JANE'S

LIGHT TANKS
AND
ARMOURED CARS
JANE'S
LIGHTTANKS
AND
ARMOURED CARS

Christopher .
EFoss

JANE'S
Copyrig ht © C hri sto ph er F Foss 1984

Firs t publis hed in th e United Kingdo m in 1984 by

J a ne' s Pub lishin g Compa ny Limited
238 C it y roa d , Lond on CCIV 2PU
ISB"lO 7 10603223

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T ypesc lling by D. P. M edi a Limited , H itchin , H enford s hirc

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 Introduction
While Ma in Ba ttl e T a nks a re th e bac kbone of a ll th e Euro-
pea n co untri es as well as ma ny co untri es in th e Middle East
a nd elsewhere, lig ht ta nks a nd a rm o ured ca rs pl aya vita l role
in providing th e M ain Ba ttl e Ta nks with deta il ed inform a-
tion on th e streng th , pos iti on a nd future direc ti on of move-
ment of enemy fo rces so th a t fri endl y units ca n be used to
th eir bes t ad va ntage. In NATO so me of th e roles traditi on-
a ll y und erta ken by lig ht ta nks a nd a rm oured ca rs a re now
being suppl emented by oth er· surve illa nce systems such as
helicopters, remotely pil oted ve hi cles (RPVs), long-ra nge
rada rs a nd oth er se nso rs (both g ro und a nd a ir), sa tellites,
electroni c intellige nce a nd so on. But as th ese a re in so me
cases susce ptibl e to enemy co unterm eas ures , lig ht ta nks a nd
arm oured ca rs still have a vita l role to pl ay bo th now a nd in
th e futur e.
There a re co nsidera ble differences within NATO on th e
types a nd role of reco nn a issa nce vehicles. Fo r exa mpl e th e
Wes t Germ a n Arm y uses th e Luchs (8 x 8) a mphibious
vehicle whi ch is a rm ed with a 20 m m ca nnon while th e
United Kingd om a nd Belgium bot h use the Alvis Scorpi o n
CVR(T ) with a 76 mm g un . T he F rench use bo th th e
Panha rd AML-90 lig ht a rm oured ca r a nd th e EBR (8 x 8)
heavy a rm oured ca r, both of whi ch have a 90 mm g un. T he
EBR, whose design can be traced back to before th e Seco nd
World Wa r, is now being repl aced by th e A M X-IORC
(6 x 6) a mphibio us vehi cle with a 105 mm g un a nd a n
adva nced fire co ntrol sys tem incorpora ting a lase r ra nge-
find er, computer a nd low lig ht level television simila r to th a t
being fitted to th e la tes t produ cti on A M X-30 B2 Ma in Ba ttl e
Tanks. The U nited Sta tes used the M I 14 co mm a nd a nd
reconn a issa nce ca rri er a nd the M 55 1 Sherid a n lig ht ta nk in
th e reco nn a issa nce ro le. T he form er has now been withdraw n
from se rvice while th e la tter rema ins in se rvice with o nl y one
ba tta lion based in the U nited Sta tes a nd a tt ached to th e 82nd
Airborn e Division. I n pl ace of the M I 14 a nd M 55 1, M60
seri es MBTs a nd M 11 3 APCs have been used , alth ough a
modifi ed version of th e M 2 Bradl ey Infa ntry Fig hting Ve-
hicle, th e M 3 Cava lry Fig hting Vehi cle, is now being pro-
du ced for th e cavalry sco ut role.
In th e Soviet U ni o n th e PT-76 lig ht a mphibio us ta nk has
bee n replaced in ma ny units by specia lised ve rsio ns of th e
BMP-I MI C V but th e BRD M-2 (4 x 4) a rm o ured
amphibious sco ut ca r is still widely used for reconn a issa nce.
The chass is of th e BRDM-2 has a lso become th e bas is for a
complete fa mil y of specia lised vers io ns incl ud ing a nti-ta nk
guided missile ca rri ers, co mm a nd vehicles, the SA-9 Gas kin
surface-to-air missil e sys tem a nd a NBC reco nn a issance ve-
hicle. A new scout car/arm oured ca r is ex pected to enter
servi ce in th e future a nd this will pro ba bl y be a 6 x 6 model
with grea ter mobility tha n th e current BRD M -2.
As menti oned previously, th e lig ht ta nk has a lmos t fad ed
away in th e United States Arm y but th e form a ti on of th e
Rapid Deploy ment Force (now Centra l Comm a nd ) has o nce
again a wa kened interes t in this type of vehicle as th e M I
Abrams MBT is too heavy to be q ui ckl y a irlifted to troubl e
spots in th e Middle E as t a nd elsew here in th e required num-
bers. None of th ese lig ht ta nks a re ye t in se rvice a lthoug h
inform a ti o n a nd photog raphs of so me of th e vehicl es und er
consid era tion are given in th e text where thi s inform a ti on has
bee n released.
This boo k provid es a deta iled descripti on of eac h lig ht ta nk
a nd a rm o ured ca r a nd its va ri a nts, full tec hni cal
specifi cati o n, list of use r co untri es, current s ta tus a nd ma n-
ufacturer. Eac h vehicl e is, wh ere possible, a lso provided with
a side draw ing (a ll to a scale of 1/76 th ), selec ti o n of pho to-
gra phs of th e basic ve hi cle a nd where a pplica ble, some of th e
va ri a nts as we ll.
I n ad d ition to describing th e light ta nks a nd reco nn a is-
sa nce vehicles th a t a re alread y in se rvice, cove rage is a lso
given of so me of th e future vehi cles und er stud y or d evelop-
ment wh ere this inform a ti on has been released .
Lig ht ta nks a nd arm oured cars tha t were developed during
th e Second World Wa r a nd a re s till in se rvice today, s uch as
th e Ameri ca n M 3 1ig ht ta nk a nd th e M8/ M 20 lig ht a rm oured
ca r ha ve bee n excluded. There is however a n entry on th e
M24 C haffee lig ht ta nk as this has been moderni sed by
Norway a nd this co nversi on is still being offe red.
In recent years th ere has been a trend to desig n vehicl es
th a t ca n be used for a number of different roles s uch as
a rm oured ca r a nd / or a rm oured personn el ca rri er, a ltho ug h
in so me cases th e end res ult has bee n a vehi cle th at can
effec tively ca rry o ut neith er of th ese co nfli cting requirements.
In this volume only th e multi-mission Arrow po inte Dragoo n
300 (4 x 4) a nd th e Cadill ac Gage V-I 50 (4 x 4) a nd V- 300
(6 x 6) Comm a nd o se ri es ha ve been includ ed.
Some of th e vehicl es included in thi s vo lum e, such as th e
British Alvis Sco rpi o n C omba t Vehicl e Reco nn a issan ce
(Tracked ) a nd Fox Comba t Vehicl e Reco nn aissa nce
(Wheeled ) ha ve bee n developed specifica ll y to mee t th e
requirements of th e na ti o nal arm y. Others, fo r exa mpl e th e
Cadill ac Gage V-1 50 a nd V- 300, Pa n ha rd ERC a nd Rena ult
VBC -90 have bee n developed with compa ny fund s specifi-
call y for th e ex port ma rket, a ltho ug h in so me cases th e home
a rm y has end ed up adopting th ese vehicles to mee t a specia l
require ment th a t has rise n over a s hort peri od of tim e a nd
wh ere insuffi cient fundin g has been a va il a ble to design a new
vehi cle fro m scra tch.
I n th e 1950s a nd 1960s mos t a rm oured ca rs we re a rm ed
wi th a rela tively small calibre wea pon s uch as a 20 mm
ca nno n or heavier wea pons in th e 76 to 90 mm ra nge th a t
fir ed H EAT or HE a mmunition. In th e las t few yea rs how-
ever th ere . has been dra mati c ad va nces in both g un a nd
a mmuniti o n tec hn ology a nd new ge nera ti o n 90 mm
wea pons, s uch as th e French G I AT Super 90 a nd th e eve n
newer Cockerill Mk VII ca n fir e a rm o ur-pi ercing fin-
sta bilised discarding sa bot (APFSDS ) th a t is ca pa ble of
defea ting th e a rm our of fir st ge nera ti on ta nks a nd penetrat-
ing th e sides a nd rear of seco nd genera ti o n ta nks as we)!. The
Ameri can ARES 75 mm cannon, now in its fin a l stages of
develo pment has already bee n insta ll ed in th e AAI Ra pid
D eploy ment Force Lig ht T a nk a nd th e Hig h Surviva bility
T es t Vehi cle (Lightweig ht ) can fire a t the ra te of one round a
second until its a mmunition is exhausted a nd infli ct severe
d a mage on ta nks.
5
 T he Wes t G erm a n Rh einm eta ll 105 mm Super Low Recoil
g un an d th e new Royal Ordnance Facto ry Notting ham L7
105 mm with new recoil system, neither of which a re in
produ ction yet, can fi re s ta nd a rd 105 mm ta nk gun am mu-
nition, including A PFS DS ro und s th a t a re ca pa ble of knock-
ing o ut a ll but th e la tes t MBTs a nd th ese wea pons ca n be
insta lled on ve hi cles with a co mbat we ig ht of 20 tonn es or
und er. Such a vehicle, for exa mple th e MOWAG Sha rk
wou ld have th e same fir epowe r as th e Leo pard I , M60, M I
a nd A MX- 30 MBTs but have better mo bility because of its
hi g her power-to-weig ht ra ti o, g rea ter stra tegic mobility
beca use it is wheeled rat her than tracked , but of co urse
thinn er a rm ou r protec ti on. Most peopl e wou ld agree th a t the
la tter, to so me exte nt a t leas t, i · offse t by its mobility.
Th ere have a lso bee n major adva nces in fir e con trol sys-
tems a nd nig ht vision equipm ent. Mos t lig ht ta nks a nd
a rm oured ca rs today a re ava il ab le with ve ry simple fire co n-
trol systems right up to more co mpl ex sys tems with a co m-
puter, laser rangefind er, powered co ntrols and a stabilisati o n
syste m enablin g th em to engage both sta tionary a nd moving
ta rge ts with a hig h first ro und hit probability .
[n mos t cases th e basic chass is of th e a rm oured car, or its
a utomoti ve co mponents, can be ad op ted for a wide range of
other roles so enab ling th e user to have a co mplete fami ly
of vehicles a ll using comm on co mponents with substanti a l
savings in training , spare pa rts a nd operating cos ts . Many
co mpanies ha ve designed a rmoured ca rs th a t have co mmon
co mpo nents with a rmoured perso nn el ca rri ers, for exa mpl e
th e Pa nh a rd A ML armo ured car sha res 95 pe r ce nt of its
a utom otive com ponents with M3 A PC, th e ENGESA EE-9
Cascavel a rm oured ca r sha res ma n y co mponents with th e
EE-ll Urutu armoured personnel carri er and th e Renault
VBC-90 armoured car shares ma ny common components
with th e VAB family originall y developed to mee t th e
req uirements of th e French Army .
Virtuall y a ll current light tanks and armoured cars a re
ava ilab le with wide range of optional equipm ent such as
passive night vision equipment, air cond ition ing system,
NBC kit, amphibious capability, navigation system a nd
various armament installations to name but a few. These a ll
help to kee p the price of th e basic vehicle as low as possibl e
a nd at the same time enable th e customer to selec t onl y that
op ti onal equipm ent that he reall y needs. Often this equip-
ment is refi tted at a later date. Vehicles can also be upgunned
to mee t a cha nging threat, for exampl e the Alvis Scorpion
was ori gina ll y introduced with a 76 mm gun but is now
availabl e with th e more potent 90 mm Cockerill Mk 1[[
weapon. The M41 light tank was originall y a rm ed with a
76 mm g un but more recently AA I have developed APFSDS
a mmunition for this weapon while Cockerill ca n offer th eir
90 mm Mk IV gun as a retrofit package.
The a uthor would like to take this opport unity of thanking
th e ma ny companies, armies and individuals who have pro-
vided ma terial for this book. Information a nd photogra phs
for rev ised editions should be forward ed to the a uthor via th e
publis her.
Christopher F Foss
M ay 1984
 ARGENTINA
Vehiculo de Apoyo y Exploraci6n
The French companies of Pa nhard and Rena ult have each
built prototypes of a 6 X 6 a rm o ured vehicle to meet the
requireI!)ents of th e Argentinian Army under th e d es ignation
of the Vehiculo de Apoyo y Exploracion (VA PE). Both of these
were fitted with a French SAMM TTB 190 turret armed with
a GIAT 90 mm CS 90 F4 gu n with a coaxia l 7.62 mm
machine gun. The weapons have a n elevation of + 15 degrees
and a depression of -8 degrees with turre t traverse a full 360
degrees. Three types of turret power drive can be fitted,
electric, hydrau lic or electro-hydra ulic. A total of 23 rounds
of90 mm and 2000 ro unds of7.62 mm a mmunition a re car-
ri ed. Optional eq uipment includes replacement of th e co-
axia l 7.62 mm machine gu n by a 12.7 mm mac hine g un ,
installation of a 7.62 mm a nti-a ircraft machine g un , various
fire control systems, lase r rangefinder and night vision
equipment.
I t is believed that th e prototype selected for production wi ll
be ma nufa ctured und er licence in Argentina . Us ing the sa me
components both companies have a lso designed a n armoured
personnel carri er des ignated th e Vehicu lo Ar mado Explora-
cion (VAE).
AUSTRIA
Jagdpanzer SK 105 Light Tank/Tank
Destroyer
Development
The J agdpa nzer SK 105, also ni ckn amed th e Kiirassier, was
developed from 1965 by Saurer- Werke which was taken over
in 1970 by th e Steyr-Daiml er-Pu ch company, a nd is based o n
a redesigned chassis of th e Saurer APC. The SK 105 was
developed to provide the Austrian Army with a n indepen-
dent anti-tank weapon for difficult terra in.
The first prototype was completed in 1967 with the second
followin g in 1969. Five pre-production vehicles were com-
pleted in 1971 and since th en 150 production ve hicles have
bee n built for the Austr ian Army and over 250 for export to
seven co untries.
Description
The hull of the SK 105 is welded steel and is divid ed into
three compa rtm ents: driver's at th e front, fighting in th e
centre and th e engin e a t th e rea r. The SK 105 is immune to
20 mm armour-piercing rounds over its frontal a rc.
The driver is seated at th e front of the vehicle on th e left
and is provided with a single-pi ece ha tch cover th a t opens to
the left. There are three periscopes forward of hi s ha tch cover
and in wet weather a small windscreen with a wiper can be
fitted. Ammunition and th e vehicle's batteri es a re stowed to
the right of the driver.
The Steyr turretJT I mo unted in th e centre of th e vehicle is
derived from th e FL- 12 bui lt by"Fives-Cai l Babcock of France
and assembled in Austria with a number of improvements.
The osci lla ting turret is simila r to th a t fitted to some me m-
8
SAMMTIB 19090 mm two-man turret armed with GIATTS90 mm
es 90 F4 gun which fires the same ammunition as the GIATTS 90
turret fitted to the Panhard ERe 90 F4 Sagaie armoured car
Status: Prototypes.
bers of th e AMX- 13 light ta nk fa mily a nd th e Brazilia n
ENGESA EE- 17 Sucuri (6 x 6) tank des troyer. The com-
ma nder is seated on th e left of th e turret an d th e gun ner on
th e right. The commander is provided with seven perisco pes,
a periscopic sight with alternatively X 1.6 magnifi cation a nd
a 28-degree fie ld of view or a X 7.5 magnifi cation and a
9-degree fi eld of view, and a single-piece hatch cover that
swivels to open. The gunner has two observation periscopes,
a telescopic sight with a magnifi cati on of X8 and an 8.5-
degree fie ld of view a nd a one-piece lifting a nd swivelling
ha tch cover. Due to th e design of the oscill a ting turret all
sights are a lways linked to th e main a nd secondary a nna-
ment. For engaging targets a t night a n infra-red periscopic
sight with a magnification of X6 and a 7-degree fi eld of view is
provided for th e co mmander. A T C V 29 laser ra ngefi nd er
(ra nge of 400 to 5000 metres) mounted on the roof of th e
turret is surm ounted by a n XSW-30-U 950-watt infra-red/
white lig ht searchlight. A fi xed fan in the turret draws out
fumes when th e main or seconda ry armament is fired .
The engine and transmission a re at the rear of th e vehicle
and the engine compartm en t is fitt ed with a fire ex tinguisher
which can be operated by hand or a utomaticall y. When
flam es enter th e suction part th e intake pipe is closed a nd air
is th en drawn in from th e crew compa rtm ent.
The engine permanently drives an oil pump with a vari-
able output linked to a hydrau lic motor acting on the dilfer-
ential which controls the tracks. By acting on th e steering
gea r and th e speed or th e engine th e driver can co ntinuously
adjust th e speed ra tio of both tracks. All· turnin g radi i can
thus be obtained until pivoting on the spot occurs with both
tracks turning in an opposite direction a t the same speed.
Since this system needs no ac tion from th e brakes, the whole
Jagdpanzer SK 105 Iight tank/tank destroyer

power produced by the engine is constantly available at the

tracks. The main brakes of th e SK 105 are hydra ulic, foot-
operated.
The torsion bar suspension consists of five dual rubber-
tyred road wheels with th e drive sprocket at the rear and th e
idler at th e front. There are three track return roll ers and th e
first and las t road wheel stations have hydraulic shock absor-
bers. The vehicle has tracks with rubber blocks, each track
having 78 links. Steel spikes can be fi tted for operations in ice
and snow.
The SK 105 has individual NBC protection and a diesel oil
heater is fitted as standard on all models. The SK 105 is not
amphibious but can ford to a depth of one metre.
The 105 mm gun, designated th e CN-I05-57, fires the
following types of spin-stabilised fixed ammunition: HE with
the complete round weighing 18.5 kg with a muzzle velocity Jagdpanzer SK 105 lig ht tank/tank destroyer with laser
of 700 metres per second ; HEAT with the complete round rang efinder and infra-red/white searchlight
weighing 17.3 kg with a muzzle velocity of 800 metres per
second and a maximum effective range of2700 metres which
wi ll penetrate 360 mm of armour at an incidence of 0 degrees
or 150 mm of armour at an incidence of 65 degrees, and
smoke with the complete round weighing 19. I kg and a
muzzle velocity of 695 metres per second. As the projectiles
are identical to thos e of the AMX-30 MBT th e SK 105
therefore has the same kill probability. The SK 105 has also
been tested with th e West German Lemstar tank fire-control
system.
The 105 mm gun is fed from two revolver type magaz ines
in th e turret bustle, one in either side and each holding six
rounds of ammunition. Once th e gun is fired th e empty
cartridge cases are ejected out of th e r ear of th e turret through
a trapdoor hinged on the left. A rate offire of one round every
five seconds can be achieved until the two magazines are
empty. Once empty the magazines have to be refi lled by ha nd
from outside th e ta nk. A gun barrel travelling lock is fitted at Jagdpanzer SK 105 with turret hatches open (Christopher F
the front of th e hull a nd this folds back onto th e glacis plate Foss)
when not in use.
Mounted coaxiall y to the right of th e main a rmament is a and th e laser ra ngefinder will automatically provid e data for
7.62 mm MG 74 (Steyr) machine gun and fitted on either the computer. Mounted externally above the 105 mm gun is
side of th e turret are three smoke discha rge rs . a pass ive night vision camera with a tv screen connected to
the calculator to indicate the aiming point on th e screen wi th
Variants the lateral speed of the target taken from th e traverse speed of
the turret. The turret front has improved ballistic protection.
KOrassier II Overall height of the Ki.irassier II is 2.514 metres and firing
In 1978 Steyr-Daimler-Puch completed the prototype of th e height is 1.95 metres. ,.
Ki.irassier II which has a fully stabilised upper turret includ-
ing the seats for the commander and gunner, ballistic cal- Greif Armoured Recovery Vehicle
culator with sensors for air press ure, humidity, cross wind, The first prototype of the Greif ARV was completed in 1974
temperature of propellant and barrel wear. Ballisti c da ta for with production beginning in 1976/77. The chassis is identi-
two types of ammunition can be inserted into the computer cal to th e SK 105 but a new superstructure has been built at

9
Jagdpanzer SK 105 with spent 105 mm cartridge case being ejected from turret bustle

Greif armoured recovery vehicle in travelling configuration (Austrian Army)

10
Prototype of KOrassier II showing redesigned turret front and passive tv camera above main armament

SPECIFICATIONS
CREW 3 MAX RANGE 520 km AMMUN ITION
COMBAT WE IGHT 17500 kg FORDING 1m (main) 44
POWER-TO-WEIGHT GRADIENT 75% (coaxial) 2000
RATIO 18.28 hp/tonne SIDE SLOPE 40 % FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM
GROUND PRESSURE 0.68 kg /e m' VERTI CAL OBSTACLE 0.8 m Turret power control hydrauli c/manual
LENGTH GUN TREN CH 2.41 m By commander yes
FORWARDS 7.763 m TURNING RADIUS 8.5 m in 1st gear By gunner yes
LENGTH HULL 5.582 m ENGINE Steyr 7FA 6-cylinder Max rate power
WIDTH 2.5 m liquid-cooled 4-stroke traverse 360° in 12-15 s
WIDTH OVER TRACKS 2.5 m turbo-charged diesel Gun elevation/depression + 12°1- 8°
HEIGHT developing 320 hp Maximum power elevationl
(to top of commander's at 2300 rpm depression 4.5° to 5°
cupo la) 2.529 m AUX ILIARY ENGINE none second
(to hull top) 1.413 m TRANSMISS I6N ZF manual with 6 Commander's override yes
FIRING HEIGHT 1.965 m forward and 1 reverse Commander's fire-
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.4 m gears control override yes
TRACK 2.12 m STEER IN G hydrostatic split Gun stabiliser
TRACK WIDTH 380 mm torque type (vertical) no
LENGTH OF TRACK CLUTCH F and S single (horizontal) no
ON GROUND 3.037 m dry-plate ARMO UR
MAX SPEED SUSPENSION torsion bar Hull front 25 mm
1st gear 6.82 km/h ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 V Hull sides 15mm
2nd gear 11.96 km/h BATIERIES 2 x 12 V, 180 Ah Hull top 8 mm
3rd gear 19.09 km/h ARMAMENT Hul l rear 15 mm
4th gear 29.93 km/h (main) x 105 mm Turret front 40 mm
5th gear 46.39 km/h (coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mm MG Turret sides 20 mm
6th gear 65.34 km/h SMOKE-LAYING Turret top 10mm
reverse 7.36 km/h EQUIPMENT 3 smoke dischargers
FUEL CAPACITY 400litres either side of turret

Status: In production. In service in Argentina (in 1978-79
70 SK 105s were delivered. In mid-1981 the Austrian gov-
ernment approved an export licence for the sale of5 7 SK lOSs
worth, with spare parts and ammunition, about £90 million.
In 1982 it was reported th at Argentina had placed an order
for an additional 225 vehicles) , Austria, Bolivia, Morocco,
and Tunisia. Chile placed an order for the SK 105 but this
was subsequently stopped by the Austrian Government.
Manufacturer: Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG , Werke Wien,
A-I III Vienna, Austria.

II
Engineer Tank 4KH7FA-Pi in travelling configuration with dozer blade raised and hydraulic arm with bucket stowed to rear
Training version of Jagdpanzer SK 105, the FA
(Fahrschulpanzer)
th e front of th e vehicle to the right of which is mounted a
hydra ulic crane with a max imum lifting capacity of 6000 kg.
The crane is provided with 42 metres of cable a nd its j ib can
be extended fro m its norma l length of3 metres to 3.9 metres.
The main winch, with a capacity of 20 000 kg, is mounted in
th e lower pa rt of th e hull a nd is led out through th e front.
Mounted a t th e front of th e hull is a hydra ulicall y-operated
blade which can be used for dozing or stabilising th e vehicle
when th e winch is being used . Full designa tion of this vehicle
is the Armoured Recovery Vehicle 4K-7FA, SB 20
(Bergepa nzer G reif). Loaded weight is 19 800 kg and it has a
crew of four: driver, commander and two mechanics.
12
Pionier Engineer Vehicle
The Pionier vehicle is designa ted the Engin eer Tank
4KH 7FA - Pi (Pionier pa nze r) and has the same hull a nd
chass is as th e Greif ARV. I t has a new winch with a capacity
of8000 kg and is fi tted with a larger dozer blade at the front of
th e hull. O n the right side of th e hull, where the crane on the
ARV is situa ted , is a hydra ulically operated excavator. At
present this ve hicle is a t th e prototype stage. Loaded weight
is 19 000 kg and it has a crew of four.
Driver Training Vehicle
This is called th e 4KH7F A - FA (Fahrschulpanzer) an d is
based on th e chassis of th e SK 105. Each SK 105 is convert-
ible into a d river training vehicle within two ho urs.
OAF Armoured Car
Development/Description
O AF and G raf and Stift have developed to the prototype
stage a 6 X 6 a mphibious reconnaissance vehicle whi c;:h is
based on th e chassis and a utomoti ve components of th e OAF
Type 20.320 (6 x 6) 10000 kg cargo tr uck, 350 have been
delivered to the Austria n Ar my.
The hull of the vehicle is of all-welded steel construction
with th e d rive r a t th e front, fi ghting compartment in the.
centre and th e engine and transm ission at th e rear. An entry
door is provided in each side of the vehicle between th e first
a nd second ax les.
The ar mour provides protection from 20 mm projectiles
over its frontal arc and 12.7 mm proj ectiles on its sides. T he
prototype is however of mild steel.
 The fiv e-ma n crew consists of th e driver, comma nd er , Reconnaissance Vehicle
gu nner a nd two infa ntrymen who can dismount from th e (6 x 6) with a total crew of fiv e, fitted with vario us turrets
vehicle to carry out th eir reco nnaissance duties . including th e Oerlikon-Buhrle GDD-BOE 35 mm or a
The prototype has been fitt ed with a n Oerlikon two-ma n two-man turret armed with a 90 mm gun a nd a rope winch
GDD-BOE power operated turre t armed with a 35 mm Oer- with a ca pacity of 8000 kg. This model would be full y
likon KO E a utomatic cannon, 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun a mphibio us. An 8 X 8 model is also proj ected .
a nd smoke dis cha rge rs .
The vehicle is fully a mphibious being propelled in the
water by two propellers a t the rear of th e hull. Before entering BRIEF SPECIFICATIONS
4 x 4 model 6 x 6 model 8 x 8 model
th e wa ter a trim va ne is erected at th e front of th e vehicle, this COMBAT WEIGHT 14 000 kg 18 000 kg 28 000 kg
folds back onto th e glacis plate when not req uired . MILITARY PAYLOAD 2500 kg 5000 kg 12 000 kg
ENGINE MAN D 2538 MT V-8 d iesel developing 320 bhp at 2500 rpm
MAXIMUM SPEED 90 to 110 km/h 90 to 110 km/h 90 to 110 km/h
Variants GRADIENT adhesi on lim it up to 70%

Command Vehicle
(4 x 4) with a max imum crew of six a rmed with a 12.7 mm Status: Prototype.
machine g un .
Manufacturers: Graf a nd Stift AG, Brunner Strasse 72 ,
A-1 2 11 Vienna , Austria. OAF AG , Brunner Strasse 72,
Armoured Personnel Carrier
A-1 2 1 I, Vienna, Austri a.
(6 x 6) with a total crew of ten a rm ed wit h a 12.7 mm
machine g un .

Engineer Vehicle
(6 x 6) fitted with a n O erliko n 20 mm turret model GAD-
AOA, max imum crew of8 a nd a rope winch with a capacity
of 8000 kg. This model wou ld be fully am phibio us. Prototype of OAF (6 x 6) armoured car fitted with Oerlikon
GDD-BOE two-man turret

13
 BELGIUM

FN 4RM/62F AB Light Armoured Car rear. The commander has eight peris copes and the gunner
has three plus an optical sight linked to th e main armament.
Turret traverse is electric, two-sp eed (fast and slow) with
Development
manual controls for emergency use.
The F 4RM/6 2F AB light armoured car was developed by
The engine compartment at th e rear of th e hull is eq uipped
Fabrique Nationale of H erstal to meet th e requirements
with an automa ti c fire- extinguishing system. Standard
of the B~ l gi ah Gendarmeri e and is based on th e chassis of
th e FN 4RM/ 62 Ardennes (4 X 4) 1500 kg truck. The first
Machine gun and mortar model of FN 4RM/62F AB light armoured
prototype was completed in 1962 with the second following in
car
1965. Between 1971 and 1972 62 production vehicles were
built. Fa brique Na tionale is no longer in volved in th e
development or producti on of armoured vehicles or tru cks.

Description
The hull of the vehicle is all- welded steel with the driver
seated at the front in th e centre. The driver is provided with a
single-piece ha tch cover that opens upwa rds, in th e top of
which are three periscopes and in th e lower part a bullet-
proof window with an armoured cover. T here is a single door
in each side of th e hull ; th e door on th e right is fitted with a
rectangula r observation port.
The all-welded turret is in th e centre of th e hull with th e
gunner on th e left and the commander, who also acts as
loader, on th e right. Both the comma nder and gunner are
provid ed with a single-piece hatch cover th a t opens to th e

90 mm gun model of FN 4RM/62F AB light armoured car with driver's hatch open

14
equ ipm ent includes an NBC system, searchlights for both th e
comm and er a nd gunn er, a nd cha nnels for crossin g ditches
carried on th e rea r of the turret (on 90 mm gun mode l only).
The vehicle has no night vision equipment a nd has no
a mphibio us ca pa bility.
Variants
90 mm Gun Model
This varia nt" is a rm ed with a 90 mm CAT l gun which fir es
two types of am munition, HEAT a nd shra pnel. The HEAT
round weighs 3.5 kg and has a muzzle velocity of640 metres a
second a nd a n effecti ve ra nge of 1000 metres. The shra pnel
round weighs 5.1 kg, has a muzzle velocity of 330 metres a
second a nd a maximum effecti ve ra nge of 1800 metres. A
7.62 mm M AG mac hine g un is mounted coaxia ll y to th e
rig ht of th e ma in a rm a ment and a sim il ar wea pon pin tl e-
mounted in fro nt of th e comma nder's cupola is used for
a nti-aircraft defence. Mounted on eith er side of th e turret a t
th e rea r a re six electri call y-operated smoke d ischargers.
Machine Gu n and Mortar Model
This model is ar med with twin 7..62 mm MAG mac hine g uns
a nd a 60 mm breech-l oaded morta r which can be eleva ted
se pa ra tely or in pa rallel. It is not fitted with a n a nti-aircra ft
machine gun a nd the smoke dis cha rgers a re towards th e front
rather than th e rear of th e turret as in th e case of th e 90 mm
g un model.

SPECIFICATIONS (data in brackets relate to 90 mm gun FORDING Um SMOKE-LAYING

model where th is dillers fro m th e machine gun model) GRADIENT 60 % EQUIPMENT 2 x 6 smoke
CREW 3 TURN ING RADIUS 6m di schargers
CONFIGURATI ON 4 x 4 ENGINE FN 652 6-cyli nder in-line AMMU NITION
LOADED WEIGHT 8800 kg (8000 kg) OHV petrol developing (main) 46 (40)
WEI GHT ON FRONT 130 hp at 3500 rpm (machine gun) 4830 (3680)
AXLE (loaded) 3800 kg (3350 kg) TRAN SMISSION man ual with 4 forwa rd and 1 (smoke g renades) 36
WEI GHT ON REAR reverse gears FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM
AXLE (loaded) 5000 kg (4 650 kg) TRANSFER CASE 2-speed Turret power control e lect ric/manual
POWER-TO-WEIGHT STEERING worm and twin finge r By commander yes (fast only)
RATI O 14.77 hp/tonQe CLUTCH single dry pla te By gunner yes
( 16.25 hp/tonne) SUSPENSION longitud ina l leaf sp ri ngs wi th Gun eleva ti onl
LENGTH GUN double-action hydrau lic depression +55' (MGs) /- 10'
FORWARDS 4.5 m (5.42 m) shock absorbers front and (+27'/- 12')
LENGTH HULL 4.5 m rear +75' (mortar)I- 10'
WIDTH ' 2.26 m TYRES 9.00 x 20 Gun stabi li se r
HEIGHT (overal l) 2.37 m (2.52 m) BRAKES (vertica l) no
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.324 m (main) drum on all whee ls, dual (horizontal) no
TRACK 1.62 m circuit. servo-assisted ARM OUR 6.5-13 mm
WHEELBASE 2.45 m (parking) hand brake acting on
ANGLE OF APPROACHI propeller sha ft
DEPARTURE 50'/37' ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 V
MAX SPEED (road) 110 km/h BATIERIES 4 x 12 V, 50 Ah
ACC ELERATI ON ARMAMENT
(0 - 80 km/h) 65 s (main) 1 x 60 mm ( 1 x 90 mm)
FUE L CAPACITY 180 litres (coaxial) 2 x 7.62 mm MG (1 x
MAX ROAD RANGE 7.62mm MG)
(at 80 km/h) 600 km (anti-ai rcraft) none (1 x 7.62 mm MG)

Status: Prod ucti on complete, In service onl y with the Manufacturer: Fabrique Nationa le H ersta l SA, B-4400
Belgia n Gend arm eri e. It is reported th e Uruguay has H erstal, Belgium .
ta ken delivery of a small number of F N 4RM/6 2 AB
light a rm oured cars.

BRAZIL

X1 A1 Light Tank a nd a fire- co ntrol syste m design ed by the D F Vasconcelos

Development
In the earl y 1970s th e Bern a rdini company of Sao Pau lo
reb uilt two M 3A I light tanks for th e Braz il ia n Arm y. Tech-
nical control of th e project was und er the direction of th e
Brazilia n Army Research a nd Development Cent re, The
modifi cations included replaci ng th e armour above the
tracks by new sloped armour provided by th e Bisell i com-
pany, replacement of th e origina l Ameri can petrol engine by
a six-cylinder Saab-Scania di esel developing 280 bhp, new
volute suspensio n designed by th e Novatracao compa ny, new
turret with a French DEFA D-92 1A 90 Fl 90 mm g un as
fitt ed to th e Pa n ha rd AML (4 x 4) a nd other light AFVs,
compa ny.
Following tri a ls with th e two prototypes th e Brazilia n
Army placed a n ord er for 80 M3A I Stuart lig ht ta nks to be
rebuilt to th e new standard , which were subseq uently d e-
livered to the Cavalry Regiments under the designat ion X I A.
The vehicle weighs 15 000 kg, has a road range of450 km a nd
can ford to a depth of one met re without prepa ra tion.
The X I A was followed by th e Carcara, or X I A I. This is
essenti all y a stretched X I A with a n add itional volute spring
suspension gro up, additi onal return wheel a nd a new tension
wheel each side. E ngin e a nd turret a re th e same as fitted to
the ea rlier X I A ta nk.
Trials with the X I A I we re comple ted in 1977/78 but th e

15
X1A light tanks awaiting delivery to Brazilian Army X1A lig ht tank, essentially rebuilt M3A1 Stuart

Braz ilian Army did not place an order for th e vehicle and
further development resu lted in th e X IA2 which is based on SPECIFICATIONS (X1A 1)
CREW 4
a new chassis rather than a rebuild of a n M 3A I chass is . WEIGHT 17 000 kg
GROUND PRESSURE 0.55 kg/c m'
LENGTH GUN
FORWARDS 6.36 m
LENGTH HULL 5.3 m
WIDTH 2.4 m
XLP-10 AVLB HEIGHT 2.45 m
(10 hull lop) 1.63 m
Following trials with prototype vehicles based on the X I A GROUND CLEARANCE 0.5 m
chass is, th e Braz ilia n Army ord ered ten production models MAX SPEED 60 km/h
FUEL CONSUMPTI ON 1.7 kmllilre
based on the X I A I chassis. The aluminium a nd steel bridge RANGE ROAD 520 km
is launc hed over the front of the vehicle, weig hs 2750 kg, can FORDING 1.3 m
GRADIENT 60%
span a ga p of up to ten me tres a nd take a max imum load of
VERTICAL OBSTACLE 0.8 m
20000 kg. ENG IN E Saab-Scania di esel
developing 280 hp
ARMAMENT
(main) 1 x 90 mm
(coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mm MG
(anli-aircraff) 1 x 12.7 mm MG
XLF-40 Rocket Launcher
Th is is based on the X I A I dlassis a nd carries three ready-
to-l a un ch XLF-40 surface-to-s urface rockets which ha ve a Status: X IA in service with th e Brazilian Army. XIAI
solid propellant moto r giving a maximum range of 25000 producti on as req uired for ex port onl y.
metres. For travelling th e missiles point towards the front
a nd on a rrival at the fi ring position th e hydrau lic stabilisers Manufacturer: Bernardini SI A Industria e Comercio, Rua
a re lowered at the front a nd rear of the chass is. The launcher Hipoli to Soares No 79, 04201 Sao Pa ulo, S P, Brazi l.
its elf has a traverse of about 90 degrees left a nd rig ht.

Prototype of XLP-10 AVLB in travelling config uration showing stabi lisi ng blade under vehicle's nose (Ronaldo S Olive)

16
 X1 A2 Light Tank

Development
Following develop ment of the X I A light ta nk, essenti a ll y a
modernised M 3A I Stuart light ta nk, Bern a rdini reb uilt two
vehicles to a new standard known as th e X I A I whi ch is
basicall y a n X I A with a n additional vo lute spring s uspensio n
g ro up, ad ditio na l return wheel a nd a new tens ion wheel
either side. Engine a nd turret a re th e same as th e X I A's.
The Braz ilia n Army did not adopt this model but
developm ent co ntinued a nd res ulted in th e X I A2 whi ch is
simi lar to th e X I A I but is based on a new chass is in stead of a
reb uilt M3A I Stuart a nd is now in production for the
Brazi lia n Army as we ll as being offered for ex port.
XLF-40 rocket launcher with stabilisers lowered front and rear
Description
The hull of th e X I A2 is a ll welded with th e driver's co m-
pa rtm ent a t th e front , fig hting co mpartm ent in th e centre a nd
th e eng ine at the rear.
The dri ver is seated a t th e front of the hull on the left a nd is
provided with a sing le-piece ha tch cover th a t opens to th e
left. Mounted in fro nt of th e hatch cover a re three periscopes
for observation when th e hatch cove r is closed.
The all-welded turret is in the ce ntre of th e hull with th e
co mm a nd er, who also acts as the loader, on the left a nd the
g unner on th e rig ht. Both are provided with a sing le- piece
cover that opens to th e rear. The co mm a nd er's cupola has
fiv e obse rva tion periscopes a nd th e g unn er has three a nd a
telescope linked to th e ma in a rm a ment.
The ver ti cal volute suspension has three bogies eac h side
each with two road wheels, with the dri ve sp rocket a t the
front, idler at the rear a nd two tra ck return rollers. There is a

X1A2 lig ht tank at speed with all hatches in open position with
X1A2 light tank from rear showing turret bustle commander manning 12.7 mm M2 HB machine gun

17
poss ibility th at la ter ve hicles will be fitted with to rsion bar
suspension to imp rove cross-co untry mobi lity.
Optio na l equipment includes a laser ra ngefi nder for th e
ma in arma ment, fu ll ra nge of ni ght vision eq uipment a nd a n
a ir-co nditi oning syste m.
Prototype X IA2s had a French 0-92 1 g un as fitted to th e
Pan ha rd AML-90 (4 x 4) ar moured car a nd earl y produ c-
ti on ENGESA (6 X 6) Cascavel armoured ca rs but produ c-
tio n veli'i cles have a 90 mm Cockerill g un made und er licence
in Braz il by ENGESA wh ich is also now fitted to current
produ cti on Cascavel a rm oured cars. A 7.62 mm machine
g un is mounted coaxia lly with the ma in armamen t a nd a
12.7 mm machine gun is mounted extern all y at th e comma n-
der's posi ti on for a nti-aircraft use. Three electri call y oper-
a ted smoke d ischa rge rs a re mounted either side of"th e turret
a t th e front.

X1 A2 light tank fitted with ENGESA-built 90 mm Cockerill gun

SPECIFICATIONS
CREW 3 FUEL CONSU MPTION llitl e/km ARMAMENT
COMBAT WEIGHT 19000kg FORDING 1.3 m (main) 1 x 90 mm
POWER·TO-WEIGHT GRADIENT 70% (coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mm MG
RATIO 15.78 hp/tonne SI DE SLOPE 30% (anti-aircraft) 1 x 12.7 mm MG
GROUND PRESSURE 0.63 kg /cm' VERTICAL OBSTACLE 0.7 m SMOKE-LAYING
LENGTH GUN TRENCH 2.1 m EQUIPMENT 3 smoke discha rg ers
FORWARDS 7.1 m TURNING RADIUS 7m either si de of turrel
LENGTH HULL 6.5 m ENG INE Saab-Scania model OS-II AMMUNITION
WIDTH 2.6 m 6-cylinder water-cooled (main) 66
HEIGHT turbo-charged diesel (coaxial) 2500
(to turret top) 2.45 m developing 300 hp at 2200 (anti-aircraft) 750
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.5 m rpm FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM
TRACK WIDTH 460 mm TRANSMISSION manual wi th 2 forward Turret power control hydraulic/manual
MAX SPEED and 1 reverse gears By commander manua l
(road , forwards) 55 km/h STEERING controlled differential. By gunner hydr~ulic
(road, reverse) 15 km/h manual operated by Max rate power
(cross-country) 30 km/h hydraulic system traverse 360'in12s
FUEL CAPACITY 600 litres SUSPENSION vertica l volute Gun elevation/
MAX RANGE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 V depression + 17'/ -8'
(road) 600 km BATIER IES 2 x 12 V Gun stabiliser
(cross-country) 350 km (vertical) no
(horizontal) no

Status: In prod uctio n. In service with the Braz ilia n Army. Manufacturer: Bern ard ini Sf A Industria e Comercio, Rua
Hipolito Soares, No 79,04201, Sao Pa ul o, SP, Brazil.

ENGESA EE-9 Cascavel Armoured Car
Development
The EE-9 Cascavel was des igned by ENGESA (E ngesa
Engenh eiros Especializados) to meet th e requirements of th e
Braz ilia n Army. Design wo rk began in Jul y j 970 a fter th e
compa ny had completed d es ign work on th e EE-II a rm o ured
perso nn el carri er, with th e first prototype being compl eted in
Novembe r 1970. Following tri a ls with prototy pe veh icles a
pre-produ cti on ord er was placed by the Brazilian Arm y,
which na med th e ve hicle th e C RR (Ca rro de Recon-
hecimento Sobre Rodas), for ten vehicles which were de-
livered between 1972 a nd 1973.
Productio n of the EE-9 began a t a new pl a nt a t Sao J ose
dos Campos in 1974 with th e first produ ctio n ve hicl es being
delivered th e same yea r. T he production ve hicles were
slightl y longe r a nd wider tha n th e prototypes a nd had a
differen t wheelbase. First production veh icles d elivered to
th e Braz ilia n Arm y were fitted with a turret a rm ed with
37 mm g uns removed from old American-supplied M3
Stua rt lig ht ta nks, but first production vehicl es for ex port
were fitted with a French CNM P-Berthi ez (now Hispa no-
Suiza) H 90 turret. Current production vehicl es have a new
turret of Braz ilia n des ign mountin g a Braz ilia n 90 mm gun.
T he EE-9 Cascavel sha res ma ny components with th e
EE-II Urutu (6 x 6) armou red person nel carri er a nd many
au tomoti ve components used in both vehicles a re s ta nd ard
commercia l pa rts availab le worl d-w ide.
The EE-9 Cascavel (6 x 6) ar mo ured car has been used in
combat by th e Iraqi Army during the recent fig hting with
I ra n where it has carri ed out the trad itional role of a rm oured
recon na issance as well as direct a nd indirect fire support and
Ra nk g ua rd for ta nk units. During th e in vas io n of C had by
Libyia n backed g uerillas in 1983 numbers of the earl y model
of the EE-9 Cascavel fitted with the French H 90 turret
armed with a 90 mm gun were captured by th e C had Army.
T hese we re s upplied to th e g uerill as by Libya.
Description
T he a ll- welded hull of the EE-9 has du al ha rdn ess a rm our
which was developed by ENGESA's Resea rch Depa rtm ent
with th e co-opera tion of the Uni ve rsity of Sao Pa ul o a nd
consists of a n outer layer of hard steel a nd a n inner layer of
softer steel ro ll- bonded and heat-trea ted to give max imum

18
ballistic protecti on. Increased protection is give n over th e
frontal a rc a nd special emphasis has been given to protect th e
vehicle against. a ttack from booby traps, grenades a nd
moloto v cocktai ls.
The driver is seated a t the fr ont of th e hull on th e left side
and is provided with a ha tch cover opening to th e ri ght.
There are three periscopes in th e top part of th e glacis pl a te
giving th e driver a 120-degree view. The driver is a lso pro-
vided with a sma ll windscreen a nd wiper, whi ch folds for-
ward onto th e glacis plate when not in use. The .driver's seat
and steering wheel a re both adjustab le.
Initial produ cti on veh icles were fitt ed with a French H 90
turret armed with a 90 mm D 92 1 g un but current production
vehicles have a n ENGESA ET-90 turret armed with a n
ENGESA EC-90 g un . The comma nd er is seated on th e left
side of th e turret a nd th e g unn er on th e ri ght, both wi th a
single-piece ha tch cover th at opens to th e rear a nd four
periscopes. The g unn er has a telescopic sight linked to th e
ma in arma ment with a magnifi catio n of x6 .
The engine compa rtm ent is at th e rea r of th e vehicle a nd
access to th e engine is via two hatches in th e hull roof. Power
is transmitted from th e engine to th e gea rbox (eith er a C la rk
manual with fi ve forwa rd and one reve rse gears or a Detroit
Diesel Allison MT 643 with four forward a nd one reve rse
gears) to th e two-speed ENGESA tra nsfer box, which splits
th e drive between th e front a nd rea r differentia ls. The front
differential is bolted to th e hull with th e power being tra ns-
mitted to the front ax le by shafts, a nd th e rea r d ifferenti al
forms part of th e ENGESA Boomera ng walking beam sus-
pension. The la tter, which is also used on E GESA 6 X 6
tru cks, consists of a ri gid axle conn ected to th e hull by doubl e
leaf springs and telescopic d a mpers which holds two la teral ENGESA EC-90 90 mm gun as fitted to cu rrent produ cti on
walking beams . Power is taken from th e dri ve shaft to th e four mod els of th e ENGESA EE-9 Cascave l (6 x 6) arm oured ca r

Brazilian Army ENGESA EE-9 Cascave l armoured car showing large verti ca l wheel travel mad e possibl e by wa lking-beam rear
suspension

19
 A summa ry of the va rio us models of the ENGESA Cas-
cavel a rmoured car alread y produ ced is given below:

Mark I
First produ ction model a rm ed with a 37 m m g un ,
Mercedes-Benz di esel engine, ma nu al transmission, 12-volt
(huU ) a nd 24-volt (t urret) electrical sys tem, no cen tral tyre-
press ure reg ul a tion sys tem. These were buil t onl y for the
Brazilia n Arm y a nd mos t have now been rebuil t with th e new
ENGESA ET-90 turre t.

ENGESA EE-9 Cascavel armoured car fitted with laser
rangefinder over 90 mm gun and commander's cupola with
externally-mounted 12.7 mm M2 HB machine gun
Mark II
First productio n model for ex port, Me rcedes-Benz diesel,
a uto ma tic tra nsmiss io n, l 2-volt (hull ) a nd 24-vo lt (turret)
electri cal system, no central tyre-press ure reg ul at ion system
a nd fitt ed with F rench Hispa no-Suiza H 90 turret with
90 mm g un. No longer in produ cti on.

rea r wheels by gears inside the walking beam , which ca n

rota te freely aro und th e centra l hub. The d esign of th e rear
s uspension allows up to a maximum of 0.9 metre of ve rtical
wheel travel a nd ensures tha t a U four rear wheels are in
contact with th e ground a t a ll times. The run-fl a t tyres ena ble
th e vehicle to travel for more th a n 100 km after being com-
pletel y defl a ted. The Cascavel has a double 24 V electrical
sys tem; a ba ttery set is used for vehicle opera tions a nd turret
while a second set is used purely for engine start to a void lack
of power a fter long still radi o opera tions. The Casca vel is a lso
equipped with disc brakes a nd a n a utoma ti c tyre infla tion
sys tem .
Optional equipment includes a n air-conditioning system,
heater, laser ra ngefind er, a utoma ti c fire extinguisher a nd
passive or acti ve night vision equipment. A fire-co ntrol sys-
tem is und er development.
The g un is called th e EC-90-III a nd is mounted in a n
ET-90 turret. The rifl ed-bore g un fires the foUowing types of
a mmunition: HE (muzzle velocity 700 metres a second ),
HEAT (muzzle velocity 900 metres a second), HESH ENGESA EE-9 Mark IV Cascavel arm oured car of th e Gabon Army
with pintle-mounted 7.62 mm MAG ge neral-purpose mac hine
(muzzle velocity 800 metres a second), Smoke White Phos- gun for anti-aircraft defence
phorus (Smoke WP-T) with a muzzle velocity of690 metres a
second a nd H EAT T a rge t Practice with a mu zzle velocity of
900 metres a second . Of 44 rounds of 90 mm a mmunition
carried , 24 a re in the tu rret a nd 20 in the hull. ENGESA has
a lso developed a comma nder's cupol a for the EE-9 which can
be tra versed thro ug h 360 degrees a nd has vision blocks fo r
all-round o bservation a nd a 12. 7 mm (0. 50) machine g un
mo unted ex terna Uy on a bracket forward of th e commander's
single-piece ha tch cover th a t op ens to th e rear.
A 7.62 mm machine gun is mounted to th e left of th e main
a rmament and a similar weapon, or a 12.7 mm (0 .50) Brown-
ing M2 HB machine gun, can be mounted on the turret roof
for a nti-aircraft defence. Three smoke dis chargers are
mounted either side of th e turret a nd a re electricaUy fired
from within the vehicle.
Recent produ ction vehicles for Iraq have a trave rse indi-
cator, clinometer, improved seating, laser rangefind er inte-
gra ted into sight which is protected by a shutter when th e Latest production ENGESA EE-9 Cascavel .armoured car with
main armament is fired , a nd a 12 .7 mm FN M2 HB machine ENGESA ET-90 turret with ENGESA EC-90 90 mm g un, lase r
gun on an anti-aircraft mount which is similar in design to rangefinder over main armament, command er's c upola with
tha t used by th e Soviet Union with its 12.7 mm DShKM remote controlled 7.62 mm mac hin e gun , ARGUS day/ni g ht sig ht
machine guns. and six (2 x 3) e lectrically ope rated s moke gre nade la un c he rs

20
 Mark III
First production mod els completed in 1977 and fitted with
ENGESA ET-90 turret with ENGESA EC-90 gun,
M ercedes-Benz diesel, automatic tra nsmission, 12-volt
(hull) and 24-volt (turret) electrica l system, no central tyre-
press ure reg ulation system.

Mark IV
Powered by G eneral Motors Detroit Diesel model 6V-53
diesel developing 212 hp at 2800 rpm, automatic transmis-
sion, 24-volt (hull a nd turret) electrical system, disc bra kes,
central tyre-pressure regulation system a nd ENGESA ET-90
turret.

ENGESA EE-9 Mark II Cascavel armoured car fitted with original
Hispano-Suiza H 90 turret armed with 90 mm gun. Some of this
model were captured by Chad Army units during the invasion of
the country by Libyian backed guerillas in 1983
Mark V
As Mark IV but powered by a Mercedes-Benz OM 352 A
diesel d eveloping 190 hp at 2800 rpm.
Variants
There are no variants of th e EE-9 apart from the different
armament installations des cribed above.

ENGESA EE-9 Cascavel (6 x 6) armoured car with ENGESA

ET-90 turrfet armed with ENGESA EC-90 turret armed with
ENGESA EC-90 gun , commander's internally-mounted 7.62 mm
machine gun cupola and laser rangefinder over main armament

SPECIFICATIONS (Mark IV) ENGINE Detroit Diesel 6V-53N (parking) mechan ical on transfer
CREW 3 6-cy linder water-cooled case output
CONFIGURATION 6 x 6 diesel developing 212 hp at ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 V
COMBAT WEIGHT . 12000 kg 2800 rpm (other engines can (4 batteries)
UNLOADED WEIGHT 10800 kg also be installed) ARMAMENT
POWER-TO-WEIGHT TRAN SM ISSION Detroit Diesel Allison (main) 1 x 90 mm
RATIO 17.5 hpl tonne MT 643 automatic with (coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mm MG
LENGTH GUN 4 forward , 1 reverse (anti-aircraft) 1 x 7.62 mm or
FORWARDS 6.29 m gears (or Clark 12.7 mm
LENGTH HULL 5.25 m manual wi th 5 forward MG (optional)
WIDTH 2.59 m and 1 reverse gears) SMOKE-LAYING
HEIGHT TRAN SFER CASE ENGESA 2-speed EQUIPMENT 2 or 3 smoke dis-
(lop 01 commander's STEERING ZF integral hydraulic chargers either
cupo la) 2.60 m CLUTCH single dry plate side of turret
(to turret roof) 2.29 m manual transmission only AMMUNITION
(to hull top) 1.75 m SUSPENSION (main) 44
GROUND CLEARANCE (front) independent with (coaxial) 2400
(front axle) 0.375 m helical springs and FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM
(hull centre) 0.52 m double action shock Turret power control manual
TRACK 2.1 m absorbers By gunner yes
WHEELBASE 2.343 m + 1.414 m (rear) as front but with Max rate of traverse 360' in 25 s
ANGLE OF APPROACHI ENGESA Boomerang Gun elevationl
DEPARTURE 70'175' with walking beams depression +15'/-8'
MAX SPEED (road) 100 km/h and differential Gun stabi liser
FUEL CAPACITY 360 litres blockage system (vertical) no
MAX RANGE (cruising) 750 km TYRES 12.00 x 20 (horizontal) no
FORDING 1m BRAKES ARMOUR 8.25-16 mm
GRADIENT 60% (main) air over hydraulic,
SIDE SLOPE 30% dual circu it, disc
VERTICAL OBSTACLE 0.6 m brakes

Status: In production. In service with Bolivia, Brazil (Army Manufacturer: Engesa Engenheiros Especializados SA,
and Marin es), Ch il e, Colombia, Cyprus, Gabon, Iraq, Avenue qas Nacoes Unidas, 22.833 (Sa nto Amaro), CEP
Libya, Tunisia, Uruguay, Zimbabwe and oth er undiscl osed 04795, PO Box 12_705 (CEP 01000) , Sao Paulo, SP, Brazi l.
countries.

21
ENGESA EE-3 Jararaca Scout Car behind th e door is a single vision block und er which is a firing
port. The comma nder is seated on th e left side of th e hull to
Development th e rear a nd has a hatch cover that opens to th e rear.
The EE-3 J araraca scout car was ori gin all y des igned The engin e is at the rear of th e hull a nd access to it is by two
specifi cally for th e ex port ma rket and compl ements the other large hatches in th e roof. The suspension, front and rear,
vehicles in th e ENGESA ra nge of a rmoured vehicles which co nsists of semi-elli ptical springs and hydra ulic shock absor-
include the EE- ll U rutu (6 x 6) a rm o ured personnel carri er bers. The axles have hypoid gears. The wheels of th e ££-3 a re
a nd th EE-9 Cascavel (6 x 6) a rm o ured ca r. All vehicles in not within th e a rmoured pa rt of th e vehicle as th e light sheet
th e ENGESA range us e standard a utomoti ve components. steel covering over th e top of each wheel will blow away if th e
The production model of th e EE-3 J a raraca, to which th e ve hicle hits a mine. The Jara raca is fitted with an automatic
descriptio n and specifications rela te, is slightl y differen t in tyre infla tion system as standard.
layout a nd appearance from th e prototype in th a t th e door is The sta nd ard 12.7 mm (0.50) M2 HB pintle-mounted
now on th e right side of th e hull a nd th e dri ver's a nd com- machine g un can be replaced by a 7.62 mm machine g un or a
ma nd er's ha tches have bee n red esigned. 20 mm canno n. Other armament installat ions currently
available include a 60 mm breech-l oaded mortar, a Euromis-
Description sile MILAN la un cher a nd a cupola with internally operated
The all-welded hull of the £E-3 co nsists of an outer layer of 7.62 mm machine g uns.
hard steel a nd a n inner laye r of softer steel roll- bonded a nd The ££-3 has no a mphibious ca pa bility. Optional equip-
heat-trea ted to give th e maximum ballistic protection. The ment includes passive night vision equipm ent and various
a rm o ur is sim il ar to th a t used on oth er members of th e radios with a n intercom system. The E£- 3 can be fitted with
ENG£SA fa mily of a rm oured veh icl es. a n NBC system .
The driver is seated towards th e front of th e hull , slightly to
the leftofth e vehicle's centre line and'has a single- piece hatch
cover th a t lifts and swings to th e right to open. There a re
three periscopes for forw a rd observation immediately in front
of the driver. A windscree n a nd wi per which can be fi tted in
front of th e driver's positio n for us e in wet weather fold s
forwa rd onto th e glacis pla te when not in use. The machine
g unner is seated behind th e driver on th e ri ght side of th e hull
a nd has a circular mounting which can be travers ed through
360 degrees a nd a single-piece hatch cover that opens to th e
r ~a r. A standard 12.7 mm (0.50) M2 HB machine g un is
pmtle-mounted on the forw a rd part of the circular mounting,
but th ere is no provisio n for aiming th e weapon from inside
th e vehicle. There a re vision blocks in both sides of the hull.
The three-man crew enters and leaves th e ££-3 by a door
in th e right side of th e hull th a t opens forw a rd. Imm edi ately
ENGESA EE-3 Jararaca (4 x 4) scout car from front with all
ENGESA EE-3 Jararaca (4 x 4) scout car fitted with 12.7 mm MG hatches c losed
with both roof hatches c losed

22
Variants
Apart from th e NBC reconnaissa nce version illustrated
on th e right and th e different armame nt installations men-
tion ed previously there are no varian ts of th e EE-3Jararaca.

