Main: 76mm Cannon; Co-Axial: 7.62mm Machine Gun.

The *Armored Vehicle General Purpose Group (AVGP) series was based on the MOWAG 6x6 Piranha 1 APC platform and was initially developed only as a less expensive training option (vs. tracked vehicles) by the Canadian Army. Ultimately, the AVGP did see extensive operational service and performed well. The AVGP family consists of three (3) vehicle types, the Cougar being the fire support variant. The Cougar's turret is the same as fitted to the British FV101 Scorpion CVR-Tracked Reconnaissance Vehicle.  The other two (2) AVGP types are the Grizzly APC and Husky Armored Recovery Vehicle. Although used primarily by Canada, the US Marine Corps trialed the AVGP series in 1981, but did not accept them for service.  Following the adoption of the Bison APC and LAV III series of vehicles, the AVGP series was retired from Canadian military service. Interestingly, a few Cougar and Grizzly vehicles were transferred to local Canadian law enforcement agencies for their use.

However, before their retirement the Canadian Army initiated the Wheeled Light Armored Vehicle -Life-Extension (WLAV-LE) program in 1999. The purpose of that program was to refurbish and re-role the AVGP series for use as support vehicles/specialized variants.  Proposed new variants were Air Defense, Ambulance, Command Post, Mine Detection, Mobile Repair Team (MRT) and Radio-Rebroadcast vehicles. The Ambulance and Command Post vehicles were to be lengthened versions (Extended Platform) which was accomplished by the addition of the rear compartment of the larger Bison APC.  Ultimately, only the Command Post ("Brizzly") and the MRT variants were built beyond a prototype, but they were not accepted for service.