Vanguard Magazine

CLOSE COMBAT VEHICLE C Piranha V The army will purchase 108 vehicles, with an option for 30 more, under four confi gurations: infantry fi ghting vehicle, artillery forward observation offi cer, engineer reconnaissance and tactical command. the-shelf vehicle, although only two have tested their mettle on the battlefi eld. With the LAV III showing some drawbacks in Af- ghanistan due to its wheel-based propulsion system and its in- creasing weight, the CV90 is the only vehicle among the three bidders that uses tracks for propulsion. A 35-ton vehicle, it is armed with either the Bushmaster II 30mm or the Bushmaster III 35mm chain gun as its primary armament, with a 7.62mm machine gun as a secondary weapon (which, in the CF's case, would be the FN C6 GPMG), complemented by Bofors 40mm grenade launchers. "BAE Systems has submitted its best value bid," said Mike Sweeney of the company's global combat systems division."Our offer is based upon the successful CV90, which provides class- leading crew survivability, mobility and fi repower for the six cur- rent user nations around the world. In all six nations, the CV90 is in service alongside the Leopard 2 main battle tank and is currently on operations in Afghanistan with Denmark, Norway and Sweden." A familiar design to many Canadians, General Dynamics' Pira- nha V is the newest generation in the company's LAV family, with many modifi cations. "Advanced suspension technology allows the Piranha V to go anywhere a medium-weight tracked vehicle can go. It provides the best of both worlds, combining track-like per- formance with the strategic mobility of a wheeled platform," said Ken Yamashita, manager of corporate affairs. "It uses the latest mobility technology with a military drive train developed through 35 years of military vehicle experience, combined with two-stage hydropneumatic suspension and a height management system." The Piranha will come equipped with a new-generation LANCE modular turret system made by Rheinmetall, featuring a 30mm MK30-2 cannon and third-generation optical systems. The most technologically advanced of the three, it has never been deployed. Also similar in design to the LAV III but much heavier (29 tons compared to 17), Nexter enters the CCV bidding race with its VBCI 25 (the acronym stands for Véhicule Blindé de Combat d'Infanterie). The vehicle saw signifi cant action with the French army since it was fi rst deployed to Afghanistan in June 2010. It's capable of speeds over 100 km per hour and is equipped with a one man turret with a 25mm M811 gun, a 7.62mm co-axial machine gun and 40mm grenade launchers, making its primary weapon compatible with the LAV III for ammunition. "As a wheeled vehicle, its life-cycle costs are signifi cantly lower than similar tracked vehicles and the maturity of the VBCI plat- form removes much of the CCV program risk and uncertainty associated with new vehicle procurement programs," said Patrick Lier, Nexter's vice president of business development in North America. "It is an exceptional vehicle at an affordable price, with no development required to fully meet Canadian requirements." Made in Canada The CCV will also be subject to the government's Industrial and Regional Benefi ts policy, meaning that the winning company must generate economic activity in Canada, dollar for dollar equal to the contract value. "Our offer also includes a comprehensive Canada-based in-ser- vice support package, which will provide demonstrated cost-effec- tive fl eet usage and availability throughout the CV90's service life. The third part of the bid is a well-developed Industrial and Re- gional Benefi ts proposal which includes extensive work packages such as the manufacture, assembly and integration of the turrets," said Sweeney about BAE's plans. Being a Canadian company, GDLS-Canada enjoys a 35-year relationship with National Defence and the Canadian Forces. "The vehicle will be manufactured and assembled in Canada by [GDLS-Canada]. Our program is supported by a powerful Cana- dian team of sub-contractors and suppliers," Yamashita explained. The LANCE turret will be manufactured at Rheinmetall's facil- ity in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu while Dorchester, Ontario-based Armatec Survivability Canada will provide protection systems and crew seating. Over 400 suppliers are said to be involved. Nexter concluded deals with Bombardier, Prevost and Ray- theon Canada for fi nal assembly, powerplant and service support, respectively. The contract should be awarded in 2013. www.vanguardcanada.com OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2012 31

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