Canada starts local production of ACSV Armoured Combat Support Vehicle.

On August 4, the Government of Canada announced that production on the first Armoured Combat Support Vehicle (ACSV) has begun in London, Ontario at the General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada manufacturing facilities. These new vehicles will fulfill a variety of combat support roles such as that of Troop/Cargo Vehicle (TCV), ambulance, command post, and mobile repair and recovery.
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Armoured Combat Support Vehicle in ambulance version (Picture source: Canadian MoD)

The contract for this project was awarded in September 2019, and since then, a number of subcontracts have been awarded by General Dynamics to allow work to start. These subcontracts represent over $137 million in investments to more than 30 Canadian businesses from coast to coast to coast, creating and sustaining over 400 jobs across the country.

This is a big step forward as the government continues to deliver on strong, secure, engaged, Canada’s first fully costed and funded defence policy. As per the Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy, General Dynamics will re-invest an amount equal to the value of the contract to create and sustain well-paying jobs across the country.

These vehicles will replace the current fleets of M113 Tracked Light Armoured Vehicle (TLAV) and the LAV II Bison. The first vehicle is expected roll off the production line this December, with deliveries occurring through February 2025. Testing, training, and procurement of spare parts will be required before the initial vehicles are distributed to Canadian Armed Forces bases in 2022.

Training courses and a procedure for the production and purchase of spare parts are provided, so that when the first vehicles are delivered to the Canadian Army in 2022, no logistical and production surprises are expected, which in one way or another disrupts the planned production cycle.

According to Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence of Canada “these vehicles will form the backbone of the Army’s combat support fleet, and be used on a wide range of operations including domestic disaster relief and international peace support missions. Thanks to the flexibility found in our defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, work on the vehicles has started years earlier than expected and ensures that we continue to support well-paying Canadian jobs and critical innovation in communities across the country.”

A contract was awarded to General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada on September 5, 2019. This contract has a value of approximately $2 billion for 360 ACSV, initial spare parts, technical manuals, and training. Subcontracts have been awarded to companies in seven provinces, and vary in value from $38,800 to $24,000,000. According to figures reported by Bulgarian Military, key investments include:
• $335,000 in Atlantic Canada to companies like L & A Metalworks Inc. and IMP Group Limited
$26,000,000 in Quebec to companies like Terminal & Cable TC Inc. and Thales Canada Inc. Optronics BU
• $89,000,000 in Ontario to companies like Abuma Manufacturing Limited, Cornell Welding & Fabricating Ltd., and J/E Bearing & Machine Ltd.
• $20,000,000 in Western Canada to companies like Analytic Systems Inc. and JNE Welding

The Canadian army’s Armoured Combat Support Vehicles will be available in eight variants: ambulance, recovery, engineering, mobile repair, electronic warfare, troop carrier, and command post.