AVGP
| AVGP | |
|---|---|
 A pair of Canadian Cougars |
|
| Type | Light armored vehicle |
| Place of origin |  Canada |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1976 - present |
| Used by | See Users |
| Production history | |
| Number built | Cougar - 100[1] Grizzly - 274[1] Husky - 27[1][2] |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 10.7 t |
| Length | 5.97 m |
| Width | 2.50 m |
| Crew | Cougar: 3 (Commander, gunner and driver, 2 soldiers in rear of vehicle) Husky: 2 (Driver and technician) Grizzly: Commander, gunner and driver, 6 soldiers in rear |
|
|
|
| Main armament |
Cougar: 76 mm L23A1 gun (fires HESH, Smoke BE (base ejected), and Canister rounds)[3] Grizzly: .50 cal heavy machine gun or a 7.62 mm machine-gun (C6) and 66 mm smoke grenade launchers (2 clusters of 4 launchers)[1] Husky: 7.62 mm machine gun (C6) and 66 mm smoke grenade launchers (2 clusters of 4 launchers)[2] |
| Secondary armament |
Cougar: 7.62 mm machine gun (C6) and 66 mm smoke grenade launchers No 12 (2 clusters of 4 launchers)[3] |
| Engine | 275 hp Detroit Diesel 6V53T two-cycle turbo-charged diesel |
| Suspension | 6x6 |
| Speed | 100 km/h |
The AVGP (Armoured Vehicle General Purpose) is a series of three armoured fighting vehicles ordered by the Canadian military in 1977.[4][5][6][7] The three vehicles are the Cougar, Grizzly and Husky. These were based on the six-wheeled version of the Swiss MOWAG Piranha I.
The AVGP had propellers and trim vanes for amphibious use, like the eight-wheeled Bison. But recent retrofits have removed the marine drive system, as it is no longer used and maintenance is expensive. The Canadian Forces' LAV III, the United States Marine Corps' LAV-25, and the US Army's Stryker are other variants of the Piranha family.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Canada
The AVGP variants were introduced into Canadian service in the 1970s.[4] 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.[8][9]
The Cougar is only used for training in Canada as a reconnaissance vehicle.[5] 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.[6][10] The Husky still serves in its original role.[7] The majority of vehicles have had their marine propulsion systems removed.
In May 2007, the Edmonton Police Service accepted the donation of a disarmed Grizzly from the Canadian Forces.[11]
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.[citation needed] They were retrofitted to transport ERT assault teams into hazardous areas where transport in unarmored vehicles wouldn't be safe.
[edit] Use in Africa
In June 2005, the Canadian government announced plans to loan 105 AVGPs (100 Grizzlys and 5 Huskys) to African peacekeepers in the Darfur region of Sudan.[12][13] The AVGP was considered sufficiently modern to be useful in this low-intensity conflict. Canada 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.[14][15]
The Sudanese 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.[16] The loan of vehicles for peace-keeping service in Sudan was originally for one year.[14][15]
However, 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.[14] A second vehicle was damaged when it rammed a more heavily armed, but unarmored Technical vehicle.
[edit] Uruguay
In 2008, the Uruguayan Army bought 44 surplus Cougars from the Canadian Army.[17][18] 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 were on loan with the AMIS/UNAMID mission in Darfur.[citation needed]
[edit] Variants
Variants of the AVGP are:[1]
[edit] Cougar
- Used as a tank trainer and fire support vehicle on United Nations missions.[5]
- Three-man crew.[5]
- Turret of a British Scorpion reconnaissance vehicle (76mm main gun).[5]
[edit] Grizzly
- Armoured personnel carrier (APC).[6]
- Three-man crew.[6]
- Designed to carry a section of infantry.[6]
- Mounting a Cadillac-Gage 1 metre turret, armed with a .50 BMG and a 7.62 mm machine gun.[6][19]
[edit] Husky
- Armoured recovery vehicle (ARV).[7]
- Two-man crew.[7]
- Designed to provide mechanical support for the other two vehicles.[7]
[edit] Users
Canada (Canadian Forces Land Force Command) 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.- African Union (AMIS mission) - 100 (-1 lost in combat) Grizzlys, 5 Huskys[20]
Uruguay - 44 refurbished Cougars with turrets removed.[21] 98 Grizzlys and 5 Huskys given directly from the AMIS/UNAMID mission in Sudan.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e "Grizzly AVGP". Department of National Defence. http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/lf/English/2_display.asp?product=71&more=71. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
- ^ a b "Husky". Department of National Defence. http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/lf/English/2_display.asp?product=62&more=62. Retrieved 2008-12-10.[dead link]
- ^ a b "Cougar". Department of National Defence. http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/lf/English/2_display.asp?product=57&more=57. Retrieved 2008-12-10.[dead link]
- ^ a b "Background – Armoured Vehicle, General Purpose – 6x6 AVGPs". Canadian American Strategic Review. 2009-09. Archived from the original on 2009-10-03. http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.casr.ca%2Fbg-army-armour-avgp-lav.htm&date=2009-10-03.
