Tests of the Piranha 5 armored personnel carrier have been completed for the Romanian army

MOWAG Piranha

- a family of armored fighting vehicles developed by the Swiss company MOWAG, which since April 2010 was renamed General Dynamics European Land Systems-Mowag GmbH as a subsidiary of General Dynamics.

There have been four generations of Piranha vehicles produced, with different variants in each, which were produced by MOWAG or other licensed companies and are in service with numerous militaries around the world.

Options

It is available in 4x4, 6x6, 8x8 and 10x10 wheel configurations, although within these versions there are several variants, with different degrees of protection and different types of turrets for use in a variety of situations. The MOWAG Piranha performs a wide range of roles such as troop transport, command vehicle, fire support vehicle and police vehicle.

The MOWAG Piranha is widely used by the Swiss Army. Switzerland produces MOWAG Piranha and its derivatives are exported to Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, Spain and Belgium. The Belgian Army has selected the MOWAG Piranha IIIC 8x8 to replace all of its wheeled armored personnel carriers, although the MOWAG Piranha does not have the protection, fire and mobility of a conventional tracked tank. A total of 242 vehicles will be delivered, of which 104 are optional.

The MOWAG Piranha and its derivatives are manufactured under license by General Dynamics (Canada), BAE Systems Land Systems (UK) in the US, and Cardoen and FAMAE (Chile).

The United States Army operates the Stryker 8x8, which is based on the Canadian LAV III, which in turn is based on the MOWAG Piranha, as is the case with the LAV-25 in family service with the US Marine Corps. The Australian Defense Force also has its own modified version of the MOWAG Piranha 8x8, known as ASLAV (Australian Light Armored Vehicles). ASLAV consists of two cavalry regiments (2nd Cavalry Regiment and 2nd and 14th Light Cavalry Regiments). It is also used as an armored reconnaissance vehicle, armored personnel carrier and other functions.

Some variants, such as that used by the US Marine Corps (LAV-25) and its derivatives, are equipped with propellers for amphibious use, although their capabilities are limited.

Family tree

USMC LAV-25.

• Piranha I AVGP
• LAV-25 NEVER

"Piranha" fifth generation

For more than forty years, the Swiss company has been producing very successful Piranha armored personnel carriers that are in demand on the world market. Currently, the fifth generation of these machines is being produced for a number of countries.

In 1976, the first production wheeled armored personnel carrier, the Piranha, rolled off the assembly line in Kreuzlingen, Switzerland. Since that time, over 11 thousand vehicles of this family have been produced and entered service with the armies of two dozen countries. In addition to Switzerland, the production of such armored personnel carriers was established in Canada, the USA, Great Britain and Chile.

The commercial success of "Piranha" would be unthinkable without its constant improvement. Following the first generation, Piranha II and Piranha III appeared. But with the fourth generation there was a misfire - Piranha IV, created in 2001, could not find buyers and remained in prototypes. In 2004, it became part of the General Dynamics concern, and since 2010 it has been officially named General Dynamics European Land Systems - Mowag (GDELS-Mowag). In this article, for the sake of brevity, we will use its traditional name.

When failure leads to success

In 2006, Movag, together with the British branch of General Dynamics, began developing the Piranha Evolution armored personnel carrier, intended to participate in the FRES UV (Future Rapid Effect System Utility Vehicle) competition. The vehicle adopted the main improvements of the Piranha IV, including mine protection that meets level 3a/3b according to the STANAG 4569 standard (the bottom of the hull can withstand an explosion on the Yugoslav TMRP-6 mine with a charge weighing 5.1 kg). At the same time, a number of innovations have appeared: a fourth steered axle, a remotely controlled machine gun mount and an open on-board electronics architecture that facilitates further upgrades. The chassis load capacity has increased to 10 tons.

In the FRES UV competition, the Piranha Evolution's competitors were the French VBCI armored personnel carrier and the German Boxer. In May 2008, the UK Ministry of Defense announced the victory of the Swiss-British armored vehicle, but in December the FRES UV program was closed because the parties did not agree on the price. The British Army made a second attempt to purchase wheeled armored personnel carriers only ten years later, and this time the winner was the Boxer.

The dimensions of Piranha 5 are quite large forsvaret.dk

The failure with the British order did not bother the Movag designers, who continued to refine the Piranha Evolution. The main areas of improvement were further strengthening of protection, increasing load capacity and useful volume, and improving mobility. Already at the end of 2009, the prototype “Piranha Class 5” was ready, later renamed “Piranha 5”. What is this machine?

"Piranha 5" has a load-bearing welded hull made of steel armor with the ability to attach additional armor panels. In this configuration, it provides ballistic protection corresponding to level 4, and mine protection to level 4a/4b according to the STANAG 4569 standard. The manufacturer declares the possibility of bringing ballistic protection to level 5 at the customer’s request. The vehicle is an all-wheel drive four-axle, with steerable first, second and fourth axles . Thanks to this, the turning radius of Piranha 5 is only 15 m (for modern passenger cars it is within 9-13 m). Hydropneumatic suspension allows you to adjust the ground clearance. Braking system - pneumatic dual-circuit, with ABS system. The armored personnel carrier is equipped with Michelin 14.00 R20 XZL pneumatic tires.

The engine and transmission compartment is located in the right front part of the body. The engine and gearbox are made in the form of a single unit - “pauek-pack”. The first samples of Piranha 5 were equipped with a six-cylinder V-shaped diesel engine MTU 6V199 TE21 with a maximum power of 585 hp. Subsequently, it was replaced by the DC13 - also six-cylinder and the same power, but with better torque (2200 Nm versus 2000). The transmission in both cases was the same - automatic seven-speed ZF 7HP902S. Fuel tanks with a total capacity of 450 liters are located in the rear of the hull on the sides of the troop compartment ramp. The armored personnel carrier is equipped with air conditioning, a system of protection against weapons of mass destruction and two independent fire protection systems (in the engine-transmission compartment and the habitable part of the hull).

Airborne squad "Piranha 5" army-technology.com

The driver's workplace is located in the left front part of the body. The driver has an individual hatch and three periscopes, the middle of which can be replaced with a night vision device. Behind him is the second crew member (commander/gunner), who also has his own hatch and five periscopes. In the troop compartment, ten individual folding seats equipped with seat belts are installed along the sides. The volume of the troop compartment is 14.5 cubic meters. m, and in the version with an increased body height - 17 cubic meters. m.

"Piranha 5" in the Kingdom of Denmark

The first customer of the fifth generation Piranhas was the Danish ground forces, who were looking for a replacement not only for the old M113 tracked armored personnel carrier, but also for the more modern Piranha III wheeled vehicles. The terms of the tender, announced in May 2011, allowed the participation of both wheeled and tracked vehicles. Five vehicles were admitted to comparative tests, which began in February 2013 and lasted almost six months: tracked G5, CV90 Armadillo and ASCOD 2, as well as wheeled VBCI and Piranha 5. In May 2015, the Piranha was declared the winner, and on December 15 of the same year, a contract was signed providing for the purchase of 309 armored vehicles in six versions (armored personnel carrier, armored personnel carrier, self-propelled mortar, ARV, engineering and medical vehicles).