ENG ESA EE-3 Jararaca scout ca r with 12.7 mm MG ENGESA EE-3 Jararaca (4 x 4) NBC reconnaissance vehic le
fitted with commander's internal ly operated 7.62 mm mach ine
gun cupo la and four smoke dischargers

ENGESA EE-3 Jararaca (4 x 4) scout car, armed with pi ntle-m ounted 12.7 mm (0.50) Browning M2 HB machine gun, showi ng
door in right side of hu ll

SPECIFICATIONS MAX RANGE (road) 750 km SUSPENS ION semi-el lipti cal springs and
FUEL 1351itres hydraulic shock absorbers.
CREW FORDING 0.8 m both have hypoid gears and
CONFIGURATION 4 x 4 GRADIENT 60% tapered gear. sing le
COMBAT WEIGHT 5500 kg SIDE SLOPE 30'% reduction differential
POWER-TO-WEIGHT VERTICAL OBSTACLE 0.4 m TYRES 11 .00 x 20
RATIO 21 .8 hp/tonne ENGINE Mercedes-Benz OM 314A BRAKES
LENGTH 4.125 m tu·rbo-charged . 4-cylinder (main) drum, air-a ssisted
WIDTH 2.13 m water-cooled diesel (parking) drum, acting on transfer
HEIGHT (withou t developing 120 hp at case
armament) 1.56 m 2800 rpm ELECTRICAL S.YSTEM double 24 V system
(top of 12.7 mm MG TRANSMISSION manual with 5 forward ARMAMENT 1 x 12.7 mm MG
mount) 1.97 m and 1 reverse gears
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.315 m TRANSFER CASE' ENGESA 2-speed
TRA CK 1.71 m TURNING RADIUS 7.2 m
WHEELBASE 2.6 m STEERING ZF integ ral hydraulic
ANGLE OF APPROACHI CLUTCH single dry plate
DEPARTURE 65'/58' hydraulically
MAX SPEED (road) 100 km/h ope rated

Status: In production. In service with Gabon , Tunisia an d Engesa Engenheiros Especializados SA , Avenue das Nacoes
Uruguay. U nid as, 22.833 (Sa nto Amaro) , CEP 04795, PO Box 12.705
(CE P 01000) , Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.

23
 CANADA
Light Armored Vehicle
Between 1979 and 1983 th e Diesel Division of G eneral
Motors Canada built a total of 4 19 Armoured Vehicle Gen-
eral Purpose (AVGP) for th e Canadian Armed Forces. These
were based on the Swiss MOWAG Piranha (6 X 6) design
and bui lt in three versions:
Cougar 76 mm Wheeled Fire Support Vehicle (WFSV)
Grizzly Wheeled Armoured Personn el Carri er (W APC)
Husky Wheeled M aintena nce a nd Recovery Vehicle
(WMRV ) . Variants required by th e US Marine Corps and Army
Following a competition with vehicl es submitted by Alvis
(Scorpion 90 and Stormer), Cadillac Gage (Co mmand V-300
and V-150 ) and General Motors Canada (WFSV) the US
Ma rin e Corps selected th e G eneral Motors Canada in an
8 x 8 configuration to meet its requirement for a Light
Armored Vehicl e (LA V). The US Marine Corps has a
Prototype of the LAV-25 fitted with two-man Arrowpointe turret armed with 25 mm M242 cannon and coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun
24
requirement for 289 vehicl es while the US Army has a
requirement for 680 vehicl es, subj ect to Congress ional action
a nd changes in requirements. The first yea r bu y of60 vehicles
valued a t $29.9 million was for the US Marine Corps with th e
first production vehicles being delivered in O ctober 1983.
The Marines call th e veh icle th e LAV-25 while th e th e US
Army designation is th e LA V-25 (A) or M I 047. Main differ-
ence between th e two vehicles is that th e US Marine Corps
model has a three man crew consisting of commander, gun-
ner and driver and can carry six troops while th e US Army
vehicles have a similar crew but do not carry any troops.
includ e an anti-tank vehicle with same launcher and M90 I
Improved TOW Vehicle, logisti cs support, mortar carrier
and recovery vehicle. A detailed d escription of th e LAV-25 is
not given in this book as it was originall y des igned as an
armoured personnel carri er and will be used in that rol e by
th e US Marine Corps.
SPECIFICATIONS
(LAV-25 Basic Spec iii ca tions re late to USMC modet. TRANSMISSION Allison MT-653 DR (anti-aircraH. optional) 1 x7. 62mmM60orl x 12.7
those In brackets relate to the US Army model where this automatic, 5 forward and 1 mm M2 HB machine gun
differs) reverse gears (smoke dischargers) 2 x 4 (M257)
CREW 3 + 6 (3 + 0) TRANSFER CASE Rockwell AG-VST (modified) AMMUNITION (ready use)
CONFIGURATION 8 x 8 STEERING power assisted on front two (25 mm) 210
COMBAT WEIGHT 12 882 kg ( 12 700 kg) axles (7.62 mm) 400
UNLOADED WEIGHT 11067 kg (1 1 113 kg) SUSPENSION AMMUNITION (reserve)
LENGTH 6.388 m (Front four wheels) independent coil springs and (25mm) 420 (990)
WIDTH 2.499 m shock absorbers (7.62 mm) 1200 (2200)
HEIGHT OVERALL 2.692 m (Rear four wheels) independent torson bars and FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM
HEIGHT REDUCED 2.565 m shock absorbers Turret power control hydraulic/manual
MAXIMUM ROAD SPEED 100 km/h BRAKES Elevation/depression + 60·/- 10·
MAXIMUM WATER (main) B-wheel dual air hydraulic Turret traverse 360·
SPEED 10.46 km/h drum brake Gun stabiliser
MAXIMUM RANGE 668 km (parking) transmission brake and (vertical) yes
GRADIENT 70% transfer case lock (horizontal) yes
VERTICAL OBSTACLE 0.5 m TYRES 11.00 x 16 with Hutchinson Periscopes 7 x M27
TREN CH 2.057 m run-flat inserts Sights 2 x M36El
ENGINE GM Detroit Diesel model ARMAMENT
6V-53T. 6-cylinder diesel (main) 1 x 25 mm M242 cannon
developing 275 hp at (coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mm M240 MG
2800 rpm

Status: LA V-25 is in producti on a nd in service with US Manufacturer: Diesel Division, G eneral M otors Canada
Marine Corps. InJanua ry 1984 it was a nnoun ced that fund- Limited, PO Box 5160 London, Ontario M6A 4N5, Canada.
ing for th e US Arm y was being ca ncelled from FY 1985.

CHINA, PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC

Type 63 Light Tank
Development
In th e late 1950s China received several batches of Soviet
PT-76 light amphibious ta nks. There is a possibility that this
tank was built in C hin a in a slightly modified version under
th e designation Type 60, as a number of Chinese PT-76 tanks
have been observed with provision for mounting a 12.7 mm
anti-aircraft machine gun on one of two pintle type mounts
on th e turret roof.
This was followed by th e redesigned version of the Type 60
know n as th e T ype 63 which had the same armament and
certain oth er a utomotive co mponents as th e Type 62. The
Type 63 was used in co mbat in Viet-Nam by the North
Vietnam ese Army and during th e 1971 Indo-Pakistan war by
Pakistan. During the la ter stages of the fighting in South
Viet-Nam th e North Vietna mese used th e Type 63 in
armoured cavalry batta lions of one tank company of seven to
ten Type 63s to two co mpanies of BTR-60PA or Type 53 1
(previously K-63) armoured personnel carriers . It is issued in
the Chinese Army on the scale offour tanks in th e reconnais-
sance platoon of each armoured regim ent and ten in th e
reconnaissance company of each a rmoured division.
Description
The hull of the Type 63 is welded roll ed steel a nd is divided
into three compartments: driver's at th e front, fighting in the
.centre and engine at the rear. The glacis plate of th e Type 63
is mu ch shallower than on the Type 60 or PT-76. The driver
is seated at the front of the hull on th e left a nd is provided with
a single-piece hatch cover that swings to th e left a nd three
periscopes forward.
The turret is in cast sections with th e commander a nd
gunner seated on th e left of the turret a nd th e loader on th e
right. The commander's hatch opens forward and th e

Type 63 light a mphibious tank (provisional drawing)

25
Type 63 light tank on display in South Korea without 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun fitted on turret roof (Pau l Handel)

loader's to th e rea r. A dome-sha ped ventil a tor is mounted in

th e turret roof to th e rea r of th e comma nd er's a nd g unn er's
h a tches. The engin e a nd tra nsmiss·io n a re a t th e rear of th e
hull a nd additi onal fu el ta nks can be fitted on top of th e hull
to increase opera ti o na l ra nge. The engine of th e T ype 63 is
the same as in the T ype 59 MBT.
The torsio n ba r suspension consists of six la rge rubb er-
tyred road wheels simila r to th ose o n th e Soviet PT-76, with
th e drive sprocket a t the rear a nd th e idl er a t th e fr ont. There
a re no track return roll ers.
M ain a rm a ment of the T ype 63 is a n 85 mm g un , proba bl y

Type 63 light amphibious tank showing turret detail (DIA)

Type 631ight amphibious tank from rear showing covers for water
jet propulsion system (DIA)

identical to th a t insta ll ed in th e T ype 62 light ta nk, which

fir es a mmunition of th e fi xed type including AP, APHE, HE,
HEAT a nd smoke. The 85 mm g un co uld be a modifi cation
of th e 85 mm Type 55 a nti-ta nk g un which is a Chinese co py
of Soviet 0-44 wea pon. Ifso, th e gun fires th e foll owing types
of a mmunitio n:

TYPE APHE HE HVAP

WEIGHT OF PR OJECTILE 9.3 kg 9.5 kg 5 kg
MUZZLE VELOCITY 792 mls 792 mls 1030 mls
PENETRATION (0' /1000 m) 102 mm nla pp 130 mm

It has bee n reported th a t so me vehicl es have been fitted

with a las er ra ngefind er over th e ma in a rm a ment simil a r to
that fitt ed to th e T ype 59 MBT.

26
SPECIFICATIONS (provisional)
(Note: in some cases differing specifi cations have LENGTH OF TRACK ARMAMENT
recently become avai lable from US sources, these are ON GROUND 4.08 (4.55) m (main) 1 x 85 mm
given in bra ckets) MAX SPEED (coaxia l) 1 x 7.62 mm MG
CREW 4 (road) 50 kml h (a nt i-ai rcra~) 1 x 12.7 mm MG
COMBAT WEIGHT 18000 kg (water) 9 kml h AMMUNITION
POWER-TO-WEIGHT FUEL CAPACITY 545litres (ma in) 56
RATI O 28.9 bhpl tonne MAX RANGE 240 km (12.7 mm) t200
GROUND PRESSURE 0.5 kgl c ln' FORDING a mphibious (7.62 mm) 3000
LENGTH GUN GRADIENT 60% GUN ELEVATIONI
FORWARDS 8.27 m VERTI CAL OBSTACLE 1m DEPRESS ION + 18'1- 5"
LENGTH HULL 6.91 (7.16) m TREN CH 2.8 (3.00) m ARMOUR
WIDTH 3.25 m ENGINE V-12 liquid- Hull lront (max) tl mm at 80'
HEIGHT TO TURRET coo led diesel Hu ll sides upper 14 mm
TOP (exclud ing AA MG)2.19 m developing Hull top 10mm
(including AA MG) 2.46 m 520 hpl 2000 rpm Hulilloor 10 mm
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.37 (0.4) m TRANSMISSION manual , 5 forward Hull rear 10mm
TRACK 2.74 (2.6) m and 1 reverse gears Turret mantlel 11 mm
TRACK WIDTH 360 (450) mm ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 V

Status: Proba bly still in produ cti on. In se rv ice with C hin a, Manufacturer: C hin ese state a rse nals.
Pa kistan , Sud a n, Tanzan ia a nd Vi et-N am .

Type 63 light amphibious tank (left) compared with Type 59 MBT (right) . both on display in South Korea (Paul Handel)

A 7.62 mm ma chine g un is mounted coax ia ll y to th e rig ht
of th e ma in a rmam ent a nd a Type 54 heavy machin e g un is
mounted a t th e loader's station for a nti- a ircraft d efence. The
Type 54 is th e Soviet M1938/46 DShKM manufact ured in
China.
The ta nk is fu ll y amph ibious being propell ed in th e water
by two water j ets of Soviet desig n. Before entering th e water a
trim board is erec ted a t th e front of th e hull ; wh en trave lling
this fo lds back onto th e glacis pla te. As far as it is known th e
Type 63 has no BC sys tem or nig ht vision equipment.
Type 62 Light Tank
Description
The Type 62 lig ht tank is virtua ll y a scaled down Type 59
MBT and weighs abo ut 2 1 000 kg. It is believed th a t th e tank
is used in place of th e Type 59 in rugged terrai n suc h as that
enco untered in South ern China. The layo ut of th e tank is
identi cal to th e T ype 59 with the dri ve r sea ted a t th e fro nt of
th e hull on th e left a nd th e oth er three crew members in th e
turret. The com ma nd er a nd gu nn er are sea ted on th e left of
th e turre t with th e loader on th e ri ght. The engine a nd
transmiss ion are a t th e rear of the hull. The tors io n bar
suspens ion co nsists of fiv e road wheels with a distinct ga p
between the first a nd seco nd wheels. The drive sprocket is at
th e rea r a nd th e idler at th e front. Main a rmam ent is a n
85 mm gu n, probably identi cal to that on th e T ype 63 lig ht
a mphibio us tank, whi ch fires fix ed amm unitio n including
AP, APHE, HE, HEAT a nd smoke . A total of 47 rounds of
amm un ition are carried. The 85 mm g un co uld be a mod-
ifi ca tio n of th e 85 mm Type 55 a nti-ta nk g un which is a
Chinese co py of th e Sovie t D-44 wea pon. If so, th e g un fir es
th e following types of ammu nition: APHE with th e projectil e
weig hing 9.3 kg, muzzle velocity of 792 metres per second ,
whi ch will pene trate 102 mm of armo ur a t a degrees a t a

27
ra nge of 1000 metres; H E with th e proj ectile weighing 9.5 kg
a nd a mu zzle velocity of 792 metres per second; HV AP with
the proj ectile we ighing 5 kg, mu zzle ve locity of 1030 metres
per seco nd , which will penetrate 130 mm of a rm o ur a t a
ra nge of 1000 metres .
A 7.62 mm machine gu n is mou nted coaxiall y to th e rig ht
of th e ma in armamen t an d a 12.7 mm Ty pe 54 heavy
machine g un is mo un ted at th e loader's positio n for a nti-
a ircra fr'use. T he Type 54 is th e Soviet M 1938/46 DShKM
ma nufactured in C hina.
The T ype 62 is not am phi bio us, has no NBC system a nd
has no t bee n o bserved with a ny infra-red night vision equip-
ment.
The T ype 62 was used in comba t in Angola by Za'irea n
forces a nd by Tanza nia aga inst Ugand a in th eir 1978
O cto ber- November bo rder wa r.

Type 62 light tan k

SPECIFICATIONS (provisional)
CREW 4 MAX SPEED ELECTRI CAL SYSTEM 24 V
COMBAT WEIGHT 21 000 kg (road) 60 km/h ARMAMENT
POWER-TO-WE IGHT FUEL CAPACITY 730 litres (m ain) . 1 x 85 mm
RATI O 18 hp/tonne MAX RANGE (coax ial) 1 x 7.62 mm MG
GROUND PRESSURE 0.7 1 kg/c m' (road) 500 km (an ti-a ircraft ) 1 x 12.7 mm MG
LENGTH FORDIN G 1.3 m AMMUNITION
(gun forwards) 7.9 m GRADIENT 60% (main) 47
(hull ) 5.55 m VERTI CAL OBSTACLE 0.7 m (coaxial) 1750
WIDTH 2.86 m TRENCH 2.55 m (anti -aircraft ) 1250
HEIGHT 2.55 m ENGINE liquid-coo led di esel GUN ELEVATI ONI
GROUND CLE ARANCE 0.42 m developing 380 hp at DEPRESS ION +20'1- 4'
TRA CK 2.39 m 1800 rpm
TRAC K WIDTH 380 mm TRANSMI SS ION manual , 4 forward
LEN GTH OF TRACK and 1 reverse gears
ON GROUND 3.53 m SUSPENSION torsion bar

Status: Probably still in produ cti on. In service with Manufacturer: C hinese sta te a rsenals.
Albania, Congo, C hin a, North Korea, M a li , Sudan , Tan-
za nia a nd Za·ire.

FRANCE

AMX-13 Light Tank
Development
Shortl y after th e end of th e Second World Wa r th e French
Arm y iss ued a req ui remen t for three a rm oured ve hicles: a
heavy a rm o ured car (w hic h Pa n hard developed as th e EBR
from th eir pre-war AM R 20 1), a lig ht ta nk (th e AMX-1 3)
a nd a heavy ta nk (th e AMX-50). The AM X -50 was built
only to th e prototype stage a nd not placed in produ ctio n as
th e USA s upplied th e French Arm y with a la rge number of
M47 medium ta nks un der the M utu al Aid Progra m.
Design work on th e AMX-1 3 began in 1946 a t the Atelier
de Cons tru cti on d ' Issy-l es-Mo ulinea ux a nd th e first proto-
type was compl eted two yea rs la ter. Produ ctio n was und er-
ta ken a t th e Atelier de Cons tru ction Roanne (ARE) from
1952 with th e first prod ucti on ta nks being completed th e
following yea r. At one time produ cti on of th e tank was run-
ning a t 45 units per month but in th e ea rl y 1960s productio n
of th e whole fa mil y was tra nsferred to th e civilia n compan y of
Creusot-Loire a t C hiilon s ur Saone as th e ARE was tooling
up for produ ction of th e AMX-30 MBT. T he bas ic chass is
has been used for a wide ra nge of vehicl es incl uding the AMX
VCI mechanised infa ntry comba t ve hicl e, 105 mm self-
propelled howitzer, 155 mm self-propell ed g un Mk F3
a nd twin 30 mm DCA self- propell ed a nti-aircraft gu n
system .
The AMX-1 3 is still used on a la rge sca le by the French
Army a nd a lth ough the bas ic d es ig n is over 30 years old no
announcement has been made on a new des ign to repl ace it.
By earl y 1982 total produ ctio n of th e AM X-1 3 light ta nk had
a mounted to over 3000 vehi cles.
Description
The hull of th e AMX-1 3 is all welded a nd is d ivided in to
three compartments with th e dri ve r's a nd engine compa rt-
ment a t the front and th e turret mounted a t th e rea r. T he
driver is seated a t the front of th e ve hicl e on the left side with
th e engine compa rtm ent to his ri ght a nd th e d ifferential in
front of him . The dri ve r is prov ided with a single-piece ha tch
cove r tha t opens to th e left a nd three perisco pes, th e centre

28

FL-10 turret showing a mmunition resupply hatc hes in roof at
turret rear and e mpty cartridge case ejection port in turret rear
one of whi ch can be replaced by a n infra-red or image-
intensificat ion periscope for night d rivi ng.
The oscill at ing turret, ma nu fac tu red by Fives-Cail Ba b-
cock, is mounted a t th e rea r of th e hull a nd th e type of turret
depends on the mode l of the ta nk a nd its a rm a ment. All
tu rrets a re osci ll a ting a nd th e comma nd er is seated on th e left
of the turret and the g unn er on the right. The ta nk comma n-
de r is provided with a domed ha tch cover tha t opens to the
rea r and eig ht peri scopes . The g unn er has a single-piece
hatch cover that opens to th e rea r a nd two periscopes.
The torsion bar suspensio n co nsists of fi ve rubber-tyred
AMX- 13 Mode l 51 light ta nk in Singapore
road wheels with th e dri ve sp rocket at the front a nd th e idler
at th e rear. T here a re th ree (or two in some cases) track
re turn rollers which support th e inside of the track onl y. The
first a nd last road wheel sta tio ns have hydra ulic shock a bsor-
bers. The steel tracks have 85 links pe r side a nd can be fitt ed
with rubber pads if req uired.
The AMX-1 3 does not have a n NBC sys tem, canno t be
fitted fo r d ee p wadin g a nd as built was not fi tted with a ny
night fi ghting equ ipment a ltho ug h a number of a rmies have
fitted th eir ve hicl es with some: for example, a Fives-Cail
Ba bcock infra-red searchlig ht to the rea r of th e gunn er's
position a nd a n in fra-red sight for th e g un ner. More recentl y,
th e AM X-1 3 has been offered fitt ed with passive night firin g
a nd nig ht dri ving eq ui pment, laser rangefinde r and a uto ma-
ti c display of th e battle sight.
Variants
Model 51 with 75 mm gun
This was th e firs t model of the AMX-1 3 to en ter service a nd is
fi tted with th e FL-\ O turret armed with a 75 mm gun with a
single baffi e mu zzle brake. T he weapon is fed fro m two
revolver type magazines in the tu rret bus tl e, one either side,
each magaz ine holding six rounds. Once the gu n has fi red th e
empty cartri dge case is ejected out of the rear of th e turret
th rough a tra pdoo r hin ged on th e left. A rate of fire of one
round eve ry five seconds can be ach ieved un til th e two
magazines a re em pty . O nce empty the magazines have to be
refill ed by ha nd fro m outside the tank. T he g un fi res two
main types of am muni tion:
29
AMX- 13 Model 51 with 75 mm gun showing cartridge case AMX- 13 with 90 mm gun and infra-red searchli ght stowed on
ejection door in turret bu stle (E C P Armees) ri ght sid e of tu rret at rear (P Touzi n)

AMX-13 with 90 mm gun

This entered service in the ea rl y 1960s a nd is still in produ c-
tio n. I t is a rm ed with a 90 mm g un in a n FL- I 0 turret and th e
ba rrel is fitted with a th erm al sleeve a nd a single ba ffl e
mu zzle bra ke. The g un fir es th e following types of fin -
sta bilised a mmunitio n:

Type Canister HE HEAT Smoke

WEIGHT OF CARTRIDGE 10.4 kg 10.4 kg 8.9 kg 10.6 kg
WEIGHT OF PROJECTILE 5. 28 kg 5. 27 kg 3.65 kg 5.4 kg
MUZZLE VELOCITY 750 mls 750 mls 950 mls 744 mls
ARM OUR PENETRATI ON nl app nl app 320 mm/O· nlapp
120 mm/65·
Now in production by GIAT is an APFSDS round wi th a muzzle velocity of 1300 mls
whic h w ill penetrate a tr ip le target (10/25/60 mm) at an incidence of 60· at a range of
2000 metres.

AMX-13 lig ht tank fi tted with FN 7.62 mm anti-ai rcraft GPMG

Type HE APC
WEI GHT OF COMPLETE
ROUND 12.5 kg 14.4 kg
MUZZLE VELOC ITY 750 mls 1000 mls
ARM OUR PENETRATI ON nlapp 170 mm/2000 m
Note: Th e APC ro und is designated the 75 POT 5'1 A. The
75 PCOT 51 Pproiectil e will penetrate 170 mm of armour
at 0 d eg rees at 1000 metres, and 40 mm of armour at an
inc idence of 60 degrees at th e same range.

A 7,5 mm or 7. 62 mm machine g un is mo unted coaxially to

the ri ght of th e m ain a rma ment a nd a sim il a r wea pon is often
mounted ex tern a ll y at th e co mm a nd er' s positi on. Thirty-
seven rounds of 75 mm a nd 3600 rounds (in belts of200) of
machine g un a mmunition a re ca rried. In addition th ere a re AMX- 13 arm ed wi th 90 mm g'un
two elec trically operated s moke dis cha rge rs either side of th e
turret.
The turret a lso has a coax ia l machin e gun and a simila r
wea pon can be m ounted a t th e comm a nder's positio n. AMX-13 with 105 mm gun
Thirty-fo ur ro unds of 90 mm a mmuni tion are carried of This was developed specifically for export a nd has a n FL-1 2
whi ch 2 1 a re in the turret ( 12 in the m agazines) a nd 13 in the turret a rm ed with a 105 mm g un whi ch fires th e same non-
hu ll , plus 3600 ro und s of machine g un a mmunition . rota ting ro unds as the AMX-30 MBT. This turret is also

30

AMX-13 with 105 mm gun of Netherlands Army with infra-red
search li ght to right of turret (Roya l Netherlands Army)
petrol-engined version. In additi o n to installing th e new
engine th e cooling sys'te m has been improved by Creusot-
Loire. At th e same time as th e engine is being rep laced the
AMX-1 3 can also be up-gunn ed to 90 mm or 105 mm a nd a
laser rangefind er and nig ht vision equipment installed . It is
believed that Singapore is co nsidering refitting its AM"X- 13
tank fl eet with a new power pack. The diesel co nversion pro-
posal is a pplica ble to other members of th e AMX fa mi ly such
as th e APC/MICV a nd the SPGs. This model is now m
production.
For tria ls purposes a n AMX- 13 lig ht ta nk has had its
original pet rol engine replace d by a Poya ud 520 4LCS25
four- cylinder diesel developing 265 hp at 2600 rpm. In 1983
Ba udo uin an noun ced th at it was offering its model
6 F II SRY six- cylinder diesel developing- 280 hp a t
3200 rpm as a replace ment for th e original SOF AM pe trol
engine.

fitted to th e Austrian SK 105 tan k destroyers used by Argen-

tina, Austria, Bolivia, M orocco a nd Tunisia. The g un can fire
th e following types of ammunition:

Type HEAT HE Smoke

WEIGHT OF COMPLETE
ROUND 17·7 kg 18·4 kg 19· 1 kg
WEIGHT. OF PROJECTILE 10·95 kg 12·1 kg 12·8 kg
MUZZLE VELOCITY 800 mls 700 mls 695 mls
ARMOUR PENETRATION 360 mmlO' nlapp nlapp
150 mm165'
t

75 mm Gun in FL-11 Turret

This model of the AMX-1 3 was developed in the 1950s for AMX-13 Model51 fitted with four Aerospatiale S8-11 wire-guided
use in North Africa a nd has a n FL-I I turret, also fi tted to ATGWs
some models of th e Pa n ha rd EBR a rmoured car, equipped
with a manuall y-loaded 75 mm g un . This model can be
distinguished from th e basic AMX- 13 as its turret has no
overhang at the rear.

Model 51 with 75 mm Gun and SS-11 Missiles

This is the standard model with two Aerospatiale SS-II
wire-guided anti-tank missiles mounted each side of th e main
armament. This missile weig hs 30 kg, has a minimum range
of350 metres and a maximum range of 3000 metres and its
warhead wi ll penetra te 600 mm of armour. This model is in
service with th e French Army.

Model 51 with 75 mm Gun and HOT Missiles

In the 1960s a number of AMX- 13s were fitted with three
launcher boxes eith er side of the turret for three Euromissile
HOT ATGW systems. This model has not been adopted by
the French Army but is being offered for ex port.

AMX-13 with Diesel Engine

Shown for th e first time at th e 1979 Satory Exhibition of
Milita ry Equipment was a Creusot-Loire AMX-13 light ta nk
with its original SOF AM petrol engine replaced by a General
Motors 6V-53T diesel developing 280 hp a t 2800 rpm. This
version, which had completed over 6000 km of trials by
mid- 1979, has a max imum road speed of64 km/ h a nd a road
fu el consumption of I lit re per km , giving it a road range of
about 500 km compa red with 350 to 400 km for th e origin al AMX-13 light tank fitted with General Motors V6 diesel engine

31
AMX-13 with Laser Rangefinder
The French compa ny of Compagnie Industrielle des Lasers
has developed the T C V 29 laser rangefind er for installation
on the AMX-1 3 and similar tanks. This has a range of
between 400 a nd 10 000 metres and is mounted exte rnally
behind the gunner's position. This system has already been
adopted by the Austrian Army for their J agdpa nzer SK 105
ta nk d stroyers.

AMX-13 Armoured Recovery Vehicle

The AM X- 13 ARV (Char de D epannage Model 55) is used
to recover other members of the AM X- 13 fami ly as well as
cha nging major components such as turrets and engines.
Equipment fitt ed includes a fro nt-mounted . A-fra me,
15 000 kg capacity winch with 50 metres of25 mm diameter
cable, secondary winch with 120 metres of 6 mm diameter
cable, four spades a t the rear of the hull and tools and other
equipment. The veh icle has a crew of three consisting of AMX- 13 bridge layer laying its bridge in position (E C P Armees)
commander, driver and winch operator and weighs
15 300 kg. Armament consis ts of a n externall y-mounted
7. 5 mm or 7.62 mm machine gun and smoke discha rgers . the vehicle and two sta bilisers steady the vehicle when the
bridge is being positioned. The ve hicle has a loaded weight of
AMX-13 Bridgelayer 19 700 kg and without the bridge weighs 15 000 kg.
The AMX- 13 bridgelaye r (C ha r Poseur de Pont AMX- 13) is
fitted with a folding class 25 bridge which has an unfolded AMX-13 Driver Training Tan k
length of 14.0 I metres . The bridge is la unched over the rear of This is simply the standard tank with the turret removed .

SPECIFICATIONS (90 mm ve rsion)

CRE W 3 SMOKE-LAYING LENGTH OF TRACK ON
COMBAT WEIGHT 15000 kg EQUIPM ENT 2 smoke d ischarg ers GROUND 2.80 m
UNLOADED WEIGHT 13 000 kg ei the r si d e of turret MAX ROAD SPEED
POWER-TO-WEIGHT AMMUN ITION (petrol engine) 60 km/h
RATI O 16.66 bhp/tonne (main) 32 (diesel eng ine) 64 km/h
GROUND PRESSURE 0.76 kg/cm' (MG) 4000 MAX RANGE ROAD
LENGTH GUN SMOKE CAN ISTERS 12 (petrol eng ine) 350-400 km
FORWARD S 6.36 m (6.5 m for FfRE-CONTROL SYSTEM (di esel engi ne) 500-550 km
105 mm ve rsion) Turret power control hydrauli c with manual EN GINE
LENGTH HULL 4.88 m for emerg ency (petrol) SOFAM Model 8Gxb
WIDTH 2.5 m By commander yes 8-cylinder water-cooled
HEfGHT (to top of By gunner yes petrol developing 250 hp at
commande.-s hatch) 2.3 m Max rate of power 3200 rpm
GROUND CLE ARANCE 0.37 m traverse 360·/12 s (di esel) General Motors Dettoit
TRACK 2.159 m Max rate of power Diesel 6V-53T
TRACK WfDT H 350 mm e levat ion 5° in 15 turbo-charged. 6-cyli nder
LENGTH OF TRAC K ON G un elevation/ wate r-cooled diesel
GROUND 2.997 m depress ion +12.5·/ -5· developing 280 hp at 2800
MAX ROAD SPEED 60 km/h Commander's override yes rpm
FUEL CAPACITY 480litres Gun stabiliser TRANSMISS ION manual with 5 forwa rd
MAX RANGE ROAD 350-400 km (vertical) no (4 synchronised) and
FORDIN G 0.6 m (horizontal) no 1 reverse gears
GRADIENT 60% Commande.-s sight telescope L961 wi th FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM
VERTICA L OBSTACLE x 1.5 and x 6 Turret powe r contro l e leva ting a nd trave rsing gear
(forward s) 0.65 m magni fication controls (1). eith er by means
(reverse) 0.45 m Gunne.-s sight telescope L862 with of pi stol grips and hydrauli c
TREN CH 1.6 m x 7.S magnifi cation motor (gunner and
TURNIN G RADIUS skid turns ARMOUR commander, the latter
ENGINE SOFAM Model 8Gxb Hull front 15 mm at 55· ove r-riding the former) (2). or
8-cylinder water-cooled (equal to 40 mm) by means of a crank handle
petrol developin g Hull sides 20 mm (gunner)
250 hp at 3200 rpm Hull top 10mm Commander'S sight M2 12 telescope with
AUXILIARY ENG INE none Hull rear 15 mm x 1.5and x 6
TRANSMISS ION manual wi th 5 forwa rd Turret front 25 mm at 45· mag nifica tion
and 1 reverse gears (equal to 40 mm) Gunner's sig ht M213 telescope wi th
STEERING Cleveland type Turret sides 25 mm x 7.S mag nifi cation
differential Turret top 10 mm
CLUTCH sing le-d isc
SUSPENSION torsion bar
ELECTR ICAL SYSTEM 24 V
BATIER IES 4 x 12 V, 190 Ah
ARMAMENT SPECIFICATIONS (105 mm version)
(main) 1 x 90 mm gun As 90 mm version apart from the following
(coax ial) 1 x 7.5 mm or LENGTH GUN
7.62 mm MG FORWARDS 6.5 m
(anti-a irc raft) 1 x 7.5 mm or HEIGHT 1.495 m
7. 62 mm MG (optional ) GROUND CLEARAN CE 0.47 m

32
Status: In produ cti o n. In service with Algeria, Arge nti na
(was a lso asse mbled in th e co untry), C hile, Dominica n
Republic, Ecuador, Fra nce, EI Salva dor, Indi a, Indones ia,
I vory C oast, Jibuti , Le ba non (rece nt deli ve ry), Morocco,
Neth erl ands, Nepal (fro m Israe l), Peru , Singa pore (fro m
Israe l), Tunisia and ·Yenez uela.

Manufacturer: C reusot-Loire at C hillon s ur Saone.

Enq uiri es to C reuso t-Loire, Arm a ment Depa rtm ent,
15 ru e Pasqu ier, 75383 Pa ris Cedex 08, Fra nce.

AM X-13 armoured recovery veh ic le with A frame in operat ing

positi on

AMX-10RC Reconnaissance Vehicle
Development
The AMX-I ORC reconn aissa nce vehicle was d es ig ned fro m
Septem be r 1970 a t th e Atelier d e Co nstru cti on d' i ssy-Ies-
Molinea ux to mee t a French Arm y requirement for a vehicl e
to replace th e Pa nh a rd EBR heavy a rm oured car. The first of
three proto types was compl eted in Jun e 1971 a nd by la te
1977 th e three had compl eted so me 60 000 km a nd 3000
hours of tri a ls under a wide ra nge of opera tiona l environ-
ments. Four TK turrets were built a nd betwee n th em fired
ove r 2000 rounds of a mmunitio n during tria ls. Ma ny of th e
a utomoti ve co mponents of th e AMX-I ORC a re id enti cal to
th ose used in th e tracked A MX-IOP IFY .
The AMX-I ORC will equip th e reco nna issa nce regiments
of th e corps of th e French Arm y as we ll as th e cavalry
regiments of th e in fa ntry di visio ns. The fi rst unit to be equip-
ped with th e ve hicl e was th e 9c Regim ent de Hussa rd s based
a t Provins, whi ch received its co mpl ement of ve hicles la te in
1979. The fi rst ord ers fo r th e F rench Arm y were pl aced in
19 76 when 20 vehicl es we re ord ered ; a furth er ten ve hi cles
were ord ered in 1977, followed by 40 in 1978,60 in 1979 a nd
50 in 198 1. Fort y-seve n were o rd ered in 1982 but la ter ca ncel-
AM X-10RC (6 x 6) reco nnaissance vehicle (GIAT) (1) M504
tel escope (2) gunner's tv monitor (3) gunner's panel
(4) traversing box (5) co mmander's tv mon itor (6) command er' s
pan el (7) posi tion indicator (8) slant sensor (9) M389 telescope
(1 0) radi o set (1 1) M389 telescope electronics (12) ventilation
(1 3) NBC protection (1 4) smoke dischargers (15) tachymetry
(16) commander's seat (17) radio-loader's seat
(1 8) tran smission assembly (19) overriding aiming control
(20) el evation sensor (21) gunner's seat (22) road wh eel arm
(23) suspension jack (24) driver's seat (25) tv camera
(26) gunner's control station (27) gun sight mirror

33
 Towards
5
TK 105 turret as installed on AMX-1 ORC (6 x 6) reconnaissance
vehicle (1) junction box including logic system, hydraulic
electronic supply, deviation computer, tachometry electronics
(2) tv channel box (3) gunner's control station (4) loader's panel
(5) TVBNL analysis box (6) fire-control unit elevation sensor
(7) M550 laser rangefinder (8) M504 telescope with optical
compensator and automatic bore sighting unit (9) M389 sensor
(10) gunner's panel (11) gunner's tv monitor (12) M389
commander's telescope (13) commander's panel
(14) commander's tv monitor (15) tv control box
(16) commander's control station (17) slant sensor (18) M389
commander's telescope (19) fire-control unit bearing sensor
(GIAT)
led for financial reasons. The 1983 order is for 44 vehicles.
The only know n overseas sale of the AMX-IORC is to
Morocco who ordered 108 vehicles , with the first of th ese
being delivered in 1981 .
Description
The all-welded a luminium hull and turret provides the crew
with protection from small arms fire, flash burns and shell
splinters. The driver is seated at the front of th e vehicle on th e
left side and is provided with an adjustable seat a nd a large
single-piece hatch cover that opens to his right with three
periscopes, the centre one of whi ch can be replaced by a
passive OB-31-A periscope for night driving.
The turret is in the centre of the vehicle with th e co mm a n-
der and gunner seated on the right and the loader, who also
34
8
15
16
acts as the radio ope rator, seated on th e left. Both th e co m-
mander and th e loader are provided with a single-piece ha tch
cover that opens to th e rea r a nd th e loader has three peri-
scopes, one to his front , one to his left and one to his rear.
The veh icle commander has six periscopes for a ll-rou nd
observation and a periscope and panoramic M389 telescope
with a magnification of X 2 and x 8 which has full contra-
rotation and enables the co mm and er to observe the target
regardless of the position of th e turret. Th e M389 can be
elevated from -12 degrees to +24 degrees and has automatic
proj ection of reticles, x 2 for MG a nd x 8 for 105 mm gun.
The commander also has overriding co ntrols enabling him to
lay the gun on to th e targe t. The gunner has two peris <;opes
and an M504 telescope manufactured by SOPELEM and
Compagnie Industrielle des Lasers (CILAS) which is the
main part of the fir e-control system. The M504 has a
magnification of x 10 and is co mbined with an optical co m-
pensator with control electronics for automatic input of fire
corrections, M550 laser rangefind er and an M553 bore-sight
unit which corrects for any abnormal droop or accidental
misalignment of the main armament.
The complete COT AC fire- control system co mprises vari-
ous sensors which provide the co mputer with th e following
data: target distance as meas ured by th e lase r rangefinder
AMX-10RC (6 x 6) reconnaissance vehicle
with a n acc uracy of ± 7 mils between 400 a nd 10000 metres; In 1983 it was co nfirmed th a t th e last two produ cti o n
hori zonta l a nd verti cal speed of th e ta rge t; a ng le of ca nt of th e ba tch es of AMX-I ORC vehicles for th e French Arm y will be
vehicl e a nd windspeed , altitude a nd outside tempera tu re, fitt ed with th e Ba ud ouin model 6 F II SRX di esel eng ine
whi ch is fed into th e co mputer manu a lly . whi ch develops 300 hp at 3300 rpm in place of the sta nd a rd
In a typical ta rget engage ment th e g unn er a ligns his sig ht Rena ult HS 115 diesel developing 280 hp a t 3000 rpm. In
with th e ta rge t, tracks th e targe t a nd depresses th e measuring addition to being a more powerful engine th e Ba ud ouin is
button for two or th tee -seconds, th e tim e ta ken for th e ta rget more fuel- effi cient whi ch will give th e ve hicle a la rge r opera t-
inform a tion to be fed into the co mputer. The introdu ction of ing ra nge. It is ex pected th a t earli er vehicl es will be
fir e correc ti on d a ta ta kes onl y I % seconds a nd th e gunner retrofitted with th e new engin e.
opens fire. The hydro-pneum a ti c suspension sys tem, des igned a nd
For nig ht engage ments th e A M X-IORC is fitt ed with a ma nufactured by M essier Auto-Industri e, can be q ui ckl y
Thomson-CSF model DIVT 13 LLLTV . The sys tem co n- adjusted by th e dri ver to s uit th e type of gro und being cros-
sists of a televisio n ca mera mo unted in th e ma ntlet to th e left sed. The minimum ground clea ra nce is 2 10 mm , but fo r road
of th e main a rm ament, elec troni cs unit, control unit a nd two tra vel 350 mm is norm al, for cross-co untry trave l 470 mm
television scree ns, one for th e co mm a nd er a nd th e oth er for a nd for a mphibious opera tio ns 600 mm .
th e gunner. An a iming reticle is genera ted electroni call y a nd
superimposes itself on th e monitor screen . The devia tion
co mputer of th e COT AC fire-co ntrol sys tem th en int rodu ces
fire correc ti on data a nd shifts this aiming reticle by th e
req uired va lue und er th e sa me conditions as for th e day
reticl e.
The integ rated tes t sys tem of th e modul a r fire-control
sys tem ena bles a ny fa ult to be qui ckl y located a nd th e defec-
ti ve unit repl aced . A tes t kit ma kes it possible to locate within
a unit the defecti ve s ub- asse mbl y whi ch is th en replaced.
The engine a t th e rea r of th e hull is identi cal to th a t of th e
tracked A M X -IOP vehicl e with whi ch it also has m a ny
a uto motive co mponents in comm on. T he eng ine is co upl ed to
th e gearbox throug h a hydra uli c- torqu e co nve rter with a
cut- out clutch. The gea rbox has two fun ctions: pre-selection
th ro ugh four gea r ra ti os in both directi ons with a n a uxilia ry
drive for th e two wa ter-j ets, a nd stee rin g, with outlet
epicyclic gea rs a nd hydra ulicall y-ac tu a ted disc bra kes. The
AM X-IORC is skid-stee red in a simila r ma nner to th e AMX-1 ORC with suspension lowered to give ground c learance of
tracked AMX-IOP. 0.6 metre (GIAT)

AMX- 10RC with suspension raised for minimum ground clearance (GIAT)

35
AMX-10RC with suspension on right side raised and left s ide AMX-10 RAC (6 X 6) reconnaissance vehicle (GIAT)
lowered (GIAT)

The s uspension a t each wh eel sta tio n co nsis ts of a road
wh eel a rm , susp ensio n assembly (link rod , level a nd cylin-
der) with the cylinder ac ting as spring a nd s hock a bsorber
and a llow ing th e heig ht to be adjusted . A centra lised lubri ca-
ti on unit facilita tes ma intena nce of th e suspension sys tem.
The tyre press ure can be adjusted to suit th e typ e of gro und
being crossed.
The AMX-IORC is fully a mphibio us being propelled in
th e wa ter by two wa ter-j ets either side of th e rear of th e hull.
Before enterin g th e wa ter a trim va ne is erected a t th e front of
th e ve hicle, with a tra nspa rent window in th e left side to a ll ow
th e dri ver to see a head when afl oat. The ve hicles delivered to
M orocco were not fitted with wa terj ets.
The NBC sys tem is mo unted in th e rea r of th e turret a nd
maintains a slight overpress ure in th e fi ghtin g co mpa rtm ent.
Fo r use in cold clima tes a n a uxilia ry hea ter is insta lled .
M a in a rm a ment of th e A MX-IORC is a 105 mm se mi-
a utom a ti c g un with a verti r.a l wed ge breech-bl ock a nd a
ba rrel with a th erma l j acket a nd a two-stage mu zzle bra ke.
The g un itself is 48 calibres long without th e mu zzle bra ke
a nd has a recoil length of600 mm a nd a recoil force of a bout
13 tonn es. The recoil mec ha nism co mpri ses a bra ke on th e
left side a nd a counter-recoil mecha nism on th e rig ht side of
th e g un. The g un fires three types of a mmunitio n, H EAT ,
HE a nd practi ce.
The fin- sta bilised H E AT round will penetra te 350 mm of
a rmour a t a n incidence of 0 degrees o r 150 mm of arm our a t
60 d egrees. Both this a nd th e practi ce round a re fitted with a
tracer in th e rear of th e proj ec til e. The a nti-ta nk round has a n
effecti ve ra nge of 1250 metres . Basic deta ils of th e a mm uni-
ti on a re as follows:
Of 38 ro unds of 105 mm a mmunition ca rri ed 12 are for
ready use in th e turret. A 7.62 mm machine gun is mounted
coaxia ll y to th e left of th e ma in a rm a ment. T wo smoke dis-
cha rge rs mo unted eith er side of th e turret towa rd s th e rear
a re electri call y fir ed fro m within th e ve hicle. An APFSDS
105 mm ro und is currentl y being developed by GI AT for th e
weapon fitt ed to th e A M X-IORC .
The turret is equipped with a SAMM C H 49 electro-
hydra ulic control system co nsisting of a se rvo-co ntroll ed
cylinder, fl ow di viding un it, servo-motor, hydra ulic powe r
so urce, electroni cs box, twin ha ndl es for th e g unner a nd a
single ha ndl e for th e comm a nd er.
If required th e A M X-IORC ca n be deli vered without th e
air co nditio ning system, hea ter, NBC sys tem, night fire-
control equipm ent, nav igation sys tem a nd a mphibious
ca pa bility.
Variants
In 197 1 a prototype of a wheeled (6 x 6) APC called th e
A MX-IORP was show n for th e firs t tim e but it has not been
placed in produ ctio n. A tracked version of th e AMX-l ORC
developed to tJ:! e proto type stage is know n as th e AMX-IOC
but has not ye t been pl aced in produ cti on.
Model of AM X-1 0 RAA twin 30 mm self-propelled anti-a ircraft
gun (GIAT)

Type HEAT HE Smoke

DESIGNATION OCC 105 F3 OE 105 F3 OFUM 105 F3
WEIGHT OF CARTRIDGE 13.85 kg 13.7 kg 13.7 kg
WEIGHT OF PROJECTILE 5.65 kg 7.2 kg . 7.2 kg
WEIGHT OF EXPLOS IVE 0.92 kg 1.74 kg 1.50 kg
(compositi on)
LENGTH OF CARTRIDGE 838 mm 888 mm 888 mm
MUZZLE VELO CITY 11 20 mls 800 ml s 800 ml s

Note: Training ve rsion of HEAT is BSCC 105 F3 and has a muzzle velocity of 11 20
metres a second. All rounds are fin stabil ised.

36
AMX- 10 RAe
This is essentiall y the AMX-I0RC with its original turret
replaced by theGIAT TS 90 turret which is fu ll y described in
th e entry for th e Pan hard ERC 90 F4 Sagaie armoured ca r
later in this book. The vehicle has a loaded weight
of 14800 kg with the three-m an crew consisting of
commander/ loader; gunner and driver. The turret has man~
ual traverse but can be fitted with power traverse ifrequired .
A total of37 rounds of90 mm and 3200 rounds of7.62 mm
machine gun ammunition a re carri ed.
AMX-10 RAA
Shown in model form at the 1981 Satory Exhibition of M il i-
tary Equipment was th e AMX-I0 RAA. This is essentiall y
the AMX-IORC with its ori gina l turret replaced by the
Thomson-CSF/SAMM SABRE turret armed with twin
30 mm cann on.
AM X-10 RTT
In 1983 GIAT announced th a t th e prototype of a wheeled
arm oured personnel carri er version of th e AMX-IORC had
been built und er th e designa tion of th e AMX- IO RTT
(Roues Transporteur d e Troupes). This has a similar sus-
pension to th e AMX-I ORC but with th e driver at the front of
the hull on the left a nd th e engine compartment to his right.
The troop compartm ent is a t th e rear of th e hu ll with peri-
scopes giving observa tion to th e sides. Over th e top of th e
troop compartment is a GIAT CIBI 12.7 mm wea pon station
armed with a 12.7 mm M2 HB machine gun. The three-man
crew consists of commander, gunner and drive r and it can
carry 10 fu ll y eq uipped infantrymen.

SPECIFICATIONS (with 0.3 m ground c learance)

CREW 4
CONFIGURATION 6 x 6
COMBAT WEIGHT 15800 kg MAX RANGE (roa d) 800 km SMOKE-LAYING
UNLOADED WEIGHT 14900 kg FORDING amphibious EQUIPMENT 2 smoke dischargers
POWER-TO·WEIGHT GRADIENT 60% either side of turret
RATI O 16.45 hp/tonne SIDE SLOPE 40% AMMUN ITI ON
LENGTH GUN VERTICAL OBSTACLE 0.7 m (main) 38
FORWARDS 9.15 m TREN CH 1.15 m (coaxial) 4000
LENGTH HULL 6.35 m ENGINE Hispano-Suiza HS-1 15 (smoke grenades) 16
WIDTH 2.95 m super-charged FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM
HEIGHT water-cooled 8·cylin- Turret power con trol electro-hyd rauli c/
(overall) 2.68 m der diesel deve loping manual
(to tulret top) 2.2 15 m 260 hp at 3000 rpm By commander yes
(to hull top) 1.565 m TRANSMI SSION preselective with 4 By gunner yes
GROUND CLEARAN CE forward and 4 reverse Gun elevati on/
(normal) 0.35 m (adjustable gears depress ion +20"/-8"
from 0.2 - 0.6 m) SUSPENSION hydro-pneumati c Gun stabili ser
TRA CK 2.425 m ELECTRI CAL SYSTEM 24 V (vertical) no
WHEELBASE 1.550 m + 1.550 m BAnERIES 6 x 12V, 100Ah (horizonta l) no
MAX SPEED ARM AME NT
(road) 85 km/h (main) 1 x 105 mm
(water) 7.2 km/h (coax ial) 1 x 7.62 mm MG

Status: In produ ction. In service with th e French Army and Manufacturer: Atelier de Construction Roann e (ARE).
Morocco. Enquiries to Groupement Industriel des Armements Ter-
restres, 10 place G C lemenceau, 9221 1 Saint Cloud , France.

Pan hard EBR Heavy Armoured Car Panhard EBR 75), a light ta nk (which became theAMX- 13)
and a heavy tank (which became the AMX-50 but was never
Development placed in produ ction).
In 1937 Pan ha rd started design work on a new armoured car
for the French Army called th e AMR 201 , which was to have Panhard EBR with FL-10 turret arm ed with 75 mm gun (E C P
better cross-country mobility th an armoured cars us ed by the Arm ees)
French Army at th e time, such as th e Panhard AMD (4 x 4).
Design of th e AMR 201 (A uto-Mitraill euse de Reconnais-
sance) was completed within a year and construction of th e
first prototype began in 1938 and was completed by
December 1939. The prototype had a crew of thr:ee and was
fitted with a turret armed with a 25 mm gun a nd a 7.5 mm
coaxial machine gun. Its eight-wheel drive gave it excellent
cross-country mobi lity. Whe)) travell ing on roads the four
centre wheels were ra ised off th e ground as th ey had steel ribs
wh ich wou ld bite into th e s urface of th e road. The four centre
(or interm ediate) wheels were lowered when th e vehicle was
crossing rough country. When the Second World War broke
out th e AMR 20 1 was taken to North Africa where it was
subsequ ently lost.
Shortly after the end of th e Second World War th e French
Army issued a requirement for three new armoured vehicles:
a heavy a rmoured car (which eventuall y became th e

37

To meet the requirement for a heavy a rm oured car four
French co mpa nies submitted proposals, H otchkiss (6 x 6),
La til (8 x 8), Lorraine (6 x 6) a nd Pa n ha rd (8 x 8). Pa nh ard
com pleted its desig n earl y in 1946 a nd was a wa rd ed a con-
trac t to build two prototype vehicles which were completed
by Jul y 1948. After tri a ls wi th th e Pa n ha rd a nd Hotchkiss
designs, th e form er was acce pted for service, with modi-
fi cati ons, in December 1949. Produ ction began early in 1950
a nd th e first produ ction vehicles were completed in la te 1950.
By th e time produ ctio n had bee n compl eted in 1960 1200
EBRs (Engin Blinde de Reconna issance) had been com-
pleted , most of which we re s upplied to th e French Army.
T he EBR is still in service with th e French Army; from
1979 it sta rted to be replaced by th e AMX-I ORC (6 x 6)
vehicl e, but it is not expected to be fin a ll y phased out of
French Arm y service until 1986/8 7.
Description
T he hull of th e EBR is made of welded steel with th e driver
seated a t th e front, fi ghting compa rtm ent in th e centre a nd
th e second dri ver, who also opera tes the radio, a t th e rea r,
with th e engine und er th e fighting co mpa rtm ent.
T he front a nd rea r dri ve rs a re both provided with a two-
piece ha tch cover th a t opens either side of th eir position , th e
Pan hard EBR with FL-11 turret armed with 90 mm gun , this is current model in service with French Army
38
Pan hard EBR with FL-11 turret armed with 90 mm gun
left cover with one periscope a nd th e right with two. In
additio n th ere is a small fl a p th a t opens upwa rds. Both
drivers a re provided with a full set of driving controls a nd th e
vehi.cle can be dri ven a t the same speed in each direc tion.
Mounted betwee n each dri ve r' s feet is a 7. 5 mm machine gun
firing forwa rds, but th ese a re not normally fitt ed today.
The FL-II oscill a ting turret, ma nufactured by Fives-C ail
Ba bcock, is in th e centre of th e vehicle with th e comm ander
on the left a nd th e gunn er on th e right. The commander is
provided with periscopes for all-ro und observa tion while th e
g unn er has a telescope linked to th e main a rm a ment a nd
three periscopes. I n th e 1950s some Pa n ha rd EBRs were
fi tted with th e FL-I 0 turret as install ed on mos t produ ction
AMX-1 3 light ta nks, which had th e adva ntage of being fitted
with a n a utoma ti c loading system whi ch ena bl ed a high ra te
of fir e to be achieved for a short tim e. But it also had two
dis adva ntages: it increased th e vehicle' s we ight to 15 200 kg
(almos t th e sa me as th e AMX-1 3 lig ht ta nk ) a nd its overall
heig ht to 2. 58 metres . In th e 1960s all EBRs were fitted with
th e FL-II turret a rm ed with th e new 90 mm g un.
The engine is und er th e fi ghting compa rtm ent a nd air is
drawn into th e vehicle by two fa ns through oval holes be-
tween th e top of th e hull a nd th e bottom of th e turret; th e air
th en passes over th e engine a nd leaves th e vehicle by simila r
ova l holes a t th e rear of th e turret. The engine consists of two
 The EB R is a rmed with a 90 mm gun which fires fin-
stabilised HEAT and HE proj ectiles. A 7.5 mm machine gun
is mounted coaxiall y with the main armament and two
electrically-operated smoke dischargers are mounted on
eith er side of th e turret.

Type HEAT HE Smoke Canister

WE IGHT OF
COMPLETE ROUND 7.1 kg 8.9 kg 9.1 kg 8.9 kg
WE IGHT OF
PR OJECTILE 3.65 kg 5.27 kg 5.4 kg 5.28 kg
MUZZLE VE LOCITY 640 ml s 635 ml s 750 mls 640 mls

The EBR has no NBC system, no night vision equipment

and no amph ibious capability.

Panhard EBR of Frenc h Army with FL-11 turret armed with 90 mm
gun and driver's hatch in open position
opposed groups of six cylinders. Power is transmitted from
th e engine through a four-dis c dry clutch to th e four-sp eed
gearbox, wh ich is connected to th e second transversely
mounted gearbox by bevel gea rs giving forward and reverse.
This gives th e veh icle 16 gea rs in both directions. The second
gearbox incorporates a differential (which can be locked for
off-road tra vel) and power is then taken to a free-wheel
transmission on each side of th e vehicle and then via shafts to
th e fo"ur wheel stations . When travell ing on roads the centre
or interm ediate wheels are raised off the ground , but still
turn. Before crossing rough country, th e intermedia te wheels
are lowered to the ground by a hydro-pneumatic unit oper-
ated by th e driver. The front and rear wheels are sprung with
two concentric coil springs and a telescopic damper. The
front and rear wheels have tyres with bullet-proof inner
tubes.
Variants
EBR En Armoured Personnel Carrier
There have been a number of experimen tal models of the
EBR but th e only variant known to be in current service is the
EBR ETT a rm oured personnel carri er which has the
Panha rd designation model 238. The first prototype was
completed in 1957 but onl y 30 were built for service in North
Africa. They are no longer used by the French Army but a few
are known to be used by Portugal.
The ETT has a superstructure that extends to the rear of
the hull and is provid ed with hatches to enable the crew to us e
th eir small a rms from within th e vehicle. Normal means of
en try and exit for the crew is via two doors in the rear of the
hull which a re also provided with firing ports. This model
was fi tted with a: turret-mounted 7.5 mm machine gun or two
small turrets each fitted with a rifle. The EBR ETT has a
crew of three and can carry 12 fully-equipped troops; loaded
weight is 13 000 kg.

