General Dynamics European Land Systems will present its latest tracked and wheeled vehicle technology and premier two new vehicles at the EUROSATORY 2016 exhibition in Paris in June 2016: the new PIRANHA 3+, recently selected by the Swiss Army, and the new DURO 4X4, a revival of a legend.
With a GVW of 27 tons and a payload of up to 10 tons, the new PIRANHA 3+ will be presented in an Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) configuration with dedicated seating for a crew of three (driver, gunner and vehicle commander) plus 9 infantry soldiers.
It will be equipped with the new Oerlikon Fieldranger®20 remote-control gun from Rheinmetall Air Defence. This modern, medium-caliber remote-controlled weapon station provides accurate and high fire power at a range of up to 2,000 meters with a wide range of ammunition types. The Swiss Army has selected the PIRANHA 3+ platform for their Mortar Carrier program with the RUAG COBRA 120mm Mortar system.
The new PIRANHA 3+ was developed in response to customer requirements for compact vehicles with large and flexible internal volume, high levels of modular protection, excellent off-road mobility and inherent growth capability. The new PIRANHA 3+ incorporates lessons learned from over 11,500 fielded PIRANHA and LAV vehicles around the globe.
The new PIRANHA 3+ offers a completely modular protection system that has been designed with the flexibility to allow armed forces to meet their current and future protection needs. The modular protection system has been developed to fully protect occupants operating within a complex threat environment.
Recognizing that mobility is an important element of the protection system, General Dynamics European Land Systems developed a state-of-the-art driveline and suspension system for the new PIRANHA 3+, combined with a powerful SCANIA diesel engine and ZF automatic transmission. As with all PIRANHA platforms, the new PIRANHA 3+ can be equipped with an amphibious drive to operate as a marine infantry vehicle.
The new PIRANHA 3+ is based on the well-proven PIRANHA concept, which has made it a successful armored vehicle for over 40 years. Soldiers of over 20 nations around the globe rely on the protection, mobility and reliability of PIRANHAs every day. From the very first PIRANHA to today’s modern PIRANHA 3+ and PIRANHA 5, General Dynamics European Land Systems has constantly adapted the vehicles with state-of-the-art technology while retaining the original PIRANHA concept.
Under the motto “The Origins of the PIRANHA,” General Dynamics European Land Systems will also celebrate 40 years of excellence in combat mobility and the original PIRANHA 1, the first Western wheeled armored vehicle. General Dynamics European Land Systems will be located at Hall 5 –Stand No. G847
