Canada set to scrap M113 and LAV II armored personnel carriers that could have been transferred to Ukraine

The Canadian military is set to scrap dozens of M113 armored personnel carriers this year that could have been transferred to Ukraine.

CBC reported on this.

The armored personnel carriers will go to a scrapheap, even though a private company has offered to refurbish them for use in Ukraine.

The Department of National Defence reports that 67 tracked light armor vehicles out of a fleet of 140 are “parked awaiting final demilitarization and disposal, or are being used as a source of spare parts” for the 73 APCs that remain in service.

According to the Department of National Defence, all of the M113 troop carriers, which have been in service for decades, are in “poor condition” and are awaiting disposal.

The Canadian army also has 195 LAV II Bisons and 149 Coyote armored reconnaissance vehicles that will also be taken out of service this year.

Armatec Survivability has offered to update surplus armored vehicles, the federal Conservative opposition noted this week.

David Pratt, a former Liberal Defense Minister who speaks for the company, shared that the proposal is to “refurbish armored vehicles in a number of versions, which could include infantry fighting vehicles, ambulances, and support vehicles”.

He added that the M113s are not part of the plan and refused to offer further details, citing commercial confidentiality.

The Canadian Department of National Defense has considered Armatec Survivability’s proposal, but a final decision has not yet been made.

The Department of National Defense states that Canada has to consider multiple factors before donating battlefield equipment to Ukraine.

“Any equipment donated by Canada must be battlefield sustainable, but more importantly, must meet a specific need identified by Ukraine and be equipment that the Ukrainians are trained to use and have the resources and capabilities to maintain,” the Department noted.

The Department added that the remaining M113s “are in very poor condition or are kept as a source of spare parts.”

Militarnyi previously reported that the Ukrainian power companies purchased 50 M113 APCs for border guards.