- Yes
- No
A British built, Swiss designed vehicle with a US turret marketed to clients in the Middle East.
Introduction
In January 1991, GKN Defence (soon to become Alvis Vehicles) announced that Swiss company MOWAG had awarded them a contract to construct a significant number of Pirahna 8x8 AFVs for one of MOWAGs middle eastern customers. This contract was for a total of 100 - 120 vehicles built by Alvis, of six different variants, to the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defence and Aviation (MODA). These included ambulance, recovery, surveillance, VIP APCs, and mortar variants of the Piranha.
Following this successful partnership, MOWAG and Alvis signed an agreement which licensed Alvis to become a System Prime Contractor for the design, integration, production, and marketing of the Alvis Vehicles Piranha 8x8 for agreed customers.
Subsequently, Alvis enjoyed moderate success producing, marketing, and exporting the Piranha 8x8. In 1994, Oman ordered a total of 80 Alvis Piranhas, with an agreed option for 46 further vehicles.
As well as producing a variety of vehicles for middle eastern customers, Alvis fitted out their Piranha IIs in numerous unique configurations as part of demonstrations for the product, and mounted a variety of turrets to market the vehicle to potential export customers.
This suggestion is for the Alvis Piranha II as fitted with the Delco 25mm IFV turret, armed with a 25mm M242 Bushmaster, as shown at IDEX 2001. Several versions of the Delco turret were used by Alvis to demonstrate their production line of the Piranha II, and what makes this variant unique is the complete lack of TOW launchers on the turret, bringing it in line with the various other 25mm Piranha family members around the world, such as the LAV-25 and other similar vehicles. This variant of the Alvis Piranha was marketed to potential export customers, but no purchasers were found, so the vehicle did not enter serial production.
Specifications
Spoiler
Chassis
Armament & Turret
This variant completely lacks the TOW launchers, the above specs are otherwise correct
Images
Spoiler
Another unique variant of the Alvis Piranha II, as fitted with the later Delco turret with twin TOW launchers
Sources