Reasons for the success of MOWAG Piranha

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Since the beginning of the seventies, the Swiss company MOWAG (now General Dynamics European Land Systems - MOWAG) has been producing armored combat vehicles of the Piranha family. Similar equipment is also being built in third countries under license. To date, more than 11 thousand such machines have been built by order of several dozen countries, and this is probably not the limit. In addition, the “Piranhas” had a significant impact on the development of wheeled armored vehicles, and their various features can be seen in many modern designs.


One of the modern versions of the Piranha III in the BTR version. Photo GDELS-MOWAG / gdels.com




Revolutionary approach


The foundations for the future commercial success of the Piranha family were laid at the stage of shaping the overall look and requirements for new technology. MOWAG planned to use some new solutions, refine already known ideas, and apply well-developed developments. Similarly, the selection of nodes and technologies was carried out.

From the very beginning, the Piranha was created as a universal platform capable of carrying any required equipment or weapons with minor modifications. The possibility of using such a platform for the construction of equipment with different wheel structure and corresponding capabilities was also explored. Subsequently, it was these ideas that ensured the development of the basic project and the creation of equipment with high commercial potential.

Initially, the MOWAG Piranha family included two versions of an armored vehicle on a three- and four-axle chassis. Later, a car with the wheel formula 4x4 appeared, and the largest model had an elongated chassis 10x10. The Piranha IIIC 10x10 chassis was not interested in customers, while other samples went into series. For a number of reasons, eight-wheeled armored vehicles were and are most popular on the market.

Reasons for the success of MOWAG Piranha
Sanitary option "Piranha". Photo Tanks-encyclopeia.com


It is curious that after the appearance of Piranha machines on the market, a number of similar samples appeared. Some solutions of Swiss designers, implemented on their platform, later became the de facto standard for wheeled armored vehicles and are used everywhere.

Platform Advantages


One of the prerequisites for the technical advantages and modernization potential of Piranha should be considered a successful layout in combination with the right choice of systems and assemblies. The bow of the hull is given over to the engine compartment and the driver’s compartment, while almost all other volumes are allocated to the payload. Transmission and suspension units are placed next to the cargo-passenger compartment and do not affect its capacity.

The manufacturing company as one of the advantages of Piranha calls the optimal ratio of internal volumes, payload and external dimensions. It is argued that in these parameters their machine is superior to other modern designs. As the family developed, the growth of payload and free volumes even outstripped the increase in external dimensions.


Armored vehicle of the Swiss military police. Wikimedia Commons Photos


The existing engine compartment initially allowed the use of engines of various types. This allowed the customer to choose a power plant, and also left opportunities for further modernization. It is planned to use engines with power up to 400-500 hp, capable of providing high mobility to vehicles with different combat weight and load.

Initially, the Piranhas were equipped with a suspension with springs on the front axles and torsion bars on the rear. Subsequently, such systems were abandoned in favor of a controlled hydropneumatic suspension. It is argued that the new chassis is soft and allows you to increase capacity without major alterations to the design.

The first versions of Piranha had a reservation that provided all-round protection against bullets of normal caliber. Further protection was improved. Late cars of the family, with their own armor and attachments, can withstand small-caliber shells or undermine mines.


Danish armored personnel carrier Piranha V. Photo by the Danish Ministry of Defense / forsvarsgalleriet.dk


The combat weight of Pirahna vehicles, depending on the type and equipment, exceeds 9-10 tons. The heaviest member of the family was the 18-ton five-axle armored personnel carrier. Dimensions of equipment correspond to the dimensions of the cabins of the most common military transport aircraft.

Armament and equipment


Piranha was designed as a potential carrier of various weapons systems or special equipment. These capabilities have been successfully used in practice, thanks to which the armored chassis could become the basis for equipment of various classes.

The first projects appeared armored personnel carriers and wheeled infantry fighting vehicles. In this case, part of the internal compartment was given over to the fighting compartment, and in the remaining volumes there were places for landing. Depending on the length of the hull and the type of combat module, the landing compartment can accommodate at least 4-5 people. Piranha IIIC 10x10 in the configuration of the APC could carry an increased landing.

Initially, the armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles based on the Piranha were equipped with turrets or turrets with machine guns and small-caliber cannons. Later modifications received remotely controlled combat modules with the required weapons. A number of customers wished to complement the anti-tank missiles with barrel weapons. Full-fledged self-propelled anti-tank systems are also operated on such a chassis.


