Engineering:Mowag Piranha IV

Piranha IV
Swiss Army Piranha IV, known as Pionier Panzerfahrzeug 21, a sapper armoured vehicle
Type	Armoured fighting vehicle
Place of origin	Switzerland
Service history
In service	From 2024
Used by	Swiss Armed Forces
Production history
Designed	Prototype revealed in 2001
Manufacturer	GDELS-Mowag GmbH
Produced	Serial production from 2021
No. built	132 ordered (May 2023)
Specifications
Mass	GVM 25 t (55,000 lb) (15t kerb weight + 10 t payload)
Length	7.24 m (285 in)
Width	2.80 m (110 in)
Height	2.20 m (87 in) for the base variant
Crew	3 (+ 6 or 7 passengers)
Engine	MTU 6V 199TE20 544 hp (400 kW)
Power/weight	21.76 hp/t (16 kW/t)
Transmission	ZF Ecomat 7HP 902 gearbox, (7 gears front + 1 reverse)
Suspension	Adjustable height, semi-active, hydro-pneumatic
Operational range	750 km (470 mi)
Speed	100 km/h (62 mph)

The Piranha IV is the fourth generation of the Piranha family of armoured vehicles by MOWAG GmbH. Its development started in the 2000s as a fully private venture. A first prototype was unveiled in 2001, and a second in 2004. This new version offered an increased volume inside the cabin, and a higher level of protection.

As the Piranha IV was being developed, the ownership of MOWAG changed. It was acquired by General Dynamics in 2004 to become part of General Dynamics European Land Systems.

History

Following the previous version of the Piranha (Piranha III) and its derivatives (LAV III, Stryker), a need for a larger and better protected vehicle arose from the international weapons market.

The solution offered by Mowag was a 8x8 with an internal volume of 12 m³ (420 cu ft) (compared to the 11 m³ of the Piranha IIIC). Vehicle weight was 25 t (25 long tons; 28 short tons) (18.5 t for the Piranha IIIC). Despite this weight increase, the mobility of the vehicle was improved thanks to a new suspension design and a more powerful engine.

This new generation of the Piranha family triggered the interest of foreign manufacturers. A licence for its production was acquired by Alvis Vickers (which became BAE Systems Platforms & Services) with the intention to manufacture the Piranha IV in the UK and in South Africa. Another licence was acquired by Komatsu which was looking for a 8x8 platform for the "Future Wheeled Combat Vehicle" (Shorai Sorin Sento Sharyo) of the Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force. In the end, neither company manufactured the Piranha IV; the Japanese army selected the Type 16 for the role, and there was never a proper interest by the UK.

In 2007, the UK launched the Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) competition for a heavy multi-role armoured vehicle after cancelling participation in the Boxer collaboration. The British Armed Forces were looking for a much higher protection level than was possible with the Piranha IV. GDELS Mowag therefore presented a new generation of the Piranha family in 2007, the "Piranha Evolution". It was selected for FRES, along with the Boxer and the VBCI for FRES Utility Variant (UV) trials and the Piranha V with General Dynamics UK was chosen as the preferred bidder to develop the Piranha into a vehicle to meet British requirements but the UV requirement was dropped due to budget cuts and the decision reversed. Despite losing the program, GDELS-Mowag developed this variant further into the 33-tonne Piranha V. GDELS-Mowag is able to offer 8x8 armoured vehicles in several weight categories including competing in the heavy category against the Boxer, the VBCI, the Patria AMV, and the Freccia IFV. This enabled the sale of the Piranha V to Denmark, Spain, Romania and Monaco.

Design

One of the main differences with the former Piranha vehicles is the protection level.

• Front armour protection against armoured piercing (AP) ammunition of 20 mm and 23 mm calibre.
• All-around armour protection against 14.5 mm AP ammunition
• All-around armour add-on available to protect against 20 mm/23 mm AP (meeting STANAG 4569 protection level 5
• Floor protection against anti-tank mines and Improvised explosive devices (10 kg TNT equivalent)

Variants in service

Mortar Carrier – "12 cm Mörser 16"

This weapon system was developed for the Swiss Armed Forces, by GDELS Mowag and RUAG. Some of the main elements of its design are:

• Vehicle
  • Piranha IV chassis and running gear
  • Roof opening
  • Space for up to 30 rounds
  • Crew: 1 driver, 1 commander, 2 loaders
• Weapon systems
  • 120 mm RUAG Cobra (de) automated mortar system connected to the "Integrated Artillery Command and Fire Control System" 97/14 - INTAFF TA
  • Protector RWS equipped with a 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun

Origin of the variant

The Swiss Army expressed the need for a more mobile heavy mortar system, and evaluated a need for 4 batteries to fulfil its mission. The need for a heavy mortar system arose after the Swiss Government decided to stop using the, "lm fort 12 cm 59/86" (fortress twin-mine launcher 12cm) and the 15,5 cm Festungskanone 93 (an artillery gun 155mm Caliber L/52).

Sapper Vehicle – "PI PZ 21 (Pionier Panzerfahrzeug 21)"

This sapper vehicle was developed for the Swiss Armed Forces, by GDELS Mowag and various subcontractors for the tools.

