The Canadian 8×8 Coyote Reconnaissance Vehicle

The Canadian 8×8 Coyote Reconnaissance Vehicle

Background of the Light Armoured Vehicle AKA LAV

Most major AFV manufacturers have facilities in a number of countries. General Dynamics Land Systems is no exception and has a large facility in Canada known as GDLS-Canada (which was previously GM Defense and was purchased by GDLS), which focuses on the production & development of Wheeled Vehicles for the international market.

The Swiss firm MOWAG developed a series of 4×4, 6×6 and 8×8 wheeled troop carriers for the Swiss Army commonly known as the Piranha during the 1970’s. Their order books have expanded to include international purchases from many other nations Armies and includes the licenced production during the 1970’s of their 6×6 vehicle by GDLS-Canada for the Canadian Army, who designated it the Armoured Vehicle General Purpose AKA “AVGP”.

There were three variants of this vehicle built:
The Grizzly – infantry carrier, The Cougar – British Scorpion tank turret equipped with a 76 mm main gun, The Husky – recovery vehicle.

GDLS-Canada’s 8×8 vehicles are called Light Armoured Vehicles, Better known as LAV. LAV is not a non-European designation of Piranha.

Since the production of the AVGP, GDLS-Canada have gone on to develop the LAV II & LAV III, which despite some similarity’s to the Swiss Piranha’s are GDLS’s own designs based on the AVGP and are not copies of Swiss Piranha’s.

The LAV II 8×8 was developed during the 1980’s and is known as the LAV-25 with the USMC, Coyote (Reconnaissance Vehicle) & Bison (infantry carrier) in Canada and ASLAV in Australia.

The LAV III was developed in the late 1990’s for the Canadian Forces and also is in service with the New Zealand Army. It serves as both armies principal Infantry Fighting Vehicle. The US Army Stryker is a lighter armoured version of the vehicle.

The success of the series has been its high mobility and adaptability to serve other mission roles.


Mission role requirements of The Canadian 8×8 Coyote Reconnaissance Vehicle

• Carry out reconnaissance and surveillance functions at battle group and brigade level
• Strategic mobility to reach theater of operations
• Tactical mobility for effective use of firepower
• Firepower to defeat soft and light armored targets
• Battlefield survivability to carry out combat missions
• Supportability and affordability

The Canadian 8×8 Coyote Reconnaissance Vehicle Service History

Since entering service with the Canadian army in 1996 it has been deployed in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and protection of G8 Summits. 203 are in service.


The Canadian 8×8 Coyote Reconnaissance Vehicle Equipment & Spec’s

The Canadian 8×8 Coyote Reconnaissance Vehicle

Size/Weight

Length: 6390 mm 251.6 in.
Width: 2500 mm 98.4 in.
Height: 2692 mm 106.0 in.
Combat weight: 13,400 kg 29,500 lb.

Performance

Governed speed: 100 kph 62 mph
Max. range: 660 km 410 miles
Min. turn diameter: 15.545 m 51 feet
Max. trench crossing: 2057 mm 81 in.
Max. grade: 60%
Max. side slope: 30%

Power Train & Suspension

Engine: 275 hp Detroit Diesel 6V53T
Transmission: Allison MT653 5 speeds forward – 1 reverse
Transfer case: 1
Differentials: 4 automotive
Suspension: 8 wheel dependent
Full time 4 wheel drive (rear)
Selectable 8 wheel drive
Power steering
Power brakes

Air Transportability

(1) C-130 (2) C-141 (8) C-5A

Doors/Hatches

2 rear
2 rear roof
1 driver
1 gunner
1 vehicle commander
1 left hand side escape
1 winch
1 signal entry panel

Electrical System

24 volts negative ground
• waterproof
• radio suppressed system
• wiring, connectors, breakers, harnesses IAW MIL-STDs
• 8 batteries per MS 52149E (AT)
• 300 amp alternator
• 2 500 amp slave receptacles

Personnel – 4 total

1 driver
1 vehicle commander
1 gunner
1 surveillance operator

Fire Suppression

• Automatic fire extinguishing system
• Halon 1301 in crew compartment and ozone safe suppressant for engine compartment

Hot/Cold Weather Operation

• dual hydraulically driven air conditioning system
• fuel fired high capacity crew heater
• engine coolant preheater for -40°C cold start
• engine glow plugs for cold start

Surveillance Equipment

All weather under armor surveillance operator’s station controls and monitors all surveillance sensors

Battle Group Equipment
• man portable dismounted surveillance
sensors mounted on tripods
• lightweight copper/fiber optic composite cable allows for sensor deployment up to 200 m from the operator’s station in the vehicle
• two tripods
• battlefield surveillance radar with 3200 mil azimuth coverage
• 6400 mil azimuth coverage for electrooptic sensors
– long range TV camera
– laser range finder
– customer furnished thermal imager (NODLR)
Brigade Equipment –
• electrically powered extendible mast projects surveillance sensors 10 m above ground
• battlefield surveillance radar with 3200 mil azimuth coverage
• 6400 mil azimuth coverage for electro-optic sensors
– long range TV camera
– laser range finder
– high performance FLIR

Navigation

• digital compass system (DCS)
– driver’s display
– commander’s display
• DCS interface with PLGR global positioning system
• dead reckoning backup to PLGR
• LRF range available on commander’s display

Armament

Primary:
• M242 25mm chain gun
Secondary:
• C6 7.62mm machine gun mounted coaxially to the main gun
Supplementary:
• C6 7.62mm machine gun (pintle mounted)
Ancillary:
• Smoke and fragmentation grenade system
• 2 clusters of 4 tubes

Ammunition

Ready:
• 210 rounds of 25mm (150 rounds of 25mm in primary bin)(60 rounds of 25mm in secondary bin)
• 440 rounds of 7.62mm in coaxial C6 weapon bin
• 220 rounds of 7.62mm in supplementary weapon bin
• (8) 76mm grenades
Stowed:
• 210 rounds of 25mm
• 660 rounds of 7.62mm
• (8) 76 mm grenades

Vision

Driver:
• (3) periscopes with 2 levels of laser protection (upgradable to 3 levels of protection)
• provisions to accommodate driver’s thermal viewer
Commander:
• 6400 mil field of view
• (7) periscopes with 2 levels of laser protection (upgradable to 3 levels of protection)
• DIM 36 target acquisition sight
• low light GEN III image intensification I2 sight
• HIRE thermal sight remote display
Gunner:
• (1) periscope with 2 levels of laser protection (upgradable to 3 levels of protection)
• DIM 36 target acquisition sight
• HIRE thermal sight through sight laser range finder
Rear Doors:
• (2) vision blocks MIL-B-11352 with laser protection

Equipment

Self-recovery Winch
– Hydraulic (front-mounted 6804 kg dynamic pull)

NBC System

• GID-3 chemical detector
• Radiac set AN/VDR 2 radiation monitor
• Ventilated respirator system

Threat Detection

• laser warning receiver (LWR)
• commander’s LWR display shows threat direction wrt turret
• driver’s LWR display shows threat direction wrt vehicle