Military

LAV 105MM (Gen III) (LAV-105)

The LAV 105MM (Gen III) (LAV-105) configuration is a Foreign Military Sales item for use in a Combat Support Company Assault Gun Platoon, which conducts direct fire against personnel, fortifications, vehicles and aircraft. The chassis is a modified GM of Canada LAV-25 chassis with a Textron Marine and Land systems 105mm Gun turret. The gun is the NATO-standard 105mm M35 LRF gun which is also used on the equally abortive M8 Ridgeway AGS.

Part of the Marine LAV-25/8x8 Coyote/Bison family of vehicles, the GEN III configurations are newly designed LAVs from ground up. The chassis is longer and wider than the baseline vehicle. Higher capacity Power Pack, Driveline and Suspension have been introduced to provide more load carrying capacity.

The LAV-105 project was initiated in 1988 in response to a Marines requirement for a mobile assault gun. The Marine Corps withdrew funding for this program in 1990, at which time a prototype was still being fabricated. In 1993, Additional funding was provided in 1993 to eable the completion of three prototypes for the export market.