OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a nearly $2-billion agreement with General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada on Thursday to build 190 additional armoured combat vehicles for the Canadian military.The vehicles will be designed and assembled at the company’s plant in London, Ontario, under a four-year agreement with the federal government.The purchase will expand the Canadian Armed Forces’ planned fleet of Armoured Combat Support Vehicles from 360 to 550.Carney said the vehicles will give Canadian soldiers greater protection against mines, improvised explosive devices and enemy fire. “In a more dangerous and divided world, Canada’s government is ensuring the women and men of our Armed Forces get what they need, when they need it,” he said.“Through this new partnership, GDLS-Canada will design, build, deliver and sustain the next generation of armoured combat vehicles here in Canada.”.The additional 190 vehicles will be used for training exercises at military bases across the country, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.Armoured Combat Support Vehicles are based on the military’s LAV 6.0 platform and can be configured as ambulances, command posts, troop and cargo carriers, electronic warfare vehicles and mobile repair and recovery vehicles.The existing fleet of 360 vehicles was ordered from General Dynamics in 2019 through a contract valued at approximately $2.1 billion.The first vehicles were accepted in 2020, with the fleet reaching initial operational capability in January 2025. Full operational capability for the original order is expected in 2028.Canada has also donated or committed 89 Armoured Combat Support Vehicles to Ukraine. The government said vehicles originally built for the Canadian military and donated to Ukraine will be replaced by the contractor.Canada’s total spending on Ukraine related supports has recently topped $26.7 billion. The Carney government said the new agreement will create or sustain more than 6,000 jobs annually across Canada over the next eight years.Those estimates include work at General Dynamics and more than 600 Canadian suppliers operating in over 100 communities.The supply chain includes steel produced by InterPro in Regina, thermal imaging systems designed by Thales Canada in Saint-Laurent, Quebec, and specialized components manufactured by IMP Aerospace and Defence in Enfield, Nova Scotia.Companies selected for the framework commit to investing in Canadian research, employing Canadian workers and expanding domestic supply chains. Ottawa, in turn, acts as an anchor customer and assists companies in accessing export markets.
