OTTAWA \u2014 Textron Systems said it has solved the mobility problems that had plagued the armored vehicles it will deliver to the Canadian Army, the result being a more advanced product that will be offered to the international market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Tactical Armored Patrol Vehicle (TAPV) to be delivered to Canada early next year is now the most advanced of Textron’s Commando series, said Michael Gelpi, vice president of land systems for Textron Systems. The company is starting to market it to other nations, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Defense News reported in April that Textron’s TAPV failed a series of tests last year, forcing the company to go back and make design changes to the wheeled vehicle it is offering Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We did a true bottom-up systems engineering look and evaluated every single aspect,” Gelpi acknowledged<\/span> said. “We’re confident we have all of the issues licked.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The testing at the Nevada Automotive Test Center ended in late May, although additional tests are expected in coming months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Canadian Department of National Defence spokeswoman Ashley Lemire said deliveries of the first TAPVs are expected to start in early 2016. Gelpi said that should occur in March but could begin sooner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Canada awarded the TAPV contract to Textron in June 2012. The company, based in Slidell, Louisiana, is to produce 500 armored vehicles, with an option to build another 100.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The vehicle deal would be worth up to (<\/span>CAN)<\/span> $600 million (US $534 million) for Textron. The firm has also been awarded another (CAN)<\/span> $105 million contract for in-service support for the TAPVs for an initial five-year period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2014, pre-production TAPVs experienced a number of significant<\/span> technical issues, which particularly affected vehicle mobility, according to an Aug. 22, 2014, briefing report for then-Canadian Defence Minister Rob Nicholson. That two-page briefing, obtained under the Access to Information law, pointed out those problems included issues with suspension and steering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Textron implemented a number of<\/span> design changes and modifications to address the problems but the issues continued. The problems were related to the vehicle’s ability to travel distances on medium cross-country terrain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Canadian Army is acquiring the TAPV because it needs a well-protected vehicle capable of negotiating tough terrain and providing troops with a cross-country capability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gelpi said the test vehicle has been operated during testing<\/span> for 13,000 kilometers during testing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Canadian TAPV is known as the Commando Elite, the top of the line of Textron’s Commando vehicle family. It has increased blast protection, a remote weapon station, an improved drive train, and what Gelpi called a “digital backbone” for vehicle systems monitoring and additional electronics if needed in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He noted that since the US market has slowed down<\/span>, the company is focusing on international sales. <\/p>\n\n\n\n “We’re getting a lot of interest in the Canadian version,” Gelpi said, although he did not provide <\/span>names of the specific<\/span> the countries that have expressed interest. “It is by far the most modern [vehicle]. As a result of this experience, Canada is getting a very reliable vehicle.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n More than 8,000 Commando armored vehicles are in service worldwide, including with militaries from Afghanistan, Colombia, Iraq, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n