Over a year after receiving the first order for the new Double-V hulls (DVHs) version of its 8×8 Piranha vehicle design, production and modification of the new vehicles are running at full steam.
Following an order for 550 LAV III vehicles worth over one billion US$ from Canada, General Dynamics Land Systems won other orders this month, an award of $367 million to deliver 177 Stryker combat vehicles equipped with DVH. This award comes in addition to a similar $267 million order for 115 vehicles awarded earlier this month. Combined with previous orders for DHVs, this production order will provide the U.S. Army with vehicles to equip two Stryker brigade combat teams by July 2013. GDLS delivered the first vehicle Stryker DVH in May 2011, following 14 months of development.
The average cost per vehicle, as reflected by these recent orders is US$1.8 – 2 million.
Over 320 double-V-hulled Stryker vehicles have been produced so far, under a contract awarded in July 2010 for the production of 450 DVH vehicles. The double-V hull was developed on an accelerated timeline to provide Stryker-borne soldiers increased protection from the effects of roadside mines and improvised explosive devices. Recent Army reports indicate that deployed vehicles with the new double-V-hull design are providing significantly increased protection and survivability to soldiers.
These vehicles will be delivered in seven variants including Infantry Carrier, Medical Evacuation Vehicle, Engineers Squad Vehicle, Fire Support Vehicle, Commanders Vehicle, Mortar Carrier Vehicle and Anti-tank Guided Missile Vehicle. GDLS also offers Reconnaissance Vehicle, Nuclear Biological Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle and Mobile Gun System variants. Work on double-V-hulled Stryker vehicles is performed in Anniston, Ala., Lima, Ohio, and London, Ontario, Canada.
The Stryker vehicles have gone through phased upgrades to meet the escalating threats in Iraq and Afghanistan. The new hull will also address the devastating blast effects caused by mines and IEDs.
In addition to the U.S. Army, the Canadian Army will also field the DVH on its LAV III armored vehicles.
