Canada has awarded GM Defense a contract to deliver 90 Light Tactical Vehicles (LTVs) for the army.
The 35.8-million Canadian dollar ($25.9 million) deal covers 54 personnel and 36 cargo variants of the LTV. It will also supply training, logistics support, technical manuals, and spare parts sourced from other local companies.
Additionally, the agreement offers an option for up to 18 more LTVs depending on the army’s future requirements.
The first five systems are expected to arrive in Canada this month.
Light Forces Enhancement
Ottawa’s latest LTV contract is part of the government’s Light Forces Enhancement (LFE) Phase 1 project, which seeks new off-road vehicles for the Canadian military’s light forces.
The formation specializes in rapid deployment on complex terrain not traversable by mechanized forces.
For the LFE’s second phase, Canada will employ up to 222 Tactical Mobility Platforms that will also consist of personnel and cargo variants, as well as 23 light trailers for the regular and reserve forces.
For Latvia-Based Soldiers
The Canadian Department of Defence wrote that the LTVs will also be distributed to warfighters in service under the NATO Multinational Battle Group in Latvia.
This effort operates under the alliance’s broader enhanced Forward Presence program to strengthen allied forces’s deterrence on the Eastern flank.
Canadian Army soldiers stationed in the region will receive training for the LTV fleet in August, followed by the vehicles in October.
GM Defense Light Tactical Vehicle
GM Defense’s LTV product line is based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Midsize Truck, which incorporates a “high-percentage” of commercial-off-the-shelf parts, enabling fast and convenient maintenance to sustain the vehicle’s operational availability.
The LTV personnel variant is designed to carry up to nine warfighters while cargo is driven by two soldiers to transport payloads such as combat supplies, personal effects, and weapons.
Both weigh approximately 2,232 kilograms (5,000 pounds) and are transportable via airlift platforms.
“We see this contract award as the beginning of a long strategic partnership with the Canadian Armed Forces to provide enhanced tactical mobility for Soldiers today, and into the future,” GM Defense President Steve duMont stated.
“As we further expand into Canada and with other allied nations around the world, we will continue to leverage the vast resources of General Motors to ensure our global defense and government customers have the best capability to accomplish their mission.”