Wheel tank with an 105-mm cannon for the Saudi army. Photo Defense.pk


Of great interest are experiments with large-caliber artillery. Several countries purchased four-axle Piranha machines equipped with turrets with 90 mm guns. A five-axle chassis was used as a test carrier 105 mm tank guns. The prospective wheeled artillery self-propelled gun with a 155 mm howitzer was under study.

Not only armored fighting vehicles are being built on the basis of the Piranhas. The MOWAG product catalog contains a host of other equipment. Protected chassis with voluminous internal compartments were used for the construction of command and staff and ambulances, artillery reconnaissance vehicles, equipment for parts of the Russian Chemical Forces, engineering equipment, etc. were produced. In all cases, it was possible to maximize the potential of the existing wheeled chassis.

Potential and success


In fact, the Swiss company offered customers a basic platform for creating armored vehicles of the desired appearance. Through simple processing, such a platform turned into a necessary model and was immediately put into series. In the seventies, such a modular approach to the production of armored vehicles was not yet familiar, which was one of the reasons for the success of the Piranha project.


A spreader on a four-axle Piranha chassis. Photo Deagel.com


Over the past decades, nearly two dozen countries have purchased equipment from the Piranha family. Some states have chosen to deploy licensed production of such machines at their enterprises. So, in Canada back in the seventies launched the construction of licensed armored vehicles AGVP. A few years later, on the basis of the Canadian AGVP, they created the LAV-25 project for the US Marine Corps. In the future, the experience in the production and operation of LAV-25 was used to create the Stryker platform.

The commercial successes of the Piranha project clearly show how successful the developments of MOWAG were for their time. The first version of the Piranha platform appeared at the right time and was able to interest some potential buyers. This served as a kind of advertising and contributed to the appearance of the following orders. The interest from new customers helped the development of the project and the emergence of new models of equipment in the family and beyond.

In the context of the MOWAG Piranha project, one can even talk about the influence and creation of new trends. It was within the framework of this family that the appearance of the modern armored personnel carrier or wheeled infantry fighting vehicle appeared and was used, which is still used and developed. All modern samples of this kind, despite these or other innovations, retain many familiar and recognizable features.


LAV-25 - Canadian-American version of the "Piranha" for the US Marine Corps. Photo by US MC


GDELS-MOWAG continues the development of the Piranha family and regularly presents new samples of various kinds. The last of the platforms of the Piranha V family has already gone into the series and is supplied to foreign customers. Perhaps the development of the next sample is already underway.

Over the past decades, the MOWAG company has shown impressive success and significantly influenced the development of armored combat vehicles. What will happen in the future - time will tell. Due to the new “Piranhas” GDELS-MOWAG can strengthen its position, but a negative scenario is also possible in which the company gives way to other manufacturers of similar armored vehicles. However, past achievements are not dependent on future events. The MOWAG Piranha project has already taken a special place in stories combat vehicles.
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21 comment
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  1. +1
    24 August 2019 05: 25
    Beautiful box in principle! But in the first photo the triple looks painfully high! The bumps would not break!
    1. 0
      24 August 2019 10: 01
      Not ah. Ugly. "Legs" are short - the wheels look disproportionately small compared to the tall body. By the way, this is a characteristic external distinguishing feature of Movagov machines.
      1. +1
        24 August 2019 17: 34
        But it’s more comfortable to sit there!
  2. +1
    24 August 2019 06: 47
    Hurray! BAN is over! "Demons walled up" for Lavrov's quote in two letters! The moderator saw the crime!
    And on the topic, I remembered the heavy German 4-axle armored cars of the times
  3. 0
    24 August 2019 09: 59
    As I understand it, this is a free translation of their advertising booklet. Including even a characteristic maxim regarding the 10-wheel variant which did not attract buyers.
    1. +5
      24 August 2019 10: 54
      Quote: Private-K
      As I understand it, this is a free translation of their advertising booklet.

