The Moldovan Ground Forces have officially received the last installment of Mowag Piranha IIIH wheeled armored personnel carriers offered by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany. In a ceremony held at Military Camp 142, all 19 units of the Piranha fleet received throughout the current year were showcased, marking the successful achievement of the objective to modernize the National Army. This initiative materialized following an agreement inked between the Ministry of Defense and the German counterparts in October 2021. Present at the event were Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatîi, Her Excellency Margret Uebber – the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Moldova, senior officials from the National Army, and representatives from GDELS responsible for the transportation of military equipment to Moldova.
Minister Anatolie Nosatîi emphasized that this action serves as a testament to the effective cooperation between Moldova’s defense institutions and the Federal Republic of Germany. This collaboration spans various projects and initiatives implemented in the country. “This event holds significance for the National Army and Moldova as a whole. The assistance from our partners arrives at a crucial time, strengthening our country’s defense capabilities. The integration of the ‘Piranha’ carriers in our training processes has notably enhanced the effectiveness of exercises. It has also augmented the interoperability of our military personnel with our allied partners during joint training. These armored infantry vehicles have significantly improved the maneuverability of our infantry units,” stated Anatolie Nosatîi, extending gratitude to the German side.
The Mowag Piranha IIIH wheeled armored personnel carriers are integrated into the training regimen of the soldiers from the 22nd Battalion “Blue Helmets,” poised to be deployed on missions abroad. The Moldovan-German collaboration in the military sphere commenced in March 2003 with the signing of an interministerial agreement focusing on defense cooperation. This completes the set of 19 such vehicles for Chisinau, delivered under the Moldovan-German agreement from October 2021. This significant enhancement in Moldova’s military assets not only strengthens its defensive capabilities but also underscores the fruitful partnership between Moldova and Germany in ensuring regional security and peacekeeping efforts.
The Mowag Piranha is a family of armoured fighting vehicles designed by the Swiss company Mowag (since 2010 General Dynamics European Land Systems – Mowag GmbH). Five generations of vehicles have been produced, manufactured by Mowag or under licence by other companies notably the Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV), and variants are in service with military forces throughout the world. Piranha III were better protected and had improved mobility. The Swiss MOWAG Piranha vehicles of third generation first appeared in 1996. The Piranha IIIH is in service with Denmark (22) and Ireland (80). Denmark was the first customer of the Piranha IIIH vehicles. Vehicle is operated by a crew of 2 or 3. It can carry 8-9 fully-equipped soldiers. The armored personnel carriers had a trim vane and were propelled on water by two waterjets.
