Some soldiers have criticized the Light Tactical Vehicle now being bought by the Canadian Army as being too cramped. (US Department of Defense photo)
By David Pugliese
The Canadian government announced July 23 that will spend $35.8 million for 90 Light Tactical Vehicles (LTV) which will be used by the Canadian Army in Latvia. This new fleet of vehicles will enable troops to operate more effectively in complex terrain and isolated locations that larger vehicles cannot access, according to the Canadian Army. The vehicles will also be used to transport combat equipment, which will reduce the loads carried by individual soldiers.
The contract with GM Defense Canada Company of Oshawa, Ontario will see the delivery of 36 cargo and 54 personnel variants of the vehicle. The personnel variant is designed for teams of up to nine soldiers, while the cargo variant is designed for two to four soldiers and larger cargo. Light forces equipped with a combination of cargo and personnel variants will be able to carry weapons, personal effects, and combat supplies for 72 hours of self-sufficient operation, according to the Canadian Army and National Defence.
All the vehicles are expected to arrive in Latvia by October.
The contract also includes integrated logistics support and up to two years of spare parts for the LTV fleet, as well as an option to procure up to an additional 18 LTVs.
The LTV contract is the first phase of the Light Forces Enhancement (LFE) project. The LFE Project Phase 2 will see up to 222 Tactical Mobility Platforms – also in cargo and personnel variants – and up to 23 light trailers, delivered to Canadian Army regular and reserve forces.
Canadian Forces spokeswoman LCdr Linda Coleman told Esprit de Corps that the LTV is based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 mid-size truck. Coleman said while the contact is with GM Defense Canada the vehicles are actually being made by GM Defense LLC and are coming from Concord, North Carolina.
The life expectancy for the new fleet is estimated at 15 years.
National Defence spokeswoman Frederica Dupuis said the Light Tactical Vehicles were procured through an open and competitive procurement process, which included industry engagement activities in the form of two Requests for Information and a Request for Proposals in the spring of 2024. But only one bid was received, she noted.
GM Defense Canada said its LTVs feature a high percentage of commercial-off-the-shelf parts, including Chevrolet Performance components for enhanced off-road capability. Weighing less than 5000 pounds / 2232 kilograms, the LTVs offer air transportability, in addition to ease of maintenance and sustainment with parts that may be accessed through GM's global supply chain, according to the firm.
But no sooner had the purchase announcement been made than there was criticism of the LTVs in Canadian military online forums. There were questions about the hefty price tag for such a simple vehicle, with soldiers pointing out that a commercial pickup truck would be just as effective for the limited role the LTVs could perform.
There were also references to the Pentagon’s director of operational test and evaluation which had published their findings of this GM vehicle, first in 2020 and then in 2022. That office warned that the vehicle is not designed to defeat or counter specific threats, nor is not operationally effective for combat missions against near-peer threats.
The U.S. evaluators also noted deficiencies such as engine cracks and steering loss. In addition, the test report also pointed out that the vehicle lacked ballistic armour, that it was too cramped and that soldiers’ individual weapons weren’t easily available in the event of an attack. There were also difficulties in operating a mounted machine gun from the vehicle while it was on the move. (Despite the concerns, the U.S. Army decided to proceed with buying the vehicles, noting that improvements had been made since the initial testing).
Both National Defence and the Canadian Army wouldn’t refute the specific issues raised by the U.S. evaluators. Instead National Defence spokesperson Dupuis said that the vehicle had a proven record with NATO and that an off-the-shelf design was needed by Canada to ensure quick delivery to soldiers. “As with current and future vehicle fleets, DND works very closely with manufacturers so that vehicles not only meet requirements, but also operate as intended and are safe for our members to use,” Dupuis added in an email.
GM Defense spokeswoman Sonia Taylor was more forthcoming. She issued the following statement: “Issues raised in the 2022 DOT&E report regarding our Infantry Squad Vehicle surfaced in the required Reliability, Availability and Maintainability (RAM) testing in 2021 and were specific to the harsh and extreme testing environment in Yuma, Arizona. All issues identified at Yuma were addressed in coordination with our U.S. Army customer in 2022, and a new vehicle was provided to re-run the RAM testing that started in July 2022 and concluded the following January. There were no mission failures or system aborts from the last round of testing, and GM Defense received a full-rate production decision from the Army, validating our manufacturing and engineering processes to support the ISV, in spring of 2023.”
A number of Canadian soldiers pointed out on social media that Latvia, where the vehicles are to be used, sometimes gets frigid temperatures and snow, but they noted the LTVs had no protection from the elements.
Questions about this issue - about protecting the troops from the cold and elements and whether there was an enclosure for the vehicles to protect soldiers – were asked. But neither National Defence nor the Canadian Army would answer those questions. There was no explanation why the questions weren’t answered but it seems safe to conclude that there will be no protection for military personnel from the cold and elements.
So what comes next?
During an April 2, 2024 presentation to defence company executives, Canadian Army Lt. Col. Allan Thomas noted that full operating capability for the LTVs will be reached in 2025.
The Canadian Army/National Defence stated in its responses to news outlets that the timelines for the second vehicle to be purchased will be “confirmed as work progresses.”
That isn’t entirely true. Thomas in his presentation to industry in April already outlined the plan. He said the Phase 2 implementation would start in 2026. Initial operating capability is expected in 2028 with full operating capability in 2029
It is unclear why the Canadian Army and National Defence provided inaccurate information to the news media.