      However, nonetheless ....
      In fact, a classic. Even our "Boomerang" is made in the same layout. And not, for example, in the "motoski". Like KamAZ armored vehicles or Ukrainian BTR-4
      1. +3
        24 August 2019 16: 49
        So to speak: success was ensured by that in con. 80 - 90 years, Movag had the only 8x8 chassis suitable for use as an armored personnel carrier among Western countries; all the rest had only 6x6 samples. That's all. These are the reasons for success. And by no means some outstanding characteristics, layout, etc. verbal crap.
        The layout with the front dvigun was at the Czechoslovak wheeled 8x8 BTR OT-64 long before movagovsky - a crap!
        As soon as the Westerners passed the topic with 8x8, they immediately got down to business and designed several samples that were much better than Movag's Pirana 2 pok. What led the Movagovites to the need to change their principles and fundamentally redesign their car by giving the so-called. "Piranu-5"; which from the side, from the uncle, is much more than a native.
        Dudes! I am a techie, but a tactician. But you need to know the materiel! And the history of the development of equipment must be known. Yeah.
        1. 0
          24 August 2019 17: 28
          Optimum engine location in the center of mass. And DUM over it.
          1. +2
            24 August 2019 17: 48
            Quote: garri-lin
            Optimum engine location in the center of mass.

            ?
            The engine is shifted to the left (right) relative to the axis of the machine, and is shifted forward from the center of mass.
            1. -1
              24 August 2019 18: 04
              Well, I meant the perfect location. A spherical horse in vacuum, so to speak, from a technical point of view. If I’m not mistaken, not one machine meets similar requirements.
              1. +2
                24 August 2019 18: 27
                Quote: garri-lin
                Well, I meant the perfect location.

                I think so. which, in theory, is the closest thing to an ideal "ski" location.
                1. 0
                  24 August 2019 18: 40
                  Dvigun between management and cargo compartment? Nearly. And if you play with the thickness / weight of the frontal armor, you can bring it to the ideal. Of the minuses, it is almost impossible to get a single large internal volume.
                  1. +2
                    24 August 2019 18: 51
                    Quote: garri-lin
                    Of the minuses, it is almost impossible to get a single large internal volume.

                    ... and problems with the deployment of weapons.
                    There is generally no adequate layout and is not expected. Until they switch to an electromechanical transmission
                    1. 0
                      24 August 2019 19: 21
                      Electromechanical transmission does not eliminate the need for an engine. A generator and possibly batteries are also added. You can simply place it more compactly.
                    2. 0
                      25 August 2019 18: 01
                      By the way, direct hydraulics look the most compact and logical on armored vehicles (I don’t remember how scientific) this is where there is room for the game to be arranged. But alas, even on the Internet there is nothing.
        2. +1
          24 August 2019 17: 58
          Quote: Private-K
          The layout with the front dvigun was at the Czechoslovak wheeled 8x8 BTR OT-64 long before movagovsky - a crap!

          No, the Czechoslovakian layout is "motoski", the engine is between the control compartment and the landing party. The Piranha has an engine to the right of the control compartment.

          Quote: Private-K
          As soon as the Westerners passed the topic with 8x8,

          "Piranhas" were originally riveted in 4x4, 6x6 and 8x8. And the topic of "8X8" was projected by the Germans in the 20s.
  4. 0
    24 August 2019 20: 08
    A good review on a relevant topic. Thanks to the author! There are lots of cars at this base today, it’s high time to delve into their pros and cons.
  5. 0
    24 August 2019 22: 53
    I have never made a mistake in the author, having read like "a bullet of a normal caliber", "has a characteristic appearance", "with the help of a special device" and the rest of the characteristic water.
  6. 0
    25 August 2019 19: 45
    Thanks for the article, we will know about the roots of these beautiful machines. Although for me for some reason Patria was always the ideal.

    Isn't she smart?

    And as for the article, I want to show the following options, so that anyone interested would not have to look.
    this is the same 10 wheel variation that nobody liked.


    I liked the 4 by 4 cuttlefish more, although it has little relation to the article. Although also piranha.



    Well, for a heap 3 axle
  7. -1
    25 August 2019 19: 51
    What is the most interesting. One of the most non-warring countries supplies its garrison guardsmen. And now, please, combat vehicles, in fact the ancestors. And useful in wars. Something in this country is so :)
  8. NBV
    0
    8 October 2019 22: 43
    Romania and Croatia adopted Piran. Piranha is the likely winner of the Bulgarian tender for the rearmament of the army, which also includes the German Boxer, the French Nexter, Finnish Patria and the American Mastiff 3 from TAG.

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