DAVID PUGLIESE, OTTAWA CITIZEN
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
