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Background – Future Combat Systems – Close Combat Vehicle Project |
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Update – 18 Jan 2012:
According to the rumour mill, DND is offereing up the CCV Project to the Harper Government as a potential
budget sacrifice. Obviously, DND wants to perserve big dollar projects like TAPV. But what of the implications for the Tank Replacement Project?
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Close Combat Vehicle (CCV) Project – Keeping up with the Leopard Tanks in a new IFV
The CCV Project seeks a companion for Leopard
tanks with better-protection and superior mobility in poor conditions than the CF's existing LAV III. That
suggested a tracked infantry fighting vehicle and several potential candidates were mooted. By its nature, the IFV
has a medium-calibre gun armament and fewer dismounts than APCs. [1]
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CCV Project: On-Again, Off-Again, Quits
A short-list of potential CCV suppliers was published [2] but DND/PWGSC rejected all candidates. This resulted in
the relaunch of the CCV Project NPP/SOIQ process as well
as a winnowing of the field. At present, the announced candidates are BAE Hägglund's CV9035 and two wheeled vehicles, Nexter's VBCI 25/30 and GDLS-Canada's Piranha 5. The presence of wheeled IFVs in
the CCV contest came as something as a surprise, not least to DND. But this is what comes from allowing potential
suppliers to 'educate' their customer.
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The CCV Project had the standard Canadian approach of IRB offsets with some local 'skill-building' added
to the mix. This was to consist of hulls from foreign manufacturers matched with
domestically-produced turret systems. The arrangement is the same as for Danish CV9035s (but, in that case, the
hull- provider is neighbouring Sweden ). DND's approach turned out oddly. Remote-turrets are now a
thoroughly glutted market which will gain Canada little. But all three potential CCV suppliers now promise
full vehicle assembly in Canada. An unexpected bonus but clearly DND was not driving the hard bargain it
thought is was. Still, at least they haven't under-cut themselves.
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"She Blowed up real good!" CCV Project Whittling and Blasting
In August 2011, each of the potential CCV suppliers provided test vehicles (or 'Risk Reduction Units' ) for blast
and other trials to be performed at the US Army Aberdeen Test Center. When tests are complete in Oct 2011, a
contract will be awarded. The result will be an initial delivery of 8 CCVs delivered within 24 months,
followed by the remaining 100 CCVs within 48 months. As usual with recent DND projects, slippages never effect
a theoretical schedule. Nor is the raiding of CCV's $2.2B budget for TAPV. We shall see. In any case, CCV slippage may just match the delayed Leopard TRP. A bigger problem for CCV PMO is
a citizenry puzzled by projects seemingly aimed at combat already ended.
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[1] The CF refers to its LAV III as an Infantry Section Carrier. But the term ISC has also applied to two other LAV
types, the old Bison and new LAV-RWS (ex-LAV
TUA conversions) – both turretless. So, although the standard LAV III may act as an ISC, it's armed
liked an IFV.
[2] Companies pre-qualified by DND/PWGSC for CCV bidding were: Artec (a KMW/Rheinmetall joint venture); BAE
Systems Hägglunds; General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada; Nexter Systems; and Rheinmetall Landsysteme. Most
then announced Canadian partner firms.
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