Some of the main elements of its design are:

• Vehicle
  • Standard Piranha IV chassis and running gear
  • Crew: 1 driver, 1 commander, 2 sappers
• Weapon system
  • Protector RWS equipped with a 12.7mm M2 Browning machine gun
• Sapper equipment
  • Quick Coupler Adapter (QCA) – provided by Global Clearance Solutions (GCS) System that enables to change rapidly the tools / attachments depending on the missiona
  • Mine plough – provided by Pearson Engineering Ltd A mine plough designed to clear the mines laid in surface
  • Combat Bulldozer Blade – provided by GCS
  • Blade Manipulator Arm – provided by GCS A remote manipulator arm used to manipulate in order to identify and treat explosive threats
  • 2 light spots in the front
  • Cameras for the technician and the drive

Origin of the variant

As part of the Armament Program 2021, this vehicle was designed to replace the replace the fleet of Minenräumpanzer – M113 63/00 , a demining armoured vehicle. In the Swiss Army, the M113 63/00 is not the only sapper vehicle in service. Since 2008, the Kodiak (Leopard 2) was introduced, its mission being to support a heavy assault to breach minefields, trenches, and ditches.

The Swiss Army needed therefore a Sapper System complementary to the Kodiak. Moreover, the urbanisation of Switzerland having increased implied that some additional capabilities were needed on top of the demining mission and it would have to be modular to exploit the investment to the fullest.

• The choice for a wheeled platform was justified by a need for a more mobile army.
• The blade was selected to enable the army to open a path where it would be needed (pushing obstacles on a road, covering a trench line, etc)
• The manipulator arm was a need defined from the return on experience of the NATO countries in Afghanistan and Iraq that were the target of an important number of IED attacks. It enables to perform ordnance disposal from a well-protected vehicle.

Prototypes

Piranha IV 10x10 Artillery Gun Module – "Artillerie Wirkplattform und Wirkmittel 2026"

Project Artillerie Wirkplattform und Wirkmittel 2026 was a Swiss Army project for a successor to its M109 Kawest tracked self-propelled howitzers. In 2022, two systems were shortlisted. The first was the BAE Systems Hägglunds Archer Artillery System to use the RMMV HX2 8x8 chassis (the integration on a truck is in development), the second was the German Remote Controlled Howitzer 155 (RCH 155) on either the Boxer or Piranha IV platform. The Boxer was already developed, and in trials at the time but the Piranha IV would have to be integrated with the gun system. To that end GDELS Mowag and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann started to collaborate on a variant of the RCH-155. In May 2023, the first models of the prototype in development were revealed; the gun system would be installed on a Piranha IV 10x10 platform. This would provide the crew with more space compared to the Boxer based variant; this meant the whole artillery crew could be within the vehicle rather than operate some parts of the system remotely.

Operators

Successful bids

• Swiss Army (132 vehicles)
  • 48 Piranha IV - 12 cm Mörser 16 (mortar carrier)
  • 84 Piranha IV - PI PZ 21 (combat engineer vehicle)

Ongoing evaluation

• Swiss Army
  • Piranha IV - RCH-155 artillery system

Failed bids

• Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
  Komatsu proposed the Piranha IV for the Future Wheeled Combat Vehicle Program (Shorai Sorin Sento Sharyo). The competition was lost against the Type 16 Manoeuvre Combat Vehicle (Hitoroku shiki kidō sentōsha) developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
• Polish Army In 2002, Poland selected the future multi-role vehicle intended to replace the OT-64 SKOT, the BMP-1, some command vehicles, mortar carriers and some armoured engineering vehicles. The competitor for this contract were the Piranha IV, the Pandur 2 (8×8) and the Patria AMV. This last one won the competition, and has been manufactured in Poland under the name KTO Rosomak.
• Royal Netherlands Army
  RDM Technology received a licence from Mowag to manufacture the Piranha IV for the Dutch Army. RDM offered the Piranha as a competitor to the Boxer in 2000 as a replacement option of the M577 and the YPR-765.

Procurement

Switzerland (132)

48 Piranha IV – 12 cm Mörser 16

• Armament Program 2016 – 32 Piranha IV Mortar Carriers
  • Budget for this program amounts to CHF 404 million (4 batteries with 8 Piranha IV each)
  • The Budget in the program also includes funds for:
    • 12 armoured trucks for the logistics dedicated to the mortar batteries
    • 36 12cm mortar ammunition containers
• Extraordinary order in August 2022 – 16 Piranha IV Mortar Carriers. This order came as a reaction to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
  • Budget for this program amounts to CHF 175 million (2 batteries with 8 Piranha IV each)
• Entry in service in the army planned in 2025 It was initially planned from 2018 to 2022, but some design flaws delayed the program (such as the roof not being waterproof). After having resolved the flaws and successfully passed the trials by the troops in the spring of 2020, the serial production was approved in February 2021.

84 Piranha IV – PI PZ 21 (Pionier Panzerfahrzeug 21)

• Armament Program 2021 – 60 Piranha IV Pioneer Vehicles ordered
  • Budget for this program amounts to CHF 360 million
  • Contract between GDELS Mowag and Armasuisse signed on 2 May 2022
  • It includes:
    • 60 combat dozer blades
    • 24 remote manipulator arms
    • 12 mine ploughs
• Armament Program 2023 – 24 Piranha IV Pioneer Vehicles ordered
  • Budget for this purchase amounts to CHF 217 million
• Service life: arrival in the army planned in 2025, with an expected service life from 2026 to 2055