Image source: topwar.ru
GDELS, the European division of General Dynamics, introduced a heavy version of the Piranha armored personnel carrier, developed in Switzerland in the 1970s and has since undergone several stages of modernization.
The new model with a 10x10 wheel formula and weighing up to 40 tons was designated Piranha HMC (Heavy Mission Carrier). As indicated in EDR Magazine, the car is equipped with a technologically advanced chassis – an all-wheel drive transmission with power steering and a unique multi-link suspension (MLS) with 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th torsion axes. As a result, the APC is claimed to have excellent cross-country capability and is able to overcome trenches. The turning distance is only 18 meters.
Image source: topwar.ru
The platform is able to carry a load weighing up to 17 tons. This allows it to act as a carrier for various types of combat systems, from automatic cannons and howitzers to air defense systems.
Image source: topwar.ru
So, recently photos appeared on social networks showing the Piranhe HMC in a version of a self-propelled gun with an RCH 155 artillery module, which was previously received by a promising German wheeled self-propelled gun, created on the basis of the Boxer armored personnel carrier. The Piranhe HMC in the role of a self-propelled gun is designed to replace the M109 KAWEST of the Swiss army. A decision on this issue is planned to be made in 2025.