"Piranha 5" of the Danish army in the armored personnel carrier version forsvaret.dk

Welding of the first hull of Piranha 5 for Denmark began in Kreuzlingen in April 2016. Due to the heavy workload of this enterprise, the final assembly of the armored personnel carrier was moved to a new plant in Tegerwilen in January 2022. In May 2017, representatives of the Danish Ministry of Defense officially handed over the first Piranha 5, and by the end of the year three more had joined it. The Danish military immediately tried to test the new “toy” in a variety of climatic conditions. In the summer of 2022, Piranha 5 was tested in the hot climate of Arizona (at the Yuma test site), and at the end of the year - in Northern Norway.

According to the contract, the final assembly of 290 armored personnel carriers must be carried out in Denmark. Back in 2013, Movag signed a corresponding agreement with the local company, but it went bankrupt in October 2022. The new counterparty was the construction machine manufacturer Hydrema, which established the assembly of Piranhas at the plant in Stevring. In 2022, the ground forces have already received 32 armored vehicles (28 armored personnel carriers, two engineering and two medical). At the same time, intensive military tests continued. “Piranha 5” in the armored personnel carrier version was officially accepted into service only on March 27, 2022.

Medical variant of the Danish Army's Piranha 5 forsvaret.dk

In the Danish Army, new armored vehicles are being supplied primarily to the 1st Brigade, which consists of three mechanized battalions, an artillery division, control, engineering, and logistics battalions, as well as a military police company. The supply program is planned to be completed by 2023.

The Danes chose the Scania DC13 engine for their Piranhas. The first armored personnel carriers were armed with the Swedish remote-controlled LEMUR installation with a 12.7-mm M2NV machine gun, but later they began to mount Norwegian Protector modules. The combat weight of the armored personnel carrier reaches 32 tons, and the crew in the Danish version consists of three people (plus nine paratroopers).

Self-propelled mortar "Piranha 5" of the Danish army forsvaret.dk

All other variants of the Piranha 5 (with the exception of the unarmed medical vehicle) are equipped with single M18 machine gun turrets manufactured by the Danish company SIMA. The self-propelled mortar is armed with a 120-mm CARDOM 10 system developed by Israel (produced in Austria at the Elsait enterprise, owned by Elbit). It differs from previous versions of CARDOM, used, in particular, by the US and Israeli armies, by an elongated barrel (the firing range has been increased to 10 km) and a semi-automatic loading system. Among the 309 vehicles, 15 self-propelled mortars were ordered, deliveries of which began at the end of 2022.

In the Balkans

Romania, like Denmark, already has experience in operating Swiss armored personnel carriers - it previously purchased 43 Piranha IIIs, which have proven themselves well among the Romanian contingent in Afghanistan. It is not surprising that, looking for a candidate for larger-scale purchases, the Romanian government again turned to Movag. On January 18, 2022, a contract was signed providing for the supply of 227 armored vehicles in six versions: infantry fighting vehicle, 120-mm self-propelled mortar, CVM, ARV, medical vehicle and radiation-chemical reconnaissance vehicle. The new vehicles were supposed to be equipped with units of the Multinational Brigade “Southeast” and the 81st Mechanized Brigade.

As in the case of the Danish order, the majority of the Romanian Piranhas (190 units) were supposed to be assembled at a local enterprise - a plant in Bucharest, owned by the ROMARM concern. Romanian enterprises also supply a number of other components: a laser warning system, smoke grenade launchers, driver video cameras, etc. The UT30MK2 turrets were to be produced by the Romanian branch.

Romanian "Piranha 5" in the BMP version edrmagazine.eu

According to the contract, by February 2022, the Romanian Ministry of Defense was to receive 36 Piranha 5s: 30 Swiss-made armored personnel carriers and 6 locally assembled CVVs. The first two vehicles arrived from Switzerland in November 2018, but by the end of January of the following year, only eight infantry fighting vehicles were delivered due to delays in obtaining an American export license for the 30-mm Mk 44 Bushmaster II cannon. Test firing at the test site ended in fiasco, and a lot of time and effort had to be spent to refine the weapon system. The KShMs were armed with fully functional Elbit RCWS machine gun modules, but other problems emerged in the production of these machines: the deplorable state of the Bucharest enterprise, which required significant investments for “reanimation.” As a result, the first batch of “Piranha 5” (30 infantry fighting vehicles and six infantry fighting vehicles) was accepted by the army only in July 2022. The vehicles were supplied to the 26th Infantry Battalion of the Multinational Brigade "Southeast", which previously operated the Piranha III. However, further implementation of the contract was blocked in November 2020 by a decision of the European Commission, which launched an investigation into possible violations of public procurement procedures by Romania.

"Piranha 5" from the 26th Infantry Battalion at the range shooting edrmagazine.eu

In 2022, “Piranha 5” participated in the tender of the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense, which was looking for a replacement for the archaic BTR-60PB. In October 2022, it was announced that the Swiss armored vehicle, together with the Finnish AMV XP armored personnel carrier, had reached the finals of the competition. However, in March 2022, the procedure had to be interrupted: the purchase price of both vehicles exceeded the financial capabilities of Bulgaria, and negotiations on its reduction ended in nothing.

Pyrenean "Dragon"

Since 2007, the Spanish Ministry of Defense has been trying to choose a suitable option to replace outdated armored personnel carriers - the tracked M113 and wheeled BMR-600. The program provided for the purchase of 300 vehicles in the first stage and another 900 in subsequent ones. As usual, tender procedures dragged on for many years, and in May 2015 a complete “reset” of the competition took place under new conditions. It involved “Piranha 5”, the Italian “Freccia”, the Finnish AMV, as well as “Boxer” and VBCI. In December of the same year, the Spanish Ministry of Defense signed a contract with the UTE VCR 8x8 consortium, which provided for the creation of the Dragon armored vehicle based on the Piranha 5. The leading role in the consortium was played by Mowag, which was absorbed by the General Dynamics European Land Systems (Santa Barbara Sistemas, or GDELS-SBS) concern. The developers were tasked with achieving as much technological independence as possible from GDELS-Mowag. The copyright for the new armored vehicle was to belong to a Spanish consortium, which would facilitate further development of the design and possible export.