SPECIFICATIONS (EBR fitted with FL-ll turret armed TREN CH 2m AMMUNITION

with 90 mm gun) TURNING RADIUS (main) 43
CREW (on front whee ls) 7.974 m (machine gun) 2000
CONFIGU RATI ON 8 x 6 (on front and rear FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM
COMBAT WEIGHT 13500 kg whee ls) 3.962 m Turret power control hydraulicl manual
POWER-TO-WEI GHT ENGINE Pan hard model 12 H By co mmander yes
RATIO 14.81 hpl tonn e 6000 12-cylinder By gunner yes
LENGTH GUN air-cooled petrol Max rate of power
FORWARDS 6.15 m developing 200 hp traverse 360· in 12 s
LENGTH HULL 5.56 m at 3700 rpm Max rate of power
WIDTH 2.42 m TRANSMISSION 2 4-speed gear boxes elevation 5· in 1 s
HEIGHT STEERIN G hydrauli c assisted Gun elevationl
(to turret top on 8 CLUTCH 4-disc dry depression + 15·1- 10·
wheels) 2.32 m SUSPENSION ARMOUR
(to turret top on 4 (front and rear wheels) concentric coil springs Hull front 40 mm
wheels) 2.24 m and tel escopic damper Hull sides 16 mm
GROUND CLEARANCE (i ntermediate) hydro-pneumatic Hull top 20 mm
(on 8 wheels) 0.41 m ARMAMENT Hull floor 16mm
(on 4 wheels) 0.33 m (main) 1 x 90 mm gun Hull rear 40mm
TRA CK 1.74 m (coax ial) 1 x 7.5 mm MG Turret front 40 mm
MAX SPEED (road) 105 kml h (fixed at both d(iver's Turret sides 30 mm
FUEL CAPACITY 380 litres pOSitions) 1 x 7.5 mm MG Turret rear 20 mm
MAX RANGE (road) 650 km SMOKE-LAYI NG Turret top 10 mm
FORDING 1.2 m EQUIPMENT 2 x 2 smoke dis-
GRADIENT 60% chargers either
VERTICAL OBSTACLE 0.4 m side of turret

Status: Production complete. In service with France (being Manufacturer: Societe de Constructions M ecaniq ues
replaced by AMX- IORC) , Mauritania, Morocco (being Panhard et Levassor, 18 avenue d' Ivry, 75621 Paris, France.
replaced by AMX-I ORC) , Portugal (armoured car and ETT
APC) and Tunisi a.

39
Renault VBC 90 Armoured Car
Development
The VBC 90 (Vehi cule Blinde de Comba t) was d esigned by
Rena ult Vehicules Industri els specifi call y for th e ex port
ma rket and was shown ror th e first time a t th e 1979 Satory
Ex hibition of Military Equipment. First produ cti on VBC 90
arm oured ca rs were compl eted in September 1981. It shares
many a utomoti ve components with th e VAB (6 x 6) APC
which is in produ cti on for th e ex port market and th e V AB
(4 x 4) which is alread y in service with th e French Arm y.
T he first of 28 VBC 90 armoured cars ordered by th e French
Ge ndarmeri e we re deli ve red in 1983 a nd a re fitted with a
SOPTAC fi re control system incorporating a laser rangefinder.
Renault VB C 90 (6 x 6) armoured car as delivered to the French Gendarmeri e with all hatches c losed
40
Description
Its all-welded steel hull protects th e crew from small arms fire
and shell splinters and is divided into three compartments:
driver's at th e front, fi ghting in th e centre and engine at the
rear. T he d river is seated a t th e rront orthe vehicl e on th e left
side a nd has a single-piece hatch cover th a t opens to th e right
with three integral perisco pes. Vehicles for th e French Gen-
da rm eri e have bullet-proof windows rath er th an periscopes
for greater all round observa tion, with centre one fitt ed with
wiper.
T he GI AT TS 90 turret is all-welded with th e commander
on th e left and th e gunn er on th e right, both with a single-
piece hatch cover tha t opens to th e rear and a n adjustable
seat. An extractor fan is mounted in th e forwa rd part of th e
Renault VBC 90 (6 x 6) armoured car
 cha nn el with a mag nifi cation of X 5.5 and a n 8-degree fi eld of
"iew. This can be used in co njun ction with th e following
co ntrol sys te m:
SOPELEM SOPTAC 22 with a C ILAS TCV 107 laser
ra ngefind er
SOPELEM SOPTAC 10 wi th a C ILAS TCV 107 lase r
rangefind er which a utom a ti call y disp lays target ra nge in th e
g unn er's sig ht
SOPELEM SOPTAC II with a C ILAS TCV 107 lase r
rangefind er wh ich automaticall y d isplays target ra nge in th e
g unn er's sight and also provides cross ing speed of target
Thomson-CSF Canasta passive night system which ena bl es
th e gunner to detect and engage targe ts a t a ra nge of up to
2000 metres, aim th e gu n a nd fire in darkn ess .
GIAT 90 mm C8 90 gun as installed in T8 90 turret fitted on VB C GIAT M586 day a nd nig ht firing system whi ch us es co mpo-
90 a rmoured car together with a selection of a mmunition ca rried , nents of th e COTAC fire-con trol system a nd includ es a T C V
that on the right being the APF8D8 round 107 lase r ra ngefinder a nd a computer which integra tes the
va rio us fun ctio ns required for engaging sta ti o nary a nd mov-
turret roof. M ain arma ment co nsis ts of a long-ba rrell ed ing ta rgets, including wind speed, ex tern a l temperat ure,
90 mm gun with a 35-degree oblique wedge breech-block, speed a nd distan ce of target.
hydro-pn eum a ti c recoil system , therma l sleeve a nd a mu zzle Optiona l equipm ent includes a 7.62 mm anti- aircra ft
brake. Twenty rounds of read y-use a mmunition are ca rr ied, machin e gu n. Future developments pla nn ed for th e turret
four in th e turret bas ket a nd 16 in th e turret bustle. The include independ ent eleva tion of th e coax ial 7.62 mm
empty cartridge cases are ejected into a bag under th e breech machin e g un, option of th e 7.62 mm coax ia l machine g un
and th e comm a nd er has a n a mmunition resupply ha tch in being replaced by a 12. 7 mm machin e g un , electric traverse
th e left side of th e turret. A further 25 rounds of 90 mm (360 degrees in 14 seconds).
ammunition are ca rri ed in th e hull. The engin e, tra nsmission and fu el ta nk a re at th e rea r of
The 90 mm rifl ed g un fires th e following fix ed a mmun i- th e hull , with a la rge door, opening to th e left, for access for
tion: ma intena nce.
Powe r is transm itted from th e eng ine to th e wheels by a
Type Canister HE HEAT Smoke torque co nverter a nd a gea rbox with five forward a nd one
DESIGNATION ODOR OE 90 F1' OCC 9O-62t OFUM PH* reverse gea rs. G ears a re shifted by a sma ll pneum at icall y-
WEIGHT OF PROJECTILE 5.28 kg 5.28 kg 3.65 kg 5.4 kg
WEIGHT OF FILLING 4 kg 0.945 kg 0.67 kg 0.8 kg opera ted lever wh ich a lso opera tes th e clutch . The ax les have
LENGTH OF PROJECTI LE 158 mm 480 mm 500 mm 480 mm differentia l redu cti on gea rs with d o ubl e redu cti o n and differ-
WEIGHT OF CARTR IDGE 10.4 kg 10.42 kg 8.95 kg 10.54 kg
MUZZLE VELOCITY 750 mls 750 ml s 950 mls 750 mls
enti al locking. The wh eels a re independ entl y s uspend ed by
torsion bars and hydra uli c shock absorbers. Steering is hy-
'practice projectile is OE 90 PLN dra uli call y ass isted on th e front two ax les a nd the tyre pres-
twill penetrate 320 mm of armour at O· incidence
will penetrate 120 mm of armour at 65· incid ence sures ca n be adjusted to suit th e type of g round being crossed.
practice version called SCC 90 F1 Unlike th e VAB fa mil y of APCs th e VBC 90 does no t have
* will lay 50-metre wide smokescreen which will last 2()...;30 seconds
Recently developed is an APFSDS proiectile with a muzzle veloci ty of 1275 metres a any amp hibio us ca pabili ty.
second which will penetrate 120 mm of armour at an inc idence of 60 degrees at a Optional equipm ent includes a n NBC system and a
range of 2000 metres: proj ectil e weight is 3.3 kg .
front-mounted winch with a ca pacity of7000 kg a nd supp lied
with 60 metres of ca ble.
Mounted coaxia ll y to th e left of th e main armament is a
7.62 mm machine g un a nd th ere are two electri ca lly- Renault VBC 90 (6 x 6) armoured car with driver's hatch in
operated smoke discha rgers mounted either side of th e turret closed position
towa rds th e rea r.
A PH 9A white lig ht searchlig ht is mounted coaxia ll y to
th e left of th e main ar mament and a second white lig ht
sea rch light is mounted in th e forwa rd part of th e turret a nd
operated by th e co mm a nd er. The co mm a nd er has seven
periscopes a nd th e g unn er five a nd th e g unn er a lso has an
M563 tel escopic sight with a magnifi cation of X 5.9 for laying
th e main arma ment. The ve hicle ca n a lso be fitted with the
followin g SOPELEM sig hts:
SOPTAC 2 1 with a CILAS TCV 107 lase r ra ngefind er
SOPTAC 6 with C ILAS TCV 107 lase r ra ngefind er which
autom a ti call y displ ays target ra nge in th e g unn er's sight
SOPTAC 13 with C IL AS TCV 107 laser rangefind er which
auto ma ti call y displ ays targe t range in th e gunner's sight, a nd
a lso provides th e crossing speed of th e ta rget
For engaging targets a t night th e SOPELEM TJN 20
gunner's sig ht is fitted, which has a day cha nn el with a
magnifi cation of X 6 a nd a n 8-degree fi eld of view a nd a night

41
One of the prototypes of VBC 90 fitted with Hispano-St:liza Lynx VBC fitted with GIAT turret armed with 81 mm s mooth-bore
90 turret a rm e d with Cockeri ll 90 mm Mark III g un gun/mortar (Christop her F Foss)

Variants
The VBC 90 can be fi tted with a number of other turrets
including th e follow ing:
Hispano-Suiza Lynx 90 (already tested )
G I A T turret armed with 81 mm smooth-bore g un/ morta r
ESD TA-20 a nti- a ircra ft turret with twin 20 mm ca nnon
SAMM TTB 190 turret with 90 mm g un
Hispano-Suiza MARS 90 mm
Note: Automo ti ve componen ts of th e VBC/ VAB fami ly a re
a lso used in a fami ly of veh icl es that th e co mpany has
designed to mee t the requirements of Argen tin a in competi-
tion with d esigns carried o ut by Pan hard. Ava ilab le detai ls of
this programm e are given in this section und er Argentina.

SPECIFICA nONS GRADIENT 60% SMOKE-LAYING

CREW 3 SIDE SLOPE 30% EQUIPMENT 2 smoke dischargers
CONFIGURATION 6 x 6 VERTICAL OBSTACLE 0.6 m e ither side of turret
POWER-TO-WEIGHT TRENCH 1m AMMUNITION
RATIO 18.36 hp/tonne ENGINE MAN D.2356 HM 72 (main) 45
WE IGHT 12800 kg in-line water-cooled (coaxial) 4000
LEN GTH GUN 6-cy linder diesel FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM
FORWARD 8.152 m developing 235 hp at Turret power control electrically assisted
LENGTH HULL 5.495 m 2200 rpm manual (traverse only)
WIDTH 2.49 m TRANSMISSION Renault Tran sflu id Max rate of power
HEIGHT with 5 forwa rd and traverse 360°/20 s
(to turret top) 2.55 m 1 reverse gears Max rate of manual
(to hull top) 1.697 m STEERING recirculating ball . elevation 23°115 s
TRACK 2.035 m hydraul ic assisted Gun elevati on!
WHEELBASE 1.5 m + l .5m TYRES 14.00 x 20 depress ion + 15°1 _8°
ANGLE OF APPROACHI BRAKES disc
DEPARTURE 45°/45° SUSPENSION independent (torsion
MAX ROAD SPEED bar and telescopic
(5th gear) 92 km/h shock absorbers)
(4th gear) 58 km/h ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 V
(3rd gear) 34 km/h BATIERIES 4 x 12V6TN
(2nd gear) 20 km/h ARMAMENT
(1st gear) 12 km/h (main) 1 x 90 mm Note: From 1983 th e MAN engine was replaced in
(reverse) 13 km/h (coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mm MG production vehic les by th e Renault 6-2045. six-cy linder.
MAX RANGE (road ) 1000 km (an ti-airc raft ) 1 x 7.62 mm MG in-line water-coo led turbo-charged diesel develop ing
FORDING 1.2 m (optional) 230 bhp at 2200 rpm .

Status: In produ ction. In service with Fra nce (Ge ndar-

merie, 28 delivered in 1983), Oman (4) and the U ni ted Arab
Emira tes.

Manufacturer: Prod uction of th e VBC 90 is undertaken by

Renau lt Vehi cules Industriels .

Marketing: Societe d es Materi els Specia ux Renault VI

C reusot-Loire, 316 Burea ux de la Colline, 922 13 Saint- C loud
Cedex, France.

42
LOHR RPX 90 Armoured Car
Development
The RPX 90 (4 x 4) armoured car has been developed by
th e LOHR company as a private venture specificall y for th e
export ma rket and. was shown for th e first time at th e 1983
Satory Exhibition of Military Equipment.

Description
The hull of th e RPX 90 is of all-welded steel construction
wh ich provides th e crew with protection from small arms fire
and shell splinters.
The driver is seated at the front of the hull and has a
single-piece hatch cover over his position. Bullet-proof
windscreens at th e front and sides provide excellent visibility,
but when in a combat area th ese are covered by armoured
shutters with integral vision slits that are hinged at th e bottom.
Provisiona l drawing of LOHR RPX 90 (4 x 4) armoured car
LOHR RPX 90 armoured car fitted with turret armed with six
MATRA SATCP surface-to-air missiles
M ounted on th e roof in th e centre of th e vehicle is th e
Hispano-Sui za CNMP 90 mm MARS turret which is a rm ed
with th e GIAT 90 mm Super 90 gun which has an elevation
of + 20 degrees and a depression of - 8 degrees, instead of the
90 mm CN-90-F3. A 7.62 mm machine gun is mounted co-
axially with th e main a rmament.
The engine and transmission are a t th e rear of th e hull.
According to th e manufacturer th e excell ent off-road mobil-
ity of th e LOHR RPX 90 is made possible by its good power-
to-weight ra ti o and its oversize and low press ure tyres .
In the either side of th e hull is a two-pa rt ha tch, the upper
part opening to th e rear and th e lower foldin g down to form
an entry step.

LOHR RPX 90 armoured car fitted with Hispano-Suiza CNMP 90 mm MARS turret which features an externally-mounted gun

43
Variants
Although th e prototype was shown with th e ex perimental
Hispano-Su iza MARS 90 two-ma n turret, the RP X 90
armou red car can be fi tted wi th a wide range of other turrets
and has already been fit ted with a Hispano-S uiza CNMP
Serval turret armed with a 60 mm breech-loaded morta r,
20 mm ca nnon and 7.62 mm machine gun. T his turret is full y
decribed in the following entry. It has also been fitted with
th e turret armed with six MATRA SATC P surface-to-air
missi les, a lthough this system has ye t to enter production .

LOHR RPX 90 armoured ca r fitted with Hispano-Sui za CNMP

Serval turret armed with 60 mm breech-loade d mortar: 20 mm
ca nnon and 7.62 mm machine gun

SPECIFICATIONS TRACK 2.13 m TRANSM ISSION automatic. 6 forwa rd and 1

WHEELBASE 2.95 m reverse gears
CREW 3 ANGLE OF APPROACHI STEERING hydraulic assisted
CONFIGURATION 4 x 4 DEPARTURE 45·/45· TYRE S 20.5 R 20.5 S with run flat
COMBAT WE IGHT 10000 kg MAX ROAD SPEED 105 km/h capability
WEIGHT UNLOADED MA X CROSS-COUNTRY BRAKES discs on all wheels
AND WITHOUT TURRET 7000 kg SPEED 53 km/h ARMAMENT
POWER·TO·WEIGHT MAX RANGE (road) 1000 km (main) 1 x 90 mm
RATIO 25 hp/tonne FORDING 1.4 m (coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mm MG
LENGTH (without GRADIENT 60% ARMAMENT
armament) 5.20 m SIDE SLOPE 40% (main) 1 x 90 mm
WtDTH 2.65 m VERTI CAL OBSTACLE 0.6 m (coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mm
HEtGHT TURN ING RADIU S 7.5 m AMMUNITION
( ~ull top) 1.725 m ENG INE 6-cylinder water-cooled (main) 60
(tu rret) 2.52 m turbo-charged diesel (coaxia l) 2000
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.5 m developing 250 hp

Status: Prototype. Manufacturer: LOHR, 67980 H angenbieten, France.

Panhard ERC Armoured Car
Development
The ERC (E ngin de Reconnaissan ce Cannon) range of
armoured cars was d eveloped by Pan ha rd as a priva te ven-
ture from 1975 and is aimed specifically at th e ex port market.
The range was first shown in 1977 at th e Satory Exhibition of
Military Equipment and entered produ ction th e following
year a t Panhard's new factory a t Marolles. First produ ction
ve hicles were completed in 1979 . The ERC ra nge of
a rm oured cars shares many a utomotive componen ts with th e
Pan hard VCR range of armoured personnel carri ers which
we re also shown for th e first time in 1977.
The French Army req uires at leas t 53 Pan hard ERC 90 F4
Sagaie armoured cars a nd the first of th ese were deli vered in
1982. They are being issued to th e two uni ts assigned to rapid
deploymen t overseas, th e Regiment d' Infanterie de C hars de
Marines which is based at Vannes in Brittany and th e Regi-
ment de Hussards Parachutistes based at Tarbes in th e
Pyrenees.

Panhard ERC 90 F4 Sagai e fitted with TS 90 turret with 90 mm gun Description

depressed The all-welded steel hull provides th e crew with protection
from sma ll arms fire and shell splin ters. The floor of th e hull
consists of two pla tes welded togeth er to form a flat V which
helps th e vehicle to slide off obs tacles and stiffens th e fl oor
aga inst da mage from mines.
The driver is seated a t the front of th e hull , slightly to the
left of th e vehicl e's centre lin e. His hatch is in two parts: one
part, which contains th e forward -fa cing periscope, folds for-
ward onto th e glacis plate and th e second part folds upwards.
The forw ard periscope can be replaced by an infra-red or
image-intensifi cation peri scope for night driving, and th ere is
an additiona l peris cope either sid e of th e driver's hatch cover.
The turret is mounted in th e centre of th e vehicle and as
each version has a different turret th ey are described in detail
und er variants. All vehicles in th e range are powered by a
militarised version of a Peugeot V-6 petrol engine which
develops 155 hp a t 5500 rpm. Power is taken from th e engine
through a single-plate clutch to a transvers ely-mou nted

44
Pan hard ERC 90 F4 Sagaie fitted with TS 90 turret with 90 mm gun
Pa n ha rd gea rbox with six forwa rd a nd one reverse gears a nd
inco rpora ting a Pa n hard cam-type limited slip differential
from which th e dri ve is ta ken to either side of th e vehi cle .
Drive is th en ta ken by half-shafts to bevel gea rs a t th e centre
wheel sta tions a nd th en sha fts ta ke power to th e bevel gears a t
th e front wheel stati ons. The rea r wheel bevel gea rs a re
dri ven by shafts directl y from th e gearbox. The dri ve from th e
centre to th e front wheel on each side incorpora tes a noth er
cam-typ e limited slip differentia l. Power is tra nsmitted from
th e bevel boxes to th e wheels by a tra in of gears ho used within
tra iling a rms which independ entl y locate th e wheels. The
front a nd rea r wheels a re sprung by single coil springs with
concentri c telesco pic hydra uli c da mpers. The centre wheels,
which a re raised off th e ground when on roads, a re sprung by
h y dr~-pn e um a ti c uni ts. The centre wheels a re powered even
when ra ised cl ea r of th e road surface.
Only th e front wheels a re steered , a nd stee ring is hydra uli-
cally assisted . The low-press ure tyres a re fitt ed with Hutch-
inson cellula r inner tubes, whi ch ena ble th e ve hicle to travel
for at least 100 km a t 30 km/ h when th e tyres have been
punctured by bullets.
The bas ic ve hicle can ford to a depth of 1.2 metres without
prepa ra ti on but two different a mphibio us models of th e ERC
ha ve al read y been d eveloped . Both models have a trim vane
mounted a t th e front of th e hull which is folded back onto th e
Panhard ERC 90 F4 Sagaie fitted with TS 90 turret firing its 90 mm gun . Note water jets at rear of hull
glacis pl a te when no t in use a nd has a tra nspa rent pa nel in its
centre to ena ble the driver to have a clear view a head , a nd
sheet metal fl oats over th e wheel s tatio ns which a re fill ed with
closed- cell foam . A rea r opening door is provided in th e left
side of th e hull. Before entering th e wa ter th e trim vane is
erected a nd th e two tubul a r du cts a t the sides of th e engine
compa rtm ent a re hydra uli call y swivelled into th e vertical
position to prevent wa ter entering th e engine compa rtm ent.
The radia tor compartm ent is allowed to fl ood , as when th e
vehicl e is afl oat cooling is by wate r-to-wa ter heat transfer.
The first a mph ibio us model is propelled in th e water by its
wheels a nd th e second by two Dowty-Messier hyd roj ets.
All models ha ve a turret-mounted ventilato r a nd in te rn a l
lights as stand a rd. Optional equipment includes a n NBC
sys tem, gro und naviga ti on compass, air-co nditio ning
equipment a nd a front mounted winch with 60 metres of
ca ble a nd a capacity of 3500 kg.
Variants
ERe 90 F4 Sagaie
This was th e first model to enter produ ction a nd is fi tted wi th
a GI AT T S 90 tu rret a rm ed with a 90 mm g un which can fi re
th e following a mmunitio n:
45
Type Canister HE HEAT Smoke
DESIGNATION ODDR OE 90 Fl ' OCC 90-62t OFUM PH*
WEIGHT OF PROJECTILE 5.28 kg 5.28 kg 3.65 kg 5A kg
WEIGHT OF FILLING 4 kg 0_945 kg 0.67 kg 0.8 kg
LENGTH OF PROJECTILE 158 mm 480 mm 500 mm 480 mm
WEIGHT OF CARTRIDGE lO A kg 10A2 kg 8.95 kg 10.54 kg
MUZZLE VELOCITY 750 mls 750 mls 950 mls 750 mls

' practic e projectile is OE 90 PLN

twill penetrate 320 mm of armour at 0' incidence
will penetrate 120 mm of arm ou r at 65° incidence
practice version called SCC 90 Fl
*will lay a 50-metre wide smokescreen which wi ll last 20-30 seconds
Recently developed is an APFSDS projectile with a muzzle veloci ty of 1275 metres a
second which will penetrate 120 mm of armour at an inci dence of 60 degrees at a range
of 2000 metre s; projectil e we ight is 3.3 kg

A 7.62 mm machine gun is mounted coaxia lly to the left of

th e ma in a rmam ent and two smoke dis chargers a re mounted
Pan hard ERG 90 F1 Lynx with turret traversed left and
either side of th e turret a t th e rear. The co mm a nd er is seated commander manning external machine gun
on th e left side of th e turret a nd th e g unner on the ri g ht, both
with a single-piece hatch cover th at opens to th e rear. The
comm a nd er is provided with seven periscopes a nd the g un- with th e same GIAT 90 mm F4 gun as th e original ERC 90
ner fi ve and th e gunner also has a n M 563 telescopic sight F4 Sagaie whi ch has the GIAT TS 90 turret.
with a magnification of X5.9. Of 20 rounds of 90 mm The commander is on th e left and gunn er on right, and
ammunition ca rri ed in th e turret, 12 a re HEAT a nd 8 HE. both have a co mbined day/ night plus perisco pes for observa-
Optio nal turret eq uipment includes a n a nti-aircraft machine tion The 90 mm gun has an elevation of + 15 d egrees a nd a
gun, day/ night telescope a nd a lase r ra ngefind er, a nd depression of - 8 degrees with turret traverse a full 360
developments pla nn ed includ e indepe nd ent eleva tion of the degrees. Turret traverse can be elec tri c, hydra uli c or
coaxial machine gun, option of having th e 7.62 mm machin e electro- hydraulic.
gun replaced by a 12 .7 mm machine gun a nd a fire-co ntrol A 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm machine gun can be mounted
system for engaging movin g targets. The turret is mounted coaxial to th e left a nd a 7.62 mm machin e g un can be
with a new gun m a ntlet which a llows super-elevation of th e mounted ex terna ll y on commander's cupol a for a nti-aircraft
main armament to + 35 degrees ena bling it to be used aga inst defence. A tota l of 23 rounds of 90 mm and 2000 rounds of
high and co ncealed ta rgets. 7.62 mm machine g un ammunition are carri ed. A wide range
Pan hard offers six options for th e vehicl e, eac h with a of options is available for this turret including a stabilisation
weight ind ex of I or 2, a nd th e use r can select optio ns up to a n system a nd various types of fire control system including a
index offour. The optio ns are amphibious kit propelled in th e lase r rangefi nder.
water by its whee ls ( I), a mphibious kit propelled in th e water Loaded weight is 8300 kg, empty weight 7700 kg, leng th
by hydroj ets (2), NBC system (I), a ir-co nditioning sys tem/ hull 4.91 m, width 2.495 m, height overall 2.382 m a nd
hea ter ( I), a n additi ona l 10 round s of 90 mm a nd 1000 height to hull top 1.502 m. Other data is ident ical to th e
rounds on ·62 mm a mmunition ( I) a nd a gro und nav iga ti on Pan hard ERC 90 F4 Sagaie.
system (I).
ERC 90 F1 Lynx
ERC 90 F4 Sagaie TT8 190 This is fitted with a Lynx 90 turret designed and manufac-
This was shown for the first tim e at the 1983 Satory Exhibi- tured by Hispa no-Suiza and armed with a 90 mm FI g un,
tion of Military Equipment and is th e basic chassis fitted with 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun a nd two smoke disch a rgers on
th e new SAMM TTB 190 two-m a n turret which is a rmed either side of th e turret at th e rear. The g un fir es the foll owing
a mmunition:
Pan hard ERG 90 F4 Sagaie fitted with SAMM DB 190 turret
Type HEAT HE Smoke Canister
WEIGHT OF
COMPLETE ROUND 7.1 kg 8.9 kg 9.1 kg 8.9 kg
WEIGHT OF
PROJECTILE 3.65 kg 5.28 kg 5A kg 5.28 kg
MUZZLE VELOCITY 750 mls 650 mls 640 mls 640 mls

Th e commander is seated on th e left of th e turret with th e

gunner on the right. The co mmander is provided with a
cupola with a single-piece hatch cover th a t opens to the rea r
and eight periscopes for all- round o bserv a tion. The g unn er is
provided with a single-pi ece ha tch cove r th a t opens to th e
rear. Vision equipment consists ofa co mbined day and night
passive periscope mod el TJN 2.90 (SOPELEM) , TCV 107
laser rangefinder (CILAS/SOPELEM) a nd 12 periscopes
(nine type L 794 B and three type L 794 D). A tota l of 21
rounds of90 mm ammunition are ca rri ed in th e turret and if

46
req uired a 7.62 mm machine gun can be fi tted for an ti-
aircraft defence.
Panhard offers six options for th e ve hicle, identi cal to those
offered for th e ERC 90 F4 Saga ie exce pt th at it can ca rry a n
additiona l 20 ro unds of 90 mm a mmunition ra th er th an th e
10 in th e ERC 90 F4 Sagaie.
ERC TG 120 Guepard
This model is no longe r offered .
ERC 60-20 Serval
This is fitted with a 60-20 Serval turret designed a nd manu-
factured by Hispano-Suiza and is a rm ed with a 60 mm
breech-loaded mortar which can be elevated from - 8 to + 80
degrees and a 20 mm cannon mounted at th e right rear of the
turret which can be elevated from -8 to + 50 degrees. The
60 mm mortar can be either a Hotchkiss Brandt HB 60 with a
maximum range of2600 metres or a H otchkiss Brandt HB 60
LP with a max imum range of 5000 metres. The 20 mm
cannon can either be a French M693 du al-feed cannon with
300 rounds of HE and 37 rounds of AP a mmunition for ready
use or an HS 820 (Oerlikon KAD-BI6 ) single-feed cann on
with 300 rounds of read y-use a mmunition. If requ ired , a
Panhard ERC 60-20 Serval armoured car
Pan hard ERC 60/12 Mangouste armoured car, first shown in June
1983 (Christopher F Foss)
Panhard EMC 81 mm mortar gun carrier
7.62 mm machine gun can be mounted coaxiall y to th e right
of th e 20 mm cannon.
Vision equipment includes one sighting periscope, nine
observati on periscopes and a n optional night periscope.
Pan hard offers seven op ti ons for this vehicle, identical to
th e ERC 90 F4 Sagaie exce pt th at an addi tional I 00 rounds of
20 mm and 1000 rounds on.62 mm ammun ition a re carri ed
( I) and/ or 20 60 mm mortar projectiles ( I).
ERC 60/12 Mangouste
This was shown for th e first time at th e 1983 Satory Exhibi-
tion of Mi litary Equipment an d is th e bas ic chass is fitted with
th e new Hispano-Suiza 60112 Mangouste turret armed with
a 60 mm Brandt HB LP mortar, 12. 7 mm M2 HB machine
gun a nd a 7.62 mm anti-a ircraft machin e gun. The 60 mm
mortar has an elevation of + 85 degrees and th e 12.7 mm
machine gun an eleva ti on of + 55 degrees; both weapons have
a depression of + 12 degrees. Turret traverse a nd weapon
elevati on is manual. A tota l of6 5 rounds (of which 30 are for
emergency use) of 60 mm, 1200 rou nds of 12.7 mm and 800
rounds of 7.62 mm am munition a re carri ed.
EMC 81 mm Mortar Gun Carrier
The EMC (Engin Blinde Mortier-Cannon) is fitted with an
open- to pped tu rre t armed with an 81 mm breech-loaded
mortar with a 7.62 mm machine gun mou nted on the top of
the turret for anti-a ircraft use. The 81 mm mortar fires stan-
dard 6 kg HE mortar bombs to a range of more than 7000
metres and can a lso fire a 1.4 kg APFSDS proj ectile with a
muzzle velocity of 100 metres a second. The 78 mortar bombs
are carried in th e rear of th e turret but th e six APFSDS
projectiles a re carried in th e front of th e turret basket ready
for immed ia te use. Turret traverse a nd weapon elevation are
manual.
Panhard offers five options for this vehicle, each with a
weight index of I or 2 and th e user can select options up to an
index of four. The op ti ons are amphibious kit propell ed
in th e water by its wheels ( I), a mphibious kit propell ed in th e
water by hydrojets (2) , ai r- conditioning/ heating system ( 1),
NBC sys tem carri ed in the hull ( 1) and a ground naviga tion
system ( 1).
ERC with SAMM TIS 125 turret
For trials purposes th e ERC has been fitted with th e SAMM
TTB 125 two-man turret arm ed wi th a 25 mm Hughes Chain
47
 ERe with SAMM TAB 220 20 mm turret
Th is mode l, known as the ERC 20 Kri ss was fi rst shown in
public during th e 1983 Sa tory Exhibition of Military Equip-
m ent. The SAMM TAB 220 two-man turret is ar med with
twin 20 mm ca nno n with each being prov ided with 280
round s o f read y use a mmuniti on. Turret trave rse is powered
through a fu ll 360 d egrees a nd th e weapons ca n be ele va ted
fro m - 10 d egrees to + 70 d egrees.

ERe with SATep SAMS

MATRA has proposed us ing th e ERC chass is for a n anti -
aircraft vehicle using th e MATRA SATCP mi ss iles, with six
missil es in the read y to la un ch pos itio n, eg three eith er side of
th e turret.

Panhard ERe 25 Lanza fitted with SAMM TIB 125 two- man turret
Argentinian vehicles
A utomoti ve co mponents of th e ERC/ VC R fami ly a re a lso
used in a fa mil y of ve hicl es th a t th e co mpa ny has developed
to mee t th e requirements of Argent in a in co mpetition with
d es ig ns ca rri ed out by Rena ult with th eir VBC/ VAB. Ava il-
a ble d etail s a re give n in thi s secti o n und er Arge ntin a.

Panhard ERe 20 Kriss fitted with SAMM TAB 220 two-man turret

Panhard ERe with SAMM twin 20 mm S 530 A anti-aircraft turret

g un a nd a coaxia l 7.62 mm m ac hin e g un. Turret trave rse is

elec tri c thro ug h a full 360 d egrees with weapon eleva tion a lso
elec tri c from -8 to +50 d egrees . A total of 140 ro und s of
ready use 25 mm a nd 200 ro und s of read y use 7.62 mm
a mmunition a re ca rri ed. This mod el is known as th e ERC 25
La nza a nd has a load ed weight of 7300 kg a nd a n empty
weig ht 01'6800 kg. It has not yet bee n pla ced in produ ction.

ERe with SAMM S 530 A 20 mm turret

Shown fo r the first tim e at th e 198 1 Sa tory Exh ibition of
Military Equipment was th e Panha rd ERC (6 x 6) chass is
fitted with th e SAMM twin 20 mm S 530 A a nti- a ircra ft
turret as fitted to the Pa nh a rd AML (4 x 4) a rm oured ca r.
Detail s of thi s sys tem a re given in th e entry for th e Pa n ha rd
AML a rmoured car.

ERe with ESD TA-20 turret

Shown for the first tim e a t th e 1981 Pa ris Air Sh ow was th e
Pa nha rd ERC (6 x 6) chass is fitt ed with th e ESD TA-20
twin 20 mm turret. Turret trave rs e is a full 360 d egreeqmd
eleva ti o n fro m - 5 to + 50 d egrees, both powered. Each of th e
20 mm ca nnon is provided with 325 round s of read y use
a mmunition. Mounted a t th e rear of th e turret is a s urve il-
lance ra d a r. This mod el has not entered production on thi s
ch ass is, but th e turret is being produ ced for th e VAB (6 x 6) Panhard ERe (6 x 6) vehicle with ESD TA-20 turret with twin
and Panha rd M 3 (4 X 4) a rmoured pers onn el ca rri ers. 20 mm cannon

48
Panh a rd ERG 90 F1 Lynx s howing a mphibi ous capabil ities with s norke ls raised at rear of hull. Thi s ve rsio n has a 90 mm g un th at
can be e levate d to +35 degrees

SPECIFICATIONS
Model Sagaie Lynx Serval EMC 81
CREW 3 3 3 3
CONFIGURATION 6 x 6 6 x 6 6 x 6 6 x 6
COMBAT WEIGHT 8100 kg 7700 kg 7000 kg 8000 kg
POWER-TO-WEIGHT
RATI O 19.13 hp/tonne 20.12 hp/tonne 22. t 4 hp/tonne t 9.37 hp/tonne
LENGTH GUN FORWARDS 7.693 m 6. tt5 m 5.26 m 5.26 m
LENGTH HULL 5.098 m 5.30 m 5.26 m 5.26 m
WI DTH 2.495 m 2.495 m 2.495 m 2.495 m
HEIGHT
(overall) 2.254 m 2.147 m 2.333 m 2.348 m
(to hull top) t .502 m t .502 m t .502 m 1.502 m
GROUND CLEARANCE
(road) 0.294 m 0.294 m 0.294 m 0.294 m
(cross country) 0.344 m 0.344 m 0.344 m 0.344 m
TRACK 2.135 m 2.135 m 2. t35 m 2.135 m
WHEELBASE 1.63 m + 1.22 m 1.63 m + 1.22 m 1.63 m + 1.22 m 1.63 m + t .22 m
ANGLE OF APPROACHI
DEPARTURE 48"/45" 48"145" 45"145" 45"145"
MAX SPEED
(road) 100 kmlh 100 kml h 100 kml h 100 kml h
(water, whee ls) 4.5 kml h 4.5 kml h 4.5 kml h 4.5 kml h
(water, hyd ro iets) 9.5 kml h 9.5 kml h 9.5 kml h 9.5 kml h
MAX RANGE (road) 800 km 800 km 800 km 800 km
FUEL CAPACITY 2421itres 242 litres 242 litres 242 litres
FORDING 1.2 m 1.2 m 1.2 m 1.2 m
GRADIENT 60% 60% 60% 60%
SIDE SLOPE 30% 30% 30% 30%
VERTICAL OBSTACLE 0.8 m 0.8 m 0.8 m 0.8 m
TRENCH Um 1.1 m 1.1 m Um
ENGIN E Peugeot V-6 petrol developi ng 155 hp at 5500 rpm
TRANSMISSION Pan hard with 6 forward and 1 reverse gears
STEERI NG power-assisted
CLUTCH hydrau lic controlled disc
TYRES 11 .00 x 16 11.00 x 16 11.00 x 16 11 .00 x 16
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 V 24 V 24 V 24 V
ARMAMENT
(main) 1 x 90 mm 1 x 90 mm 1 x 60 mm 1 x 81 mm
(coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mm MG 1 x 7.62 mm MG 1 x 20 mm none
(independent
elevation)
(anti-aircraft) 1 x 7.62 mm MG 1 x 7.62 mm MG 1 x 7.62 mm MG 1 x 7.62 mm MG
optional optional optional
AMMUN ITION
(main) 20 21 50 84
(coaxial) 2000 2000 250 none
(anti-aircraft) included in above included in above 1000 2000
TURRET POWER
TRAVERSE manual manual manual manua l
GUN ELEVATIONI
DEPRESS ION + 15"1- 8" + 35"1- 8" + 80 mortar
0
+ 68"1 -8"
+ 50° cannon/ -Bo
The ERC armoured car is now being offered wi th the Mercedes-Benz OM 617 A super-charged diesel engine developing 115 hp at 4200 rpm. Thisgives a road range of 1000 km
compared tothe 800 km of th e current production version .

Status: [n produ ctio n. In service with Arge ntina (36 Lynx
ordered for Marines), C had (four ERC 90 Lynx deli vered in
1983 of whi ch one has been lost in combat) , France (53 ERC
90 F4 req uired of wh ich 20 have been ordered), I raq
(unco nfir med) , I vo ry Coast (E RC 90 F4 Sagaie, seven
ordered in 1979 a nd now delive red), Mexico (42 Ly nx
orde red and deli vered) and Niger (E RC 60-20 Serva l).
Manufacturer: Societe de Constr uctio ns Mecaniques
Pa nhard et Levassor, 18 avenue d' I vry, 7562 1 Paris, France.

49
Pan hard AML Light Armoured Car
Development
In 1956, foll owing th e s uccessful use of th e British Ferret
sco ut ca r by th e French Arm y in No rth Afri ca, th e French
Arm y iss ued a requiremen t for a simil a r vehicl e but with a
more powerful a rm a ment a th e Ferret was ar med onl y with a
single 1.62 mm machin e g un w hich, in th e case of th e Mk I,
was p int le mounted. At one tim e it was thought th a t th e
Ferret was to be ma nufactured und er licence in Fra nce but
th e French a rm oured m a nufac turers resisted this sugges ti on.
Pa nh a rd , whi ch was buildin g th e EBR (8 x 8) heavy
a rmo ured ca r a t th e tim e, was awa rd ed a contract to build th e
prototype whi ch was compl eted in 1959 und er th e Pa n ha rd
designa ti o n Mod el 245 . Savi em a nd D EFA-AMX a lso built
pro totype ve hicl es, but a ft er tri a ls th e Pa nh a rd model was
acce pted for se rvice with th e French Arm y as th e AM L
(A utomitra illeuse Lege re) a nd first produ ction ve h icl es we re
delivered to th e French Arm y in 196 1.
S ince th en th e AML has been built in ve ry large numbers,
a lth o ug h now it rema ins in production for ex port o nl y. T o
d a te ove r 4000 AMLs have been built a nd th e ra nge has bee n
co ntinu o usly ex pa nd ed to ena bl e th e vehicle to und erta ke
additi ona l roles. The AML has a lso been m a nufac tured
und er lice nce in South Afri ca by Sand ock-A ustra l Limited as
th e Eland . Th ere is a se pa ra te entry for this vehicl e und er
South Afri ca . The Pa nh a rd M 3 a rm o ured perso nn el carri er,
use 95 per cent of th e a uto motive components of th e AM L,
a nd ma ny a rm ies have bought compl ete fl ee ts of AM L
a rm o ured ca rs a nd M 3 a rm ou red perso nn el ca rri ers.
Panhard AML wi th H 90 turret armed with 90 mm gun
50
Description (AML 90)
The a ll-welded steel hull of th e AM L is divided into three
co mpa rtm ents: dri ver's a t th e front, fighting in th e centre a nd
th e engin e a t th e rea r.
The driver is sea ted a t th e front of th e hu ll a nd is provided
with a singl e-piece ha tch cove r th a t opens to th e right with
three integ ra l periscopes, th e centre one of which can be
replaced by a n infra-red or image- intensification peris cope
for ni g ht dr iving.
The all- weld ed turret is m a nufac tured by H ispano-Sui za.
The co mm a nd er is sea ted on th e left of the turret a nd th e
g unn er on th e ri g ht, bo th with a single-piece ha tch cove r th a t
opens to th e rea r. The comm a nd er a nd g unn er eac h have four
L 794B periscopes and th e gunn er a lso has a type M262 or
M 37 sighting perisco pe. The M 37 has a magnifi ca tio n of X6.
A sea rchlight is mounted forward of th e co mm a nd er's ha tch.
Either side of th e hull below th e turret ring is a n entry d oor,
th e left door, on whi ch th e spa re wh eel a nd tyre is mounted ,
opens to th e rea r, th e rig ht d oor opens to the front.
The eng in e is a t the rea r of th e h ull a nd two access panels
a re provided over th e engin e co mpartment. T he gearbox is
crossw ise a nd co nsists of two gea rboxes in one (high and
low), co up led on both sides of th e bevel pinion. The low-
ra nge box is for cross-co untry use a nd comprises two low
gea rs, a top gea r a nd one reverse gea r. When th e low-ra nge
box is in norm al dri ve th e four ra tios of th e high-range box
co mm a nd th e four upper gea rs of th e ra nge: sixth , fifth ,
fourth a nd third. The hi g h-ra nge box is for normal road use
a nd has three low gears a nd one overdrive. There are
Pa n ha rd type ba ll differenti a ls in th e gea rbox a nd in each
rea r transfer box whi ch a uto ma ti call y preve nt gea r slip.
 wa ter it is propell ed a t a speed of 6 to 7 km/ h by a sing le
p ropeller a t th e rea r of th e hull , s teering by using th e fro nt
wheels as norm a l.

Variants

AML with H 90 Turret

Thi s mod el is fitted with a n H 90 turret ma nu fac tured by
Hispa no-Sui za a nd is a rm ed with a 90 mm D 92 1 F I g un
whi ch fi res :

Type HEAT HE Smoke Canister

WEIGHT OF
COMPLETE ROU ND 7.1 kg 8.9 kg 9.1 kg 8.9 kg
WEIGHT OF
PROJECTILE 3.65 kg 5.28 kg 5.4 kg 5.28 kg
MUZZLE VELOCITY 750 m/s 640 m/s 640 m/s 640 m/s
Fre nch Army Pan hard AM L with H 90 turret
All of th e above are fin-stabilised an d the HEAT project ile will penetrate 320 mm of
armour at an incidence of 0° or 120 mm at 65°

A 7.62 mm machin e g u n is moun ted to th e left of th e ma in

a rm a ment a nd a sim il a r wea pon, or a 12. 7 mm (0.50)
m achin e g un , ca n be mounted on th e roof fo r a nti-aircraft
d efence. T wo s moke disc ha rge rs mo unted on either side of
th e t urre t a re electri ca ll y fi red from within th e ve hi cle . T his
mod el was ori gin a ll y offered with two SS-II or ENT AC
ATGWs mo un ted either sid e of th e ma in a rm a ment. T his
mod el is no lo nger in prod ucti on.

AML with Lynx 90 Turret

Pan hard AML with H 90 turret of 1st Armoured Car Squadron ,
Irish Army (De ni s McCarthy)
Dri ve is tra nsmitted from th e gea rbox to two la teral tra ns-
fer boxes via pinions to th e rea r wheels a nd via dri ve sha fts
tha t run a long th e inside of th e hull to th e front wheels.
The independ ent suspension a t each wheel sta tion co nsists
of coil springs a nd hydro-pneum a ti c shock a bso rbers ac ting
on th e tra iling a rm s of th e wh eel mecha nism. The tyres a re
fitted with unpun ctura ble Hutchinson inner tu bes.
T he bas ic vehicle has no NB C sys tem or ni ght fi ghting
aids, but th ey ca n be fitt ed as optiona l ex tras as can a n
a ir-conditi oning sys tem a nd a n a mphibious kit. The kit co n-
sists of a meta l box stru cture whi ch is perm a nentl y a ttached
to th e hull a nd fill ed with ex pa nded polyure th a ne whi ch
forms a screen against hollow-cha rge proj ectil es a nd eve n if
hit by a n in cendia ry bullet will not catch fire. Wh en in the
This has now re placed th e A ML with H 90 turret in p rodu c-
tio n a nd has th e sa m e a rma m ent as th e H 90 turret bu t ca n be
fitt ed with pass ive ni gh t vision equipm en t, lase r ra ngefi nd er
a nd powe red trave rse.
AML with HE 60-7 Turret
Thi s mod el is fi tted with a n H 60 turre t a rm ed with tw in
7. 62 mm machin e g uns on th e left a nd a sing le 60 mm mort a r
on th e ri gh t. T he machin e g un s ca n be eleva ted fr om - 15 to
+ 60 d egrees a nd th e mor ta r from - 15 to + 80 d egrees . T he
H otchkiss Bra nd t M od el HB 60 ca n be used in th e direct role
up to a ra nge of300 met res or in the indirect role up to a ra nge
Pan hard AML with Lynx 90 turret and Thomson-CSF pass ive
night vision equipment ove r main armame nt

Pan hard AM L with H 90 turret armed with 90 m~ gun

51
of2600 metres. In th e basic model 53 morta r bombs a nd 3800
rounds of 7. 62 mm mac hin e gun a mmunition a re ca rri ed ; if
additi ona l radios a re insta ll ed for th e comm a nd role a mmu-
nition is redu ced to 32 morta r bombs a nd 3200 rounds of
machin e g un a mmunition. T ypes of morta r bo mb include
H E, ca ni ster, smoke a nd illumina ting.
The turret is prov ided with a la rge two-piece ha tch cove r
th a t opens to th e front a nd rea r of th e vehicle, seven peri-
scopes 0nodel L794B) a nd a n M11 2/ M 11 3 periscope with a
magni fica tio n of X5 fo r a iming. This model was orig ina ll y
offered with four ENTAC ATGWs mounted a t th e rea r of th e
turret, whi ch slid out on ra ils, two either side of th e turret,
before being la unched.

AML with HE 60-12 Turret

T his is a lmos t identi cal to th e H E 60- 7 turret but is a rm ed
with a 12. 7 mm (0.50 ) machine g un a nd a 60 mm HB 60
Bra nd t mo rta r. The machin e g un ca n be eleva ted from - 15 Panhard AML with HE 60-7 turret armed with 60 mm mortar and
to + 60 degrees a nd th e mortar from -1 5 to + 80 degrees. two 7.62 mm MGs (ECP Armees)
Fo rty-three morta r bombs a nd 1300 rOllnds of 12.7 mm
machine g un a mmunitio n a re ca rri ed. If additi ona l radios
are car ried a mmuni tion load is redu ced to 3 1 rounds of
60 mm a nd 900 round s of 12.7 mm machin e g un a mmuni-
ti on.

AML with HE 60-20 Turret

This is a lmost identi cal to the H E 60-7 tu rre t but is a rm ed
with a 20 mm cannon a nd a 60 mm DTAT M odel CS or a n
HB 60 Bra ndt morta r. The cann on can be eleva ted from - 8
to + 50 degrees a nd th e morta r from -1 5 to +80 degrees.

Panhard AML with HE 60-7 turret armed with 60 mm mortar and

two 7.62 mm machine guns

Pan hard AML with HE 60-12 turret arm ed with 60 mm mortar and
12.7 mm MG (ECP Armees)

When fitt ed with th e DTAT morta r 53 morta r bombs a nd

500 ro und s of 20 mm a mmunition a re ca rri ed, and if th e
Bra ndt morta r is insta lled 43 morta r bombs a re ca rried a nd
Pan hard AML with Lynx 90 turret 20 mm a mmunition sup ply re mains th e same. If additi ona l
radios a re insta lled for co mm a nd vehi cle use th e DT AT
morta r is provided with 32 morta r bombs a nd th e Bra ndt
with 3 1, a nd in both cases 500 ro und s of 20 mm a mmunition
a re carri ed . If required a 7.62 mm machin e g un can be
mounted on th e roof of th e turret for a nti- a ircraft defence
(This a pplies to a ll H E 60 turrets). This turret is no longer in
produ ction. Loaded we ight of a n A ML with th e HE 60-20
turret is 4800 kg.

AML with HE 60-20 Serval Turret

This is one of the la tes t ve rsions of the AML a nd is fitt ed with
a n HE 60- 20 Serva l turret des igned a nd ma nufactured by
Hispa no-Suiza a nd is a rm ed with a 60 mm breech-l oaded
m orta r which ca n be eleva ted from - 8 to + 80 degrees, a nd a
20 mm cann on mounted on th e right s id e of th e tu rret whi ch
can be eleva ted from - 8 to + 50 degrees . The 60 mm mortar
ca n be either a 60 mm HB 60 H otchkiss Bra ndt (max imum

52
range 2600 metres with M72 bomb ) or a 60 mm HB 60 LP
Hotchkiss Bra ndt long morta r (max imum range with LP
bomb being 5000 metres). The 20 mm cannon can be either a
French M693 du al-feed cannon with 300 ro unds of HE and
37 rounds of AP ammun ition for read y use or a n HS-820
Oerlikon KAD-B 16 single-feed cannon with 300 rounds of
ready-to-us e a mmunition. If required a 7.62 mm machine
gun can be mounted coaxially to th e right of th e 20 mm
cannon . Visio n equipment includes a sightin g periscope,
nine observation periscopes with th e option offitting a night
periscope.
AML with S 530 Turret
This was developed specifi call y for export a nd is a basi c
AML fitt ed with a turret manufactured by SAMM (Societe
d'A pplications des Machines Motrices) , armed with twin
M621 cannon with a n eleva ti on of + 75 degrees, depression of
-10 degrees, a nd turret traverse of 360 degrees. Elevation
a nd traverse are both powered , max imum elevation speed
being 40 degrees a second and maximum traverse speed
Panhard AML with HE 60-20 turret armed with 60 mm mortar and
20 mm cannon
Pan hard AML with HE 60-20 Serval turret
AML with SAMM S 530 turret armed with twin 20 mm cannon
being 80 degrees a second. The all-welded steel turre t's front
is 15 mm thi ck a nd th e sides and rea r are 7 mm thi ck.
A total of 600 rounds of 20 mm ammunitio n are carri ed
and th e g unn er can select either single s hots, bursts o r full
a utomatic. Cyclic rate of fir e is 740 rounds per minute per
barrel. The foll owing types of 20 mm ammun ition ca n be
fired: HE-T with a muzzle velocit y of 900 metres a second,
HE with a muzzle velocity of 1026 metres a second , HE-I
with a mu zzle velocity of 1026 metres a second a nd AP with a
muzzle ve locity of 1000 metres a second . The AP projectile
will penetra te 23 mm of a rmo ur a t a ra nge of 1000 me tres.
Automotive cha racteristi cs a re similar to th e bas ic AML 90
but th e overall leng th of th e vehicle with turret trave rsed
forwa rd is 3.95 metres, length of hull is 3.79 metres and
height to top of turret is 2.24 metres. The onl y know n user of
this version is Venez uela.
AML with TG 120 Turret
This is fitt ed with th e TG 120 turret designed and manufac-
tured by SAMM a nd is armed with a 20 mm cann on with a
7.62 mm machine g un mo unted coaxiall y to th e left of th e
main a rm a ment. Of 240 rounds of ready-u se a mmunition
carried 140 are HE and 80 a re AP rounds. Four smoke
discha rgers a re mounted a t th e rea r of th e turre t. Both th e
comma nder a nd th e gunner are provided with a single-piece
hatch cover that opens to th e rear. This model of th e AML
has ye t to enter produ cti on . In 1983 th e TG 120 turret was
renam ed th e TTB 120.
EPR Scout Car
The EPR (4 x 4) sco ut ca r is th e standard AML with th e
turret removed a nd repl aced by a ring-mounted 12. 7 mm M2
HB machin e gun a nd two lateral 7.62 mm machine gu ns.
This vehicle is also availa bl e with th e s ta nda rd Pa nhard
petrol engine replaced by th e Peugeo t XD 3T diesel engin e.
It has a three-man crew and weighs between 3700 a nd
4200 kg d epending on th e a rmam en t installatio n. The follow-
ing versio ns of th e EPR a re being offered:
ERA a rm ed raid vehicl e: a rmed with one 12 .7 mm a nd two
7.62 mm machine g uns or one 20 mm cannon a nd two la teral
7.62 mm machin e gu ns, or one Euromissile MILAN ,fi rin g
post (a nd six missiles) a nd two lateral machine g uns.
EPF bord er pro tection veh icle: armed with one 12.7 mm
machine g un a nd a search light or two 7.62 mm machine g uns
equipped with a searchlight and 50 ha nd g renades.
EPA a irfi eld protection ve hicl e: a rm ed with three 7.62 mm
machine guns with a searchlight a nd 50 hand g renades.
53

Prototyp e of Pan hard EPR (4 x 4) sco ut car armed with 12.7 mm
M2 HB mac hin e gun
AML Jungle
This mod el was a nnoun ced inJ un e 1983 a nd is a lso ca lled th e
AM L sco ut ca r type BTM a nd is fitt ed with a SAMM one-
man ma nu a l turret a rm ed with o ne 12.7 mm a nd one
7.62 mm machin e g un which have a n elevation of + 45
d egrees a nd a d epression of -8 d egrees, with turret trave rse
being a full 360 d egrees . A to ta l of 1000 rounds of 12.7 mm
a nd 2300 round s of 7.62 mm a mmunition a re ca rri ed in th e
vehicl e. Mo unted on th e rig ht side of th e turret is a white light
sea rchlight th at moves in elevation with th e ma in a rm ament.
On th e forwa rd part of th e turret a re smoke discharge rs/
fragmenta ti on g rena d e la un chers firing forw a rd s. The AML
Jung le is powe red by th e Peugeo t XD 3T di esel developing
95 hp at 2500 rpm co upl ed to th e sta nd ard Pa n ha rd trans-
mission. Load ed weight is 4400 kg a nd empty we ig ht IS
4 100 kg. This model has ye t to enter productio n.
Panhard AML Jungle scout car s howi ng forward-firing
smoke/fragmentation launchers (Christopher F Foss)

Command model AML 20 (4 x 4) sco ut ca r with TL 20 SO turret,

7.62 mm MG fixed on left mudguard and two radio antennas

AML 20 Scout Car Pan hard AML 20 scout ca r with turret traversed to right and fitted
Thi s is th e AML chass is fitted with a TL 20 SO (Tourellaea u with high-powered binoculars
Lege r 20 mm Semi Ouvert ) turret wh ich is armed with a
20 mm M693 F2 ca nnon with a n eleva ti on of +50 d eg rees
a nd a de pressio n of -8 d egrees. A tota l of 1000 rounds of
20 mm am munition are carri ed of whi ch 100 a re ar mo ur-
piercing.
Two ve rsio ns of th e AML 20 are ava il a ble ; co mm a nd a nd
rank whi ch both have th e sa me turret. They eac h have a
7.62 mm machin e g un mounted on th e forw a rd left wing,
fix ed , a nd fired elec tri call y by the driver. The co mm a nd
model has a simil ar wea pon mo unted on th e upp er part of th e
turre t roof which has a n eleva tio n of +45 d egrees a nd a
d ep ressio n of - 15 degrees.
The com ma nd version has two ra dios whil e th e rank ver-
sion has one. Optica l equipm ent fitt ed includ es three L 794
peri scopes for th e driver (plus spa re), one day telescope Zeiss
H ensold with a magnifi ca ti on of x4, one nig ht telescope
Zeiss Oria n 11 0 wit h a mag nifi ca tion of x4, one pa ir of nig ht
dri ving binoc ulars OB4 1 with a mag nifi ca ti on of x I a nd one
pa ir of ni g ht observation binoc ul ars model OB42 with a
mag nifi ca ti on of x 4.
Automotive characteri sti cs are simil a r to th e basic AM L
but this mod el has a weig ht of 5 100 kg a nd a n overa ll heig ht
of 2 metres.

54
 AML scout car
This model was a nnou nced in] un e 1983 a nd is a lso kn own as
th e AML 20 scout car or Eda irge a nd is fitt ed with a new
Pan ha rd-d esig ned two-man turret wit h a n open roo r. Arma-
ment co nsists of a 20 mm G IAT M693 ca nn on with a
7.62 mm machine g un mounted coaxiall y to th e left with both
weapons hav ing an elevatio n of +45 degrees a nd depression
of -8 degrees; turret traverse is a fu ll 360 deg rees. A tota l of
1050 ro und s of20 mm a nd 2000 round s of7.62 mm a mmu-
nition are carri ed . Mo unted either sid e of th e forward pa rt of
th e turret is a bank of two electri call y operated smoke dis-
chargers. Optiona l eq uipment includes hig h power binoc u-
lars on a pintle mountin g and Euromiss ile M ILAN ATGW
system. This model is a lso powered by th e Peugeo t XD 3T
diesel engine a nd has a loaded weig ht of 5400 kg a nd a n
empty weight of 4600 kg. It has yet to enter production.

