Saudi Arabia has reduced the order in Canada for armored vehicles LAV 700

As reported on September 10, 2018 Canadian TV company SHS, referring to its producer documents, Saudi Arabia has reduced the order for wheeled armored vehicles LAV 700, purchased from the Canadian branch of the corporation General Dynamics Lands Systems (GDLS Canada) in the framework of a huge contract, concluded in February 2014. According to the publication, the contract was changed at the initiative of the Saudi side in the second half of 2016 and now provides for the supply of Saudi Arabia only 742 armored vehicles LAV 700 with the wheel formula 8x8 instead of 928, originally planned (in the message the SAF of the car is not quite accurately called LAV 6).

Recall that in the mega-contract, concluded in February 2014 by the Canadian state-owned foreign trade corporation Canadian Commercial Corporation with the Saudi Arabia government, the latter acquired 928 armored vehicles LAV 700, specially designed by GDLS Canada for Saudi requirements. A contract worth 15 billion Canadian dollars (about $ 10 billion, with an option of another $ 3 billion) became the largest export defense contract in Canadian history and was designed for 14 years, including service support, repair and training of personnel, in including the supply of equipment itself were designed for seven years. Supplies to the Saudi armored vehicles LAV 700 from the production line of GDLS Canada in London (Ontario) under this contract were started in early 2017.




The armored machine LAV 700 with the wheel formula 8x8 is the last development of the armored vehicles produced by General Dynamics of the LAV family (Piranha), including LAV III and LAV 6.0. The LAV 700 has a total combat mass of more than 30 tons with a payload of 11 tons. LAV 700 is equipped with a diesel engine Caterpillar C13 power of 711 hp. (hence the machine index), combined with the automatic transmission Allison 2800. The machine is equipped with an adjustable fully independent hydropneumatic suspension, allowing the driver mechanics to change the ground clearance. Mine protection includes a double V-shaped body bottom.

Of the 928 LAV 700 vehicles originally planned for acquisition by Saudi Arabia, 119 vehicles were to be delivered in a cannonized version equipped with the Belgian new two-seater CMI Cockerill CT-CV 105HP with a 105 mm / 53 Cockerill CV rifled cannon of normal ballistics equipped automatic loading. Another 119 vehicles should be made in the variant of an infantry fighting vehicle (fire support vehicle) with a double tower CMI Cockerill Medium Caliber Turret (CMCT) with 30 mm ATK Orbital Mk 44 automatic cannon and an ATGM launcher. Another 354 vehicles should be delivered in the version of the armored personnel carrier (presumably with the Kongsberg Protector remotely controlled with 12.7 mm and 7.62 mm machine guns), 119 units in the self-propelled ATGM version, and 217 vehicles in several other versions, including a 120-mm self-propelled mortar, command post, medical vehicle, BREM and a VIP car.



According to IFOR, there is no evidence of the reason for Saudi Arabia's contraction of the order for LAV 700 vehicles. Meanwhile, in connection with the recent diplomatic conflict between Canada and Saudi Arabia in connection with criticism from the Canadian side of the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia, Canada there are very active voices among the public and political circles demanding that the Canadian government in general cancel the contract for the sale of LAV 700 to the Saudis.

Located in London (Ontario), GDLS Canada employing 2,400 people is one of the largest manufacturers of wheeled armored vehicles in the world. The factory has been producing Piranha series 8x8 armored vehicles for almost four decades under the license of the former Swiss company MOWAG (now also part of GDLS) - primarily for the US and Canadian armed forces under the designations LAV-I (LAV-25), LAV -II, LAV-III, etc., including those that are a variation of LAV-III armored vehicles Stryker for the US Army. In the last decade, the US Armed Forces factory also produced various armored vehicles of the MRAP class (mainly under the license of the South African branch of BAE Systems) and the release for the British armored light armored vehicles Ocelot of the development of the former company Force Protection (in 2011 acquired GDLS).

For Saudi Arabia, GDLS Canada in London has been supplying large batches of LAV armored vehicles in various earlier versions since the early 1990s, delivering them to the present contract at least 2,500 units.

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