SI VIS PACEM, PARA BELLUM: Il LAV-25 è un veicolo corazzato prodotto negli Stati Uniti dopo che il MOWAG Piranha ebbe ottenuto un successo sul mercato internazionale

Il LAV-25 è un veicolo corazzato prodotto negli Stati Uniti. Dopo che il MOWAG Piranha ebbe ottenuto un successo notevole nel mercato internazionale, è stato adottato anche dal Marine Corps statunitense, quale Veicolo da combattimento della fanteria.

Programma

Sebbene le forze armate statunitensi avessero molti veicoli da combattimento validi, erano troppo pesanti per essere facilmente trasportabili per mare. I Marines, l'unica forza da combattimento rapidamente rischierabile, erano privi di mezzi terrestri da combattimento per la fanteria perché il LVTP-7 era eccellente in termini di capacità anfibie, ma troppo grosso per operare efficacemente a terra. Anche l'esercito si trovava in una simile situazione, avendo a disposizione mezzi troppo pesanti per essere aviotrasportati e rischierati rapidamente, mentre alcuni corpi, come nel caso dei paracadutisti, mancavano totalmente di corazzati.

Emerse così la necessità di veicoli ruotati, anfibi e leggeri a sufficienza per essere aviotrasportati anche da elicotteri MH-53; nel 1981 fu bandita una competizione per il nuovo mezzo che sarebbe stato vitale per la nuova RDF (Rapid Deployment Force, forza di dispiegamento rapido), concetto, nato con la ritrovata volontà di protagonismo degli USA dopo la crisi degli anni settanta, e indirizzati segnatamente per i Marines e le unità dell'esercito 'leggere'.

Le richieste partirono dai Marines direttamente a 20 ditte occidentali, 6 delle quali risposero con proposte concrete e 3 presentarono veicoli di prova: la Alvis, con lo FV101 Scorpion e il derivato APC Stormer, la Cadillac-Cagecon il Commando V-150, e la General Motors con il MOWAG Piranha 8x8. Nel 1983 fu scelto quest'ultimo e un contratto per 60 veicoli, dal costo di 30 milioni di dollari, fu passato alla ditta vincitrice.

L'anno seguente ci fu una battuta d'arresto perché l'esercito decise di ritirarsi dal programma, lasciando solo i Marines ad approvvigionare il nuovo mezzo. Ma ormai era deciso: il LAV-25 sarebbe stato il mezzo da combattimento della fanteria americana su ruote, e circa 1400 veicoli sono stati ordinati con un valore di circa 477 milioni.

Tecnica

Il nuovo mezzo è un veicolo da combattimento per le truppe, con una torretta biposto e 8 ruote motrici. È uno sviluppo del Piranha con la struttura più pesante e potente disponibile. Il pilota è a sinistra del veicolo, con il motore a destra. Il capocarro non è alloggiato dietro il pilota ma in torretta, assieme al cannoniere. Il cannone da 25 mm, con un mitragliatrice da 7,62 coassiale, è l'armamento scelto per tale mezzo. Alcune versioni sono equipaggiate con un cannone da 76 mm. Con una capacità di fuoco automatico, un sensore ad immagine termica (probabilmente aggiunto successivamente), proiettili perforanti e precisi, muniti di nuclei decalibrati ad uranio impoverito (capacità di perforazione stimata: circa 70 mm a 1000 metri), esso garantisce un potere di fuoco micidiale. Il mezzo è peraltro leggermente protetto e quindi vulnerabile ai colpi di grosso calibro. D'altro canto pesa la metà di un M2 Bradleye non possiede missili TOW.

Lo sviluppo della versione da appoggio tattico, invece, è finita in un vicolo cieco; il mezzo con cannone da 90 mm, nonostante il grande interesse suscitato, non è stata adottato dall'US Marine Corps, perché per esigenze logistiche si è preferito un cannone da 105 mm analogo a quello dei carri. Tale arma ha avuto uno sviluppo travagliato, perché ha mostrato di possedere un rinculo eccessivo per un veicolo da 13 tonnellate. Quando sembrava che i problemi fossero risolti, esigenze di bilancio portarono a interrompere il programma (che i sauditi seguivano con interesse).

Le capacità di movimento e le qualità anfibie sono eccellenti grazie all'ottimo rapporto potenza. Nell'insieme è un veicolo assai soddisfacente, anche se molto costoso (500.000 dollari all'inizio degli anni ottanta).

