Canadian Armed Forces tests the capabilities of the Australian Thales PMV Hawkei

There have been sightings of the Thales Hawkei PMV ( Protected Mobility Vehicle ) made in Australia undergoing trials in the cold weather in Canada.

This vehicle is one of the competitors for the Canadian Armed Forces' Light Utility Vehicle (LUV) project.

Thales Hawkei is a 4X4 light armored vehicle developed by Thales Australia in collaboration with international partners such as Boeing, PAC Group and Plasan Israel.

Equipped with advanced C4I capabilities, Hawkei functions as a fully integrated node in network-centric warfare.

This vehicle with a crew of four people can be used for various missions, such as reconnaissance, patrol, command and control, and others.

As its driving force, Hawkei uses a 3,200 cc diesel engine. The vehicle is capable of reaching a maximum speed of 115 km/h and covering a distance of more than 1,000 km.

Meanwhile the Canadian Armed Forces LUV project is designed to replace the Mercedes Benz G-Class and Chevrolet Silverado, vehicles that have multiple roles in various conditions.

The LUV will be the Army Reserve's primary vehicle for training and mission assignments and will also be used by Air Force tactical helicopter squadrons to secure landing zones.

The project aims to procure around 2,500 vehicles. Estimated budget ranges from 250 million to 500 million dollars.

Apart from Thales Australia, companies that have received attention from the Canadian LUV project team include Oshkosh, Mercedes Benz, Iveco, AM General, Jeep, Volkswagen, Jankel and Streit Group.

Critical requirements for the new vehicle include all-terrain mobility, integrated electronics systems, significant payload capacity and a high level of protection against mines and ballistic weapons, as well as being light enough to be transported by air by helicopter.