MOWAG Piranha

MOWAG Piranha Tale

MOWAG Piranha started out as a private company, a Cold War-era development of Swiss origin, focusing on fully amphibious, lightly armored, multi-purpose battlefield vehicles. Created in the 1960s and introduced in 1972, the design has since grown into a well-accepted, highly versatile platform and expanded to 4x4, 6x6 and 8x8 wheel shapes.

Although the vehicle originally appeared under the MOWAG brand label, it is now under the General Dynamics European Land Systems - MOWAG GmbH brand label (since 2010).

The Piranha appeared in its heyday during the Cold War, when tracked and wheeled armor designs still dominated the battlefield. In any case, despite being wheeled and lightly armored, the series has carved out a niche for itself.

In return, these vehicles offer lower acquisition and maintenance costs while sharing a chassis that forms the basis for a variety of other battlefield vehicles - Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV), Infantry Fighting Vehicle (APC), Armored Fighting Vehicle (AFV) purpose . , command vehicle, reconnaissance, security, ambulance, etc.

The Piranha was equipped with a welded steel hull for protection against small arms fire and shrapnel, although later versions installed additional point defenses. To add to their international appeal, the boat's hull is also waterproof, with propellers located aft of the hull to give the Piranha its inherent amphibious capabilities.

Infrastructure such as night vision goggles, air conditioning and a complete nuclear, biological, chemical (NBC) suite are optional packages.

The Piranha series is available in a variety of configurations and in various forms of operation. There are five main generations: Piranha I, Piranha II, Piranha III, Piranha IV, and Piranha V.

Piranha I

Piranha I includes the Canadian Army's AVGP (General Purpose Armoured Vehicle) (6x6 wheels), USMC/Canadian Army LAV-25 (8x8 wheels) and the Australian Army's ASLAV I (Australian Light Armoured Vehicle) (8x8 wheels). The main sub-forms appear: 'Cougar', 'Grizzly' and 'Husky'.

The AVGP appeared in 1976 as a 10.7 ton vehicle measuring 19.6 feet long and 8.2 feet wide. Depending on the model used, the operator can consist of two to three people, with additional seating for six. Primary armament is also variable, from a 76mm tank gun to 7.62mm and 12.7mm machine guns.

Power comes from a 275-horsepower Detroit Diesel 6V53T turbodiesel, with off-road touring suspension on all three axles. Road speed is 62 miles per hour.

Piranha II

Piranha II includes "Desert Piranha" and LAV II, which spawns Bison (wheeled 8x8) and Coyote (wheeled 8x8). The Bison itself spawned the Type II and III ASLAV vehicles.

The Bison is an armored personnel carrier (APC) introduced in 1990 and built by the diesel division of General Motors. The model is a 13-ton vehicle with an overall length of 21 feet, a width of 8.5 feet and a height of 8.5 feet. The operator consists of two people, and there are additional seats for eight.

The main weapon is a 1 x 7.62mm machine gun powered by a 275 hp Detroit Diesel 6V53T turbo diesel engine. Suspension all eight wheels, road speeds of up to 62 mph, and a range of up to 400 miles.

The Australian Light Armoured Vehicle (ASLAV) Type I and II models are based on the Bison, the former for reconnaissance missions and the latter for APC, command, surveillance and medical evacuation missions.

Piranha II was purchased by the armed forces of Canada, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sweden and Switzerland. The Bison is adopted by the armed forces (National Guard, twelve units) of Australia, Canada and the United States.

Piranha III

Piranha III includes the Piranha IIIC and Piranha IIIH brands. The Piranha IIIH then became the basis for the Canadian Army LAV III (8x8 wheels), which in turn became the basis for the US Army Stryker series (8x8 wheels) and the New Zealand NZLAV.

The LAV III, originally known as the "Kodiak," became a 17-ton vehicle measuring 22.10 feet long, 8.9 feet wide, and 9 feet high. The standard operator is three, with seven additional seats available. The primary armament is a 25mm M242 chain gun mounted in a powered two-man turret above the hull. Secondary armament is a coaxially mounted 7.62mm machine gun, additional 7.62mm machine guns can be mounted on trunnion mounts to provide additional suppression capability. Power comes from a 350-horsepower Caterpillar 3126 diesel engine, and the suspension is hydropneumatic.

Street speeds reach 62 mph and range is up to 280 miles.

The Canadian Army commissioned 651 LAV IIIs. Upgraded production line announced in February 2017. NZLAV is the LAV III, of which 105 are in service. LAV III is also used by Saudi Arabia and Colombia.

The Stryker Interim Armored Vehicle (IAV) is a mainstay of the U.S. Army, serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. The line, which entered service in 2002, is built by General Dynamics Land Systems Canada, with approximately 4,900 built to Army standards. Two main types were used: the basic IFV model and the 105mm Armed Mobile Gun System (MGS).

The vehicle is an 18-ton design and measures 22.9 feet long, 8.10 feet wide and 8.7 feet high. The operator usually consists of two people with up to nine seats. The primary weapon is a 1 x 12.7mm heavy machine gun, but the turret also supports a 40mm Automatic Grenade Launcher (AGL) in the Remote Weapon Station (RWS). The Stryker "Dragoon" is another configuration offered, with a 30mm Bushmaster Mk 44 automatic cannon mounted in the turret. Secondary armament is usually a 7.62mm M240 medium machine gun or a 12.7mm heavy machine gun.

Power for the series comes from a 350-horsepower Caterpillar C7 diesel. Street speeds reach 60 mph and range is up to 310 miles.

Stryker's global operators (outside the US) include the former US Peru. U.S. Army vehicles in 2016.

Piranha III is also adopted by Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Denmark, Iraq, Ireland, Romania, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Piranha IV

The Piranha IV is the fourth vehicle in the Piranha series. This is a 25-ton design that measures 23.75 feet long and 9.2 feet wide. The crew consists of three people and can accommodate up to seven additional passengers. Primary armament when the 30mm autocannon is mounted on a two-man turret above the hull. Power comes from an MTU diesel generator set, and it can travel up to 62 mph and have a range of up to 465 miles.

There are currently no known operators of the Piranha IV product, which is a private company developed by MOWAG.

Piranha V

Piranha V marks the current (2017) and fifth generation form of the Piranha family. The car weighs 30 tons and measures 26 feet long, 9.8 feet wide and 7.7 feet high. The standard operator is three, with room for an additional eight passengers.

The primary weapon is a 1 x 12.7mm heavy machine gun, but support for 40mm automatic grenade launchers and anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) has been extended. Power comes from a 577 hp MTU 6V199 TE21 diesel. The suspension system is hydropneumatic on all four axles. Road speeds can reach 62 miles per hour and range is up to 340 miles.

The current operators are Denmark and Spain.

Specification

Basic

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Performance

Armor

Depends on weapon and battlefield role.

Changes