New Saudi LAVs to come with Cockerill turrets | World Defense

New Saudi LAVs to come with Cockerill turrets

BLACKEAGLE

SENIOR MEMBER
Joined
Dec 5, 2014
Messages
3,623
Reactions
1,989 10 0
Country
Jordan
Location
Jordan
New Saudi LAVs to come with Cockerill turrets
Jeremy Binnie, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
07 January 2016
1630229_-_main.jpg

A MOWAG Desert Piranha fitted with Cockerill CT-CV 105HP turret. Source: CMI

More details of Saudi Arabia's multi-billion dollar armoured vehicle order have emerged, indicating it includes fire support and infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) variants of the General Dynamics Lands Systems (GDLS) 8x8 Light Armored Vehicle (LAV).

The Canadian government announced what it described as "the largest advanced manufacturing export win in Canada's history" in a 14 February 2014 statement that has now been removed from its website, but provided few details other than saying the "light armoured vehicles" would be designed and made by GDLS Canada.

The Canadian media reported at the time that the contract was worth USD10 billion and could increase to USD13 billion if all options are exercised.

Belgium's Belga news agency reported on 5 January that GDLS Canada had awarded a EUR3.2 billion contract to Belgium's CMI group to provide turrets for the armoured vehicles it is making for Saudi Arabia.

Belga did not identify the turrets or the number that would be delivered, but the size of the deal dovetails with the "order of unprecedented scope and term" that was announced in CMI's 2014 activity report. The report said the company had been subcontracted by an unnamed Canadian vehicle manufacturer to deliver Cockerill CT-CV 105HP and Cockerill Medium Calibre Turret (CMCT) systems, as well as simulators and spares.

The CT-CV 105HP turret has a 105 mm high-pressure rifled gun with an autoloader and can also fire the laser-guided Falarick Gun-Launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile (GLATGM) that was developed by CMI and the Ukraine's State Kyiv Design Bureau (Luch).

The CMCT uses the same 3000 Series architecture and is offered with a range of 25-40 mm cannons made by the US company Orbital ATK and a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun, with anti-tank missiles, remote control weapon stations, and various defensive aids being options.

CMI said it will deliver the turrets in seven years and the support services, which include training personnel to operate and maintain the systems, over a "far longer" period.
New Saudi LAVs to come with Cockerill turrets | IHS Jane's 360
 
Top