AVGP
Encyclopedia
The AVGP is a series of three armoured fighting vehicle
s ordered by the Canadian military in 1977.
The three vehicles are the Cougar, Grizzly and Husky.
These vehicles were based on the six-wheeled version of the Swiss
MOWAG
Piranha I
. They formerly had propeller
s and trim vanes for amphibious use, like the eight-wheeled Bison. Recent retrofits have removed the marine drive system, as it is no longer used and service is expensive.
The Canadian Armed Forces' LAV III
, the United States Marine Corps
' LAV-25, and the US Army
's Stryker
are other variants of the Piranha family.
Intended for use only in Canada, they were pressed into service for several United Nations missions, including UNPROFOR and the mission to Somalia. One Grizzly was captured by Croatian forces in the late 1990s.
as a reconnaissance
vehicle.
The Grizzly is no longer in front line service but are being converted to support vehicles such as Command Post and Mobile Repair Team Vehicle. The Husky still serves in its original role.
The majority of vehicles have had their marine propulsion systems removed.
In June 2005, the Canadian government announced plans to loan 105 AVGPs (100 Grizzlys and 5 Huskys) to African peacekeepers in the Darfur
region.
The AVGP was considered sufficiently modern to be useful in this low-intensity conflict. The Canadian government planned to arrange for civilian contractors to maintain these vehicles. As the vehicles contained some U.S.-manufactured or licensed parts, U.S. permission would be required to loan the vehicles. Initially, the vehicles were to be shipped without their Cadillac-Gage turrets.
The vehicles arrived in Senegal
in the late summer of 2005.
The Sudan
ese government required various kinds of assurances before they would allow peacekeepers to use the vehicles in Sudan. On November 18, 2005 the vehicles started arriving in Sudan, in white livery, with their turrets.
The loan of vehicles for peace-keeping service in Sudan was originally for one year.
But the loan was extended, and transferred from the African Union to the United Nations.
According to Amnesty International
the soldiers who used the loaned vehicles served in Sudan for too short a term to be properly trained, and become experienced.
One of the vehicles was destroyed by a rocket-propelled grenade.
A second vehicle was damaged when it rammed a more heavily armed, but unarmored technical
.
In May 2007, the Edmonton Police Service
accepted the donation of a disarmed Grizzly from the Canadian Forces.
In 2008, the Uruguayan Army bought 44 Cougars from the Canadian Army (surplus to requirements).
They were rebuilt without the turret by the Chilean MOWAG-Piranha builder FAMAE, as they will act as armoured personnel carriers for the UN deployment in the Republic of Congo (MONUC
), and domestically.
In 2009 Uruguay bought 98 Grizzlys and 5 Huskys that they were on loan with the AMIS/UNAMID mission in Darfur.
In March 2010, the Canadian Forces
Donated 2 disarmed Cougar AVGPs to the British Colombia area Royal Canadian Mounted Police
for use by the Emergency Response Team
.
They were retrofitted to transport ERT assault teams into hazardous areas where transport in unarmored vehicles wouldn't be safe.
) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
— As the Tav 2 variant (Cougars modified for ERT
tasks), these were given for free by the Canadian Forces to the BC RCMP in March 2010. The Edmonton Police Service
received one Grizzly in 2007.
Armoured fighting vehicle
An armoured fighting vehicle is a combat vehicle, protected by strong armour and armed with weapons. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked....
s ordered by the Canadian military in 1977.
The three vehicles are the Cougar, Grizzly and Husky.
These vehicles were based on the six-wheeled version of the Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
MOWAG
MOWAG
MOWAG is a Swiss company which develops, designs and produces armoured vehicles for military applications in both land-only and amphibious configurations. These vehicles have gross vehicle weights ranging from 9t to 30t. More than 12,000 armoured wheeled vehicles of the type Piranha, Eagle and DURO...
Piranha I
Mowag Piranha
The MOWAG Piranha is a family of armoured fighting vehicles designed by the Swiss MOWAG , corporation....
. They formerly had propeller
Propeller
A propeller is a type of fan that transmits power by converting rotational motion into thrust. A pressure difference is produced between the forward and rear surfaces of the airfoil-shaped blade, and a fluid is accelerated behind the blade. Propeller dynamics can be modeled by both Bernoulli's...
s and trim vanes for amphibious use, like the eight-wheeled Bison. Recent retrofits have removed the marine drive system, as it is no longer used and service is expensive.
The Canadian Armed Forces' LAV III
LAV III
The LAV III armoured vehicle is the latest in the Generation III Light Armoured Vehicle series built by General Dynamics Land Systems, entering service in 1999. It is based on the Swiss MOWAG Piranha IIIH 8x8....
, the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
' LAV-25, and the US Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
's Stryker
Stryker
The IAV Stryker is a family of eight-wheeled, 4-wheel-drive , armored fighting vehicles derived from the Canadian LAV III and produced by General Dynamics Land Systems, in use by the United States Army. The vehicle is named for two American servicemen who posthumously received the Medal of Honor:...
are other variants of the Piranha family.
Canada
The AVGP variants were introduced into Canadian service in the 1970s.Intended for use only in Canada, they were pressed into service for several United Nations missions, including UNPROFOR and the mission to Somalia. One Grizzly was captured by Croatian forces in the late 1990s.
Cougar
- Used as a tankTankA tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
trainer and fire supportFire supportFire support is long-range firepower provided to a front-line military unit. Typically, fire support is provided by artillery or close air support , and is used to shape the battlefield or, more optimistically, define the battle...
vehicle on United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
missions. - Three-man crew.
