Armoured RECCE

[TangoTwoBravo]

The Reserves didn't stand a chance lol. In hindsight the Yote had zero chance of ever ending up at the Reserve units as originally intended. Thus began a very long decline for the Armoured Reserve.

The Coyote was never intended for ARes service to my knowledge.

 

[PrairieFella]

The Coyote was never intended for ARes service to my knowledge.

It actually was. Mast mount variants were supposed to go to the Regs and the Remote kit variants were supposed to go to the ResF. That's the legend at least, I'll see if I can find a citation for that.

 

[GK .Dundas]

The Coyote was never intended for ARes service to my knowledge.

Neither was the TAPV or the Lynx and yet...

 

[dapaterson]

From long ago conversations, I believe in the ID/OA phase there was consideration of the Army Reserve, and some of the original number was intended for the Res F. Project staff recognized that those would be orphans, though, as there was no concept of support. So iterations through the Def and Imp reallocated them.

Since the last time I discussed this with a friend who was staff at the time was 20+ years ago, take what I say with a large grain of salt.

 

[TangoTwoBravo]

It actually was. Mast mount variants were supposed to go to the Regs and the Remote kit variants were supposed to go to the ResF. That's the legend at least, I'll see if I can find a citation for that.

I was in the ARes (1H) from 89 to 97 and then Reg F after that (RCD). The Coyote was a Lynx replacement. The 3 x Reg F Recce Sqns each received three Troops of seven Coyotes. Each Patrol had a Mast and a Remote while the Tp Ldr and OC had the clean variants. The Reg F Mech Battalions received remote variants. There was never a stated plan to equip the ARes with Coyote. At the time the Recce units continued with Iltis while the "Tank" units had access to pooled Cougars until the early 2000s (I recall that 2002 was the last Cougar FTX in Ontario?)

 

[PrairieFella]

I was in the ARes (1H) from 89 to 97 and then Reg F after that (RCD). The Coyote was a Lynx replacement. The 3 x Reg F Recce Sqns each received three Troops of seven Coyotes. Each Patrol had a Mast and a Remote while the Tp Ldr and OC had the clean variants. The Reg F Mech Battalions received remote variants. There was never a stated plan to equip the ARes with Coyote. At the time the Recce units continued with Iltis while the "Tank" units had access to pooled Cougars until the early 2000s (I recall that 2002 was the last Cougar FTX in Ontario?)

Huh, interesting. It's funny how these stories start. Even the Coyote wikipedia said they were destined to go to reserve units. I think dapaterson may have been on to something with how that started with his anecdote.

 

[KevinB]

Huh, interesting. It's funny how these stories start. Even the Coyote wikipedia said they were destined to go to reserve units. I think dapaterson may have been on to something with how that started with his anecdote.

Coyote purchase was separate from the Bison (that was intended for the Res). Well before IOC the plan had been for the Regs only. The numbers acquired were not even close to being able to fill Reg needs.

While I’m sure that @dapaterson is not wrong at the ID phase, that plan ran into the reality of numbers, or more accurately well $$$.

The Coyote and Bison where all effectively orphans as the numbers where really low compared to initially AVGP, and then LAV III. Which is sad, as IMHO the LAV-25 is probably the ideal 8x8 wheeled vehicle.

If I had been King back then, you’d have seen 1 and 4 Bde with Bradley’s, 5 Bde with LAV-25 and the SSF light. The loss of 4 Bde and change of the SSF into 2 Bde would have just resulted in 5 Bde going Bradley and the ARes going LAV-25, and 2 still jumping.

But alas I wasn’t King

 

[PrairieFella]

Coyote purchase was separate from the Bison (that was intended for the Res). Well before IOC the plan had been for the Regs only. The numbers acquired were not even close to being able to fill Reg needs.

While I’m sure that @dapaterson is not wrong at the ID phase, that plan ran into the reality of numbers, or more accurately well $$$.

The Coyote and Bison where all effectively orphans as the numbers where really low compared to initially AVGP, and then LAV III. Which is sad, as IMHO the LAV-25 is probably the ideal 8x8 wheeled vehicle.

If I had been King back then, you’d have seen 1 and 4 Bde with Bradley’s, 5 Bde with LAV-25 and the SSF light. The loss of 4 Bde and change of the SSF into 2 Bde would have just resulted in 5 Bde going Bradley and the ARes going LAV-25, and 2 still jumping.

But alas I wasn’t King

It really is too bad because a Coyote upgrade with some modern armour/APS/FCS, maybe a slight upgun and some missiles would be an excellent light cav vehicle. The bones themselves are sturdy. Quick, small, agile, packs a punch, can still conduct recce and surveillance tasks effectively and you could squeeze a whole troop worth into a Globemaster. Instead we have the TAPV which is gigantic, sluggish, unreliable and can't do recce and can't do cavalry actions effectively. Hell yeah brother.