Panhard AML 20 scout car fitted wi th high-powered binoculars

and MILAN ATGW installation (Chri stopher F Foss)

SPECIFICATIONS (AML wilh H 90 turret) FORDING 1.1m ELECTRICAL SYS TEM 24 V

(wi lh kil) amphibious BATIERIES 2 x 12 V
GRADIENT 60% ARMAMENT
CREW SIDE SLOPE 30% (main) 1 x 90 mm
CONFIGURATION 4 x 4 VERTICAL OBSTACLE 0.3 m (coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mm MG
COMBAT WE IGHT 5500 kg TRENCH SMOKE-LAYIN G
POWEI;l-TO-WEIGHT (with 1 channel) 0.8 m EOUIPMENT 2 x 2 smoke dis-
RATIO 16.36 hpltonne (with 4 channels) 3.1 m chargers
LENGTH GUN TURNING RADIUS 6m AMMUNITION
FORWARDS 5. 11 m ENGINE Panhard Model 4 HD- (main) 20
LENGTH HULL 3.79 m 4-cylinder air-cooled petrol (coaxial) 2000
WIDTH 1.97 m developing 90 hp at 4700 (smoke grenades) 12
HEIGHT rpm FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM
(overall) 2.07 m TRANSMISSION manual with 6 forward Turret power control manual
(to hull top) 1.385 m and 1 reverse gears Max rate of traverse 360· in 20 s
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.33 m CLUTCH centrif ugal wilh Gun elevation/
TRA CK 1.62 m electro-magne ti c depression + 15·1- 8·
WHEELBASE 2.5 m automatic con trol Gun stabiliser
MAX ROAD SPEED SUSPENS ION independent. coil (vertical) no
(61h gear. high range) 90 kml h spring and hydro- (horizonlal) no
(51h gear. high range) 61 kml h pneumatic shock ARMO UR 8 - 12 mm
(41h gear. high range) 35 kmlh absorbers acting on sus-
(3rd gear. high range) 18.8 kml h pension trailing arms
(3rd gear. low range) 18.8 kml h of whee l mechan ism
(2nd gear. low range) 9.3 kml h TYRES 11 .00 x 16 -The AML 90wilh Ihe Hispano-Suiza Lynx turrel and olher
(lsi gear. low range) 4.5 kml h BRAKES members of Ihe AML lami ly are now being offered wilh
(reverse) 5.5 km/h (main) hydraulic, dual circuit Ihe Peugeol XD 3T 95 hp diesel in place 01 the standard
FUEL CAPACITY 156 litres (parking) handbrake operating Panhard petrol engine which gives an operational range
MAX RANGE (road) 600 km on gearbox output of 1000 km compared to 600 km of the original version .
shaft

Status: In production . In service with Algeria (AM L 60/7), Tunisi a (AM L 90) , United Arab Emirates (A ML 90), Upper
Angola (AML 90), Argentin a (AM L 90) , Ba hra in (AM L Vo lta (AM L 90), Venezuela (twin 20 mm se lf-propelled
90), Burundi (AM L 90 Lynx, AML 60) , C had (AML 90 a nd a nti-a ircraft gu n, AML 60 , AM L 90), Zaire (AM L 90, AM L
AML 60) , Ecuador (AM L 90, AM L 60/7) , EI Salvador 60/7) and Zimbabwe (from South Afri ca). As far as it is
(AML 90), France (Ar my and Gendarmerie, AML 90 a nd kn ow n it is no longer used by Cambod ia, Et hi opia, Israel,
AML 60/7) , Gabon (AM L 90, AML 60/7) , Iraq (AM L 90 Lebanon or Pakistan.
a nd AM L 60/7), I re la nd (AML 90 and AM L 60/7), Ivory
Coast (AM L 90 a nd AML 60/7) , ]ibuti (AML 60/7 a nd
AM L 90), Kenya (AM L 90, AM L 6017) , Ma lays ia (AM L
60, AML 90) , (Ma uritani a (AM L 90 a nd AML 60/7) ,
Morocco (AML 90and AML6017), Niger (AM L 60/7 , AML
90, Serval 60/20) , Nigeria (AM L 90, AML 60/7), Polisairo
guerillas, Portu ga l (AML 60/7), Rwa nd a (AM L 60/7) ,
Saudi Arab ia (A ML 90 a nd AML 60), Senegal (AML 60/7 ,
AM L 90), Somalia (AM L 60/7 , AML 90), South Africa (see
entry und er South Africa), Spain (Army AML 60/7 and Manufacturer: Socie te de Constr uctio ns Meca niques
AML 90, Marin es AM L 60/7), Togo (AM L 60/7 , AM L 90) , Pa nhard et Levassor, 18 avenue d ' I vry, 7562 1 Par is, France.

55
Vehicule Blinde Leger (VBl)
Th e French Army has a req uirement for a scout car in th e
three-ton ne class whi ch has been called th e Vehicu le Blinde
Leger. T o mee t this requirement Renau lt a nd Pa nhard have
each built proto types which were deli vered to th e French
Army in 1983. Th e Renaul t ve hicl e has its eng ine at th e rea r
wh ile th e Pa n ha rd model has its a t th e front. The tota l
require';n ent is for 600 veh icl es with a final selec tion expected
so me tim e in 1984.
The Pa n hard mod el is ca ll ed th e Mil , has a three-ma n
crew a nd weighs 3300 kg. It is powered by a Pe ugeo t diesel
engin e coup led to a n automatic transmission whi ch gives a
power-to-w eig ht ratio of 28 hp/ tonne. The hull is of a ll
we lded steel construction that provides protection for
7.62 mm ro unds a t a ll ra nges a nd agai nst 12.7 mm rounds a t
400 metres . Sta nd a rd equipm ent includes ZF powered stee r-
ing a nd a n NBC sys tem . I t is fully amp hibi ous, being propel-
led in th e wate r by its wheels.
A ra nge of a rm a ment in sta ll at ions ca n be fi tted includ ing
7.62 mm or 12.7 mm machine g uns, 20 mm ca nn on or a
Euromissile MILAN ATGW sys tem . In additi o n to building
three prototypes for th e French Army Panhard has built an
additi ona l three vehicles for export des ignated th e XM II
and is d evelop ing a n a rm oured person nel carr ier based on
th e sa me a uto motive compon ents.
Status: French Army tri a ls. Production decisio n du e in 1984
with an in se rvice date o n 1986.
LOHR RPX 6000 scout ca r fitted with Euromissile HOT HCTturret with four HOT ATGWs in ready to launc h position and 7.62 mm
MG above turret ce ntre
56
lOHR RPX 6000 Scout Car
Development
The RPX 6000 (4 x 4) Vehi cul e Blinde Leger a Ro ues has
been developed as a private venture by th e LOHR co mpa ny
a nd was shown for th e first tim e at th e 198 1Sa tory Exhibition
of Military Equipment.
Description
The vehicl e has an all-welded steel hull with th e three-man
crew compa rtm ent a t th e front a nd th e engi ne compartment
a t th e rea r. The driver is seated at th e front of th e hull a nd has
a bu ll et-proof windscreen to his front a nd sides wh ich in
action a re covered by hinged Raps raised by th e driver from
insid e th e ve hicle. There is a si ng le- piece ha tch cove r over the
driver's position.
rn either side of th e hull is a two-part entry hatch, th e
upper part fo lding to th e rear a nd th e lowe r part folding
downwards to form a step. There is a circul a r roof hatch in
th e centre of th e hull roof on whi ch a variety of a rmament
insta lla tions a re mounted including a Eurom iss ile MILAN
MCT turret with two MILA ATGWs ready to la un ch,
Euromissile HOT H CT turret with two or four HOT ATGW
in read y to launch position with 7.62 mm ma chin e g un
mounted over centre of turret, SAMM BTM 208 one-man
turret (form er designa ti on S 365- 1) a rm ed with a '12.7 mm
and a 7.62 mm mach ine gun , H elio turret with 12.7 mm
machin e g un a nd ex ternal grenad e la un chers, turret
mounted 20 mm cann on, 60 mm breech loaded morta r a nd
other lig ht turrets not exceedi ng a di a meter of 1.28 m.
LOHR RPX 6000 scout car fitted with British Helio turret armed
with 12.7 mm MG and grenade launchers

Variants
Va ri a nts of th e RPX 6000 s ugges ted by th e ma nufacturer LOH R RPX 6000 scout car with SAMM turret armed with 12.7 mm
includ e a co min a nd vehicle, personn el carri er, ra d a r ve hicl e, mac hin e gun and 60 mm grenade launcher which have an
co mm a ndlradio veh icle a nd a recovery vehicle. elevation of + 70° and depress ion of -yo

SPECIFICATIONS MAX ROAD SPEED 110 km/h FRONT SUSPENSION Iransveral paral lelogram.
RANGE 600 km or 10 hours co il spring . hydraulic shock
CREW . 3 (or 2 to 4) FORDING 0.95 m absorb er and stabili sati on
CONFtGURATI ON 4 x4 GRADIENT 60% bar
COMBAT WEIGHT 5200 kg to 6300 kg SIDE SLOPE 30% REAR SUSPENSION Irailing arm type, coil spring ,
LEN GTH 4.585 m VERTI CAL OBSTACLE 0.4 m hydraulic shock absorber
WIDTH 2.t64 m ENGI NE BMW 6·cylinder and stab il isation device
HEIGHT petrol developing TYRES t2.5 x 20 XS
(without armament) 1.65 m 180 hp BRAK ES hydraulic drums on a ll
GROUND CLEARAN CE 0.4 m TRAN SMI SS tON automatic wheels
TRACK 1.828 m TRAN SFER CASE 2·speed manual wi th
WHEELBASE 2.7 m differen ti al locks

Status: Prototype. Manufacturer: LOHR, 67980 H a nge nbi eten, Fra nce.

LOHR VPX 5000 Light Armoured Tracked Euromissi le MILAN MCT co mpact turret with two MILAN
Vehicle ATGWs in read y to la un ch position, one either side of turret.
Eurom issil e HOT HCT turret with two or four HOT
Development ATGWs in ready to la un ch positio n with 7.62 mm machin e
Shown for th e first tim e a t the 198 1 Satory Ex hibitio n of gun mounted over th e ce ntre of th e turret.
Milita ry Equ ipment was th e LOHR VPX 5000 light GIAT M asco t 7.62 mm remote controll ed machin e gun
armou red tracked vehicl e, whi ch ca n und erta ke a wide range mount with infa ntry MILAN over seco nd hatch a t rear of
hull.
of roles including a nti-ta nk a nd reconn a issan ce. This series
was preced ed by the VPX 110 fa mily of light tracked vehicl es LOHR VPX 5000 light tracked armoured vehi c le with GIAT
whi ch is no longe r offered by th e co mp any. Mascot 7.62 mm remote mount forwards and MILAN ATGW
mount at rear
Description
The VPX 5000's hull is ma d e of a ll-welded steel with th e
engin e a t th e rig ht front , dri ve r to th e left of th e eng ine and
th e crew co mpa rtment a t th e rear. There a re two openings in
th e roof on whic h va ri o us armament sys tems ca n be mo unted
and a d oo r in th e rea r of th e hull on th e left side.
The suspension consists of six road wheels with th e id ler a t
th e front, drive sprocket at th e rear a nd two track return
roll ers. The track consists of an end less rubber ba nd inter-
nally reinforced.

Variants
The LOHR VPX 5000 can be fitt ed with a wide range of
armament insta lla ti ons including th e followi ng:

57
LOHR VPX 5000 light tracked armou red vehicle fitted with SAM BTM 208 turret with 7.62 mm and 12.7 mm MGs

SAMM BTM 208 turret (former d es igna ti on S 365-1 ) a rm ed
with 12.7 mm a nd 7.62 mm machin e g uns.
Other turrets a rm ed with 20 mm ca nn on a nd va ri o us co mbi-
na ti ons of7 .62 mm a nd 12.7 mm machin e g uns with a turret
di a meter of no more th a n 1. 18 m.
In addition to being fitt ed with th e va ri ous a rmam ent
installa ti o ns described previo usly th e m a nufacturer has sug-
ges ted th e followin g roles that the vehicl e co uld a lso under-
take: amb ul a nce, logistic support, radio/co mmand and
recove ry. At the 1983 Sa tory Exhibition of Military Equip-
ment one proto type was shown fitt ed with th e RAS IT bat-
tlefi eld surveillance rada r on a hydrauli c a rm th a t could be
ra ised a bove th e chass is.

SPECIFICATIONS
CREW 2 to 4 GROUND CLEARAN CE 0.35 m FORD IN G 0.95 m
WE IGHT 4600-5800 kg MAX ROAD SPEED 80 km/h ENG INE BMW 6-cylinder petrol
LENGTH 4.2 m RANGE 350 km developing 180 hp at
WIDTH 2m GRADIENT 60% 5500 rpm
HEI GHT SIDE SLOPE 30% TRANSMI SS lo'N au tomatic
(without arm amenl) 1.6m VERTI CAL OBSTAC LE 0.5 m TRANSFER CAS E 2-speed

Status: Pro tot ype. Manufacturer: LOHR, 67980 H a nge nbi eten, France.

LOHR VPX 5000 light tra cked armoured vehicle fitted with LOHR VPX 5000 light tra cked vehi cle with Euromi ss ile MILAN
Euromi ss il e HOT HCT turret with four HOT ATG Ws in ready to MCT turret
launch position and 7.62 mm machine gun mounted over centre
of turret

58
 GERMANY, FEDERAL REPUBLIC
APE Amphibious Engineer Reconnaissance
Vehicle
Development
In th e earl y I 960s EWK (E isenwerke Ka isersla utern Giipp-
ner GmbH) developed a cross-co untry tria ls ve hicle know n
as the P3 Erprobungs wage n. This ve hicle featured la rge
Michelin low-p ress ure tyres (2 100 x 25XL) with a di a meter
of 1.744 metres a nd a tread of 0. 569 metre a nd a centra l tyre
press ure sys tem th a t a ll owed th e drive r to adjust th e gro und
press ure to suit th e type of ground being crossed . T he P3 had
a wheelbase of 3.3 metres a nd a low centre of gravit y ow ing to
its overall heig ht of onl y 2.05 metres, a nd was fu ll y a mphibi-
ous being propell ed in th e water a t a speed of 12 km/ h by o ne
propeller. Extensive trials showed th a t the P3 had excell ent
cross-country a nd a mphib ious ca pa bilities a nd co uld climb
a nd descend steep river banks with ease.
[n th e ea rly 1970s EWK , with Da im ler-B enz as th e maj or
sub- contracto r, sta rted development wo rk on th e APE
(Amphibisches Pionier- Erkundungs fahrze ug) , or Amphibi-
ous Enginee r Reconna issance Vehicle, to meet th e require-
ments of th e Federal Germ a n Arm y. EW K also call th e
vehicl e th e AM F (A mphibische Mehrzweck-Fa hrze uge) or
Amphibio us Reco nn a issance Vehicl e.
The first prototype of th e APE was completed in 1977. The
vehicle is bas ica ll y a slightl y la rge r ve rsio n of th e Transport-
pa nze r 2 (4 x 4) vehicl e incorpora ting ma ny of the co nce pts
alread y proved in th e ea rlier P3 prototype. Th e T ransport-
panzer I (6 x 6) vehicle is currentl y in produ cti on fo r th e
Federa l Germ a n Army by Thyssen H enschel a nd th e first of
996 ve hi cl es were ha nd ed over la te in 1979. Abo ut 90 per cent
of th e a uto moti ve components of th e APE a re identical to
th ose of th e Transportpa nze r I but its suspensio n is quite
different and for this reason it has superior a mphibio us a nd
cross-co untry ca pa bilities to th e Tra nsportpa nze r I . EWK
APE amphibious engineer reconnaissance vehi c le armed with 20 mm cannon
built fo ur prototypes of th e APE for th e Wes t Ge rm a n Army
a nd one of th ese was subsequ entl y bought back by th e com-
pa ny for furth er d evelopment work. This was s ubseq uent ly
rena med th e Alliga tor.
The ma in fea tures of th e APE a re low-press ure ba lloo n
tyres, tyre press ure reg ula tion sys tem, good a ngles of
a pproach a nd depa rture, hydrau lic retrac tion of th e a xles
when th e vehicle is swimming, redu cing drag to a n a bsolute
minimum , ab ility of th e two propellers to sw ive l throu gh 360
degrees for in creased ma noe uvrab ility, ca pa bil it y of th e
wheels a nd propell ers to be dri ven simulta neo usly to ass ist in
climbing o ut of th e wa ter, a nd excell ent forwa rd visibility.
Description
The all- welded steel hull of th e APE provides th e crew with
protectio n fr om small a rms fire a nd shell splinters. The hull
has a rh omboid cross secti on a nd inco rpo ra tes spaced
a rm our in certa in a reas.
The dri ve r is seated at th e front of th e hu ll o n th e left with
th e vehicl e comma nder to his ri g ht. A bull et- proof
windscreen in front of th e m can be covered by a n a rm o ured
shutter. The d river is provided with a circul a r roof ha tch th a t
opens forwa rd s a nd th e co mm a nder has a simila r rea r-
opening ha tch. Periscopes a re fi tted in th e roof of th e vehicle,
in front of th e driver's a nd comma nder's ha tches, for use
when th e windscree n is covered by th e a rm o ured shutter.
Both th e dri ve r a nd comm a nder a re provided with a n en-
tra nce doo r in th e side of th e vehicle with a n integra l bu llet-
proof window which is a lso covered by a n a rm o ured shutter
in combat a reas .
The co mplete powerpack is behind th e dri ve r a nd com-
ma nd er a nd access is by a ha tch in th e roof. There is a s mall
passage between th e fr ont of th e ve hicl e a nd th e passe nge r/
cargo a rea a t th e rear on th e right side of th e hull. The vehicle
is powered by the same engine as th e Tra nsportp a nzer I
59
APE amphibious engineer reconnaissance vehicle ar.med with 20 mm cannon

which can be replaced by a Da imler-B enz diesel which
develops 265 hp giving th e vehicle a power- to-weight ratio of
18.27 hp/ tonne, a maximum road speed of 70 km/ h and a
wa ter-speed of II km/ h.
The load area is at th e rear of th e hull a nd is 3. 15 metres
long and 1.25 metres high with a small vision port protected
by an a rmoured shutter in each side. There a re three roof
ha tches over th e load a rea. The first circula r ha tch is nor-
mall y used to mount th e main arm a ment installa tion and th e
second a nd much smaller circular ha tch is to th e right a nd
rear of th e first one. The third ha tch is sq uare and is a t th e left
rear and opens forwa rd . Norm al means of ent ry is by two
la rge doors a t the rear of th e hull. The right door has a vision
port covered by an armoured shutter when not required .
The APE has a cent ral tyre press ure reg ula tion system
which allows th e dri ver to adj ust th e tyre press ure to suit th e
type of ground being crossed , which is of pa rti cular use when
cl imbing steep banks and crossing d eep mud .
The vehicle is full y a mphibious, being propelled in th e
wa ter by two Schottel four-bl aded propellers beneath th e
fl oor level of th e vehicle a t the rear of th e hull which rema in in
th e wa ter as long as possible when th e vehicle is leaving th e
water. When afl oat th e axles and wheels a re retracted to
redu ce drag. Before entering th e water a trim vane is erected
a t th e front of th e vehicle and standa rd equipment includes
three bilge pumps with a capacity of 180 litres a minute each.
The AP E is fitted with an NBC sys tem.
The bas ic vehicl e is a rm ed with a Rheinmetall 20 mm
cannon mounted on a K eller and Kn appich E-6 mount, and
six smoke dis cha rgers mounted on th e left side of th e hull.
Variants
EW K has sugges ted tha t th e vehicle could be used fo r a
va ri ety of other roles incl uding a rm oured personnel carri er,
anti-ta nk (with turret-m ounted gun or AT G Ws) ; artillery
fire-control ve hicle, a mbulance, command vehicle, com-
municati ons vehicle, interna l security vehicle, mortar car-
rier, NBC reconnaissance vehi cle, reconna issance ve hicle,
repair vehicl e or a suppl y carrier.
The compa ny is also developing, as a priva te ventu re, an
a rmoured car in th e 5000 to 7000 kg range which will incor-
porate features of th e APE and will be arm ed with a turret-
mounted 35 mm cannon and a coaxial 7.62 mm machine
gun .

SPECIFICATIONS
CREW 12 ( 10 in troop GRADIENT 7.5%
compartm ent) SIDE SLOPE 30%
CONFIGURATION 4 x 4 TURNIN G RADI US 8.5 m
COMBAT WEIGHT 14 500 kg ENGINE Mercedes-Benz OM
POWER-TO-WEIGHT 402A V-8 liq uid-cooled
RATI O 22 hpltonne (approx) diesel developing 320
LENGTH 6.93 m hp at 2500 rpm
WIDTH 3.08 m TRANSMI SS ION ZF 4 HP 500- 1 6-speed
HEIGHT (to hull top) 2.4 m a utomatic with in-line
GROUND CLEARANCE torque conve rter
(axles) 0.485 m STEERING hydraulic , reci rculating
(hull) 0.555 m TYRES 20.50 x 25 XL
TRACK BRAKES
(fron t/rear) 2.54 m/2.56 m (main) hydraulic, a ir-assisted
WHEELBA SE 3.5 m (dual c irc uit)
ANGLE APPROACHI (parking ) mechanical
DEPARTURE ELECTRI CAL SYSTEM 28 V de
MAX SPEED BATIERIES 4 x 12V, 200Ah
(roa d forward s) 83 km/h ARMAMENT (main) 1 x 20 mm
(water) 12 km/h SMOKE-LAYING
MAX RANGE EQUIPMENT 6 smoke di scha rgers
(cross-country) 800 km

Status: Develo pment complete. Ready for produ ction. Manufacturer: Eisen we rk e K a i se rs l ~ ut e rn Goppn er
GmbH, Ba rbarossa 30, D-6750 Kaisersla utern , Federal
Republic of Germ any.

60
Spahpanzer Luchs Armoured Amphibious
Reconnaissance Vehicle
Development
In 1964 th e Wes t Germany Ministry of Defence examined its
requirements for a n,ew generation of mi litary vehicles for th e
1970s. This generatio n was to have included a n 8 x 8
armoured a mphibio us reconnaissance vehicle, 4 x 4 a nd
6 x 6 a rm ou red a mphibio us load carri ers a nd a complete
ra nge of 4 x 4, 6 x 6 a nd 8 x 8 tactical cargo tru cks, some of
whi ch were to be amp hibious. All were to share man y com-
mon components which would , where poss ible, be from
commercia l sources.
In 1965 a J oint Proj ect Office was form ed to und erta ke
development of th e compl ete ra nge of vehicles. Companies in
th e J oint Proj ect Office were Bi.iss ing, K liickner-Humbolt-
Deutz, Friedri ch K rupp, MAN a nd Rheinsta hl-Henschel.
Daimler-Benz did not join th e J oint Proj ect Office but went
a head on its ow n to develop a simila r range of vehicles.
TheJPO a nd Daimler-Benz each built nine prototypes of
th e 8 x 8 a rm oured amp hibious reconn aissance vehicle. The
J PO delive red its prototypes to the Trier testing ground in
April 1968 a nd Da iml er-Benz deli vered its in December th e
same year. Each differed in some detail as both manufact ur-
ers tes ted va rio us engines a nd tra nsmissions to find th e right
combination for th e vehicle.
Ex~ensive tria ls were carri ed out over th e following two
yea rs and in J a nu ary 197 1 it was decided th at work on th e
JPO vehicl e would stop a nd that the Da iml er-B enz model
wo uld enter produ ctio n. In December 1973 Rhei nstahl
Spahpanzer Luchs armoured reconnaissance vehicle crossing bri dge laid by M48 AVLB. This particular vehic le is not fitted with
7.62 mm MG3 MG at commande r's station (C R Zwart)
Wehrtechnik was awa rd ed a contract wo rth DM300 millio n
for 408 ve hicles.
First producti on ve hicl es were completed in May 1975 a nd
the first vehicle was offi ciall y ha nded over to th e Federal
German Army in September 1975 a nd produ ction continued
until ea rly 1978.
The West G erma n Army calls th e vehicle th e Spahpa nzer
Luchs a nd it replaced th e American-supplied M4 1 light
ta nks a nd the Ho tchkiss SPz 11-2 reconnaissance ve hicles.
The Lu chs has es tab lished a reputa tio n for its excellent
cross-co untry mobility a nd quietness, both of which a re
essential to a reconnaissance ve hicle.
The 4 x 4 a rm oured amp hibio us load carri er became the
Transportpanzer 2 a nd th e 6 x 6 a rmo ured a mphibious load
carri er became th e Transportpanzer I. The Transportpanzer
2 was not placed in production but further develop ment was
underta ken by EWK a nd th e eventual result was the APE
Amphibio us Engineer Reconn a issance Vehicle for which
th ere is a se parate entry. The 6 x 6 a rmoured a mphibio us
load carri er was placed in production as th e Transportpanzer
I with Rh ei nsta hl Wehrtechnik, now Thyssen H enschel.
"
Description
The all-weld ed steel hull of th e Luchs provid es th e crew with
protection from small a rms fire a nd shell splinters. The hull
a nd turret a re immune over th eir frontal a rea to penetra ti on
from 20 mm projectiles.
The driver is seated a t th e fron t of th e hull on th e left side
a nd is provided with a single-piece ha tch cover th at opens to
his right. There a re three periscopes in front of the driver's
61
Spahpanzer Lu chs armoured amphibious reconnaissance
vehicle
ha tch cover, th e ce ntre one of which ca n be repl aced by a
passive peris cope for night operations .
The Rh einmeta ll TS-7 turre t is located in the ce ntre of the
hull and has spaced a rm our for improved protection. The
comm a nd er is sea ted on th e left a nd the gunn er on th e ri g ht,
both with a single-piece hatch cove r th a t opens to th e rea r.
Both th e co mm a nd er a nd g unn er are provid ed with a PERI
Z-I I A- I periscope for aiming th e 20 mm cannon, and a tota l
of 12 peris copes. M ounted to the left of the turret is a search-
light which moves in eleva tion with th e ma in a rm a ment and
can be used in both infra-red a nd passive mod es. Turret
trave rs e and weapon eleva tion/ depression is elect ro-
Spahpanzer Luc hs armoured amphibious reconnaissance ve hi c le from rear showing smoke dischargers on right side of turret
and propellers under hull rear
62
hydraulic a nd ca n be operated by the co mmand er or gunner.
The fire -co ntrol system includes a n az imuth indica tor.
An entry door is provid ed in th e left side of th e hull. The
fourth crew member, th e radio operator/ rea r dri ve r, is seated
to th e rea r of th e turret on th e left sid e fa cing th e rear a nd is
provided with a single-piece hatch cover that opens to th e
right. There are three periscopes in front of th e cove r, the
centre one of whi ch ca n be replaced by a passive periscope for
nig ht operations.
The engin e is behind th e turret on th e ri ght side a nd access
is by a la rge oblong ha tch that opens to th e right. The engin e
co mpa rtm ent, cooling and ex ha ust systems are separated
from th e fighting compartment by gas tig ht welded bulk-
heads. The engin e compartment is fitt ed with an a utomatic
fire-exting uishing system. The complete powerpack, consist-

Luchs with trim vane fold ed onto glacis plate (Federal German
Army)
ing of th e engine, tra nsmi ss ion, air filter, oil cooler a nd pa rk-
ing bra ke, can be removed as a complete unit a nd run outside
th e vehicle. The cooling system is at th e back of th e hull a nd
th e exha ust o utl et is a t th e very rea r of the hull.
Power is tra nsmitted from th e engine to a four-speed hyd-
rauli c torqu e converter a nd th en via a distributor gea r with
differential locks to th e wheels. The Luchs has th e same speed
in both directions.
The suspension co nsists of four Daimler-Benz rigid axl es
with differential locks whi ch a re supported by longitudin al
ba rs, with bogies for th e first a nd second a nd third a nd fourth
axles. Each wheel sta tio n has a vertical coil spring and a
hydra ulic shock abso rb er. All eight wheels a re steered but for
road use th e front four wheels onl y a re norm all y used .
The Luchs is full y a mphibious, being propelled in th e
wa ter by two Schottel steera ble propellers a t th e rear of th e
hull, one on each side. These a re powered by a PTO on th e
main transmiss ion via a bevel-type distributor gea r. Before
entering th e wa ter a trim va ne is hydra ulicall y erected a t th e
front of th e hull and th e bilge pumps, two in th e fi ghting
compa rtm ent a nd one in th e engine compa rtment, a re
switched on.
In 1982 it was announced tha t a total of 423 sets of th erm al
night vision equipment wo uld be purchased for th e Luchs, 63
sets in 1984 a nd 120 a yea r in 1985, 1986 a nd 1987.
Sta ndard eq uipment incl ud es a pre-h eater for th e cooling
liquid , engine oil a nd tra nsmissio n oil a nd pre-heater for th e
batteries. The NBC sys tem can a lso be used for ventila tin g
th e vehicle when all the ha tches a re closed .
Rheinmetall TS-7 two-man turret armed with 20 mm cannon and
7.62 mm MG3 anti-aircraft machin e gun as fitted to th e Luc hs
(8 x 8) reconnaissance vehi c le
Luchs showing amphibious capabilities , with trim vane erected
The Luchs is a rm ed with a 20 mm Rh einmetall Mk 20
Rh 202 cann on which is a lso installed in th e Ma rd er M IC V.
This cannon has du al feed a nd th e empty cartridge cases a nd
beltlinks a re ej ected ex tern a ll y to th e right of the turret. A
Rheinmetall 7.62 mm MG3 machin e g un mou nted on a ska te
mo unt over th e comm a nder's ha tch can be used for both
ground a nd a nti-a ircra ft defence. Fo ur smoke dischargers a re
mounted either sid e of th e turret.
Variants
Luchs with Oerlikon 35 mm Turret Model GDD-BOE
O erlikon has proposed th a t th e Luchs could be fitt ed with its
Model GDD-BO E tu rret which is a rm ed with a 35 mm KD E
cann on.
Luchs with Roland 2 SAMs
It has been proposed th at th e chass is of the Luchs wi th a
red esigned hull to include th e front of the T ra nsportpa nze r I
co uld be used to mount th e Euromissile Rola nd 2 SA M
system . Two missiles wo uld be carried ready to la un ch a nd a
furth er suppl y of missiles wo uld be ca,rri ed inside th e hull. To
redu ce the overall heig ht or th e vehicle th e two radar scann ers
would fold down to th e front a nd rear of th e turret res pect-
ively. The W es t Germa n Army alread y has the Roland 2
system in service mounted on th e M a rd er chass is but this
8 X 8 system offers higher stra tegic mobility a nd co uld meet
th e requirements of the Wes t German Air Force a nd Navy.
But this la tter requirement will not be met in th e near futu re
owing to budge ta ry considera tions.
63
SPECIFICATIONS
CREW GRAD fENT 60% BRAKES
CONFIGURATI ON 8 x 8 SIDE SLOPE 30% (main) hydrau li c, dual ci rcu it
COMBAT WEIGHT 19500kg VERTI CAL OBSTACLE 0.6 m (parking) mechanical operating
POWER-TO-WEIGHT TRENCH 1.9m on transmission
RATIO 20 hp/tonne TURNING RADIUS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 V
LENGTH 7.743 m (8 wheels) 11 .5 m BATIERIES 6 x 12V, 100 Ah
WIDTH 2.98 m (4 wheels) 19,4 m ARMAMENT
HEIGHT ENGINE Daimler-Benz OM 403 A (main) 1 x 20 mm
(to top of machine lO-cylinder 90' (anti-ai rcraft) 1 x 7,62 mm MG
gun...lrail) 2,905 m V-4 stroke SMOKE-LAYING
(to top of hull top) 2,125 m multi-fu el wi th 2 EQU IPMENT 2 x 4 smoke
FIRING HE IGHT 2,342 m exhaust driven turbo- dischargers
GROUND CLEARANCE cha rg ers developing AMMUNITI ON (in turret)
(hu ll ) 0.44 m 390 hp at 2500 rpm (main) 375
(axles) 0,58 m (diesel luel) or 320 hp (an ti -aircraft) 100 round box
TRACK 2.54 m at 2500 rpm (petrol) TURRET POWER
WHEELBASE l.4m + 2,365m + TRANSMISSION ZF 4 PW 95 HI CONTROL electro-hydrauli cl
l.4m 4-speed manual
ANGLE OF APPROACHI with torque converter GUN ELEVATIONI
DEPARTURE 66'/53' SUSPENSION coil sprin gs and DEPRESSION +69'1- 15'
MAX SPEED hydraulic shock GUN STABILISER
(road forwards) 90 km/h absorbers (vertical) no
(reverse) 90 km/h STEERING re-circulating ba ll (horizontal) no
(water) 9 km/h power-assisted
ACCELERATION 0- 80 km/h: 65 s TURNING RADIUS
FUEL CAPACITY 500litres (all wheel steering) 5,75 m
MAX RANGE 800 km (front wheel steeri ng) 9.7 m
FORDIN G amphibious TYRES 14,00 x 20

Status: Prod uction comple te, In service with the Federa l Manufacturer: Thyssen H enschel, Pos tfach 102969, D 3500
German Arm y. Kasse l, Federal Republic of Germany ,

Wiesel Airportable Vehicle
Development/Description
Porsche has developed to th e prototype stage a n airportable
veh icle to meet th e requirements of West German a irborne
units , call ed th e Wiesel, or Waffe ntrage r II-LL. Its develop-
ment has been cancell ed fo llow ing a d ecision to buy the
American AWACS ai rcraft, which mea nt th at a number of
Wes t German defence projects had to be caricell ed or post-
poned. It is believed th at th e Federal German Army still has
a requirement for between 400 a nd 500 ve hicl es of this type.
Early in 1982 West Germany loaned th e United States fou r
Wiesel a irportab le vehicles for tria ls a t the Ya kim a firin g
centre/proving gro und between Apri l a nd May 1982.
The Wiesel can be carri ed slung und ern ea th helicopters
such as th e Puma a nd is airporta ble in th e C-160 (four) ,
C-1 30 (three) a nd CH-53 (two).
Under a recent agreement Krupp Ma k will be res ponsib le

Wiesel armed with Rheinmetall MK 20 Rh 202 can non in KUKA gun mount E6-11

64

Wiesel arm ed with Hughes TOW ATGW system
for a ny se ri es produ cti o n of th e Wiesel while Porsc he a re
responsib le for logistic support a nd the development of
special ised vers ions.
Description
The hull of th e W iesel is of a ll-welded steel constru ction
whi ch provid es the crew with protection from 7.62 mm sma ll
a rms fire a nd shell splin ters. The d ri ver is seated at the front
of th e v.ehicle on the rig ht a nd has three periscopes for obser-
vation to th e front a nd sides; th e centre one ca n be replaced
by a pass ive peris cope for dri ving at nig ht.
The engine, whi ch is a s tanda rd produ ction model, is to the
left of th e driver with a n access ha tch being provided in th e
glac is pla te. The fiv e-speed Porsc he tra nsm ission , a modifi ed
vers ion of a standard production model, drives via a torq ue
converter a nd clutch. T he co mpl ete powerpack ca n be
removed a nd rep laced in 10 minutes . Starting and gea r shift-
ing do not req uire clutch pedal opera ti on. T he Wiesel is fitted
with a C letrac reve rse transmi ssion. The steering gear is
opera ted by th e driver via a stee ring wh eel a nd a ll ows a n
infinitely va ria ble turning radius from infinite to 2.3 metres .
Pivoting on one track is possible by th e engage ment of th e
parking bra ke on one s ide.
The engin e exhaust sys tem is loca ted in th e cooling a ir
ex ha ust flow on th e left side of th e vehicl e. The ex ha ust gases
are passed to th e rea r, being cooled in th e process. The
open-topped crew co mpartm ent is a t th e rea r of th e hull a nd
entry to this is by climbing over th e sides of th e ve hicle. The
fl ex ible self-s ealing rubber fu el ta nk has a n explosion
polyureth a ne liner a nd is mou nted externa ll y on th e rear of
the hull.
Suspensio n either side co nsists of three dual road wheels,
drive sp rocket a t th e front, idl er a t th e rear on one track
return roller. A Bellevill e spring asse mbly a utomatically pro-
vides track tension wh en the ve hicle is travelling. The track
consis ts of a n endl ess rubber band with wire reinforcements.
An amp hibi ous ki t is availa bl e for th e W iesel.
Variants
Wiesel with 20 mm cannon
This was built to mee t th e requirements of th e W es t German
Arm y a nd is fitted with a one-ma n K eller a nd Kn app ich
T ype E6-II mount ar med with a 20 mm Rh einmeta ll dua l
feed cannon with 250 rounds of ready use a mmunitio n ( 125
rou nds eith er side) . The weapon ca n be eleva ted from - 10
degrees to +60 degrees a nd trave rsed 50 degrees left and
rig ht. Elevatio n and trave rse is ma nua l a nd th e g unner a im s
the weapon vi a a Zeiss PERI Z-II periscopic sight, passive
ni ght s ig ht is a lso ava il ab le.
Wiesel with TOW
This was bu ilt to meet the requirements of th e W es t German
Arm y a nd is fitted wit h a Hug hes TOW ATGW la un cher on
a n eleva ting pedes tal with a traverse of 45 degrees left and
right a nd a n eleva tion a nd depress ion of 15 deg rees. A tota l of
eig ht missiles a re ca rri ed of whi ch two a re for ready use. This
model has a three-ma n crew, driver, g unn er and load er.
Wiesel comman d and control vehi c le
This proposed vehicl e wou ld have a full y encl osed hull , a
three-man crew a nd be fitted with ex tensive communicatio ns
equipm ent. A 7.62 mm MG3 mac hin e gu n with 100 round s
of ready use a mmunitio n a nd a noth er 400 in rese rve wo uld be
fitted.
Wiesel battlefield surveillance vehicle
This proposed vehicle wo uld have a two-ma n crew, radar
operator a nd driver, a nd be fitt ed with a hydrau lic mas t on
top of whi ch is a RASIT battlefi eld surve illa nce radar. A
7.62 mm MG3 machin e g un e with 100 rounds of read y use
amm unition a nd a noth er 400 in rese rve wou ld be fi tted.
Wiesel ammunition resupply vehicle
This wou ld ac t as th e res uppl y veh icle for th e Wiesel fitted
with the TOW ATG W system, wo uld have a two-ma n crew,
ca rry 14 mi ss iles a nd be a rm ed with a 7.62 mm MG 3
machin e g un with 100 round s of ready us e a mmunitio n and a
further 400 rounds in reserve.
Wiesel recovery vehicle
This proposed vehicle wou ld have a two-man crew a nd be
fi tted with a slewing cra ne with a telescopic boom th a t ca n
a lso be used as winch , sta bi lise rs a t the hull rea r, electri c
screwdri ve r, electri c weld ing se t, tow cable, tow ba rs, block
a nd tack le, hydra ulic j ack, bolt cutters, tool kit , a nd a radio.
Wiesel SAM vehicle
This propsed vehicl e wo uld have a longer hull with a n add i-
tio nal road wheel either side a nd be fitted with th e Bofors
RBS- 70 SA M system with a total of 10 miss iles being ca rri ed.
A 7.62 mm MG3 machin e g un with 100 rounds of ready use
ammun ition a nd a furt he r 400 rounds in rese rve is fitted.
Wiesel reconnaissance vehicle
Th is proposed vehicle wou ld have a longe r hull with a n
additi onal road wheel either side a nd be fitted with th e
Rh einmeta ll ' turret TF 20. 15 a rm ed with a Rh einmetall
20 mm cannon with a n eleva tion of +60 degrees, depressio n
of -7 degrees, a nd a travers e of 360 degrees. A tota l of 420
rounds of ammu nition wou ld be ca rried of whi ch 220 wo uld
be for ready use.
Wiesel ambulance
This proposed vehicl e would have a longe r hull with an
additi onal road whee l either side a nd have a two-man crew
a nd be capable of ca rrying two stretcher a nd one seated
patients or four seated pa ti ents. When being used in the cargo
role a maximum of 600 kg ca n be ca rried.
65
Wiesel armoured personnel carrier
This proposed vehicle would have a longer hull with a n SPECIFICATIONS
Model TOW 20mm
additional road wheel ei th er side a nd carry a ha lf-squad of CREW 3 2
infa ntry (6 men) in additional to its two-man crew. The roof COMBAT WEIGHT 2600 kg 2635 kg
UNLOADED WEIGHT 2011 kg 20 11 kg
wou ld be full y enclosed and fitt ed with a comma nder's POWER-TO-WEIGHT
cupola with a n externally-m ounted 7.62 mm MG3 machine RATI O 37.9 hp/lonne 37.4 hp/tonne
g un with 100 rounds of ready use a mmunition a nd a furth er GROUND PRESSURE 0.32 kg/cm' 0.32 kg/cm '
LENGTH GUN
400 roy nds in reserve. The infantry wou ld enter and leave via FORWARDS n/app 3.51 m
a door in the hull rear. LENGTH HULL 3.2 63 m 3.263 m
WIDTH 1.82 m 1.82 m
HEIGHT 1.84 to 2.15 m 1.97 m
HEIGHT HULL TOP 1.252 m 1.252 m
FIRING HEIGHT 1.462 m 1.585 m
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.302 m 0.302 m
TRACK 1.62 m 1.62 m
TRACK WIDTH 200 mm 200 mm
LENGTH OF TRACK
ON GROUND 1.825 m 1.825 m
MAX ROAD SPEED 85 km/h 85 km/h
FUEL CAPACI TY 80l itres 80 litres
MAX RANGE
(road) 300 km 300 km
(c ross country) 200 km 200 km
GRADIENT 60% 60%
SIDE SLOPE 30% 30%
Status: Trials . Not yet in prod uctio n. In 1982 th e vehicle VERTI CAL OBSTA CLE 0.4 m 0.4 m
was evalu ated in th e USA. TREN CH 1.5m 1.5 m
TURNING RADIUS
(Cletrac) 7.19 m 7.19 m
(pivot) 4.67 m 4.67 m
Manufacturer: Dr.h .c. F. Pors che Aktiengesellscha ft, 7000 ENG IN E VW-Audi petrol developi ng 98 hp
TRANSMISSION 5 speed 5 speed
Stuttgart 40, Federal Republic of Germany. ARMAMENT 1 x TOW launcher 1 x 20 mm cannon
AMM UNITION 8 missiles 400 rounds of 20 mm

HUNGARY
FUG (or OT-65) Amphibious Scout Car On either side of th e vehicle, between th e front a nd rear
wheels, are two belly wheels, which a re lowered by the drive r
Development a nd dri ve n from a PTO and give th e FUG improved cross-
The FUG (Felderitii Usa Gepkosci) fulfil s a similar role in country abi lity a nd allow it to cross trenches. When th e bell y
th e Hungarian Army to th e Soviet BRDM-I amphibious wheels a re lowered th e vehicl e is driven in first gea r.
scout car but has its engine a t th e rear rather th a n th e fr ont The FU G is full y a mphibio us, being propelled in the water
a nd two instead of one water j ets for a mphibious operations. by two wa ter j ets at th e rear of th e hull. Before entering th e
The vehicle entered servi ce with th e Hunga ria n Army in water a trim board is erected a t th e front of the vehicle which
1964 a nd with the Polish a nd Czechoslovak a rmi es in 1966. is stowed und er th e nose when not in use, and th e bilge
The Czechoslovaks call th e ve hicl e th e OT-65. pumps a re switched on. Sta nd ard equipment includes infra-
red drivini!: lights a nd some models a re also fitted with a n
Description infra-red searchlight, a nd a centra l tyre-pressure system th a t
The hull of the FUG is a ll-welded steel with th e driver seated a llows th e driver to adjust th e tyre press ure to suit th e type of
at th e front on the left a nd th e vehicle comma nd er on th e ground being cross ed. I t has no NBC system.
right. Both a re provided with a ha tch cover to th eir front that M ain a rmam ent comprises a pintle- mounted 7.62 mm
is hinged a t th e top a nd opens upw ards, a nd a windscreen SGMB machine gun with limited traverse, which is a imed
with a wiper. The ha tch is equipped with a n integral vision
block for when the hatch is closed .
The crew compa rtm ent is behind th e driver a nd th e only
FUG amphibious scout car with roof hatches open
means of entry is by th e ha tch in th e roof th a t opens either ·
side of th e vehicle. The roof ha tches can be locked ve rti cal
to give a meas ure of protection when th e mac hine g un is
being used . A ventilator is mounted in the roof of th e vehicle
over th e commander's position. Six circul a r firing ports a re
provided, two in each side and two in th e rear. A vision slit is
provided to th e left of th e driver a nd th e right of th e
commander.
The engine compartment ·is at th e rea r of th e hull with th e
air- inlet immediately behind th e crew compartment, th e
air-outlets in either side and th e exha ust pipe on th e right
side.

66
FUG amphibious scout car clearly showing belly wheels lowered with BRDM-1 with Snapper ATGWs in background

a nd fired by one of th e crew members with th e two ha tches The T-2l fires a HEAT proj ectile weighing 2. 13 kg with a
open . muzzle velocity of250 metres a second which will penetra te
230 mm of a rmour. M aximum range is 2500 metres, effecti ve
Variants

Ambulance
The FUG is known to be used as a n a mbula nce although it is
clearly unsuited to this role.

Radiological-Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle

This performs a simila r role to the Soviet BRDM-l rkh
vehicle and is us ed to ma rk lanes th rough conta minated
a reas. Mounted on either side of th e hull rear is a rack th a t FUG (or OT-65) amphibious scout car without fitted armament
carries la ne ma rking poles. When required th e racks a re
swung verti cally through 90 degrees so tha t they a re over th e FUG radiological-chemical reconnaissance vehicle with lane
rear ofth e hull a nd lane ma rking poles can th en be dispensed marking equipment on top of hull at rear
into the ground from inside the vehicl e.

OT-6SA
This is a Czechoslova k modifi cation a nd is th e basic vehicle
with th e turret of th e OT-62B tracked a rmoured personnel
carrier mounted on th e roof. The turret is a rm ed with a
7.62 mm M59T machine gun with a n elevatio n of +20
degrees a nd a depression of - 10 degrees. The turret can be
travers ed ma nually through 360 degrees. M ounted ex-
tern ally on th e right side of the turret is an 82 mm T-2l
Tarasnice recoilless gun which can be aimed a nd fired from
inside th e turret but can be reloaded only from th e outside.

67
range 450 metres a nd a bout 300 metres agains t moving PSZH-IV APC
ta rge ts. The crew of th e OT-65A enters a nd leaves th e vehicl e This was origina ll y call ed the FUG-66 and late r th e FUG-70
by a s ma ll roof ha tch th a t opens either side of th e roof until it was es tab lished th a t it was a n a rmoured personnel
immedia tely behind the turret. carri er a nd not a n a mphi bious sco ut car.

SPECIFICAnONS FUEL CAPAC ITY 200 litres TYRES 12.00 x 18

CREW 2 + 4 MAX CRUISIN G RANGE SUSPENSION
CONFI GURATION 4 x 4 (road ) BOO km (front) helica l sprin gs
COMBAT WE IGHT 7000 kg FUEL CONSUMPTI ON 0.28 litre/km (rea r) semi·elliptica l
POWER·TO-WE IGHT FORD ING a mphi bious spri ngs
RATI O 15.87 hp/tonne GRADIENT 60% AR MAMENT (main) 1 x 7.B2 mm MG
LENGTH 5.79 m SIDE SLOPE 30% AM MUNITION (main) 1250
WIDTH 2.5 m VERTI CAL OBSTACLE 0.4 m ARMOUR (max) 13 mm
HEIGHT TREN CH 1.2 m
(to hull top) 1. 91 m ENGINE Csepel 0.414.44
(wi th tu rret OT-65A) 2.25 m 4-cy li nder in-line
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.34 m water-cooled
TRACK 1.9 m d iesel developing
WHEELBASE 3.3 m 100 hp at
MAX SPEEO 2300 rpm
(road) 87 km/h TRANSMISS ION manual with 5 forwa rd
(water) 9 km/h and 1 reverse gears

Status: Produ cti on co mp lete. In se rvice with Czecho- Manufacturer: Hunga ria n sta te arse nals.
slova ki a, Hunga ry a nd Pola nd (limited use) .

ISRAEL

RAM Family of Light AFVs
Development
The RA M fa mily oflig ht a rm oured fi ghting vehicles has been
developed by RAMTA Stru ct ures a nd Sys tems, a subsid ia ry
of Israel Aircra ft Industries, as a successor to th e company's
earlier RBY M k I light a rm oured reconn a issa nce vehicle
(fu ll y described in th e foll owing entry) a nd was a nnounced a t
th e Pa ris Air Show in Ju ne 1979.
T he RA M fa mi ly has now bee n expa nd ed into two basic
gro ups, RA M V -I a nd RAM V -2. T he form er a re open
to pped a nd a re produ ced in two wheelbases, V-I short

RAM V-1 (short) lig ht armoured reconnaissance vehic le with 40 mm grenade lau ncher and two 7.62 mm machine guns

68

RAM V-1 (short) fitted with TCM-20 twin 20 mm anti-aircraft gun
system
RAM V-1 (sh ort) light armoured reconnai ssance vehicle with
7.62 mm machine guns
(3 .4-metre wheelbase) a nd V-I L (3.8-metre wheelbase) . The
V-2 series has a n enclosed troop compa rtm ent a nd comprises
the V- 2 short (3.4-m etre wheelbase) a nd V-2L long
(3 .8-metre wheelbase).
Description (RAM V-1)
The layout of th e RAM V-I is almost identical to th e ea rli er
RBY Mk I light a rmoured reconnaissance vehicle a nd th e
short mod el has th e same wheelbase. The mos t significa nt
improve ments a re th e increased ground clea ran ce achieved
by th e fi tting of la rge r tyres, in creased radius of acti o n as th e
original petrol engine has been replaced by a diesel engin e,
a nd th e replace ment of th e ma nu al gea rbox by a n a utoma ti c
one to redu ce dri ve r fa tigue. C rew comfort has also been
improved . Mounted at th e front of th e vehicle is a Koenig
EC- 100 winch with a ca pacity of 3629 kg.
Variants
Infantry fighting vehicle
This model is equipped with three 7.62 mm machine
guns, 5000 ro unds of a mmunition, one a nti-tank la uncher,
six rockets, frag menta ti on g renades, night vision equipment
and a multi-cha nn el tra nsceiver.
Infantry combat vehicle
This model ca rri es up to three 7.62 mm machin e guns, 5000
roundsofa mmunition, 52 mm morta r, 36 morta r bombs, two
anti-ta nk rockets, fr agmentation g renades, night vision
equipment a nd a multi-cha nn el tra nsceiver.
TCM-20 AA
This is th e bas ic vehicle fitt ed with th e RAMTA Stru ctures
and Sys tems' T C M-20 twin 20 mm LAAG system. A to tal of
720 ro unds of 20 mm a mmunition a re carri ed fo r th e can-
nons, in additio n one 7.62 mm machine gun , nig ht vision
equipment a nd a multi-cha nnel tra ns ceiver a re fitted. The
model, whi ch is onl y avail a ble based on th e chassis of th e
RAM V-I L, has a four-ma n crew consisting of dri ve r/loader,
comma nder, g unn er a nd loader. When in th e firin g pos itio n
four hydra uli c j acks a re lowered to th e ground to provide a
more sta ble firin g pla tform, although it is poss ible to fire
against both ground ta rge ts a nd ae ri al ta rge ts while th e
vehicle is travelling. The current T C M-20 can be replaced by
th e new T C M Mk 3 system.
Close range anti-tank
This carri es a 106 mm M40 seri es recoilless rifl e built in
Israel by I MI which can be traversed through a full 360
degrees. Eighteen rounds of ammunitio n a re carri ed in th e
vehicl e as well as night vision equipment a nd a multi-cha nn el
tra nsceiver.
Long range anti-tank
This carries a Hughes TOW la uncher on a telescopic ped-
es ta l, 16 TOW ATGWs, two 7.62 mm machine g uns a nd
2500 rounds of a mmunition , night vision equi p ment a nd a
multi-cha nn el tra nsceiver.
RAM V-2 AFV
This has a fully enclosed troop compartment th a t carri es a
crew of eig ht to ten men a nd th eir pers onal eq uipmen t. It has
a uniqu e system offolding a rmour plate ha tches which can be
full y or pa rti a ll y opened so providing all round observa tio n
while affording protecti on against AP sma ll a rms fir e a nd
shell fragments. The perso nnel , seated or sta nding, can fir e in
all directions.
Various types of a rma ment can be fitted according to
mission requirements including: one 12.7 mm machine g un
or 40 mm grenade la un cher, 1500 ro unds of 12. 7 mm
ammunitio n or six a mmunition boxes for grenade la uncher,
three 7.62 mm machine guns plus 5000 ro unds of a mmu-
nition, one rocket la uncher plus six rounds, 24 fragmenta ti on
grenades, nine smoke grenades and two smoke fl a res. In
addition th e vehicle carri es night vision equipment a nd a
multi-cha nn el tra ns ceive r.
RAM V-2L (long) AFV with 12.7 mm and 7.62 mm machine
guns
69
RAM V-2 L (long) APC with 12.7 mm a nd 7. 62 mm MGs

SPECIFICATIONS
Model RAM v-, (short) RAM V-' (long) RAM V-2 (short) RAM V-2 (long)
CREW (max) 2 +6 2 +8 2 +6 2 +8
CONFIGURATION 4 x 4 4 x 4 4 x 4 4 x 4
COMBAT WEIGHT 5400 kg 5600 kg 5700 kg 6000 kg
UNLOADED WEIGHT 3900 kg 4300 kg 4200 kg 4700 kg
PAYLOAD 1300 kg 1300 kg 1300 kg 1300 kg
LENGTH 5.02 m 5.42 m 5.02 m 5.42 m
WIDTH 2.03 m 2.03 m 2.03 m 2.03 m
HEIGHT (overal l) 1.72 m 1.72 m 2.2 m 2.2 m
GROUND CLEARANCE
(hull) 0.575 m 0.575 m 0.575 m 0.575 m
(axles) 0.31 m 0.31 m 0.31 m 0.3 1 m
TRACK 1.726 m 1.726 m 1.726 m 1.726 m
WHEELBASE 3.4 m 3.8 m 3.4 m 3.8 m
ANGLE OF APPROACHI
DEPARTURE 60"/43" 60"/43" 60"/43" 60"/43"
MAX SPEED (road) 96 km/h 96 km/h 96 km/h 96 km/h
FUEL CAPACITY 120litres 160lilres 120litres 160litres
RANGE (road) 800 km 1000 km 750 km 950 km
FORDING 1m 1m 1m 1m
GRADIENT 70% 60% 65% 60%
SIDE SLOPE 35% 35% 35% 35%
VERTI CAL OBSTACLE 0.8 m 0.8 m 0.8 m 0.8 m
ENG INE Deulz air-cooled, 6-cylinder diesel developing 132 bhp
TRANSMISS ION Al lison AT-540 automalic with 4 forward and 1 reverse gears
TRANSFER CASE Harwaythorn 2-speed
STEER ING power~assisted ZF
TURNING RAD I ~S 7.2 m 7.5 m 7.2 m 7.5 m
SUSPENSION semi-elliptical springs alld hyd raulic shock absorbers
TYRES 9.00 x 20 9.00 x 20 9.00 x 20 9.00 x 20
BRAKES
(main) hydraulic hydraulic hydraulic hydraulic
(parking) mechanical mechanical mechanical mechanical
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 V 24 V 24 V 24 V
BATIERIES 2 x 12 V 2 x 12 V 2 x 12 V 2 x t2 V
ARMOUR 8mm 8mm 8mm 8mm

Status: Development complete. Ready for production. I t is Manufacturer: RAMT A Structures and Systems, Israel
reported that Morocco has taken del ivery of a quantity of Aircraft Indust ries POB 323 , Beer Sheba, 84 102 Israel.
thes e vehicles.

