sized for the Recce component.
But as a seven-seat APC?
Force Protection Timberwolf
TAPV
Team Timberwolf is offering a Cougar tailored to the CF's TAPV requirement. This Timberwolf
retains the Cougar's blast-resistant hull but with a shorter crew cab and independent
suspension. The RWS proposed has two weapons.
BAE Hägglunds Alligator for
TAPV
One of three BAE Systems vehicles to be submitted for TAPV, the Hägglunds Alligator remains
enigmatic. This 6x6 is derived from Sweden's SEP series of hybrid-electric demonstrator vehicles.
Details on this conventionally-driven Alligator are sketchy but it retains the modularilty of
the SEP hybrid vehicles.
BAE Systems RG35 RPU for TAPV
Land Systems OMC, the South African vehicle division of BAE Systems built a 6x6 demonstrator. That concept
has been completely redesigned to tailor it to CF needs. The resulting RG35
RPU is one BAE/GDLS-C entrant for TAPV.
CCV – the Close Combat Vehicle
Project
CCV would be Infantry Fighting Vehicles able to stay with the CF's Leopard 2 tank regardless of terrain.
Part of FLCS' Future Combat Vehicle Systems, CCV was put to the Government as a high priority
just as the Canadian economy joined the global meltdown. CCV's future is now unknown.
CCV – the Close Combat Vehicle Project
– Redux
Due to this project's many twists and turns, the Close Combat Vehicle Project must be revisited. This Infantry
Fighting Vehicle project has never had the priority of the larger (but muddled) TAPV Project. As a result, the
CCV has stalled repeatedly and candidates (real or potential ) come and go. This is an overview of the CCV
Project.
BAE Hägglunds CV9035 Mk III CCV
The CV9035 Mk III is the CV90 variant used by Denmark and the Netherlands. CV9035 is now the only tracked
vehicle being considered for the CCV Project. Other nation's CV9035s have had local turret assembly.
It is not clear whether BAE Systems, if successful in CCV, will be offering full vehicle
assembly in Canada.
CCV Project Candidate: Nexter VBCI 25
Against all expectation, a wheeled IFV was the second official CCV candidate. Nexter submitted its 8x8
VBCI 25 – essentially the French Army's VBCI VCI. While a wheeled submission surprised many, so too did the
aluminum armour and a 1-man turret armed with a gun in the same calibre as LAV III.
CCV Project Candidate: Nexter VBCI 30
Nexter's VBCI was designed to accompany tanks much like Canada's CCV Project. IFV suggests a medium calibre gun and
Nexter has hedged its bets. The VBCI 30 has a 2- man turret armed with 30mm Bushmaster II. The
Italian turret provides better 'situational awareness' and firepower than VBCI 25.
CCV Candidate – GDLS-C Piranha 5
Piranha 5 is an enlarged and heavier armoured evolution of the CF LAV III (which also sprang from
Switzerland's Mowag). Piranha 5 for CCV is armed with a Rheinmetall Lance turret as
per erstwhile competitor, the Artec Boxer
With the winnowing of the CCV Project, several major (or expected candidates) have been withdrawl or not submitted.
The pages listed below have now been eliminated.
'IFV Close': IFV/CCV Marder Update
Refurbished ex-German Marders were initially rejected for CCV. Rheinmetall persisted
with its heavily-uparmoured Marder rebuild as IFV/CCV. In the end Rheinmetall Canada did not submit any
CCV candidate chosing instead to become a partner to erstwhile rival GDLS-Canada.
Artec Boxer (KMW & Rheinmetall)
Boxer is a very large wheeled 8x8. As an IFV, Rheinmetall-Canada offered a Lance MTS turret with 30mm
Mauser cannon. That same two-man turret is now offered on GLDS-C's Piranha 5.
• Armoured Support Vehicles
The Armoured Heavy Support Vehicle
DND has ordered 86 Actros AHSVS for Afghanistan. Cargo AHSVS will replace HLVWs, there is also a tank
transporter
on order for the Leopard 2 A6M tanks.
Tropco Tank Transport Combo
(Leased)
Tropcos are the standard Dutch Army tank transporter. DND leased Tropcos for use in Afghanistan
to move Leopard tanks with armoured DAF trucks and Broshuis trailers.
Force Protection's Cougar and Buffalo
EROC
Canada has order five each of FPI's Cougar and Buffalo blast-protected vehicles as
part of a new "Expedient Route-Opening Capability" for EOD
( Explosive Ordnance
Disposal ) in Afghanistan.
Also see: new South Africa Mine Detector Vehicle, the RSD DCD-Dorbyl Husky
• Unarmoured Support Vehicles
Medium Support Vehicle System MilCOTS
On 09 Jan 2009, DND announced the winner of their MSVS militarized commercial off-the-shelf project. With only one
bidder, no surprise that the $274 M contract went to Navistar Defense. Some 1300 MSVS MilCOTS
trucks will be built by Navistar Defense in Garland, TX.
• Direct Fire Support (DFS) Vehicles
Distinguishing the Leopard 2A4M
The Leopard 2A4M CAN, recently deployed to Kandahar, is a reworked ex-Dutch Leopard
2A4 refurbished and upgraded with greater mobility and near Leopard 2A6M
protection levels. Five Leopard 2A4M CAN are deployed.
