ASLAV

ASLAV
An ASLAV-25 in Afghanistan during 2011
Type	Eight-wheeled Armored Personnel Carrier
Place of origin	Australia/Canada
Service history
Used by	Australian Army
Wars	Iraq War, Afghanistan, East Timor
Production history
Designer	MOWAG General Motors Diesel Division Canada General Dynamics Land Systems - Australia
Designed	1992–1994
Manufacturer	General Motors Diesel Division Canada General Dynamics Land Systems - Australia
Unit cost	A$2.2 million
Produced	1995–2007
Number built	257
Variants	See variants
Specifications
Weight	13.2 tonnes
Length	6.53 m
Width	2.62 m
Height	2.69 m
Crew	3 + 6 troops
Armor	Unknown
Main armament	25 mm M242 Chain Gun 720 rounds
Secondary armament	7.62 mm MAG58 machine gun 1000 rounds
Engine	Detroit Diesel 6V-53T 275 hp (205 kW)
Power/weight	15.53 kW/tonne
Suspension	8 wheel independent
Operational range	660 km (410 mi)
Speed	120 km/h (75 mph)

25 mm M242 Chain Gun

7.62 mm MAG58 machine gun

The Australian Light Armoured Vehicle (ASLAV) is an Australian light armoured vehicle designed and manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems Canada. The vehicle is based on the MOWAG Piranha 8x8 design. It is a highly mobile, eight wheeled amphibious armoured vehicle used for reconnaissance and surveillance operations.

In 1990, a year-long evaluation was conducted by A Squadron 2nd Cavalry Regt on 15 light armoured vehicles leased from the United States Marine Corps. This was to see how wheeled vehicles would handle Australian conditions and what modifications would need to be made.

In 1992, under Phase 2 of the ASLAV Program, the Australian Defence Materiel Organisation acquired 113 of the Australian version of the Canadian manufactured LAV for the Australian Army. By 1997, the 2nd Cavalry Regiment was fully equipped with the ASLAV.

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 turrets by General Dynamics Land Systems - Australia. The Wheeled Manoeuvre Systems Program Office of the Defence Materiel Organisation manages the ASLAV Phase 3 project, as well as the through-life support of in-service ASLAV assets.

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 (Queensland Mounted Infantry) in Brisbane. This equips the Army's two armoured reconnaissance units with ASLAVs.