Buffaloes and Cougars for Afstan

Two new types of mine and IED resistant vehicles for the mission:

Force Protection Inc. has received an $8.867 million contract award to produce Buffalo and Cougar mine-protected vehicles for the Canadian Expeditionary Force Command (CEFCOM), the company announced on its website.

The order, which marks the first contract between Canada and the South Carolina-based manufacturer, calls for five Buffalo and five Cougar vehicles, spare parts, training, and field service representatives. Vehicle deliveries are scheduled to begin no later than August 2007.

"This initial, urgent order will go directly to CEFCOM for immediate deployment. Based on past performance, we know it will save Canadian lives," said Force Protection Vice President for Program Management Damon Walsh.

The company's armoured vehicles have been deployed in support of U.S. and allied engineers in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003. They have withstood in excess of 2,000 explosive attacks in more than 100,000 days of heavy combat operations.

The federal government had earlier purchased armoured vehicles from General Dynamics Land Systems Canada with a $60.3 million contract for 50 RG-31 Mine Protected Vehicles with an option to purchase 25 additional vehicles. The additional 25 vehicles were purchased in May, 2006 for $31 million.

The Canadian Armoured Patrol Vehicle known as Nyala incorporates a remote weapon station and is equipped with a day and night sighting systems, which allow the operator to fire the weapon from inside the vehicle.

It also has an enhanced protection from improvised explosive devices (IEDs)...

Press release from Force Protection Industries here. Nice touch that the US company's names for the vehicles fit in well with Canadian Army tradition.

Meanwhile, Scott Taylor writes in favour of the Nyalas, despite some problems.

Update: Lots more here (with images) from the Canadian American Strategic Review.