A variant of a different sort

General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada rolls out the first variant vehicle manufactured for the Canadian Forces as part of $3-billion federal deal

GENERAL DYNAMICS LAND Systems-Canada (GDLS-C) today held a virtual ceremony that celebrated the roll-out of the Armoured Combat Support Vehicle (ACSV) program’s first vehicle variant ― a Troop Cargo Vehicle (TCV) manufactured for the Canadian Army.

“We are honoured to have Defence Minister Sajjan with us today, virtually, as we showcase the first of eight ACSV variants, the Troop Cargo Vehicle,” said Jason Monahan, vice president and general manager of General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada. “Light Armoured Vehicles have protected Canada’s soldiers on missions abroad for over 40 years, and it is a privilege to continue this tradition with the roll-out of this first ACSV variant.”

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In August 2019, the Government of Canada awarded General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada a four-year, $3-billion deal to design and produce 360 Armoured Combat Support Vehicles for the Canadian Army. Since then, General Dynamics’ ACSV team has been working to meet design and production deadlines, against a backdrop of challenges that comes with manufacturing safely in a global pandemic.

Armoured Combat Support Vehicles are an extension of the existing Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) 6.0 family of vehicles in service with the Canadian Army. The Canadian-designed and Canadian-manufactured LAV 6.0 ACSV variants have a common baseline chassis with the Canadian Army’s in-service LAV 6.0 fleet and reflect the protection and mobility needed to successfully conduct operations in a high-threat environment.

A second variant vehicle, a field ambulance, is expected to roll off the line this summer.

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It’s expected the second variant, a field ambulance, will roll off the line this summer, followed by additional variants including vehicle recovery, engineering, mobile repair, electronic warfare and troop carrying LAVs.

Headquartered on Oxford Street East in London, the GDLS-C employs approximately 1,700 people in the design, manufacture and support of light- and medium-armoured vehicles, and are specialists in machining, materials, electronics, software development, prototyping, logistics support and systems integration.