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Hello all. Well I thought it was something that I spotted two Cougar mine-protected vehicles being transported on I-95 on my last trip to SC. But at least that one made sense - they're made in SC, probably on their way to APG or something...

But what I saw on Wednesday really had me scratching my head. I was heading south down I-95 just north of the NC border - I quickly spot a tractor trailer on the other side (I-95 headed north) with something big (relatively) green on the back. As it passes by I identify it as a LAV III. Okay, that would seem to be so odd, just a Stryker right? No... I could swear it had a _turret_ with a 25mm gun... And it was a darker green than the US Army Strykers. Now in relative speed terms (my speed headed south plus his headed north), it went by at 100+ mph, so I was second-guessing my AFV identification skills as the miles went by...

However, I get maybe 30 more miles down the road when I spot two tractor trailers on the north-bound side of I-95, with LAV IIIs, but stopped on the side of the road. As traffic was kinda slowed down on my side, I was able to get a good look this time - yep, Canadian LAV IIIs with 25mm-gun armed turrets - marked 51C on the sides of the hull in the same manner as I have seen other Canadian LAVs in pictures...

I actually sped up and pulled off at the first exit, retrieved the camera out of my trunk, and then headed back north to see if I could catch up with the tractors - but no luck. They must have either gotten going again or pulled off somewhere...

Okay, so was there some sort of joint exercise at Fort Benning or Stewart? I cant imagine why LAV IIIs would need to be shipped _north_ on I-95 otherwise...

Neil

- Neil_Baumgardner

However, I get maybe 30 more miles down the road when I spot two tractor trailers on the north-bound side of I-95, with LAV IIIs, but stopped on the side of the road. As traffic was kinda slowed down on my side, I was able to get a good look this time - yep, Canadian LAV IIIs with 25mm-gun armed turrets - marked 51C on the sides of the hull in the same manner as I have seen other Canadian LAVs in pictures...

Okay, so was there some sort of joint exercise at Fort Benning or Stewart? I cant imagine why LAV IIIs would need to be shipped _north_ on I-95 otherwise...

Neil

Neil, Shhhusssh! You're potentially exposing our own version of the the Gleiwitz Incident/Operation Himmler...those vehicles could be part of a ruse to attack Canada and make it look like it was their provocation! We'll probably leave some bodies of underperforming hockey players dressed in Canadian uniforms around Niagara Falls or somewhere as evidence of their dastardly attack.

Canadian members, move along....nothing to see here....

Actually, I was thinking this must be part of "Operation Canadian Bacon," their secret plan to pre-position LAV IIIs for the invasion!

Neil

- Neil_Baumgardner

Actually, I was thinking this must be part of "Operation Canadian Bacon," their secret plan to pre-position LAV IIIs for the invasion!

Neil

My Gawd! If they've infiltrated as far as the VA/NC border, they could be anywhere. Imagine!....Canadians living and working amonst us and we can't even recogize them! The perfidy of it!

They were heading South to play with the Marines, joint Ex with landing craft . No, Alarm though we landed in "peace" , yup the canuks have landed on your sunny shores..................:) Smile and wave...:)

Soooo....I guess we can stand down the nukes.

- Doug_Kibbey

- Neil_Baumgardner

Actually, I was thinking this must be part of "Operation Canadian Bacon," their secret plan to pre-position LAV IIIs for the invasion!

Neil

My Gawd! If they've infiltrated as far as the VA/NC border, they could be anywhere. Imagine!....Canadians living and working amonst us and we can't even recogize them! The perfidy of it!

Canucks in the Eastern Flyway isn't anything new. It started with the damn geese years ago. Then When I was atationed at Langley we would get a flight of RCAF CF-101Bs through about once a month. Always on Saturdays. One flight of four headed north, one south. Headed for training at Tyndall AFB in Florida. And in October and November there is a regular flow of snow birds from Ontario, Quebec (as well as New York, Connecticut and Mass)) headed south ahead of the snow. So why not add LAVs to the mix

- recceboy

They were heading South to play with the Marines, joint Ex with landing craft . No, Alarm though we landed in "peace" , yup the canuks have landed on your sunny shores..................:) Smile and wave...:)

This is described in the new issue of the “Maple Leaf� on page 3.

www.forces.gc.ca/site/...2_full.pdf

Actually, they were headed north when I saw them, most likely after the exercise - but thanks for the info, mystery solved!

Neil