Danish Army
Specific: In the spring of
1997, the Danish Army, represented by the Army Technical
Service, issued a comprehensive Request for Proposal
together with specifications for an armoured personnel
carrier.
At the same time, the Army Technical Service requested
the bidders to put one fully equipped vehicle each at
their disposal for a thorough test and evaluation, which
then took place in all areas of Denmark during the months
of August until October of 1997.
December 29, 1997 the Danish Army Materiel Command signed
a contract worth 130 mill. DKr concerning deliverance of
22 Piranha III APC´s, build by the Swiss company Mowag, who
also supplied the Eagle. The Piranha is operational at the DIB for replacement of the Unimog 416 and the MAN 8.136.
Total need of this vehicle is 22 (18 APC, 2 CP and 2 ARV), and deliverance of the first 2
vehicles took place on May 28th.1999.
The remaining 20 vehicles have been build by Falck-Schmidt in Odense. The company is well known for
it's upgrade-program of the Danish M113 APC´s and the Leopard
1A5 and the
midlife-update of the M41.
By end of August 2000 12 vehicles have been
handed over to the Danish Army Material Command, and the
remaining 10 was delivered before end of December.
11 vehicles were deployed to Kosovo in February 2001.
A further batch of 22 vehicles were ordered in
June 2003. Of these, 11 vehicles will be the APC variant
and the remaining 11 will be configured as ambulances.
Historical: Development of the Piranha series,
which was a private venture, dates back to the early
1970´s with first prototype completed in 1972, and first
production vehicles in 1976.
Canada placed an order for 350 6 x 6 Piranhas in February
1977. These were build under licence in Canada by Diesel
Division of General Motors Canada.
Denmark was the third country having evaluated and
selected PIRANHA III category vehicles which appeared for
the first time in early 1996. The Piranha III features
improved mobility and armour protection compared to the
earlier Piranha II. Piranha III models also have higher
payloads and gross vehicle weights that enables them to
undertake an increased range of battlefield missions.
The Piranha III have 5 different engines as option:
- the German MTU 6V183 TE22, developing 400 HP at 2300
rpm coupled to a ZF Ecomat 6HP 600 automatic gearbox,
- the Swedish Scania DSJ9-48A, developing 400 HP at 2300
rpm coupled to a ZF Ecomat 7HP 600 automatic gearbox with
retarder,
- the US Caterpillar 3126, developing 350 HP at 2500 rpm
coupled to an Allison MD 3066P automatic gearbox,
- the British Cummins 6CTAA8.3-T350, developing 350 HP at
2200 rpm coupled to an Allison MD3066P automatic gearbox
and
- the US Detroit Diesel 6V53TA, developing 350 HP at 2800
rpm coupled to an Allison MD3560P automatic gearbox.
The first PIRANHA III 8x8 (called LAV III Kodiak) for the
Canadian Forces were fielded in March 2000, and a total
of 651 vehicles have been delivered. Sweden has taken
delivery of the first two PIRANHA III 10x10.
Ireland signed a contract for 40 vehicles (34 APC, 4
command post, 1 maintenance and 1 ambulance) in 1999
which were delivered between June 2001 and early 2002. A
follow up contract for 25 APC´s were signed in 2003. The
APC´s are fitted with a Thales FVT800-series turret.
New Zealand ordered 105 vehicles in year 2000 to replace
the M113.
Spain ordered 18 vehicles in 3 different configurations
(APC, command post and ambulance) for the Spanish Marine
Infantry.
As
a further evolution of the Piranha family of armoured
wheeled vehicle, as adopted by various NATO and non-NATO
countries, MOWAG developed as a private venture the
Piranha IV 8 x 8 vehicle to complement any applications
over and above the Piranha III capabilities.
The heavier Piranha IV 8 x 8 vehicle, using the proven
technology of the Piranha III, offers higher levels of
armour as well as mine protection and meets the future
EURO 3 traffic emission regulations. It is powered by a
MTU 6V 199TE20 developing 544 HP coupled to a ZF Ecomat
7HP 902 gearbox.
Typical new features are the digitised vehicle
information system (VETRONICS) with built-in test (BIT)
capabilities, the reduced radar and thermal signatures,
as well as the latest anti-tank mine protection concept.
At least 6.500 units
(model I to IV) have been produced so far.
Among other users of the Piranha family are Australia,
Botswana, Ireland, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland
and the United States (called Stryker).
Also manufactured under license in Chile (Cardoen
Industries and FAMAE) and Great Britain (Alvis Vickers).
In 2006 the Belgium government agreed to allocate EUR700
million (USD 846.6 million) for the acquisition of 242
Mowag Piranha IIIC 8 x 8 armoured personnel carriers
(APCs) and its variants for its Armoured Infantry Vehicle
programme.
Length: 6.96 m (271 inches).
Width: 2.85 m (111 inches).
Height: 2.66 m (104 inches).
Weight: 18.500 kg (40.700 lb.).
Armour: The Piranha protects against fire from 7.62
mm guns down to 100 m.
Engine: V6-cylinder MTU, type 6V183TE22, 10.960 cm3
(665 cubic inches) displacement, turbo-charged,
inter-cooler, air cooled.
Horsepower: 400 at 2.200 rpm.
Transmission: ZF 7HP600 automatic gearbox (7
forward, 1 reverse).
Transfer case: 2-speed.
Electrical system: 24 volt, negative ground.
Brakes: N/A.
Tyres: 12.00 - R20XML.
Fording depth:
without preparation: 1.4 m (54 inches).
with deep water fording kit: N/A.
Fuel type: Diesel.
Fuel capacity: 300 liter (66 gallons).
Range: 600 km (375 miles).
Crew: 1 (2) and 10 soldiers.
Armament: The Piranha will be mounted
with a German Krauss-Maffei-Wegmann 1530 turret housing a
12.7 mm (cal. 0.50) machine-gun with day/night-sight (4/6
x) and 6 smoke dischargers.
Additional: The vehicle is a 8 x 8 and
equipped with run-flat tyres, ABS and CTIS-system
(Central Tire Inflation System). The CTIS has 4
pre-selected tire-pressures for road, terrain, sand and
emergency. The pressure of each wheel is controlled every
30 seconds. Its prepared for air-condition and mounting
of add-on-armour. The body can be lifted up to 23 cm
through a hydropneumatic suspension system when driving through mud etc. It's
air-portable in e.g. C-130 Hercules. Top-speed is 105
km/h.
Mounted with Eberspächer D9W heater and Behr air
condition.
Variants:
Mowag Piranha IIIC, Ambulance (81 kb)
Mowag Piranha IIIC, CIS (117 kb)
Mowag Piranha IIIC, infantry (73 kb)
Mowag Piranha IIIC, TACP (109 kb)
Mowag Piranha IIIC, C2 (108 kb)
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