Canadian Army To Become Stryker MGS First International Customer

Released on Thursday, April 15, 2004

The Canadian Minister of Defense, the Honorable David Pratt, announced that the Canadian government will enter negotiations with General Dynamics Land Systems Canada (a General Dynamics subsidiary) for the acquisition of 66 Mobile Gun Systems (MGS).

The MGS is the mobile direct fire support variant of the Stryker wheeled multi-role vehicle currently being manufactured for the US Army under the Stryker-Interim brigades program. MGS is equipped with an automated 105mm high-pressure smoothbore gun.

The Canadian Armed Forces will use the MGS gun system as a key element of their transformation. Currently Canada operates Light Armored Vehicles (LAVs) armed with medium caliber guns which will benefit from a large caliber gun system such as the MGS.

In addition, the Canadian Ministry of Defense awarded General Dynamics a $165 million contract for a wide range of services for Canadian Wheeled Light Armored Vehicles. The contract covers an initial period of three years with options for two additional years.