1www.canadiandefencereview.com | April 2008

F� on Llewd-Jones is an Assistant Editor with CDR Magazine

With a presence in Canada for over thirty years, General Dynamics Land Systems Canada (GDLS Canada) has grown to be the third largest employer in its hometown of London, Ontario. With over 1800 people and with additional

employees in Edmonton, Alberta, GDLS Canada is the coun-try’s largest builder of military vehicles. Through its parent company, General Dynamics Land Systems of Sterling Heights, Michigan, GDLS Canada is part of the General Dynamics Corporation headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia. General Dynamics Corporation employs over 80,000 people world-wide, and reported full year revenue for 2007 of $27.2 billion.

GDLS Canada has earned a global reputation for producing leading-edge, highly-complex, technology-based, integrated solutions for land, applications. It integrates individual prod-ucts and subsystems into total solutions to meet customers’ requirements.

Indeed, as Dr. Sridhar Sridharan, Senior Vice President GDLS Canada recently told CDR, “We strive to understand our customers’ requirements and tailor the vehicle for that customer.”

Known as one of the world’s major defence contractors, General Dynamics has four major groups: Aerospace; Combat Systems; Information Systems & Technology; and Marine Systems.

GDLS Canada, which is part of the Combat Systems Group, is based in London, Ontario and is headquarters for the International Wheeled Vehicle Business. They produce the LAV family of vehicles, and also perform sub system integra-tion, re-roles, upgrades, and repair work. General Dynamics Land Systems Australia which builds subsystems such as turrets reports directly to GDLS Canada.

Other Canadian operating units of General Dynamics are Quebec-based General Dynamics OTS Canada, which manufactures ammunition and are also part of the Combat Systems Group and General Dynamics Canada, headquar-tered in Ottawa, who are part of the Information Systems & Technology Group.

GDLS Canada a World Leader inMilitary Vehicle Technology

GDLS Canada a World Leader inCanada’s #1 Defence Company

A world leader in the field of military vehicles, with a growing international order book and a record of economic contributions to Canada’s economy, General Dynamics Land Systems Canada, is a key supplier to the Canadian Forces. We sent CDR reporter, Ffion Llewd-Jones to the company plant in London, Ontario to learn more about the company that has earned CDR’s #1 ranking for 2008

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CANADA’S #1DEFENCE COMPANY

GDLS CANADA BUILDSSTRYKER COMBAT

VEHICLE FOR US ARMY

DR. N.S. SRIDHARANHEADS UP MILITARY VEHICLE

BUILDER, GDLS CANADA

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INDUSTRY PROFILES:PRESAGIS, L-3MAS, NGRAIN

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The land combaT vehicle supplier of choice

For 30 years, GDLS Canada has been the land combat vehicle supplier of choice for the Canadian Forces and major allies, including the U.S. Army and Marines, the armies of Australia and New Zealand and the Saudi Arabian National Guard.

Current production models at GDLS Canada include the LAV ll, the LAV lll, Stryker, and RG-31 Mk5E. While carrying the same name, the LAV lll is bigger than its predecessor. Globally, there are more than 7,000 LAVs in service, with the majority in the USA (3,731) and Canada (1,544).

The Stryker, named after two U.S. Army privates from World War II and the Vietnam War, is built on a LAV lll platform for the US Army, but has some unique features. The RG-31 Mk5E, mine protected vehicle is not manufactured at the London plant but is marketed exclusively by GDLS Canada in North America through a licensing agreement with BAE Systems’ South African opera-tion which developed the vehicle.

Current programs for Canada include the LAV lll Infantry Section Carrier, with a contract for 33 vehicles. The chassis was previously supplied under the LAV lll

APC contract, with Rheinmetall Canada supplying the Remote Weapon Station. Delivery is expected in 2008/2009.

Also in current production is a 30-vehicle contract for the Bison Mobile Repair Team – basically re-roling existing Bison ISCs into Mobile Repair team vehi-cles. The work is shared: GDLS Canada will do the hull modifications, with DEW Engineering doing the assembly in their Miramichi, New Brunswick operations. Delivery schedule is 2008/2009.

After sales support to the Wheeled LAV fleet is also a part of current GDLS Canada activities. Support includes spares, obsolescence management, engi-neering and technical services, repair and overhaul, and major vehicle repair. The LAV Major Vehicle Repair program expects to repair more than 70 war-

damaged LAV llls, Coyotes, and Bisons over the next 24 months; there are currently 14 LAV llls under repair at the London plant.

Current US programs include the Army Stryker (2773 for 7 brigades), US Marines LAV-A2 (157 vehicles), and US Army/USMC Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) with a contract for 624 RG-31 Mk5 vehicles.

