VICTORIA, British Columbia — Canada's special forces unit is requesting bids for a new fleet of ultralight combat vehicles.

The vehicles would provide special forces with the capability for off-road operations and be air transportable by the Royal Canadian Air Force's Chinook helicopters as well as C-17 and C-130 planes.

Fifty-two of the ultralight combat vehicles (ULCV) will be purchased. There is an option for buying another 26 vehicles.

Bids are required to be submitted by Sept. 19.

The ULCV will be "a complimentary vehicle to increase mobility across a spectrum of operations," for Canadian special forces, said Department of National Defence spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier.

The Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) expect the vehicles to be delivered starting in the fall of 2017.

The ULCVs will be outfitted with a weapons turret and will be able to seat a minimum of four special forces operators.

While the vehicles can be used in urban operations, they would spend the majority of their time off-road, industry representatives have been told.

The Department of National Defence is not providing details on the estimated project costs.

CANSOFCOM also plans to acquire a fleet of what it is calling enhanced all-terrain vehicles. A request for bids for those vehicles, expected to be smaller than the ULCVs, will be issued in the next several months, according to Department of National Defence sources.


Canadian special forces currently operate a fleet of Humvees as their main transport platform for combat operations. It has upgraded those vehicles to continue operating past 2020 but plans to eventually acquire a replacement vehicle.


In the meantime, the Canadian Army has bought 36 Polaris Defense turbo diesel MRZR (MRZR-D) utility task vehicles and 12 tactical trailers.


Army spokesman Jason Manchester said Aug. 23 that those vehicles will be delivered by the end of October and distributed to three light infantry battalions at different bases in Canada.


There is an option for the Army to buy up to 18 more MRZR-Ds and six more tactical trailers.


Email: dpugliese@defensenews.com

David Pugliese is the Canada correspondent for Defense News.

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