The LAV-25 8x8 wheeled system was designed and produced by General Motors of Canada (which went on to become General Dynamics Land Systems) to meet a requirement as put forth by the United States Marine Corps. The LAV-25 offers up a mobile and highly-adaptable platform to which the war planner can utilize the system to perform a myriad of battlefield-related tasks. The LAV-25 itself is based on the Swiss MOWAG Piranha 8x8 series of armored vehicles which, incidentally, is also owned by GDLS of Canada.
Initially ordered in six differing versions with development for the US Marine Corps and the US Army, the process eventually saw the US Army bow out of the testing program. This left the US Marine Corps alone in ordering no fewer than 758 units for delivery slated between 1983 and 1987. After production had completed, the LAV-25 was subsequently added to the inventory of the Canadian Armed Forces in 1993 to which 203 were produced as the LAV-25 "Coyote" in the primary form of a battlefield reconnaissance vehicle.
The LAV-25 systems offer up accommodations for a driver at front left with the engine mounted to the right. A two-man powered turret is fitted with the M242 Bushmaster 25mm chain gun and is mounted at the vehicle's rear. Additionally, the LAV-25 can carry six fully-equipped infantrymen in a 3-person bench on either side of the rear left and right walls. Firing ports are provided for each of these seating positions as well.
While the turret contains a standard 7.62mm co-axial machine gun mount (M240 style, detailed in the Small Arms section of this site), an additional 7.62mm machine gun can be mounted for air-defense duties as an option. Smoke grenade dischargers are also provided, as is night vision equipment for the driver, gunner and commander. The LAV-25 is fully amphibious and is currently seeing active service with US forces in the Middle East.
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Armored Vehicle Quick Profile
Image Courtesy of the United States Department of Defense.
1983
Designation:LAV-25 Classification Type:Light Armored Vehicle Contractor:General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada Country of Origin: United States Number Built: Not Available
Operators: Australia, Botswana, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Ghana, Ireland, Liberia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Swtizerland, Spain and the United States of America.
Variants
LAV-C2 - Command and Control Vehicle
LAV-25 - Base Combat Vehicle Designation as utilized by the United States Marine Corps.
LAV-25 "Coyote" - Battlefield Reconnassaince Vehicle in service with the Canadian Armed Forces.
LAV-AT - Anti-tank Vehicle
LAV-L - Logistics Vehicle
LAV-M - Mortar Carrier Vehicle
LAV-R - Armored Recovery Vehicle
Piranha - Swiss-Produced Variant of which the LAV-25 is based on; produced by MOWAG.
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