ASLAV
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The Australian Light Armoured Vehicle (ASLAV), is an Australian version of the Mowag Piranha. It is a highly mobile, eight wheeled amphibious armoured vehicle used for reconnaissance and surveillance operations.
History
In 1990, a year long evaluation was conducted on 15 light armoured vehicles purchased from the United States Marine Corps. This was to see how wheeled vehicles would handle Australian conditions and what modifications would needed to be made.In 1992 under Phase 2 of the ASLAV Program, the Army acquired 113 of the Australian version of the Canadian manufactured LAV. By 1997 the 2nd Cavalry Regiment was fully equipped with the ASLAV.
Future use
Phase 3 of the ASLAV acquisition was approved with the follow on purchase of 144 vehicles with increased levels of local content including the fabrication and assembly of LAV-25 turrets by General Dynamics Land Systems - Australia.
These vehicles have been issued to training units, and the 2nd Cavalry Regiment. The Phase 2 vehicles have been upgraded and the bulk issued to the 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment (QMI) in Brisbane. This equips the Army's two armoured reconnaissance units with ASLAVs.
The ASLAV has an eight wheeled configuration (capable of either four or eight wheel drive), is amphibious and has a range of 600km with a top road speed of 100km/h.
The ASLAV has excellent battlefield mobility, as all wheels are equipped with a solid-core secondary tyre next to the hub, allowing the vehicle to function even with eight flat tyres.
Phase 3 improvements include a laser range finder, the latest generation thermal imager, 28V DC electric drive for the turret and improved suspension for the hull.
The heat of northern Australia poses special problems for armoured vehicle crews with interior temperatures reaching 55 degrees Celsius.
The ASLAV is fitted with air-conditioning that reduces temperatures at the crew positions to outside levels. Increasing the versatility of the ASLAV even more is the use of non-permanent Mission Role Installation Kits (MRIKs) to generate several variants from a single hull design.
This is a unique Australian modification and much of the design and development work was done in Australia.
Operational service
ASLAVs have seen operational service with the Australian Army in East Timor and Iraq.
Variants
By using these MRIKs and the three different hull types of the ASLAV the Australian Army has at their disposal, the following variants have been developed:
- ASLAV-25 (Reconnaissance) - A three man reconnaissance vehicle armed with an M242 dual-feed 25 mm Bushmaster cannon and two 7.62 mm FN MAG 58 machine guns.
- ASLAV-PC (Personnel Carrier) - A two man vehicle armed with a .50 BMG M2 machine gun and capable of carrying 7 scout troops. The standard flex mounted machine gun is in the process of being replaces by a Kongsberg Protector remote weapon system (RWS) which can accommodate either a 12.7mm machine gun, a 7.62mm MAG58 machine gun or a Mk19 40mm automatic grenade launcher.
- ASLAV-C (Command) - A vehicle equipped with enhanced radio installation and radio masts, mapboard, stowage compartments, appropriate seating and annex. Armed with a single .50 BMG M2 machine gun.
- ASLAV-S (Surveillance) - A specialised surveillance vehicle equipped with thermal imager, laser range finder and day television camera. Armed with a single .50 BMG M2 machine gun.
- ASLAV-A (Ambulance) - Equipped with medical equipment and litter stations this ASLAV can carry three lying patients or six sitting patients. Armed with a single .50 BMG M2 machine gun.
- ASLAV-F (Fitter) - Maintenance support vehicle crewed by soldiers of the Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RAEME) for the repair and maintenance of ASLAV vehicles. Armed with a single 7.62 FN MAG 58 machine gun.
- ASLAV-R (Recovery) - Maintenance support vehicle, also crewed by RAEME soldiers for recovering damaged or bogged vehicles. Armed with a single 7.62 FN MAG 58 machine gun.
External link
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