Switzerland General Dynamics Land Systems
Piranha (8x8)
The world's most widely fielded 8x8 wheeled armored vehicle family (over 12,000 built), designed by Mowag and now produced by GDELS in multiple configurations.
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-04
100
km/h
500
km range
18,500
kg
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
National export licensing
Subject to Switzerland export-control approval; verify eligibility with the manufacturer.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Operator data not public
Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the Piranha (8x8) can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 100 km/h Stronger than 68% of IFVs
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 500 km Stronger than 27% of IFVs
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- Mission-configurable: 12.7 mm remote weapon station up to 30 mm autocannon or 90 mm gun
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
- Armor
Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified.
- Modular armour: ballistic, mine/IED, options against RPG
- NBC protection
Sealed crew compartment with overpressure filtration for nuclear/biological/chemical environments.
- Yes
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 18,500 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 3
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Engine
Powerplant model and type.
- Diesel (variant-dependent)
- Engine power
Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.
- 400 hp Stronger than 38% of IFVs
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Diesel, 8x8, amphibious
Specifications compiled from public General Dynamics Land Systems and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-04.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
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General Dynamics Land Systems Ajax Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the General Dynamics Land Systems Piranha (8x8)? +
The General Dynamics Land Systems Piranha (8x8) has a maximum speed of 100 km/h.
What is the range of the General Dynamics Land Systems Piranha (8x8)? +
The General Dynamics Land Systems Piranha (8x8) has a maximum range of 500 km.
How much does the General Dynamics Land Systems Piranha (8x8) weigh? +
The General Dynamics Land Systems Piranha (8x8) has a combat weight of 18,500 kg.
How many crew does the General Dynamics Land Systems Piranha (8x8) require? +
The General Dynamics Land Systems Piranha (8x8) requires a crew of 3.
What is the main armament of the General Dynamics Land Systems Piranha (8x8)? +
The General Dynamics Land Systems Piranha (8x8)'s primary weapon is the Mission-configurable: 12.7 mm remote weapon station up to 30 mm autocannon or 90 mm gun.
What engine does the General Dynamics Land Systems Piranha (8x8) use? +
The General Dynamics Land Systems Piranha (8x8) is powered by the Diesel (variant-dependent).
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