Mowag Piranha

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The Mowag Piranha is a family of armoured fighting vehicles designed by the Swiss company Mowag (since 2010 General Dynamics European Land Systems – Mowag GmbH).

Five generations of vehicles have been produced, manufactured by Mowag or under licence by other companies such as the LAV, and variants are in service with military forces throughout the world.

Variants

Piranhas are available in 4×4, 6×6, 8×8, and 10×10 wheel versions. There are several variants within these versions, giving different degrees of armour protection and several kinds of turret, 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 Ireland, Romania, Spain, and Belgium. The Romanian and Belgian armies have selected the Piranha IIIC 8×8. Belgium converted to an all-wheeled force, and replaced all their M113 armoured personnel carriers, AIFVs and Leopard 1 tanks with 268 Piranha IIIC in 7 variants.<ref name="milbe">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="belgiumselectspiranha3">Template:Cite web</ref>

Piranha derivatives have been manufactured under license by General Dynamics (Canada), BAE Systems Land Systems (UK), Cardoen and FAMAE (Chile), and in the USA.

A new Piranha V version, weighing between 25 and 30 tons, was announced as the provisional winner of the British Army's Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) program in May 2008,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but this selection was reversed seven months later and bidding started again.Template:Citation needed

General Dynamics European Land Systems launched their new Piranha Class 5 at Eurosatory 2010 on 15 June and it was reported that the British MoD were showing renewed interest, but struggling with budget constraints.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>

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Piranha 4×4 IB

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The MOWAG Piranha 4×4 IB was an armored personnel carrier.

To complete the Piranha I Family of 1974, the Piranha 4×4 IB was designed as a light rapid reconnaissance and attack vehicle. It could take part in amphibious operations thanks to twin propellers and could operate in NBC-contaminated areas. The Piranha 4×4 was also designed to meet police needs. The MOWAG Grenadier and Mowag Spy sub-versions were also developed. The prototype of the Piranha 4×4 IB went through numerous tests and received different equipment and different engines. Due to rapid technological development and adjustments to requirements for military vehicles, no Piranha with gasoline engine was sold. The prototype is now in the Schweizerisches Militärmuseum Full.

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Piranha IB 6×6

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The first Piranha prototype ever built was the 6×6 IB in 1972. It can be seen as a milestone for the Piranha series due to various technical innovation like (at the time) modern designed drive with independent suspension, compact power unit in the right front and (as an amphibian drive) being powered by two propellers. This prototype was demonstrated with different engines and features for potential customers such as the Canadian Army who locally produced them as the AVGP. Switzerland sold a license to manufacture this machine to Chile in 1983. In the Swiss Army, the Piranha 6×6 is used as an ambulance, C3 command vehicle and, together with the BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missile, as a "tank destroyer". The prototype is along with an ambulance Piranha 6×6 on display in the Schweizerisches Militärmuseum Full.

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MOWAG Piranha IIIC 10×10

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With the continuous evolution of the Piranha family due to increasing demands, and the projected development of the Mowag Shark as a heavy weapons carrier, the Piranha design reached the limit of its payload capacity. The Piranha 10×10 (built in 1994), was an attempt to expand the payload, using a 5th axle of the same type as used in the smaller Piranha models. The Piranha 10×10 was designed as a heavy weapons carrier, but only a small number were built for Sweden as the LIRKA command tank and Kapris radar carrier. The Piranha IIIC 10×10 marked an important development from the Piranha IIIC 8×8. The Piranha IIIC 10×10 prototype was used in various tests, including in Sweden, and now stands in the Schweizerisches Militärmuseum Full.

