May 31, 2019 | Local, Land

Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle project expects to wrap up by end of the year

The Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle project is close to wrapping up, with full operational capability of the equipment set for the end of this year, according to an update from the Canadian Forces and the Department of National Defence.

All 500 vehicles have been accepted by Canada and sent to various bases across the country. CFB Gagetown has 127 TAPVs, CFB Valcartier has 129, CFB Montreal, 25, CFB Borden, 2, CFB Shilo 42, CFB Edmonton, 63, and CFB Petawawa, 112, according to the update.

Initial operational capability was achieved in late August, 2017, although some TAPVs were used months before that during the flood relief mission in Quebec, the update pointed out.

Since April 2014, there have been 10 incidents when Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicles have tipped on to their sides, six where they have rolled over completely, and four where they have caught fire.

Pat Finn, the assistant deputy minister in charge of procurement at the Department of National Defence, told Postmedia earlier this year there have been no serious injuries as a result of the incidents.

The Conservative government announced the TAPV contract in 2012 as part of its re-equipping of the Canadian Army. Canada bought 500 TAPVs from Textron, a U.S.-based defence firm, at a cost of $603 million. The TAPV is a wheeled combat vehicle that will conduct reconnaissance and surveillance, security, command and control, and armoured transport of personnel and equipment.

“Upon review of the major TAPV incidents, it has been identified that the most common contributing factors of these incidents tends to be human error due to limited familiarity time operating the vehicles,” the army noted in an emailed statement to Postmedia.

The army pointed out that investigations into the incidents did not reveal any design or mechanical faults.

The TAPV project will cost taxpayers a total of $1.2 billion, which not only includes the vehicles but also includes the building of infrastructure to house them, as well as the purchase of ammunition and service support for the equipment.

There have been a variety of issues related to the fires. See this article here for further details:

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/tactical-armoured-patrol-vehicle-project-expects-to-wrap-up-by-end-of-the-year

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SOUCY DEFENSE DIVISION AWARDED $7.5M CONTRACT TO INTEGRATE COMPOSITE RUBBER TRACK TO THE NORWEGIAN ARMOURED COMBAT SUPPORT VEHICLE
November 9, 2020 Soucy International Inc., Defense Division, has been awarded the $7.5M contract to manufacture and deliver composite rubber track (CRT) systems for the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency's (NDMA) Armoured Combat Support Vehicle (ACSV). In May 2018, as part of the Norwegian Armed Forces logistic and support vehicle recapitalization program, Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft (FFG) won the tender to manufacture and supply ACSV's to the Norwegian Army. FFG proposed to base the ACSV around their current PMMC G5 vehicle. The ACSV is a 26mT tracked platform with the capacity to transport freight goods containers weighing up to 6mT. It has container mounts to accommodate both 6.5- and 10-feet freight containers and in conjunction with the increased durability and low maintenance attributes of composite rubber tracks (CRT) can enhance the military's battlefield logistical reach. The reduced vibrations enabled by the integration of CRT also aids in the protection of sensors and electronics located on other military equipment such as radars which may also be mounted on the ACSV's stable framed platform. Due to the ACSVs open and closed hull configurations, it can be adapted in the closed configuration to house a command centre or ambulance (casualty evacuation). The ACSV can be adapted to a wide range of operations including domestic disaster relief and international peace support missions. About Composite Rubber Tracks Increased durability over conventional steel tracks. Reduced vibration (up to 70%), noise (up to 13dB), thermal signature, braking distance, vehicle weight (up to 50%) and fuel consumption (up to 30%). Reduced vehicle crew fatigue. Significant reduction in life cycle costs and virtually maintenance free. Elimination of damage to infrastructure. About Soucy Soucy has been established for 50 years and specializes in the design, development and manufacturing of composite rubber tracks. Soucy supply a variety of components and parts for major manufacturers of Powersports, industrial, agricultural and defense vehicles around the world. Since entering the defense market 26 years ago, the demand for Soucy's products has grown, and now being utilised in 12 counties worldwide. Soucy's expertise and knowledge of rubber track applications lie in compounding and track construction. The key elements in exceeding the specifications of traditional steel tracks and meeting customer requirements are the relationship between the gross vehicle weight (GVW) and rubber heat generation, this balance is critical in the design of composite rubber tracks. For more information: www.soucy-defense.com https://blog.soucy-group.com/soucy-defense-division-awarded-contract-composite-rubber-track

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