D1 prototype army-technology.com

The contract, designed for three years, provided for the production of six technology demonstrators (RT0 - PT05), intended to test key technical solutions, in particular, the integration of the Spanish SW642 automatic transmission (the engine remained the same - DC13). Five prototypes followed:

• D1 (VCR) - the basic version of the infantry fighting vehicle with the uninhabited UT30MK2 turret, which was produced under license in Spain under the designation TIZONA;
• D2 (VCR-PC) - a company commander's vehicle with an unmanned Samson Mk II turret (from 2022 known as Samson 30) Israeli;
• D3 (VCOAV-ACA) - a forward artillery observer vehicle with a Spanish-made Guardian 2.0 remote-controlled module and a telescopic mast with a stabilized electro-optical head;
• D4 (VCR-VEC PC Sc) - BRM with an Italian HITFIST manned turret;
• D5 (VCR-ZAP) is an engineering armored personnel carrier with mounted bulldozer equipment and a remote-controlled Mini Samson module.

D4 prototype army-technology.com

The main armament for all three heavy turret systems was the 30-mm Mk 44 Bushmaster II cannon, and the light modules were equipped with a 12.7-mm M2NV machine gun. The Spike LR ATGM can be integrated with the TIZONA and Samson 30 modules.

Launch of the Spike LR ATGM with D1 prototype army-technology.com

The order was subsequently expanded to include a sixth MTR (Mobile Test Rig) vehicle, designed for intensive sea trials. It was assumed that a contract for the supply of 348 Dragons would be signed in December 2022. But the development and testing of prototypes was delayed. As a result, the contract was signed only on August 25, 2022. It provides for the delivery of 348 armored vehicles in five variants during 2022-2025: infantry fighting vehicles (179), infantry fighting vehicles (58), engineering vehicles (49), battalion-level CVs (14) and forward artillery observer vehicles (8). In the future, it is planned to purchase two more large batches of Dragons: 365 copies in 2026-2030 and 285 in 2031-2035. Thus, according to the current plans of the Spanish Ministry of Defense, it is planned to purchase a total of 998 armored vehicles of the Dragon family.

Swiss version

Unlike other European buyers, the Swiss army purchased the Piranha 5 in only one version - a self-propelled mortar. Their procurement program was initiated in September 2016 and was intended to compensate for the lack of combat vehicles of this class: in 2009, the army wrote off the Minenwerferpanzer 64/91 self-propelled mortars (M113A1 armored personnel carrier with 120 mm mortars) without replacement. It was planned to supply 32 Mörser 16 self-propelled mortars (on the Piranha 5 chassis), 12 ammunition transporters (trucks with armored cabs), as well as the modernization of 16 Kommandopanzer 93/99 CVS (based on the Piranha II).

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Self-propelled mortar Mörser 16 army-guide.com

Cobra mortar system army-guide.com

The Cobra mortar system, developed proactively by RUAG, was chosen as the main weapon for the Mörser 16. The mortar with a maximum firing range of 9 km is adapted to fire not only conventional ammunition, but also Strix guided mines. The system is equipped with a semi-automatic loading mechanism (maximum short-term rate of fire - 12 rds/min, long-term - 4 rds/min) and a ballistic computer, and its weight is 1350 kg. Additionally, the self-propelled mortar is armed with the M151-SN-13 Protector module with a 12.7 mm M2NV machine gun. The vehicle's crew consists of four people: a driver, a commander/gunner and two loaders.

Mörser 16, top view army-guide.com

The development of the self-propelled mortar was accompanied by numerous problems. Some of them are very typical for the defense industry of post-Soviet states. For example, at one point the RUAG management discovered that there was literally no one to modify the Cobra: all the experienced specialists had retired, and no young people came. A number of requirements of the technical specifications could not be satisfied. For example, due to the insufficient width of the fighting compartment and the significant dimensions of the loading mechanism, it was necessary to abandon all-round firing: the horizontal aiming angle is limited to 60º to the right and left of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The final contract for the production of 32 Mörser 16 was signed only in January 2022, and deliveries of serial self-propelled mortars will begin in 2024.

"Piranha 5" Botswana order gdels.com

So, all four European customers who bought Piranha 5 will receive their combat vehicles with significant delays - almost always they are due to the requirements for the integration of additional equipment or localization of production.
Outside of Europe, Piranha 5 has so far been sold to only one country - Botswana, which ordered 45 vehicles with UT30MK2 turrets in 2016. The contract was implemented in 2020-2021. Tactical and technical characteristics of the armored personnel carrier "Piranha 5"

Literature:

1. army-guide.com
2. armyrecognition.com
3. army-technology.com
4. edrmagazine.eu
5. forsvaret.dk
6. gdels.com

Users

Piranha I

Pirahna 1 users in blue. A pair of AVGP Canadian cougars. Australia

• Australian Army - 257 ASLAV. [2]

Canada

• Canadian Army - 491 AVGP (retired).

Chile

• Chilean Army -217 Piranha 6x6 and 36 Piranha 8x8 produced under FAMAE license in Chile.

Ghana

• Ghana Army - Commissars 63 Piranha I 4x4, 6x6 and 8x8. [ 3 ] [ ] [ ]

Liberia

• Liberian Armed Forces - 10 Piranha I 4x4. [6] In service during the Second Liberian Civil War. [7]

Nigeria

• Nigerian army - 140 units. [ 8 ]

Swiss

• Swiss Army - 303 Piranha I 6x6 TOW, including 40 converted into ambulances [9] and 160 into commando vehicles. [ 10 ]

Sierra Leone

• Sierra Leone Army - 10 Piranha I 6×6 (retired).

US

• US Marine Corps - 772 LAV-25.

Uruguay

• Uruguay Army - 147 AVGP. [ eleven ] [ ]

piranha II

Pirana 2 users in blue. Canada

• Canadian Army - 199 Bison, [13] and 203 Coyote.

US

• National Guard - 12 bison.

Oman

• Royal Army of Oman - 174 Piranha II in 7 versions. [3]

Qatar

• Qatar Army - 40 Piranha II 8x8.

Saudi Arabia

• Saudi Arabian Army - 124 Piranha II 8x8 in 6 modifications.
• Saudi National Guard - 1117 LAV/Piranha II 8x8 in 10 modifications; other managers 132.

Sweden

• Swedish Army - 44 Piranha II 10 × 10 vehicles, including 27 sensor vehicles and 17 commando vehicles (with 7.62 mm machine guns) plus 10 Piranha II 8 × 8 escort vehicles.

Swiss

• Swiss Army - 500 Piranha IIC 8x8.

Piranha III

Pirans 3 users in blue. Spanish Marine Corps Piranha IIIC ambulance. Irish Army Piranha IIIH. Stryker mobile artillery system. Belgium

• Belgian Army. Commissioner 242 Piranha IIIC 8x8 in 7 versions. [ 14 ]

Botswana Botswana

• 45 Piranha IIIC 8x8. [3]

Brazil

• Brazilian Marines. 30 Piranha IIIC 8x8 in 4 versions. [ 15 ]

Canada

• Canadian Army - 651 LAV III. [ 16 ]

New Zealand

• New Zealand Army - 105 NZLAV.

