LAV II

LAV II
American LAV-25s in 2006
TypeArmoured car
Place of originCanada
Service history
In service1980s–present
Production history
DesignerGeneral Motors Diesel
Developed fromMowag Piranha II
Developed into
Specifications
Mass14.4 t (15.9 short tons)
Length6.39 m (21.0 ft)
Width2.50 m (8.2 ft)
Height2.69 m (8.8 ft)
Crew2–4 (depending on variant)

Main
armament
1 × M242 25mm chain gun with 1 × C6 7.62mm machine gun (coaxial)(Coyote variant only)
Secondary
armament
1 × C6 7.62mm machine gun
(pintle)
8 × grenade launchers
(2 × cluster of 4) (all variants)
EngineDetroit Diesel 6V53T
275hp
Suspension8×8 wheeled, 4× drive
Operational
range
650 km (400 mi)
Maximum speed 100 km/h (62 mph) (land)
10 km/h (5.4 kn) (water)

The LAV II is the second generation of the Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) family. The LAV II is an 8×8 vehicle unlike the 6×6 Armoured Vehicle General Purpose, which is a LAV based on the Piranha I. The United States Marine Corps was the first user of the LAV II, which it calls the LAV-25. Canada procured two main variants: the Coyote Reconnaissance Vehicle and the Bison armoured utility vehicle. LAV IIs in Australia are known as the ASLAV.