Canadian Sunday: Terradyne Armoured Vehicles
Canada's most famous vehicle armored vehicle manufacturer you've never heard of
I've been taking part in Canadian Sundays over at r/RoshelArmor for several weeks now. It's a fun way to highlight some of the Caandian companies out there, with a quick little nod to them every week.
I love the concept, and have been debating starting it up in a more long-form version here since I started this. The Canadian Defence industry doesn't get as much love as it deserves.
Often times you'll find the discussion primarily revolves around a very small, set group of companies (GDLS, Roshel) that almost everyone has discussed to death.
Instead, I want to focus on highlighting the other Canadian companies that are in the market, and hopefully bring some more traction to the work they're doing.
And I can't think of anyone better to start with than Terradyne Armored Vehicles.
Who is Terradyne?
Terradyne Armored Vehicles is a Canadian manufacturer of Light Armored Vehicles based out of Newmarket, Ontario.
The company was founded in 2011 as a subsidiary of Magna International, one of the largest auto parts manufacturers in the world. Magna International, also based in Canada, is well-known for its work in the automotive sector, and Terradyne was initially launched to focus on the development of specialized armored vehicles.
In 2014, just three years after its founding, Terradyne branched off as an independent entity. This separation from Magna allowed Terradyne to focus more intensively on developing its own products without being tied to the broader automotive market.
Though a relatively new entity in the global defense industry, Terradyne has rapidly ascended to prominence.
The company’s mission was to develop a new series of advanced vehicles for tactical operations. This need became particularly evident in the post-9/11 era when terrorism, insurgencies, and urban warfare began reshaping the requirements for security vehicles as the Global War on Terror reached it's peak.
Terradyne has successfully entered markets in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The company’s vehicles are now in service with various armed forces, police departments, and private security firms in over 20 countries, including service in the Russo-Ukrainian War, where 11 Gurkha MPV currently serve as Medical Evacuation Vehicles.
To quite President and Chief Executive Officer Durward Smith,
“Our market is truly global. We do have a steady customer base within Canada and the United States. I would say we’re the go-to solution for a SWAT [special weapons and tactics] vehicle with Canadian law enforcement,”
The company currently manufacturers its vehicles out of Newmarket, with a stated production capability of ~100 vehicles a year as of writing, with room for expansion if needed.
The company proudly boasts its integrated manufacturing process, where design and development happen in-house.
Of course, Terradyne is best known as the Manufacturer of the Gurkha Light Armored Vehicle, but did you know that they aren't the creator of it?
The Gurkha was originally developed by Armet Armored Vehicles, founded by William Whyte, a former British soldier and Toronto police officer.
Based in King City, Ontario, with operations in Danville, Virginia, Armet was known for producing a range of armored vehicles designed for military, law enforcement, and private sector use, such as the Balkan, Combat PTV and Sniper LAPV.
Before we continue on, I csnt speak on thr Gurka without bringing up the ‘incident’. See, Willie over here was contracted to deliver armored vehicles for use in Iraq.
In 2006, Armet secured two critical contracts with the DoD, valued at over $6 million. The contracts were for the supply of 24 armored vehicles. Simple enough right?
Willie and Armet only delivered 6 of the 24 contracted vehicles. Worse, these six vehicles failed to meet the contracted specifications.
Evidence presented during the trial showed that Whyte knowingly provided vehicles that did not have the necessary protection, directly violating the terms of the contract. It turns out Whyte had intentionally misrepresented the vehicles capabilities.
For example, the delivered vehicles lacked sufficient ballistic protection. The run-flat tires were also not adequately installed, severely compromising the vehicles' operational safety.
Despite these deficiencies, Whyte falsely claimed that the vehicles met all contractual requirements when reporting to the DoD.
As you can imagine, this didn't turn out well and In 2012, Whyte was indicted on charges including major fraud against the United States, wire fraud, and making false claims.
Then, in October 2017, Whyte was found guilty on all counts. In February 2018, he was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison and was ordered to pay restitution amounting to over $2 million.
