«Bison» and «Coyote»: what is known about LAV II armored vehicles to be delivered to Ukraine by Canada

The Government of Canada plans to zoom in military assistance to Ukraine. In particular, the new military aid package will include armoured vehicles of the LAV II — «Bison» and «Coyote» families. Here’s what we know about them.

History of LAV light armoured vehicles

Most major armoured vehicle manufacturers establish production facilities in many countries. The American company General Dynamics Land Systems is no exception and has a large plant in Canada, known as GDLS-Canada, which focuses on the production and development of wheeled vehicles for the international market.

In 1974, the Canadian military announced a program to purchase light vehicles. They were to be produced at the GDLS-Canada facilities, and it was decided to take the Piranha family of Swiss armored fighting vehicles as a model. Licensed Canadian «Piranhas» with a 6×6 wheel configuration were codenamed LAV I (Light Armored Vehicle).

A few years later, Canadian engineers presented an improved line of LAV II armored vehicles with an 8×8 wheel configuration. Despite some similarities with the Swiss Piranha, they are an original GDLS development and in 1983 entered service with the U.S. Marine Corps, where they were named LAV-25.

Structurally, it is an eight-wheeled amphibious armored personnel carrier weighing 12.8 tons, with a crew of three, a 6-seat landing compartment and light armor that can protect against small arms fire. It has a top-mounted turret with a 25 mm automatic cannon and two machine guns, a 275 hp diesel engine, and can reach speeds of 100 km/h.

In total, more than 750 LAV-25 vehicles of various modifications (anti-tank, engineering, headquarters, repair, etc.) participated in the US invasion of Panama, the Gulf War and Iraq. Subsequently, the experience of their combat use became the basis for the development of the Canadian armored personnel carrier LAV II «Bison» and the reconnaissance vehicle LAV II «Coyote».

The third generation of GDLS-C’s light armoured vehicle family — LAV III — was introduced in 1999, participated in allied operations in Afghanistan and is currently the main vehicle in the Canadian Army. The LAV III also served as a prototype for the development of the M1126 Stryker armoured fighting vehicle, of which approximately 4,900 have been built since 2002, including 4,466 for the US Army. In March 2023, President Biden’s administration transferred more than 400 Stryker to Ukraine.

In 2016, the LAV family of armoured vehicles was expanded with the fourth generation, which received the LAV 6.0 index and the acronym ACSV (Armored Combat Support Vehicle). It includes combat and combat support vehicles that have received many updates. Canada handed over a batch of 39 «Super bison» LAV 6 to Ukraine in June 2022, and in April 2024, there were reports of another 50 ACSV armoured vehicles as part of another military aid package.

LAV II Bison armoured personnel carrier

«Bison» — an eight-wheeled armoured vehicle based on the LAV II, which was developed in 1990 to transport an infantry division of the Canadian Army. It is distinguished from the basic LAV-25 by the absence of a turret, a ramp instead of a door in the rear of the hull, and increased height and capacity of the landing compartment (8 seats instead of 6).

The rail mounting system in the cargo and passenger compartment allows the armoured personnel carrier to be quickly adapted to various tasks. In the Canadian Armed Forces, it has received many modifications: ambulance, electronic warfare vehicle, mobile repair shop, chemical reconnaissance vehicle and platform for 81 mm mortar.

In 2016, the upgrade to the LAV 6.0 Super Bison received an improved 450 hp engine, torsion bar suspension, modern steering, and additional armor capable of protecting against 14.5 mm bullets from the sides of the hull and 30 mm shells in the frontal projection. The basic protection of the armored personnel carrier is provided by a 7.62 mm rotary machine gun.

According to release the manufacturer, these upgrades have significantly improved the vehicle’s survivability, mobility, and lethality. The survivability improvements include the transition to a V-shaped hull that provides effective protection against mines and improvised explosive devices, as well as energy absorbing seats in all crew positions.

Technical characteristics of the LAV II Bison armoured personnel carrier

The crew	2 persons
Airborne	8 people
Length	6,45 м
Width	2,5 м
Height	2,21 м
Weight	12,39 т
Maximum speed on land	100 km/h
Maximum speed on the water	9.7 km/h
Power reserve	650 km
Engine	Detroit Diesel 6V53T with turbocharging
Power	275 hp.
Transmission	5-speed Allison MT653
Maximum lifting angle	60%
Vertical barrier	0,5 м
Trench	2 м
Armament	7.62 mm machine gun
Put into operation	1990

LAV II Coyote reconnaissance vehicle

The LAV II Coyote is an armoured reconnaissance vehicle developed by General Dynamics Land Systems Canada. The Canadian Armed Forces ordered 203 vehicles in 1993 to replace the Lynx reconnaissance vehicle, and all were delivered and accepted into service by 1996.

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The «Coyote» was developed based on the LAV II and weighs 14.4 tons (compared to 17 tons for the LAV III). With a hull shape similar to the LAV II, it also has nuclear weapons protection, automatic fire extinguishers and central heating for cold weather. The hull is protected by 8 to 13 mm thick armour, but with additional armour panels that claim to offer some protection against larger calibre bullets.

The powerplant consists of a 275 hp Detroit Diesel 6V53T diesel engine with an Allison MT653 transmission (5 front/1 rear). The maximum speed is 100 km/h with a limit (120 km/h without regulation), which provides a range of 660 km. Maneuverability is ensured by a turning radius of 15.5 m and the ability to cross a 2 m wide trench, overcome a 60% slope or drive on a 30% side slope.

The armament is located in a two-man turret and consists of a 25-mm M242 automatic cannon (210 rounds), a twin 7.62 mm C6 machine gun and another 7.62 mm machine gun mounted on the turret. In addition, eight 76-mm smoke and fragmentation grenade launchers are mounted on the turret. All crew periscopes have 3 levels of laser protection, and 7 periscopes of the command tower provide a full 360° view.

The main feature of the «Coyotes» is the powerful surveillance and reconnaissance equipment. Sensors mounted on a 10-meter mast and tripods are capable of detecting vehicles at a distance of up to 24 km and personnel at a distance of up to 20 km under optimal conditions. The surveillance equipment is located in the rear compartment of the vehicle and consists of a radar station, a long-range night vision device (NODLR) and a thermal imaging camera.

Technical characteristics of the LAV II Coyote combat reconnaissance vehicle

The crew	4 people (driver, commander, shooter, surveillance operator)
Length	6,39 м
Width	2,50 м
Height	2,69 м
Weight	14,4 т
Maximum speed	100 km/h
Power reserve	650 km
Engine	Detroit Diesel 6V53T with turbocharging
Power	275 hp.
Transmission	5-speed Allison MT653
Maximum lifting angle	60%
Booking	Spaced, 8 mm + 8 mm, or 12 mm + 8 mm in front
Armament	– Automatic gun M242 25 mm – twin 7.62 mm C6 machine gun – 7.62 mm machine gun on the roof of the tower – 2 cluster grenade launchers
Put into operation	1996