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Family tree

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Operators

Piranha I

Template:Flagicon Chilean army – 225 Piraña I 6×6 and 30 Piraña I 8×8 <ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref>

  • including 50 120 mm mortar carriers
  • 20 FSV 90 mm version

Template:Flagicon Ghana Army – 10 Piranha I 4x4, 44 Piranha I 6×6 and 3 Piranha I 8×8 <ref name=":1" /><ref name="disarmament.un.org" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Template:Flagicon Nigerian Army – 110 delivered in the 1980s<ref name="Nigeria">Template:Cite news</ref>

Template:Flagicon Boko Haram - at least two, captured from the Nigerian army<ref name="Nigeria" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Template:Flagicon Swiss Army – 314 Piranha IB 6x6

Piranha II

Template:Flagicon Royal Army of Oman – 174 Piranha II in seven versions.<ref name="disarmament.un.org" />Template:Dead

Template:Flagicon Qatar Armed Forces – 40 Piranha II 8×8 built under licence by former British firm Alvis PLC. (36 CCTS-90 tank hunter with a Belgian Cockerill 90 mm gun<ref name="tanksency">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> and 4 ARVs-recovery).Template:Citation needed Used during the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Template:Flagicon Saudi Arabian National Guard – 1,117 LAV/Piranha II in 10 versions; another 132 ordered.<ref name="disarmament.un.org" />

Template:Flagicon Swedish Army – 54 Piranha II

  • 27 10x10 Armoured Sensor Vehicle (protection against 14.5mm)
  • 17 10x10 Armoured Command Vehicle (protection against 7.62mm)
  • 10 8×8 Armoured Escort Vehicle ordered in 1997

Template:Flagicon Swiss Army – 528 Piranha IIC (APC93 8×8):

  • 8 military police "Spz Pz 93 Militärpolizei" <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • 5 driving school "Spz 93 Fahrschule" <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • 515 "Char de grenadiers à roues 93" equipped with turrets KUKA Wehrtechnik Type 606 A1 (which became Rheinmetall),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="sipri.org" /> made of the subvariants:
    • 282 Infantry APC variant "Spz 93" <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
      • tranche 1, 117 ordered in 1993
      • tranche 2, 117 ordered in 1996
      • tranche 3, 48 ordered in 1999
    • 92 command variant "Kdo Pz 93" <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
      • tranche 1, 28 ordered in 1993
      • tranche 2, 29 ordered in 1996
      • tranche 3, 35 ordered in 1999
    • 141 anti-tank variant "PAL Pz 93", (2 crew + 8 passengers, 8 Dragon anti-tank missiles embarked) <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
      • tranche 1, 60 ordered in 1993
      • tranche 2, 59 ordered in 1996
      • tranche 3, 22 ordered in 1999

Template:Flagicon Geneva Cantonal police – 1 Piranha IIC used by the tactical unit, BI (Brigade d'Intervention)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Piranha III

Mowag Piranha IIIC - Botswana (first batch)
MOWAG Piranha IIIC ambulance of the Spanish Marines

Template:Flagicon Belgian Army – 242 Piranha IIIC 8×8, selected in 2006, ordered in 2 batches, delivery 2008 - 2015. Variants purchased:

Template:Flagicon Botswana Defence Force – 90 Piranha III

  • 45 Piranha IIIC ordered in 2002, delivered from 2003 to 2004 (APC and ambulance variants).<ref name="disarmament.un.org">Template:Cite web</ref>
  • 45 Piranha ordered in 2016, delivered from 2019 to 2022 (IFV variant, equipped with HITFIST turret).<ref name=":1" />

Template:Flagicon Brazilian Marine Corps – 30 Piranha IIIC <ref name=":1" /><ref>General Dynamics awarded Order for 18 PIRANHA IIIC 8x8 Vehicles from Brazilian Marines Template:Webarchive</ref>

  • 25 APC
  • 2 ARV
  • 2 command post
  • 1 ambulance

Template:Flagicon Danish Army – 113 Piranha III <ref name=":1" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Template:Flagicon Moldovan Ground Forces – 19 Piranha IIIH, supplied by Germany (Due to Swiss veto Danish request to re-export Piranha 3 armoured vehicles to Ukraine) as overhauled former Danish Army vehicles, first 3 vehicles delivered on 11.01.2023<ref name="disarmament.un.org" />

Template:Flagicon Irish Army – 80 Piranha IIIH <ref name=":1" /> (40 ordered in 1999, 25 in 2003, 15 ordered in 2005) (in 2019-2020, 62 Protector RWS turret were ordered for all the vehicles not initially equipped with it)<ref name="Trade Registers" />

