The Canadian Army is rolling ahead with its plans to acquire a fleet of Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicles. The Associate Minister of National Defence Julian Fantino has announced that Textron Systems Canada Inc. has been selected to supply 500 vehicles for Regular and Reserve Forces.

“Our investments in the Canadian Army now will provide our troops with the modern equipment they need to conduct their missions safely and effectively for decades to come.” said Fantino.

The new TAPV fleet will complement the light utility vehicle wheeled (G-Wagon) fleet, and will be capable of fulfilling a number of roles on the battlefield, including reconnaissance, surveillance, security, command and control, cargo and armoured personnel carrier.

The TAPV project is one of four Family of land combat vehicles (FLCV) projects announced in July 2009, which seek to modernise the existing fleet-a key step in the implementation of the Canada First Defence Strategy. All major Canadian Army bases and training areas will be receiving vehicles from the TAPV project.

The Canadian Army will acquire two variants of this vehicle: a reconnaissance variant and a general utility variant. The army will replace the Coyote with 193 reconnaissance variant vehicles and the remaining 307 vehicles will serve as new armoured personnel carriers, equipped with remote weapon stations.

Vehicles will begin arriving on bases in 2014, with full operational capability expected by 2016.