Grizzlies to Africa

Jon Skagfeld · #1 24-01-07, 04:26

This post is a query mainly to Canadian MLUers, but who knows, perhaps in our global hookup someone else might have an answer.

About a year ago there was a media report that 100 Canadian AVGP "Grizzlies" (Mowag/Pirhana type, not WW2) were to be loaned out to an African country. (Namibia?) They were to be used for insurgency/terrorist/tribal/civil war/police action (pick one).

Since there was a media report about their leaving, I should have expected a media report upon their return.

I've tried my best to research Esprit de Corps, Royal Canadian Legion magazine and the Toronto Sun Pub Corp...all to no apparent avail.

Does anyone have any input about this?

John McGillivray · #2 25-01-07, 00:20

I think that the Grizzlies are still in Sudan.

http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/operati...al/index_e.asp

RHClarke · #3 25-01-07, 00:42

Jon,

Mike Calnan can fill in the details of our AVGPs in Africa - they were seen in one or two of his slides in his presentation last night. I'll bet that they will be going quite cheap in a few years...a long haul indeed to get one back home...

Dan Sicotte · #4 25-01-07, 01:37

From what I heard... on the rumour mill....they will not likely come back home.
Dan

John McGillivray · #5 25-01-07, 01:56

My understanding is that before being shipped to Sudan, the turrets were removed. The TLAVs are to be fitted with the Grizzly turrets.

http://www.dewengineering.com/military/m113.html

Dan Sicotte · #6 25-01-07, 03:29

Some of those turrets came from the mods done to the grizzly hulls that stayed behind. There are some being converted to CP and ambulance versions. The CP would look like a Queen Mary on tires.....UUUUGLY! They were also discussing cargo versions of the Grizly. The rear would be open and a bulkhead would be welded in behind the CC's hatch. Forward resupply for echelons.
Dan

Jon Skagfeld · #7 25-01-07, 05:07

Quote:

Originally posted by Dan Sicotte
From what I heard... on the rumour mill....they will not likely come back home.
Dan

Rumour control is usually quite accurate.

So, if the AVGPs don't come home, the Canadian taxpayer has been screwed again. Not only that, the CF are now denied tactical inventory assets.

Not only the hardware cost, the ramping up, maintenance costs and transport costs have to be all factored in. So, how many millions of dollars are we pissing away to a Third World "nation", the inhabitants of which don't give a shit about us...except how to set foot in Canada and claim refugee status, or gladly receive Canadian aid like this?

Remember Congo, Somalia, Namibia, Eritrea, anywhere in the Middle East etc...we've been there before and nothing has changed.

This is getting too political, so I'm signing off for now, but I think my points are valid to any Canadian who is not subject to the rectitude of political correctness.