  • 45 APC
  • 18 Cavalry Reconnaissance Vehicle equipped with Protector RWS (12.7 mm or 40 mm grenade launcher)
  • 8 command post
  • 6 Medium Reconnaissance Vehicle equipped with HITFIST 30 turrets <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • 2 ambulance
  • 1 ARV

Template:Flagicon Romanian Land Forces – 43 Piranha IIIC (amphibious).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Template:Flagicon Spanish Navy Marines – 39 Piranha IIIC (18 ordered in 2001, 21 ordered in 2008)<ref name="disarmament.un.org" />

  • 26 Armoured fighting vehicles (12.7 mm KMW RWS or 40 mm grenade launcher with AN/TVS-5 night vision)
  • 4 IFV / Reconnaissance vehicles (Lance turret with 30mm Mauser canon)
  • 4 sapper / engineering vehicles
  • 2 command post
  • 1 electronic warfare
  • 1 ambulance
  • 1 ARV<ref name="Trade Registers" />

Template:Flagicon Swedish Amphibious Corps –13 Piranha IIIC

  • 7 "LIRKA" Armoured Command Vehicle (ACV) 10x10 <ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref>
  • 6 "KAPRIS" coastal artillery Armoured Sensor Vehicle (ASV) 10x10 with Giraffe radar<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
  • 1 8x8 AEV prototype (armoured escort vehicle) supplied in 2002, 18 were initially planned, later cancelled.
  • 1 piranha III 8x8 Armoured Sensor Vehicle swedish navy (artillery fire sensor)

Template:Flagicon Swiss Army – 88 Piranha IIIC <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Piranha IV

Template:Main Template:Flagicon Swiss Army – 164 Piranha IV on order

  • 84 engineering / sapper vehicles (PI PZ 21 - "Pionier Panzerfahrzeug 21"),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> to be delivered from 2025 <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • 48 mortar carriers ("12 cm Mörser 16"), 32 to be delivered between 2024 and 2025, 16 after 2026 <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
  • 32 self-propelled howitzers (AGM Artillery Gun Module on Piranha IV 10×10). The first systems are expected to be delivered in 2030.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Piranha V

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Template:Flagicon Danish Army – 309 Piranha V
The first were produced in Switzerland and delivered in May 2017, and all were delivered by end 2023 <ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Template:Flagicon Monégasque Carabiniers – 2 Piranha V

Template:Flagicon German Army - 58 Piranha V ordered, 256 in total planned<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Template:Flagicon Romanian Land Forces – 227 Piranha V in production.

The first batch of 36 vehicles produced in Switzerland, arrived in October 2020. Another 58 vehicles assembled in Romania were received by the end of 2022. All other units will be produced in Romania, at the Bucharest Mechanical Factory.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A further 150 Piranhas are to be acquired.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

  • IFV
  • Command
  • Ambulance
  • CBRN
  • Mortar
  • Recovery

Template:Flagicon Spanish Army – 348 ordered, total expected 998 <ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

  • Phase 1, 348, delivery 2023-2027
    • 219 VCR (an IFV variant)
    • 58 VEC (reconnaissance)
    • 14 VCR-PC (company command post)
    • 8 VCOAV" (artillery advanced observant)
    • 39 "VCR-ZAP" (sapper / engineering, delivery started in 2022)
  • Phase 2, 365 (2027-2030)
  • Phase 3, 285 (2031-2035)
  • 348 units on order, to be delivered by 2027. Five units were delivered in 2018 as prototypes for the VBMR program. Another seven vehicles were received in 2022. The Spanish variant is called the Dragón, and is produced by TESS Defence, an association between Santa Bárbara Sistemas, and three other companies.

