Mowag Piranha

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The Mowag Piranha is a family of armoured fighting vehicles designed and manufactured by the Swiss Mowag corporation (now General Dynamics European Land Combat Systems). Three generations of vehicles have been produced, and variants include the LAV or Light Armored Vehicle in service with many militaries.

It is available in 4x4, 6x6, 8x8, and 10x10 wheel versions. There are several variants within these versions, giving different degrees of armour protection and several kinds of turrets, for use in a variety of roles. Piranha derivatives have been assigned roles as troop transports, command vehicles, fire support vehicles, tank trainers, and police vehicles.

Piranhas are used by the Swiss Army. Swiss-built Piranha derivatives have been exported to Chile, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland and Spain. Piranha derivatives have been manufactured under licence by General Dynamics (Canada), BAE Systems Land Systems (UK), Komatsu (Japan), FAMAE (Chile), and in the USA.

The Belgian Army has selected the Piranha IIIC 8x8, while simultaneously removing the current main battle tank, the Leopard, from the inventory.

The controversial 8x8 US Army Stryker vehicle is derived from the Piranha, as is the LAV 25 family in service with the USMC. The Australian Defence Force also has its own modified version of the Piranha known as the ASLAV (Australian Light Armoured Vehicle). The ASLAV is operated by two cavalry regiments (the 2nd Cavalry Regiment and 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment) and is used in the armoured reconnaissance and armoured personnel carrier roles.

Some variants, like the United States Marine Corps's Light Armored Vehicle-25 (LAV-25) and its derivatives, are equipped with propellers for amphibious use, though their abilities are limited to sheltered waters.

[edit] Variants

• 6 wheels:
  • Pandur 6X6 APC
  • AVGP
    • Cougar - reconnaissance vehicle mounting the same turret as a British Scorpion tank (76 mm main gun).
    • Grizzly - APC with a Cadillac Gage turret mounting a .50 BMG and a 7.62 mm machine gun.
    • Husky - Armoured recovery vehicle,
• 8 wheels:
  • Coyote Reconnaissance Vehicle
  • Bison Armoured Vehicle
  • LAV II
  • LAV 25
  • ASLAV
  • LAV-m
  • LAV-AT
  • LAV-log
  • LAV-c2 (C Square)
  • LAV III
  • Stryker
  • Mobile Gun System (MGS)
  • Pandur 8X8 APC

[edit] External links

• www.mowag.ch
• Army Technology.com
• PIRANHA concept (mowag)
• PIRANHA III / LAV III WHEELED ARMOURED VEHICLES, SWITZERLAND (army-technology.com)
• Neue Radpanzergeneration bei MOWAG - Der PIRANHA III (swissmotor.ch)
• Bison Piranha I Blindé de transport de troupe - Wheeled armoured personnel carrier (ifrance.com)
• Piranha III 10x10 Armoured Sensor Vehicle (soldf.com)
• Piranha IV 8x8 at www.army-guide.com
• Piranha III 8x8 at www.army-guide.com
• Piranha III 10x10 at www.army-guide.com