First New Armoured Combat Support Vehicles Arrive

Above images: Left, the first four new Armoured Combat Support Vehicles (ACSVs), right, Minister of National Defence Bill Blair spoke to reports regarding the arrival of the new ACSVs. The vehicle replaces the replace the current LAV II Bison and M113 Tracked LAV fleets.

The first four new Armoured Combat Support Vehicles (ACSVs) arrived in Petawawa. To mark the occasion, the Minister of Defence Bill Blair and the Chief of the Defence Staff General Wayne Eyre, were on hand on Oct. 19, 2023, to accept the vehicles on behalf of the Canadian Army.

Modernizing, Renewing and Improving Capabilities

“Modernizing, renewing and improving our capabilities within the Canadian Armed Forces is essential to keep Canada safe in a world that grows more complex, and I am pleased to see the first variant of the Armoured Combat Support Vehicles project being delivered today. These ambulances, which were much needed, will provide enhanced protection for our personnel when it matters most, whether they’re at home or abroad,” stated General Eyre.

The delivery of the four ACSVs represents the first of 360 ACSVs that will be delivered to the Canadian Army over the coming years. A total of 49 ambulance-armoured support vehicles will be delivered to bases across Canada in the coming months.

The vehicles were procured through the Armoured Combat Vehicle project. The vehicles will provide the Canadian Armed Forces with a modernized, armoured combat fleet to support members of the Canadian Army, ensuring they have the tools needed to conduct operations in Canada and abroad noted in the press release.

New Vehicles Based on LAV 6.0

The new fleet of ACSVs will all be based on the Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) 6.0 and will replace the current LAV II Bison and M113 Tracked LAV fleets.

“These vehicles are general-utility combat support vehicles that will fulfil a wide variety of support roles on the battlefield – including serving as troop transport, command vehicles, electronic warfare, mobile repair, and various combat engineering tasks. They will provide a high degree of maneuverability and protection to their crews and payloads,” stated the press release.

The LAV 6 has been tested and is a proven platform that meets the Canadian Army’s needs, “and having similar combat support vehicles will offer operational advantages to the CAF, including reduced training and sustainment costs, as well as the availability of common spare parts to fix vehicles quickly during critical operations.”

Sooner Rather Than Later

Initially expected to be delivered in 2025, the delivery of the ambulance ACSV marks the first of eight variants to be received by the Canadian Army under the ACSV project. Training for both maintainers and operators of the vehicle is scheduled to begin this month.

“The members of the Canadian Armed Forces deserve modern equipment that gets the job done. These new Armoured Combat Support Vehicles will serve our members well at home and abroad, enabling them to protect Canada and support our Allies. I thank the hundreds of Canadian workers involved in building these vehicles – and reaffirm our commitment to investing in our military while creating good jobs for Canadians,” stated  the Minister of National Defence Bill Blair.

Armoured support vehicles eight variants include:

• Command Post,
• Mobile Repair Team,
• Maintenance and Recovery Vehicle,
• Ambulance,
• Electronic Warfare,
• Engineer,
• Troop Cargo Vehicle, and
• Fitter Cargo Vehicle.

Take a tour of the ambulance ACSV below. 

Economic Benefits for Canada

The press release noted procurement is delivering significant economic benefits for Canada. The vehicles are being acquired due to a $2 billion investment with General Dynamics Land Systems – Canada. The project supports 1,975 jobs annually in London, Ontario and across the country and contributes $250 million annually to Canada’s Gross Domestic Product over eight years.

“This project highlights investments in Canada’s domestic supply chain, and the importance of supporting good middle-class jobs. Welcoming the first ambulance variant of the Armoured Combat Support Vehicle supports our commitment in ensuring members of our Canadian Armed Forces have the modern equipment they need to do their jobs and keep Canadians safe,” stated the Minister of Public Services Jean-Yves Duclos.

The Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy applies to the contract, which means General Dynamics will invest equal to the value of the contract back into the Canadian economy, providing opportunities for Canadian small and medium businesses and supporting innovation and skills development for Canadian workers.

The remaining ACSVs will be delivered over the coming years.