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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.
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.
• 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
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
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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