General Dynamics European Land Systems Presents PIRANHA Class 5 - the Latest PIRANHA Wheeled Armoured Combat Vehicle

VIENNA – General Dynamics European Land Systems will display PIRANHA Class 5, the latest member of the PIRANHA family of vehicles during EUROSATORY in Paris from 14-18 June 2010.

The PIRANHA Class 5 will be on display with a Kongsberg 30 mm remote turret featuring a Commanders remote weapon station, Javelin missile system and SAAB LEDS active protection. Global military operations has seen the demand increase for a vehicle that bridges the gap between deployable light forces, with their inherent low survivability, and more survivable heavy forces that are difficult to deploy and have high life cycle costs.

PIRANHA 5 has been developed in response to this need and takes advantage of the latest technologies to deliver class leading survivability, capacity and mobility with low through life costs and inherent growth capacity.

PIRANHA 5 – Adaptable for Operations Across the Spectrum of Conflict. PIRANHA 5 has been designed from the outset with adaptability, flexibility and growth capacity as the corner stones of the design. Wheeled armoured combat vehicles now form the core of a deployable land forces combat power and for this reason they need to be effective across the complete spectrum of conflict including peace keeping, counter insurgency and ultimately general war.

A thorough analysis of the requirements across these scenarios has been completed to drive the design thus ensuring PIRANHA 5 is suitable for the operations of today while providing the growth needed to secure the future.

PIRANHA 5 provides the highest levels of survivability against conventional and asymmetric threats while having the capacity to fill all battlefield roles such as APC, Ambulance, Reconnaissance, Command, Mortar and even Direct Fire with turrets up to 120 mm calibre.

The vehicle on display at EUROSATORY is an example of what can be achieved with PIRANHA 5, it shows an Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) that delivers the troop and internal capacity of an APC, with seating for eleven, while the 30 mm Kongsberg remote turret enables small team, combined arms operations through it’s comprehensive range of weapon and sensor systems allowing the detection and engagement of a wide range of battlefield threats.

The PIRANHA 5 will be delivered in either high or low roof configurations with open architectures, over 15,000 kg payload and 120 kW electrical power. This provides growth potential to secure a long service life for the vehicle as new technologies emerge and need to be integrated into the vehicle.

PIRANHA 5 - The New Survivability Benchmark. The PIRANHA 5 sets a new survivability benchmark for the wheeled armoured combat vehicle class and provides the highest levels of mine, improvised explosive device (IED) and ballistic protection.

PIRANHA 5 has a next generation, full coverage, modular survivability system that has been integrated in the vehicle design from the concept stage. This system provides unparalleled all round protection, particularly in the wheel well area that has traditionally been vulnerable to IEDs on wheeled armoured combat vehicles.

The entire survivability system has been designed to be replaced or upgraded through life to take advantage of new survivability technologies as they mature or to counter emergent threats.

PIRANHA 5 also features a range of tailorable survivability kits that allow the tactical commander to adapt the vehicle in theatre. This ensures the vehicles suitability for operation in complex terrain against aggressive threats such as IED EFPs, or through rapid reconfiguration, allows PIRANHA 5 to undertake roles requiring the highest levels of mobility and agility such as formation reconnaissance.

The vehicle will be launched with the SAAB LEDS active protection system integrated on the Kongsberg remote controlled turret to demonstrate one of the many survivability enhancements that General Dynamics European Land Systems and it’s partners have developed for PIRANHA 5. In addition to these modular systems, substantial advances have been made in crew ergonomics, energy absorbing seating and occupant restraint systems that further improve the survivability of the PIRANHA 5 when facing the threats of today and tomorrow.

PIRANHA 5 – Unrivalled Mobility and Performance. PIRANHA 5 features the latest height adjustable McPherson strut suspension technology which endows the vehicle with an extraordinary level of cross country mobility. This suspension in combination with the high output powerpack, fourth axle steering and integrated driver support systems ensures PIRANHA 5 has the highest level of terrain accessibility and is the most agile wheeled armoured combat vehicle available today.

The PIRANHA 5 is equipped with numerous other systems that enhance vehicle performance and flexibility such as the digital CAN backbone, fuel efficient drive train technology, integrated heating, air-conditioning and NBC protection system and the 120 kW Inline Starter/Generator (ISG).

As an example of the unrivalled performance PIRANHA 5 provides, the ISG generates the power for on board systems while simultaneously providing up to 100 kW AC exportable power to sustain military or civilian infrastructure.

The ISG also has the growth capability to recovery brake energy for re-use to boost the vehicle power output to 700 hp while at the same time reducing fuel consumption.

General Dynamics European Land Systems, headquartered in Vienna, Austria, is a business unit of General Dynamics and conducts its business through four European operating units located in Spain, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. With more than 3,250 highly skilled technical employees, GDELS companies design, manufacture and deliver land combat systems to global customers,
including wheeled, tracked and amphibious vehicles, armaments and munitions.

More information about GDELS is available online at www.gdels.com.

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 92,900 people worldwide. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies. More information about General Dynamics is available online at www.gd.com.