The Family of Light Armored Vehicles (FOLAV) are 8x8 wheeled light armored combat, combat support, and combat service support vehicles. The GEN II is subdivided into fundamental types. The first (Type), has evolved from the United States Marine Corps (USMC) Light Armor Vehicles. The second (Type II), from the Canadian Armed Forces "Bisons" armored vehicles.

The Type I chassis have been primarily used for the combat and combat support roles and the Type II for the combat support and combat service support roles. The LAV-25 is the baseline vehicle for the Type I and the LAV-PC is the Type II baseline.

Both Type I and Type II incorporates subsystems which are common to the FOLAV fleet. The power plant is a Detroit Diesel 6V53T diesel engine developing 275 horsepower coupled to an Allison MT653, 6 speed (5 forward, 1 reverse) automatic transmission with driver-select gear ranges. Power is delivered through a single transfer case to 4 differentials. The four rear wheels drive the vehicle on a full-time basis, but eight-wheel drive is selectable.

The GEN II has been designed and equipped with the capability, mobility, agility, and flexibility for operations in hot dry, hot humid, mild cold to cold climatic conditions and on highways, off road, cross-country, level and hilly unimproved roads, and urban environments. Its low silhouette makes it a difficult target to detect and destroy.

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.  You can read more about the LAV III by clicking on the LAV III image below.

Light Armored Vehicle - 25
This is the LAV-25. It is the same Light Armored Vehicle hull as the rest of the family with a few minor differences. The turret is a 25mm Bush Master Chain Gun. It is capable of firing both High Explosive (HE) and Armor Piercing (AP) ammunition. There is also a 7.62mm coaxially mounted machine gun mounted alongside the chain gun. There is a M240E1 7.62mm pintle mounted machine gun located on top in front of the vehicle commander's hatch.

Light Armored Vehicle - Anti-Tank
This is the LAV-AT. It also follows the same hull design with a few minor changes. The turret is the Emerson 901 TOW II launcher. The same turret is used by the Army on the M113. The TOW II can also be mounted on a "Hum-Vee" as well as on a ground mounted tripod. The launcher holds 2 missiles ready to fire and has another 14 in reserve. The powerful sights are located in the launcher head. The TOW II missile has a maximum effective range of approx. 2 1/2 km and can defeat any known armor on today's battlefield.  I have a picture of one of our vehicles firing on the range, click here.

Light Armored Vehicle - Mortar
This is the LAV-M. It is basically a hull with large top mounted doors which allow the 81mm Mortar to shoot out of. The mortar is mounted on a 360 degree rotating platform mounted inside the hull of the vehicle. We used these vehicles constantly during the Gulf War to provide us with "Death from Above".

Light Armored Vehicle - Mortar
This is a picture of the LAV-M with the top hatches open showing the 81mm mortar mounted inside. These guys can do all their adjustments from within the LAV-M, once one of them runs out and pounds the aiming stake in the ground. That isn't such a big deal as Mortars are generally safe behind the fight providing combat fire support missions.