Piranha

Variants

Piranhas are available in 4×4, 6×6, 8×8, and 10×10 wheel versions. There are several variants within these versions, giving different degrees of armour protection and several kinds of turret, for use in a variety of roles. Piranha derivatives have been assigned roles as troop transports, command vehicles, fire support vehicles, tank trainers, and police vehicles.

Piranhas are used by the Swiss Army. Swiss-built Piranha derivatives have been exported to Ireland, Romania, Spain, and Belgium. The Romanian and Belgian armies have selected the Piranha IIIC 8×8. Belgium converted to an all-wheeled force, and replaced all their M113 armoured personnel carriers, AIFVs and Leopard 1 tanks with 268 Piranha IIIC in 7 variants.

Piranha derivatives have been manufactured under license by General Dynamics (Canada), BAE Systems Land Systems (UK), Cardoen and FAMAE (Chile), and in the USA.

A new Piranha V version, weighing between 25 and 30 tons, was announced as the provisional winner of the British Army's Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) program in May 2008, but this selection was reversed seven months later and bidding started again.

General Dynamics European Land Systems launched their new Piranha Class 5 at Eurosatory 2010 on 15 June and it was reported that the British MoD were showing renewed interest, but struggling with budget constraints.

Piranha 4×4 IB

The MOWAG Piranha 4×4 IB was an armored personnel carrier.

To complete the Piranha I Family of 1974, the Piranha 4×4 IB was designed as a light rapid reconnaissance and attack vehicle. It could take part in amphibious operations thanks to twin propellers and could operate in NBC-contaminated areas. The Piranha 4×4 was also designed to meet police needs. The MOWAG Grenadier and Mowag Spy sub-versions were also developed. The prototype of the Piranha 4×4 IB went through numerous tests and received different equipment and different engines. Due to rapid technological development and adjustments to requirements for military vehicles, no Piranha with gasoline engine was sold. The prototype is now in the Schweizerisches Militärmuseum Full.

Piranha IB 6×6

The first Piranha prototype ever built was the 6×6 IB in 1972. It can be seen as a milestone for the Piranha series due to various technical innovation like (at the time) modern designed drive with independent suspension, compact power unit in the right front and (as an amphibian drive) being powered by two propellers. This prototype was demonstrated with different engines and features for potential customers such as the Canadian Army who locally produced them as the AVGP. Switzerland sold a license to manufacture this machine to Chile in 1983. In the Swiss Army, the Piranha 6×6 is used as an ambulance, C3 command vehicle and, together with the BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missile, as a "tank destroyer". The prototype is along with an ambulance Piranha 6×6 on display in the Schweizerisches Militärmuseum Full.

MOWAG Piranha IIIC 10×10

With the continuous evolution of the Piranha family due to increasing demands, and the projected development of the Mowag Shark as a heavy weapons carrier, the Piranha design reached the limit of its payload capacity. The Piranha 10×10 (built in 1994), was an attempt to expand the payload, using a 5th axle of the same type as used in the smaller Piranha models. The Piranha 10×10 was designed as a heavy weapons carrier, but only a small number were built for Sweden as the LIRKA command tank and Kapris radar carrier. The Piranha IIIC 10×10 marked an important development from the Piranha IIIC 8×8. The Piranha IIIC 10×10 prototype was used in various tests, including in Sweden, and now stands in the Schweizerisches Militärmuseum Full.

Operators

Piranha I

Chilean army – 225 Piraña I 6×6 and 30 Piraña I 8×8

including 50 120 mm mortar carriers

20 FSV 90 mm version

Ghana Army – 10 Piranha I 4×4, 44 Piranha I 6×6 and 3 Piranha I 8×8

Nigerian Army – 110 delivered in the 1980s

Boko Haram - at least two, captured from the Nigerian army

Swiss Army – 314 Piranha IB 6×6

4 driving school "Pzj TOW Fahrschule"

310 tank hunter "Pzj TOW", fitted with NM142 turret and a Detroit Diesel 6V-53T (265-300 hp) diesel engine.

40 were transformed into ambulance (Armament Program 2005, delivered in 2006–2007), "San Fz"

160 converted in command vehicle "Kdo Pz" with M153 Protector (Armament Program 2006, delivered in 2008–2010)

110 remained as a tank hunter TOW variant

Piranha II

Royal Army of Oman – 174 Piranha II in seven versions.

Qatar Armed Forces – 40 Piranha II 8×8 built under licence by former British firm Alvis PLC. (36 CCTS-90 tank hunter with a Belgian Cockerill 90 mm gun and 4 ARVs-recovery). Used during the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen.

Saudi Arabian National Guard – 1,117 LAV/Piranha II in 10 versions; another 132 ordered.

