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The Australian Light Armoured Vehicle (ASLAV) is an eight-wheeled amphibious armoured
reconnaissance vehicle A reconnaissance vehicle, also known as a scout vehicle, is a military vehicle used for forward reconnaissance. Both tracked and wheeled reconnaissance vehicles are in service. In some nations, light tanks such as the M551 Sheridan and AMX-13 have ...
of the
LAV II The LAV II is the second generation of the Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) family. The LAV II is an 8×8 vehicle unlike the 6×6 Armoured Vehicle General Purpose, which is a LAV based on the Piranha I. The United States Marine Corps was the first u ...
family used by the
Australian Army The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (Austral ...
. It was built by
General Dynamics Land Systems General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) is a manufacturer of military vehicles such as tanks and lighter armored fighting vehicles. History In February 1982 Chrysler announced the sale of Chrysler Defense, its profitable defense subsidiary, to ...
Canada, and developed from the U.S. Marine Corps' LAV-25 and Canadian Army's
Bison Bison are large bovines in the genus ''Bison'' (Greek: "wild ox" (bison)) within the tribe Bovini. Two extant and numerous extinct species are recognised. Of the two surviving species, the American bison, ''B. bison'', found only in North Ame ...
armoured fighting vehicles.


Description

The ASLAV is a highly mobile, eight-wheel drive, amphibious armoured fighting vehicle that can be deployed by land, sea or air (in
Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
C-130s or C-17s). It is fitted with GPS, an intra-vehicular navigation system and a radio harness capable of supporting HF, VHF, UHF and digital radios. The ASLAV is capable of speeds of and has a maximum range in excess of . The
eight-wheel drive Eight-wheel drive, often notated as 8WD or 8×8, is a drivetrain configuration that allows all eight wheels of an eight-wheeled vehicle to be drive wheels (that is, to receive power from the engine) simultaneously. Unlike four-wheel drive drivetr ...
provides excellent cross-country mobility and redundancy, the vehicle is capable of operation with only four working wheels, and can continue to operate with eight punctured tyres through the use of solid-core run-flat tyres. It is fully amphibious and is driven in the water by permanent shrouded propellers located at the rear of the hull at speeds of up to .


Variants

The ASLAV fleet comprises a number of specialist purpose designed variants built in three distinct hull configurations.


ASLAV Type I

The ASLAV Type I is the most numerous type; it is a turreted vehicle derived from the LAV-25 and comes in only one variant. * ASLAV-25 (Reconnaissance) – is an Armoured Car with a crew of three (commander, gunner & driver). The two man turret has day, thermal and infrared imaging weapon systems, a stabilised
M242 The M242 Bushmaster chain gun is a 25 mm (25×137mm) single-barrel chain-driven autocannon. It is used extensively by the U.S. military, such as in the Bradley fighting vehicle, as well as by other NATO members and some other nations in grou ...
25mm dual-feed chain gun and two FN MAG 58 7.62 mm machine guns. The ASLAV-25 conducts troop-level tactical reconnaissance and can carry up to six dismounts in the rear.


ASLAV Type II

The ASLAV Type II has no turret and greater internal capacity and is derived from the Canadian
Bison Bison are large bovines in the genus ''Bison'' (Greek: "wild ox" (bison)) within the tribe Bovini. Two extant and numerous extinct species are recognised. Of the two surviving species, the American bison, ''B. bison'', found only in North Ame ...
Armoured Personnel Carrier. The ASLAV Type II has a crew of two (commander and driver) and is armed with a pintle mounted M2 12.7 mm machine gun. In a number of vehicles, the standard machine gun pintle mount was replaced by a Kongsberg Protector remote weapon station (RWS), which can accommodate either a 12.7 mm machine gun or a Mk 19 40mm automatic grenade launcher. Using a common hull design installed with interchangeable Mission Role Installation Kits (MRIKs), it can be converted into any one of four variants. * ASLAV-PC (Personnel Carrier) – is an
Armoured Personnel Carrier An armoured personnel carrier (APC) is a broad type of armoured military vehicle designed to transport personnel and equipment in combat zones. Since World War I, APCs have become a very common piece of military equipment around the world. Acc ...
capable of carrying seven fully equipped troops in support of troop level tactical reconnaissance. * ASLAV-C (Command) – is an Armoured Command Vehicle, it is equipped with an enhanced radio installation and radio masts, map boards, stowage compartments, specialised seating and an stowable annex. In addition to the crew, the ASLAV-C can accommodate three staff officers and provides command and control at the Squadron and Regimental Headquarter level. * ASLAV-S (Surveillance) – is a specialised surveillance vehicle equipped with a hydraulically raised mast mounted thermal imager, laser range finder, day television camera and battlefield surveillance radar AMSTAR. The ASLAV-S supports tactical reconnaissance with ground surveillance and observation and can carry four crew and two occasional troops. * ASLAV-A (
Ambulance An ambulance is a medically equipped vehicle which transports patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals. Typically, out-of-hospital medical care is provided to the patient during the transport. Ambulances are used to respond to medi ...
) – is an Armoured Ambulance and is fitted with specialist medical equipment and in addition to the crew can accommodate a medic and three lying patients or six sitting patients.


