Canada's New Armored Vehicles Moving Forward?

Apparently the Canadians are back on track with their acquisition plans.

A multibillion-dollar plan to buy a fleet of new armoured combat vehicles for the army is back on after the Defence Department has decided that the program should be a priority.

The Close Combat Vehicle or CCV purchase was put on hold in December over concerns about whether there was enough money available and whether it fit the future priorities of the military. Some estimates put the cost of the CCV as high as $2 billion and questions had been raised in the department about whether such equipment should be a priority because Canada is set to leave Afghanistan in July 2011.

At the same time some officials in DND had argued the money could be better used on other priority projects such as new ships for the navy and a new generation of fighter aircraft.

But DND spokeswoman Annie Dicaire has confirmed the CCV project, along with three other armoured vehicle programs in what is being called the family of land combat vehicles, is now moving forward.

“After completing a review of project priorities, the Department of National Defence confirmed the priority status of all four Family of Land Combat Vehicles projects,” she said.

Representatives from companies interested in the CCV project will meet with government officials on March 29 in the Ottawa area. The total cost is estimated to be a little more than $5 billion.

The army argues that the purchase of 108 CCVs, which would accompany its Leopard tanks in operations, are a priority for future missions. There would be an option to buy an additional 30 CCVs as well.

By: Brant