Denmark

• Danish Army - 18 Piranha IIIH 8x8 and 24 Piranha IIIC 8x8; run by other 91 Piranha IIIC 8x8. [3]

Iraq

• Iraqi Army - 400 Stryker. [ 17 ]

Ireland

• Irish Army - 80 Piranha IIIH 8x8 in 6 modifications. [3]

Romania

• Romanian Ground Forces - 33 Piranha IIIC 8x8. [ 18 ]

Spain

• Spanish Marines - 39 Piranha IIIC 8x8: 26 combat infantry, 2 command, 2 ambulance, 1 rescue, 4 sapper and 4 reconnaissance. [ 19 ]

US

• US Army - 2131 Stryker.

Sweden

• Swedish Army - 33 Piranha IIIC.

Swiss

• Swiss Army - 60 Piranha IIIC 8x8 in two modifications [20] and 12 reconnaissance ones were put into operation.

piranha IV

Swiss

• Swiss Army - number unknown.

piranha V

Piranha 5 users in blue. Denmark

• Danish Army - 309 is expected to be purchased and enter service in 2023. [21]

Spain

• Spanish Army-5 was acquired in 2015 as prototypes for the VBMR program, which is seeking replacements for the BMR and VEC. At the first stage, the purchase of 350-400 cars is expected, 1000-1200 units in total.

Monaco

• Carabinieri of Monaco - 2 Piranhas V. [ 22 ]

The Romanian army was replenished with “Piranhas”

In October 2022, the Romanian army began to receive Piranha 5 armored personnel carriers from a previously ordered batch of armored vehicles of this type. What difficulties did you encounter during deliveries? What is the price of the contract and how many new armored personnel carriers does Romania plan to receive? Read our material.

In October 2022, the Romanian government signed an agreement with General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) of the American General Dynamics corporation for the purchase and organization of production of Piranha 5 armored personnel carriers for the needs of the Romanian army. It is worth noting that before the conclusion of this contract, the German company Rheinmetall applied for the role of supplier of armored personnel carriers for the Romanian armed forces. It was assumed that the German concern, together with the Romanian industry, would develop a new armored personnel carrier called Agilis with an 8x8 wheel arrangement and the introduction of Romanian technologies from the Saur armored personnel carrier and German technologies from the Boxer armored personnel carrier.

Rheinmetall's plans included subsequently producing about 400 armored personnel carriers for the needs of the Romanian army, while it was assumed that about 90 percent of the components for the new armored personnel carrier would be produced by the Romanian industry, and the right for maintenance at local enterprises would be established until 2055.

However, the contract for the purchase of new armored personnel carriers for the Romanian armed forces went to the American corporation General Dynamics in the form of a large-scale purchase of Piranha 5 armored personnel carriers. It is worth noting that the Romanian army was already armed with earlier versions of the Piranha armored personnel carrier in the form of the Piranha 3C armored personnel carrier. These combat vehicles in the amount of 31 units were purchased under an agreement with Mowag in 2007, and in 2016 Romania signed an agreement to purchase another 20 Piranha 3C armored personnel carriers in special versions. The successful operation of Piranhas in the Romanian army, especially during peacekeeping operations, clearly had a significant impact on subsequent large-scale purchases of a more advanced version of these machines in the form of Piranha 5.

The Piranha 5 armored personnel carrier was first presented to the general public in 2010 at the EUROSATORY 2010 arms exhibition. This armored personnel carrier was a further development of the Swiss family of combat vehicles “Mowag Piranha”. In Piranha 5, the developers placed the main emphasis on protection. The armored personnel carrier received the 4th level of protection according to the NATO classification, which means that the armor must withstand a 14.5-mm bullet from any angle, a mine under the bottom in the equivalent of 10 kg of TNT, and is resistant to 30-mm shells in the frontal projection. At the same time, this armored personnel carrier was created with the ability to accommodate various modules and enhance protection. “Piranha” has a diesel engine and automatic transmission, but according to the developers, both the original engine and transmission can be replaced with other analogues, at the request of the customer. The armored personnel carrier provides for the possibility of enhancing armor protection of 95% of the hull's angular coverage, installing active protection systems and various combat modules with weapons from heavy machine guns to 30-mm automatic cannons. The vehicle allows you to transport up to eight military personnel in a protected cabin, plus a crew of three.

In 2022, a framework contract was signed with Dynamics European Land Systems under which Romania was to purchase 227 Piranha 5 armored personnel carriers in the form of infantry fighting vehicles, 120-mm self-propelled mortars, KShM, chemical reconnaissance, medical evacuation vehicles and ARVs. The first batch of 36 armored personnel carriers was supposed to arrive in Romania in 2022. Moreover, according to the agreement, 30 armored personnel carriers were to be delivered to the country from abroad in finished form, while the remaining six were in the form of vehicle kits that had to be assembled under license at the Bucharest Engineering Plant. It is worth noting that this plant was originally equipped for the production of tanks, in particular the TR-580, TR-85 and TR-125 tanks. After the sale of the first batch of armored personnel carriers, the remaining combat vehicles were also supposed to be produced by Romanian industry. The contract for the purchase of a license and subsequent co-production is valued at 868 million euros.

However, very soon problems began with compliance with the contract, since the first batch of 30 armored personnel carriers was supposed to arrive in Romania in the fall of 2022. Then the American company postponed the date of shipment of the Piranhas to Romania by two months. It is worth noting that 30 armored personnel carriers manufactured abroad were to be equipped with optionally manned Elbit Systems UT30MK2 combat modules imported from Israel with a 30-mm Northrop Grumman Bushmaster Mk 44 automatic cannon. The remaining six armored personnel carriers, which were supposed to be assembled in Romania, were armed with combat modules the same company with 12.7 mm machine guns. However, Israeli turrets subsequently almost served as the main culprits in the possible failure of the contract for the supply of armored personnel carriers.

Thus, by January 2022, 30 units of the Piranha 5 armored personnel carrier were built for shipment to Romania, but their tests were delayed due to the receipt of only 20 combat modules ordered from Israel for arming armored personnel carriers. In turn, Israeli suppliers blamed the disruption of supplies to the United States, since 30-mm Mk 44 guns were not transferred from there on time due to delays in obtaining an American export license. As a result, by the fall of 2022, only eight complete armored personnel carriers were delivered to Romania. Plans for the production of armored personnel carriers in Romania itself were also thwarted, but this was largely due to the poor condition of the Bucharest Machine-Building Plant, which had been in a state of “stagnation” for a long time.

“Almost 8 months have passed since the moment when a batch of 36 American-made armored vehicles was supposed to arrive in our country,” said Romanian Defense Minister Gabriel Lesch.

