I had the opportunity to visit the GM Defense Plant on 30 November with the Canadian Military Engineers Association. The visit began with a discussion and demonstration with the engineering department on the rebuilding of 35 Bison MRT for the Canadian Army. We then toured the factory floor. Several prototypes were in the shop including the Canadain Engineer LAV III, the TUA and the US Engineer Squad Vehicle. We followed the assembly line from raw steel and parts delivery, through steel cutting, welding, minor and major assemblies, sandblasting, painting and final assembly to the finished product. Being built were Australian Bisons, NZ LAV IIIs and several Stryker variants including Command, Ambulance, Engineer Squad Vehicle, and Mortar carrier. Altogether an interesting visit. Unfortunately photography was not permitted.

what did you see on the TUA's?

I'd have loved to go along. Will the Stryker Ambulance be armed? Maybe a silly question, but remember I'm an ex AF type.

Chuck,
Due to Geneva Convention rules, marked (Red Cross for western armies, Red Crescent for most others) ambulance vehicles are noncombatants and can not be armed. All signers of the Geneva Convention of 1947 have agreed to this and agree not to engage any marked ambulance vehicle. However, most of our enemies did not sign the Geneva Convention. This is why in Vietnam, being an unarmed DustOff helo crewman was one of the most dangerous jobs around.

The LAV TUA was the prototype vehicle with the same tuurret as our M113. My impression was that the silhouette was going to be problem.

I've also seen the LAV TUA here in Gagetown, and I have to agree this thing is MASSIVE. The hight of this vehicle is incredible.
We also just took delivery of our dirst M548 replacement as well. Not as much cargo room as the old "Duck" but the HIAB arm is a God send. For anyone thats been in an echelon,you'll know how valuable lift capabilitie is in the field.
Oh and T&E delivered to us the latest version of the rubber track for the M113's. We had a bad problem with traction with them, so they have put a removable "grouser" on at even intervals by means of bolts screwed into the rubber.
The rubber track is really nice....super quiet and most importantly,NO MAINTENANCE!!!!!

We know about the silloette, boy do we ever. Every time they send out briefers from Gagetown they cringe when they come to 1VP AAP :-) We tend to get quite vocal about the desicion to keep the old CRAPPY turret........anyways, I digress. I was also told you'd have to be as tall as Jordan and as strong as Arnie to even be able to lift the loaders hatch and load the missile. We we told the "fix" for this problem was a milk crate in the back
Well what do you expect from a bunch of Wogs buying equipment for us. I mean the guy in charge of it as much admitted to us that he doesn't know the first thing about TOW
Well I'll just end it here I'm starting to get pissed off

Maybe that's why there is only one so far. Perhaps it would be wiser to see what the US Army puts on their Anti Armour version of the Stryker and go that route for the sake of commonality. Any one in the US Army know what the Stryker TOW launcher will look like?

Well for that matter....what about the Marine Corps version of the TOW Lav?

They must have had some remedy for this.