Dutch Leopard 2 A4 and 2 A6Ms
The rumours are confirmed. Canada will lease 20 Leopard 2 A6Ms from Germany. The mine-protected tanks will
later be replaced by 20 2 A6Ms and 80 Leopard 2 A4s bought from Holland. These tanks will arrive in
Fall 2007.
Leopard 2 A6M – ein neues Panzer ?
Canada has been arranging to lease 20 Leopard 2 A6M mine-protected tanks
for
Afghanistan and (possibly) to also buy 80 ex-German Leopard 2 A4 tanks.
Leopard C2 Tanks Shipped to Kandahar
Leopard tanks are now in Kandahar but a surprise was in the first shipment – heavy armour for the
Leo and a recovery Taurus.
Support Vehicles for the CF Leopard Tanks Although not direct fire support vehicles
in any way, support vehicles make it possible
for tanks to perform DFS. The
Leopard-based support vehicles in Afghanistan are: Badger Armoured Engineering Vehicles and the Taurus Armoured Recovery
Vehicle.
HIAV – Heavy Infantry Assault
Vehicle
Conspicuous in its absense in the recent vehicle announcements, whither HIAV? An HIAV is the heavy form of
armoured personnel carrier. Similar vehicles have a combat engineering application. Most, if not all HIAVs are
tank conversions. And there may lie the root of difficulty for DND.
LAV TUA ( LAV TOW-Under-Armour) Project
LAV TUA is the simplest of the three DFS projects. As an expediency, the turret from the tracked M113 TUA is being
upgraded and transfered to a LAV III hull. LdSH(RC) are field testing the wheeled TUAs.
[Also see: project vehicles Mobile Gun System and Multi-Mission Effects Vehicle]
• Armoured Patrol and Reconnaissance Vehicles
Special Operations Vehicles –
Update
A selection of new vehicle types for CF special forces is reportedly near. There are suggestions
that the Supacat Jackal and AM General's GMV-S are the lead contenders. Despite the
SOIQ commonality demands, the Wolf is not in the running.
The Armoured Patrol Vehicle Project (APV)
was to
meet an Immediate Operational Requirement (IOR) for
the CF deployment to
Kandahar. Bids were submitted
for three blast-resistant candidates: KMW with their
Dingo 2 , Thales Canada with the ADI Bushmaster ,
and GDLS-Canada with the
winning RG-31 Nyala APV.
[Also see: Ride Sharing – Nyala APV,
Bushmaster, and a Dutch Chinook Swap.]
Special Operations Vehicles (SOV SOIQ)
DND has issued a Solicitation of Interest and Qualifications for 100 new SOVs (80 SR Special
Reconnaissance and 20 QR Quick Reaction vehicles) for CSOR and JTF2. We summarize the SOIQ and review
probable candidates. These are the Supacat Jackal
MWMIK and Rheinmetall Wolf LIV
(SO).
LARV – the Light Armoured Reconnaissance
Vehicle
The LARV, announced in January 2006, was described as a "mini-Coyote". The planned vehicle is meant
to fill a slot between large recce Coyotes and small G-wagon C&Rs. The LARV Project may be cut
back for the SOV.
• Light Utility Vehicles
Origins of the Swedish Bv206
MOSV
The CF Bv206 'Tonka's have direct origins in another Swedish articulated vehicle, the Volvo Bv202. Both are
cleverly engineered vehicles making good use of materials. At a stretch, a Canadian conceptual connection can also be
made, see CL-70/-91 below.
Canadair CL-70 RAT & CL-91 Dynatrac
While Bombardier is famous for Canadian snowmobiles, pioneering work was done on
articulated all-terrain vehicles at aircraft maker Canadair. Conceptually at least, two little-known Canadair
vehicles anticipated Sweden's more successful Bv206 MOSV.
CF G-wagon variants and their Armour Protection
The CF has fielded three variants of the Light Utility Vehicle, Wheeled (LUVW) or G-wagon – the
'Basic', MP, and Command and Reconnaissance (C&R). The
G-wagon is a huge improvement over the
earlier Iltis but add-on armour made G-wagons more vulnerable
to attack than the CF's larger and
more heavily armoured vehicles in Afghanistan.
• Light Armoured Vehicles
Armoured Personnel Carrier Life Extension Project
The APCLE was an M113 APC modernization project. The goal was to produce support vehicles for a
LAV III-dominated force quickly and at comparatively little expense. Instead, costs soared and APCLE would be cut
back. But the resulting TLAVs went on to perform vital service in Afghanistan.
AVGPs: Armoured Vehicle, General Purpose
AVGPs were the CF's original series of wheeled light armoured vehicles. The AVGPs consisted of Grizzly infantry section carriers, Husky ARV repair/recovery vehicles, and Cougar DFSV fire support vehicles. The last surviving
AVGPs are either out on loan to the African Union, being sold off, or to become gate guardians.
AVGP Section Carriers for the African Union
Canada sent 100 CF Grizzly ISCs (plus five Husky recovery AVGPs) to aid the AU Mission in
Sudan. Crew training was done in Senegal prior to the AU peacekeepers deploying to war-torn Darfur
region.
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