After the disruption of the supply of armored personnel carriers, Romania demanded that General Dynamics pay a fine of 8.5 million euros. Threats were also made about completely terminating the contract with General Dynamics European Land Systems. It was possible to solve the problems with turrets for armored personnel carriers only in November 2022. Thus, for the company General Dynamics European Land Systems, through its subsidiary in Romania, Elmet Romania International transferred 30 towers for the Piranha 5 armored personnel carriers. The next 32 towers were supposed to be received in 2022.

As a result, a batch of 30 Piranha 5 assembled abroad was delivered by the end of 2022. Work on assembling 6 more armored personnel carriers at the machine-building plant in Bucharest dragged on until the fall of 2022.

The official transfer of the first batch of 36 Piranha 5 armored personnel carriers took place on October 5, 2022 in the workshops of the Bucharest Engineering Plant. Thus, the first batch of armored personnel carriers was delivered to the Romanian army with a delay of 20 months.

However, Romanian officials remain optimistic in this regard. Thus, Romanian Defense Minister Nicolae-Ionel Ciuca indicated that the first full-fledged batch of Romanian-assembled armored personnel carriers should enter the army in less than a year. And subsequently all problems with production should completely disappear. It is expected that the next batch of Piranhas will be 58 units of armored personnel carriers, assembled under license in Romania.

Today, the main armored personnel carriers of the Romanian army are the TAB-71, TAB-77 and B33 Zimbru, which are Soviet armored personnel carriers BTR-60, BTR-70 and BTR-80 modernized for the needs of Romania. However, this technology is considered obsolete in Romania.

At the same time, an attempt to create our own Saur-2 armored personnel carrier failed due to the disinterest of the domestic armed forces in these armored personnel carriers.

The production of the Piranha 5 armored personnel carriers will significantly strengthen the Romanian troops with fairly modern armored personnel carriers. It is reported that the Piranhas from the first batch will go into service with the 26th Infantry Battalion of the South-East Brigade of the Romanian Armed Forces.

Alexander Dolbysh for ANNA—News.

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see also

Related developments

• Piranha I AVGP
• LAV-25 NEVER

Similar cars

• FNSS PARS
• VBKI
• BTR-90
• Boxer MRAV
• Patria AMV
• VBM Strelka
• Pandur II
• BTR-3
• Striker
• ZBL-09
• Type 96

Related Lists

• Appendix: Materials of the Spanish Marine Corps

References

1. FAS.org - Piranha Review - Statistics
2. "Organization of defense equipment" (undefined).
3. ↑ a b c d e
   https://web.archive.org/web/20081214211015/https://disarmament.un.org/UN_REGISTER.NSF
4. Ghana Armed Forces. Archived April 22, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
5. "Procurement: Iraq buys what it knows" (undefined).
6. "Trade Registers". armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved June 20, 2013
7. Fighting in Northern Liberia
8. Family of wheeled combat vehicles "Piranha"
9. (en francés) Medical vehicle Piranha I, 6x6 (transformation into tank destroyer), Weapons Acquisition Report - Weapons Program 2005, p. 26, 2005
10. Command vehicle / transformation of tank destroyers abandoned Archivado el 5 de marzo 2016 in Wayback Machine., Weapons Acquisition Report - Armament Program 2006, p. 21, 2006.
11. https://web.archive.org/web/20090211180239/https://www.saorbats.com.ar/news/817
12. https://archive.is/20120630032141/www.dintel-gid.com.ar/image2/vodnik/foto12_1.jpg
13. https://web.archive.org/web/20090211041011/https://www.army.forces.gc.ca/lf/english/11_6_3.asp
14. "Army technology - 242 MOWAG PIRANHA IIIC 8x8 vehicles for Belgium" (unspecified).
15. "MOWAG GmbH - News and press releases > Sales success in Spain".
16. Citation error: Invalid label; the content of the links being called is not defined army.forces.gc.ca
17. Procurement: Iraq buys what it knows
18. https://www.janes.com/extracts/extract/jaa/jaa_a052.html
19. “The Spanish Marine Corps will purchase Lance de Rheinmetall turrets for its 8x8 - infodefensa.com - Defense and Security Information” (unspecified).
20. (en francés) Increasing the capacity of telecommunications infrastructure Archived March 5, 2016 en Wayback Machine ., Weapons Acquisition Report - 2007 Arms Program, p. 22, 2007
21. Wikimedia Commons has media related to 309 new armored vehicles. Forsvaret.dk
    (in Danish). Retrieved December 11, 2015.
22. Gillette, Jacques (2005). Personal Guard of the Princes of Monaco
    (1st edition). Taurus Editions. ISBN 2 912976-04-9.

Mowag Piranha

Armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha (Mowag Piranha APC)

Mowag Piranha is a family of Swiss armored personnel carriers (APC) (Armored Personnel Carrier - APC), developed in the late 1960s as a universal chassis.

The first prototype of the Mowag Piranha armored personnel carrier was built in 1972.

Mowag Piranha armored personnel carriers are modular vehicles with a 4x4, 6x6, 8x8 and 10x10 wheel arrangement, a welded body made of steel armor that protects against small arms bullets. Mowag Piranha could be equipped with various systems, including engines, equipment and weapons to suit the customer’s every taste.

Armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha 6x6 (Mowag Piranha 6x6), ambulance

The Mowag Piranha armored personnel carrier could become any armored vehicle necessary for a specific tactical situation: self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, self-propelled mortar, ambulance vehicle, armored personnel carrier, anti-tank vehicle, truck, command post vehicle, electronic warfare (radio-electronic) vehicle combat), ARV (armored repair and recovery vehicle), fire truck, engineering vehicle, reconnaissance vehicle, etc. The Mowag Piranha armored personnel carrier could, with the help of a set of additionally ordered equipment, at a low cost, be converted on site into a vehicle of the required class. The Mowag Piranha armored personnel carrier has been supplied to more than 21 countries. The most famous and popular was the Mowag Piranha 8×8, of which there are over 6,500 units in Europe alone.

(Motorwagenfabrik AG) was founded in Kreuzlingen, Switzerland, in 1950 by engineer Walter Ruf. The company specialized in the production of the Mowag T1 4×4 all-wheel drive truck, which began to be supplied to the Swiss and German armies in 1953. The company reached its peak in 1972, when production of the Piranha armored vehicle began, which very quickly captured the world arms market. Subsequently, on the basis of licensed Mowag Piranha vehicles, after 2000 the American Stryker and the Canadian Coyote were created.

MOWAG at one time foresaw the need of the Swiss army and the world arms market for a modular armored vehicle that would have low operating costs, high reliability and availability of production at private enterprises. In 1972, such a 6x6 vehicle was released - the first of the Mowag Piranha family.

