The Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle, the
RG-35, the Nexter Aravis, the Oshkosh M-ATV, the Rg-31Mk5 EM, the BAE Alligator
6x6 and the Textron-Cadillac Gage Mobile Survivable Vehicle (an upgraded
version of the M1117 Armoured Security Vehicle) were all considered. Nexter and
Bushmaster both withdrew from the competition. Both Textron Systems Canada Inc
and Rheinmetall Canada
completed the physical portion of the Canadian Forces TAPV competitive process.
With up to 600 of these new ‘Cadillacs in service they will as common in the Canadian Armed Forces as the LAV III or the G-Wagen. It remains to be seen if the replaced RG-31 Nyalas and Coyotes will find their way into the hands of the reserve force.
In rough, very rough, figures these new vehicles will cost
more then a million dollars each to purchase and are expected to cost more then
one hundred dollars a day to run. Just how expensive this is depends on your
perspective. From the viewpoint of a taxpayer it seems like a great deal of
money, if you’re under fire in a war zone it might seem like not nearly enough.
DND and the government must be hoping that this announcement will go well and that there are no unforeseen developments. They desperately need to be seen to have run a successful program. At this point even one more public failure will just about guarantee that the DND looses all authority over these decisions.
More background information
below;
According
to the DND website “the TAPV project will deliver a wheeled combat vehicle that
will fulfill a wide variety of roles domestically and on the battlefield,
including but not limited to reconnaissance and surveillance, security, command
and control, cargo, and armoured personnel carrier. It will have a high degree
of tactical mobility and provide a very high degree of survivability to its
crew.”
More from DND:
“TAPV
Background
The mission of
the Army is to generate and maintain combat-capable, multi-purpose land forces
to meet Canada
A number of
critical deficiencies have been identified within the current fleet of
soft-skinned and older light armoured vehicles which are no longer capable of
meeting today's and future requirements for mobility, ergonomics, information
and intelligence sharing, and the ability to deliver integrated lethal and
non-lethal effects. In addition, they fail to provide an adequate level of
protection against current and emerging threats. While some success has been
realized through extensive protection enhancements in mitigating the various
threats, the vehicles have now reached their certified gross vehicle weight
limits and therefore their potential for further upgrades. All these fleets are
now either approaching or at their limits of viable economic and technical
upgrade.
The TAPV is
intended to overcome the aforementioned deficiencies in capabilities as well as
fulfill future operational concept requirements. Changes in recent years to the
threats facing the CF on operations have led to an increased attention on
protection”
The Textron
Systems announcement released today reads, in part:
“GAGETOWN CFB ,
NB Canada
The TAPV contract has a value
of $603.4 million CAD; excluding government sales tax/harmonized sales tax
(GST/HST), with an additional five-year in-service support contract of $105.4
million CAD, excluding GST/HST. The first vehicle is scheduled to be delivered
to the Canadian Army in July 2014 and the last delivery is scheduled for March
2016.
Ottawa-based Textron Systems
Canada, as prime contractor, will provide overall TAPV program and
configuration management, act as design authority for change management,
coordinate vehicle integration activities by Canadian subcontractors, manage
the In-Service Support contract, and implement the Industrial and Regional
Benefits program.
“We are honoured that the
Department of National Defence and Public Works and Government Services found
our team and vehicle best suited to their needs for this important program,”
said Textron Systems President and Chief Executive Officer Fred Strader. “The
Textron TAPV will provide the men and women of the Canadian Army a fully
supportable tactical armoured vehicle platform that delivers outstanding
performance in the world’s most challenging environments.”
Engineered over a
five-year-period to meet and/or exceed Canada
“The Textron TAPV will
deliver an unmatched blend of survivability, crew protection, power, mobility
and payload versatility,” explained Neil Rutter, general manager of Textron
Systems Canada. “Our program team is ready to move forward to produce
this modern and upgradable 4 by 4 armoured vehicle, which will serve the
Canadian Army extremely well for the next 25 years.”
The Canadian Textron TAPV
team includes Kongsberg Protech Systems Canada (London ,
ON ), Rheinmetall Canada
(St. Jean sur Richelieu ,
P.Q. ) and EODC – Engineering Office Deisenroth
Canada (Ottawa , ON Waterville , NS ), General
Kinetics (Brampton , ON ),
Evraz North America (Regina , SK ),
SED Systems (Saskatoon , SK ),
Ontario Drive Vaughan ,
ON ) and many others from across Canada
Textron currently employs more
than 2,200 Canadians at its Textron Systems Canada, Bell Helicopter and Kautex
facilities in Canada
Textron Systems MSV-Derived TAPV Specifications
|
Crew |
Recce - 4 (driver, commander, gunner, operator )
Utility – 10 (driver, commander, gunner,
up to 7 dismounts)
|
|
Armament |
Kongsberg M153 Protector RWS
1x40mm AGL or 12.7mm HMG
+ 1 x 7.62mm C6 option
|
|
Size/Weight |
Length: 6.81 m,
Width: 2.69 m,
Height: 3.0 m
(estimated and not counting
the RWS )
Gross weight: 17 tonnes
|
|
Powerplant |
365 hp Cummins QSL 8.9L inline 6-cylinder
turbo diesel
Allison MD3560 6-spd (+1 rev) automatic transmission
|
|
Performance |
Max speed: 105 km/h (on road)
Cruising range: 644 km
|