- Turret of a British Scorpion reconnaissance vehicle (76mm main gun).
Grizzly
- Armoured personnel carrierArmoured personnel carrierAn armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...
(APC). - Three-man crew.
- Designed to carry a sectionSection (military unit)A section is a small military unit in some armies. In many armies, it is a squad of seven to twelve soldiers. However in France and armies based on the French model, it is the sub-division of a company .-Australian Army:...
of infantryInfantryInfantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
. - Mounting a Cadillac-Gage 1 metre turretCadillac-Gage 1 metre turretCadillac-Gage manufactures a Cadillac-Gage 1 metre turret for armored vehicles.The turret mounts on a 1-meter turret ring.They were originally armed with a 7.62 mm machine gun, and a 12.7 mm machine gun.One variant of the Canadian AVGP mounts this turret....
, armed with a .50 BMG.50 BMGThe .50 Browning Machine Gun or 12.7×99mm NATO is a cartridge developed for the Browning .50 caliber machine gun in the late 1910s. Entering service officially in 1921, the round is based on a greatly scaled-up .30-06 cartridge...
and a 7.62 mm machine gunMachine gunA machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
.
Husky
- Armoured recovery vehicle (ARV).
- Two-man crew.
- Designed to provide mechanical support for the other two vehicles.
Today
The Cougar is only used for training in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
as a reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
vehicle.
The Grizzly is no longer in front line service but are being converted to support vehicles such as Command Post and Mobile Repair Team Vehicle. The Husky still serves in its original role.
The majority of vehicles have had their marine propulsion systems removed.
In June 2005, the Canadian government announced plans to loan 105 AVGPs (100 Grizzlys and 5 Huskys) to African peacekeepers in the Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
region.
The AVGP was considered sufficiently modern to be useful in this low-intensity conflict. The Canadian government planned to arrange for civilian contractors to maintain these vehicles. As the vehicles contained some U.S.-manufactured or licensed parts, U.S. permission would be required to loan the vehicles. Initially, the vehicles were to be shipped without their Cadillac-Gage turrets.
The vehicles arrived in Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
in the late summer of 2005.
The Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
ese government required various kinds of assurances before they would allow peacekeepers to use the vehicles in Sudan. On November 18, 2005 the vehicles started arriving in Sudan, in white livery, with their turrets.
The loan of vehicles for peace-keeping service in Sudan was originally for one year.
But the loan was extended, and transferred from the African Union to the United Nations.
According to Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
the soldiers who used the loaned vehicles served in Sudan for too short a term to be properly trained, and become experienced.
One of the vehicles was destroyed by a rocket-propelled grenade.
A second vehicle was damaged when it rammed a more heavily armed, but unarmored technical
Technical (fighting vehicle)
A technical is a type of improvised fighting vehicle, typically a civilian or military non-combat vehicle, modified to provide an offensive capability similar to a military gun truck...
.
In May 2007, the Edmonton Police Service
Edmonton Police Service
Edmonton Police Service is the municipal police force for the City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.-Organization:The current head of the EPS is Roderick Knecht....
accepted the donation of a disarmed Grizzly from the Canadian Forces.
In 2008, the Uruguayan Army bought 44 Cougars from the Canadian Army (surplus to requirements).
They were rebuilt without the turret by the Chilean MOWAG-Piranha builder FAMAE, as they will act as armoured personnel carriers for the UN deployment in the Republic of Congo (MONUC
United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or MONUSCO , is a United Nations peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo which was established by the United Nations Security Council in resolutions 1279...
), and domestically.
In 2009 Uruguay bought 98 Grizzlys and 5 Huskys that they were on loan with the AMIS/UNAMID mission in Darfur.
In March 2010, the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
Donated 2 disarmed Cougar AVGPs to the British Colombia area Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
for use by the Emergency Response Team
Emergency Response Team
The Emergency Response Team is the paramilitary tactical police arm of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.- Purpose and history of the ERT :...
.
They were retrofitted to transport ERT assault teams into hazardous areas where transport in unarmored vehicles wouldn't be safe.
Users
(Canadian Forces Land Force CommandCanadian Forces Land Force Command
The Canadian Army , previously called Land Force Command, is responsible for army operations within the Canadian Forces. The current size of the Army is 19,500 regular soldiers and 16,000 reserve soldiers, for a total of around 35,500 soldiers...
) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
— As the Tav 2 variant (Cougars modified for ERT
ERT
ERT can stand for:*Earth-received time, a measurement used when dealing with interplanetary spacecraft*Electrical resistivity tomography, a geophysical imaging technique...
tasks), these were given for free by the Canadian Forces to the BC RCMP in March 2010. The Edmonton Police Service
Edmonton Police Service
Edmonton Police Service is the municipal police force for the City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.-Organization:The current head of the EPS is Roderick Knecht....
received one Grizzly in 2007.
- African UnionAfrican UnionThe African Union is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established on 9 July 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity...
(AMIS missionAfrican Union Mission in SudanThe African Union Mission in Sudan was an African Union peacekeeping force operating primarily in the country's western region of Darfur with the aim of performing peacekeeping operations related to the Darfur conflict. Originally founded in 2004, with a force of 150 troops, by mid-2005, its...
) - 100 (-1 lost in combat) Grizzlys, 5 Huskys - 44 refurbished Cougars with turrets removed. 98 Grizzlys and 5 Huskys given directly from the AMIS/UNAMID mission in Sudan .