Servizio

Il mezzo ha avuto successo e ha ottenuto consensi anche in Canada, con 2 versioni adottate assieme ai vecchi 6x6, e in Arabia Saudita che, dopo la guerra del 1991, ha ottenuto oltre 1100 LAV in ben 10 versioni tra cui lanciamissili anticarro, mortaio pesante da 120 mm, recupero e comando.

Le versioni presenti nel corpo dei Marines sono invece: APC base, LAV-M mortaio da 81 mm, LAV-R veicolo recupero/officina, LAV-C, comando e controllo, LAV-AT con missili TOW e altri ancora. Attualmente operano in Iraq affiancati dal pesante Stryker, estrema evoluzione del LAV adottato di recente dall'US Army e meglio corazzato, anche se meno armato.

ENGLISH

The LAV-25 (Light Armored Vehicle) is an eight-wheeled amphibious armored reconnaissance vehicle used by the United States Marine Corps, United States Army, and the Canadian Army. It was built by General Dynamics Land Systems Canada, developed from the Canadian built AVGP versions of the Swiss MOWAG Piranha 6x6 family of armored fighting vehicles.

History

During the 1980s, the U.S. Marine Corps began looking for a light armored vehicle to give their divisions greater mobility. They chose the Light Armored Vehicle design from GM Defense. It entered service with the Marines in 1983. The U.S. Army was interested in these vehicles at the time, but did not order any—although they did later with the introduction of the Stryker family of vehicles. The Army did, however, borrow at least a dozen LAV-25s for use by the 82nd Airborne Division, 3-73rd Armor for a Scout Platoon during the Gulf War. These LAV-25s were later returned to the Marine Corps after the conflict. The USMC ordered 758 vehicles of all variants. LAVs first saw combat during the Invasion of Panama in 1989, and continued service in the Gulf War, Iraq War, and the War in Afghanistan.

The table of organization and equipment for an USMC light-armored reconnaissance battalion includes 56 LAV-25s, 16 LAV-ATs, 12 LAV-Ls, 8 LAV-Ms, 4 LAV-Rs, 4 LAV-C2s, and an unknown number of LAV-MEWSS vehicles.

The LAV platform is planned to remain in service with the Marine Corps until 2035. The Marines aim to have prototypes for the LAV's replacement, dubbed the Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV), by 2023. The ARV is planned to be a networked family of wheeled vehicles capable of performing various mission sets, with 500 to be procured.

Design

Powered by a 6V53T Detroit Diesel turbo-charged engine, they are four-wheel drive (rear wheels) transferable to Eight-wheel drive. These vehicles are also amphibious, meaning they have the ability to "swim", but are limited to non-surf bodies of water (no oceans). While engaged in amphibious operations, the maximum speed is approximately 12 km/h (7.5 mph) using equipped propellers. The current Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) modifications will hinder or eliminate amphibious ops.

Typical land speeds are approximately 100 km/h (62.5 mph) in either 4- or 8-wheel drive; however, fuel economy decreases in 8-wheel drive. The vehicles operate on diesel fuel. They are equipped with a M242 Bushmaster 25 mm autocannon, two M240 7.62 mm machine guns, and two 4-barrel smoke grenade launchers located on the forward left and right sides of the turret. The crew is three; vehicle commander (VC), gunner, and driver; and four passengers (scouts) with combat gear.

Armor

The LAV-25 is a lightly armored vehicle. The base model is protected by light gauge high hardness steel armor (MIL-A-46100), varying in nominal thickness from 4.71 mm to 9.71 mm. This level of high-hardness steel armor is intended only to offer protection against small arms rounds such as the common 7.62x39mm M1943 ball used by the AKM, to achieve the lowest possible weight and cost.

