LAV III
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LAV III | |
---|---|
Place of origin | Canada |
Specifications | |
Weight | 16.95 t |
Length | 6.98 m (275 in) |
Width | 2.7 m (106 in) |
Height | 2.8 m (110 in) |
Crew | 3 (+ 6 or 7 passengers) |
|
|
Primary armament |
M242 25 mm chain gun with TIS |
Secondary armament |
C6/M240 7.62 mm machine gun C9A2/M249 5.56 mm machine gun pintle mounted |
Engine | Caterpillar 3126 diesel |
Suspension | Hydropneumatic |
Operational range |
450 km |
Speed | 100 km/h |
The LAV III armoured vehicle (AV) is the latest in the Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) series built by General Dynamics Land Systems, entering service in 1999 [1]. It is based on the Swiss Mowag Piranha [2].
It was developed by Canada and is the primary mechanized infantry vehicle of the Canadian Forces and New Zealand Army (whose version is the NZLAV) [3]. The United States Army uses a very similar, more lightly armed vehicle named the Stryker. The LAV III and the Stryker have also been referred to as Land Assault Vehicles
The LAV III is an 8×8 wheeled armored vehicle with a 25 mm cannon, and can reach speeds of 100 kilometres per hour.[4] It is transportable by C-130 Hercules cargo plane. Variants include infantry section carrier (ISC), command post (CP), TOW Under Armour (TUA) anti-tank, an artillery forward observation officer (FOO) variant known as the observation post vehicle (OPV), combat engineer, and Multi-Mission Effects Vehicle (MMEV) [5].
Contents |
[edit] Operators
- Canadian Army (651)
- New Zealand Army (105 NZLAV)
- Romanian Land Forces (31 to be delivered in 2008)[6][7]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ [ http://www.deagel.com/Wheeled-Armored-Fighting-Vehicles/LAV-III_a000316001.aspx ], Deagel Web site. Accessed 15 February 2008.
- ^ [1], Army-Technology Web site. Accessed 15 February 2008.
- ^ [ http://www.deagel.com/Wheeled-Armored-Fighting-Vehicles/LAV-III_a000316001.aspx ], Deagel Web site. Accessed 15 February 2008.
- ^ The Canadian Army - Equipment
- ^ Canada has announced its intent to acquire MMEV, Rheinmetall AG Web site. Accessed 15 February 2008.
- ^ "Romanian Army selection of the Piranha III" - accesed May 2007
- ^ The Romanian Army acquires new armoured military vehicles, Jurnalul Naţional, January 9, 2007 (Romanian)