Coyote Reconnaissance Vehicle

The Light Armoured Vehicle II (LAV II) Coyote is an armoured car built by General Dynamics Land Systems Canada for the Canadian Forces, for use in the light reconnaissance (scout) role.[1][2] It was also initially used in the role of medium tank trainer within armoured cavalry squadrons in the same way as the LAV I (AVGP) it replaced.[3] In service since 1996, the Coyote is a later generation of the LAV-25 and is of the same family and similar generation as the Bison APC and the Australian ASLAV.

Coyote Reconnaissance Vehicle
Canadian light armoured vehicle at the Calgary Stampede
TypeArmoured fighting vehicle
Place of originCanada
Production history
DesignerGeneral Motors Diesel Division
Specifications
Mass14.4 t (15.9 short tons)
Length6.39 m (21.0 ft)
Width2.50 m (8.2 ft)
Height2.69 m (8.8 ft)
Crew4 (driver, commander, gunner, surveillance suite operator)
Main
armament
1 × M242 25mm chain gun
Secondary
armament
1 × C6 7.62mm machine gun
(coaxial)
1 × C6 7.62mm machine gun
(pintle)
8 × grenade launchers
(2 × cluster of 4)
EngineDetroit Diesel 6V53T
275hp
Suspension8×8 wheeled, 4× drive
Operational
range
660 km
Maximum speed 120 km/h

Design

Armament

The Coyotes mount a 25×137mm M242 Bushmaster chain gun and two 7.62×51mm NATO C6 general purpose machine guns.[1] One of the machine guns is mounted coaxial to the main gun while the other is pintle-mounted in front of the crew commander's hatch. The main gun is equipped with dual ammunition feeds that allow for separate weapons effects, selectable by the gunner/crew commander; the standard load is a belt of armour-piercing sabot rounds and a belt of HE-T explosive/fragmentation rounds. The main gun and coax machine gun are 2-axis stabilized. The turret is equipped with a laser rangefinder, but no ballistic computer; elevation and lead corrections are applied manually by the gunner using multi-stadia reticules in the day, thermal, and image intensification sights. The turret is also equipped with grenade dischargers that can be loaded with smoke and fragmentation grenades.

Mobility

The Coyote is powered by a Detroit Diesel 6V53T engine developing 400 horsepower (300 kW), and can reach speeds of 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) (on road). The Coyote has a maximum road range of 660 kilometres (410 mi). It uses a larger wheel than initially used on the Bison and AVGP (these vehicles were later retrofitted with this wheel). Compared to the later LAV-III family of vehicles, the Coyote is smaller, uses smaller wheels and tires, has a "sharp" rather than "rounded" nose profile, and has a smaller, oval driver's hatch. Like the LAV-III, the Coyote can be fitted with additional ceramic bolt-on armour panels for increased protection. The Coyote can be transported on a Hercules C-130 plane but the turret needs first to be removed.[4]

Variants
Coyote from the 12e Régiment blindé du Canada

Coyotes come in three variants: Command, Mast, and Remote. The Mast and Remote variants have a sophisticated suite of electronic surveillance equipment including radar, video, and infrared surveillance night vision devices. The mast variant has this equipment mounted on a 10-metre telescoping mast that can be extended to raise the surveillance suite out from behind cover. The remote variant of the Coyote has its surveillance suite mounted on two short tripods, which crew can deploy remotely using a 200-metre spool of cable.

When first purchased, the Coyote was designated for service with both the Regular Force and Reserve Force, with the Mast variants earmarked for the Regular units and the Remotes designated for the Reserves. Shortly after taking delivery of the vehicles, but before they were assigned to the Reserve units, all Coyotes were reassigned to the Regular Force.

Service history

Since the introduction of the Coyote to the Canadian Armed Forces, the vehicle has served national interest domestically and abroad. The Coyote served during the United Nations/ NATO missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Kosovo, and in Afghanistan. Domestically, it has been deployed during "Operation Grizzly" to Kananaskis to secure the 28th G8 summit, the 36th G8 summit, and the G-20 Toronto summit,[5][6] in addition to a number of domestic emergency response incidents. The Coyote is currently being retired and is being replaced by a mix of TAPV and LAV VI armoured vehicles.

References
  1. "Exploring the Coyote". Department of National Defence. Archived from the original on 2 October 2007. Retrieved 18 September 2008.
  2. "Vetronics Engineering". General Dynamics Canada. Archived from the original on 29 April 2008. Retrieved 18 September 2008.
  3. Marteinson, John; McNorgan,Michael R. (2000). The Royal Canadian Armoured Corps: An Illustrated History. Montreal: Robin Brass Studio. ISBN 978-1896941172.
  4. Barry Cooper, Mercedes Stephenson, Ray Szeto (2004). "Canada's Military Posture: An Analysis of Recent Civilian Reports" (PDF). The Fraser Institute. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 November 2007. Retrieved 29 January 2008.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. Barr, Colonel David."The Kananaskis G8 Summit: A Case Study in Interagency Cooperation." journal.forces.gc.ca, 14 July 2008. Retrieved: 5 June 2010.
  6. Barr, Colonel David."Mosquitoes could be Huntsville weapon against protesters" thestar.com, 22 June 2010. Retrieved: 23 June 2010.

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