So let this be a quick lesson kids, don't try and defraud the DOD, unless you're Boeing.
The Gurkha
The rights to the Gurkha were acquired by Terradyne in 2011, and have been the companies primary offering since then.
The Gurkha is a 4x4 armored vehicle named after the Gurkhas, elite soldiers from Nepal known for their bravery, toughness, and loyalty.
Based off the Ford F-550 chassis. The Gurkha is powered by a 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 Turbo Diesel engine producing 330 horsepower and 750 lb-ft of torque. It has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of ~14,000 lbs and features a 6 speed transmission.
The Gurkhas armor is constructed using high-hardness steel plates that provide comprehensive protection for the vehicle's occupant.
This armor is rated to a B7 ballistic protection level, one of the highest available for vehicles. B7 armor is designed to withstand armor-piercing rounds such as the 7.62x51mm NATO, 308 Winchester FMJ, and 7.62x54mm. Additionally, the Gurkha's armor complies with NATOs STANAG 4569 Level IIA standards.
The Gurkha comes in three different variants:
LAPV (Light Armored Patrol Vehicle)
RPV (Rapid Patrol Vehicle)
MPV (Multi-Purpose Vehicle)
The LAPV is designed specifically for urban and law enforcement tactical operations. Its compact and heavily armored design features a fully enclosed passenger compartment with reinforced doors and ballistic glass for occupant protection during SWAT or police operations.
The vehicle's interior is optimized for urban navigation and rapid deployment, seating 6-8 personnel with rear and side access points. The LAPV is engineered to facilitate close-quarters engagement, with quick entry and exit points, making it ideal for rapid response to high-threat situations in populated areas.
The RPV distinguishes itself with a dual-purpose design, featuring an open-bed pickup configuration in the rear. This vehicle is optimized for rapid patrols and convoy escort duties, where speed and tactical utility are paramount. The RPV's design allows for additional cargo capacity, offering flexible load-outs for equipment.
The vehicle's lighter weight and improved aerodynamics provide enhanced maneuverability and acceleration compared to the LAPV, making it suitable for rapid-response scenarios in both urban and rural environments.
Lsstly, the MPV is the most heavily modified of the three variants, designed for militaries that require a multi-role armored platform.
Unlike the LAPV or RPV, the MPV features a larger, more spacious interior cabin that is adaptable to various roles, such as troop transport, command and control, or even as an armored ambulance. This comes at the cost of increasing the vehicles Gross Weight to ~17,000 lbs.
It is engineered with a reinforced undercarriage and specialized suspension to handle extreme off-road conditions while carrying heavier loads, such as additional weapon systems, auxiliary power units, or advanced communication suites.
The MPV can be customized with additional armor and blast-resistant upgrades. Its greater payload capacity and adaptability make it the preferred option for military operations, border patrol, or any mission requiring a versatile and heavily armored vehicle platform.
Terradyne also offers a civilian version of the Gurkha, aimed at private security, VIP transport, or individuals requiring high-level protection in civilian environments.
The civilian model is derived from the LAPV platform but is modified to suit non-military applications. It features a more refined interior, typically equipped with luxury seating, entertainment systems, and additional comfort fratures.
Putting a name to the face
The Gurkha is a vehicle that many people have seen in one form or another. The HVY Insurgent from Grand Theft Auto V, for example, is based off the Gurkha.
They're a fairly common sight across Noeth America, in service among a variety of law enforcement services, from Winnipeg to Montreal, Victoria to Los Angeles.
Yet rarely do I see them named. Rarely do I ever even hear then talked about, despite the vehicle being by far one of the most popular among Canadian manufacturers.
I put them in the same catagory as Roshel even, If not more so given their wider distribution, even if many could not name them at first sight.
That's why I find doing this series is important. It is a chance to highlight those companies and people who have not yet gotten their names into the vocabularies of people in the community.
Believe me, there are many out there, far more than many know about, and hopefully in the next few weeks I'll be able to show them off.
Until then though, we have Terradyne, a relatively quiet company that has managed, in short time, to carve out their market share, even if most don't know it.