Mowag Piranha V

The Piranha V is available with a MTU 6V199 TE21 diesel engine producing 586 horsepower (437 kW).[12] Both Denmark[13] and Spain,[14] however, have opted for a different powerpack built by the Spanish company SAPA, consisting of a Scania Diesel engine with 480 kW coupled with the SW 624 automatic transmission, and an auxiliary power unit with 75 kW.[15]

Standard armour (STANAG 4569, Level 4/4b) offers all-round 14.5mm AP protection and 20mm-23mm AP on front. Can offer full protection for the crew if a 10 kg explosive AT mine explodes under the hull. Add-ons can offer all-round protection to 25mm AP rounds and level 5 STANAG 4569.[1]

At the end of 2015, Denmark announced the order of 308 vehicles. The first Piranhas were to arrive in 2018, with the last arriving in 2023.[16] The Piranha V was selected as the replacement of the old M113. It was selected over the CV90, the ASCOD, and the VBCI.[17]

The Danish Piranha V contract includes 6 different variants: infantry, command, pioneer, ambulance, repair and mortar. The first pre-production variant vehicles arrived in 2017, with the first production variants being officially handed over to the Armed Forces in March 2019.[18][19] In 2020, the ambulance version was received. The vehicles were assigned to the 1st Brigade where they are to replace the Piranha III.[20]

In 2023, the Danish Ministry of Defence announced that it selected the Skyranger 30 as part of its planned ground air defense system. The Skyranger system is to be mounted on the Piranha V platform. The integration will be performed by the Danish Terma A/S company.[21]

Monaco is the first operator of the Piranha V. Two vehicles were received in 2015.[1]

Romanian Piranha V with the Elbit UT30 MK 2 turret

In 2017, Romania signed a 900 million euro contract with General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) for the purchase and production of 227 Piranha V armored personnel carriers in Romania.[22] The joint venture between GDELS and Uzina Mecanică București (UMB) also aims to provide the Piranha V to the export market in the area. Besides production, a military vehicle maintenance section will also operate at UMB.[23]

The first batch of 36 vehicles, was produced at GDELS-Mowag's facilities in Kreuzlingen, Switzerland, 10 of which were assembled in Bucharest. The first batch included 30 vehicles in Infantry Fighting Vehicle configuration equipped with 30 mm cannons, and 6 in mobile command point configuration, and was assigned to the 26th Infantry Battalion "Neagoe Basarab", also known as the Red Scorpions, in October 2020.[24][25] A second batch of 32 vehicles assembled at UMB, was received in November 2022. Another 26 Piranhas were received in different configurations, including mortar carriers, equipped with Spear MK2 120 mm mortars, ambulances, CBRN, and recovery vehicles.[26] The rest of the vehicles will be entirely produced in Romania.[23] On 10 February 2023, it was announced that Romania will purchase another 150 Piranha V for an estimated cost of 674 million US dollars.[27]

In May 2023, 25 Piranhas of the 26th Infantry Battalion participated in the Anakonda 23 exercise.[28][29] The Romanian soldiers carried out a 1,000 kilometer march to the Polish training grounds in Nowa Dęba where they trained together with troops from Slovenia, Poland, and the United States.[28][30]

Under the Vehículo de Combate sobre Ruedas (VCR) program, the Spanish Ministry of Defence selected a local team in 2015 to develop the future 8×8 armored infantry vehicle which is to replace the old BMR, VEC, and M113 vehicles in the Spanish Army endowment. The team, formed by Indra Sistemas, Sapa Placencia, and the joint venture General Dynamics European Land Systems-Santa Bárbara Sistemas based the vehicle on the Piranha V design.[31]

In 2018, the first 5 demonstrators were received.[14] The contract for the armored vehicle, known as the Dragón by the Spanish Army, was awarded in 2020 for 1.74 billion euros, 733 million of which was awarded to GDLS-SBS. It included 348 vehicles, maintenance and life cycle support, as well as the support for international commercialization. The contract is expected to grow to 1,000 vehicles.[32] The Dragón began trials in 2022, after passing the critical design review. Of the 348, 219 are to be in IFV configuration, 58 reconnaissance vehicles, 49 sappers combat vehicles, and 14 command post vehicles. The deliveries are scheduled to finish by 2027.[33]

The first batch of vehicles was delivered on 20 December 2022. The 7 vehicles were received during a ceremony attended by the Secretary of State for Defence, and the Army Chief of Staff. The vehicles are being produced by TESS Defence, an association between Santa Bárbara Sistemas, Indra Sistemas, Escribano Mechanical & Engineering, and Sapa Placencia.[34]

•  Bulgaria – In 2022, it was announced that Bulgaria showed interest in the Piranha V. The country intends to acquire 150 infantry armored vehicles under a contract worth 1.46 billion BGN. The vehicles might be produced in cooperation with Romania.[37][38] An offer made by General Dynamics Land Systems for a cheaper Stryker won the competition and was approved by the parliament in September 2023, 183 vehicles for USD $1.37 billion.[39]
•  Slovakia – In April 2022, Slovakia submitted a request for information to General Dynamics regarding the Piranha V produced in Romania.[38] The contract failed as the Patria AMV was chosen instead.[40]
•  United Kingdom – Provisional selection in the FRES program. Contract was cancelled in December 2008.[9]