120 Piranha II

Swedish Army – 54 Piranha II

27 10×10 Armoured Sensor Vehicle (protection against 14.5mm)

17 10×10 Armoured Command Vehicle (protection against 7.62mm)

10 8×8 Armoured Escort Vehicle ordered in 1997

Swiss Army – 528 Piranha IIC (APC93 8×8):

8 military police "Spz Pz 93 Militärpolizei"

5 driving school "Spz 93 Fahrschule"

515 "Char de grenadiers à roues 93" equipped with turrets KUKA Wehrtechnik Type 606 A1 (which became Rheinmetall), made of the subvariants:

282 Infantry APC variant "Spz 93"

tranche 1, 117 ordered in 1993

tranche 2, 117 ordered in 1996

tranche 3, 48 ordered in 1999

92 command variant "Kdo Pz 93"

Piranha III

Belgian Army – 242 Piranha IIIC 8×8, selected in 2006, ordered in 2 batches, delivery 2008 - 2015. Variants purchased:

99 FUSELIER (APC)

32 DF30 (30mm Elbit turret)

18 DF90

24 command vehicle

12 Ambulance

17 ARV

18 Engineering

Botswana Defence Force – 90 Piranha III

45 Piranha IIIC ordered in 2002, delivered from 2003 to 2004 (APC and ambulance variants).

45 Piranha ordered in 2016, delivered from 2019 to 2022 (IFV variant, equipped with HITFIST turret).

Brazilian Marine Corps – 30 Piranha IIIC

25 APC

2 ARV

2 command post

1 ambulance

Danish Army – 113 Piranha III

22 Piranha IIIH (MTU 6V183TE22 (400 hp) diesel engine) (delivery 1999–2000, $30million )

18 APC

2 ARV

2 command post

91 Piranha IIIC

60 command post, reconnaissance + APC

Piranha IV

Swiss Army – 164 Piranha IV on order

84 engineering / sapper vehicles (PI PZ 21 - "Pionier Panzerfahrzeug 21"), to be delivered from 2025

48 mortar carriers ("12 cm Mörser 16"), 32 to be delivered between 2024 and 2025, 16 after 2026

32 self-propelled howitzers (AGM Artillery Gun Module on Piranha IV 10×10). The first systems are expected to be delivered in 2030.

Piranha V

Danish Army – 309 Piranha V The first were produced in Switzerland and delivered in May 2017, and all were delivered by end 2023

APC

Command

Ambulance

Engineer

Mortar Carriers

Repair

Additional order possible for a SHORAD system with the Skyranger 30

Monégasque Carabiniers – 2 Piranha V

2 Security vehicles

German Army - 58 Piranha V ordered, 256 in total planned

Romanian Land Forces – 227 Piranha V in production.

The first batch of 36 vehicles produced in Switzerland, arrived in October 2020. Another 58 vehicles assembled in Romania were received by the end of 2022. All other units will be produced in Romania, at the Bucharest Mechanical Factory. A further 150 Piranhas are to be acquired.

IFV

Command

Ambulance

CBRN

Mortar

Recovery

Spanish Army – 348 ordered, total expected 998

Phase 1, 348, delivery 2023–2027

219 VCR (an IFV variant)

Former operators of the Piranha family

Armed Forces of Liberia – 10 Piranha I 4×4. Saw service during the Second Liberian Civil War.

Sierra Leone Army – about 10 Piranha I 6×6 (Non operational)

Derivatives of the Piranha

ASLAV (Australian Light Armoured Vehicle)

Australian Army

The ASLAV is an eight-wheeled amphibious armoured reconnaissance vehicle of the LAV II family used by the Australian Army, built by GDLS Canada and GDLS Australia. Land 112 Phase 1, 15 LAV-25 leased from the USMC; Land 112 Phase 2, 113 ASLAV ordered, delivery from 1995 to 1997; Land 112 Phase 3, 144 ASLAV ordered, all delivered by 2004.

ASLAV – 257

ASLAV Type I, derivative of the USMC LAV-25

ASLAV-25

ASLAV Type II, derivative of the Canadian Army Bison

ASLAV-PC (APC)

ASLAV-C (Command Post)

ASLAV-S (Surveillance)

ASLAV-A (Ambulance)

ASLAV Type III

11 ASLAV-F (Fitter, a maintenance support vehicle)

11 ASLAV-R (Recovery, an ARV)

LAV (Light Armoured Vehicles, made in Canada)

Canadian Army

LAV III, derived from Piranha III – 651

494 Infantry Fighting Vehicle - Standard model with turret and 25 mm gun

71 TOW Under Armour - Anti-tank variant equipped with two TOW missile launchers on a specialized turret

39 armoured engineering vehicles

47 artillery fire control

Modernisation of 616 LAV III to standard LAV 6.0

278 ISC (Infantry Section Carrier)

181 CPV (Command Post)

47 OPV (Observation Post Vehicle for artillery)

44 ELAV (Engineer)

66 RECCE (long range reconnaissance)

LAV 6.0 ACSV – 360

Type 2 variants (high roof)

41 Troop/Cargo Vehicle (TCV)

49 Ambulance

97 Command Post

18 Electronic Warfare

18 Engineer

Type 3 (low roof)

13 Fitter / Cargo Vehicle (FCV)

54 Maintenance and Recovery

Retired derivatives of the Piranha family

Canadian Army

LAV I, known as the AVGP, derived from Piranha I – 344 retired of 492 acquired, 147 transferred to Uruguay.

195 Cougar acquired, all retired, (reconnaissance and fire support role)

265 Grizzly acquired, all retired, (APC role)

26 Husky retired of 31 acquired, an ARV

44 Cougar, 98 Grizzly, 5 Husky given to Uruguayan Army

LAV II, derived from Piranha II – 402 retired / soon to be retired (2023)

199 Bison (or MILAV) (18 command posts, 16 mortar carriers, 16 ARV, the rest APC)

203 Coyote reconnaissance vehicles