ASLAV Type III

The ASLAV Type III has no turret and is used by members of the
Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers The Royal Corps of Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RAEME; pronounced Raymee) is a corps of the Australian Army that has responsibility for the maintenance and recovery of all Army electrical and mechanical equipment. RAEME has mem ...
for repair and recovery. The ASLAV Type III has a crew of two (commander and driver) and usually carries a third mechanic, it is armed with a pintle mounted FN MAG 58 7.62 mm machine gun, although some have been fitted with the Kongsberg Protector RWS. The ASLAV Type III comes in two variants utilising two specialist MRIKs. * ASLAV-F (Fitter) – is a maintenance support vehicle that provides a protected mobile workshop for field repair personnel, including vehicle parts and tools, and is fitted with a HIAB 650 crane. * ASLAV-R (Recovery) – is an
Armoured Recovery Vehicle An armoured recovery vehicle (ARV) is typically a powerful tank or armoured personnel carrier (APC) chassis modified for use during combat for military vehicle recovery (towing) or repair of battle-damaged, stuck, and/or inoperable armoured f ...
that is equipped with a heavy winch to recover disabled vehicles to a more accessible location or tow them to a repair facility.


History

The acquisition of the ASLAV family of vehicles for the Australian Army was managed by
Defence Materiel Organisation The Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) is an organisation within the Department of Defence (Australia), Australian Department of Defence, responsible for Military acquisition, acquisition and Military supply chain management, su ...
under the multi-phased LAND 112 project. The vehicles were similar to those considered by the Australian Army to replace its M113 armoured personnel carriers in the early 1980s under Project Waler. In April 1989, the Australian Army purchased 15 ex-
United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
LAV-25 vehicles at a cost of A$28.4 million under LAND 112 Phase 1. These vehicles were purchased to trial the Wheeled Armoured Fighting Vehicle (WAFV) concept in northern Australia. The trials were conducted by the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in 1990–1991, with the subsequent report endorsing the WAFV concept, and the Army determined that the LAV was the best vehicle to fulfil the intended role of armoured reconnaissance and surveillance. In December 1992, Defence contracted the
Canadian Commercial Corporation The Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC; ) is a Canadian federal Crown corporation mandated to support the growth of international trade by helping Canadian exporters gain access to foreign government procurement markets and by helping governme ...
to supply 97 improved ASLAV Phase 2 vehicles under LAND 112 Phase 2 at a cost of A$123.84 million. These 97 vehicles were built in Canada by
Diesel Division of General Motors of Canada General Motors Diesel was a railway diesel locomotive manufacturer located in London, Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1949 as the Canadian subsidiary of the Electro-Motive Diesel division of General Motors (EMD). In 1969 it was re-organ ...
with final fitting occurring in Australia by
Tenix Defence Tenix Defence was Australia's largest defence contractor with core capabilities in Aerospace, Land, Marine and Electronic Systems applications. BAE Systems announced its intention to acquire the company from Tenix in January 2008 and the acquisitio ...
. The first vehicles were completed in 1994. In June 1995, the scope was broadened to include replacements for the Phase 1 vehicles. In total 113 vehicles were purchased under Phase 2, with all vehicles being delivered to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Darwin and the School of Armour at Puckapunyal over the period 1995–1997. In December 1997 the Australian government approved the acquisition of an additional 150 vehicles, later amended to 144. Under LAND 1112 Phase 3, the initial contract with the Canadian Commercial Corporation was amended at a cost of A$286.37 million for an additional 144 new built improved Phase 3 ASLAVs, an upgrade of the Phase 2 fleet to Phase 3 standard and the provision of supporting ancillary equipment. The Phase 3 vehicles had enhanced offensive capabilities and crew protection, including new electric turret drives, improved thermal sights, integrated laser range finder, a second generation drive line and new suspension components. In the preparations for deployment to Iraq in 2003, 10 ASLAV Type IIs and Type IIIs were fitted with the Kongsberg Protector RWS; in total 59 systems were acquired from Kongsberg for A$17.9 million and fitted to vehicles operating in Iraq and Afghanistan. Further upgrades to crew protection for vehicles deployed to Iraq occurred with the fitting of bar armour and internal spall liners to better withstand blasts, small-arms hits and fragmentation. The ASLAV is to be replaced in Australian Army service by the
Boxer Boxer most commonly refers to: * Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing *Boxer (dog), a breed of dog Boxer or boxers may also refer to: Animal kingdom * Boxer crab * Boxer shrimp, a small group of decapod crustaceans * Boxer snipe ee ...
Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle under LAND 400 Phase 2, with deliveries expected from 2020.


