# Canucks' tank envy



## Gunner (24 Jul 2006)

http://autos.canada.com/news/story.html?id=546ef61b-b079-4692-8a04-3d12fb7ac060
  
Canucks' tank envy
Other ground forces have eyes on eight-wheel drive armoured vehicle
  
Keith Morgan 
CanWest News Service 

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

CREDIT: Cpl. Shirley Edel, Special to The Vancouver Province 
RUSH HOUR DREAM: Keith Morgan gets a feel for the Coyote with crew commander, Sgt. Anthony Sewards and driver, Cpl. Gerri-Anne Davidson. 

CHILLIWACK, B.C. - The Canadian-made Coyote Reconnaissance vehicle is the perfect city vehicle ... for Kandahar.

And the Afghanistan trouble spot is exactly where these versatile machines are deployed by the Canadian Armed Forces.

There, the eight-wheel-drive armoured vehicle, which is loaded with high-tech surveillance equipment, is the eyes and ears of the command and reportedly envied even by the well-equipped U.S. ground force.

However, with no available direct flights to the southwest Asian country, yours truly settled for a test drive of the $2.5-million beast in hilly backcountry behind Cultus Lake.

The Looks At the risk of upsetting the manufacturers, General Dynamics, in London, Ont., this eight-wheeler, built on the General Motors light armoured vehicle chassis, is not a pretty boy.

Its ballistic steel hull makes it look like a boat on wheels. It's covered with all kinds of bits that stick out, such as guns and grenade launchers, that do nothing for its aerodynamics and thus make it a ghastly gas guzzler -- well, diesel downer.

The Inside Getting inside is not easy. With not a ladder in sight, one clambers aboard by stepping on to one of the grubby Michelin MXL tires upfront, hoisting oneself up to the hatch by grabbing anything near to hand that looks substantial enough to bear (substantial) body weight.

Yes, I said hatch -- the driver has to drop into the cabin, or is that cockpit?

Once in, it's a little claustrophobic if you drive with the hatch down, viewing the way forward through three small periscopes.

The single driver's seat is upholstered in a fetching canvas over Kevlar.

It's more comfortable than expected but a 10-hour trip through terrible terrain might not be fun, a conclusion confirmed by the tester's regular driver Cpl. Gerri-Anne Davidson of Penticton.

In place of a back seat, there are a couple of raised turrets behind, which on this day were occupied by crew commander Sgt. Anthony Sewards of Kentville, N.S., and gunner Cpl. Jamie Moores of L'Anse au Low, Nfld.

But inside the rear, rides the person with the best view of everything without the benefit of windows, the guy who twiddles Safety and Security:

The vehicle is very strong in what it offers in terms of safety and security equipment. I wasn't able to ascertain exactly what was standard fare and optional, maybe it's to keep competitors guessing.

But, personal observation confirmed the following: There's a warning system that indicates if you are being targeted by a laser-sighted weapon. If you are under chemical attack or stray into an irradiated area, then there's a beep to warn you of that imminent danger, too.

If you should be unfortunate enough to encounter such perils, then a ventilated internal respirator system helps you breathe easy. There's also a dual automatic/manual fire suppression system, and external steel armour provides a good measure of protection against attack.

Of course, you don't have to merely resort to using a loud hailer to tell anybody who strays into your path with malicious intent to "point that thing somewhere else." No, there's a grenade launcher capable of catapulting smoke/high explosive canisters.

There's an array of firepower -- a 25-millimetre Bushmaster chain gun capable of 200 rounds per minute and three machine guns.

The Drive Driving along the street, people get of your way in a hurry. I know, I know, I hear you. This is sounding more and more like the perfect commuter car for those braving the war-like rush-hour conditions that sometimes prevail in Canadian cities.

The big bus engine is governed to speed the 14.4 tonner to no more than 110 km/h on the highway. "Psst ...," said the veteran Sewards, "it'll do almost 145 flat out."

Off road, this machine comes into its own. Warmed up doing increasingly faster doughnuts and figure eights in a large field. Got still warmer up in the hills doing doughnuts at ever increasing speeds in a meadow ... backwards.

The Coyote operates normally in four-wheel drive, but can switch to eight-wheel when the going gets tough.

So, I went looking for a 2.05-metre trench to cross and a 60-per-cent hill, but had to make do with a deep puddle to splash the living daylights out of the enemy we encountered at the end of the trail.

The Score Joking apart, it was a thrill ride from start to finish and I'm grateful to the crew for allowing me to spend an afternoon with them at the wheel of their awesome machine. It was a privilege to meet them and I'm pleased they have such a vehicle to undertake their dangerous assignments overseas.

© The Windsor Star 2006


----------



## ExSarge (24 Jul 2006)

Great sales pitch, ok I'm sold. All right let me see, I better take the extended warranty and the undercoating, don’t want it rusting out prematurely. Does it come in auto or can I get a stick? Oh, how bout ya throw in the tow package? Oh, don’t forget I want the AM/FM CD player with surround sound! What’s that,… it only comes in army green? Sorry that’s a deal breaker!


----------



## GAP (24 Jul 2006)

That  AM/FM CD player with surround sound was actually the coffee cup holder!


----------



## Shamrock (24 Jul 2006)

Some variants do come with cup holders.  However, owing to Canadian gun laws, you'll have to settle for this variant of the Coyote:


----------



## ExSarge (25 Jul 2006)

Ok, tell ya what, throw in that 25mm gun and I’ll take it in army green. I’ll install my own sound system! With the tow package so I can pull my boat, and that gun, weekend traffic to cottage country should not be a worry!


----------



## Kat Stevens (25 Jul 2006)

but with a TOW package, and that gun, the drive to the cottage would be REAL fun.... >


----------



## GAP (25 Jul 2006)

Ohhhh...our own little Lebanon !!!  ;D


----------



## ExSarge (25 Jul 2006)

Jeeze, what if the Army started renting these things out on the weekend? Advertise them as the ultimate ATV with the added bonus of having its own traffic management solution! 
Grid lock? No problem, with a three second burst of 25 mike mike AP those annoying SUV’s and Toyota’s will simply disappear!
I suspect DND’s budget problems would disappear over night as well!


----------



## karl28 (25 Jul 2006)

"I suspect DND’s budget problems would disappear over night as well!"  Until the law suites started pooring in there is always one out there who wants to ruin the fun for every one else LOL  ;D


----------



## Shamrock (25 Jul 2006)

Or rent them to allow customers to join the 0.00022 mile high club


----------

