Production ramps up for Swiss Piranha 120mm mortar
GDELS-Mowag's Piranha 3+ platform. (Photo: Christopher Foss)
The Swiss Army has ordered 48 Piranha 3+ vehicles equipped with RUAG Cobra 120mm mortars, which can fire up to 10 rounds per minute and have a range of 9,000m. The vehicles have a Scania diesel engine, a Kongsberg RWS with a 12.7mm MG and an applique passive armour package.
Production of the 12cm Mortar 16 for the Swiss Army has begun at the General Dynamics European Land Systems – Mowag (GDELS) facility following trials with one prototype and one pre-production vehicle.
The trials included mobility and firing trials, as well as extensive ballistic and mine trials, to prove the all-welded steel hull. The 12cm Mortar 16 has been based on a GDELS-Mowag Piranha IV (8x8) platform, although Mowag have named it the Piranha 3+.
GDELS – Mowag has been named overall prime contractor and RUAG will supply the turntable mounted 120mm Cobra smooth bore mortar which is fitted with
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