Another vehicle which is being marketed by GDLS Canada is the DURO Armoured Patrol Vehicle. Already in production at a General Dynamics European company for the Danish Army, the DURO APV is ideally suited as a platform for tactical mission roles such as reconnaissance, surveillance, command or military police tasks and tactical entry.

Senior Vice President, Dr. N.S. Sridharan,

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engineering To maximize survivabiliTy

Much of the company’s success is based on strong engineering capabili-ties. Important skills include system integration, modeling and simulation, and testing and validation. According to Dave Crocker, Manager Systems Engineering, “The key to designing the vehicles is to get the right balance of survivability, mobility and firepower. Then when you add on weight and volume constraints, elements such as systems designs, stowage and soldier-machine interface become a challenge. This is the importance of system inte-gration.”

With the ongoing threats posed by RPGs, mines and IEDs in Afghanistan and Iraq, it is understandable that the company is very active on soldier surviv-ability. Protection upgrade kits have been developed and continue to be developed for all of their customers. In fact, due to the survivability modeling and testing skills developed at GDLS Canada, they are recognized as a centre of excellence for this type of work by other General Dynamics business units.

new lav h incorporaTes lessons learned from afghanisTan and iraq

GDLS Canada vehicles have been deployed globally, with the majority in current operational deployment in Afghanistan and Iraq. Dr. Sridharan emphasizes that the goal for their vehi-cles is always the safety, survival and protection of the soldier. With the threat posed by the enemy constantly evolving, he explains that he sees the company’s role as “anticipating the next require-ment and then putting options in front of the customer – to show them what is the art-of-the-possible.”

Based on lessons learned in Afghanistan and Iraq, the company has invested a considerable amount of dollars in developing the new LAV H technology demonstrator. With a gross vehicle weight of 55,000 lbs and a payload increase of 10,000 lbs, the LAV H offers enhanced mine and IED protection

Lav III

Duro APV

The GDLS-C plant in London, Ontario boasts state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques

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with no compromise in the LAV’s proven mobility or high reliability.

Additionally, the LAV H also offers upgraded vetronics and situational awareness, increased mechanical and electrical power and the ability to apply the majority of these upgrades to existing LAV fleets.

highly skilled workforce

To manufacture LAVs require a very highly skilled workforce of welders, machinists, painters, assemblers, inspec-tors and testers. They are complemented by state-of-the-art manufacturing tech-nology which includes laser cutters to cut the ballistic steel, robotic weld cells for the structural ballistic welding, a new flexible machining centre and paint booths capable of applying Chemical Agent Resistant Coating (CARC) paint.

The production workforce at GDLS Canada is proud of what they do. As Dr. Sridharan stated, “They realize that the vehicles they build are an impor-tant part of protecting and ensuring the safety of Canadian soldiers and allies as they conduct their missions in a very dangerous and uncertain world. They know that it is incumbent on them to produce the best product they can because soldiers entrust their lives to the quality these vehicles.”

supporTing The cusTomer

“We don’t see ourselves as producers of a product but rather as a partner with our customers to help them execute their mission,” Sridharan says. With over 7000 LAVs in service, GDLS Canada is working with their customer base to provide an integrated, cost-effective approach to through life support for their fleet of vehicles. There has been considerable growth in the support services area of spare parts, repair and overhaul, obsolescence management, engineering and technical services and major vehicle repairs. In addition an Edmonton facility, opened in November 2006, does repair, retrofit and modifica-tion activities in support of the Canadian LAV fleet and employs approximately 80 workers.

Another program which may be of interest to the company is the opportu-nity to provide upgrade and through life support services for the recently contracted fleet of Leopard II main battle tanks for the Canadian Forces. Since GDLS Canada is part of a division that has extensive experience in the produc-tion and support of main battle tanks, this may be a logical program to pursue.

benefiTs To canadian economy

In addition to the major design, produc-tion and support activities performed at GDLS Canada, over 400 Canadian suppliers in 9 out of 10 provinces (the missing one is PEI) provide a wide variety of mechanical and electrical components

for their domestic and export contracts. Says Dr. Sridharan, “We work with good suppliers, but we constantly challenge them to be competitive and to provide the best value and the best quality.”

And, Dr Sridharan is proud of the company’s significant growth combined with steady business relationships, “Customers who bought 25 years ago come back to buy now.” says Dr. Sridharan, adding, ”A repeat order from a valued customer is the ultimate vote of confidence.” However, he concluded, “While recognizing that Canada and our other franchise markets are critical to our business, we must continue to grow our business in the export market. We have been on a growth path for the last three years, and we intend to stay on a growth path for the foreseeable future.”

Helping customers execute their mission

The LAV H has enhanced mine and IED protection