Service

In the Australian Army, the ASLAV equips the Cavalry Squadrons of the
Royal Australian Armoured Corps The Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC) is a corps of the Australian Army which provides the Australian Defence Force's armour capability. Armour combines firepower, mobility, protection and networked situational awareness to generate shock ...
. A Cavalry Squadron comprises a headquarters element, an echelon and three sabre troops of six ASLAVs. Each troop is further broken down into two patrols each comprising two ASLAV-25s and one ASLAV-PC. The ASLAV equips two squadrons from each of the Australian Army's Armoured Cavalry Regiments, the 1st Armoured Regiment in Adelaide, the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Townsville, and the 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment (Queensland Mounted Infantry) in Brisbane, as well as the School of Armour at Puckapunyal.


Operational service

The Australian Army's ASLAV fleet saw continual operational service from 1999 to 2013.


East Timor

On 21 September 1999, C Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment deployed 22 ASLAVs into
Dili Dili (Portuguese/Tetum: ''Díli'') is the capital, largest city of East Timor and the second largest city in Timor islands after Kupang (Indonesia). It lies on the northern coast of the island of Timor, in a small area of flat land hemmed in ...
aboard HMAS Tobruk as a part of
International Force East Timor The International Force East Timor (INTERFET) was a multinational non-United Nations peacemaking task force, organised and led by Australia in accordance with United Nations resolutions to address the humanitarian and security crisis that took ...
, a further seven ASLAVs being deployed later to
East Timor East Timor (), also known as Timor-Leste (), officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is an island country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-weste ...
as a part of the commitment. The vehicles were used for a variety of tasks including convoy escort, surveillance, reconnaissance, communications, search, vehicle check points and force presence.


Iraq

From 2003 to 2009, the Australian Army deployed ASLAVs to
Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
with its commitment to the
Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
. The vehicles were used as a part of the SECDET rotations in
Baghdad Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...
, as well as AMTG and the subsequent OBG(W) rotations in
Dhi Qar Governorate Dhi Qar Governorate ( ar, ذي قار, translit=Thi Qār, ) is a Governorates of Iraq, governorate in southern Iraq. The provincial capital is Nasiriyah. Prior to 1976 the governorate was known as Muntafiq Governorate. Thi Qar was the heartland of ...
. In 13 April 2004, the first Australian engagement of the ASLAV's 25 mm main armament against enemy elements occurred when an ASLAV from SECDET engaged an enemy mortar base plate that was in the process of firing mortars into the Baghdad Green Zone.


Afghanistan

From 2006 to 2013 the Australian Army deployed ASLAVs to
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
with its commitment to the
War in Afghanistan War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to: *Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC) *Muslim conquests of Afghanistan (637–709) *Conquest of Afghanistan by the Mongol Empire (13th century), see als ...
. Predominantly deployed to
Urozgan Province Uruzgan (Dari), also spelled as Urozgan or Oruzgan, is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. Uruzgan is located in the center of the country. The population is 436,079, and the province is mostly a tribal society. Tarinkot serves as th ...
, the vehicles were used as part of Reconstruction Task Force (RTF), Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force (MRTF) and Mentoring Task Force (MTF) rotations as well as supporting Special Forces Task Group (SFTG) rotations.


Gallery

File:ASLAV in Afghanistan 2011.jpg, ASLAV-25 in Afghanistan Image:Puckapunyal-LAV-25-3.jpg, Trial LAV-25 at Puckapunyal File:Rear of an ASLAV-25.JPG, ASLAV-25 rear view Image:ASLAV Iraq.jpg, ASLAVs in Iraq Image:Light Horse 070620-N-4965F-005.jpg, ASLAV-A on exercise File:Five ASLAVs in Afghanistan during March 2011.jpg, ASLAV-25 & ASLAV-PC


References


External links


Army Technology, "ASLAV-25 Light Armoured Vehicle", www.army-technology.com
retrieved 4 October 2018.

retrieved 4 October 2018. * ttp://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/modern/Australia/ASLAV.php Tank Encyclopedia, "ASLAV", www.tanks-encyclopedia.com retrieved 4 October 2018. {{DEFAULTSORT:Aslav Armoured fighting vehicles of Australia Armoured fighting vehicles of the post–Cold War period General Dynamics land vehicles Wheeled amphibious vehicles Eight-wheeled vehicles Military vehicles introduced in the 1990s Mowag Piranha