General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada: Meeting the Evolving Demands of the Canadian Army’s Land-based Operations 

A History of Excellence

General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada, headquartered in London, Ontario, is a global leader in the design, manufacture, and support of Light Armoured Vehicles (LAVs) and other capability solutions for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Canada’s allies around the globe.

For over 47 years, the most important mission of every General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada employee is to work in partnership with the CAF to deliver the best capability for our soldiers to ensure they have the products, technologies, and strategic partners they need to face any challenge.

Among the numerous benefits of the LAV 6.0 family of vehicles, the centerpiece of the CAF’s combat vehicle fleet, is its ability to deliver multiple variants with a common baseline chassis. The LAV 6.0 shares its baseline chassis and performance with all eight Armoured Combat Support Vehicle (ACSV) variants developed for the CAF, including Ambulances, Command Posts, Maintenance and Recovery Vehicles, Fitters, and Troop-Cargo Vehicles, thus realizing cost savings in maintenance, training, and supply and storage of spare parts.

A Common Platform for Logistics Vehicles

Early this year, General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada and Marshall Canada, representing the Power Team, were identified by the Government of Canada as the preferred bidder for the Logistics Vehicle Modernization (LVM) Program to supply the CAF with a new fleet of light and heavy logistics vehicles, trailers, mission modules, and in-service support, replacing the CAF’s aging fleet of support vehicles.

General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada and Marshall Canada, with the other Power Team members Daimler Truck, Soframe, and Manac, will supply the CAF with Daimler Truck’s Zetros platform in Heavy and Light configurations with over 90% commonality across the chassis and its subsystems.

Rather than supporting and maintaining two completely different fleets, the high commonality across the CAF’s new fleet will provide savings to Canada through a common logistics footprint that reduces the procurement and sustainment cost and increases training efficiencies.

In addition, The Power Team’s Indigenous Participation Plan (IPP) commits to over $100 million and 10% of contract value (double the request from Canada) for Indigenous participation. 

Through procurement and subcontracting initiatives, the company will be providing worthwhile career opportunities, training, skills development and apprenticeship opportunities for Indigenous businesses and people.

Tomorrow’s Solutions Today – Interconnectivity

General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada’s vision for the future leverages digital technology throughout the LAV and connected assets to share information securely and quickly.

Under this vision, land platforms become a node or hub for communication, sensor processing, uncrewed or robotic asset control and battle management mapping. These capabilities are enabled by our Next Generation Electronic Architecture (NGEA) and include three components: hardware qualified to military standards, scalable for different processing needs and with built-in cyber security measures; software to enable capabilities from simple automotive functions to Artificial Intelligence algorithms, video management and data processing; and a tailored platform architecture to provide further cyber and damage resilience.

NGEA allows the customer and these platforms to respond rapidly to evolving needs by providing a foundation on which new technologies, sensors or effectors can added quickly. NGEA’s advanced innovations include demonstrated autonomous and remote vehicle control and the hosting of 3^rd party software on NGEA’s cyber-secure platform.

Finally, NGEA has achieved its foundational goal of reducing soldier burden through simplified interface.

NGEAs foundational goal is to generate a many-fold increase in solder effectiveness by off-loading dangerous or routine tasks such that our soldiers’ expertise can be directed towards making sound, well-informed and timely decisions.

“General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada is committed to its mission of supporting the CAF by bringing the best technology from Canada and around the world to ensure that the men and women of the CAF have the very best equipment and technology to complete their missions – today and in the future”, said Jason Alejandro Monahan, Vice President & General Manager of General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada. “That is why our organization puts a strong emphasis on investing in research and development. We believe that having a competitive edge requires constant assessment of new technologies and a relentless focus on innovation.”

A Strategic Partner to Canada

General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada believes in being a committed partner to Canada, not only by exceeding contract requirements but also by supporting specific government policies.

In August 2018, General Dynamics joined the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) and continues to work in partnership with Indigenous businesses throughout the company’s value chain. The company is also the inaugural sponsor of the CCAB Indigenous Business Defence Sector Accelerator Program for Indigenous businesses, developed to create opportunities for Indigenous businesses in Canada to engage with defence suppliers.

There is great pride across all of General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada in the significant impact they make on the Canadian economy through jobs created and sustained, Canadian intellectual property developed, and the supply base of small, medium, and Indigenous-owned businesses developed across Canada. This contribution, however, relies on effective government policies that create the conditions for the defence industry to flourish. The sustainment of defence capability is inextricably linked to the maintenance of a robust defence industrial base within Canada.

The people who work at General Dynamics are passionate about the contribution they make to Canada and the CAF. Their strength comes from a unique ability to push innovation to the limits and quickly convert ideas into real technologies and solutions for customers.

Their ability to continually assess where technology will lead has provided them with the opportunity to demonstrate how they are not only a manufacturer of armoured vehicles, but also a strategic asset to Canada and a source of innovative products, solutions, and technologies. 

Global events continue to demonstrate that threats to our democracy are not diminishing. There is an urgency to ensure that militaries are fully equipped with the capabilities to respond quickly and safely.

Monahan will tell you, “our most important mission is to ensure that Canadian soldiers have the very best equipment, technology, and support to face new challenges, complete their mission, and return home safely to their families. As the CAF’s needs change to address new new threats and opportunities, the investments that General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada is making today will ensure that we will be ready with new and innovative solutions.”