Former operators of the Piranha family

Template:Flagicon Armed Forces of Liberia – 10 Piranha I 4×4.<ref name="trade">Template:Cite web</ref> Saw service during the Second Liberian Civil War.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Template:Flagicon Sierra Leone Army – about 10 Piranha I 6×6Template:Citation needed (Non operational)

Derivatives of the Piranha

ASLAV (Australian Light Armoured Vehicle)

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Template:Flagicon Australian Army

The ASLAV is an eight-wheeled amphibious armoured reconnaissance vehicle of the LAV II family used by the Australian Army, built by GDLS Canada and GDLS Australia.<ref name="Hart">Template:Cite book</ref> Land 112 Phase 1, 15 LAV-25 leased from the USMC; Land 112 Phase 2, 113 ASLAV ordered, delivery from 1995 to 1997; Land 112 Phase 3, 144 ASLAV ordered, all delivered by 2004.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

  • ASLAV – 257 <ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>
    • ASLAV Type I, derivative of the USMC LAV-25
      • ASLAV-25 <ref name=":0" />
    • ASLAV Type II, derivative of the Canadian Army Bison
      • ASLAV-PC (APC) <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
      • ASLAV-C (Command Post)
      • ASLAV-S (Surveillance)
      • ASLAV-A (Ambulance)
    • ASLAV Type III
      • 11 ASLAV-F (Fitter, a maintenance support vehicle)
      • 11 ASLAV-R (Recovery, an ARV)

LAV (Light Armoured Vehicles, made in Canada)

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Template:Flagicon Canadian Army

  • LAV III, derived from Piranha III – 651
    • 494 Infantry Fighting Vehicle - Standard model with turret and 25 mm gun
    • 71 TOW Under Armour - Anti-tank variant equipped with two TOW missile launchers on a specialized turret
    • 39 armoured engineering vehicles
    • 47 artillery fire control
  • Modernisation of 616 LAV III to standard LAV 6.0<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
    • 278 ISC (Infantry Section Carrier)
    • 181 CPV (Command Post)
    • 47 OPV (Observation Post Vehicle for artillery) <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
    • 44 ELAV (Engineer)
    • 66 RECCE (long range reconnaissance) <ref name="Government of Canada">Template:Cite web</ref>
  • LAV 6.0 ACSV – 360 <ref name="Defence">Template:Cite web</ref>
    • Type 2 variants (high roof) <ref name="canadianarmytoday.com">Template:Cite web</ref>
      • 41 Troop/Cargo Vehicle (TCV)
      • 49 Ambulance
      • 97 Command Post
      • 18 Electronic Warfare
      • 18 Engineer
    • Type 3 (low roof) <ref name="canadianarmytoday.com"/>
      • 13 Fitter / Cargo Vehicle (FCV)
      • 54 Maintenance and Recovery
      • 70 Mobile Repair Team
    • (note, among the 360, 39 were donated to Ukraine, and compensated by a complementary order) <ref name="en.defence-ua.com">Template:Cite web</ref>

Template:Flagicon Chilean Navy

Purchased second hand from New Zealand <ref name=":3">Template:Cite web</ref>

  • LAV III, known as the NZLAV – 22
    • 22 IMV (Infantry Mobility Vehicles)

Template:Flagicon Colombian Army

Template:Flagicon New Zealand Army

105 LAV III purchased, with 73 remaining in service. Among the 32 not in service, 22 were sold to the Chilean Navy, 1 lost after damage in Afghanistan, 1 used in Canada as test vehicle, and 8 available for sale.<ref name=":3" />

  • LAV III, known as the NZLAV – 105
    • 95 IMV (Infantry Mobility Vehicles)
    • 7 LOB (standard IMV with Light Obstacle Blade)
    • 3 LAV-R (Recovery)

Template:Flagicon Saudi Arabian Army

  • LAV 700 – 742 <ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
    • 385 LAV -700 (APC)
    • 119 LAV-700 AT (Anti Tank Missiles)
    • 119 LAV-700 FSV (Fire Support Vehicle), Cockerill-3105 105mm
    • 119 LAV-700 IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicles), Cockerill Medium Caliber Turret (CMCT

Template:Flagicon Ukrainian Ground Forces

  • LAV 6.0 – 39
    • 39 ACSV donated by the Canadian Army <ref name="en.defence-ua.com"/>
    • 50 ACSV ordered by Canada, to be delivered to Ukraine, the first batch of 10 to be delivered in summer 2024, after training in Germany.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Template:Flagicon Uruguayan Army

Stryker

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Retired derivatives of the Piranha family

Template:Flagicon Canadian Army

See also

Comparable vehicles

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Notes

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References

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Bibliography

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