70
RBV Mk 1 Light Armoured Reconnaissance
Vehicle
Development
The RBY Mk I light armoured reconnaissance vehicle was
developed by RAMTA Structures and Systems, a subsidiary
of Israel Aircraft I~dustri es, a nd was first announced at th e
Paris Air Show in May 1975.
The design of th e vehicle is based on a n analysis by
RAMTA of ex perience obta ined during two decades of field
operations in th e Middle East. This showed that a reconnais-
sance vehicle req uired a very low profi le, good all-round
visibility for all crew members, to be airportable, be able to
carry difIerent a rma ment insta lla tio ns and provide th e crew
with th e maximum protection aga inst mines.
The RBY Mk I is suitab le for a wide range of roles includ-
ing reconnaissance, long-ra nge pa trols and commando type
operations, internal security opera ti ons a nd th e evac uation of
wo und ed in forward battlefield areas . Its low weight enab les
it to be carri ed by light ai rcra ft a nd helicopters such as th e
CH-53s used by th e Israeli Air Force.
Description
The all- welded hull of th e RBY Mk I has 8 mm a rm oured
steel (MIL-A- 46 100) sides inclined a t a n a ngle, a nd a floor of
10 mm thi ck plain carbon steel (SAE-I 020). The shape of th e
hull ~as been designed to give th e crew max imum possible
protection from mine explosio ns. The axles and wheels are a t
th e extreme ends of th e vehicle a nd th e effect of a mine
ex pl os ion when tou ched off by one of th e wheels is th at the
res pecti ve ax le is damaged or cut, th e fibreglass bumpers
disintegrate, but th e hull stays intact. The s urvivab ility of th e
vehicle to mine explosio ns was proved in a tes t progra mme
using different types of mine.
Basic RBY Mk 1 I ight armoured reconnaissance vehi cle without
armament installed
The driver is seated a t the front of th e vehicle o n the left
with th e comma nder to his right. The front part of th e crew
compartment can be folded dow n into th e horizonta l for
increased visibility a nd is provided with two integra l obser-
vation hatches th a t a re hinged a t th e top and open outwards.
To the left of th e dri ver a nd th e rig ht of th e commander is
a nother observation ha tch, also hinged at th e top and open-
ing outwa rds.
The six passengers are seated three each side, fa cing out-
wards, back-to-back for a ll- round o bservati on. There are no
doors in th e hull as this would weaken th e structure and th e
crew enter a nd leave th e vehicle by climbing over th e sides.
The engine is a t the rear of th e hull and has a fibreglass
cover and side doors for ease of access. The automotive
components of th e RBY Mk I a re of a s ta nda rd comm ercia l
design th a t meet current milita ry req uirements. Two spare
wheels a re ca rried, o ne a t th e front of th e vehicle and one a t
th e rear. Infra- red dri ving lights a nd a front-m o unted winch
with a ca pacity of272 2 kg can be fitted ifrequired . Up to five
7.62 mm or 12.7 mm machine g uns can be pintle-mo unted
around th e top of the hull to provide suppressive fire.
RBY Mk 1 light armoured reconnaissance vehicle fitted with
7.62 mm MGs and front-mounted winch
71
RBY Mk 1 fitted with Hughes TOW ATGW syste m a nd RBY Mk 1 fitted with 106 mm M40 series recoilless rifle
front-mounted winch manufactured in Israel by IMI

Variants with 5000 rounds a nd a nti-ta nk missiles. A long range anti-

tank model is also offered .
Anti-tank armed with 106 mm M40 rifl e
This model has th e 106 mm M 40 recoilless rifl e ma n ufac- Communication s
tured by Israel Milita ry Industri es, with 16 a nti-tan k rou nds. The RBV Mk I ca n be fitt ed with a va ri ety of communica-
Second a ry arm a ment co nsists of two 7. 62 mm machin e g uns tions eq uipm ent.

SPECIFICATIONS
CREW 2 + 6 MAX SPEED STEERING worm and sec tor,
CONFIGURATI ON 4 x 4 (road) 100 km/h power assisted
UNLOADED WEI GHT 3600 kg (cross·country) 50 km/h CLUTCH single dry plate
LENGTH 5.023 m FUEL CAPACITY 140litres SUSPENSION se mi·elli pt ical springs
WIDTH 2.03 m MAX RANGE and hydraulic shock
HE IGHT (road) 550 km absorbers
(empty without (cross-country) 400 km BRAKES
arma ment) 1.66 m FORDING 0.75 m (main) hydraul ic
(loa ded wi thout GRADIEN T 60% (parking) mec ha ni ca l mounted
a'mament) 1.54 m SIDE SLOPE 30% on dri ve shaft
GROUND CLEARANCE ENGIN E Chrysler 225-2 ELECTRI CAL SYSTEM 24 V
(hu tt ) 0.48 m 6-cylinder water- BATIERI ES 2 x 12 V
(axle) 0.27 m cooled petrol ARM OUR 8mm
(transler case) 0.375 m developing 120 hp
TRACK 1.665 m TRANSMISSION Model 435 manual
WHEELBASE 3.4 m with 4 lorward and
ANG LE OF APPROACHI 1 reverse gears
DEPARTURE 60·/50· TRANSFER CASE 2·speed

Status: Producti o n as required. I n se rvice with Israel a nd Manufacturer: RAMT A Structures a nd Systems, Israel
Gua temal a a nd two other co untri es. Aircra ft Industri es POB 323, Bee r Sheba, 84 102 Israel.

ITALY

FIAT-OTO Melara Type 6616 Armoured Car
Development
The T ype 661 6 a rmoured ca r is a j oint development betwee n
FI AT a nd OTO M ela ra, with th e form er res pons ible fo r th e
hull a nd a uto moti ve components a nd th e la tter fo r th e turre t
a nd a rm a ment insta ll a ti on. Fina l asse mbl y a nd tes ting is
ca rri ed o ut by FIAT a t its Bol za no facto ry. The vehicl e
sha res many co mmon components with th e Type 661 4
arm oured personnel carrier whi ch is currentl y being bui lt
und er licence in South Korea for th e Korea n Arm y.
The first proto type of th e T ype 66 16 was co mpl eted in 1972
a nd a ft er tri a ls a productio n order was placed by th e Ita lia n
G ove rnm ent for 50 vehicl es for th e C a ra binieri . Produ cti on
vehicl es differ from th e pro to ty pes in th a t th e turret front has
been red es igned . The smoke discharger on th e commander's
ha tch has been removed a nd th e engine compa rtm ent grill es
a re now on either side of th e hu ll , toward s th e rear, ra th er
th a n on th e top of th e hull. The T ype 6616 a rm oured car has
recentl y been evalu a ted by th e Ita lia n Air Force in th e
a irfie ld securit y role as th e repl acement for th e old Staghound
a rm oured ca rs da ting back to th e Second World Wa r.
Description
The all- welded steel a rm our hull has a hull esca pe ha tch in
either side.
The dri ver is sea ted a t th e front of th e ve hi cle on th e right
side a nd is provided with a single-piece hatch cove r that

72
opens to th e right with an opening in the roof for a passive
night driving periscope. T o the front a nd side of th e driver a re
five vision blocks which cover a n a rc of 200 deg rees, th e
centre three with a wiper bl ade.
The all- we lded turret is in th e centre of th e hull with the
commander on th e left a nd th e gunner on th e right. Their
seats, which can be 'adjusted for height, are mounted on the
turret basket. The comma nd er has nine periscopes for all-
round observa tion a nd a single-piece hatch cover tha t opens
to th e rear. The g unn er has a single-piece hatch cover that
opens to th e rear and a periscope sight mounted in th e turret
roof forward of th e ha tch cover. The Aeritalia P204 gunner's
periscope has a magnifi ca ti on of x I for gene ra l observation
a nd X8 for aiming purposes in daylight {with a nine degree
fi eld of view}. It can be replaced by a PI94 image intensifi er
with a magnifi cati on of x 8 and a 7. 9 degree field of view for
engaging ta rge ts a t night. The periscopic head has an elev-
a tion of +60 degrees a nd a depression of -10 degrees. The
radio is mounted in th e turret bustle.
The engine compa rtm ent a t th e rea r of th e hull is se para ted
from th e fi ghting compa rtm ent by a fir eproof bulkhead. The
engin e is a t th e very rea r of th e hull a nd is coupled to a
manu al fiv e-speed tra nsmission from which power is tra ns-
mitted to th e two-speed tra nsfer case a nd then to th e front
and rear ax les by propell er shafts. Both front a nd rea r difTer-
entials a re mecha ni call y lockabl e. The planeta ry fina l drives, FIAT-OTO Melara Type 6616 armoured car showing coaxial
front a nd rea r, co nsist of epicyclic gea r trains in th e wheel 7.62 mm machine gun over 20 mm cannon
hubs . .
The suspension, fr ont a nd rea r, is of the independ ent strut
and link type with a helica l spring a nd coaxial rubber bump
ca pacity of 4500 kg and provided with 40 metres of 12 mm
stop. Each wheel station is provided with hydra ulic shock
di a meter cable.
a bsorbers a nd a nti-roll bars are fitt ed as sta nd a rd. The tyres
The Type 66 16 a rmoured car is full y a mphibious, being
a re of th e run-fl at type, a nd th e steering is powe r- ass isted.
propelled in the wa ter by its wheels. Four bilge pumps , each
Optional equipment includes a n NBC system, air-
with a ca pacity ofl80 litres a minute are fitted a nd it is possible
conditioning system, fire-exting uishing system a nd a front-
to press urise th e submerged mecha nical components.
mounted winch powered by a PTO with a max imum
The main ar mament consists ofa Rh einmeta ll20 mm MM
20 Rh 202 cannon. The empty ca rtridge cases a re a utoma ti-
call y ej ected outside th e veh icle. A total of 250 rounds of
FIAT-OTO Melara Type 6616 armoured car
ready use 20 mm a mmunition are carri ed with a furth er 150
rounds in reserve. Mounted coaxiall y over th e main a rm a-
ment is a 7.62 mm machine gun with 300 rounds of ready-use
am munition, a nd furth er 700 rounds carri ed in reserve.
Mounted on either side of th e turret are three smoke dis char-
gers which a re electricall y fired from within th e vehicl e. If
req uired a 106 mm M40 type recoilless rifl e can be mounted
forw a rd of the commander's position on th e turret roof.

FIAT-OTO Melara Type 6616 armoured ca r

73
FIAT-OTO Melara Type 6616 arm oured car fitted with two-man Left to rig ht: FI AT 661 4 APC, Type 6616 armou red car with 20 mm
tu rret armed wi th 90 mm Cockerill Mk II I gun cannon and Type 66 16 armoured car with 90 mm Cockerill Mk II I
gun

Variants
For trials purposes th e Type 66 16 a rmoured car has been
fitt ed with th e OTO M elara OTO T 90 CKL turret which is
a rmed with a 90 mm Cockerill Mk III gun. The vehicl e can
be fitt ed with various other turrets and cupolas as requ ired by
the us er.

Status: In production. I n service with Italia n Cara binieri,

Peru, Somalia (30 ord ered in 1977 a nd del ive rcd in 1978179)
a nd other und isclosed co untri es.

Manufacturer: Invecto Defence Vehicl e Division, Corso

Lombardia, 20 1099 S. Mauro T orin ese, (20) Italy.
FI AT-OTO Me lara Type 66 16 arm oured car from rear

SPECIFICATIONS GRADIENT 60% SMOKE-LAYING

(those in square brackets relate to the 90 mm version SIDE SLOPE 30% EQUIPMENT 3 smoke dischargers ei th er
where thi s differs from the stand ard 20 mm version) VERTI CAL OBSTACLE 0.45 m sid e of turret
CREW 3 TURN ING RADIUS AMMUNITION
CONFI GURATION 4 x 4 (land) 7m (main ) 400 (16 + 20)
COMBAT WEIGHT 8000 kg (8200 kg) (water) 7.5 m (coaxial) 1000 (1000 + 1250)
POWER-TO-WEIG!-IT ENGINE Model 8062.24 super- (smoke grenades) 39 (6 + t o)
RATIO 20.20 hp/tonn e c harged liquid-cooled FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM
(19.51 hp/tonne) in-line diesel Turret power control electri c/manual
LENGTH GUN deve loping 160 hp at Maximum eleva ti on
FORWARDS nl app (6.64 m) 3200 rpm speed 10'ls
LENGTH HULL 5.37 m TRANSMISS ION manual with 5 forward Maximum elevation
WIDTH 2.5 m and 1 reverse gears acceleration speed 46°/s2
HE IGHT (to turret roof) 2035 m (2.06 m) TRANSFER CASE 2-speed Maximum turret
FIRING HEIGHT 1.76 m (1.785 m) STEERING assisted traverse speed 10'ls (30'/s)
GROUND CLEARANCE CLUTCH single dry p late. Maximum turret traverse
(hull front) 0.485 m hydraulic operated acceleration speed 46'/s' (45'/s')
(hull centre) 0.44 m SUSPENSION independent Tra verse speed
(hull rear) 0.506 m TYRE S 14.50 x 20 (commander
(axle) 0.37 m BRAKES controlled) 30'/s
TRA CK 1.96m (main) drum , air over Gun elevation!
WHEELBASE 2.75 m hydraulic (dual depression +35'1- 5'
ANGLE OF APPROACHI c ircui t) ( +27'/- 9' )
DEPARTURE 45' /45' (parking ) drum . hand-operated. Gun stabi liser
MAX SPEED on tran sfer front (verti ca l) no
(road) 100 km/h output shaft (horizontal) no
(water) 5 km/h ELECTR ICA L SYSTEM 24 V ARMOUR
FUEL CAPACITY 150 litres BATIER IES 4 x 12V. l00Ah Hull and turret 6mm-8 mm
MAX RANGE ARMAMENT
(road at 70 km/h) 700 km (main) 1 x 20 mm cannon
(water at 5 km/h) 20 km (1 x 90mm)
FORDING amphibious (coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mm MG

74
OTO Melara OTO R3 Capraia
Reconnaissance Vehicle
Development
The OTO R3 reco nn a issa nce vehicle has been developed as a
pri va te ventu re b)l O TO M ela ra a nd th e proto type was
show n for th e fi rst tim e a t the 1982 Ita lia n ava l Exhibitio n
held in Genoa.
The lower pa rt of th e bod y, eng ine a nd mecha ni cal g ro ups
are th e same as on th e specia l tas k vehicle G orgo na . Two
versions have so fa r been developed ; a sco ut/ reconn a issa nce
vehicle whi ch has a four-m a n crew a nd a n a rmo ured person-
nel ca rri er whi ch has a five-ma n crew incl uding th e co m-
ma nder a nd dri ve r.

Description
The hull of th e OTO R3 is of a ll-welded a luminium a rm our
constru cti on with a ma ximum thi ckness of 32 mm whi ch
provides th e crew with co mplete protectio n from sma ll arms
fire (7 .62 mm NATO) a nd shell splinters. Driver's positio n in OTO R3 reconnaissan ce vehicle looking
The dri ve r is seated a t th e front of th e vehi cle with a forward
single-piece ha tch cove r a bove his position th a t opens to th e
left. T o his immedia te front a re fiv e visio n blocks each with a
wiper whi ch g ive excellent obse rva tion to his front a nd sides .
Th e co mm a nd er is seated to th e rea r of th e dri ve r, offse t to
the right a nd has a sing le-piece ha tch cover th a t opens to th e
rea r a nd six periscopes for a ll-round obse rva ti on.
The a rm a ment is mounted to th e rear of th e co m mand er's
pos ition a nd th e following insta ll a tio ns are currentl y being
offered by O T O Mela ra :

T 12.7 FA
This consists of a n extern a ll y-mounted 12.7 mm M2 HB OTO R3 reconna issance vehicle with T 20 FA- HS turret
machine gun provided with 100 rounds of read y use a mmu-

Prototype of OTO R3 reconnaissance vehi c le being tested . Prototype has d iffere nt vis ion bl ocks to that anticipated in production
vehicles

75
nition. The turret, which consists of th e carriage, machine
g un , sighting system, power drives a nd a mmunition weighs
120 kg. Turret traverse is a fu ll 360 degrees a t a speed of 60
degrees a second, with elevation being from -10 degrees to
+ 50 d egrees a t a speed of 40 degrees a second. The g unner
has a sight with a magnifi cation of X 1.5 a nd X5.

T 7.62 ~A
This co nsi s'ts of a n ex ternall y-moun ted 7.62 mm machin e
g un provided with 80 rounds of ready use a mmunition. The
turret, which co nsists of th e carriage, machine g un , sighting
sys tem, power drives a nd ready use a mmunitio n weighs
180 kg. Turret trave rse is a fu ll 360 degrees at a speed of 60
degrees a second , w ith elevation being from - 10 d<::grees to
+25 degrees a t a speed of 40 degrees a second. The g unn er
has a sig ht with a magnifi cati on of X I.

T 20 FA - HS
This turret is fitted with a n ex ternall y-mounted Oerlikon
KAD-B 1720 mm canno n which is provided with 120 rounds
of ready use a mmunition . The turret, which co nsists of th e
carri age, ar ma ment, sig hting sys tem, power driv es a nd read y
use amm uniti on, weighs abo ut 450 kg. Turret tra ve rse is a
full 360 degrees at a speed of 45 d egrees a second , with
elevati on being from - 10 to +60 degrees a t a speed of 30
degrees a second. The g unn er has a sight with a
mag nifi catio n of x 1. 5 a nd X5.
Folgore x 2 FA
T his turret is armed with two Bred a Folgore a nti-ta nk la un-
chers with a 7.62 mm machine g un being mounted slightl y
above a nd between th e weapons. Each la un cher has one
missile in the ready-to-Iaun ch position with th e machine g un
having 80 rounds of ready use ammun ition. The turret,
which co nsists of th e weapons, ready use a mmunition, car-
riage, sighting system a nd power dri ves, weighs 150 kg. The
turret can be trave rsed through a full 360 d egrees a t a speed of
30 degrees a second a nd th e weapons can be elevated from -7
to + 10 degrees a t a speed of 5 d egrees a second . The gunn er
has a sig ht with a magnifi cation of x 1.5 a nd X5.
OTO R3 reconnaissance vehicle fitted with T 20 FA-HS
turret armed with 20 mm cannon
OTO R3 re co nnaissance vehicle from rear fitted with T 20
FA-HS turret armed with 20 mm cannon
T 106 x 2 FA
Th is turret is a rm ed with two ex tern a ll y-mounted 106 mm
M40 type recoilless riR es a nd consists of th e carri age, arma-
ment, sighting sys tem, power drives a nd two rounds of read y
us c a mmunitio n, weighing a tota l of550 kg. T he turret can be
travers ed through a full 360 degrees a t a speed of 30 degrees a
second a nd elevated from -7 to + 10 degrees a t a speed of 5
degrees a second . The g unn er has a sight with a
magnifi catio n of x 1.5 and X5.
TOW turret
T his has an extern all y-mounted la un cher for a Hughes TOW
ATGW system whi ch can be traversed through a full 360
degrees a nd elevated from - 7 to + 10 degrees . The turret,
which co nsists of th e carri age, la uncher, sighting system a nd
a mmunition , weighs 150 kg.
In the roof of th e R3, to th e rea r a nd either side of th e
ar ma ment installation are two periscopes that give o bserva-
ti on to th e front of th e vehicle; a furth er two periscopes are
mounted in th e ve ry rea r to give rearward o bserva tion .
There is an entry door in each side of th e hull with two
vis ion blocks being provided in th e left a nd one in the right
side of th e hull. Under th e forward vision block, which is to
th e left of th e vehicle comma nder, is a circular fir ing port.
The power pla nt is installed in th e rear of th e vehicle a nd
includes th e engine, a uto matic tra nsmiss ion a nd tra nsfer
case. The a utomatic tra nsmiss ion is co upled to th e two-speed
transfer case which perman entl y drives th e front a nd rear
wheels through a controlled differential. The cooling system
consists of two rad ia to rs installed in th e rear of th e vehicle
cooled by two fan -air conveyor units dri ven by th e engine
through V-belts a nd th ermosta ti c devices . Engine oil is
cooled by a heat excha nge r. The electri c sys tem is powered a t
24 V by a 1200 W generator through two 90 Ah batteries.
The vehi cle is fu ll y amphibious being propelled in th e
water by two wa ter j ets mounted at th e hull rear.
Standa rd equipment includes run-Ra t ty,res, air condition-
ing, servo-assisted steering with th e steering wheel being
adjustable in height, heating and venti la tion system and a
front-mo unted electri ca ll y operated winch with a ca pacity of
2000 kg.

76
 Optiona l equipment includes air pressurisation with filter- Variants
ing system a nd infra-red or passive night vision equipment. There a re no variants apa rt from th e different a rm a ment
install a ti ons mentioned previously.

SPECIFICATIONS
CREW 4 or 5 (depending MAX ROAD SPEED SUSPENSION TYPE independent, McPhearson
on role) (forward s) 120 kml h type with longitudinal torsion
CONFIGURATION 4 x 4 MAX WATER SPEED 6 kml h bars
COMBAT WEIGHT 3200 kg RANGE 500 km TYRES 7.50 x t6
MAXIMUM PERMITIED FORDING amphibious BRAKES servo-as sisted dual
WE IGHT 3500 kg GRADIENT 75% hydraulic circuit, acting on
POWER-TO-WE IGHT SIDE SLOPE 40% front di sc brakes and on rea r
RATIO 29.68 bhpilonne (a t TURN ING RADIUS 5.5 m drum brakes. Parking brake
weight of 3200 kg) ENGINE FIAT model 8144.81 .200 acts on rear brakes
LENGTH 4.86 m 4-cylinder wate r-cooled ELECTRI CAL SYSTEM 24 V
WIDTH 1.78 m supercharged diesel BATIERIES 2 x 12V. 90Ah
HEIGHT (to hull top) 1. 55 m developing 95 hp at
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.35 m 4200 rpm
TRACK TRANSM ISS ION OTR 6 automatic , 4 forward
(front) 1.418 m and 1 reverse gears (orS5118
(rear) 1.45 m manual wi th 5 forwa rd and 1
WHEELBASE 2.5 m reverse gears)
ANGLE OF APPROACHI TRAN SFER CASE 2-speed
DEPARTURE 40·,40· STEERING servo·assisted

Status: Prototype. Manufacturer: OTO Mela ra, via Va ldilocchi 15, 19 100 La
Spezia , Ita ly.

OTO Melara OTO R 2.5 Gorgona Standard equipment includ es run-flat tyres, air condition-
Reconnaissance Vehicle ing, heating a nd venti lat ion sys tem, power- assisted stee ring
a nd a n adjustab le steering wheel.
Development Optional equ ipment includes air press urisation a nd fi lter-
The OTO R 2.5 Gorgona vehicle has been developed as a ingsys te m, infra-red night dri ving equipment a nd a water-jet
private venture by OTO Melara and was a nnoun ced in 1982. propulsion system.
Two versions a re currently being offered; a n una rm ed police The following a rma ment installations can be fi tted on th e
model a nd a co mba t model which can be fitt ed with var io us roof of th e vehicle:
types of arma ment. Many of th e automotive components a re TPT shield for gunner on right side of roof
also used in the OTO R3 reco nnaissa nce vehicl e which is T 12.7 FA turret with 12.7 mm MG, elevation +50°, depres-
fu ll y desc ribed in th e preceding entry. sion - 10°, traverse 360°
T 7.62 FA turret with 7.62 mm MG , elevation +25°, depres-
Description sion - 10°, trave rse 360°
The bod y of th e Gorgona is of welded aluminium armour
15 mm thi ck with th e bu ll et-proof glass being 32 mm thick Variants .
which gives th e same degree of protecti on to th e crew as th e None apart for those mentioned in th e tex t.
aluminium a rm our. This provides complete protectio n from
7.62 mm (NATO) small arms fire.
There is a stowage area at th e front, co mmander , driver Side-view of OTO Melara OTO R 2.5 Gorgona (4 x 4)
and two men in th e centre, and th e engine a nd transmission reconnaissance vehic le showing side doors and engine
at the rea r. Each crew member enters and leaves th e vehicl e co mpartment at rear
via an individual side door which has a n electrica ll y-operated
window in its upper part. Mounted in th e forw a rd part of the
vehicle is an electri cally-operated winch with a ca pacity of
2000 kg.
The power pla nt is installed in th e rear of th e vehicle a nd
includes th e eng ine, a utomatic transmission a nd th e transfer
case. The engine oil is cooled by a heat exchange r that
tra nsfers heat to the water of th e main circuit. The automatic
transm ission is coupled to th e two-speed transfer case which
perm a nently drives the front a nd rea r wheels through a
controlled differential. The cooling system co nsists of two
rad ia tors insta ll ed in th e rea r of the vehicle cooled by two
fan- air conveyor units driven through V-belts a nd thermos-
tatic devices. Electric power is supplied a t 24 V by a 1200 W
generator to two 90 Ah batteri es. The vehicle is fu ll y
amphibious, being propelled in th e water by its wheels with
steering being acco mplished in a similar manner to th a t of
land operations.

77
OTO Me la ra OTO R 2.5 Gorgona (4 x 4) reconnai ssance vehi c le OTO Me la ra OTO R 2.5 Gorgona (4 x 4) reconna issan ce vehic le
without a rm a me nt insta ll ed fitted with re mote-co ntroll ed 7.62 mm mac hine g un

SPECIFICATIONS RANGE 500 km TYRES 7.50 x 16

CRE W 4 FOROIN G amphibious BRAKES servi ce brakes are assisted
CONFIGURATION 4 x 4 GRAOIEN T 75% by a vacu um pump through a
COMBAT WEIGHT 2850 kg SIDE SLOPE 40% dual hydrauliC ci rcu it, acting
MAXI MUM PERMI SSIBLE TURNIN G RADI US 5.5 m on front discs and rear brake
WEIGHT 3150 kg STEERING servo ass isted drums. Parking brake acts on
POWER-TO-WE IGHT ENGINE FIAT model 8144.81.200 rear brakes
RATI O 33.33 bhp/tonne 4-cy lind e r water-coo led ELECTRI CAL SYSTEM 24 V
LENGTH' 4.5 m supercharg ed di esel BATIERIE S 2 x 12 V, 90 Ah
WIDTH 1. 7 m developing 95 bhp at
HEIGHT 1.62 m 4200 rpm
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.35 m TRANSM ISS ION OTR 6. automatic . 4 forward
TRACK and 1 reverse gears,
(front) 1.4 18 m hyd raulic torque converter
(rea r) 1.45 m wi th lock up c lutch (or S5/18
WHEELBASE 2. 5 m manual with 5 forward and 1
AN GLE OF APPROACHI reverse gears)
DEPARTURE 40·/40· TRANSFER CASE 2-speed
MAX SPEED SUSPENSION independent. McPhearson
(road) 120 km/h type with longi tudi nal torsion
(water) 5 km/h bars

Status: Developm ent co mp lete. Read y for produ ction. Manufacturer: OTO Mela ra, via Valdil occhi 15, 19 100 La
Spezia, I ta ly.

Lizard F333E Light Armoured Vehicle

Development
The Liza rd F333 E light a rm o ured vehi cle has been
developed as a private venture by Ferrari Engineering SRL.
T he first of th ree prototypes was completed in 1980 a nd ea rl y
in 1983 a ba tch of 15 pre-produ ction ve hicl es was being buil t.

Description
The hu ll of th e Lizard is of all- weld ed steel th at provides th e
crew with protectio n fro m small a rms fire a nd shell splin te rs.
The fl oo r is of doubl e-skinned constru ctio n for increased
protection against mines. Provision is mad e to prevent
magneti c mines being a ttac hed to the hull. Its small size a nd
'low profi le also increase its surviva bility.
The dri ver is seated a t th e front of the hu ll with bullet-proof
windows to his front a nd sides. A 5.56 mm machine g un can Cutaway draw ing of Lizard fi tted with two ant i-tank missiles in
be mounted to the right of th e dri ve r firi ng to the front of th e ready to lau nc h pos ition and Folgore anti-ta nk lau ncher on
vehicle. T he comma nder a nd g unn er a re sea ted in th e centre comman de r's hatc h

78
 of th e vehicle with a forward opening door being provided in
each side of the hull. In th e forward part of th e roof is a
single-piece circular hatch tha t opens forwa rd where the light
arma ment, for example, th e 5.56 mm or 7.62 mm machine
gun, is mounted . In th e roof to th e rear of th e circular ha tch is
a two-part roof hatch tha t opens either side; a retracta ble
missile la un cher system can bO e installed a t this position.
The engine compartment is in th e lower part .of th e hull
rear with th e radiator at th e ve ry rear. The Lizard has
perm a nent 4 X 4 drive and front, central a nd rea r selflocking
differentials are fi tted as stand ard .

Variants
The manufac turer has sugges ted th e following basic va ri ants
of th e F333 E:
Lizard F333E light armoured vehicle with all roof hatches open
Scout
This wo uld have a two-man crew and be arm ed with a
bow-mounted 5.56 mm machine gun and a roof-mounted
12 .7 mm machine gun. The form er would have a n elevation
of + 25 d egrees, depression of - 10 degrees and a to tal
trave rse of 50 degrees. A tota l of2000 rounds of a mmunition
are carried for this wea pon in boxes of 200 ro unds. T he
roof-m ounted 12.7 mm M 2 HB machine gun has an eleva-
tion of + 50 degrees, depression of - 15 degrees and a total
traverse of 360 degrees, with 500 rounds of a mmunition being
carried in boxes of 100 rounds.

Anti-tank
This would have a two-m an crew and have th e same bow-
mounted 5.56 mm machine gun as th e scout model. Anti-

Close-up of commander's hatch fitted with Folgore anti-tank Li zard F333E showing low profile compared to M47 tank in
launcher background

79
 Lizard F333E light armoured ve hic le with rear roof hatches open

Close-up of bow machine gun installation in Lizard F333E light

armoured vehic le

ta nk arma ment consists of a Folgore weapon with an eleva-
tion of +20 d egrees, depression of -6 degrees a nd a total
trave rse of360 degrees; 8 projectiles a re carri ed. As an a lter-
native to the Folgore a Euromissi le MILAN ATGW
launcher a nd four missiles can be ca rri ed .
Anti-riot/Basic f ighter
This wou ld have a two- or three-man crew a nd have th e same
bow-mounted 5.56 mm machine g un as th e anti-tank a nd
scout models. In addition , mo unted on th e roof is a 7.62 mm
machine g un with a n eleva ti on of + 45 degrees, depress ion of
-15 degrees a nd a tota l traverse of 360 degrees, with 2000
ro unds of a mmunitio n being carried. In either side door is a
fi ring port through which a weapon can be safely used with
a n elevation of +45 degrees, depression of +20 degrees a nd a
total trave rse of90 degrees. As an a ltern ative a flame thrower
can be fitted in place of th e bow-mounted 5.56 mm m~chine
gun.
Commando
Three-ma n crew and fitted onl y with the bow-mounted
5.56 mm machine gun with a max imum payload of 200 kg
being carri ed , including ex plosives, small arms and supplies.

SPECIFICATIONS TR ACK TRANSFER CASE 1. 5. 3. reduction

(front) 1.385 m STEERING power assisted, rack and
(rear) 1.424 m pinion
CREW 2 or 3 WHEELBASE 1.8 m SUSPENSION independent. telescopic
CONFIGURATI ON 4 x 4 ANG LE OF APPROACH/ struts wit h double acting
COMBAT WEIGHT 2600 kg DEPARTURE 45' /47' hydraulic shock absorbers
UNLOADED WEIGHT 2100 kg MAX ROAD SPEED 120 km/h (twin on rear wheels) . four
POWER-TO-WEIGHT FUEL CAPACITY 2 x 50 litres long itudinal torsion bars
RATIO 44.23 hp/tonne RANGE AT 60 km/h 800 km TYRES 11.00 x 15 bullet·proof
GROUND PRESSURE 1 kg/cm' FORDING 0.6 m BRAKES power-assisted, dual-circuit,
TOWED LOAD 1000 kg GRADIENT 60% mechanical parking brake
LENGTH 3.3 m ENGINE FIAT 4·cylinder petrol operate s on rear wheels
WIDTH 1.7 m developing 115 hp at ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 12 V
HEIGHT (hull top) 1.42 m 5600 rpm BATIERY 1 x 12 V. 63 Ah
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.3 m TRANSMISSI ON manua l. 5 forward and 1
reverse gears

Status: Prototy pes. Manufacturer: Ferrari Engineering SRL, 10 via San Quin-
tino, 101 21 Turin , Ita ly.

80
 JAPAN
New Japanese Wheeled Reconnaissance
Vehicles
Development
In 1974 two-wheeled reconnaissance vehicl es were designed
to meet th e requ irements of th e Japanese Ground Self-
Defence Forces . The 4 x 4 vehicl e was designed a nd built by
Komats u Seisaku-J yo while th e 6 x 6 vehicle was designed
a nd bui lt by Mitsubishi H eavy I ndustries. After trials it was
decided to concentrate on th e 6 x 6 model.
Two models of the 6 x 6 vehicle a re now being developed,
a reco nn aissance patrol veh icle and a command a nd com-
munica tions veh icle. The reconnaissallce patrol vehicle is
being built by Mitsubishi H eavy Industries and 342 mi ll ion
yen was allocated in th e 1978 budge t for the construction of
two prototype vehi cles . If th e tria ls are satisfactory 50 will be
procured from 1985 a t a unit cost of 110 million yen. The
vehicle wi ll be armed with a Swiss O erlikon-Biihrle 25 mm
KBA cannon wh ich will be manufactured und er licence by
Type 82 command and communications vehic le fitted with one
7.62 mm and one 12.7 mm mach ine gun
One of the fi rst prod uction Ty pe 82 command and
commun icati ons ve hi c le fitted wi th 7.62 mm and 12.7 mm
roof-mounted machine g uns (K Nogi)
Prototype of Ty pe 82 6 x 6 command a nd communicatio ns
vehicle showing mount for 12.7 mm machine gun (Kensuke
Ebata)
Nippon SeikoJyo (.Japan Steel Works) a nd six 60 mm smoke
grenade la unchers.
The comma nd a nd communi cat ions ve hicl e is being
developed by Koma tsu Seisaku-J yo with th e ass istance of
Mitsubishi. A total of 456 millio n yen was allocated in th e
1978 budge t for the constru ction of four prototypes . The fi rst
prototypes were co mpleted in 1980. A total of 250 vehicles
wi ll be produ ced a t a unit cos t of 58 mi ll ion yen. Eighty per
cent of its co mponents will be identi cal to th ose used in th e
6 x 6 reco nn a issa nce patrol vehicle. First funding was for 13
vehicles in the fiscal yea r 1982 defence budget.
This was s ubsequ ently standardised as th e Type 82 com-
ma nd and communicatio ns veh icl e with 18 being requ es ted
in th e 1982 defence budget, but only ten being approved. A
furth er 10 were ordered in the 1983 defence budget a nd
a noth er 19 in th e 1984 defence budget. A to tal of 127 vehicles
are ex pected to be procured und er th e FY 198 1 mid-term
defence plan which started in FY83. By th e end of 1988 137
vehicles a re ex pected to be in service.
Description (Type 82)
The hull of th e Type 82 comma nd a nd communications
vehicle is of all-welded constru ction with th e driver being
seated at th e front of th e hu ll on the right side. Above his
position is a single-piece hatch cover with an integral peri-
scope that can be traversed left and right. A second crew
member is seated to th e left of the driver a nd over his positio n
is a single-piece hatch cover with a rotatable periscope, for-
ward of this is a pintle-mounted 7.62 mm machine gun. The
windscreens to th e front a nd either side of this position are
covered in comba t areas by armoured shutters hinged a t the
top, th e forward shutter beil')g provided with two vision slits.
The engine compartment is in the forward part of th e hull
o n th e left side, to th e rear of th e front two crew members,
with the air inlet and air outlet louvres in th e roof. There)s a
gangway in the right side of th e hu ll which co nnects th e front
a nd rear crew compartm ents.
The rear crew com partm ent, which also ho uses most of th e
communicati ons eq uipment, is raised a bove th e roof of the
veh icle and has two circul a r hatch covers, the left one being
provid ed with six observation periscopes a nd on the right
81

Clos ~ up of the 12.7 mm (0.50) M2 HB machine gun with shi e ld
as installed on the Type 82 command and communications
vehicle (K Nogi)
radio opera tor is to th e left of th e dri ver a nd has a single piece
ha tch cover which opens upwa rd s a nd a single forw a rd facing
periscope.
The two-m a n power operated turret is in th e centre of the
hull slightly forwa rd of th e second axl e. The g unn er is seated
on th e left with a single pi ece ha tch cove r and two periscopes
whil e th e co mm a nd er is seated on th e right with a single piece
hatch cover a nd six periscopes.
The prototypes were fitt ed with a Wes t G erman Rhein-
metall 20 mm ca nnon but produ cti on ve hicles will be a rmed
with th e Swiss O erlikon-Biihrl e 25 mm KBA ca nnon with a
7.62 mm T ype 74 machin e g un coaxially to the right.
Mounted either side of th e turret a re three Type 7460 mm
electri cally opera ted smoke discha rge rs .
The engin e co mp artm ent is a t th e rear of th e hull of the
right side with an aisle for th e obse rve r on th e left side. In the
hull roof to th e rea r of th e turret is a single rearward-facing
periscope for th e observer.
The either side of th e hull betw een th e first and second
a xles is a n observa tion block a nd in th e left side of the hull
betwee n th e second a nd third ax les is a crew entry door with
a n integral window and obse rva t; on fl a p th a t opens towards
th e front.

with a n externa ll y pintle-mounted 12.7 mm machine g un

with a shield.
In th e hull rear is a la rge door opening to th e ri ght in which
is a single firing/o bservati on port th a t opens upwa rd s. In th e
left side of th e hull , between th e seco nd a nd third ax le, is a
single forwa rd opening d oo r aga in with a single firin g/
obse rva ti on ha tch opening upwa rds. T o th e rea r of this door
is a noth er single firing/o bserva ti on port opening upwa rd s. In
th e rig ht side of th e hull , between th e first and second ax le, is
a forward opening door with a n integra l firin g/o bservatio n
port th a t opens upwa rds a nd to th e rear of this are a furth er
two firin g/o bserva tion ports.

SPECIFICATIONS (provi sional)

CREW 8
CONFIGURATION 6 x 6
COMBAT WEIGHT 13 600 kg
LENGTH 5. 72 m
WIDTH 2.48 m
HEIGHT 2.38 m
GROUND CLEARAN CE 0.45 m Type 87 reconnaissance and patrol vehicle which shares many
WHEELBA SE 1. 5 m + 1.5 m
MAX ROAD SPEED 100 km/h
common components with th e Type 82 command and
FORDING 1m communications vehicle (Kensuke Ebata)
GRADIENT 60%
VERTI CAL OBSTAC LE 0.6 m The Type 87 reco nn aissa nce and pa trol ve hicle is not fitt ed
EN GINE Isuzu 10PBI water-coo led
di esel devel oping 305 hp at
with a NBC system a nd has no a mphibious capability.
2600 rpm Specifi cations a re simil a r to th e Type 82 comma nd and
TRAN SMISS ION 6 forward and 1 reverse gears co mmunications vehicle with th e exce ption of th e foll owing:
TURNING RADIU S 8.4 m (with 1st and 3rd axles)
TRENCH 1.5 m
TYRES 14.00 x 20
CREW 5
COMBAT WEIGHT 13 500 kg
Description (Type 87 reconnaissance and patrol LENGTH 5.37 m

vehicle)
This vehicle us es th e same a uto motive components as th e
Type 82 comma nd a nd communi catio ns ve hicle but has a Status: Type 82 is in produ cti on for th e J a pa nese Ground
redesigned a ll steel hull. The fiv e-ma n crew consists of th e Self-Defence Forces.
driver, assista nt dri ve r/ radio opera tor, co mm a nd er, gunner
a nd observer. Manufacturers: K o matsu Seisaku-J y'o, 2- 3-6, Akasaka,
The driver is seated a t th e left front of th e vehicle on th e Mina to-ku , J a pa n. Mitsu bishi H eavy Industries, 5-1 ,
right a nd has a single piece hatch cover with a n integral M a runouchi 2- chome, C hi yod a-ku , T okyo, J a pan.
peris cope and three fix ed forward-facing perisco pes . The

82
 MEXICO

Mexico has recentl y completed 17 ND-3 Ca ballo 4 x 4

reconn aissance vehicles. Some of th ese we re fitt ed with a
French SAMM S 365 series of one-ma n turret (recentl y
redesigna ted th e BTM seri es) whil e o thers has a cupola
a rm ed wi th a 7.62 mm machine gun simila r to th a t fitted to
th e MOWAG Roland (4 x 4) a rm o ured personn el carri er

NORWAY

Modernised M24 Light Tank Description

Development
T o meet th e requirements of th e No rwegia n Arm y th e O slo-
based compa ny of Thune-Eureka A/S developed a moder-
nised version of th e M2 4 C haffee light ta nk . The first
prototype was comple ted in]a nu a ry 1973 a nd after ex tensive
trials the Norwegia n Arm y decided to refi t its fl eet of M24s to
this new sta nda rd for a nti-ta nk use. Fifty-four of th ese ta nks,
designa ted th e N M- 11 6, we re delive red to th e No rwegia n
Arm y betwee n] a nu a ry 1975 a nd October 1976. Acco rding to
Thune-E ureka th e modifi cati on cos t can be kept dow n to
one-third of th e cost of a compa ra bl e new ta nk. NAPC O
Industries Incorpora ted of th e USA has obta ined a licence to
market this ve hicle world- wide.
The modernisatio n of th e tank has bee n ex tensive a nd
includes th e insta ll a ti on of a new power pack, new tra nsmis-
sion, new g un a nd numero us other improvements.
The ori ginal twin Cadillac petrol engines have been
replaced by a single super-cha rged Detroit Diesel model
6V-53T whi ch d evelops 250 hp a t 2800 rpm. Thi s is co up led
to a n Allison pre-selecto r gearbox model MT 650 wi th a
torqu e converter giving fi ve fo rward speeds a nd one in
reve rse . In additi on to th e main tra nsmission a nother gear-
box provides th e correct speed to th e differenti al a t th e front
of th e ta nk.
There a re two radi a tors with hydra ulicall y-d riven a nd
th erm os ta ti call y-gove rned fa ns a nd four heat excha ngers for
cooling th e oil. The two heat excha nge rs for th e tra nsmiss io n

M24 light tank with new French 90 mm gun , laser rang efi nder over main armament and bow machine gun re moved as used by
Norwegian Army (N orwegian Army)

83
 a utoma ti call y released when the tem pera tu re in th e engine
compa rtm ent reaches a predetermin ed level. Each bottl e has
suffi cient capacity to exting uish a ny possibl e fire in th e
engine compa rtm ent.
T o increase th e comfort of th e crew and improve th e g un-
ner's and load er's a bility to opera te th e 90 mm gun th e
modifi ed turret is fitted with a bas ket which both elimina tes
the need for th e loader to work kn eeling a nd ena bles a
number of read y ro und s to be carri ed in th e bas ket.
The bow machine g unn er's pos itio n in the fr ont right side:.
of the hull has been el imina ted a nd th e associa ted ball mount-
ing has been welded shut. The space saved is used to stow 20
ro unds of 90 mm a mmunition. T o suit the Norwegia n en-
vironment a new heating sys tem has been installed a nd th e
ba tteries have been moved to th e fl oor of th e fi ghtin g com-
pa rtm ent a nd have hot air piped to them to increase th eir
ca pacity in winter.
The original 75 mm gun has been replaced by a French
Engine compartment of modernised M24 from rear with new D/ 925 90 mm low press ure g un. The modifi cations include
engine the replace ment of th e ba rrel, removal of th e gy rosta biliser,
modifying th e breech assembl y (breech ring, breech block
a nd differential are on th e engine, one excha nger for th e a nd ex tractor), replace ment of th e telescope reticle and th e
additio nal gearbox is in th e a ir fl ow of one of th e radi a to rs a nd adjustment of th e a mmunitio n racks. The recoil mechanism
one for th e oil of th e hydra ulic system is built into pipes for th e has not bee n modifi ed . The gun fi res th e following types of
wa ter cooling of th e engine. The a ir from, th e radi a tors blows a mmunition :
th rough th e engine compartment a nd is ej ected with th e
Type Canister HE-FS HEAT-FS· Smoke FS
ex ha ust. WEIGHT OF COMPLETE
The fi ghting compa rtm ent is equipped with a ma nua l fir e ROUND 8.9 kg B.9 kg 7.1 kg 9. 1 kg
ex tinguisher a nd th e engine co mpa rtment is fitted with a WEIGHT OF PROJECTILE 5.28 kg 5.27 kg 3.65 kg 5.4 kg
MUZZLE VELOCITY 640 m/s 635 m/s 640 m/s 750 m/s
Freo n fir e-exting uishing system, consisting of two bottles of
Freo n 130 I with a tripping device ha nd-opera ted from th e ·has tracer w i II penetrate 340 mm of arm our at an incidence of 00 or 120 mm of armour
at an incidence of 65°
dri ver's seat a nd a single bottle of Freon 130 I which is

Modernised M24 light tank with West German smoke dischargers on turret side

84
 The 7.62 mm (0 .30) coaxial machine g un has been
replaced by a 12.7 mm (0.50) Brow ning M2 HB machine gun
and a simila r a nti-aircraft weapon is mounted on th e roof of
th e turret. Four Germ a n type smoke d ischarge rs are
mounted on either side of th e turret. Forty-one rounds of
90 mm a nd 500 ro unds of 12.7 mm a mmunition are carri ed .
Vehicles used by 'th e Norwegian Army have a Simrad LV3
laser ra ngefind er mounted over th e main a rm a ment and
other optional eq uipment includes two different types of
tracks (Wes t Germ a n Diehl or Swed ish H agg lund) , new
shock a bsorbers, new co mmunicati ons equipment and either
infra- red or passive night vision equipment for th e driver,
comma nder a nd g unn er.
Dimensions of th e modernised M24 a re almos t identi cal to
those of th e stand a rd M24 C haffee but th e modernised ver-
sion has th e foll owing perform a nce figur es:
SPECIFICATiONS
MAX ROAD SPEED 57 kml h
AVERAGE ROAD SPEED 45 kml h
AVERAGE CROSS·
COUNTRY SPEED 26 - 30 kml h
ROAD RAN GE 400 km
SOUTH AFRICA
Eland Light Armoured Car
In th e ea rly 1960s South Africa obta ined a licence from
Panhard of France to undertake production of th e Panhard
AML a rm ou red car in its 60 mm a nd 90 mm versions . Fol-
lowing th e supply ofa batch of vehicles from France produc-
Eland lig ht armoured car family, left to ri ght, 60 mm mortar, 90 mm gun and .20 mm cannon
El and light armoured car with 20 mm turret
Variants
BK 710 recovery veh ic le
This has bee n designed to meet the requirements of th e
Norwegian Arm y by A/S Moelven Brug a nd is esse ntia ll y a n
M24 Chaffee lig ht ta nk with its turret removed a nd replaced
by a hydra uli c cra ne with a maximum winch ing ca pacity of
19 tonnes, maximum lifting capacity of II tonnes a t 1.8
metres reach and a maximum outreach of 5 metres with 5
tonnes . When travelling th e cran e is norma ll y traversed to
th e rear.
Status: In service with Norway. The modernisatio n
programme is still ava ila bl e from NA PCO Incorporated a nd
has been sold to a n Asia n cou ntry, probably Taiwan.
Manufacturer: Original manufact urer for th e modernised
M24 was Thune- Eureka A/S, Dra mmensveien 130, Oslo 2,
Norway. Licence is now held by NAPCO Industries Inco r-
porated , 1600 Second Street South , H opkins, Minnesota
55343, USA.
tion commenced in the mid-1 960s. The fi rst models were
armed with a 60 mm mortar a nd twin 7.62 mm machine
guns, a nd were designated the Eland Mk I .
The Mk I was fo llowed by the Mk 2 which en tered pro-
du ction in 1967 and had a number of improvements includ-
Eland light armoured car with 60 mm mortar turret
85
Sandock-Austral built Eland light armoured car armed with 90 mm gun and 7.62 mm coaxial machin e gun plus 7.62 mm
machine gun on commander's cupola
Eland light armoured car armed with 90 mm gun and 7.62 mm
coaxial machine gun . The 7.62 mm anti-aircraft machine gun is
not fitted to the mount on the commander's cupola (Christopher F
Foss)
ing a new eng ine. The Mk 3 and Mk 4 were not produ ced in
la rge numbers. The Mk 5 a nd Mk 6 were ea rli er versio ns
rebuilt to th e la test production sta nd a rd.
By ea rly 1983 so me 1300 vehicles had been co m pleted wi th
th e current produ ction m od el being th e Mk 7. This has ma ny
improve ments a s a result of co mba t ex peri ence including a
new petrol engin e that can be cha nged in 40 minutes, new
tra nsmissio n, improved suspensi o n, new turret a nd
improved a rmour protection.
C urrent production m odels a re a rm ed with a 90 mm gun/
7.62 mm coaxia l and 7.62 mm a nti-aircra ft MGs or a 60 mm
morta r/ twin 7.62 mm mac hin e g un s. A mod el with a two-
ma n turret a rmed with a 20 mm cannon a nd a coaxia l
86
Eland I ight armoured car fitted with breech-loaded 60 mm mortar
and coaxial 7.62 mm ma chin e gun (Chri stopher F Foss)
7.62 mm MG has been bu ilt but this has not ye t entered
produ cti on.
Sa ndock- A us tral can ma ke up to 35 vehicles a month if
required , whil e still produ cing th e Ra tel (6 x 6) infantry
fi g hting vehicles . N inety-fi ve per ce nt of th e El a nd a re now
pr()du ced in South Afri ca.
Statu.s: In produ ctio n. In se rvice with So uth Afri ca a nd
Zimba bwe.
Manufacturer: Sa ndock- Austra l Beperk Limited , Wes t
Stree t Industri a l Sites, Boks burg, Tra nsvaal, South Afri ca.
 SPAIN

VEC Cavalry Scout Vehicle Description

Development
The VEC (Vehfculo d e Exploraci6n de Caballeria), or
cavalry scout vehicle, has been developed by ENSA to meet
the requirements of the Spanish Army and -shares many
common components with the BMR-600 infantry fighting
vehicle. The VEC is also known as the Pegaso VEC 3562.
The first of five prototypes was completed in 1977-78 with
the total Spa nish Army req uirement being for 235 vehicles.
The hull of the VEC is of a ll-welded a luminium construction
providing protection . over it s frontal arc against
7.62 mm x 5 1 armour-piercing ammunition, and standard
7.62 mm x 51 rounds over th e remainder of the vehicle.
Some areas of the VEC have spaced a rmour protection.
The driver is seated at the front of the vehicle on th e left
side and has a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the right,
in front of which are three periscopes for forward observation.

VEC Cavalry Scout Vehicle fitted with FIAT-OTO Melara turret

VEC Cavalry Scout Vehicle with all hatches open. This veh icle is fitted with FIAT-OTO Melara turret armed with 20 mm cannon,
7.62 mm coaxial machine gun and elect rically-operated smoke dischargers.

87
VEC Cava lry Scout Vehi cle fi tted wi th Oerlikon- BOhrl e one-man
turret armed with 25 mm cannon and 7.62 mm MG

The GAD-BOA is ofa similar d es ign to th e GBD-eOA but

The centre periscope can be repl aced by a n infra-red or
image intensification periscope for ni ght dri ving.
The tu rret is in th e centre of th e ve hicle, between th e first
a nd second ax les. A va ri ety of turret install a tions can be fitt ed
incl uding th e same turret as fitt ed to th e Italia n FIAT-OTO
Mela ra type 6616 (4 x 4) a rmo ured car which is fully
described previous ly, or a n O erl ikon-Biihrle model GBD-
e OA (25 mm ) or GAD-BOA (20 mm) .
The GBD-eOA is a one-ma n ma nually operated turret
a rmed with a 25 mm O erlikon cannon type KB A-B with 120
rounds of HE and 80 rounds of APDS-T a mmunition a nd a
7.62 mm machine g un. The weapons have an elevation of
+ 52 d egrees a nd a depress ion of - 12 degrees wi th turret
traverse a full 360 degrees.
is a rmed with a 20 mm KAA cannon with 250 rounds of
ready use a mmunition a nd a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun
wit h 300 rounds of read y use a mmunition.
The engine compartment is to the rear of th e vehicle on the
left side with air inlet a nd outl et lo uvres in th e roof, silencer
on the left side of the hull and a door in th e rear of th e hull on
th e left side.
I n the hu ll to th e rea r of th e turret o n the right side is a seat
for th e fo urth crew member a nd above this is a single-piece
hatch cover ope ning to th e right with a periscope in the hull
roof. The fifth crew member is seated at th e ve ry rear on th e
right side an d has a single- piece ha tch cover that opens to the
rear and three periscopes for observation. T here is also door a
in the hull rear on the right side.

SPECIFICA nONS MAX ROAD SPEED TORQUE CONVE RTER

(1st gear position, AND HYDRAULIC
1 gear) 17 kml h RETARDER ZF
CREW 5 (2nd gear position , TYRE S 13.00 x 20
CONFIGURATI ON 6 x 6 1, 2, 3, 4 gear) 56 kml h STEERIN G hydraulic , power assisted on
COMBAT WE IGHT 13 750 kg (3rd gear position, first and third axles
WEIGHT ON FRONT 1,2,3, 4,5 gear) 69 kml h SUSPENSION independent each wheel ,
AXLE (loa ded) 5000 kg (4th gear pos ition, MacPhearson type,
WEIGHT ON CENTRE 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 gear) 100 kml h hydro-pneumati c
AXLE (loaded ) 4450 kg (reverse) 12 kml h BRAKES
WEIGHT ON REAR FUEL CAPACITY 300 li tres (ma in) disc. hydraulic. dual circuit,
AXLE (loaded) 4300 kg MAX RANGE ROAD 800 km air assisted on all wheels
POWER-TO-WEIGHT GRADIENT 60% (parking) disc. operating on propeller
RATIO 22.25 hpltonne SIDE SLOPE 30% transmission
LENGTH 6.25 m TURNIN G RADIUS 7.5 m (emergency) hydraul ic , air operated MGM
WIDTH 2.5 m ENGINE Pegaso model 915718 chambers
HEIGHT (hull top ) 2m 6- cy linder in-line ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 V
GROUND CLEARAN CE 0.4 m turbo-cha rged diesel BATIERIES 2 x 12V, 150Ah
TRACK 2.08 m developing 306 hp at
WHEELBASE 1.65m + 1.65m 2200 rpm
ANGLE OF APPROACHI TRAN SMISSION ZF 6 HP 500, fully automatic ,
DEPARTUR E 50'145' 6 forward and 1 reverse gears

Status: Prod ucti on. In service with th e Spa ni sh Army, Manufacturer: ENSA , Military Di vision, Av Aragon, 402
Madrid 22, Spain

88
 All three axles a re of Pegaso design and manufac ture and
a re of th e double redu ction type with self- locking differen-
tials. Suspension is of th e hydro-pneumati c type that allows
th e dri ve r to alter th e ground clearance to suit th e type of
ground being crossed . It has four positions: cross country,
high, road a nd minimum. The suspension can be adjusted
longitudinall y and 'transversely and individual road wheels
can be ra ised off th e ground if required . Steering is power
assisted on th e front and rear axles.
Standard equipmen t includes tool set, 4500 kg winch,
semi-a utoma ti c fi re-extinguishing sys tem protecting th e
SWITZERLAND
MOWAG Shark Weapons Carrier
Development
The Shar k has been developed by the MOW AG compa ny as
a priva te ve nture specifica ll y for th e ex port ma rket. It was
first shown in public a t th e 198 1 Paris Air Show fitted with
th e O erlikon-Blihrle T ype GDD-BOE two-man turret arm ed
with a 35 mm cannon and a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun. A
furth er two prototypes were completed in mid-1 983.
In 1982 th e Shark was successfull y tes ted in Switze rl and
MOWAG (8 x 8) Shark weapons ca rr ier fitted w ith Fives-Cai I Bab cock FL-12 turret arm ed wi th 105 mm g un, with turret traversed to rear
40%
I ,.. .
engine and transmission and two 5 kg porta ble fire ex-
tinguishers.
Optional equipment includes an NBC system , wa ter-j et
propulsion system (one un it eith er side of th e hu ll at th e
rear and a trim vane that folds back onto th e glacis
pla te), 14.00 X 20 tyres, run-fl a t tyres and a n a ir-
conditioning sys tem.
Variants
The VEC can a lso be used in th e a nti-aircraft role (g uns or
m issiles) and the anti-ta nk role with ATGWs.
fitted with a French Fives-C ail Ba bcock FL- 12 turret armed
with a 105 mm gun and fitted with a SOPTAC fire-control
system. In West Germ any it was successfull y tes ted with an
experimenta l Rheinmetall turret arm ed with the Rh ein-
meta ll l05 mm Rh 105-11 super low recoil gun which fires all
stand a rd NATO t a nk a mmuniti on , including th e
APFSDS-T.
The chassis has been designed to be easily ad a pted for a
wide range of roles including anti-aircraft (eg fitted with th e
same turret as th e Wildcat twin 30 mm SPAAG or th e new
89
MOWAG (8 x 8) Shark weapons carrier fitted with Fives-Cail Babcock FL-12 turret armed with 105 mm gun , with empty cartridge case
being ej ected out of trap door in turret bustle

Swiss AD ATS missile system), anti-tank (including missile),

fir e support, reco nnaissa nce a nd rocket launcher. La te in
1983 one of the three Sha rk prototypes was fi tted with the
one-ma n turret of th e Wildcat twin 30 mm SPAAG system
a nd this was tes ted in Canad a earl y in 1984.
Whereve r possible proven assemblies, such as engine and
tra nsmission, have been us ed in th e design of th e vehicle to
simplify both training a nd logistics.

Description
The hull of th e MOWAG Sha rk is of all-welded steel con-
structi on which provides complete protection up to a nd
incl uding th e Soviet 14.5 mm KPV a rmour piercing round.
A 155 m m H E proj ectile la nding ten metres a way from the
vehicle will cause no da mage according to th e ma nufacturer.
The dri ver is seated a t th e front of the hull on the left side
a nd has a single-piece ha tch cover tha t opens to th e left.
Forward of this are three periscopes, the centre one of which
can be replaced by a n image intensifi cation periscope for
dri ving at night. A second crew member can be seated to the
rig ht of th e driver or this space can be used for special
equipment wch as a n NBC pack or for additional a mmu-
nition stowage.
The fi ghting compa rtment is in th e centre of the vehicle
a nd a wide ra nge of a rm a ment installations ca n be fi tted up to MOWAG (8 x 8) Shark weapons carrier fitted with Fives-Cail
a nd including a n FL-12 turre t with a 105 mm gun . Full Babcock FL-12 turret armed with 105 mm gun, coaxial 7.62 mm
deta ils of th e FL-12 turret a re given in the entry for th e MG and electrically operated smoke dischargers

90
MOWAG (8 x 8) Shark wea pon s carri er fitted with tri als turret armed with Rheinmetall Rh 105-11 super low reco il gun fitted
with muzz le brake

Austrian Steyr-Daimler-Puch J agdpa nzer SK 105 light
tank/ tank detroyer.
The engine, transm ission and fuel tanks are at th e rear of
the hull and engine access panels are provided in th e top of
the engine compartment. The ai r inlet louvres are in th e top
of the hull , one eith er side, while th e air outlets at th e hull
rear.
Steering is power ass isted on th e front and rear axles and
vertical suspension travel is 420 mm.
A wide range of optional equipment can be fitted to th e
Shark including various types of NBC system, passive night
vision eq uipment and fire-ext inguishing systems.

