(Europa) Dänisches Heer

[Quintus Fabius]

Die Dänen kaufen nun den Piranha V als Ersatz für ihre M113 ein.

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Denmark has selected the General Dynamics European Land Systems - MOWAG Piranha 5 8x8 to be its new armoured personnel carrier (APC), the Danish Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 30 April.

The move marks an end to the largest armoured vehicle competition in Europe, and sees an 8x8 triumph in a fascinating contest that had pitted two schools of armoured vehicle design, wheeled and tracked, against each other.

In Royal Danish Army service the Piranha 5 will replace the M113 series of tracked APCs.

Additionally the MoD announced that it would be suspending its planned acquisition of a new 155 mm self-propelled artillery (SPA) system.

Denmark will purchase a minimum of 206 Piranha 5s, with the number potentially rising to 450, although the MoD stated that "the exact number will be determined at a later date."

Speaking of the selection, Danish Defense Minister Nicolai Wammen said: "I am very pleased that ... Piranha 5 has been a winner of the tender on new armoured vehicles for the defence. Our current armoured personnel carrier has served the Army well for many years, and will continue some time yet, but with Piranha 5 we have found the armoured personnel carrier that can best solve the defence tasks of the future."

For the Danish requirement the Piranha 5 had competed in trials against one other 8x8, the Nexter Systems Véhicule Blindé de Combat d'Infanterie, and three tracked offerings: the FFG Flensburger Protected Mission Module Carrier G5, BAE Systems Armadillo and General Dynamics European Land Systems - Santa Barbara Sistemas ASCOD 2. According to the MoD, the selection of the Piranha 5 was made "after thorough examination and evaluation of suppliers' offers and testing of the vehicles".