LONDON — Denmark has selected the Piranha 5 as its future armored personnel carrier, Defense Minister Nicolai Wammen announced.
The eight-wheel-drive vehicle wheeled 8x8 developed by General Dynamics European Land Systems' Mowag operation will replace the Danish Army's long-serving M113 tracked vehicles.
Even as he announced At the same time as the winner of the armored vehicle contest, was announced Wammen also revealed that Denmark was suspending a competition to purchase a new 155mm self-propelled howitzer in order to pay for the repair or replacement of an AW101 helicopter damaged during a landing in Afghanistan in October.
The Danes will order a minimum of 206 Piranha 5s. although that The number could rise to above 400 depending on exactly how much of the M113 fleet they replace. The Danish MoD said the exact number of vehicles to be purchased "will be determined at a later date."
The Piranha 5 beat out competition from wheeled rivals Nexter with the wheeled VBCI and tracked vehicle contenders from BAE Systems, with the Armadillo version of the CV-90; FFG Flensberger's G5; and another General Dynamics product, the ASCOD, from its Santa Barbara Sistemas subsidiary.
"Our current vehicle has served the Army well for many years, and will continue for some time yet, but with Piranha 5 we have found the armored personnel carrier that can best solve the defense tasks in the future, " Wammen said.
The Danes become the launch customer for the Piranha 5. The vehicle was rolled out at the 2010 Eurosatory show in Paris and was originally developed with the British Army in mind.
Piranha 5 qon Despite winning the future rapid effects systems' utility vehicle requirement, but the British abandoned the program in 2008, though that was no fault of the vehicle itself.
It's the second major contract win for General Dynamics European Land Systems in the last eight months. In September the Santa Barbara business announced a £3.5 billion (US $5.3 billion dollar) production deal with the British to supply a family of tracked machines based on the ASCOD.
While the Danish Army got their new armored personnel carriers they won't be getting the 155mm howitzer they were also running a competition for.
WIth the Army's 155mm howitzer contest suspended, The Danes said they were annulling the competition to give them the financial flexibility to repair or replace the AW101 utility helicopter heavily damaged in Afghanistan more than seven months ago.The Ministry of Defence said it is looking at the possibility of leasing or borrowing artillery from an ally to bridge the gap and maintain competence until the competition can be rerun.
Nexter, Samsung and Elbit were short-listed in a competition to replace M109A3 self-propelled guns currently in the Danish inventory.
Email: achuter@defensenews.com
Andrew Chuter is the United Kingdom correspondent for Defense News.