SPECIFICATIONS MAX ROAD SPEED 100 km/h SUSPENSION

CREW 3 or 4 FUEL CAPAC ITY 400 litres (1st and 4th axles) coi l spring s with
CONFIGURATION 8 x 8 RANGE (roa d) 500 km wishbone
WEIGHT FORDIN G 1.3 m (2nd and 3rd axles) torsion bars
(loaded) 21 000 kg' GRADIENT 60% (all wheels have hydraulic shock absorbers)
(empty) 16000 kg' SIDE SLOPE 35% BRAKES
POWER-TO-WEIGHT VERTICAL OBSTACLE 0.46 m (main) dual circuit, hyd raulic,
RATI O 25.2 hp/tonne TRENCH 2.3 m air assisted
LENGTH 7.52 m TURN ING CIRCLE 12.5 m (parking) spring loaded
WIDTH 3m ENG IN E Detroit Di esel 8V-7 1T brake cy linder
HEIGHT (hull) 1.9 m turbo-cha rged diesel · (engine) Jacobs brake
AXIS OF FIRE developing 530 hp at system
( 105 mm gun) 2. 16 m 2500 rpm ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 V
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.46 m TRANSMI SSION Allison HT 750 ORO
TRACK 2.62 m automatic with 5 • depends on armament installati on
WHEELBASE 1.5 1 m + l .4m + forward and 1 reverse
1.49 m gears
ANGLE OF APPROA CH/ TYRES 13.00 x 20 run-flat
DEPARTURE 40'/45' (insert)

Status: Trials. Manufacturer: MOWAG Motorwagenfabrik AG , 8280

Kreuzlingen, Switzerland.

91
MOWAG SPY Reconnaissance Vehicle
Development
T he SPY reco nna issance vehicle was developed as a priva te
venture by th e MOWAG compa ny specifi call y for the ex port
market; th e fi rst prototypes we re completed in 1980. Drive
tra in components, press ure, hydra ulic and electrical compo-
nents of.cl1e SPY are also used in the MOWAG Piranha range
of 4 x 4, 6 x 6 and 8 x 8 a rm oured vehicl es.
In 1982 it was announ ced th a t a n undisclosed Far Eastern
co untry had pl aced an ord er for between 20 and 50 SPYs
fitt ed with a MOWAG designed one-man turret armed with
a 12.7 mm and a 7.62 mm mac hine gun .
The engine compa rtment is to th e right of th e driver with
th e a ir~ inl e t and air-outlets in th e roof and th e exha ust pipe
a longside th e right side of th e hull.
A va ri ety of armament installa ti ons can be mounted at the
rear of th e hull including th e MOW AG T ype V 041 and T ype
V 042 turrets. The form er. is arm ed with a remote-controlled
12.7 mm M2 HB machine gun with an elevation of +45
degrees, depression of-8 degrees and turret travers e of360
d ~grees . Turret traverse a nd wea pon elevation is manual,
wIth 100 rounds of read y use a mmunition being proviqed .
The gunn er aims th e machine gun with a roof-mounted
PERI ZI2 sight with a magnifi cation of x I and either side of
this is a perisco pe for lateral observa tion.

Description
T he hull of the Spy is made of a ll-welded steel and gives
complete protecti on aga inst small a rms fire up to 7.62 mm
AP calib re over th e front, sides and rear, against anti-
personnel mines ex ploding und er the hull and against shell I
MOWAG Spy reconnaissance vehicle fitted with Type V 041
splinters above th e hull. one-man turret armed with 12·7 mm and 7·62 mm MGs
The dri ver is seated a t th e fro nt of th e hull on th e left with
th e commander immedia tely behind him. The driver has a
single-piece ha tch cover a nd three perisco pes for forward
observati on, th e centre one of which can be replaced by an
infra-red or image intensifica ti on periscope for night dri ving.
The commander has a cupola mounted on a plinth above th e
roof to give observa tion over th e dri ve r. The cupola has a
s in g l e~ pi ece ha tch cover and a periscope. In the side of th e
hull behind th e comma nder is a small door th a t opens for-
wa rds.

MOWAG Spy re connaissance vehicle fitted with MOWAG designed Type V 042 turret with remote controlled 12.7 mm machine
gun and three smoke discharg ers either side

92
 The T ype V 042 turret is arm ed with a 12. 7 mm and a
7.62 mm machine gun with an elevati on of + 50 degrees,
depression of - 10 degrees and turret trave rse of360 degrees.
Turret traverse a nd wea pon elevation is ma nual with 200
rounds of 12. 7 mm a nd 500 rounds oD .62 mm a mmunition
being carri ed for ready use. The gunn er aims th e wea pons via
a PERI Z II sight with a magnifi cation of X 2 a nd X 6 and a lso
has seven perisco pes for all-round visibilit y.
All four wheels have independen t suspension a nd th e front
axle can be d isengaged for road driving. Auto ma ti c locking
different ials a nd run-fl a t core tyres a re fi tted as standa rd .
Optional eq ui pment includes va rious radio installa tion s
and an air-conditioning system.

SPECIFICATIONS
CREW RANGE (road) 700 km TYRES 11.00 x 16
CONFIGURATI ON 4 x 4 FORDIN G 1.3 m BRAKES dual circuit. hyd raulic ,
COMBAT WEI GHT 7S00 kg GRADIENT 60 % air ass isted
UNLOADED WEIGHT S900 kg SIDE SLOPE 3S % ELECTRI CAL SYSTEM 24 V
POWER-TO-WEIGHT VERTI CAL OBSTACLE O.Sm ARMA MENT
RATI O 27 hp/tonne TURN ING RADIUS 6.3 m (main) 1 x 12.7 mm MG
LENGTH 4.S2 m ENG INE Detroit Diesel V-8 (coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mm MG
WIDTH 2.S m developing 40S hp (smoke dischargers) 2 x 3
HEIGHT (hul l) t .66 m at 3000 rp m AM MUN ITION
GROUND CLEARANCE TRANSMISSION All ison AT-S40 auto- ( 12.7 mm) 3000
(hul l) O.S m matico 4 forward and (7. 62 mm) 2000
(axles) 0.39 m 1 reverse gears (smoke g renades) 20
TRACK TRANSFER CASE 2-spee d FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM
(Iront) 2.18 m SUSPENSION Turret trave rse 360'/manual
(rear) 2.20S m (fro nt) coil spring and Gun elevationl
WHEELBASE 2.S m wishbone depression +SO'/- 10'
AN GLE OF APPR OACH/ (rear) torsion bars GUN STABILI SER
DEPARTURE SO'/70' a ll wheels have (vert ical) no
MAX ROAD SPEED 110 km/h hydrauli c shock (horizontal) no
FUEL CAPACITY 200 litres absorbers

Status: Produ ction. In service with an und isclosed co untry. Manufacturer: M OWAG Mo torwage nfa brik AG , 8280
Kreuzlingen, Switze rl a nd .

TAIWAN

Type 64 Light Tank
Development/Description
In th e earl y 1970s T aiwan began design work on a vehicle
based on the American M 4 1 light ta nk. The firstprototype
was a copy of the M4 1 but with furth er modifi cations it was
standa rdised in 1975 as th e Type 64 Light T a nk. Recent
inform ation has indicated th a t it was not produ ced on a la rge
scale and tha t many T ype 64s were in fac t conve rsions of the
original American M4 1.
The Type 64 is simila r to th e M4 1A2/ M4 1A3 in auto-
moti ve and mechanical details and has th e same dimensions,
chassis, engi ne and tra nsmission but an improved electrical
system. T he hull is of a ll-welded construction as in the M4 1
but incorpora tes advanced welding techniqu es in its man-
ufacture and uses a new high-hardness alloy steel. T he all-
cast turret has the same layou t as the original M4 l although
slight alterations have been made to suit the medium sta ture
of the C hinese tank crews. An additional layer of laminated
high-hardness alloy steel a rm our pla te is bolted/welded onto
the hu ll and turret sides to p rovide grea ter protection against
HEAT and APDS proj ecti les.
T he T ype 64 is a rm ed with a 76 mm gu n as in th e M4 1 but
made in T aiwan and claimed to have a perform ance superior
to the M32 gun. A 7.62 mm machine gun is mounted co-
axially wih the main armament a nd a 12. 7 mm MG is
mounted at th e commander's station for use in the anti-
aircraft role. Both of th ese weapons are made in Taiwan a nd
the coaxia l weapon proba bly resem bles a mod ifi ed version of
th e American M60.
C hines'e sources sta te tha t the Type 64 has an im proved
fi re-control system. Ammunition stowage is probably ident i-
cal to th a t of the M4 IA2/ M4 IA3.
Later T ype 64 tanks may incorporate laser rangefi nders,
ballistic computers and passive night vision eq uip men t. All
of these have been d eveloped by th e Sun Vat-sen Scientific
Research Institute of T a iwan. It is reported th a t some con-
sidera tion is being given to replacing the 76 mm gun .
The T ype 64 has th e same mobili ty, agility a nd range
characteristi cs as the M4 1 but in view of its additional
a rm our is pro ba bly heavier. Like th e M4 l it can be fitted for
d eep fording, but it is not a mphi bious and has no NBC
system. It is fit ted wi th IR driving lights and im proved
T aiwan- built communications eq ui p men t.
Status: In service with T aiwa n.' Possibly still in produ cti on.
Improve ment and modernisation programmes may be con-
tinuing.
Manufacturer: Fighting Vehicl es Command, ROC Army,
T a ichung, T aiwan. Developmen t by Fighting Vehicles
Development Center, ROC Army, Taichung, Taiwa n 400.

93
 UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS
PT-76 Light Amphibious Tank
Development
T he PT -76 light amphibious ta nk, designed by th e Zh Ya
Kotin design tea m of heavy ta nk fa me was introdu ced into
service in 1952 . In many Soviet units it has been replaced by
MBTs such as th e T-54, T -55, T -62 or T- 72, or BMPs.
T he tank has been used in com bat in Africa, the Midd le
Eas t, d uri ng th e Indo-Pa kistan conflict and widel y used in
Viet- Na m by both th e North Vietnamese Arm y and th e V iet
Congo .The main d raw backs of the PT-76 a re its large size
necesSIta ted by th e requirement to be amphi bious, lack of
NBC or night fi ghting equipment and very th in arm our th a t
can be penetra ted even by heavy mac hine gun fir e. It does
Mug
PT-76 light amphibious ta nk Model 2 at Fort Irw in, Ca liforn ia, showi ng modified turret rear and waterj et outl ets with covers
c lose d (Dona ld C Spau lding)
94
have an excell ent amphi bious capab ility and is also used by
th e Soviet M arin es .
The chass is of th e PT -76 has been used as th e bas is for a
complete fa mi ly of a rm oured and una rm oured vehicles
including th e ASU-85 sel f-p ropelled a nti-tank gun, BTR-50
and OT-62 (Czechoslovak) arm oured personnel carriers,
FROG-2, F ROG-3, FROG-4 and FROG-5 surface-to-
surface miss ile systems, GT-T and MT-L tracked over-snow
ve hicles, GSP heavy a mphi bious ferry, Pinguin (o n BTR-50
chass is) over-snow ve hicle, PVA a mphibious cra wler tractor,
SAM-6 surface- to-air m issile la un cher and its associa ted
ra dar vehicle, ZSU-23-4 self- propelled anti-aircra ft gun sys-
tem and the 122 mm self-propelled M 1974 howitze r.
PT-76 light amphib ious ta nk Model 2 with inset Model 1 barrel

Egyptian PT-76 Model 2 captured by Israel in th e 1973 Middle
East campaign (Israeli Ministry of Defence)
Description
The hull of th e PT -76 is welded steel a nd is di vided into three
compa rtm ents with th e driver a t th e front, fi ghting com-
pa rtm ent in th e centre a nd th e engine a t th e rear. The dri ve r
is seated in th e centre of th e hull a nd is provided with a
single-piece ha tch cover th a t swings to the right. Three peri-
scopes a re mo unted forwa rd of his ha tch cover; th e centre one
can be ra ised to enab le the drive r to see over th e fro nt of th e
vehicle when th e trim vane is erected .
The turret is all- welded steel, with th e comma nder, who
also acts as th e g unner, being seated on th e left and th e loader
on the right. The turret has a n oval-sha ped hatch cover th a t
PT-76 Model 2 fitted with snorkel to rear of turret coming ashore
hinges forw a rds a nd can be locked verti cal. Mo unted in th e
left side of th e ha tch cover is a circ ul ar cupola for th e com-
mand er which ho uses three integ ral periscopes a nd can be
traversed through 360 degrees by ha nd . The comm a nder is
provided with a n optical TSh-66 sight mounted to th e left of
th e main a rma ment a nd th e loader has a periscope mo unted
in th e turret roof, forwa rd of th e ha tch cover.
The engine compa rtment is a t th e rea r a nd th e Model V-6
engine us ed in th e PT-76 is one ba nk of th a t fi tted to th e T -54
MBT. As the ta nk operates in a very cold clima te a n engine
pre-heater is fitt ed as sta nd a rd .
The ma nu al gearbox has fiv e forwa rd a nd one reverse
gea rs a nd steering is of th e clutch a nd bra ke type.
The to rsion ba r suspensio n consists of six road wheels with
th e idler a t the fro nt a nd the dri ve sprocket a t th e rear. T he
first a nd sixth road wheel sta ti ons have hydra uli c shock
a bsorbers a nd th e steel tracks each have 96 links when new.
Tracks a re steel with single dry pin .
The PT-76 is full y a mphibious, being propell ed in th e
wa ter by two wa ter j ets mounted a t th e rear of th e hull. The
onl y prepa ra tion required before entering th e wa ter is to erect
th e trim va ne a t th e front of th e hull a nd switch on th e two
electri c bilge pumps. A ma nu al bilge pump is provided for
emergency use. Stee ring is accomplished by opening a nd
closing the two ha tches over the rea r wa ter j ets: to go left th e
left wa ter j et is covered up a nd to turn left throug h 180
d egrees th e left wa ter j et sucks in wa ter while th e rig ht wa ter
j et pushes it out.
The PT-76 is not fitt ed with a n N BC system althoug h th ere
is a ventila tor mounted in 'the turret rea r a nd ma ny ve hicles
95
PT-76 Model 2 without trim vane erected swimming across a river PT-76 Model2s show their amphibious capabilities. Note snorkel
during training (TASS) attached to turret rear (TASS)

used by marines have been fitted with a snorkel ex tensi on
piece to this ven tilator which often sucked exhaust gases into
th e fighting compartment. To increase the PT-76's opera-
tional range additional fuel tanks can be fitted; these can be of
th e drum type or fl a t type as fitted to one side of the
T-54/T-55 MBT. A white light searchlight is mounted on the
right side of the turret (some models have a n infra-red search-
light on the turret) a nd one of the driving lights may be
infra-red. When being used by th e Soviet Marines the vehicle
is often fitted with a complete set of navigation lights.
The mai n arma ment of th e PT-76 is the D-56T gun which
is a development of the gun used in the T-34/76 and KV-l
tanks during the Second World War. The gun has a semi-
automatic vertical sliding wedge breech-block, hydraulic
buffer and a hydro-pneumatic recuperator. The gun is 42
calibres long a nd has an overall length of 3.455 metres and
weighs 1150 kg. The 'gun has a maximum rate of fire of
between six and eight rounds per minute, maximum range in
th e indirect fire role of between 12000 and 13290 metres,
a nd can fire the following types of fixed ammuntion:
Other types of proj ectiles a re also ava ilable, some with
cartridges with redu ced propellant charges, for HE-FRAG
a nd AP- T projectiles.
A 7.62 mm SGMT machine gun is mounted coaxially to
the right of the main armament. Many PT-76s have been
fitted with 12 .7 mm DShKM anti-aircraft machine guns.
Variants
Model I with th e D-56T gun with a multi-slotted muzzle
brake and no bore evac uator. This model has not been
observed for some years.
Model 2 with D-56T gun with double-baffie muzzle bra ke
and a bore evacuator towards the muzzl e.
Model 3 is similar to Model 2 but has no bore evacuator. It
was probably the Model 2 with th e bore evacuator removed.
Model 4 with th e fully-stabilised g un designated the
D-56TM is known as th e PT-76B.
I t is believed that all current PT-76 Model 2s used by the
Warsaw Pact have been fitt ed with a stabi lisation system.

AMMUNITION TYPE AP-T API-T HE-FRAG HEAT* HVAP-T

PROJECTILE DESIGNATION BR-350' BZR-350B OF-350t BP-350M BR-354P
FUZE MODEL MD-5 MD-5 KTM-1 BM nla pp
WEIGHT OF PROJECTILE 6.5 kg 6.48 kg 6.2 kg 3.94 kg 2.98 kg
WEIGHT OF BURSTING
CHARGE 0.15 kg 0.11 kg 0.712 kg 0.51 kg nlapp
TYPE OF BURSTING
CHARGE TNT TNT TNT RDxrrNT nlapp
MUZZLE VELOCITY 655 m/s 655 m/s 680 m/s 325 mis, 950 m/s
ARMOUR PENETRATION
AT 0° 61 mm/1000 m 61 mm/1000 m nlapp 120 mm/a1 any range 58 mm/1000 m
69 mm/500 m 92 mm/5 00 m

• later types are BR-350A and BR-350B

t later type is OF-350A
:j: Second World War. Possibly replaced by improved model

96
SPECIFICATIONS FUEL CONSUMPTION 0.96 litre/km FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM
FORDIN G amphibi ous Turret power con tro l man ual or electric
CREW 3 GRADIENT 70% By co mm ander yes
COMBAT WEIGHT 14000 kg VERTI CAL OBSTACLE 1.1 m Max ra le of power
POWER-TO-WEIGHT TRENCH 2.S m traverse 360'/21 s
RATIO 17.1 hpltonne TURNING RADIUS skid turns Gun elevation/
GROUND PRESSURE 0. ~79 kg/em' ENGINE Model V-6 6-cylinder depression + 30'/ -4'
LENGTH GUN in- line water-coo led Gun stabiliser
FORWARD S 7. 625 m di esel developin g (verti ca l) only on PT -76B
LENGTH HULL 6.9 1 m 240 hp at 1800 rpm (hori zontal) only on PT-76B
WIDTH 3.14 m AUXILIARY ENGINE none ARMOUR
HEIGHT OVERALL TRANSMISSION manua l with 4 forward Hull front upper t t mm at SO'
(l ate model) 2.255 m and 1 reve rse gears Hull front lower 14 mm at 45'
(early model) 2. 195 m STEERING clutch and brake Hull side upper 14 mm at 0 °
FIRING HEIGHT I .S2 m SUSPENSION torsion bar Hull side lower 14 mm al 0°
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.37 m ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 V Hull rea r upper 7 mm at 0°
TRA CK 2.74 m BATIERIE S 2 x 12 V. 100 Ah Hull rea r lowe r 7 mm at 45'
TRACK WIDTH 360 mm each Hull top 7 mm
LENGTH OF TRAC K ARMAMEN T Hu ll belly fron t 5mm
ON GROUND 4.08 m (main) 1 x 76.2 mm gun Hull belly rea r 5mm
MAX SPEED (coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mm MG Turret front 17 mm at 35'
(road) 44 km/h SMOKE-LAYING Turret sides 16 mm at 35'
(water) 10 km/h EOU IPMENT diesel fuel iniected Turret rea r 11 mm at 35°
FUEL CAPACITY 250l itres into exhaust system Turret top 8 mm
MAX RAN GE AMMUNITION
(road) 260 km (main) 40
(water) 65 km (MG) 1000

Status: Produ cti on co mplete. In se rvice with Afgha nista n,
Angola, C hin a, Congo, C uba, Egy pt, Equ a tori a l G uin ea,
Finla nd , East G erm a ny, Guinea, G uin ea-Bi ssa u, Hungar y,
India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, M adagasca r, Moza m bique,
North Korea, Laos, Pa kista n, Pola nd , USS R (A rm y a nd
Ma rin es) , Vi et- Na m a nd Yu goslav ia . C hin a ma nu fac tures a
s imi la r vehicle ca lled th e T ype 63 lig ht ta nk with a si m ila r
hu ll but fitt ed with a new turret a rm ed with a n 85 mm g un.
There is a se pa ra te ent ry fo r this ta nk.
Manufacturer: Soviet sta te a rse nals.

BRDM-2 Amphibious Scout Car
Development
The BRDM-2 was developed in th e earl y 1960s as th e succes-
sor·to th e earli er BRDM-I a nd was first see n in public during
1966. M a in improve ments over th e ea rlier vehicl es a re its
fully-encl osed a rma ment insta llation, more powerful rear-
mounted engine whi ch gives it a higher road a nd cross-
country perform a nce a nd better wa ter pe rform a nce.
Each Soviet mo to rised riR e di vision has a tota l of 28
BRDM-2s, 12 in th e reco nn a issa nce bat ta lion a nd fou r each
in th e ta nk regiment, B M P-equipped motorised riRe regi-
ment a nd in each of th e two BTR-60/ BT R-70-eq uipped
motorised riR e regiments. Each ta nk di vision has a to ta l of 28
BRDM-2s, 12 in the reco nna issance bat ta lio n, four in the
motorised riR e regiment a nd four in each of th e three ta nk
regiments.
BRDM-2 in travelling configuration with driver'S and
command er's hatches locked in open position . Note th e turret
has no roof hatch

97
BRDM-2 amphibious scout car
0====
BRDM-2U command vehi c le with roof mounted generator
Description
The all-welded steel ar mour hull of the BRDM-2 provides
th e crew with protecti on from sma ll anTIS fire and shell
splinters.
The dri ver is seated a t th e front of th e hull on the left with
th e vehicle commander to his right. Both are provided with a
bullet-proof windscreen to th eir front which is covered by an
a rmoured shutter, hinged at th e top, when th e vehicle is in
comba t areas. When th e shutters are in position th e driver
and commander observe th e terrain through periscopes
aro und th e front and sides of th eir position, mounted level
with th e roof of th e vehicle. The onl y means of entry to th e
BRDM-2 is by two circul a r roof ha tches immedia tely behind
th e commander and driver, hinged towards th e centre of th e
vehicle and opening only as far as th e ve rti cal.
The turret is mounted in th e centre of th e vehicle and is th e
same as th at mounted on th e Soviet BTR-60PB and Czecho-
slovak OT-64 Model 2A armoured personnel carriers.
There is a single firing port in each side of the hull and
immediately behind it a re three vision blocks which protrude
from th e outside of th e hull to give a degree of vision to the
front and rea r of th e veh icle.
BRDM-2 with Sagger ATGWs with missiles raised in ready to
launch position
98
The engine compartment is at th e rear of the hull and there
are two air-in let lou vres in the forwa rd part of th e engine
compartment roof and four smaller air-inlet louvres to the
rear. The exhaust pipes are on either side of th e hull.
On each side of th e vehicle, between th e front and rear
wheels are two chain driven bell y wheels, which are lowered
by th e driver and give th e BRDM-2 improved cross-country
performance and a lso allow it to cross ditches. A central tyre
pressure regulation system allows th e driver to adjust the tyre
press ure to sui t th e type of ground being crossed.
The BRDM-2 is fully a mphibious being propelled in th e
water by a single water j et at th e rear of th e hull. Before
entering the water a trim vane which is stowed under th e nose
of th e hull when travelling is erected a t th e front of th e hull.
When not in use the water j et outlet is covered by a triangul ar
plate pivoted at the top.
The vehicle is fitted with an NBC system and its ai r inlet is
on th e top of th e hull to th e left rear of th e turret. Standard
equipment includes infra-red driving lights, an infra-red
searchlight mounted over th e commander's position which
can be operated from within th e ve hicle, a winch mounted
internally a t th e front of th e hull , a radio and a land naviga-
tion system.
Armament consists ofa 14.5 mm KPVTm achinegun with
a 7.62 mm PKT machine gun mounted coaxiall y to the right.
A telescopic sight is mounted to th e left of th e main arma-
ment. The turret has manual traverse and is provided with an
adjustable seat for th e gunner. The KPVT machine gu n fires
an API projectile th at weighs 64.4 grams which will pene-
tra te 32 mm of armour a t a ra nge of 500 metres.
Variants
BRDM-2-RKh (Rad iolog ical-Chemical Reconnais-
sance Vehicle)
This is easily distinguishab le from th e basic vehicle by two
recta ngular racks which contain lane-ma rking poles with
pennants on either side of the hull a t th e rear. The racks are
 BRDM-2 with Sagger ATGWs
T his was first used in comba t by th e Egyptian and Syri a n
for ces during the 1973 M iddl e East campa ig ns. It is a
BRDM-2 with its turret removed a nd fitt ed with a n a rm on
top of which are mounted six Sagger AT-3 ATGWs . When
travelling th ey are within th e hull but in acti on th e a rm is
raised above th e top of th e hull complete with ove rh ead
armour protectio n. The missiles can be lau nched from within
th e vehicle or up to 80 metres away with th e aid of a separa-

BRDM-2 with launcher for Sagger ATGWs raised but not fitted
with missiles . Note be lly whee ls in lowered positi on and trim
va ne und er nose of ve hi c le (US Army)

BRDM-2 with launching system for Sagger ATGWs raised and

commander's and gunner's roof hatches open (Israe li Army)

norm a ll y cove red with a ca nvas cove r and when required a re

swung th ro ugh 90 deg rees so th a t th ey a re verti cal over th e
rea r of th e veh icle. The poles a re used to m a rk la nes through
co nta minated a reas. Some of th ese versions lack the 14.5 mm
KPV mac hine gun in th e turret.

BRDM-2U Command Vehicle

This has its turret rem oved and replaced by a hatch that
opens forwa rds. Mo unted to th e rear of this hatch is a
ge ner<1tor used to power th e addition a l communicati ons
equipm ent ca rri ed inside the veh icl e. Two radio a nten nas are
mounted one each side of th e hull.

Hung arian Army BRDM-2 Saggers with launcher and mi ss il es in ready to fire position

99

BRDM-2 on static display without armament but showing belly
whee ls lowered, commander's and driver's hatches open ,
armoured shutters over windscreens open and winch cove r
under nose open. This veh icl e was captured by the South African
Defence Force during Operation Protea in August 1981 (Terry J
Gander)
ti on sig ht. When la un ched from within th e ve hicle they a re
g uid ed by the missile operator/vehicle comma nd er who is
sea ted a t the front of th e vehicle on th e right side a nd is
prov ided with a sight in th e forward part of th e hull. A tota l of
eight missiles is carri ed in reserve a nd the radio a ntenn a is a t
th e rear on the right side ra th er th a n a t th e fro nt. Full detai ls
of th e missile are given in th e following entry on th e BRDM-I
BRDM-2 wi th AT-5 Spandrel ATGWs in travelling co nfiguration showing tracking sight forward and below laun cher in roof of
vehicle
100
ve hicle. In 1977 it was reported th a t th e Sagger was being
converted from its normal wire command g uid a nce system to
a semi-a utomatic infra-red wire g uid a nce system, which
would increase th e effectiveness of the missile a t its maximum
range of 3000 metres.
Each Soviet Motorised Rifl e Division has 36 BRDM-2
vehicles armed with ATGWs, nine in the a nti-ta nk ba ttalion,
nine in th e BMP-equipped motorised rifl e regiment and nine
in each of the two motorised rifl e regiments equipped with th e
BTR-60/ BTR-70 seri es APes. Each Soviet tank division has
nine BRDM-2s armed with ATGWs in the BMP-equipped
motorised rifl e regiments .
BRDM-2 with Swatter-B ATGWs
This was first seen in 1973 and is simil a r in a ppea ra nce to the
BRDM-2 with the Sagger ATGW but has a qu adrupl e
la uncher for the AT-2 ATGW co nverted from its original
rad io comma nd-to-line-of-sight g uid a nce to semi-active
infra-red/command guidance. This missile we ighs 29.48 kg
a nd has a ra nge of 3500 metres compared with the 3000
metres of th e original Swatter. A tota l of eight Swa tters is
ca rri ed including th e three in th e ready to la unch position. As
far as is known th e improved Swatter has not been fitt ed to
th e original BRDM-I insta llation.
BRDM-2 with Spandrel ATGWs
Shown for th e first time a t th e milita ry pa rade held in Mos-
cow in November 1977 was a BRDM-2 fitted with a turret on
top of which were mo unted five new read y to la unch miss iles
SA-9 Gaskin SAM system based on BRDM-2 vehicle (TASS)

wh ich have been given th e NATO code name of Spandrel, or SA-9 (Gaskin) System
AT-5. This vehicle is so metim es referred to as the BRDM-3. This entered se rvice with th e Soviet Army in 1972 and is
To th e rea r of the turret in th e top of the hull is a hatch which iss ued on th e scale offo ur per Soviet Motorised Rine Division
ena bles th e la un cher to be reloaded without th e crew leaving a nd a simila r number in each tank division, or a to tal of 16 per
th e vehicle. It is es tim a ted th a t in addition to th e fiv e visible division.
missiles a furth er 10 a re carri ed inside the hull. It is believed
th at it is th e second-generation type (semi- a utom atic, BRDM-2 with AT-5 Spandrel ATGWs from above showing hatch
command-to-line-of-sight) a nd th a t a ll th e operator has to d o behind launcher which is probably for reloading purposes
is to keep th e cross-hairs of his sig ht on the targe t to ensure a
hit. The sight is in th e roof of th e vehicle on th e right side and
can be traversed through 180 degrees.
The HE AT warhead weighs abo ut 7 kg a nd will penetra te
between 500 mm a nd 600 mm of armour a t a n incidence of 0
degrees. The lau nch tube has a blow-out cap a t th e front a nd
is fl ared a t th e rear. It is th ought th a t a bowed ha tch in th e
roof of th e veh icle to th e rea r of the la un cher is probably used
to allow th e mo unt to be fold ed into th e hull for reloading
·purposes. Bas ic specifi cations of th e AT-5 Spandrel ATGW
a re as follows:
LEN GTH 1.3 m
OIAMETER 155 mm
MAX RANGE 4000 m
MIN RANGE 100 m
MAX FLIGHT TIME about 20 seconds

In East Germany it has been o bserved th a t o n th e

BRDM-2/ AT-5 Spandrel vehicles, th e outer la un ch position
has been fitted with the AT-4 Spigot ATGW. This arrange-
ment a llows the ca rri age of a n increased missile load,
beli eved to be six AT-5 Spandrels plu s eight AT-4 Spigo ts
rather th a n two AT-5s .

101
SA-9 Gaskin SAM system based on BRDM-2 chassis , with with th e H a t Box a ntenna pack either side of th e turret and
launching arms and missiles in travelling position either side of th e vehicle a bove th e fro nt road wheel. It is
believed th a t this is a rada r d a ta link betwee n th e B-76 Gun
Dish rad ar on th e ZSU-23-4 self-propelled a nti- a ircraft gun
T he sys tem co nsists of a BRDM-2 with the turret removed sys tem or with other divisio nal a ir defence rad a rs.
a nd repl aced by a new turret with four read y-to-laun ch mis-
sil es whi ch a re norm a ll y lowe red to th e horizo nta l a longside
th e turret when travelling to redu ce th e ove rall height of th e SA-9 Gaskin SAM system on BRDM-2 vehic le with only two
ve hi cle. T he missile itself is 1.829 metres long, can be fi tted missiles in ready to launch position . Note the Hat Box antenna
with a n infra-red seeker a nd is believed to ha ve a n effecti ve pack above front road wheel and on left side of missile launcher
sla nt ra nge of a bout 8000 metres a nd a max imum engage-
ment a ltitude of 4000 metres. The sys tem is ca pable of cl ear
wea th er ope ra tions onl y. It is possible th a t a furth er two
miss il es in th eir la un cher boxes a re ca rri ed on th e light steel
gratings either side of th e hull. T hese a re loaded ma nua ll y
onto th e la un cher.
More recentl y so me vehi cles have bee n obse rved fitted
with a G un Dish radar in front of th e turret to g ive th e sys tem
a ll-wea th er ca pa bil ity. This rad a r is a lread y insta lled on th e
ZSU-23-4 sel f-p ropelled a nti- a ircra ft g un a nd is a lso known
as th e B- 76. It has both ta rge t acquisition ca pa bilities a nd
can pick ta rge ts up a t a max imum ra nge 6f20 km. It opera tes
in th e J -band a nd is equipped with a n MTI facility and a
co mputer.
Some SA-9 Gas kin SA M sys tems have bee n observed fitt ed

BRDM-2 with turret removed as used by Israeli Army (Israeli Army)

10 2
SPECIFICATIONS

Model BRDM-2 BRDM-2 (Sagger) Model BRDM-2 BRDM-2 (Sagger)

CREW 4 2-3 TYRES 13.00 x 18 13.00 x 18
CONFIGURATION 4 x 4 4 x 4 ELECTRI CAL SYSTEM 24 V 24 V
COMBAT WEIGHT 7000 kg 7000 kg ARMAMENT
POWER-TO-WEI GHT (main) 1 x 14.5 mm MG 6 Sagger ATGWs
RATI O 20 hp/lonne 20 hp/lonne (coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mm MG n/app
LENGTH 5.75 m 5.75 m AMMUNITION
WIDTH 2.35 m 2.35 m (main) 500 14 Saggers (Iolal)
HEIGHT OVERALL 2.31 m 2.0 1 m (coaxial) 2000 n/app
FIRING HEIGHT 2. 13 m n/app FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.43 m 0.43 m Tu rret power con trol manual n/app
TRACK 1.84 m 1.84 m Gun elevation/depression +30"1 -5" n/app
WHEELBASE 3.1 m 3. 1 m ARMOUR (max)
MAX SPEED Hull fronl upper 5 mm a180" 5 mm at 80 0
(road) 100 km/h 100 km/h Hull fron t lowe r 7 mm a145" 7 mm at 45°
(waler) 10 km/h 10 km/h Hull nose plate 14 mm at 14° 14 mm at 14°
FUEL CAPACITY 290lilres 290litres Hull sides upper 7 mm al 18" 7 mm a118"
MAX RANGE (road) 750 km 750 km Hull sid es lowe r 7 mm at 0° 7 mm at 0°
FUEL CONSUMPTI ON (roa d) 0.35 - 0.45 lilre/km 0.35 - 0.45 litre/km Hull rear upper 7 mm al 0" 7 mm al 0"
FORDING am phibiou s amphibious Hull rea r lower 7 mm al 0° 7 mm at 0°
GRADIENT 60% 60 % Hu ll lop 7 mm al 0" 7 mm at 0°
VERTICAL OBSTA CLE 0.4 m 0.4 m Belly fronl 2mm 2 mm
TREN CH 1.25 m 1.25 m Belly rear 3 mm 3mm
ENG INE GAZ-4 1 V-8 water-cooled pelrol developing 140 hp TU fret front 7 mm at 43° n/app
at 3400 rpm Turret sides 7 mm al 36" n/app
TRAN SMI SSION both have manu a l with 4 forwa rd a nd 1 reverse Turret rear 7 mm at 36" n/app
gears Turrellop 7 mm nl app
SUSPENSION semi-elliplical springs wilh hydrauli c shock
absorbers

Status: Proba bly sti ll in production. In serv ice wit h Algeria
(including Sagge r a nd SA-g), Angola (including SA-g),
Benin, Bu lgaria, Cape- Verd e Islands, Central African
Repub lic, Chad, Congo, East Germany (including Span-
drel), Egypt (includ ing Sagge r) , Equa tori a l Guinea,
Ethiopia, Gu inea, Guinea-Bissa u, Hungary (Sagger and
SA-9 on ly), Iraq (including Sagger a nd SA-g) , Israel,Jibuti,
Libya (including Sagge r a nd SA-g) , Madagascar, Malawi,
Mali, Moza mbiq ue, Peru , Pola nd (including Sagger a nd
SA-g) , Romani a (including Sagger), Sao-Tome Principe,
Seyche lles, Somalia, Sudan, Syria (including Sagge r a nd
SA-g) , T a nza nia, USSR (includi ng a ll va ri a nts), Viet-N a m
(including SA-g), Yemen, Peop le's Democratic Repub lic
(South ) (includ ing SA-g) , Yugoslav ia (Sagger a nd SA-g),
Za mbia a nd Zimbabwe.

BRDM-1 Amphibious Scout Car
Development
The BRDM-l a mph ibious scout car first appeared in the
spring of 1959 and was subsequen tl y issued to most members
of the Wa rsaw Pact. Czechoslovakia and Poland also use the
H ungaria n-designed FUG which is designed to ful fi l a simi-
lar role to th e BRDM- l but has its engine at the rear rather
than th e front as in the case of th e BRDM- l . In most Soviet
front- line un its th e BRDM-l has now been replaced by th e
BRDM-2 which has a higher road speed a nd is fitted with a
turret a rmed with a 14.5 mm and a 7.62 mm machi ne gun
rat her tha n weapons on unprotected mounts as fitted to th e
BRDM-!.
Description
The hull of th e BRDM-l is made of a ll- weld ed steel with the
engine at th e front and the crew compartment at the rear.
T he driver is seated a t th e front of the vehicle on the lert with
th e commander to his right. Both are provided with a hatc h
to their front that is hinged a t the top and opens forw a rds,
and a windscreen with a wiper blade. The ha tch cover has a
vision block for when th e ha tch is closed . A vision slit pro-
tected by a vision block is provided to the left of th e driver a nd
rig ht of the commander. There are two firing ports in each
side of the hu ll and two large ha tches in th e forw a rd pa rt of
th e roof tha t open to th e rear. The rear of th e crew compa rt-
ment slopes a t an angle ofabout 30 degrees a nd is fi tted with a
two-pi ece hatch th a t opens either sid e of th e supers tru cture.
T here is a fir ing port in each ha tch.
On either side of th e vehicle, between th e front and rear
wheels, a re two bell y wheels, which a re lowered by th e dri ve r
and give th e BRDM-l improved cross-co untry perform a nce
and also allow it to cross ditches. The BRDM-l is fu ll y
Basic BRD M- 1 amphib ious scout car armed with 12.7 mm
DShKM mach ine gun

10 3
Two BRDM-1s fording armed with 7.62 mm mach ine gun and
show ing trim vane erected at front of hull

a mphibio us being propelled in th e water by a sing le wa ter j et

at th e rea r of th e hull. Before entering th e water a trim boa rd ,
whish is stowed folded und er th e nose of th e vehicle wh en not
in use, is erec ted a t th e front of th e hull. Standard equipm ent
includes a sys tem that a llows th e dri ver to adjust th e tyre
press ures to suit th e type of gro und being crossed . The ve-
hicle is not fitted with an NBC sys tem a nd when introduced
was not fitt ed with a n y nig ht vision eq uipm ent. A white lig ht
searchli ght mou nted on th e left side of th e hull is opera ted by
th e driver. A communications reel a nd wire is mounted on
th e left side of th e s uperstructure towa rd s th e rea r.
The vehicl e is no rm a ll y a rm ed with a 7.62 mm SGMB
mac hine g un pintl e-mounted on th e fo rward part of th e roof,
whi ch has a limited traverse of 45 degrees left a nd right a nd
can be eleva ted from -6 to + 23.5 deg rees . Some vehicles a re
fitted with a 12.7 mm DShKM heavy ma chine gu n mou nted
a t th e forward part of th e roof with a 7.62 mm SGMB
machin e g un being mounted a t th e rea r.

Variants

Command Vehicle (BRDM-U)

T hi s can be di sting uished fr om th e bas ic vehicl e as it has a
radi o a ntenn a on each sid e of th e hu ll a nd two rad io a ntennas
a t th e rear whereas th e bas ic ve hicl e has onl y a single radio
antenna on th e right sid e of th e hull.

Radiological-Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle

(BRDM-RKh)
This is easil y disting uisha ble from the bas ic vehicle as on
either side of th e hull a t th e rea r of the vehicle a re two
rec ta ng ul a r racks whi ch co nta in la ne marking poles with
penn a nts. The racks a re nor ma ll y cove red with a canvas

BRDM-1 command veh ic le wi th antenna erected

10 4
BRDM-1 with Snapper ATGWs raised ready to launch

cove r a nd when req uired a re sw ung throug h 90 d egrees so

th at th ey are ve rti ca l over th e rea r o f th e veh icl e. Th e po les
are used to m a rk la nes thro ug h co nta min a ted a reas .

BRDM-1 with Snapper ATGWs

T hi s sys te m is basi ca ll y a BRDM- I vehicle with its s uper-
struc ture ex te nd ed to th e rear of"t he hu ll a nd carry ing a trip le
launc he r for th e Sna ppe r AT-I ATGW . The So viet designa-
tio n for th e Sn a pper is th e 3 M6 or Shme!. The miss il es a rc
mo unt ed und e r th e la un c he r a rm s a nd befo re the la un c he r
can be ra ised into th e ope n th e fo ur ha tc h cove rs o ve r th e
missil e compa rtm e nt are swu ng clear, two to eith e r sid e of th e
hull. Th e mi ss iles ca n be la un c hed from within th e ve hicl e or
away fro m it with th e a id ofa sepa ra tio n sig ht. Spare mi ss il es
carried wit hin th e ve hi c le ha ' ·e to be loa d ed from ou ts id e. As AT-2a Swatter ATGWas ca rr ied inthe BRDM-1 (Snapper) ATGW
far as it is known thi s m od el is no lo nge r in front-lin e serv ice vehicle (US Department of Defense)

BRDM- 1 with Swatter ATGWs in rai se d position ready for launching (US Department of Defense)

105
Close-up of Swatter ATGW launcher on BRDM-1 ve hi c le (US
Department of Defense)
Basic man-portab le version of the Saggerwith sig ht and joystick
100 co ntroll er on left and missi Ie on rig ht (US Departm en t of Defense)

--- -
90
80 B/
70 / / .........A
60 //
V
50

40 /
10
I
/
20
10
% 5 10 15 20 25 30
Range-hundreds of metres
First-round hit probab il ity of Snapper (A) and Sagger (B) ATGWs BRDM-1 armed with six ready to launch Sagger ATGWs
from stat ionary vehic le at stati onary target

BRDM- 1 with Sagger ATGWs raised ready to launch (US Departm ent of Defense)

106
with the Soviet Union. Details of the missile are given in the
specifications table.
BRDM-1 with Swatter ATGWs
This model is similar to the previous model but has a quad-
ruple rath er than a triple launcher with the missiles being
mounted above tne long launcher rails. In addition to the
hatch covers th at open either side of the vehicle there is also a
cover th at opens to the rear of the launcher. This model has
been seen in service only with Soviet units. D etai ls of the
missile are given in the specifications table.
BRDM-1 with Sagger ATGWs
This model was first seen during a parade held in Moscow in
May 1965 and differs from the other models in that the
sextuple la uncher is raised into the launch position complete
with the overhead cover. The missiles can be launched from
inside the veh icle or up to 80 metres away from it with the aid
of a separation sight. Details of the missile are given in the
specifications tab le. The Soviet designation for the Sagger is
the 9M 14M or Malyutka. The basic vehicle is called the 2P27
by th e Soviets.

SPECIFICATIONS
Model BROM-1 BROM -1 BROM-1 BROM-1 Model BROM-1 BROM -1 BROM-1 BROM-1
(Snapper) (Swatter) (Sagger) (Snapper) (Swatter) (Sagger)
CREW 5 2-3 2-3 2-3 TYRE S 12.00 x 18 12.00 x 18 12.00 x 18 12.00 x 18
CONFIGURATION 4 x 4 4 x 4 4 x 4 4 x 4 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 V 24 V 24 V 24 V
UNLOADED WEIGHT 5600 kg 5600 kg 5600 kg 5600 kg ARMAMENT (main) 1 x 7.62 mm Snapper Swatter Sagger
'LENGTH 5.7 m 5.7 m 5.7 m 5.7 m MG ATGW ATGW ATGW
WIDTH 2.25 m 2.25 m 2.25 m 2.25 m AMMUNITION 1250 n/app n/app n/app
HEIGHT- 1.9m 1.9 m 2m 2m READY TO LAUNCH
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.315 m 0.315 m 0.315 m 0.315 m MISSILES n/app 3 4 6
TRACK 1.6m 1.6m 1.6m 1.6 m ARMOUR (max) 10 mm 10 mm 10 mm 10mm
WHEELBASE 2.8 m 2.8 m 2.8 m 2.8 m
MAX SPEED - Without armament (BRDM-1). with missi les retracted (BRDM·l ATGW)
(road) 80 km/h 80 km/h 80 km/h 80 km/h
(water) 9 km/h 9 km/h 9 km/h 9 km/h
FUEL CAPACITY 150 litres 150litres 150 litres 150litres NATO name Snapper Swatter Sagger
MAX CRUISING RANGE NATO deSignation AT-1 AT-2a AT-3
(road) 500 km 500 km 500 km 500 km WEIGHT 24.26 kg 29.48 kg 11.29 kg
FUEL CONSUMPTION 0.3 litre/km 0.3 litre/km 0.3 litre/km 0.3 litre/km LENGTH 1.148 m 1.163 m 0.863 m
FORD)NG amphibious amphibious amphibious amphibious DIAMETER 134 mm 132 mm 119mm
GRADIENT 60% 60% 60% 60% RANGE
VERTICAL OBSTACLE 0.4 m 0.4 m 0.4 m 0.4 m (minimum) 500 m 500 m 500 m
TRENCH 1.22 m 1.22 m 1.22 m 1.22 m (maximum) 2500 m 3000 m 3000 m
ENGINE GAZ-40P 6-cylinder in-line petrol . water-cooled GUIDANCE wire radio wire
developing 90 hp at 3400 rpm FLIGHT TIME TO
TRANSMISSION manual with 4 forward and 1 reverse gears MAX RANGE 19 s 23 s 27 s
TRANSFER CASE 2-speed 2-speed . 2-speed 2-speed AVERAGE VELOCITY 105 m/s 150 m/s 120 m/s
CLUTCH single dry plate for alf models WARHEAD HEAT HEAT HEAT
SUSPENSION semi-elliptical springs and hydraulic shock absorbers ARMOUR
PENETRATION 0' 380 mm 510 mm 410 mm

Status: Production complete. In service with Alban ia, Manufacturer: Soviet state arsenals.
Algeria, Angola, Bu lgaria, Congo, Cuba, Czechoslovakia,
Ethiopia, East Germany, Guinea, Moza mbique, Poland,
Roman ia, USSR, Yugoslavia and Zambia.

UNITED KINGDOM

Alvis Saladin Armoured Car
Development
In January 1946 the British Army issued a req uirement for a
new armoured car as a replacement for the Daimler Mk II
and AEC Mk III armoured cars which were developed dur-
ing the Second World War. Design work on this new vehicle,
called the FV60 I (A), began in the same year at the Fighting
Vehicles Design Department (later to become the FVRDE
and now the MVEE) . In many respects the vehicle is very
similar to th e American M38 (T38) Chevrolet Wolfhound
(6 X 6) armoured car which was built only in very small
numbers and did not enter service with the United States
Army.
As originall y conceived the FV60 I (A) was to have had a
crew offour and be armed with a 2-pounder gun fitted with a
Littlejohn Adaptor to increase the muzzle velocity. But in
February 1948 it was decided that the 2-pounder was not
powerful enough so a new weapon, th e 76 mm gun L5 , was
designed . by the Armament Design Establishment at Fort
Halstead (now RARDE) , but was not ready until 1953 . In
1947 a contract was award ed to Alvis Limited of Coventry to
build two prototypes of the FV601 which were completed in
1953. The first mock-up, fitted with a 2-pounder gun, was
completed in 1948.
At th e same time as Alvis was building th e prototypes of
the FV60 I it was a lso bu ilding the FV603 armoure person-
nel carrier which eventua lly became known as the Saracen.
As th e Saracen was urgently required for operations in
Malaya it was decided to let Alvis concentrate on this vehicle
and that the six pre-production vehicles, the FV60 I (B),
wou ld be built by Crossley Motors at Stockport in Cheshire.

107
Alvis Saladin armoured car with commander's and gunner's hatches open (Christopher F Foss)
The six pre-production vehicles were completed in 1955
and had a slightly different shaped turret from those of
prototype vehicles as well as different vision equipment a nd
differe nt hatches for the commander and gunner.
Productio n was authorised in 1956 and the vehicle entered
production at Coventry in 1958 with first veh icl es being
delivered to th e Army the following year. Production con-
tinued until 1972 by which time 1177 vehicles had been built.
The ve hicle was succeeded by th e Al vis Scorpion CVR(T)
whi ch is a rm ed with a new and lighter version of th e 76 mm
gun of the Saladin called th e L23. The Saladin is officiall y
known as th e FV60 I (C) Armoured Car 76 mm Gun (Alvis
Saladin Mk 2 6 x 6).
The Saladin has been replaced in a ll front-lin e British units
by th e Alvis Sco rpion CVR(T). A small number a r'e, how-
eve r, used in Cyprus and some are still us ed for tra ining
drivers. ' Nar reserve stocks of th e Saladin are also mainta ined
by th e United Kingdom.
Alvis Saladin armoured car
108
Description
The all-welded steel hull of the Saladin is divid ed into three
compartments: driver's a t th e front, fighting in the centre and
engine at th e rear.
The driver is seated at the front of the vehicle and is
provided with a single-piece hatch cover that folds forwards
onto the glacis pl a te for improved visibility. The driver has
three No 17 periscopes , one in th e hatch cover and one on
either side of his position.
The all-welded turret is in the centre of the hull with the
gunner seated on the left and th e commander, who also acts
as th e load er, on th e right, both with a single-piece hatch
cover th a t opens to th e rear. The commander has four No 17
periscopes arranged around th e forward pa rt of his hatch a nd
a single swivelling periscope to th e rear. The gunner has a
Alvis Saladin armoured car from rear showing external stowage
(Christopher F Foss)
periscope forwa rd of his ha tch cover, th e lower pa rt with a
magnifi cation of X6 for fire-control a nd th e upper part with a
X I magnifi ca ti on for observa ti on. On th e left sid e of th e
turret, just to th e rear of th e ma ntiet, is an ex trac tor fa n. A
small recta ngula r observa tion ha tch is provided in th e rear of
th e fi ghting compartment, just below the turret ring. Either
side of the tur re t below the turret ring is a crew esca pe hatc h.
The engine compa rtment at the rear of th e hull is se pa ra ted
from th e crew compartment by a fireproof bulkhead a nd is
fitted with a fire wa rning system and a fire-exting uishing
system , th e latter being operated by th e dri ve r.
Air for th e engine compartment is drawn in via six louvred
engine covers by tw o fans and th en passes th ro ugh th e
radi a tor and is ex pelled through grilles a t th e very rear of the
hull.
The engine is co upled to a Daiml er fluid coupling which in
turn is co upled to a Daimler epicyclic pre-selective gear box
which transmi ts power to th e transfer box consisting of a
bevel and helical gear, incorpora ting reverse and a dilTeren-
tia l a nd enabling th e fi ve gears to be used in both directi ons.
This transfers th e drive direct to each centre bevel box a nd
th ence via transmission shafts to th e front a nd rear ax les .
Each wheel houses epicyclic redu cti on gea rs and is connected
to the bevel box by a transmission shaft and two uni versal
j oints.
The suspension a t each wheel sta tion consists of an upper
and lower link, with th e upper a ttached to a longitudinal
torsion bar which is splined to a tube which in turn is secu red
to the hull. Steering is hydra ulically power- ass isted on the
front and centre road wheels. ..,.
The Sa ladin has no a mphibious capa bility although a ki t is
avail able which enables the vehicle to ford to a depth of 2.1 3

Alvis Saladin armoured car with driver's hatch open (Christoph er

F Foss)
109
metres . For trials purposes a Saladin was fi tted with a col- recoil mecha nism. A 7.62 mm (0.30) machine gun model
lapsible flotation screen simi lar to that fitted to th e CVR(T) MI919A4(L3A3/L3A4) is mounted coaxia ll y to the left of the
Scorpion, but this was never adopted by th e British Army. main armament a nd a similar anti-aircraft wea pon is
The Saladin does not have an NBC system or night vis ion mounted on the right of th e commander's ha tch. Six smoke
equ ipment. discha rgers fitted on either side of th e turret a re electrically
M ain armament of th e Saladin consists ofa 76 mm L5A I fired from within th e vehide. The 76 mm gun fires the fo llow-
gun with a vertical sliding breech-block and a hydro-spring ing types of ammunitio n:
:t.
Type Canister HESH HE HEiPRAC SHIP SMKI BE ILL
DES IGNATI ON L33A3 L29A3/L29A5 L24A4 L25A4 L40Al L32A5 L42Al
WEIGHT OF COMPLETE
ROUND 7.76 kg 7.4 1 kg 7.17 kg 7.38 kg 7.41 kg 10.04 kg 11 .5 kg
WE IGHT OF PROJECTILE n/app 5.39 kg 5.35 kg 5.24 kg 5.39 kg 8.0 kg 8.0 kg

The 42 rounds of a mmunition are stowed ve rtically: I I

between th e commander a nd th e gunner, 12 on th e left and II
on the right behind th e dri ve r and eight a t th e left rea r of th e
hul l.

Variants
The only variant of the Saladin in service is designated th e
FV60 I (D). It was built for the Federa l German Bord er Police
(Bundesgrenzschutz) , who call it the Geschiitzer Sonder-
wagen I1 I(SW I II)(Kfz 93) , has no coaxial machine gun and
is fitted with Wes t Ger man smoke discha rgers and driving
lights. It is reported that 97 Salad ins originall y delivered to
th e Federal Germ a n Border Police were subsequen tl y sup-
plied to" Sud a n in the ea rly 1960s.
The British Aircraft Corporation Guided Weapon Divi-
sion (now British Aerosp ace Dyna mics Group) fitt ed a Sala-
din with a Swingfire ATGW either side of th e turret but th is
was not adopted for service. There was also a proj ect to fi t th e
turret of th e Fox a rmoured car to th e Saladin but this did not
reach eve n th e mock- up stage.
Salad ins were also used by the Australian Army a nd when
th ey were withdrawn from service th eir turrets were re moved
and fi tted to M 11 3A I APCs, which were th en called M I 13A I
Fire Support Vehicles.

76 mm fixed ammunition for L5 gu n of Sa lad in and L23 gun of

Scorp ion. Top to bottom; Hig h Expl os ive , Hi gh Exp los ive Sq uas h
Head and Smoke (Sase Ej ection) (Roya l Ordnance Factori es)

SPECIFICATIONS
CREW 3 VERTI CAL OBSTACLE 0.46 m AMMUNITI ON
CONFIGURA TI ON 6 x 6 TREN CH 1.52 m (main) 42
COMBAT WE IGHT 11 590 kg TURN ING RADIU S 7.31 m (machine gun) 2750
UNLOADED WEIGHT 10500 kg ENG INE Rol ls-Royce B80 Mk 6A FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM
POWER-TO-WEIGHT 8-cy linder petrol Turret power contro l electri c/manual
RATIO 14.66 hp/tonne developing 170 bhp at By com mander yes
GROUND PRESSURE 1.21 kg/cm' 3750 rpm By gunner yes
LENGTH GUN FORWARD 5.284 m TRANSM ISS ION pre-s elector 5-speed Gun elevationl
LENGTH HULL 4.93 m STEERING recirc ulating ball, depression +20'1- 10'
WIDTH 2.54 m hydraulic assisted Gun stabi liser
HEIGHT CLUTCH fluid coupling (vertical) no
(to top of gunner's SUSPENSION independent, double (horizonta l) no
periscope) 2.93 m wishbone and torsion Range setting device yes
(to turret roof) 2.19 m bar, hydraulic shock Traverse indicator yes
FI RING HEIGHT 1.854 m absorbers ARMOU R
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.426 m TYRES 12.00 x 20 Hull g lacis 12 mm at 45'
TRACK 2.038 m BRAKES Hull nose 14 mm at 42'
WHEELBASE 1.524 m + 1.524 m (main) hydrau lic di sc all whee ls Hull sides 16 mm at 20'
ANGLE OF APPROACHI (parking) mechanical all wheels Hull top 10-12 mm
DEPARTURE 60'/50' ELECTRI CAL SYSTEM 24 V Hull floor B-12 mm
MAX SPEED FORWA RDS BATIERIES 2 x 12 V, 60 Ah Hull rear 16 mm
(road) 72 km/h ARMAMEN T Turret front 32 mm at 15'
FUEL CAPAC ITY 24 1 litres (main) 1 x 76 mm Hull si des f 6 mm
MAX RANGE 400 km (coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mm MG Hull rear 16mm
FORDING 1.07 m (anti-aircraft) 1 x 7.62 mm MG · Hull top 10 mm
(with kit) 2. 13 m SMOKE-LAYING
GRADIENT 46% EQUI PMENT 2 x 6 smoke dischargers

li D
Status: Produ ctio n complete. I n servi ce with Ba hra in , Fed- Manufacturer: Alvis Limited , H olyhead Road , Coventry,
era l Germ a n Border Poli ce, Ghan a, I nd onesia, J o rdan , Wes t Midla nds CV5 8JH , Eng la nd . (A me mber of th e
Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oma n, Nige ri a, Portuga l, Un ited Scientifi c Group) .
Sierra Leone, Sri La nk a, Sudan , Tunisia, United Arab Emi-
ra tes, United Kingdom, Yemen Ara b Republic (North ),
Peo ple's Democra ti c Republic of Yemen (So uth ). They were
also used by Uga nd a but th ese a re now non-opera tio nal.

