Danish forces with Piranha 3 armored vehicles are repositioned to other Iraqi bases

May 2020 News Defense Global Security army industry
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Due to successful operations against ISIS by Iraqi security forces, Coalition forces including Danish soldiers using Piranha III 8x8 armored vehicles are repositioned to other Iraqi bases to continue the anti-ISIS partnership with the U.S.-led coalition forces.
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U.S. led Coalition Forces in Iraq prepare to move Danish forces with Mowag Piranha III 8x8 armored personnel carrier for transfer from Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, May. 6, 2020.
U.S.-led Coalition forces in Iraq prepare to move Danish forces with Mowag Piranha III 8x8 APCs for transfer from Al Asad Air Base on May 6 (Picture source: U.S. DoD)

The Mowag Piranha III 8x8 armored personnel carrier from the Danish army is ready to be transferred from Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, May 6, 2020. There are about 7,500 coalition troops in Iraq assisting and providing training to their Iraqi security counterparts to fight the Islamic State group.

Denmark's military contribution to the coalition's fight against ISIL consists among other things of a capacity building contribution. On 16 January 2018 a broad majority in the Danish parliament approved the deployment of further up to approx. 30 soldiers in a security role. This deployment will be included in the capacity building contribution, will bring the contribution’s strength up to approximately 180 soldiers.

The capacity building force contribution counsels and trains Iraqi forces on the Al Asad airbase in western Iraq. In addition, Denmark supports the coalition with a radar contribution that provides airspace surveillance in support of the coalition's air operations. The contribution consists of a mobile radar located on the Al Asad airbase and up to approx. 30 personnel, including operators deployed to the Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates. Denmark has also deployed a staff contribution of up to approx. 20 people to the coalition's headquarters.

The PIRANHA III is an 8x8 armoured vehicle developed by Mowag Motorwagenfabriken of Switzerland, now part of General Dynamics European Land Combat Systems (GDELS). The third-generation PIRANHA family is based on a new lightweight hull design with increased variable ballistic protection and higher performance in terms of payload versus gross vehicle weight and increased useable internal volume.

In December 1997 the Danish Army Materiel Command signed a contract worth 130 million (DKr) for the delivery of 22 Piranha III APC Armored Personnel Carriers manufactured by the Swiss company Mowag. The Piranha is operational with the Danish Reaction Brigade. It has replaced the Unimog 416 and the MAN 8.136 trucks.