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optical dimension and surveillance capability to the MOWAG platform particularly in the overseas environment. In 2015, nine Infantry variant APCs from the first tranche were converted to CRVs and were known as CRV IIs.
Armoured vehicles provide essential force protection, mobility and fire power and the current Maintenance and Mid Life Upgrade project will ensure the viability of the PIRANHA IIIH fleet out to 2030.
The Infantry Variant Mid Life Upgrade Project
The DF Infantry APC refurbishment or upgrade project came about initially in mid-2016 when proposals were made to investigate the possibility of a mid-life upgrade or modernisation of the 56 strong fleet of Infantry variant APCs including section, command, recovery and ambulance variants which are currently deployed at home and in active overseas service in both UNIFIL and UNDOF. This upgrade of capabilities was sought to begin to increase the DFs current protected mobility options by adding increased force protection measures, upgraded fire power options, developing situational awareness options for both crews and commanders and also adding an ISTAR capability to our current troop delivery platform that could be deployed to theatres such as UNDOF and UNIFIL where varying levels of mission threat mean options with regards to deployment protection are always a commander’s key consideration.
This decision was initially looked at against the option of beginning the procurement process for an entirely new fleet of armoured vehicles (which may now happen circa 2025 -2030). The upgrade project at its core was brought about to bring longevity to the current Infantry APC fleet but also to drastically modernise the current fleet with regards to its basic capabilities
in the areas of mobility, fire power and protection which are the key points when looking at the development or improvement of any armoured platform.
The project began formally in early 2017 and was focussed on a force protection type upgrade to the 56 strong APC fleet initially, conducted by General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELs) in Switzerland. GDELs are the DF supplier of the MOWG Piranha III H 8x8 APC platform since its inception in 2000/2001 and have delivered the APC, CRV and MRV platforms to date respectively. The upgrade is based around a number of component add-ons and also includes a manufacturer’s inspection and structural certification of all the APC units which are part of the upgrade to bring the fleet up to its service life ending in approx. 2030 (when a new APC platform will potentially come into service). This project also addresses partial to complete upgrades of the CRV and MRV fleets independently within the overall upgrade project and is forecasted for completion in 2022 with all variants being upgraded and rotated through overseas deployments where required to meet the then operational need. This timeline means that a constant flow of platforms is required to rotate through the GDELs production line to not only meet contractual obligations but also to allow for standing commitments to overseas training and deployments to be met with regards to armour fleet strengths and operational capabilities being in place.
On commitment to the upgrade project by the DF, and after a detailed period of research by the project leadership into proposed component add-ons and the general scope of work for the upgrade, GDELs took delivery of 10 APCs in batch one from the fleet based at home in Ireland and began a nine to ten-month refurbishment package. This timeline involves the preparation of
| MOWAG MID-LIFE UPGRADE |
Kongsberg Dual Remote Weapon Station (DRWS)
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