- ^ a b c d e "Background – Armoured Vehicle, General Purpose – Cougar DFSV". Canadian American Strategic Review. 2009-09. Archived from the original on 2009-10-03. http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.casr.ca%2Fbg-army-armour-avgp-cougar.htm&date=2009-10-03.
- ^ a b c d e f "Background – Armoured Vehicle, General Purpose – the Grizzly ISC". Canadian American Strategic Review. 2009-09. Archived from the original on 2009-10-03. http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.casr.ca%2Fbg-army-armour-avgp-grizzly.htm&date=2009-10-03.
- ^ a b c d e "Background – Armoured Vehicle, General Purpose – the Husky ARV". Canadian American Strategic Review. 2009-09. Archived from the original on 2009-10-03. http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.casr.ca%2Fbg-army-armour-avgp-husky.htm&date=2009-10-03.
- ^ Balkan Peace website
- ^ CA, ON, Frank Kuschnereit. "Photos of vehicle". Archived from the original on 2009-10-24. http://www.webcitation.org/5klVqMsaX.
- ^ http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/lf/english/11_6_3.asp
- ^ "Tactical". Edmonton Police Service. http://www.edmontonpolice.ca/home/communitypolicing/operationalservices/tactical.aspx. Retrieved 15 October 2011. mirror
- ^ "Canadian tanks muscle AU forces". Sudan Tribune. 2005-11-21. http://www.sudantribune.com/article.php3?id_article=12669. Retrieved 2008-12-10.[dead link]
- ^ "Background — CF AVGPs for the African Union Mission in Sudan". Canadian American Strategic Review. Archived from the original on 2009-10-03. http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.casr.ca%2Fbg-sudan.htm&date=2009-10-03.
- ^ a b c "Background — AVGPs in Africa — Grizzlys and Huskys for Darfur". Canadian American Strategic Review. 2009-10. Archived from the original on 2009-11-01. http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.casr.ca%2Fbg-army-armour-avgp-darfur.htm&date=2009-11-01.
- ^ a b "UNAMID UPDATE: TIME FOR EFFECTIVE ACTION". Amnesty International. 2008-02-07. Archived from the original on 2009-11-01. http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amnestyusa.org%2Fdocument.php%3Flang%3De%26id%3DENGAFR540072008&date=2009-11-01.
- ^ Paul Koring (November 15, 2005). "Armoured vehicles approved for Sudan". Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 2007-03-10. http://web.archive.org/web/20070310065736/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20051115/SUDAN15/TPInternational/TopStories. Retrieved 2007-03-04.
- ^ "Pan American Defence Online" (in Spanish). http://panamericandefense.com/2008/12/10/lav-uruguay/. Retrieved 2008-12-10.[dead link]
- ^ "Background – AVGPs and the Wheeled LAV Life Extension Project". Canadian American Strategic Review. 2009-10. Archived from the original on 2009-11-01. http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.casr.ca%2Fbg-army-armour-avgp-wlav-le.htm&date=2009-11-01.
- ^ "Cadillac Gage 1-Meter Crewed Turret". Canadian American Strategic Review. Archived from the original on 2009-04-03. http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.casr.ca%2F101-army-armour-1m-turret.htm&date=2009-04-03.
- ^ "AVGPs in Africa — Grizzlys and Huskys for Darfur". Canadian American Strategic Review. http://www.casr.ca/bg-army-armour-avgp-darfur.htm.
- ^ "AVGPs and the Wheeled LAV Life Extension Project". Canadian American Strategic Review. http://www.casr.ca/bg-army-armour-avgp-wlav-le.htm.