Alvis Sagitar a rm ed with a Royal Ordnance Fac to ri es low pressure gun.

Alvis Limited has submitted three studies to the United
Sta tes Arm y T a nk Automotive Comm a nd for th e Mo bile
Protected Wea pon Sys tem (MPWS) a nd one for the Mo bile
Protected Gun System (MPGS ). For th e MPWS th e com-
pa ny has put forwards th e Sagita r chassis which is a furth er
development of th e Sto rm er APC of which 25 have been
delivered to Ma lays ia, with a two-ma n turret a rm ed with a
Roya l Ordna nce Factori es 76 mm L23A I g un (as installed in
th e Sco rpi on) a nd a twin TOW ATGW la uncher, anoth er
armed with a 75 mm ARES g un a nd a conce ptua l design
For the MPGS requirement th e 105 mm low press ure g un
a nd the Wes t Germ a n Rh einmeta ll Rh 105- 11 super low
recoil g un have been proposed.
Status: Proj ect.
Manufacturer: Alvis Limited , Holyhead Road , coventry,
Wes t Midl a nds CV5 8JH , Engla nd . (A member of th e
United Scientifi c Gro up.)

Artist's impression of Alvis hybrid vehicle based on Stormer

chassis but fitted with two-man turret armed with ARES 75 mm
automatic gun

Model of Alvis hyb ri d vehic le based on Stormer chass is butfitted Model of Alvis hybrid veh ic le based on Storm er chassis but fitted
with two-man turret armed with Cockerill 90 mm Mk III gun with two-man turret armed with 76 mm L23A 1 gun and twin
(Christopher F Foss) launcher for Hughes TOW ATGW (Christopher F Foss)

II I
Alvis Scorpion Reconnaissance Vehicle
Development
In the late 1950s th e British Army issued a requirement for an
Arm oured Vehicl e Reconn aissance (AVR) to und erta ke th e
roles of reconnaissance, fire support and anti-tank. After
studying a variety of proposals th e Fighting Vehicles
Research a nd Development Establishment (now the Military
Vehi ci"es and Engineering Establishment) came to th e co n-
clusion that two ve hicles wou ld be required to carry out th ese
roles. These became th e Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance
(Tracked) Scorpion range a nd the Combat Vehicle Recon-
Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) Scorpion (FV1 01)
11 2
naissance (Wheeled) Fox vehicle, both of wh ich us e th e same
Jagua r engine.
The Scorpion was preceded by a test rig known as th e TV
15000, which was made of aluminium a rm Ollr, powered by a
Rolls-Royce B60 pe trol engine which developed 130 hp
(replaced in 1966 by th e more powerful J aguar XK petrol
engine), a nd had a hydro-pneum a ti c sllspension. The TV
15000 was followed in 1966 by two tes t rigs, one of which was .
sta ti c and was used to test th e cooling system and other
components a nd th e second, called th e Mobile T est Rig,
tes ted a utomoti ve features . The la tter did not have the
hydro-pneumatic suspension as fitted to the TV 15000 but
Alvis Scorpion CVR(T) of British Army with flotation screen removed (Christopher F Foss)
had a new TN 15 transmission which is essentiall y a scaled-
down ve rsion of th a t installed in the C hiefta in MBT.
In September 1967 Alvis Limited of Coventry, which was
at that time building the FV600 ra nge of 6 X 6 arm oured
vehicles, was award ed a contract to build 17 prototypes . The
first prototype was completed in J a nua ry 1969 a nd th e fi rst
offi cial announcement of the vehicle was made in September
th e same yea r. All 17 prototypes were completed by th e
middle of 1970 and in M ay 1970 the Scorpion was acce pted
for service with the British Army. In O ctober 1970 the Bel-
gian Arm y placed an order for 70 I Scorpions and vari ants,
which were asse mbled a t a British Leyland facility at Ma lines
in Belgium. Some of the components of th e British and Bel-
gian vehicles were made in Belgium .
It is believed that Egy pt is considering manufacturing th e
CVR(T ) Scorpion family of vehicl es und er licence.
The first production Scorpions were deli vered to th e Brit-
ish Army in J anuary 1972 with first deliveries being made to
the Belgian Army in February 1973.
In July 1977 it was sta ted tha t produ ction for both th e
Belgian and British Armies would be completed by 1980
when th e number of vehicl es deployed would be over 2000
(including variants). At th e same time it was said tha t ex port
sales had reached 400 vehicles . Since then furth er export
orders for th e Scorpion ,series have been won and it is esti-
mated tha t at least 3300 vehicles have now been ordered
(including those delivered ).
It was announced early in 1979 tha t the Royal Air Force
Regiment had ordered 150 members of th e Scorpion family
(including Scorpion, Spa rtan, Sultan and Samson) for th e
defence of Royal Air Force a irfi elds in Wes t Germ any. In
November 198 1 the Royal Air Force Regiment a t Catteri ck
forma ll y took del ivery of its first Alvis C VR(T ) Scorpions for
airfield defence. Each RAF Regiment Squadron will be
equipped with six Scorpions, 15 Spartan APCs, one Sultan
command vehicle and one Samson ARV. N um ber I Squad-
ron, Royal Air Force Regiment is deployed in Wes t Germany
to defend th e H arri er Force, while th e oth er three squadrons
a re based in th e United Kingdom but will deploy to West
G erma ny in time of war to defend Laa rbruch, Briigge n a nd
Wildenra th .
Scorpion has been designed to operate in temperatures
from - 30° to + 50°C and a Lockheed C-1 30 H ercules trans-
port can carry two of th em. In th e British Army of th e Rhin e
Scorpion is centralised in the di vision reconnaissance
regiments for medium reconna issance. Each arm oured
reconnaissance regiment has 32 Scorpions, 40 Scimita rs, 12
Spartans (fi ve with ZB 298 rada rs), 7 Sulta ns, 4 Sa msons,
and 3 Sa m a~ itan s .
During th e 1982 Falkl ands campaign, th e British Arm y
deployed two Scorpions, four Scimitars and one Sa mson
armoured recovery ve hicle. The offi cial British gove rnment
report on th e Fa lklands had this to say a bout th e Scorpi on:
" Mobility. The ground forces were h eavil y dependent on
helicopters a nd tracked vehicles for mobility. The tr;cked
reconnaissance vehicl es, Scorpion a nd Scimita r, performed
very well in boggy conditions, covering an average of 350
miles each. One vehicle withstood a shell which landed Ilh
metres away; another ran over a mine which severely da m-
aged th e vehicl e but left th e crew unha rm ed ."
11 3

Belgian Army Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) with
flotation screen erected (C R Zwart)
Description
The hull of the Scorpion is made of a ll- welded a luminium
armour and provides the crew with protection against a ttack
over its frontal area from 14.5 mm projectiles a nd against
7.62 mm armour-piercing rounds over the remainder of the
vehicle. The hull is divided into three compart ments: dri ver's
Cutaway drawing of CVR(T) Scorpion
11 4
at the front on the left, engine at the front on the right and the
fighting compartment at the rear.
The driver has a single- piece hatch cover that swings to the
left, in front of which is a single wide-angl e periscope which
can be replaced by a Pilkington passive periscope for night
driving.
The Scorpion is powered by a de-rated (from 265 to
190 bhp) and milita ris ed J aguar 4.2-litre engine with a Solex
carburetter and a compression ratio redu ced from 9: I to
7.75: I , which permits the use of military fuels . The transmis-
sion, which is at the front of the vehicle, has been developed
on the same principles as that used for the Chieftain MBT. It
is a hot-shift, foot-operated, seven-speed gearbox with a con-
trolled differential steering system. For engine cooling a
single mixed flow fan draws in air through the radiator over
the gearbox, over the engine and out through the louvres.
The other two crew members are seated in the all-welded
alumini um armour turret with the commander on the left
and the gunner on the right, both with a single-piece hatch
cover that opens to the rear. The commander has seven
periscopes and a roof-mounted sight in front of his hatch
cover with a magnification of X I and X 10. The roof-mounted
sight is capable oflimited rotation allowing ap proximately an
85-degree horizontal fi eld of view. The gunner has two peri-
scopes and a roof-mounted sight with a magnifi cation of X I
and X 10. Mounted to the right of the main armament is a
Rank Precision Industries passive night sight with a
 The Scorpio n can ford to a d epth of 1.067 metres without
prepara tio n. A fl ota ti on screen carri ed coll apsed aro und th e
top of the hull ca n be erected by th e crew in five minu tes a nd
th e vehi cle is then propelled a nd stee red across the s tream or
river by its tracks a t a speed of6.44 km/ h. A propeller kit has
also been developed a nd when fitted with it th e Scorpio n has
a max imum wa ter speed of 9.65 km/ h .
The Scorpion is a rm ed with a 76 mm L23 g un which is a
lighter version of the L5 used in th e Saladin a rm oured car.
T his weapo n has a ve rti cal sliding breech a nd is loaded with
fi xed a mm unit io n. It has a recoil of a pproximate ly 2S0 mm
a nd is ret urn ed to th e fir ing pos ition by a hyd ro-p neuma ti c
recupera tor. D uring run ou t th e b reech is opened by a semi-
a utomatic cam, the empty cartridge case is ejected a nd th e
breec h then rema ins open read y for reloading. T he g un has
an elevation of + 35 degrees a nd a d epression of - 10 degrees,
turre t traverse being 360 degrees. Elevation a nd traverse a re
both ma n ua l but ifreq uired the vehicle can be delivered with
Be lg ian Army Alvis CVR(T) Scorpion with special cab used for powered traverse. T he following types of a mm uni tion can be
driver training (C R Zwart) fired :

Type Canister HESH HE HE/PRAC SHI P SMK/BE ILL

DESIGNATION L33A3 L29A3/L29A5 L24A4 L25A4 L4 0A l L32A5 L42A l
WEIGHT OF COM PLETE
ROUND 7.76 kg 7.41 kg 7.17 kg 7.38 kg 7.4 1 kg 10.04 kg 11.5 kg
WE IGHT OF PROJECTILE nlapp 5.39 kg 5.35 kg 5.24 kg 5.39 kg 8.0 kg 8.0 kg
MAX RANGE DIRECT 150 m 2200 m 2200 m 2200 m 2200 m nl app nlapp
MAX RANGE INDIRECT 290 m 5000 m 5000 m 5000 m 5000 m 3700 m nl app
MUZZLE VELOCITY 290 m/s 533 m/s 514 m/s 514 m/s 533 m/s nlapp nl app

magnifica tion of X 5.S (S-degree fie ld of view) a nd a low
magnifica tion of X 1.6 (2S-degree fi eld of view). T here can be
no confusion between th e two as when th e high mag nifi catio n
is being used a shutter isola tes th e low magnificat ion o bjec-
tive. The image intensifi er dia phragm isolates th e high
magnifi cati on o bjecti ve. The image intensifi er tube is pro-
tected fro m th e effect of g un muzzle fl as h by a fl as h shutter
th a t is operated electricall y from the g un firing circ uit. W hen
high magnifi catio n is selected a n illumina ted ba llisti c
gra ticule with brig htness control is a utoma tically inj ected
into the opti cal system. The exposed obj ecti ve window is
cleaned by a wiper a nd was her and the sight is protected by
a n a rmoured cover with a door which is kept closed when th e
sight is not in use. The sight will detect infra-red devices.
The radios a re in th e turret bustl e a nd a light metal stow-
age box is mounted exte rnall y a t th e rear of th e hull . British
Army Scorpi ons now have a stowage box on the left side of th e
hull.
The torsion ba r suspension consists of five rub ber-tyred
aluminium road wheels with the dri ve sprocket a t th e front
a nd th e idler a t the rear. There a re no track re turn rollers.
H yd ra ulic lever type shock a bsorbers a re provided for th e
fi rst a nd las t road wheel sta tions eith er side. T he tracks a re of
lig ht steel with ru bber bushes and pads, a nd have a li fe of
over 5000 km of mixed road a nd cross-country running.
British Arm y Scorpio ns have a n NBC system a t th e rea r of
the hu ll , but ifit is no t installed a n additiona l fi ve rou nds of
76 mm a mmunition can be carri ed. Optional eq ui pment
incl ud es a n NBC detector kit, vehicle naviga tio n system a nd
a Norm alair-Garrett air-cond iti oning sys tem which has
alread y been fi tted on th e vehicles supplied to th e U nited
Arab Emira tes.
A 7.62 mm machine g un mounted coaxiall y to th e left of
th e main arma ment can be used as a ra nging machine gun.
M ounted each side of th e turre t is a fo ur-barrelled
electricall y-operated smoke discha rger.
Scorpion 90
For the ex port ma rket Alvis has fitt ed a Scorpi on with a
90 mm Mk III Cockeri ll gun. The wea pon fi res th e following
types of fi xed a mmunition which has bee n designed a nd
produ ced by PRB :

Type Canister HE-T HEAT-T HEAT-TP-T HEAT-T-HVY HESH-T Smok.WP-T HE-APERS-FRAG

DESIGNATION NR 125 NR 501 NR 478 NR 479 NR 220 NR 503 NR 502 NR 2 19
WEIGHT
(complete round) 6.2 kg 8.3 kg 7.3 kg 7.5 kg 8.2 kg 7.7 kg 8.6 kg 11 kg
(projectil e) nlapp 5.1 kg 4.1 kg 4.1 kg 5.1 kg 4.3 kg 5.4 kg 8.5 kg
(propellant) 0.4 kg 0.9 kg 1 kg 1.2 kg 0.9 kg 1 kg 0.9 kg 0.3 kg
(primed ca rtridge case) 2.3 kg 2.3 kg 2.2 kg 2.2 kg 2.2 kg 2.3 kg 2.3 kg 2.2 kg
EFFECTIVE RANGE 200 m 2000 m 1500 m 1500 m 1500 m 1200 m 2000 m 1000 m
COMBAT RANGE WITH
MAX TRAJECTORY HEIGHT OF 2.3 m nl app 800 m 1000 m 1000 m 800 m 800 m 800 m nlapp
MUZZLE VELOCITY 200 m/s 700 m/s 890 m/s 900 m/s 700 m/s 800 m/s 695 m/s 320 m/s
Notes
Canister projectile contains 1400ballswith a total wei ght of2.42 kg . which at 50 m range have a 4 m spread , at 100 m 8 m spread, at 150 m 12 m spread. at 200 m 16 m spread and
at 250 m 20 m spread
HEAT-T projectil e wi ll penetrate 300 mm of armour at 0 degrees incid ence at 1000 m range
HEAT-T-HY projecti le will penetrate 330 mm 01 armour at 0 deg rees inci dence

115
Scorpion 90 with Cockerill Mk III 90 mm gun

The turret of th e Scorpion 90 is desig na ted the AC 90 a nd is
almost identical to that fitted to th e basic vehicle.
The 90 mm g un has a n elevatio n of + 30 degrees a nd a
depression of -8 degrees which is almost th e same as that of
th e bas ic Scorpion. The first production orders a re fitt ed with
th e American Cadillac Gage power traverse a nd eleva ti on
sys te m.
The basic Scorpion carri es 40 rounds of 76 mm am mu-
nition a nd th e Scorpion 90 carries 35 rounds. When fi tted
with the 90 mm Cockerill gun th e ve hicl e can deal with all
types of target a nd can inflict severe da mage on MBTs. La te
in 198 1 Mal ays ia ordered 26 Scorpion 90s fitted with the
Perkins diesel engine. Produ ctio n commenced in 1982 with
first deliveries du e in 1983. Alvis supplied one Scorpion 90
with a Perkins diesel model T6-3544 engine, developing
200 bhp a t 2700 rpm, to th e USA for evalu a tion in th e
USMC Light Armored Vehicle proj ect.
The Malaysian vehicles also have West Germ a n Weg-
ma nn 76 mm smoke/fragm enta ti on grenade disch a rgers
fitted to give 360 degree coverage. In early 1983 it was
co nfirmed that 33 Nigeri a n Scorpions were to be fitt ed with
th e Belgia n OIP-5 fir e control system and have the original
76 mm gun replaced by a Cockerill 90 mm Mk III weapon.
Scorpion with diesel engine
In 1980 Alvis announced th a t a Scorpion with itsJ ag uar XK
petrol engine replaced by a Perkins turbo-charged six-
cylinder diesel model T6-3544 would be offered for ex port.
This model entered producti on for Malaysia in 1982 with
first d eliveries due in 1983. T he engine, for this application,
d evelops 200 bhp at 2700 rpm a nd is already in production.
Perform a nce comparison between th e diesel engine and th e
basic petrol engined versions is given below:
for insta lla tion in th e Scorpion and is suitable for installa tion
in other AFVs such as th e Vickers MBT. Rank Pullin Con-
trols has developed th e SS 125/ 126 Argus day/ night sight
which can be installed at either th e command er's or gunner' s
position an d can be fitted with a lase r ra ngefi nd er as can th e
Av imo NV L53 day/ night sight, if required. The Omani
Scorpions have th e Vickers Instrum ents L20 sight which has
a Ferra nti laser rangefi nd er fi tted .
Some of the Scorpions used by th e U ni ted Ara b Emirates
have bee n fitted with a Ba rr and Stroud Tank Laser Sight
similar to the one fitted to th e C hiefta in MBT but with a
neod ymium- Y AG laser in place of th e o ri gin al ruby laser and
a graticule for a 76 mm instead of 120 mm g un .
Marconi Rada r has also developed a vers ion of its SFCS
600 tank fire-control system for th e Scorpion as well as a
powered traverse system. A system with both powered eleva-
tion a nd traverse has been developed by Marconi .
In add ition to th e Avimo (LVI 0) a nd Ba rr a nd Stroud
laser rangefind ers th e Scorpion can be fitted with the Belgia n
OIP LRS-5 laser sight a nd th e Vickers Instrum ents L20 sight
laser ra ngefind er which is intercha ngea ble with th e existing
Vickers No. 54 Mark I gunner's sight used in th e Scorpion.
Scorpion with Swingfire ATGWs
British Aerospace Dyna mics Group has proposed that a
Swingfi re ATGW co uld be mounted either side of the' turret
to give th e vehicle a long-range an ti-ta nk ca pab ility.

Model Diesel Petrol

WEIGHT 8260 kg 8073 kg
GROUNO PRESSURE 0.384 kg/c m' 0.376 kg/cm'
ROAD RANGE over 840 km over 640 km
ACCELERATION TO 48.3 km/h 18.5 s 16 s

Scorpion with Laser Rangefinder

At leas t three British companies, Avimo, Barr and Stroud,
a nd Ra nk Pullin Controls, ha ve already developed laser
rangefind ers for the Scorpion. The Avimo model is called th e
LV 10 a nd is an integrated laser ra ngefind er/gunner's sight
which can be fitted into th e Scorpion without modifica tion to
the vehicle. Barr and Stro ud has developed th e LFII laser Alvis CVR(T) Scorpion fitted with Belgian Cockerill 90 mm Mk III
rangefi nder which has already been adopted by two countries gun

116

Belgian Army Striker with launcher for five British Aerospace
Swingfire ATGWs in elevated position (C R Zwart)
Striker Anti-tank Guided Weapon Vehicle (FV102)
The first production Striker was delivered to the British
Army inJune 1975 and it entered service with th e BAOR in
1976. First deliveries to th e Belgian Army were made in June
1976.
The Striker is based on the hull of th e Spartan APC with
th e driver a t th e front on th e left , commander to the rear of the
driver and th e missile controller to th e right of th e comman-
der. The commander has a No. 26 cupola which has eight
Cutaway drawing of Striker showing elevated launcher box
periscopes, monocular sight with a magnifi cation of X I or
X 10 with the line of sight elevating with th e machine gun.
The X I mirror assembly can be replaced by a X 1.8 image
intensifi er. Mounted on th e right side of th e cupola is a
7.62 mm machine gun which can be aimed a nd fired from
within th e vehicle and the cupola has a single-piece hatch
cover that opens to the left.
The missile controller has a split-view monocular sight
with magnifi cation of X I and X 10 which can be traversed
through 55 degrees left and right, and a single- piece hatch
cover that opens to th e right is provided to th e rear of his
sight.
On the roof at th e rear of th e vehicle is a launcher box with
five British Aerospace Swingfire ATGWs . A furth er fiv e mis-
siles carried inside th e vehicle are loaded manually and one of
the crew has to leave th e vehicle to accomplish this. The
launcher box is pivoted at th e rear and is elevated to an angle
of about 40 degrees before th e missiles are launched .
The Swingfire missile weighs 28 kg and has a HEAT
warhead. Minimum range is between 150 and 300 metres
d epending on th e distance of the vehicle and th e controller
when being us ed in the separated mode. Maximum range of
th e Swingfire is 4000 metres. An adva ntage of the Swingfire
ATG W system over other systems is that the missiles can be
la un ched from beh ind a crest or cover so that th e launcher
position cannot be seen by th e enemy. The missiles can be
la unched by th e controller in th e vehicle, or with the control-
ler at a vantage point (up to 100 metres from the launcher)
.,..
117
 \
'.

British Army Striker launching a British Aerospace Dynamics Swingfire ATGW (Simon Dunstan)

se pa ra ted from th e la un cher giving him protecti on fro m th e troop co mpa rtm ent a re two roof ha tches th a t open either
co unter fir e. side of th e ve hiCle. Two peri scopes a re provided in the left
M ounted a t the fr ont of the vehicl e a re two four-ba rrel side a nd one in th e rig ht side of the troop compa rtm ent but
smoke di scha rge rs whi ch a re operated from within th e ve- th ere is no provision for th e crew to fire th eir wea pons from
hicl e. inside th e vehicle. Three infantrymen a re seated on th e left
side of the vehicle a nd a fourth to the rea r of the vehicle
Spartan Armoured Personnel Carrier (FV1 03) commander/gunner a nd section comm a nd er/ radio opera tor,
This entered se rvi ce with the BAOR in 1978 a nd is used for a facing th e rea r. A ZB 298 ground surveillance rada r can be
va riety of roles such as carrying Royal Artillery Blowpipe mounted on the roof of th e vehicle if required .
SAM tea ms, missile res upply ca rri er for th e Striker a nd for
ca rrying Roya l Enginee r assault tea ms. It is not th e replace- Spartan Anti-aircraft Vehicle
ment for th e FV432 APC. It. has been proposed that the Spa rtan co uld be fitt ed with th e
The Spa rta n has a simila r hull to tha t of th e Striker a nd can French ESD T A 20 turret a rm ed with twin 20 mm cannon,
ca rry four infantrymen in additi on to th e driver, ve hicle which has a depression of - 5 degrees and a n elevation of + 85
co mm a nd er/gunner a nd sectio n co mma nd er/ radi o opera tor. degrees, turret traverse being 360 degrees . Eleva tion a nd
The driver is seated a t th e front of the hull on th e left a nd
has a single- piece hatch cove r th a t opens forwa rds . H e is Spartan APC with all hatches open (Simon Dunstan)
provided with a single wide-a ngle periscope whi ch can be
repl aced with a passive periscope for night driving.
The vehicle comm a nd er/g unner is seated behind th e
driver a nd has a No. 16 cupol a with eight peris co pes, mono-
cul a r sight with a magnifi cation of X I or X 10 with th e line of
sig ht eleva ting with the machin e gun. The X I mirror asse m-
bl y can be re placed by a X 1.8 image intensifi er. M ounted on
the right side of th e cupola is a 7.62 mm machine gun which
can be a imed a nd fired from inside th e vehicle. The cupola
has a single-piece ha tch cove r tha t .opens to th e left.
T o th e right of th e co mma nd er/g unner is th e section
co mm a nder/radio opera tor who is provided with three
obse rva tion periscopes a nd a single-piece ha tc h cover tha t
opens to th e right.
Entry to th e perso nn el co mpa rtm ent a t th e rear of th e
vehicle is by a single d oor in the rea r of th e hull hinged on th e
right side, whi ch has a n integra l vision block. O ve r th e top of

11 8
 Spartan with Euromissile HOT ATGW System
For tri als pu rposes a Sparta n APC has been fitted with a
E uromissile H O T HCT turret with fo ur H O T 4000 metre
ATGWs in th e read y to la unch posi tion . This was fitt ed on a
plinth a bove th e troo p compa rtm ent a t the rea r of the vehicl e.

Spartan with Euromissile MILAN ATGW System

Show n for th e fi rst time in 1980 was a n Alvis Spa rta n APC
fitted with a E uromissile MILAN M CT compac t turret over
th e roof with two missiles in th e read y to la un ch pos ition.
This turret can be insta lled on the Sparta n du ring ma nu-
fac ture or re tros pecti ve ly fitted to existing ve hicles without
maj or modifi cation . Maximum ra nge of th e MILAN ATGW
Alvis Spartan APC fitted with Euromissile HOT HCT turret with
four HOT long range ATGWs in ready to launch position

Cutaway drawing of Spartan APC showing crew positions and

fitted with ZB 298 ground surveillan ce radar

trave rse a re both electro/hydra ulic. Mounted on th e rea r of

th e turre t is a pulse-Doppler rad a r with a max imum detec-
tio n ra nge of 8 km , which carries out surveilla nce of the
surrounding air space, allocates ta rge ts to the wea pons a nd
supplies selected targe t traj ectory cha rac teristi cs to the fire-
control computer.

Spartan with Hughes TOW ATGW System

In 1973 Alvis proposed th a t th e Spa rta n could be fi tted with a
Hughes TOW la un cher on the roof a nd carry nine missiles in
the rear of th e vehicle. A tripod would also be carri ed ena bl-
ing the missile to be used in th e gro und role.
Spartan APCwith Euromissile MILAN MCT turret with two ready-to-Iaunch missiles

119

Samaritan armoured ambulance in travelling order (Ministry of
Defence)
is 2000 metres. In addition to the two ready-to-la unch mis-
sil es a minimum of eight missiles would be carried internally.
This model has been evalua ted by the British Arm y.
Spartan with Blowpipe SAMs
Shorts is d es igning a new turret whi ch will be suitable for
Cutaway drawing of Samaritan armoured ambulance
120
installa tion on APCs such as th e Spartan and M 11 3. This
will carry four Blow pipe SAM s which will be ra ised from
th eir travelling position prior to launch.
Samaritan Armoured Ambulance (FV104)
This model entered produ ction early in 1978 and has the
same hull as the Sultan command vehicle and has a crew of
two: commander/medical ord erly and driver. It is unarmed
and can carry fou r stretcher cases, or fi ve si tting cases, or two
stretcher and three sitting cases. There is a large door at th e
rear of the hull ,· hinged on th e right, with an integral vision
block. The commander has fi ve periscopes for all-round
observa tion , plus a single wide-angle periscope with a
forward-sloping window with an intercha ngeabl e passive
night sight. The single-piece ha tch cover opens to th e left.
M edi cal supplies can be carri ed on th e top of th e hull and at
th e rear of th e vehicl e.
Sultan Armoured Command Vehicle (FV1 05)
First produ ction Sultans were delivered to th e British Army
in April 1977 and have replaced the Saracen vehicles as
command vehicles (eg FV604 and FV6 l0). The vehicle has a
similar hull to th e Sa maritan and has a crew of fiv e or six:
commander/radio opera tor, radio operator, driver plus two
or three additional crew members. The command area is at
th e rear of th e vehicle and to increase th e a mount of wo rking
 space a tent can be qui ckly erected a t th e rear of th e vehicle.
The vehicle is norma ll y equipped with at least two radios
(one forwards and one rearwards), a nd mapboards. A radio
a ntenna can be erected a t th e front of th e vehicl e when it is
being used in the static role. The commander has a Number
27 cupola with five periscopes for all-round observation, plus
a single wide-angle perisco pe with a forward-sloping window
with an interchangea ble passive night sight. The single-piece
ha tch cover opens to th e left. Armament consists of a pintle-
mounted 7.62 mm machine gun and four smoke dischargers
mounted on either side of the vehicle towards the front.

Samson Armoured Recovery Vehicle (FV106)

This entered service with th e British Army in 1978 and has a
hull similar to that of th e Spartan APe. The driver is seated
at th e front of th e vehicle on th e left and has a single-piece
ha tch cover tha t opens forwards and a single wide-angle
periscope which can be replaced by a pass ive night periscope.
Cutaway drawing of Sultan command vehicle with tent and radio
The com mander's No. 27 cupola has a single wide-angle
antenna erected
periscope which can be replaced with a passive night peri-
scope, fiv e periscopes for all-round observation plus a
single-piece hatch cover that opens to th e left.
The heavy-duty winch fitted inside th e hull is driven from
th e main engine and has a variable speed of up to 122 metres
a minute on th e 229 metres of wire rope. Maximum pull, with
a 4: I snatch block, is 12 000 kg. The winch leads to the rear of
th e vehicle and when being used for recovery operations two
spades a re lowered manually at th e rear of th e vehicle. An
A-frame can be erected a t th e rear of the hull. Tools, a bench,
tow bars and tow cables are fitted as sta ndard . Armament
comprises a pintle-mounted 7.62 mm machine gun and four
smoke dis chargers mounted on either side of th e vehicle
towards th e front.

Belgian Army Alvi s Sultan command vehicle in travelling Samson ca rrying out recovery operation with spade lowered at
config uration (C R Zwart) rear

121
Alvis Scimitar armed with 30 mm Rarden cannon (Simon
Dunstan)
Belgian Army Alvis Sci mitar with 30 mm Rard en cannon at maximum elevation (C R Zwart)
Scimitar Reconnaissance Vehicle (FV107)
The first prototype of th e Scimitar was completed in Jul y
1971 and accepted for service in June 1973. First deliveries
were made to th e British Army in March 1974 with first
deliveri es being made to the Belgia n Arm y in Ap ril 1974. In
the British Army, Scimitar is centralised in division
a rmoured reconnaissance regiments but de ploys to bat-
talions in th e division as th eir close reconnaissance force. It
122
Cutaway drawing of Scimitar armed with 30 mm Rard en cannon
has th e same hull a nd turret as the Scorpion but is a rm ed
with a 30 .m m Ra rden cannon instead of th e 76 mm gun.
The 30 mm cannon was des ig ned by the Royal Armament
Research and Develo pment Establishment at Fort H alstead
and th e Royal Small Arms Factory a t Enfield. I t fires all types
of30 mm Oerl ikon a mmunition as well as a number of British
ro unds. In addition th e 30 mm Rarden cann on fires a new
APDS-T round developed jointly by the Roya l Ordna nce of current HE-T ammunition. The projectile has a muzzle
Factories and PATEC of the United Sta tes. This will pene- velocity of 1175 metres a second and weighs 300 grams with
trate 40 mm of a rmour at an a ngle of 45 degrees at ranges in th e complete round weighing 822 grams . The tracer burns to
excess of 1500 metres with approximately half the dispers ion ranges in excess 2000 metres.

British Swiss
Ammunition type APSE-T HE-T PRAC-T HE AP PRAC
DESIGNATION L5A2 L8A2 L7A4 UIAT RINT ET
WEIGHT OF PROJECTILE 357 9 357 9 357 9 360 9 360 9 360 9
WEIGHT OF FILLING 29 9 25.6 9 26.5 9 25 9 n/app n/a pp
WEIGHT OF CARTRIDGE CASE 365 9 365 9 365 9 350 9 350 9 350 9
WEIGHT OF COMPLETE ROUND 904 9 904 9 904 9 870 9 870 9 870 9
MUZZLE VELOCITY 1070 m/s 1070 m/s 1070 m/s 1080 m/s 1080 m/s 1080 mls

The g un is fired in ra pid single shots but bursts of up to six
rounds can be fired ifrequired . The empty cartridge cases a re
a utom a ti cally ejected outside th e turret.
A 7.62 mm machine gun is mounted coaxiall y to th e left of
th e main arm amen t a nd four smoke dischargers are mounted
either side of the front of th e turret. The main arma ment,
coaxial machine gun a nd smoke dis cha rge rs a re electricall y
operated , with th e main a rm a ment a nd coaxial machine gun
having manual overriding control.
Streaker HMLC
Late in 1982 Alvis completed th e prototype of th e private
venture Streaker high mobi lity load carrier which is based on
the chassis of th e Spa rtan APC. · This is powered by th e
standard 4.2 litre petrol engine which co uld however be
replaced by the Perkins T6/3544 200 bhp turbo- cha rged
diesel coupled to an a utomatic transmission . M ax imum road
speed is 72 km/ h, road ra nge 483 km , th e unloaded weight is
5465 kg and it has a payload of 3000 kg.
The baseline vehicle has two possible rea r co nfigurations;
one a flat bed , the other with a recessed d eck. I t also offers two
front configurations, one with a lightweight cab structure
which is unarmoured, th e other with the driver and engine
compartment having full armour protection .

30 mm ammunitio n manufactured for the RARDEN cannon by the Prototype of Alvis Streaker high mobil ity load carrier wi th driver's
Britis h Manufacture and Research Company of Grantham, and engine co mpartm ents under full armou red protection
Lincolnshire

Status: In produ ction. In service, or ordered by Belgium,
Brunei ( 16 Scorpion, 2 Sulta n a nd I Sa mson ), Honduras,
Iran , Irela nd (14 Scorpion and 2 Sulta n) , Kuwait, Malaysia
(in la te 1981 26 Scor pion 90s with th e Perkins di esel engine
were ordered for delivery from 1983), New Zealand (in
August 1980 26 Sco rpions were ordered a t a cos t of £8.2
mi llion, to replace M41 light tanks ), Nigeri a, Oman , T a n-
zania, Thailand, Philippines, United Arab Emirates and the
United Kingdom (Army a nd Air Force) .
Manufacturer: Alvis Limited , Holyhead Road, Coventry ,
Wes t Midla nds CV5 8JH, England. (A me mber of th e
United Scientifi c Group.)

12 3
SPECIFICATIONS
Model Scorpion Scorpion 90 Striker Spartan Samaritan Sultan Samson Scimitar
DESIGNATION FV101 nlapp FV102 FV103 FV104 FV105 FV106 FV107
CREW 3 3 3 3 + 4 2 5-6 3 3
COMBAT WEIGHT 8073 kg 8573 kg 8346 kg 8172 kg 8664 kg 8664 kg 8738 kg 7756 kg
POWER-TO-WEIGHT RATIO 23.54 bhpllonne 22.16 bhpl lonne 22.77 bhpl lonne 23.25 bhpllonne 21 .93 bhpllonne 21 .93 bhpllonne 21 .74 bhpllonne 24.50 bhpllonne
GROUNO PRESSURE 0.36 kgl cm' 0.39 kgl cm' 0.345 kgl cm' 0.338 kg lcm' 0.358 kglcm' 0.358 kg lcm' 0.358 kglcm' 0.338 kgl cm'
LENGTH GUN FORWARDS nlapp 5.283 m nlapp nl app nlapp nl app nlapp 4.985 m
LENGTH HULL (inc slowage
boxes where !'pplicable) 4.794 m 4.794 m 4.826 m 5.125 m 5.067 m 4.8 m 4.788 m 4.794 m
WIDTH 2.235 m 2.235 m 2.28 m 2.257 m 2.242 m 2.254 m 2.43 m 2.235 m
(over Iracks) 2.134 m 2.134 m 2.134 m 2.134 m 2.134 m 2.134 m 2.134 m 2.134 m
HEIGHT (overa ll) 2.102 m 2.102 m 2.28 m 2.28 m 2.416 m 2.559 m 2.254 m 2.102 m
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.356 m 0.356 m 0.356 m 0.356 m 0.356 m 0.356 m 0.356 m 0.356 m
TRACK 1.708 m 1.708 m 1.708 m 1.708 m 1.708 m 1.708 m 1.708 m 1.708 m
TRACK WIDTH 432 mm 432 mm 432 mm 432 mm 432 mm 432 mm 432 mm 432 mm
NUMBER OF LINKS
(per Irack) 79 79 82184 84 84 82184 84 79
MAX SPEED (road) 80.5 kml h 72.5 kml h 80.5 kml h 80.5 kml h 72.5 kml h 72.5 kml h 72.5 kml h 80.5 kml h
FUEL CAPACITY 423 lilres 423 lilres 350 lilres 386 lilres 395 1ilres 3951ilres 404 lilres 4231ilres
MAX RANGE (road) 644 km 644 km 483 km 483 km 483 km 483 km 483 km 644 km
FORDING 1.067 m 1.067 m 1.067 m 1.067 m 1.067 m 1.067 m 1.067 m 1.067 m
all members of Scorpion family are amphibious wilh preparation
FREEBOARD (forward with
screen erected) 0.965 m 0.98 m 0.89 m 0.914 m 0.832 m 0.883 m 0.965 m 0.965 m
(aft with screen erected) 0.711 m 0.72 m 0.813 m 1.168 m 0.559 m 0.457 m 0.815 m 0.711 m
GRADIENT 60% 60% 60% 60% 60% 60% 60% 60%
VERTICAL OBSTACLE 0.5 m 0.5 m 0.5 m 0.5 m 0.5 m 0.5 m 0.5 m 0.5 m
TRENCH 2.057 m 2.057 m 2.057 m 2.057 m 2.057 m 2.057 m 2.057 m 2.057 m
TURN ING RADIUS all members can pivot turn in neutra l
(in 1st gear) 1.71 m 1.71 m 1.84 m 1.84 m 1.84 m 1.84 m 1.84 m 1.71 m
(in 7th gear) 33.22 m 33.22 m 35.9 m 35.97 m 35.97 m 35.97 m 35.97 m 33.22 m
ENGINE Jaguar J60 No 1 Mk 100B 4.2-litre 6-cylinder petrol developing 190 hp at 4750 rpm
TRANSMISSION TN15 crossdrive. semi-automatic hot-shift type. providing 7 speeds in each di rection and pivot turns
STEERING Merritt system incorporated in transmission
SUSPENSION torsion bar on all members of Scorpion family
ELECTRI CAL SYSTEM 28.5 V 28.5 V 28.5 V 28.5 V 28.5 V 28.5 V 28.5 V 28.5 V
BATIERIES 4 4 4 4 4 8 4 4
MAIN ARMAMENT 76mm 90mm Swingfi re nlapp none nl app nlapp 30mm
ATGWs
MACHINE GUN 7.62 mm 7.62 mm 7.62 mm 7.62 mm none 7.62 mm 7.62 mm 7.62 mm
SMOKE DISCHARGERS 2 x 4 2 x 4 2 x 4 2 x 4 2 x 4 2 x 4 2 x 4 2 x 4
AMMUNITION (main) 40 35 10 nl app none " ' app nlapp 165
(MG) 3000 3000 3000 3000 none 2000 2000 3000
FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM manual powered nl app nl app none nlapp nl app manual
Gun elevationldepression +35°1-10° +30°1-8° nlapp nlapp none nl app nlapp +35°1-10°

Fox light Armoured Car
Development
I n the 1960s the Fighting Vehicles Research and Develop-
ment Establishment (now the Military Vehicles and
Engineering Establish ment) designed two reconnaissance
vehicles, the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked)
Scorpion (FVIO I) and the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance
(Wheeled) Fox (FV721), both of which use the same Jaguar
engine.
Development of the Fox began in 1965 and the fo llowing
year the Daimler company of Coventry, which was building
the Ferret scout car a t the time, was awarded a contract to
bui ld 15 prototype vehicles. The first was completed in
November 1967 and the last in April 1969. User trials began
in 1968 and the first official announcement concerning the
Fox was made in October 1969. The following year the Fox
was accepted for service with the British Army and a produc-
tion order was placed with the Roya l Ordnance Factory at
Leeds. Production began in 1972 and the first vehicle was
completed in May 1973.
Daimler completed production of the Ferret in 1971 and
then closed down its armoured vehicle production faci lity.
The Fox is used by both regu lar and reserve (TA) units of
the British Army, but has not replaced the Ferret which was
to have been replaced by a development or'the Fox known as
the Vixen (FV722). This was however cancelled in 1974
owing to a shortage of funds.

Fox light arm ou red car

124
CVR(W) Fox with driver's hatch open . This model is not fitted with flotation screen (Ministry of Defence)

Description cleared by a wiper a nd wa sher and the sight is protected by

The Fox is a furth er development of th e la te prod uction an armoured cowl with a door which is kept closed when th e
Ferret light scout car and has an all- welded a luminium sight is not in use. The L2AI night sight will a lso d etect
armour hull and tu rret which gives protection aga inst infra-red devices.
medium and heavy machine gun fi re and fi eld artillery splinters. T he radios a re in the rear of th e turret and the ba tteries a re
The driver' is seated at the front of the vehicle and is mounted externally on th e left side.
provided with a ha tch cover tha t lifts and opens to th e right The engine compa rtment is at th e rear of the hull a nd th e
with an integral wide-angle periscope tha t can be qui ckly engine and its auxiliaries including the main and transfer
replaced by a pass ive night periscope. gear boxes are mounted as a powerpack which can be
The turret is in th e centre of th e vehicle with the removed through th e rear of th e hull. The engine is a militar-
commander/loader on th e left and the gunn er on the right,
both with a single-piece ha tch cover th at opens to th e rear.
CVR(W) Fox fitted with flotation screen around top of hull
The commander has a periscopic binocular surveillance (Ministry of Defence)
instrument in a rota ting mount with a magnifi cation of X I
and X 10 and seven observation periscopes. T he gunner has a
peris copic binocular day lig ht sight linked to th e main arma-
ment, with a magnifi cation of X I and X 10, and two observa-
tion periscopes.
M ounted to th e right of th e main arma ment is a Rank
Precision Industr ies SPAY L2A I pass ive night sight with a
high magnifi cation of X 5.S (S-degree fi eld of view) and a low
magnifi cation of X 1.6 (2S-degree fi eld of view), the first for
gunnery and the second for surveillance. T here can be no
confusion between th e two as when the high magnifi cation is
being used a shutter isola tes the low magnifica tion, and when
the oth er is being used an iris dia phragm isolates th e high
magnifi cati on obj ective. The image intensifi er tube is pro-
tected from th e effect of gun mu zzle fl as h by a fl ash shutter
tha t is opera ted electricall y from the gun firing circuit. When
high magnifi cation is selected an illumina ted ballistic
gra ti cule with brightness control is a utoma ti cally inj ected
into th e optical sys tem. The ex posed obj ective window is

125
 CVR(W) Fox from rear showing external stowage (T J Gander) tains transpa rent FJanels for viewing and a bilge pump with a
capacity of 205 litres a minute is fitted as standard on all
ised 4.2-litre J agua r XK with a redu ced compression ra tio vehicles. The Fox can travel down or up river banks with a
(7 .75 to I) in order to use military petrol. The valve gea r is gradi ent of up to 46 per cent. British Arm y C VR (W) Foxes
lead-proofed and a single two-choke Solex carburetter is have had th eir fl ota tion screens removed as have th e CVR(T )
fitted , as is a Ki-gas cold starting system. Scorpi ons.
The cooling system has twin radia tors horizontally dis- Fox has been designed to operate in tempera tures from
posed across th e top a nd to th e rear of th e engine, a nd, sealed - 25 to + 50° C and is air transportable. A Lockh eed C-J 30
to th e radi a tor, a pa ir ofdu cted centrifugal fans. An oil/wa ter Hercules can carry three Fox vehicles or two for parachute
heat exchange r unit serves both th e engine and th e transmis- dropping.
SIOn . Standa rd equipm ent on British Arm y ve hicles includ es
Power is transmitted from th e engine to th e wheels through infra-red filters for the white light headl amps, spotlight for
a fluid coupling, a fiv e-speed pre-selecting epicyclic gearbox, th e commander, extern al stowage boxes either side of th e hull
and a transfer box providing reversal of all fiv e speeds.
The independent suspension comprises in each case a n
upper and lower wishbone, coil spring and a hydraulic tele-
scopic d amper. The upper and lowe r wishbone linkages
incorpora te lubrication reservoirs a nd th e da mpers are
enclosed in th e recoil springs. The independent suspension
allows wheel movements of 0.279 metre and th e tyres are of
th e run-fl at type.
The Fox can ford to a depth of one metre without prep-
ara tion. A fl ota tion screen carri ed collapsed around th e top of
th e hull can be erected by th e crew in two minutes and the
vehicle is th en propelled and steered across th e rive r or
stream by its wheels. The front of th e fl otation screen con-

ROF Leeds Panga armoured reconnaissance vehicle with Hel io

. FVT 800 one-man turret armed with 12.7 mm (0.50) M2 HB
machine gun and 8 electrically operated smoke dischargers
either side (Royal Ordnance Factories)

126
 coaxial machine gun and smoke dischargers are electricall y
operated with the main armament and coaxial machine gun
having manual overriding control.

Variants

Panga Armoured Reconnaissan ce Vehicle

The Panga armoured reconnaissance vehicle has been
developed specifically for the export market by the Roya l
Ordnance Factory Leeds and is basicall y a modified Fox hu ll
with a new one-man turret armed with a 12.7 mm M2 HB
machine gun.
The first prototype was completed in January 1980 and
was subsequently shipped to Malaysia for tria ls. This vehicle
was fitted with a Peak Engineering one-man turret armed
with a 12.7 mm (0.50) M2 HB machine gun.
The current mode l of th e Panga has a redesigned hu ll with
a spare wheel and tyre being carried on the right side of the
hu ll, escape hatch in both sides of the hu ll, addit ional ex ter-
na l stowage, additional periscope either side of th e driver's
hatch cover, va pour-cycle air-cooling system with manual
and automatic control, hub winching equipment for self-
ROF Leeds Panga armoured reconnaissance vehic le from front recovery, electronic ignition and engine speed governor,
showi ng trench cross ing channels at front of hu ll (Roya l
Ordnance Factories)
automatic locking differential, improved vehicle lighting,
engine fire -extingu ishing system, dual circuit brakes, electri-
cally operated tyre pump, trench crossing channels at the
front of the hu ll , flash ing lights, public address system and a
between the wheels, drinking water tank containing 13.6 Helio FVT 800 one-man turret which in this application has
litres and a hu ll electric distribution box with a cooking vessel a 12.7 mm (0.50) M2 HB and a L37A2 machine gun.
socket, inspection socket, inter-vehicle starting socket and a Mounted either side of the turret are eight electrically oper-
master switch. Optional equipment includes navigation aids, ated smoke dischargers .
powered traverse, nuclear and chemical detection equipment Automotive characteristics of the Panga are identical to
and a ZB 298 survei ll ance radar mounted on th e left side of the Fox except for th e following:
the turret.
Main armament of th e Fox is a 30 mm Rarden cannon
designed by the Royal Armament Research and Develop- CREW 2
COMBAT WEIGHT 5840 kg
ment Establishment at Fort Halstead and the Royal Small LENGTH 4.22 m
Arms Factory at Enfield. This fires all types of 30 mm Oer- WIDTH 2.13 m
HE IGHT
!ikon ammunition. In addition the 30 mm Rarden cannon (sight) 2.34 m
fires a new APDS-T round developed jointly by the Roya l (turret roof) 2.13 m
AMMUN ITION
Ordnance Factories and PA TEC of the United States. This (machine gun) 1200
will penetrate 40 mm of armour at an ang le of 45 degrees a t (smoke grenades) 16
ranges in excess of 1500 metres with approximately half the FIRE·CONTROL SYSTEM
Turret power control manual
dispersion of current HE-T ammunition. The projectile has a Gun elevationl
muzz le velocity of 1175 metres a second and weighs 300 depression +40·1- 10·
grams with the complete round weighing 822 grams. The
tracer burns to ranges in excess of 2000 metres.
Fox/25 mm Hughes Chain Gun
British Swiss The prototype of the Fox/25 mm Hughes Chain Gun was
shown at the 1982 British Army Equipment Exhibition. This
Type APSE-T HE-T PRAC-T HE AP PraCtice
DESIGNATION L5A2 L8A2 L7A4 UIAT RINT ET
is the basic Fox fitted with the FMC one-man electric driven
WEIGHT turret which is armed with a Hughes Helicopters 25 mm
projectile (g) 357 357 357 360 360 360 M242 Chain Gun with a 7.62 mm machine gun (for example
fill ing (g) 29 25.6 26.5 25 nl app nlapp
cartridge case (g) 365 365 365 350 350 350 a G PMG or a Chain Gun) being mounted coaxially to the left
complete round (g) 904 904 904 870 870 870 of the main armament. Turret traverse is a full 360 degrees
MUZZLE VELOCITY (m/s) 1070 1070 1070 1080 1080 1080
with the weapons having a maximum elevation of + 50
degrees. A minimum of 250 rounds of 25 mm and 1500
T he gun is fired in rapid single shots but bursts of up to rounds of7.62 mm ammunition are carried. As an option an
six rounds can be fired . The empty cartridge cases are auto- electric stabilisa tion system can be fi tted · to give a fire-on-
matically ejected outside the turret. the-move capability.
A 7.62 mm machine gun is mounted coaxially to th e left of Optional equipment includes escape hatches, limited slip
the main armament and four smoke dischargers are mounted differential, air cooling for the crew and increased fuel capac-
either side of the front of the turret. The main armament, ity for increased operational range.

127
 Basic specifications are identical to the Fox except for: Optional eq uipment includes escape hatches , limited slip
different ia l, air cooling for th e crew, 16 grenade launcher
co nfi g urati o n a nd increased fu el capaci ty. Bas ic
CREW 2 specifications are identical to the Fox exce pt:
CDMBA T WEIGHT 6297 kg
LENGTH 4.22 m
WIDTH 2.13 m
HEIGHT (10 lurrellop) 2.23 m Fox/Scout fitted with one-man turret armed with one 7.62 mm
Hughes Heli copters Chain Gun (Royal Ordnance Factories)

Fox/MILAN
The prototype of th e Fox/MILAN was shown at the 1982
British Army Equipment Exhibition and early in 1983 went
on a sales tour of the Middle East. T his is the basic Fox fitted
with a new one-ma n all- welded steel turret d esigned by Royal
Ord nance Factory Leeds . M ounted in th e forwa rd part of th e
turret is a 7.62 mm Hughes C hain Gun or a GPMG for which
a tota l of 2600 rounds of a mmunition are carri ed. Mounted
on th e roof of th e turret on th e left side is a twin la uncher for
the Euromissile MILAN 2000-metre ATGW with a
minimum of four missiles being carried in reserve. The
MILAN launcher a nd its integral sight can be elevated and
traversed ind ependently of th e turret. Mounted either side of
th e fo rward part of the turret is a bank of four electricall y-
operated smoke dischargers. The commander/gunner has
one periscopic sight for aiming the machine gun and four
vision blocks.

Fox/25 mm Hughes Chain Gun (Royal Ordnance Factory Leeds)

128
 CREW 2
COMBAT WEIGHT 6136 kg
LENGTH 4.22 m
WIDTH 2,13 m
HEIGHT (top of
miss ile tubes) 2.40 m

Fox/Scout
This is esse ntially the Fox/ MILAN with th e MILAN insta l-
lation removed a nd th e hole blanked out. Main arma ment
co nsists of a Hughes H elicopters 7.62 mm Chain Gun with
4500 rounds of a mmunition being carri ed, Fo ur smoke dis-
chargers are mounted either side of the turret firin g forwards.
Vision equipm ent for the comma nd er consists of one sight
periscope with x 1 magnification a nd four vis io n blocks .

Fox/MILAN with 7,62 mm GPMG (Royal Ordnance Factory

Leeds)

SPECIFICATIONS GRADIENT 58% ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 V

VERTICAL OBSTAC LE 0.5 m BATIERIES 2 x 6TN , 100 Ah
CREW 3 TREN CH (wi th channels) 1.22 m ARMAMEN T
CONFIGURATI ON 4 x 4 TURN ING RADIU S 6.1 m (main) 1 x 30 mm
COMBAT WEIGHT 6120 kg ENGINE Jaguar XK 4.2·litre (coaxia l) 1 x 7.62 mm MG
UNLOADED WEIGHT 5733 kg 6-cylinder petrol SMOKE·LA YING
POWER·TO·WEIGHT developing 190 bhp at EQUIPMENT 2 x 4 smoke
RATI O 30.04 bhp/tonne 4500 rpm discha rgers
LENGTH GUN TR ANSMI SS ION Daimler pre-selective AMMUNITION
FORWARD S 5. 08 m 5-speed unit (ma in) 99
LENGTH GUN REAR 4.242 m TR ANSFER CASE Dai mler spiral b6vel (coaxial ) 2600
WIDTH 2.134 m directional control (smoke grenades) 16
HEIGHT gears and double helica l FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM
(to turret top) 1.981 m drop down gear to Turret powe r control manual, 2-speed
(overall) 2.2 m differential provid e, in By co mmander yes
GROUND CLEARAN CE 0.3 m combination w ith gear By gunner yes
TRACK 1.753 m box, 5 forward and 5 G un e levati on/
WHEELBASE 2.464 m reverse speeds depression +40°1- 14°
MAX SPEED STEERING power-assisted Gun stab ili se r
(road) 104 km/h CLUTCH fluid flywheel (verti ca l) no
(water) 5.23 km/h SUSPENSION independent . (hori zonta l) no
ACC ELERATION TYRES 11 .00 x 20,
(0-48 km/h) 9s run flat
FUEL CAPACITY 145.47litres BRAKES
MAX RAN GE (roa d) 434 km (main) hydrauli C disc a ll wheels
FORDING (amphi b ious with (parking) con tracting band on front
preparation) 1m bevel box input

Status: Production as required . In service with Ira n , Kenya, Manufacturer: Royal Ordnance Factory, Leeds, Engla nd.
Malawi, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia a nd the United Kingd om. Enquiries to Ministry of Defence, Royal Ordnance Fac-
to ries, Sales a nd Marketing Division, St C hristop her H o use,
Southwark Street, Lond on SE 1 ~TD.

Alvis Ferret 80. Scout Car
Development
At th e 1982 British Army Equipment Exhibition Alvis
a nnounced th a t it had designed a new version of the Ferret (of
which 4409 were produ ced by the Daimler company between
1952 a nd 197 1) und er the na me of Ferret 80. It uses basic
Ferret components but incorporates up-to-date refinements
improved protection, performa nce, stability a nd capability.
Description
The hull of th e Ferret 80 is of all-welded aluminium a rm our
and well sloped to give maximum possible protection within
the weight limits of th e vehicl e. Complete protection against
7.62 mm ball a t point bla nk range a nd all a ngles of a ttack is
gIVen .
The driver is seated a t the front of th e vehicle with th e
command er/gunner in the cen tre a nd the engine at the rea r.
The driver has three splinter-proof windscreens to his fro nt
a nd sides'. Armoured visors are provided with integral obser-
va tion peris copes . A separate driver's access hatch is fitted.
The Ferret 80 can be fitted with a wide range of armament
installations including the following: ,..
H elio FVT 900 turret with Oerlikon 20 mm cannon and
coaxial 7.62 mm MG
H elio FVT 800 turret with Browning 12.7 mm a nd 7.62 mm
MG
H elio FVT 700 turret with twin 7.62 mm MG

129
 Ferret 80 two-man baseline reconnaissance vehicle fitted with
No 16 cupola armed with externally mounted 7.62 mm GPMG

over his position. The commander and rad io operator are

seated in the centre and are each provided with a single-piece
hatch cover, with th e commander having a cupola with fix ed
periscopes that can be traversed through a full 360 degrees. A
7.62 mm machine gun can be externally-mounted on this
position. Vision blocks mounted in th e upper part of the hull
Euromissile MILAN MCT turret with two MILAN ATGWs give all round observation.
in ready-to-launch position
The Ferret 80 is powered hy a Perkins T6/3544 six-
cylinder turbo-charged di esel developing 155 bhp which has Status: Prototype.
already been proved in th e Alvis Scorpion and Stormer ve-
hicles while rated a t 250 bhp. Manufacturer: Alvis Limited , Holyhead Road, Coventry
Power is transmitted through a three-speed automatic CV58JH, England. (A member of the United Scientifi c
gearbox and transfer box connected to each wheel hub by Group.)
propeller shafts and bevel boxes. A reduction gear is located
in each wheel hub. The two-speed tra nsfer box provides for a
road range a nd a cross-country range. The cooling system is
an adaptation of the standard system already proven in th e
Ferret 80 fitted with Hel io FVT 900 turret armed with 20 mm
Scorpion series. Oerlikon cannon and 7.62 mm coaxial MG (not to 1I76th scale)
Steering is dual circuit, power-assisted , eliminating the
awkward wheel location a nd size in th e original Ferret. Inde-
pendent suspension, wheels and braking system are identical
to those of the big-wheeled Ferret Mk 4. H ydraulic disc
bra kes are fi tted to all wheels and a parking brake operates on
the transmission. Flat divided disc road wheels with run-fiat
cross-co untry tyres a re fi tted as standard .
The electri c system is 24 V wit h th e 2 x 12 V batteries
being contained in the baseline hull.

