The Government of Canada has signed a contract with General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada for the production of 225 new Armoured Combat Support Vehicles (ACSV), 35 of which will be transferred to Ukraine. This was reported by Defense Blog, writes UNN.
Details
The new order was announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during a visit to the General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada facility in London (Ontario province) together with Minister of National Defence David McGuinty.
The total value of the contract is approximately $1.4 billion. It provides for the production of 190 armored vehicles for the Canadian Armed Forces and another 35 vehicles, which are being built from the start for subsequent transfer to Ukraine.
The ACSV is an 8×8 wheeled armored vehicle built on the LAV 6.0 platform. It is used for various troop support tasks, including as a command post, ambulance, engineering vehicle, electronic warfare asset, and for the evacuation of damaged equipment.
The contract is a continuation of a previous order
Canada first ordered the ACSV in 2019, signing a contract for 360 vehicles. The new agreement is an addition to the previous contract and continues the program of supplying armored vehicles both for its own army and for Ukraine.
Vice President of General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada, Dave Haggerty, stated that the contract will strengthen the country's defense industrial base and provide Canadian troops with modern platforms that meet next-generation requirements.
The Ontario facility has been operating since 1977 and has already produced over 11,000 light armored vehicles for Canada and its allies. The company directly employs about 1,700 people, and its production chain supports over 13,000 jobs across the country.