General Dynamics European Land Systems [GD] is displaying the new member of the Piranha family, the Piranha 3+, with improved protection, off-road mobility and room for future growth during Eurosatory in Paris through June 20.
Providing details at the defense exhibition, the company said in the armored personnel carrier configuration, Piranha 3+ has seating for a crew of three—driver, gunner and vehicle commander—and nine infantry soldiers. With a gross vehicle weight of up to 27 tons, the APC is fitted with a Kongsberg 12.7 mm Protector Weapon Station.
The Piranha 3+ incorporates lessons from the more than 4,500 Piranha 3 and Light Armored Vehicles operating around the world. It also responds to customer requirements for increased protection, off-road mobility and room for future growth.
Photo: General Dynamics European Land Systems
The 3+ vehicle offers a completely modular protection system that has been designed with the flexibility to allow modern armed forces to meet their current and future protection needs, the company said in a June 16 press briefing in Paris. The modular protection system has been developed to fully protect occupants operating within a complex threat environment, as specified in the latest protection system requirements, while being able to be tailored to meet specific theatre and mission needs.
Responding to the need for off-road mobility, Piranha 3+ has an enhanced drive system with 30 percent more engine power and an improved driveline that delivers the best cross country mobility for a vehicle in this weight class.
The new 3+ can be fitted with either a conventional or a hydro-pneumatic suspension system to balance performance, comfort, ease of maintenance and cost as needed. The top speed has been increased to 110 km/h with a range of over 1,000 km to give the vehicle an even greater autonomy.
Additionally, as with all Piranha platforms, the new Piranha 3+ can be equipped with an amphibious drive to operate as a marine infantry vehicle.
Piranha 3+ has room for growth. In addition to the large internal volume, 10 percent payload growth, and fully modular protection system, the new Piranha 3+ provides reserve electrical power to meet the electrical needs of future systems and personal equipment needs and spare cooling capacity with its modular HVAC/NBC System, the company said in a statement. By allowing for inherent growth within the new Piranha 3+, customers will have the flexibility to operate the vehicle through-out the full service life in a constantly changing world.
The development of the new Piranha 3+ focused on improving the performance and capabilities of the existing family of vehicles by integrating proven concepts and technologies. The driveline has already been introduced into service in the LAV in North America. While the power pack, providing 30 percent more power, uses the proven Caterpillar C13 engine and the ZF 7HP902S transmission. Future customers will also be able to leverage off 37 variants of the Piranha 3 vehicle that are already in service including armored personnel carrier, infantry fighting vehicle, command and control, ambulance, direct fire support, recovery and engineering vehicle.
The majority of the concepts and technologies integrated in the new Piranha 3+ are available as upgrades to existing Piranha vehicles.