The body of the Mowag Piranha armored personnel carrier is made by welding from rolled homogeneous armor (RHA) 6-8 mm thick with anti-fragmentation padding inside the habitable compartments. The bow of the hull is multifaceted with a central weld and lateral sloping edges connecting the bow at large angles. The aft part of the hull had a slight downward slope and aft doors.

On the left side of the body of the Mowag Piranha armored personnel carrier (Mowag Piranha), in front, one behind the other, there were the driver’s and commander’s seats. They had hatches above their seats and three periscope observation devices installed on the front arc of the hatch.

On the right side of the body of the Mowag Piranha armored personnel carrier there is an engine and transmission compartment (MTO) with an installed diesel engine, above which there were exhaust grilles and cooling fans. Initially, a 6-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine “Mowag” with a power of 275 hp was installed. (202 kW). The Allison MT-653 transmission was installed in the nose of the hull and provided 6 forward speeds and 1 reverse.

Armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha, view of the stern

At the rear of the hull of the Mowag Piranha armored personnel carrier there was a troop compartment combined with a combat compartment. The fighting compartment with a circular rotation turret or combat module was located between the control compartment and the troop compartment.

The Mowag Piranha BTR suspension is independent hydropneumatic. A vehicle with a 6×6 wheel arrangement has steerable wheels on the first axle, while a vehicle with an 8×8 wheel arrangement has steerable wheels on the first two axles. The tires used were 13.00×20 in size with bullet-resistant inserts, ensuring the movement of an armored personnel carrier with punctured pneumatic tires.

All armored personnel carriers of the Mowag Piranha family are amphibious vehicles. Their movement in water at a speed of 10 km/h is ensured by two screws.

Different variants of the Mowag Piranha armored personnel carrier have different weapons, based on the vehicle's mission. As the main armament on many variants of the Mowag Piranha armored personnel carrier, a 12.7 mm machine gun or a 7.62 mm machine gun on brackets is mounted on a turret, or a remote control combat module with both light weapons and a 20 mm cannon or a larger caliber gun. TOW ATGM launchers or TOW/Mephisto turret can also be installed.

The Mowag Piranha armored personnel carrier is equipped with night vision devices, air conditioning systems and protection against weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

From 1979 to 1982, it manufactured 491 vehicles under license for the Canadian Army. Initially, three versions of the vehicle were produced: the Cougar combat vehicle with heavy weapons in the form of a 76-mm cannon, the Grizzly armored personnel carrier with 12.7- and 7.62-mm machine guns, and the Husky repair and recovery vehicle.

After testing a number of vehicles, the United States selected the four-axle version of the Mowag Piranha armored personnel carrier as the LAV (Light Armored Vehicle) for its Marine Corps. The first vehicle entered service at the end of 1983. The LAV-25 armored personnel carrier was equipped with a double turret with a 25 mm cannon and a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun. On the basis of this vehicle, transport, command and repair vehicles, a self-propelled mortar, anti-tank and anti-aircraft missile launchers, as well as an electronic warfare vehicle were created.

LAV armored personnel carriers took an active part in the war in the Persian Gulf, as well as in Afghanistan at the forward base of the Marine Corps in the Kandahar region.

In 1983, the Swiss army tested and in the late 1980s adopted the TOW three-axle self-propelled anti-tank system.

APC Mowag Piranha I

Tactical and technical characteristics of the armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha I 8×8 (Mowag Piranha I 8×8)

Armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha I 8×8 (Mowag Piranha I 8×8)

• Overall dimensions - length 6.24 m - width 2.5 m - height 1.85 m • Combat weight - 12.5 t • Load capacity - 2.5 t • Empty weight - 10 t • Crew - 2+7 people • Wheel arrangement - 8×8 • Wheelbase - 2040/1040/2040 mm • Ground clearance (ground clearance) - 350 mm • Powerplant - 6-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine "Mowag" - power 275 hp. (202 kW) • Maximum speed - 100 km/h on the highway - 10 km/h afloat • Cruising range - 800 km on the highway • Fuel tank capacity - 300 l • Armament - 12.7 mm machine gun or - 7.62 -mm machine gun • Reservation - bulletproof, anti-fragmentation - overlay armor • Obstacle to be overcome - deep ford - floating - wall 0.5 m high - ditch 2.1 m wide - elevation angle 55° - roll 27°

Armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha I 6x6 (Mowag Piranha I 6x6)

The Mowag Piranha I armored personnel carrier is the first version of the Piranha series of armored vehicles, released in 1972. The vehicle was created for defense and use in police units.

The driver was on the left front and had a folding armored window. Behind the driver was the commander's seat. The driver and commander had hatches and periscope observation devices. The troop compartment was located in the rear of the Mowag Piranha I armored personnel carrier. On the sides of the troop compartment there were two observation glass blocks and two loopholes, covered with armored covers.

Armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha I (Mowag Piranha I) on a three-axle chassis

The Mowag Piranha I armored personnel carrier initially had a three-axle chassis with a 6x6 wheel arrangement. The body length of this version was 5.97 m. The wheels on the front axle were steerable. Subsequently, the armored personnel carrier received a fourth axle and an 8x8 wheel arrangement, and the body length increased to 6.24 m.

The engine and transmission compartment (MTO) of the Mowag Piranha I armored personnel carrier was located on the front right. A standard 6-cylinder liquid-cooled Mowag diesel engine with a power of 275 hp was installed there. (202 kW).

Armored personnel carriers Mowag Piranha I (Mowag Piranha I) 6x6 and 8x8 are amphibious vehicles. Movement on the water was ensured by two propellers installed at the rear of the vehicle.

The standard armament of the Mowag Piranha I armored personnel carrier is a 12.7 mm machine gun mounted on a turret or turret. Other weapons can also be installed.

Armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha II (Mowag Piranha II)

Tactical and technical characteristics of the armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha II 8x8 (Mowag Piranha II 8x8)

Armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha II 8x8 (Mowag Piranha II 8x8)

• Overall dimensions - length 6.53 m - width 2.5 m - height 1.85-1.92 m • Combat weight - 14 t • Load capacity - 3 t • Crew - 2+8 people • Wheel arrangement - 8x8 • Wheelbase - 2040/1040/2040 mm • Ground clearance (ground clearance) - 350 mm • Powerplant - 6-cylinder V-shaped liquid-cooled diesel engine Detroit Diesel 6V-53T Silver - power 275 hp. (202 kW) or - 6-cylinder V-shaped liquid-cooled diesel engine Detroit Diesel 6V-53TA Silver - power 350 hp. (257 kW) or - 6-cylinder in-line diesel engine with turbocharged liquid cooling Cummins 6 CTA 8.3 - power 300 hp. (221 kW) • Maximum speed - 100 km/h on the highway - 10 km/h afloat • Cruising range - 800 km on the highway • Fuel tank capacity - 300 l • Armament - 12.7 mm machine gun or - 7.62 -mm machine gun or other weapons • Reservation - bulletproof, anti-fragmentation - overlay armor • Obstacle to be overcome - deep ford - floating - wall 0.5 m high - ditch 2.1 m wide - elevation angle 55° - roll 27°

The success of the Mowag Piranha I 8x8 armored personnel carrier on the arms market forced MOWAG to modernize it in 1980. The body, which was lengthened by 290 mm and received improved armor, a modular engine compartment (MTO), transmission, wheel tires (the tire size was increased) and the braking system were improved. On the hull of the Mowag Piranha II armored personnel carrier, side extensions appeared, which increased the internal space, additional loopholes for firing from small arms of the landing force, as well as additional protection. The internal habitable spaces had internal anti-fragmentation padding.

Armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha II (Mowag Piranha II)

The 4x4 version of the Mowag Piranha II armored personnel carrier is a reconnaissance vehicle manufactured in 1981 only as an experimental version. Mowag Piranha II vehicles with 6x6 and 10x10 wheel arrangements were manufactured as demonstration versions only.

The armament of the Mowag Piranha II armored personnel carrier was varied. Weapons were installed on the vehicle according to customer requirements. The variety of weapons included from 7.62 mm and 12.7 mm machine guns to remote control combat systems armed with 20, 25 or 30 mm automatic cannons. Launchers of BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missiles were also installed on the sides of the rotating turrets.

At the Eurosatory 1986 arms exhibition, the Mowag Piranha II variant was demonstrated with a Giat Industries TS 90 turret, armed with a 90 mm cannon with 43 rounds of ammunition, of which 18 are in the turret.

With the MTO of the Mowag Piranha II armored personnel carrier, a 6-cylinder V-shaped liquid-cooled diesel engine “Detroit Diesel” 6V-53T “Silver” with a power of 275 hp could be installed. (202 kW) or 6V-53TA “Silver” with 350 hp. (257 kW), or a 6-cylinder in-line diesel engine with liquid-cooled turbocharging “Cummins” 6 CTA 8.3 with a power of 300 hp. (221 kW).

The Mowag Piranha II armored personnel carrier has additional equipment in the form of a protection system against weapons of mass destruction, air conditioning and night vision devices. Also, the machine has an automatic fire extinguishing system and a centralized tire pressure regulation system.

The suspension of the Mowag Piranha II armored personnel carrier is combined: spring on the two front steered axles, torsion bar on the two rear axles. All suspension units have hydraulic shock absorbers.

Armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha III (Mowag Piranha III)

Tactical and technical characteristics of the armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha III 8x8 (Mowag Piranha III 8x8)

Armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha III 8x8 (Mowag Piranha III 8x8)

• Overall dimensions - length 6.93 m - width 2.66 m - height 2.17 m • Combat weight - 18.5 t • Load capacity - 6 t • Empty weight - 12.5 t • Crew - 2+10 people • Wheel arrangement - 8×8 • Wheelbase - 2040/1040/2040 mm • Ground clearance (ground clearance) - 325 mm • Powerplant - 6-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine MTU 6V183TE22 - power 400 hp. (294 kW) at 2300 rpm or - 6-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine Scania DSJ9-48A - power 400 hp. (294 kW) at 2300 rpm or - 6-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine Caterpillar 3126 - power 350 hp. (257 kW) or - 6-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine Detroit Diesel 6V53TA - power 350 hp. (257 kW) or - 6-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine Cummins 6CTAA8.3-T350 - power 350 hp. (257 kW) • Maximum speed - 100 km/h on the highway - 10 km/h afloat • Cruising range - 700-800 km on the highway • Armament - different, depending on the variant • Reservation - bulletproof, anti-fragmentation - patch armor • Obstacle to overcome - deep ford - floating - wall 0.5 m high - ditch 2.1 m wide - elevation angle 55° - roll 27°

The Mowag Piranha III armored personnel carrier is a further development of the Mowag Piranha 8x8 armored personnel carrier for the Swiss army. This vehicle model has improved cross-country ability due to tire changes. Now the tires have become slightly smaller in diameter, but larger in width, which has led to an increase in the overall width of the armored personnel carrier. After trial tests, the Swiss military approved this increase in size. The length of the armored personnel carrier was also increased to increase the internal volume of habitable premises. The troop compartment can accommodate up to 10 fully equipped infantrymen.

Armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha III (Mowag Piranha III)

The hull of the Mowag Piranha III armored personnel carrier has received reinforced armor that can withstand being hit by a 14.5 mm bullet from a distance of 300 m. In addition, it is possible to use mounted additional armor. As a result of this, the frontal part of the Mowag Piranha III armored personnel carrier began to withstand a 30-mm projectile. The bottom of an armored personnel carrier can withstand a mine explosion equivalent to 8 kg of TNT.

The armament of the Mowag Piranha III armored personnel carrier consists of various options, for example, a German KUKA 606A1 turret with a 12.7 mm Browning M2HB machine gun, an M47 Dragon anti-tank missile launcher, a 105 mm anti-tank gun and etc.

The Mowag Piranha III armored personnel carrier is equipped with various engines, depending on customer requirements: - 6-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine MTU 6V183TE22 with a power of 400 hp. (294 kW) at 2,300 rpm, - 6-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine “Scania” DSJ9-48A with a power of 400 hp. (294 kW) at 2,300 rpm, - 6-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine "Caterpillar" 3126 with a power of 350 hp. (257 kW), - 6-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine “Detroit Diesel” 6V53TA with a power of 350 hp. (257 kW), - 6-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine “Cummins” 6CTAA8.3-T350 with a power of 350 hp. (257 kW).

On the Mowag Piranha III 8x8 armored personnel carrier (Mowag Piranha III 8x8)

The Mowag Piranha III armored personnel carrier is equipped with external fuel tanks to increase its range.

The Swiss army initially ordered about 600 Mowag Piranha III armored personnel carriers, but the order was subsequently reduced to 60 vehicles of various variants.

To order from the Swedish army, MOWAG produced the Mowag Piranha III 10×10 armored personnel carrier as a carrier of heavy weapons. The 10x10 wheeled vehicle is used by the Swedish Army as the LIRKA command and control vehicle and the Kapris radar station.

Armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha III 10×10 (Mowag Piranha III 10×10)

The Mowag Piranha III 10×10 armored personnel carrier has an independent torsion bar suspension on three rear axles and a vertical spring suspension on two front axles. The wheels on the two front axles are steerable. The transmission is automatic, Allison type.

The combat weight of the Mowag Piranha III 10x10 is 18 tons, the length of the vehicle is 7.45 m, the width is 2.66 m, the height is 1.98 m. The vehicle's armament consists of a combat complex with a 35-mm Oerlikon automatic cannon and a coaxial 7.62 mm FN MAG machine gun, as well as 2 blocks of three 76 mm smoke grenade launchers. Engine - 6-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel engine "Detroit Diesel" 6V53TA with a power of 350 hp. (257 kW).

Armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha IV (Mowag Piranha IV)

Tactical and technical characteristics of the armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha IV 8x8 (Mowag Piranha IV 8x8)

Armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha IV 8x8 (Mowag Piranha IV 8x8)

• Overall dimensions - length 7.24 m - width 2.8 m - height 2.25 m • Combat weight - 25 t • Crew - 3+7 people • Wheel arrangement - 8x8 • Wheelbase - 2040/1040/2040 mm • Ground clearance (ground clearance) - 325 mm • Powerplant - MTU liquid-cooled diesel engine - power 544 hp. (400 kW) • Maximum speed - 100 km/h on the highway • range - 750 km on the highway • Armament - two-story General Dynamics Land Systems turret • Reservation - bulletproof, anti-fragmentation - overlay armor • Overcoming obstacle - ford 1.5 m deep — wall 0.6 m high — ditch 2.1 m wide — elevation angle 55° — roll 27°

Piranha IV armored personnel carrier appeared in 2001 as a continuation of the further development of the most popular Mowag Piranha 8x8 armored personnel carrier.

The body of the armored vehicle has more powerful protection, and it is also possible to install additional armored protection. Mowag Piranha IV armor protects the crew and troops from armor-piercing 14.5 mm bullets from a distance of 300 m and from 30 mm caliber shells in the frontal area. The bottom of the hull is V-shaped and protects against the explosion of mines in the TNT equivalent of 8 kg.

Armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha IV (Mowag Piranha IV)

The Mowag Piranha IV armored personnel carrier has a system of protection against weapons of mass destruction, and is also covered with a special coating that reduces the thermal visibility of the vehicle.

Mowag Piranha IV is equipped with a more powerful MTU diesel engine with 544 hp. (400 kW) paired with a 7-speed ZF-7 transmission.

The armament of Mowag Piranha IV can be varied, depending on customer requirements. The vehicle is usually armed with a 30 mm automatic cannon and a 7.62 mm machine gun.

The Mowag Piranha IV armored personnel carrier can be airlifted by the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft.

APC Mowag Piranha V

Tactical and technical characteristics of the armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha V 8x8 (Mowag Piranha V 8x8)

Armored personnel carrier Mowag Piranha V 8x8 (Mowag Piranha V 8x8)

• Overall dimensions - length 8 m - width 2.99 m - height 2.34 m • Combat weight - 33 t • Crew - 3+8 people • Wheel arrangement - 8x8 • Powerplant - 6-cylinder V-shaped diesel liquid cooling engine MTU 6V199 TE21 - power 577 hp. (424 kW) • Maximum speed - 100 km/h on the highway - 10 km/h afloat • range - 1000 km on the highway • Armament - 12.7 mm machine gun or - 40 mm grenade launcher or - PU ATGM TOU • Reservation - bulletproof, anti-fragmentation

The Mowag Piranha V armored personnel carrier appeared after the takeover by the General Dynamics concern. The armored personnel carrier was officially presented on June 15, 2010 at the EUROSATORY 2010 arms exhibition. Mowag Piranha V was first tested in 2007.

APC Mowag Piranha V

The main focus was on increasing the armor protection of the Mowag Piranha V. The armor has level 4 protection of the NATO STANAG 4569 standard. This means that the armor can withstand a 14.5 mm bullet from any angle, a mine explosion under the bottom with a TNT equivalent of 10 kg, and is resistant against 30 mm shells in the frontal projection.

The suspension of the Mowag Piranha V armored personnel carrier has four axles. All wheels on all axles are steerable. The machine has a centralized tire pressure regulation system. Automatic transmission ZF 7HP902S or SAPA SW624.

The armament of the Mowag Piranha V armored personnel carrier remained at the level of the previous model.

external reference

• Wikimedia Commons has media related to MOWAG Piranha
  .

In English

• www.mowag.ch - including the PIRANHA concept
• Army-Technology.com - Piranha
• Swissmotor.ch – New generation armored vehicles at MOWAG – PIRANHA III
• Soldf.com – Piranha III 10x10 Armored Sensor Vehicle
• DanskPanser.dk – Danish Piranha IIIC
• DanskPanser.dk – Danish Piranha IIIH
• War Wheels - Canadian Buffalo
• - Military Today - Canadian Bison

• Data: Q687702
• Multimedia: MOWAG Piranha

Tests of the Piranha 5 armored personnel carrier have been completed for the Romanian army

The European branch of General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) of the American corporation General Dynamics reported that on March 28, 2022, at the test site in Rennes (Norway), in the presence of the Romanian selection committee, it successfully completed test firing of the Piranha 5 armored personnel carrier with an 8x8 wheel arrangement in full configuration for the Romanian army , equipped with an Israeli uninhabited combat module Elbit Systems UT30MK2 with a 30-mm Northrop Grumman Bushmaster Mk 44 automatic cannon. This opens the way to the beginning of the official transfer of Piranha 5 to the Romanian side.

Let us recall that on January 12, 2022, in Bucharest, the foreign trade company Romtehnica, owned by the Romanian Ministry of National Defense, signed a contract worth 895 million euros with GDELS for the organization of joint production in Romania of the MOWAG Piranha 5 armored personnel carrier for the Romanian army (Swiss Mowag is part of GDELS as General Dynamics European Land Systems - MOWAG GmbH).

The contract provides for the acquisition and joint production in Romania of 227 Piranha 5 armored personnel carriers in six versions. Joint production of Piranha 5 is expected to be organized at the Bucharest Engineering Plant (Uzina Mecanica Bucuresti - UMB), a former Romanian tank plant (until 1990 - Special Heavy Engineering Plant / Fabrica de Masini Grele Speciale as part of the production plant), which is part of the Romanian state military-industrial association Romarm. Association "August 23"), built at one time for the production of tanks TR-580, TR-85 and TR-125.

According to the terms of the contract, the first 36 Piranha 5 armored personnel carriers were to be delivered to Romania within a year from the date of signing the contract, that is, by January 2022, from the Swiss production line GDELS-MOWAG, including 30 in finished form and six in the form of vehicle kits , which must be assembled at the Bucharest Engineering Plant. Moreover, all 30 finished vehicles manufactured in Switzerland must be equipped with UT30MK2 combat modules imported from Israel with a 30-mm cannon, and six assembled in Romania must be equipped with combat modules manufactured by Elbit Systems with a 12.7-mm machine gun. Subsequently, the Bucharest Engineering Plant must independently manufacture under license another 191 Piranha 5 armored personnel carriers of six modifications, while the assembly of both types of Elbit Systems combat modules for them must also be organized in Romania at the plant in Magurele.