Canada has awarded General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada (GDLS-Canada) a nearly 2-billion Canadian dollar ($1.4 billion) contract for 190 additional Armored Combat Support Vehicles (ACSVs).
The company will also produce 35 additional ACSVs that Canada plans to donate to Ukraine.
Ottawa also signed a strategic partnership agreement with GDLS-Canada to support the future development, production, and long-term sustainment of the Canadian Army’s wheeled armored vehicle fleet.
According to the company, the agreement is intended to streamline the joint development of future armored vehicle technologies, accelerate the integration of solutions to address current and emerging battlefield threats, and simplify the introduction of new capabilities through fleet upgrades.
Canada’s ACSV Program
The latest order expands Canada’s existing ACSV program, launched in 2019, with a contract for 360 vehicles.
Based on the LAV 6.0 platform, the fleet is intended to replace the Canadian Army’s aging LAV II Bison and M113 tracked vehicle fleets.
The LAV 6.0 measures 7.62 meters (25 feet) long, 2.78 meters (9.1 feet) wide, and 3.16 meters (10.4 feet) high.
It has a gross vehicle weight of 28,636 kilograms (63,131 pounds), a maximum speed of more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) per hour, and a range of about 600 kilometers (373 miles).
Intended for both domestic and overseas operations, the fleet will be produced in eight variants.
They include ambulances, troop carriers, and command posts.
Other versions are configured for engineering support, electronic warfare, and vehicle repair and recovery.
The vehicles are expected to enter full operational service in 2028, while the infrastructure needed to support the fleet is scheduled to be completed by 2030.
