Tanks Tanked: Wheels Turning

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich.--Tanks have tanked as the U.S. Army is rolling toward wheeled vehicles for its rugged motoring needs. Can a civilian model be far behind as with the Hummer? GM GDLS Defense Group, a joint venture between General Motors and General Dynamics Land Systems, has landed a 6-year, $4 billion contact to equip the Army’s new Brigade Combat Teams with its LAV III eight-wheeled armored vehicle.

It’s not yet known when or if civilian-type units will hit the streets, but the Army’s LAV III is a full-time four-wheel drive, selective eight-wheel drive, armored vehicle weighing about 19 tons. It can attain speeds of 62 mph on the highway and has a maximum range of 312 miles.

The basic infantry carrier vehicle (ICV) has armor that protects the two-man crew and nine on-board soldiers from machine gun bullets, mortar and artillery fragments. The LAV III ICV variant includes configurations such as the reconnaissance, anti-tank guided missile, and medical evacuation vehicles, as well as carriers for mortars, engineer squads, command groups, reconnaissance and fire support teams. The Mobile Gun System variant consists of a General Dynamics Land Systems 105mm cannon mounted in a low-profile turret integrated on the GM LAV III chassis.

General Motors and General Dynamics will share fabrication and final assembly of the vehicles among plants at Anniston, Alabama; Lima, Ohio; and London, Ontario.