MOWAG Piranha

The Piranha is a family of amphibious armoured wheeled vehicles from MOWAG of Kreuzlingen, Switzerland, which later became part of General Dynamics Land Systems - Europe. Every Piranha follows the same layout. All wheels have independent suspension and there is a central driveline. The engine sits at front right with the driver beside it at front left, the crew compartment is at the rear, and the vehicle is amphibious.

Generations

MOWAG grouped the family into four categories. Piranha I and II were built as 4x4, 6x6 and 8x8. Piranha III was built as 6x6, 8x8 and 10x10, and Piranha IV only as 8x8. Each could be fitted out as an armoured personnel carrier, infantry fighting vehicle, command vehicle or recovery vehicle, and Piranha III also came as an ambulance, mortar carrier and other versions.

Piranha III has a lighter hull with adaptable armour, more payload and more internal room. Customers could choose among 350-400 hp diesels from MTU, Scania, Caterpillar, Cummins or Detroit Diesel, matched to ZF or Allison automatic gearboxes. It has hydropneumatic suspension with height adjustment, central tyre inflation and ABS. In the water, two propellers drive it at up to 10 km/h, and an extra kit was offered for rough seas. Piranha IV, at the prototype stage around 2003, had a 544 hp MTU engine, 100 km/h top speed, 750 km range and up to 24 t combat weight.

Users and derivatives

By 2003 Piranha III had been ordered by Sweden (10x10 coastal-artillery command and sensor vehicles), Denmark, Ireland, Switzerland and Spain. The Spanish order was for 18 amphibious 8x8s for the Marine Infantry. General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada built the 8x8 as the LAV III for Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and the LAV III in turn became the US Army's Stryker. Alvis Vickers held a licence to build and market the 8x8 and 10x10 versions in the UK.