On 22 April, the King’s Own Calgary Regiment unveiled their newest 4x4 armoured vehicle – Textron’s Tactical Armoured Patrol Vehicle (TAPV) – to mark the unit’s regimental anniversary known as St. George’s Day. 500 of the TAPVs will be put into service in the Canadian Forces, with 307 GU (General Utility) variants and 193 outfitted as reconnaissance vehicles.
Textron's TAPV (Picture source: Cpl Beaudoin)
The TAPV programme began in 2009, and in 2012 the contract was awarded to Textron Systems Inc. On August 16, 2016, Textron systems delivered the first units to the Canadian Army. 500 vehicles have been purchased, valued at $603.4 million, and a second contract for their support at $105.4 million to conduct in-service support for the fleet for five years following the last vehicle delivery. The TAPV will replace the reconnaissance role currently carried out by the Coyote reconnaissance vehicles (LAV II), and the patrolling, liaison, and VIP transport roles formerly carried out by the Armoured Patrol Vehicle (RG-31). The TAPV will complement the Light Utility Vehicle Wheeled (G-Wagon).
The TAPV is powered by a Cummins QSL diesel engine, which provides 365 horsepower (272 kW), allowing the vehicle a maximum speed of 105 km/h (65 mph), and a maximum range of 644 km (400 miles). The vehicle utilizes an independent suspension axle system originally developed by Irish Timoney, and it has a central tire inflation system to prevent flat tires during combat operations.
The TAPV has a V-shaped hull, which provides protection against mine and improvised explosive device (IED) blasts. The vehicle also has a high ground clearance, which increases protection from mine and IED blasts. It can withstand up to 10 kg of explosive force directly under its hull, and can resist even 12.7mm armour-piercing rounds. Each of the seats in the vehicle is blast protected, and the vehicle has vented wheel wells to disperse the energy of an explosion out from the vehicle.
The TAPV is slated to have a remote weapons system based on the M151 Protector. The weapon system is called the Dual Remote Weapon System, and can mount both a C6 7.62mm machine gun and either a HK GMG 40 mm automatic grenade launcher or an M2HB 12.7mm heavy machine gun. The vehicle also possesses smoke grenade launchers located throughout the hull that can fire 350 grenades per minute up to one kilometre.
Lieutenant-Colonel Christopher Hunt, commanding officer of the King’s Own Calgary Regiment, says that the biggest advantage of having access to the vehicle is that his soldiers will be able to integrate their training with the regular forces. “This allows us to train with a modern armoured fighting vehicle and it’s also used by the regular force, so we are able to integrate for large scale collective training and on operations overseas.” It takes two weeks for soldiers to qualify to drive on these vehicles, after they’ve completed their basic soldier training and a month’s worth of basic armoured crewman training.