Variants

LAV-25 - Standard LAV fitted with a turret with 360° traverse, armed with an M242 25 mm chain gun with 420 rounds of 25 mm ammunition, both M791 APDS-T (Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot-Tracer) and M792 HEI-T (High Explosive Incendiary-Tracer), of which half is ready for use. One hundred fifty rounds are ready for use from one stowage bin, 60 from another stowage bin, the other 210 rounds are stowed elsewhere in the vehicle. A coaxial M240C machine gun is mounted alongside the M242, and a pintle-mounted M240B/G machine gun, with 1,320 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition, is mounted on the turret roof. The Canadian Army uses an upgraded version of this chassis for its Coyote Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle.
LAV-25A1 - The vehicle has been through many changes through the late 1990s. The new modification or SLEP has changed the LAV-25 to the LAV-25A1 standard and has been completely fielded.
LAV-25A2 - Funding has been approved for continued upgrades to the LAV family to bring them up to the LAV-A2 standard. Phase I improvements include increased external and internal ballistic armor upgrades, improved fire suppression equipment, and upgrading the vehicle's suspension to the Generation II standard. Phase II upgrades include replacing the turret hydraulics with an electric drive system and replacing the thermal sight with an improved model incorporating a laser range finder for aircraft.
To reflect the improved significant survivability and capability enhancements occurring today, the LAV is being renamed as the LAV-A2. The LAV-A2 project involved developing and installing an internal and external ballistic protection upgrade package, developed by Armatec Survivability, for the Light Armored Vehicles, an automatic fire suppression system for the interior of the vehicle and a Generation II suspension upgrade to support the added weight of the new armor. The suspension upgrade includes new struts/steering knuckles, torsion bars, shocks and mounts and drive shaft. The three-kit armor system provides the LAV with additional survivability against improvised explosive devices (IED) and direct-fire kinetic energy weapons.
The LAV-25A2 includes the Improved Thermal Sight System (ITSS) developed by Raytheon, scheduled for fielding by the end of 2007. The ITSS provides the gunner and commander with thermal images, an eye-safe laser range finder, a fire-control solution and far-target location target grid information.
The new armor will provide protection from 14.5 mm armor-piercing rounds, and include an anti-spall lining on the inside to further protect crew members. It will be similar to the protection found on the U.S. Army's LAV III "Stryker" variant.
Tests by the U.S. Army's Operational Test Command (OTC), Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate at Fort Bragg demonstrated that the LAV-25A2 could be airdropped from transport aircraft, a capability of interest to Army airborne units. On 26 October 2018, Alpha Company, 4th Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne Division was activated equipped with ex-USMC LAV-25A2s.
LAV-25A3 - In January 2019, General Dynamics was awarded a $37.2 million contract to upgrade the Marine Corps' LAV fleet. Designated the LAV A3, upgrades include improvements to the powerpack to improve reliability, cooling capacity, diagnostics, and fuel economy, a new drivetrain for improved towing capability, a steering dampener to improve road feel and usability, and a digitized drivers' instrument panel. The initial contract was for 60 hardware kits which are planned for installation by 2021.

Derivatives  

LAV-AT (Anti-Tank) - LAV fitted with an Emerson 901A1 TOW-2 ATGM (Anti-Tank Guided Missile) launcher, the same turret that was fitted on the M901 ITV (Improved TOW Vehicle). It is also armed with a pintle-mounted M240E1 or M240B general-purpose machine gun. It carries a total of 16 TOW missiles, and 1,000 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition.
LAV-ATM (Modernization) replaces the Emerson turret with the Modified Target Acquisition System (MTAS) turret. Improvements include always being in the up position to scan and track while moving and a more reliable digital design. The turret is also unmanned, can fire both wire-guided and radio frequency TOW missiles, has an improved thermal sight, Far Target Location system, new commander/gunner video sight displays, and an electric elevation and azimuth drive system to rotate the system onto target. Development began in 2012 and fielding started in September 2017.
LAV-M (Mortar) - LAV fitted with opening doors on the top, inside it is fitted with an 81 mm M252 mortar, with 360° traverse, and a pintle-mounted M240E1 machine gun. It carries 99 81 mm mortar shells, and 1,000 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition.
LAV-R (Recovery) - LAV fitted with a boom crane, and recovery winch, for use in recovery of vehicles, specifically other LAVs. It is armed with a pintle-mounted M240E1/G machine gun, and carries 1,000 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition.
LAV-C2 (Command & Control) - LAV with a raised roof to accommodate several VHF, UHF and HF radios. It is armed with a pintle-mounted M240E1/G machine gun, and carries 1,000 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition. Generally referred to as the C2 ("C-square" or "C-two").
LAV-LOG (Logistics)
LAV modified for use in a logistics role (e.g., cargo transport).
LAV-MEWSS (Mobile Electronic Warfare Support System)
LAV modified for use in an electronic warfare role. Specific details of this variant are classified.
LAV-EFSS (Expeditionary Fire Support System) - Proposed replacement for LAV-M, LAV fitted with provisions to use Dragon Fire, a 120 mm recoil mortar system.