August
8, 2008: Iraq is buying 392 LAV (Light Armor Vehicle) 25s. These are
the same eight wheeled vehicles used by the U.S. Marine Corps. The
LAV series are a licensed version of the Swiss MOWAG Piranha. This
model is in use by many other countries. The Canadian version, the
LAV III, was the basis of the U.S. Stryker armored vehicle, which has
been used heavily in Iraq, and apparently has impressed the Iraqis.
The
LAV 25 is a 13 ton vehicle equipped with a turret mounted 25mm
automatic cannon and a coaxial 7.62mm machine-gun. On top of the
turret is another machine-gun. The 25mm cannon has a range of 3,000
meters, and has proved very useful in combat. Some of the Iraqi
LAV-25s will be the turretless command or ambulance models, but 90
percent will be the infantry carrier version (crew of three, plus
seats for six passengers). Top speed is 100 kilometers an hour. These
vehicles cost about a million dollars each.