Variants
In add ition to the basic two-man Ferret 80 , Alvis has pro-
posed a three-man model. This has a slightly different hull
top with th e driver being provided with bullet-proof
windscreens to his front and sides and a single hatch cover

130
Daimler Ferret Scout Car
Development
In 1947 th e British Arm y issued a requirement for a scout car
to replace th e Daimler Dingo scout car used during th e
Second World War. Late in 1948 Da imler was awarded a
co ntract to design a nd build prototypes of a new scout car
und er th e designation FV70 I. The first pro totype was com-
pleted in 1949 a nd delivered to th e Army for trials th e follow -
ing year. After tri als it was adop ted for servi ce with th e
British Arm y and was na med the Ferret.
The first production Ferret, the Mk 2, was comp leted in
mid-1 952 a nd th e first produ ction Mk I was completed late
Daimler Ferret Mk 1 scout car
Ferret Mk 1/2 without armament installed (Ministry of Defence)
th e same yea r. Throughout its produ ction life th e basic hu ll
of th e Ferret remained un cha nged although slig htl y more
powe rfu l engin es were install ed as well as different turrets
fitt ed to mee t different requirements. Produ ction of th e Ferret
was fin a ll y completed in 1971 by which time 4409 vehicles of
all types had been bui lt.
I n 1966 th e Da im ler compa ny was awa rd ed a co ntra ct to
bui ld 15 prototypes ofa new vehicle called the FV72 1 (o r Fox
as it later became known) , which were completed between
1967 a nd 1969. The Fox was acce pted for servi ce with th e
British Arm y in 1970 but th e producti on order was placed
with th e Royal Ordnan ce Factory a t Leeds ra th er th a n
Da imler a t Coventry. When production of th e Ferre t was
comp leted Daimler closed down its productio n line for
wheeled a rm o ured ve hicl es althoug h it still supp lies some
automoti ve components for th e Fox light a rmo ured car. The
Fox is based on ex peri ence obtained with th e rebuilt Ferret
Mk 4 a nd Mk 5.
The Ferret was to have been repl aced in th e British Arm y
by a development of th e Fox called th e FV722 Vixe n, but this
was cancell ed in 1974 as a defence economy a nd Ferrets wi ll
th erefore rema in in service until th e 1990s . It is pro bab le th a t
some form of NBC syste m wi ll be fitted to British Army
Ferrets in th e futur e as well as night dri ving equipment a nd a
new turret in th e case of th e Mk 2.
Alvis is now th e design a uth ority for th e Ferret a nd sup-
plies th e spa re pa rts for it.
131
Description (Mk 2)
The all- we lded steel hull of th e Ferret is di vided into three
compa rtm ents: driver's a t th e front, fighting in th e centre and
the engine at th e rear.
The driver has three hatches, one to his front a nd one to
each side, each of which contains a n integral No 17 obser-
vation periscope. The front ha tch can be fold ed dow n onto
the glJcis pl a te for increased visibi lity a nd can th en be fitted
with a spl inter-proof windscreen with wiper blade a nd elec-
tri c motor. The two side ha tches can be opened upwards on
th e outside for increased visibility when not in a comba t a rea.
The manuall y-operated turret in th e centre of th e hull has
a single-piece ha tc h cover in th e rear part of th e roof which
can be locked in three different positions, and th e rea r part of
the turret folds down to the horizonta l to enab le It to be used
as a seat. Mo unted in th e forward part of th e turret roof is a
sight periscope AFV No 3 Mk I which is used for aiming th e
turret-mo unted machine g un.
Mo unted in either side of th e hull below the turret ring is a
vision slit protected by a glass block. At th e rear of th e
fightin g compa rtm ent are two hatches which can be opened
for increased observation. On each side of th e hull , betwee n
th e front a nd rea r road wheels, is a hull escape ha tch. The left
one is covered by th e spare wheel and th e rig ht by a stowage
box.
The engine is at the rear of th e hull a nd is full y water-
proofed a nd wi ll operate when completely s ubm erged with-
o ut a ny preparation oth er than venting th e cra nkcase
breath er pipe. Drive is tra nsmitted to a ll four road wheels
throu gh a Ruid co upling, five-speed pre-selecting epicycl ic
gearbox a nd a tra nsfer box, incorporating a forward a nd
Ferret Mk 2/3 from rear showing external stowage' (Ministry of Defence)
132
reve rse mecha nism a nd a differential unit to give fiv e speeds
in each directi on.
The suspens ion a t each wheel station co nsists of a single
coil spring which encl oses a do ubl e-acting shock absorber
and is mounted on a sta biliser bracket a t th e bottom and
carri ed in a bracket a t th e top a ttached to th e hull plates. The
tyres a re of th e run-R a t type.
The Mk 2 is a rm ed with a turret-mounted 7.62 mm (0 .30)
Browning machine gun whi ch can be elevated manually from
-15 to +45 degrees, turret traverse being a full 360 degrees.
A total of 2500 rounds of machine g un a mmunition are
carri ed. Mounted either side of th e hull a t th e front of th e
vehicle are three smoke d ischa rgers which a re electricall y
fir ed fro m within th e ve hicl e.
The bas ic Ferret has no NBC system, no night vision
equipment and no amp hibio us ca pability. A dee p fording kit
ava ila ble co nsists of a colla psible bellows type collar fitted
a round the top of the commander's ha tch a nd a nother fi tted
a t the ve ry rear of th e hull . Ferrets Mk 3 and 4 are fitted with
a collapsible screen around th e top of th eir hulls which, when
erected, ena bles th em to propel th emselves ac ross la kes and
rivers with their wheels. T o enable th e vehicle to cross
trenches Ferrets Mks I, 2 a nd 3 have provision for carrying
steel cha nnels on th e front of th eir hulls.
Ea rl y produ ction vehicl es had BSF threads, different gea r
ra tios a nd were powered by a Rolls-Royce B60 MkIIIA
six-cylinder petrol engine developing 120 bhp at 3750 rpm.
Later prod uction vehicles had UNF threads a nd th e B60
MkVIA six-cylinder engine which d evelops 129 bhp at
3750 rpm.

British Army Ferret Mk 1 with all driver's hatches open and
without machine gun (Ministry of Defence)
Variants
Ferret Mk 1
This is called Car Scout 4 x 4 Liaison (Ferret Mk I)
FV70 I (C) and has an open top which can be covered by a
canvas cover. It is arm ed with a 7.62 mm Bren LMG or a
7.62 mm (0.30) Browning machine gun, with 450 rounds of
machine gun ammunition being carri ed . La ter produ cti on
models are known as th e Ferret Mk III, FV701(J ). Some
Mk II Is have been fi tted with a flota tion screen similar to tha t
fitted to th e Ferret Mk 4.
Ferret Mk 2/6 (FV703)
T he full designa tion of this mod el is th e Scout Car
Reconna issance/Guided Wea pon Mk 2/ 6. It is bas icall y a
Mk 2/3 with a single British Aircraft Corpora tion (G uided
Wea pons Division) (now British Ae ros pace Dyna mics) Vig-
ilant ATGW in its la un cher box mounted on either sid eofth e
turre t. A furth er two missiles a re carried in th eir la un cher
boxes on th e left sid e of the hull in place of th e spare wheel.
The two ready-to-Ia un ch missiles have a common elevat-
ing mechanism and can be la un ched from inside the vehicle
or away from it with th e aid of a combined sight/co ntroller
and sepa rati on cable. The 7.62 mm (0.30) machine gun is
retai ned. The Vigilant ATGW is wire guided and has a
minimum range of 200 metres and a maximum range of 1375
metres, weighs 14 kg a nd has a H EAT warhead. The Ferret
Mk 2/6 is used onl y by Libya and th e U nited Ara b Emira tes .
Ferret Mk 2/7
This is a Ferret Mk 2/6 with the missile system removed a nd
is therefore bas icall y a Ferret Mk 2/3.
Ferret Mk 3
T his is th e Ferret Mk 1/ 1 brought up to the same sta nda rds
as th e Mk 4 but with th e machine gun turret.
British Army Ferret Mk 2/3 scout car (Christopher F Foss)

Ferret Mk 1/2 (FV704)

This is identi cal to th e Mk I but has a crew of th ree a nd is
used by infantry units as a light reconnaissance vehicle in
forward a reas. Its offi cial designa tion is C ar Scout Liaison
(Ferret) Mk 1/ 2. It has an armoured roof with a ha tch and is
arm ed with a 7.62 mm pintle-mounted Bren LMG . The
single-piece ha tch cover opens to th e rear and periscopes and
vision blocks are provided for observation by the commander.

Ferret Mk 2
This is bas icall y a Mk I fi tted with a turret and is offi ciall y
known as th e Car Sco ut 4 x 4, Reconna issance (Ferret) Mk 2
FV701 (E).

Ferret Mk 2/2
This was a local modifi cation carried out in the Far East and
is basically th e Ferret Mk 2 with an ex tension collar fitted
between the top of th e hull and the machine gun turret and
ena bles th e command er/g unner to have a better fi eld offire.

Ferret Mk 2/3
This is a later produ ction mod el of th e basic Mk 2 and is
offi cially known as the Scout Car Reconnaissance Mk 2/3
(Daimler Ferre t 4 x 4) FV701 (H ). The description in this
entry relates to this model.

Ferret Mk 2/4
This is a Ferret Mk 2/3 with additiona l armour.

Ferret Mk 2/5
This is a Ferret Mk 2 brought up to Ferret Mk 2/4 standard.

133
Ferret Mk 2/6 with Vigilant ATGWs either sid e of turret

Ferret Mk 5 (FV712)
This model is no longer in service a nd was used only by the
British Arm y. It was essentiall y a Mk 4 with turret mounting
four British Aerospace Swingfir e ATGWs fi tted .

Ferret Mk 4 in Belize (Ministry of Defence)

Daimler Ferret Mk 4 sc out car

Ferret Mk 4 (FV711)
This model , like th e Mk 5, is used onl y by th e British Army
a nd is bas icall y an earl y Ferret rebuilt with stronge r susp en-
sion units, original 330 mm dia meter drum bra kes replaced
by vac uum- assisted 381 mm dia meter disc bra kes, a nd la rge
wheels a nd tyres . A Rota tion scree n is carried coll a psed
a round the to p of the hull a nd when erected th e vehicle can
propel itself across la kes a nd ri vers by its wheels. There a re
wa tertight stowage containers either side of th e hull , a nd the
number of servicing points has bee n redu ced .

134
SPECIFICATIONS
Model Mk 1/1 Mk 1/2 Mk 2/3 Mk 2/6 Mk 4
CREW 2-3 3 2 2 2
CONFIGURATION 4 x 4 4 x 4 4 x 4 4 x 4 4 x 4
COMBAT WEIGHT 42 10 kg 4370 kg 4400 kg 4560 kg 5400 kg
UNLOADED WEIGHT 3510 kg 3660 kg 3640 kg 3680 kg 4725 kg
POWER-TO-WE IGHT
RATIO 30.64 29.51 29.35 2828 23.88
bhp/tonne bhp/tonne bhp/tonne bhp/tonne bhp/tonne
LENGTH 3.835 m 3.835 m 3.835 m 3.835 m 3.96 m
WIDTH 1.905 m 1.905 m 1.905 m 1.905 m 2.134 m
HEIGHT OVERALL 1.448 m 1.651 m 1.879 m 1.879 m 2.03 m
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.33 m 0.33 m 0.33 m 0.33 m 0.432 m
TRACK 1.539 m 1.539 m 1.539 m 1.539 m 1.75 m
WHEELBASE 2.286 m 2.286 m 2.286 m 2.286 m 2.286 m
MAX SPEED (road) 93 km/h 93 km/h 93 km/h 93 km/h 80 km/h
FUEL CAPACITY 961itres 961itres 96 litres 961itres 961itres
MAX RANGE
(road) 306 km 306 km 306 km 306 km 306 km
(cross country) 160 km 160 km 160 km 160 km 160 km
FUEL CONSUMPTION
(road) 0.3 1 litre/km 0.31 litre/km 0.31 litre/km 0.31 litre/km 0.3 1 litre/km
(cross coun try) 0.6litre/km 0.6 litre/km 0.6 litre/km 0.6 litre/km 0.6 litre/km
FORDING 0.914 m 0.914 m 0.914 m 0.914 m 0.914 m
(wi th preparation) 1. 524 m 1.524 m 1.524 m 1. 524 m amphibious
GRADIENT 46% 46% 46% 46% 46%
VERTICAL OBSTACLE 0.406 m 0.406 m 0.406 m 0.406 m 0.406 m
TRENCH (with channels) 1.22 m 1.22 m 1.22 m 1. 22 m 1.22 m
TURNING RADIUS 5.795 m 5.795 m 5.795 m 5.795 m 5.795 m
ENGINE Rolls-Royce B60 Mk 6A 6-cyli nder in-line water-cooled petrol developing 129 bhp at 3750 rpm
TRANSMI SS ION Daimler pre-selective epicyclic, 5-speed
STEER ING re-circ ulating ball (not power-assisted)
CLUTCH Daimler fluid coupling
SUSPENSION independent. coil spring and double-acti ng shock absorber at each wheel station
TYRES 9.00 x 16 9.00 x 16 9.00 x 16 9.00 x 16 11 .00 x 20
BRAKES
(main) hydraulic on all wheels
(parking ) hand-operated. mechanical on transmission
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 V 24 V 24 V 24 V 24 V
BAITERIES 2 x 12 V, 2 x 12 V, 2 x 12 V, 2 x 12 V, 2 x 12 V,
60 Ah 60 Ah 60 Ah 60 Ah 60 Ah
ARMAMENT
(MG) 1 x 7. 62 mm 1 x 7.62 mm 1 x 7.62 mm 1 x 7.62 mm l x 7.62mm
(missi le) n/app n/app n/app Vigilant nl app
(ready use missiles) n/app n/app n/app 2 n/app
(reserve mi ssiles) n/app n/app n/app 2 n/app
SMOKE-LAYING EQUI PMENT al l Ferret models have 2 x 3 smoke disc hargers
ARMOUR
Hu ll front 12 mm at 50· and 16 mm at 35· all mode ls
Hull sides 12 mm at 10·, 15·, 40·; 16 mm at 20· all models
Hull floor 10 mm driver's position, 6 mm remai nder of ve hicle all models
Hull rear 12 mm and 6 mm at 45· all models
Turret front n/app 16 mm 16 mm at 15· 16 mm at 15· 16 mm at 15·
Turret sides n/app 16 mm 16 mm at 15· 16 mm at 15· 16 mm at 15·
Turret rear n/app 16mm 16 mm at 15· 16 mm at 15· 16 mm at 15·
Turret top n/app 8 mm 8 mm 8mm 8 mm

Status: Prod uction complete. In service with Bahrain,
Burma, Cameroo n, Central African Repu blic, Ga mbia,
Ghana, Indonesia, J ord an, Kuwa it, Libya, Madagasca r,
Malays ia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi
Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, Sri La nka, Sudan, UAE,
Uni ted Kingdom, Upper Volta, Yemen Arab Republic
(North), People's Democra ti c Rep ublic of Yemen (Sou th)
and Zimbabwe.
Manufacturer: Daimler Company Limited, Coventry.
Spare parts a nd post-design work is now the respo nsibility of
Alvis Limited , H olyhead Road, Coventry, West Midlands
CV8 8JH, England. (A member of th e U nited Scientific
Group.)

Shorland Armoured Patrol Car
Development
The Shorland armoured patrol car was originally designed in
1965 specifi call y to meet the requirements of the Royal U lster
Constabulary for use in Northern Ireland . First production
vehicles were completed a t Short Broth ers and H arland's
facili ty at Newtownards in 1965. By 1971 almost 200 veh icles
had been bui lt, by 1978 the fi gure had reached over 500 and
by th e end of 1982 was over 1000 vehicles. The vehicles used
by the Royal Ulster Constabulary have su bseq uently been
ta ken over by the military a uthorities and are now used by
the U lster Defence Regiment and th e British Army in North-
ern Ireland . Production of the Shorland is now undertaken a t
the company's main plimt in Belfas t.
T he first prod uction models, the Mk I s, were powered by a
four-cylinder Rover petrol engine which developed '67 hp at
4000 rpm and their hu ll a rm ou r was 7.25 mm th ick. The M k
2 was based on the Series 2 Land-Rover chass is and was
powered by a four-cylinder petrol engine whi ch developed
77 bhp a t 4000 rpm. Hull armour on this model was
increased to 8.25 mm thickness. The Mk 3 was introduced in

135
Cutaway drawing of Shorland Mk 4 armoured patrol car fitted with
turret-mounted 7.62 mm GPMG and smoke dischargers

1972 a nd was fitt ed with a 2.6-litre six-cylinder engine which

developed 9 1 bhp a t 4500 rpm . The la tes t version, th e Mk 4,
employing the new V-8 engin e a nd increased a rmour protec-
ti on, went into producti on in 1980, this being th e replace-
ment for th e Mk 3.
The Shorl a nd pa trol car is widely used for both in te rn al
sec uri ty opera ti ons a nd bord er pa trol work. In additio n
Shorts has developed a n APC , th e la tes t ve rsion of which is
call ed th e SB 40 I, a lso based on th e chassis of th e long Shorland Mk 4 armoured patrol car
wheelbase La nd-Rover, a nd built in la rge numbers.

Description SB401 APC (left) and Shorland armoured patrol car (right) which
T he Shorl a nd Mk 4 is based on th e we ll-esta blished are both based on a LWB Land Rover chassis (Simon Dunstan)
2.768-metre ( 109 inch) long wheelbase La nd-Rover chassis
strength ened to ta ke th e all- welded a rm our bod y. Tri als
ca rri ed o ut by th e Briti sh Arm y have show n th a t th e a rm our
cann ot be penetra ted by fire from a 7.62 mm F N rifl e or a
7. 62 mm GPMG down to 23 metres firin g a t right a ngles to
th e pla te. Servicing a nd 85 per cent of the spares a re identical
to th e La nd-Rover's. M aj or a utomoti ve differences a re th e
stronger ax les a nd different fin a l dri ves, consta nt four-wh eel
dri ve a nd hydra uli ca lly opera ted locking differenti als co n-
trolled by a vacuum sw itch.
The V-8 engine a t th e front of th e vehicle is protected by
a rmo ur pl a te o n the front , sides, rea r a nd top, a nd th e bonnet
is opened fro m insid e th e ve hicl e. The engine is fi tted with a n
ex tra ca pacity radi a tor for th e tropi cs .
The driver is sea ted on th e left side of th e vehicle with th e
comma nd er to his right (a right-ha nd dri ve model is a lso
ava il a ble with th e pos iti ons reversed ). The windscree ns a re
Tri plex safety glass a nd can qui ckl y be covered by

136
in te rnall y-cont rolled drop-down a rmoured visors con ta ining
la mina ted glass observation windows. Both th e dri ver a nd
comma nd er a re provided with a side doo r with a drop-dow n
vision port in th e upper pa rt. All doo rs a nd openings a re
locked intern all y. All openings a re sea med a nd cha nn elled to
preven t metal splas h entering th e interior.
The gunn er is seated in th e ma nu all y-opera ted tu rret
which can be traversed through 360 degrees by th e g unn er's
fee t. T he turret is provided with a n adju sta ble seat for th e
g unner a nd a mecha ni cal lock preve nts rota tion while th e
turret is not in use. T he rear pa rt of th e turret roof fo lds
forwards a nd the turret rea r folds dow nwards on the o utside
to provide a seat for th e g unner.
T he turret is norm all y a rmed with a 7.62 mm G PMG
linked to a n optical periscope sight fitted in th e roof of th e
turret, but oth er ty pes of a rma ment can be fi tted a nd a
tea r- gas discha rger, loaded from in side the turre t, can be
fitted in place of a machine g un. Four electri call y-o pera ted
smoke/CS dischargers can be moun ted either side of th e
turret a nd a fl ood light mount ed to th e left of th e turret is
bo re-sighted with th e ma in a rm a ment . G un mounts can be
provided as a n option to facilita te ground support a nd a nti-
aircraft defence.
T he g unner is provided with alte rn a ti ve seating behind th e
command er a nd there is a mpl e space for oth er eq uipment
such as radios. An emergency exit in th e rear of th e hull
co ntains th e air ex tracto r fa n which is opera ted electri call y by
a das·hboard switch.
Shorland Mk 4 armoured patrol car fitted with turret arm ed with 7.62 mm GPMG and eight electri call y operated smoke
di schargers . Wind sc reen and door flap s in open pos ition
The rea r compa rtment is isola ted from th e crew compa rt-
ment a nd is fitted with a rea r a rm oured port for access to th e
spa re tyre a nd wheel a nd a lso conta in s th e fu el ta nk, which is
fill ed by a n a rmo ured opening locked from th e crew com-
pa rtm ent.
The heavy duty front axle has hypoid spiral bevel differen-
ti al for all-wheel dri ve a nd the rear ax le is a simila r type but
with fl oating sha fts (Salisbury 8H A).
Sta nd a rd equipm ent includes seat belts. The vehicle is
intern all y insul a ted with washable plastic polyureth a ne foam
an d th e fl oor is made of reinforced glass fibre which provides
protection aga inst blas t, nail a nd pipe bombs. O ptiona l
equipment includes a ir-conditio ning, vario us radi o insta lla-
tions a nd a loud ha iler which is norma ll y mounted a t the
fro nt of th e ve hicle.
Variants
Shorland S8 403 Anti-Hijack Vehicle
T his has been d eveloped specifi call y fo r a nti-hij ac k pa trols a t
a irports a nd o th er hi gh-risk a reas. The dri ver's a nd com-
ma nder's windscree ns a nd side windows a re made of
a rm oured glass ra th er tha n th e Triplex glass covered by
ar mo ured viso rs of th e bas ic ve hicl e.
The speciall y-des igned turre t has a visio n block a nd ball
mount which permits a n HK33 sniper's rifl e to be sighted
discreetl y on a targe t while both the rifl e a nd the ma rksma n
remain co ncealed .
137
Shorland Mk 4 armoured patrol car fro m rear with turret and Anti-hijack version of Shorland armoured patrol car
emerg ency hatch cover in hul l rear open

SPECIFICATIONS (Mk 4) TURN ING RADIUS 8.84 m AR MAMENT (main) 1 x 7.62 mm MG

CREW 3 ENGINE Rover 4-stroke V-8, 3528 cc AMMUNITION (mai n) 1500
CONFIGURATI ON 4 x 4 petrol developing 91 bhp at SMOKE-LAYING
COMBAT WEIGHT 33 60 kg 3500 rpm EOUIPMENT 4 smoke di schargers
UNLOADED WEIGHT 2931 kg TRANSMISSION manual w il h 4 forwa rd ei ther side of turret
POWER-TO-WE IGHT and 1 reverse gears (optional)
RATI O 28.75 bh pltonne TRANSFER CASE 2-speed ARMOUR
LENGTH 4.597 m STEERING rec irculatin g ball , Hull fro nt 7.7 mm
WIDTH 1.778 m worm and nut Hull sides 7.7 mm
HEIGHT 2.286 m SUSPENSION semi-elliptical leaf Hull top 5 mm
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.324 m spring s and hydraulic Hull rear 7.7 mm
TRACK 1.358 m shock absorbers, Turret front 9 mm
WHEELBAS E 2.768 m anti-roll bars fitted Turret sides 7.7 mm
MAX SPEED (road) 104.6 km/h front and rear Turret rear 7.7 mm
FUEL CA PACITY 1281itres TYRES 9.00 x 16 Turret top 5 mm
MAX RANGE (roa d) 514 km ELECTRI CAL SYSTEM 12 V (24 V opti onal)
VERTI CAL OBSTAC LE 0.23 m BATIERIES 1 x 12 V, 57 Ah

Status: In produ cti on. In service with 38 co untries incl uding Manufacturer: Short Broth ers Limited, Montgo mery Road,
Arge ntina, Botswana, Brunei, Burundi, Gu ya na, K enya, Belfas t BT6 9H N, North ern Ireland .
Libya, M alaysia, Portugal, Seychelles, Tha iland , United
Arab Emira tes and U nited Kingdom (North ern Ireland
onl y).

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

M41 Light Tank

Development
The standard Am eri can light ta nk a t the end of the Second
World War was the M 24 C ha ffee. Shortl y a fter the end of the
wa r design work began on a new light ta nk called th e T 37
Pha se 1. This was a rmed with a 76 mm gun with a 12.7 mm
(0.50) machine gun mounted coaxia ll y with the main arm a-
ment, a similar a nti-aircra ft wea pon pintle-mounted on top
of th e tu rret and remote-controlled 7.62 mm (0.30) machine
gun mounted on either side of th e turret. The hull and turret
we re of all-welded armour and the suspension was of the
torsion bar type with a total offi ve road wheels, idler a t th e
front, dri ve sprocket a t th e rear, three track return rollers and
a tensioning wheel between th e drive sprocket and th e fifth
road wheel. The T37 Phase I was powered by a 500 hp engine
and weighed 2 1 800 kg. This was followed by th e T 37 Phase
II which was almos t identical but had a redesigned turret
mad e of both cas t a nd weld ed a rmour with a new mantlet,
redesigned a mmunition stowage a nd a new fi re-control sys-
tem which consisted of super-imposed coincidence range-
find er integra ted with a Vickers sta bilisa tion system (in both
the horizo nta l and verti cal planes) and an a utoma ti c lead
computer. The fin a l d evelopment was th e T 37 Phase III
which had a 76 mm a utoma ti c gun an d an IBM stabiliser.
The T 37 Phase II was la ter designa ted the T 4 l light tank
and three furth er prototypes were built und er th e designa tion
T41. With modifi cations th e T4 l became the T4 lEl which
was standa rdised in mid- 1950 as th e M4 l ta nk, or Little

138
Bulldog, subseq uently Walker Bulldog in honour ofCeneral
W W Walker who was killed in Korea in 195 1.
Production of the M41 was undertaken by the Cadillac
Motor Car Division ofCeneral Motors Corporation at Cleve-
land T ank Arsenal.
First production M41s were completed in mid-1951 and
1802 were built before production was switched to the later
M41Al , which was follow ed by th e M41A2 a nd finally th e
M41A3 which differ onl y in minor details . Total production
of th e vehicle amo unted to about 55QO units. Its full United
States Army designa tion is Tank, Comba t, Full-Tracked:
76 mm Cun, M41. It has been replaced in the United Sta tes
Army by th e M551 Sheridan but is still used by many armies.
The M41 was a member of a trio of armoured vehicles
M41 light tank, also known as Walker Bulldog
M41 I ight tank of Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force (Kensuke Ebata)
developed for th e United Sta tes Army after the end of the
war, the others being th e M47 (T42) medium tank and th e
MI03 (T43) heavy ta nk. Many of th e components of the M41
are also used in th e M42 twin 40 mm self-propelled a nti-
aircraft gun system (also built a t C leveland), M44 155 mm
and M52 105 mm self-propelled howitzers.
Description
The a ll-welded steel hull of th e M41 is divided into three with
th e driver's compartment at th e front , fighting compartment
in th e centre and the engine a t th e rear.
The driver is seated a t th e front of the vehicle on th e left
side and is provided with a single-piece hatch cover th a t
opens to the right. Three M 17 periscopes a re mounted for-
139
Danish Army M41 with mount for infra-red searchlight to left of main armament (8 Tunbridge)
wa rd of his position a nd a single one to his left. A hull escape
ha tch is provided beneath the q river's seat.
The turret, which is provided with a basket, is of cast and
welded construction with th e commander and gunner seated
on th e right a nd th e loader on th e left. The commander's
cupola has a single-piece ha tch cover tha t opens forwa rds
and fi ve vision blocks, and an M20A I periscope th at can be
tra ve rsed through 360 degrees. The gunner has a n M 97A I
telescopic sight for a iming th e 76 mm gun and a n M 20A I
periscope tha t can be trave rsed throu gh 360 degrees. The
loader is provided with a single-piece ha tch 'cover tha t opens
forwa rds a nd a single MI 3 periscope. M ounted a t th e rear of
th e turret is a light sheet meta l stowage box and th ere is a
dome-sha ped ventil a tor in th e turret roof towards th e rear.
The ventila tor blower is operated from th e dri ve r's position.
The engine compartment is a t th e rear of th e hull a nd is
se parated from th e fi ghting compa rtment by a fireproof
bulkhead . It is equipped with a fire extinguisher th a t is
opera ted by th e drive r. The eng ine is mounted ~wa rd s th e
fron t of th e engine com pa rtmen t wi th th e transmission a t th e
rea r.
The torsion bar suspension consists of five du al road
wheels each side with th e drive sprocket a t the rear, idler a t
th e front and three trac k return rollers. The first, second and
fifth road wheel sta tions a re provided with a hydra ulic shock
absorber. The steel tracks, which have 75 or 76 links when
new, have detachable rubber pads.
Standard equipment on a ll ta nks includes a heater, dee p
fording equipment a nd electri c bilge pumps. It is not fitted
with an NBC system. The bas ic model was not fitted with
140
night vision equipment although the fin al produ ction model
did have provision for an infra-red searchlight over th e main
arma ment. A number of countries have fitted th e vehicle with
infra-red night fighting equipment, for example the Danish
M 4 1s have a n AEG B30 infra- red searchlight mounted to th e
left of th e ma in arma ment and a n Electro B8Y infra-red
sight.
M ain arm a ment of th e M4 1 consists of a 76 mm gun M32
(T 9 IE3) in a mount M76 (TI 38 EI ), th e M4 1A I has the
M 32A I gun in mount M76A I. The gun has a verti cal sliding
breech-block, spring actu a tor and an inerti a percussion firin g
mechanism. The main components of th e gun, which has a
life of 350 rounds, are th e ba rrel, mu zzle bra ke, bore
evacua tor cha mber a nd th e breech mechanism assembly.
The recoil system is of th e concentric hydro-spring type.
The gun mount M76 or combina tion mount M76AI con-
sists of a shield assembl y and a recoil cylinder assembly. The
mount supports th e barrel and provides a ttachment for the
breech-opera ting mechanism, firing plunger asse mbly, man-
ual firing and safety mechanism asse m bly (M76AI ), hand
firing control assembl y (M76), machine gun mounting
bracket, recoil guard , replenisher assembl y, elevating cylin-
d er assembl y (M76) and the elevating gea r box asse mbly
(M76AI ).
A 7.62 mm (0.30) Browning MI 9 19A4EI machine gun is
mounted coaxiall y to th e right of th e main arm ament and an
a nti-aircraft 12.7 mm (0.50) Browning M 2 HB machine gun
is mounted at the commander's position. This has a trave rse
of 360 degrees, eleva tion limits being from -10 to +65
degrees.
 The 76 mm gun fi res th e following types of fix ed
a mmunition:
AP-T (M339) , with compl ete ro und weighing 12.39 kg, a
muzzle velocity of 975.36 metres per second , a ra nge of
4572 metres a t an elevation of 2 degrees 16 minutes and a t
max imum elevation a range of 14 703 metres Blank
(M355) used for imul ated fire and training
Canister (M363), with complete round weighing 12.33 kg,
mu zzle velocity of 73 1.5 metres per second , with an effec-
tive range of 155 metres . Navy for tes ting a ir-to-ground missiles. The ta nk has a lso
HE Comp B (M352), with complete round weighing
11. 716 kg, a mu zzle velocit y of 73 1.52 metres per second
a nd a range of 1433 7 metres a t maximum elevation
HE AT-T ( M496), with compl ete round weighing
9.253 kg, mu zzle velocity of 1082 metres per second a nd
maximum effecti ve ra nge of 2000 metres
HVAP-DS-T (M33 IA I), with complete ro und weighing
9.389 kg, a m uzzle velocity of 125 7. 3 metres per second , a
range of 4572 metres a t a n eleva tion of 2 degrees 28
minutes and at max imum eleva ti on a ra nge of 2 1 607
metres
HVAP-T ( M 3 19), with compl ete round weighing
8.768 kg, a mu zzle velocity of 1260 metres per second , a
range of4572 metres a t a n elevation of I degree 8 minutes
and a t maximum eleva ti on a range of 9884 metres
HVTP-T (M320), used fo r ta rge t practi ce, with complete
ro und weighing 8. 723 kg, a muzzle velocity of 1260 metres
per second , a max imum range of4572 metres at a n eleva-
tion of I degree 8 minutes and a t maximum elevation a
range of 9884 metres
TP-T (M 340 and M340A I), simil ar to M339 but without
an arm our-piercing core, complete round weighing
12.39 kg, a mu zzle velocity of 975.36 metres per second
a nd a maximum range of 14 703 metres
WP Smoke (M36 1), with complete round weighing
11 .71 kg, a mu zzle velocity of73 1.5 metres per second and
a max imum range of 14 694 metres.
In 1982 it was revealed tha t AA I Corpora tion had
developed a new 76 mm APFSDS round for th e M 32 cannon
tha t wo uld defeat Main Ba ttle T ank frontal a rmour.
The M4 1A2 is almos t identica l to th e M4 1A I except tha t it
has a simplifi ed turret and gun control system developed by
. Cadill ac. This consists of manua l and hydra ulic power
traverse for th e gunner with direct mechanicall y linked con-
trol of oil gea r pump in lieu of the electrical control in the
M41 , du al power traverse by commander, and manual
mechanical, rack and pinion type, elevation for th e gunner,
with slewing elevation control for th e gun . This more com-
pac t system ena bled th e tank to carry 65 rounds of 76 mm
ammunition compa red with 57 of th e earlier model. These
modifi cations were also incorpora ted in th e M 41 A2 and th e
M41A3 both of which also have the fu el inj ection engine
fitted .
Cadillac Gage TMS
The C adillac G age Company, which supplied th e wea pon
control sys tems for th e M48, M60 A I, M60A2, M60A3,
Leopard I, Leopard 2, MI , Mard er, LVTP-7 , V-1 50 and
V-200 Commando, M 109, AIFV a nd specia l versions of the
Centurion, has now developed a Turret Modernisation Sys-
tem for the M41. This can be fitt ed by the user and gives the
following advantages over the existing system: improved low
speed tracking and target acquisition, high precision gun
positioning ca pa bility, improved first round hit capability,
reduced system weight and volume, simplifi ed sys tem opera-
tion and ma intena nce, simplifi ed overall logisti cal support,
readily ava ila ble spa re pa rts, increased reliability a nd high
system grow th potentia l.
Variants
QM41
This is a remote cont rolled tank used by th e United Sta tes
been used for a vari ety of oth er trials purposes including
much of th e development work with th e turret of the M55 1
Sherid an light tank/ assa ult ve hicl e.
Spanish M41 programme
The Spanish Arm y has 180 M4 1 light tanks half of which it
wa nts to reta in in th e original gun ve rsion, th e remainder
being converted to th e anti-tank role. For tria ls purposes one
M4 1 has had its turret replaced by a Euromissile HC T turre t
with HOT AT G Ws, but it is believed tha t th e prefe rred
choice is now th e Emerson lTV sys tern as fi tted to th e M90 I
Improved TOW Vehicl e. The M41 fitted with th e Emerson
Improved TOW Vehicle turret is known as th e Cazad or,
with conve rsion work being und erta ken by T a lbot of Spain.
The ori ginal petrol eng ine has been replaced by a G MC
Detroit Diesel model 8V- 7 lT developing 450 hp a t 2500 rpm
which is coupled to th e origin al GMC Allison Division
C D-500-3 tra nsmission. The insta ll a ti on of th e di esel engine
has increased th e opera ting range of th e tank from 16 1 km to
560 km . This vehicle has a four-m an crew and a maximum
comba t weight of 23 tonnes. In addition to the two TOW
missiles in th e ready to launch position a furth er ten missiles
are carri ed inside. A 7.62 mm machine gun with 200 rounds
of a mmunition is provided for local pro tection.
Brazilian M41 programme
The Bern a rdini compa ny of Sao Pa ul o is converting 300
Brazilian Arm y M4 1 light tanks into th e M4 1B confi gura-
tion. The original M 32 gun has been replaced by one ma nu-
factured by' Bern ardini which fires th e same R 8500 range of
M41 rebui"lt by Talbot of Spain and fitted with Emerson Improved
TOW launcher with two TOW missiles in launch position. In this
photograph launcher is traversed to rear
141
 ammUnitIOn as the Cockerill Mark III gun. T he original
500 hp Continental or Lycoming petrol engine has been
replaced by a Saab-Scania DS-14 diesel which develops
400 hp coupled to the original CD-500-3 transmission. The
M41B has an operational range of600 km compared to the
origina l model's 161 km ..The M41B repower package has
been evaluated by a number of other countries including
Spain and Thailand . Recently the company has developed
the M41C which has a more powerful engine, improved
armour with side skirts, the same 90 mm gun and a new
fire-control system. It is thought that at a later date Brazilian
Army M4lBs will be brought up to the M41C standard .

M41 with New Powerpacks

Brazilian M41 C showing side skirting for additional armour
protection
Brazilian Army M41B fitted with new 90 mm gun and
Saab-Scania diesel engine with conversion work carried out by
Bernardini
In addition to the Spanish and Brazilian repowered M41s
previously mentioned there are at least three other repower
packages being offered.
NAPCa of the United States has designed a powerpack for
the M 41 that uses the Detroi t Diesel 8V-71 T engine develop-
ing 450 hp at 2500 rpm coupled to the original transmission,
so giving an operating range of over 450 km. This vehicle is
known to have been tested in Denmark, Spain and Thailand .
Levy Au toparts Company of Canada have designed a
powerpack for the M41 that uses the Cummins VTA-903T
engine as installed in the FMC Bradley Infantry Fighting
Vehicle cou pled to th e original transmiss ion . This vehicle has

a maximum operating range of563 km and is known to have

been tested in Denmark and Thailand.
FFG of West German have designed a powerpack for the
M41 that uses the British Rolls-Royce Military Engine Divi-
sion Condor CV-8 diesel engine that powers the MCV-80,
recently ordered into production by th e British Army. This
also retains the original transmission and is known to have
been tested by Denmark and Thailand.

M41 with Cockerill 90 mm Gun

The Belgia n company of Cockerill has replaced the 76 mm
gun of the M 41 with their new 90 mm gu n Mk IV which fires
the following types of amm unition: HEAT-T , HESH-T,
HE-T, Smoke-WP-T an d Canister. This· model has already
been adop ted by Uruguay.

M41 light tank fitted with NAPCO powerpack from rear with
loader's hatch open

142
 M41 fitted with Belg ian Cockeri ll 90 mm gun Mk IV

M41 I ight tank fitted with NAPCO powerpack from front with
driver's hatch open

SPECIFICATIONS charged petrot devel- Max rate power

oping 500 bhp at traverse 360' in 10 s
CREW 4 2800 rpm . M41 A2 and . Gun elevati on/
COMBAT WEIGHT 23 495 kg M41A3 Continental or depression + 19' 45 min/ -9'
UNLOADED WEIGHT 18457 kg Lycoming AOS I-895-5 45 min
POWER-TO-WEIGHT with fue l injecti on also Gun stabili ser
RATI O 21.26 bhpltonne devel oping 500 bhp (verti ca l) none
GROUND PRESSURE 0.72 kg/c m' at 2800 rpm (hori zontal ) none
LENGTH GUN AUXILIARY ENGINE GMC mod el A41 - 1 Rangelinder none
FORWARDS 8.212 m TRANSMISSION GMC Alli son Di vis ion Elevation quadrant Type M9
LENGTH HULL 5.819 m cross-drive model Gunner's sig ht M97 telescope with x 8
WIDTH 3.198 m CD-500-3 with 1 magnificati on and
HEIGHT forward and 1 reverse r 24 mi n fi eld of view
(to oupola) 2.726 m ranges Both commander and gunner have M20A 1 peri scope with 2
(inc luding MG) 3.075 m FIN AL REDU CTI ON optical systems: x 1 system for observati on and x 6 for
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.45 m RATI O 4.25 : 1 ranging on targets. Illumination of reti cle patt ern s provided
TRAC K 2.602 m SUSPENSION torsion bar for by Light, Instrument M36
TRACK WI DTH 533 mm ELECTRI CAL SYSTEM 24 V ARMOUR
LENGTH OF TRACK ON BATIERIES 4 x 6TN , 100 Ah Hull front glacis 25.4 mm at 30'
GROUND 3.25 1 m ARMAMENT Hu ll front nose 31.75 mm at 45'
MAX SPEED (roa d) 72 km/h (main) 1 x 76 mm Hull top 12/ 15 mm
FUEL CAPAC ITY 530 litres (coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mm MG Hull fl oor 9.25/31.75 mm
MAX RANGE 161 km (anti-aircraft ) 1 x 12.7 mm MG Hull rear 19 mm
FUEL CONSUMPTION 3.29 litres/km AMMUNITION Turret mantl el 38mm
FORDIN G 1.016 m (main ) 57 rounds M41 , 65 Turret front 25.4 mm
(with preparati on) 2.44 m rounds M41 Al , M4 1A2 Turret sides 25 mm
GRADIENT 60% and M41 A3 Turret rear 25 mm
SIDE SLOPE 30% (coaxial) 5000 Turret roof 12.7 mm
VERTICAL OBSTACLE 0.71 1 m (anti-a ircraft) 2175
TRENCH 1.828 m FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM
TURNIN G RADIUS skid turns Turret power contro l hydrauli c/electri c
ENGINE M41 and M41 Al , Conti- with manual control s
nental or Lycoming By commander yes (only on M41 Al
AOS- 895-3, 6-cy linder and later mod els)
air-cooled super- By gunner yes

Status: Produ cti on complete. In service with Argentina Manufacturer: Cadillac M otor Car Division of Ge neral
(few), Braz il , C hi le, Denm ark, Ethi opia, Greece, J apan, Motors Corpora tion, Cleveland T ank Arsenal, Ohio, USA.
Philippines, Portugal, Spain, T aiwa n, Tha iland , Tunisia,
Turkey, Sudan (53 from Sa udi Ara bia in 198 1), U ruguay and
Viet- Na m.

M551 Light Tank/Reconnaissance Vehicle
Development
T t:chnical feasibility and prelimina ry concept studies for a
new vehicle to replace both th e M4 1 light ta nk and th e M56
self-propelled anti-tank gun began in J anua ry 1959 . These
conce pts were subsequ entl y revised in March 1959 when the
draft military characteristi cs were received . InJ une 1959 the
vehicle feasibility studies and th e associated technical inves-
tiga ti ons rela ti ve to th e design requirement we re reviewed
and agreements were reached on app roaches to satisfy the
military cha racteristi cs, The maj or agreements were th e
establishment of a net weight of 9072 kg, a maximum
permissible width of 2,794 metres and th e selection of th e
Shillelagh weapon sys tem as the onl y ~eapon system acce pt-
able.
In August 1959 th e proj ect for this vehicle, offi ciall y called
th e Armored Reconnaissance/Airborne Assa ul t Vehicle
(AR/ AA V) was approved with th e recording of th e milita ry
cha racteristics and a pp roval for building six prototypes .
After evaluating a number of different proposals, in May
1960 th e Genera l M otors concept was selected and th e com-

143
M551 Armored Reconnaissance/Airborne Assault Vehicle
pa ny was awarded a d evelopment co ntract for the vehicle
und er the designation XM55 1. The fina lised AR/ AA V
d esign was a pproved at th e final mock-up review meeting
held in December 196 1. The first a utomotive tes t bed vehicle
ra n for th e first time in the same month . By this time trials of
th e XM8 1E7 gun/launcher for th e Shillelagh missil e were
under way at th e Erie Army Depot.
The original intention was to build six prototypes but in
fact twelve were built and subjected to ex tensive trials includ-
M551 Sheridan with infra-red searchlight mounted to left of main armament (US Army)
144
ing fl ota tion , dura bility, hot room, cold room, vibration,
fir ing, swimming, a ir drop and turret performance. The
prototypes differed cons iderably from production models as
th ey had a box type hull , no flota tion screen, and their road
wheels were provided with bulbous covers.
rn N ovem ber 1965 approva l was given for the type
classifi ca tion of the XM551 as Limited Production a nd a
four-y ea r production co ntract was awarded to th e Allison
Motor Car Division of General Motors Corporation. Also
M551 modified to resemble Soviet T-72 MBT (US Army National
Training Center)
included in the contract was an order for th e 155 mm MlO9
self-propelled howitzer.
In May 1966 the Sheridan was cl assifi ed as Standard A
and by this time production was we ll under way with th e first
production vehicle being completed in] une 1966. Production
continued until 1970 by when 1700 M55 1s (o r G eneral
Sheridans) had been built, of which 1570 were still in service
with the US Army in 1978.
The M551 was tested by a number of armed forces includ-
ing Australia and th e United Kingdom but no oth er Army
adopted the veh icl e. In 1968-69 64 M551 s were deployed to
Viet-Nam where numerous defi ciencies qui ckl y became
apparent es pecially with the engine, transmission, suspen-
sion and th e conventional round with its combustible car-
tridge case. Late in 1978 it was announced th a t th e M551
would be phased out of service and replaced by the M60A I
MBT, apart from thos e vehicl es a llocated to th e 82nd Air-
borne Division (57) and Arkansas National Guard ( 12). 330
have been assigned to the National Training Cen ter at Fort
Irwin, California. These are essenti ally bas ic M55 1s but with
visual modifications to the outside to disguise them as
"agressor force" vehicles such as ZSU-23-4 SPAAG, T-72
MBT, BMP MICV and th e 122 mm M-1974 self-propelled
howitzer.
Description
The a ll- welded aluminium a rmour hull of th e M55 1 is
divided into three compartments with th e driver's a t th e
front, fi ghting compa rtment in the centre a nd th e engine a t
th e rear.
T he d ri ver is seated a t th e front of the veh icle a nd is
provided with a single- piece ha tch cover which, when he is
driving with his head out, is swung inside th e vehicl e to his
rear. The hatch cover has three integral M47 perisco pes for
day driving, each with a was her and wiper, while th e centre
periscope can be rep laced by an M48 infra- red periscope for
night drivin g.
The turret is of a ll weld ed steel a rmour with th e comm an-
der a nd gunn er sea ted on th e right a nd th e loader on the left.
The commander's cupola is provided with a split ha tch cover
th a t opens left a nd right a nd ten vision blocks for a ll-round
vision . The' commander is also provided with a portable
night-vision device with a magnifi cation of X4.
The gunner is seated to the front and below th e comma n-
der and has a n M 129 telescope linked to th e main ar ma ment
with a magnifi cation of X8 and an 8-degree fi eld of view. For
engaging targets a t night the gunn er has an infra- red roof-
mounted sight M44 with a X9 magnifi cation and a 6-degree
fi eld of view through one eye piece and x I day light viewing
window. The loader has a single-piece ha tch cover tha t opens
to the left with an M37 periscope which can be traversed
throu gh 360 degrees, mounted in th e roof forward of his ha tch
cover.
145
 A large wire stowage basket is provided at th e rear of the
turret and some machine gun ammunition is stowed in
a mmunition boxes strapped to th e sides of th e turret, nine
boxes on th e left a nd six on th e right.
The engine and transmission are at th e rear of the vehicle
with the a luminium cross-fl ow radiator mounted in th e
forward part of th e engine compartment from the fighting
comp'l,rtment. T he aluminium an d mag nesium TG-250
(formerly th e XTG-250-1 A) transmission consists of a hyd-
ra ulic torqu e converter with lock-up clutch. Planetary range
gearing is combined with steering an d ou tput planeta ry sets
to give four forward and two reverse gears. Pivot turns are
possible in first and reverse gears and the brakes are integral
with the transmission.
The engin e com partment is eq uipped with a fi~e suppres-
sion system which can be operated by th e driver, or from
outside the vehicle. No fire warning system is fitted .
The torsion bar suspension consists of five dual road
wheels with the idler at the front and the dri ve sprocket at the M551 modified to resemble Soviet 122 mm M-1974
rear. There are no track return rollers. The first and las t road self-propelled howitzer (US Army National Training Center)
wheel sta ti ons are fi tted with a hydraulic shock absorber.
Tracks a re cast steel with rubber bushes and steel pins. Each
track has 102 links when new. M ain arma ment on th e M 55 1 is th e M81 (formerly th e
I t was originall y in tended tha t th e Sheridan wou ld be full y XM8 IE I2) gun/la uncher wh ich can fire the Shillelagh mis-
amphibious without preparation but in th e end a flotation sile or a number of conventional rounds with a combustible
screen was designed a nd fitted around th e top of th e hull. cartridge. Its recoil system is of th e concentric hydro-spring
This ta kes abo ut five minutes to erect and th e vehicle is th en type.
propelled in the water by its tracks. The Shillelagh missile is designated the MGM-5 IA and
Night vision eq uipment is provided for th e commander, was designed by the Uni ted States Army Missile Command
gun ner and driver and most vehicles now have an infra- red and th e Philco-Ford Corporation from 1959, with prod uction
searchlight fitted to th e left of th e mai n armament. Standard beginning in 1964. The missile was also launched from th e
equipment includes a heater , extraction fan in th e turret roof,
diesel cooker and an NBC system th a t pipes fresh air to th e M551 modified to resemble Soviet ZSU -23-4 self-propelled
crew's face masks from a central unit. anti-aircraft gun system (US Army National Training Center)

146
M60A2 MBT a nd was to have bee n the ma in a rm a ment of A we ll- tra ined crew ca n fire a max imum of four rounds
th e MBT-70 which was ca ncelled in 1970. The missi le itselfis of conventi o nal am munition a minute. The proportion of
1. 155 metres long, weighs 26 .76 kg a nd has a max imum Shillelagh missil es an d co nventi ona l a mmunitio n depends on
ve locity of 689 metres per second. Its solid propella nt motor th e mission requirement; norm a ll y eight Shi ll elagh a nd 20
burns for 1.1 8 second s, its max imum effective range aga inst rounds of co nventi onal a mmunitio n a re ca rri ed.
moving ta rge ts is 2500 metres and against stationary ta rgets Mounted coaxia ll y to th e main armament is a 7.62 mm
3000 met res. The Shillelagh warhead is of th e H EAT type. M73 machine gun a nd mo unted on th e forward pa rt of th e
The missile is g uid ed to its target by th e gunner who has to commander's cupola is a 12.7 mm (0.50) Browning M2 HB
keep the cross-hairs of th e sight o n th e targe t unti l th e missile machin e g un for a nti- aircraft us e with an elevation of + 70
impacts. The missile tracker m eas ures th e deviation of th e degrees and a dep ression of -15 deg rees. M a ny M551 shave
missile's Aightpa th from th e line of sight, th e signals a re bee n provided with a shield to give the co mm a nder so me
co nverted into comm ands th a t a re tra nsmitted by th e infra- protection when he is using th e a nti- a ircraft arm a ment.
red tra nsmitter mounted in th e small box ove r the ma in
a rm a ment to th e receiver in the missile itself. A well-trained M551A 1
gunner ca n lau nch two missil es a minute. In 197 1 Frankford Arse nal award ed the Hug hes Aircraft
The 152 mm gun/ launcher can a lso fire a number of con- Corpora tion a contract worth $8.3 million for initial produ c-
ve nti ona l rounds which have a combustib le ca rtridge case tion of th e AN/ VVG-I lase r rangefi nd er for insta ll a ti on in th e
consist ing of two pa rts, a base and a bod y, whi ch are made of forward pa rt of th e comm a nder' s cupo la of th e M551. The
felted nitro-cellulose. The body is a ttached to th e proj ec ti le rangefinder co nsists of a ruby lase r, optics a nd associated
base with epoxy resin a nd a n a luminium locking ring. The panels and electroni cs, a nd en a bles the co mmander to have
following types of conventiona l type ammunition ca n be accura te range inform a ti on on th e target within seconds.
fired: When fitt ed with th e AN/VVG- l th e vehicle is known as th e
M 55 1A1.
Type HEAT-T-MP WP TP-T Canister
DESIGNATION M409 M410 M411 M625A1
WEIGHT OF COM PLETE
ROUND 22 kg n/av 22. 124 kg 21 .772 kg
MUZZLE VELOCITY 683 m/s n/av 683 m/s 683 m/s M551 modified to resemble Soviet BMP MICV showing Sagger
MAX RANG E 9000 m n/av 9000 m 400 m ATGW over si mulated 73 mm gun (US Army National
Training Center)

147
Provisional drawing of M551 Elevated Kinetic-Energy Weapon
Test Bed on M551 chass is with mount in raised position (not to
1/76th scale)
M551 for ARMVAL
T en modified M551s were used for the joint US Army/
Marine Corps Advanced Anti-ar mor Vehicle Evaluation
between September 1978 and December 1980. The pro-
gramme was sponsored by th e Under Secretary of D efense for
Research and Engineering with the Marine Corps being the
Executive Service as it has a more immedia te req uirement for
a lightweight helicopter transportable vehicle.
For ARM VAL Tank Automotive Research and Develop-
ment Command rebuilt ten M551s at Warren, Michigan.
Each vehicle was reduced to about II 340 kg by the removal
of some armour and th e armament. The original 6V-53T
engine was replaced by the more powerful8V-53T as used in
the Marine Corps L VTP7s and uprated to give a higher
power-to-weight ratio. A new cooling system was installed
and the suspension modifi ed to improve cross-country mobil-
ity. The vehicle has a max imum road speed (governed) of
72 km/h and can accelerate from 0 to 48 km/ h in ten seconds.
The gunner has a fully stabilised West German Pietzsch
Staget sighting system which consists of a daylight tv with
zoom optics and an integral laser gun simulator fitted to
represent the 75 mm cannon. The commander's backup
sight is a modified M36E2 optical sight, also fitted with a
laser gun simulator.
The commander can also operate the Staget system and
has a tv display; his backup is an M20A3 daylight optical
sight.
M551 with 75 mm ARES cannon
Under contract to the US Army Tank Automotive Reseach
and Development Command, th e Pacific Car and Foundry
Company has built an Elevated Kin etic-Energy Wea pon
T est Bed.
It consists of an M551 Sheridan with its turret removed
148
and replaced by a new turret with an elevated mount fitted
with a 75 mm ARES automatic cannon fed by a powered
a mmunition feed system that will convey am munition up
through an elevator tube to the chamber from the storage
carousel in th e turret.
The cannon will be stabilised in elevation with the turret
bcing stabilised in azimuth. Components from th e M551 and
M60 series will be used in th e turret drives and stabilisation
systems.
A modified M36 sight will be mounted on the turret roof
and this will follow the cannon at a ny can non trunnion
elevation. It can be used only when th e target is in line of sight
with the turret roof, for exam ple when the elevated mounting
is in the lowered position.
When the mount is elevated, surveill ance and ' target
acquisition will be carried ou t by a sight using current
Improved TOW Vehicle components.
M551 with 105 mm gun
For trials purposes the Vought Corporation is to fit the
chassis of the M551 with th e West German Rheinmetall
Rh 105-11 super low recoil gun as already fi tted to the
MOWAG Shark (8 X 8) vehicle. The gun would be on an
external pedestal mount fitted with an automatic loader
designed by Rheinmetall.
Variants
The Sheridan was proj ected to have been th e bas is for a
whole family of vehicles which would have included an anti-
aircraft missile vehicle with th e General Dynamics Mauler
missile, anti-aircraft gun vehicle, amp hibious assault vehicle,
cargo carrier, crane, bridgelayer (developed to the prototype
stage but cancelled owing to a lack of a military require-
ment) , engineer vehicle, flamethrower, MICV, 107 mm mor-
tar carrier and a 155 mm self-propell~d gun. Early in the
development of the Sheridan a number of different weapons
were installed in prototype vehicles in case of any major
problems with the Shillelagh system. These included a
76 mm gun and a 105 mm gun .
SPECIFICAT IONS
CREW 4 TRENCH 2.54 m AMMUNITION
COMBAT WEIGHT 15830 kg ENGINE Detroit Diesel Model (main) 10 missiles and 20
UNLOADED WEIGHT 13589 kg 6V-53T 6-cylinder conventional rounds
POWER-TO-WE IGHT water-cooled turbo- (coaxial) 3080
RATIO 18.95 bhp/tonn e cha rged diesel devel- (anti-aircraft) tOOO
GROUND PRESS URE 0.49 kg /c m' oping 300 bhp at FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM
LENGTH . 6.299 m 2800 rpm Turret power control electric/ manual
WIDTH 2.819 m AUXILIARY ENGINE none By commander yes
HEIGHT TRANSMISSION TG-250 cross-drive By gunner yes
(to turret top) 2.272 m with 4 forward and 2 Max rate power
(overall) 2.946 m reverse speeds traverse (non stabi lised)
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.48 m FINAL REDUCTION 360' in 10 seconds
TRACK 2.348 m RATIO 2.22 : 1 (stabilised)
TRACK WIDTH 444 mm SUSPENSION torsion bar 360' in 7.5 seconds
LENGTH OF TRACK ON ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 V Gun elevationl
GROUND 3.66 m BATIERIES 2 x 6TN (or 4 in depression + 19.5'1-8'
MAX SPEED cold Climate) Gun stabiliser
(road) 70 km/h ARMAMENT (vertical) yes
(water) 5.8 km/h (main) 1 x 152 mm gunl (horizontal) yes
FUEL CAPACITY 598 1itres launcher Elevation quadrant M13A 1C
MAX RANGE (road) 600 km (coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mm MG Traverse indicator M31 MOD
FORDING amphibious (anti-aircraft) 1 x 12.7 mm MG
GRADIENT 60% SMOKE-LAYING
SIDE SLOPE 40% EQUIPMENT 4 smoke dischargers
VERTICAL OBSTACLE 0.838 m either side of turret

Status: Production complete. In service in limited numbers Manufacturer: Allison Division of General Motors Cor-
onl y with th e US Army. poration, C leveland Tank-Automotive Plant, Cleveland,
Ohio, USA.

High Survivability Test Vehicle (Lightweight)
Development
The High Survivability Test Vehicle - Lightweight
(HSTV-L) was developed under th e direction of the
TACOM project manager for Armored Combat Vehicle
Technology at the US Army Tank-Automotive Command,
Warren, Michigan.
Following the fie ld tes ting, the HSTV(L) is being used for
experiments in fire-control and stabilisation. Stabilisation
processing has been converted from analogue to digital.
Various stabilization control algorithms are being tried along
with different combinations of transducers to determine
effects on gun pointing performance and th e possibility of
eliminating some of the expensive sensors such as gyros. The
TACOM Motion Base Simulator, a huge shaker tabl e, is
being used to provide terrain input. These tests began in
September 1982 and are to continue for a year or more _

Description
The high survivability of this vehicle is d erived from the low
silhouette, high horsepower per ton, duplica tion of sights,
improved night vision capabilities, and th e lack of specific
driver and gunner controls. Any crewman can shoot and both
hull crewmen can drive.
Although a test vehicle, th e HSTV(L) is not a variable
parameter test bed but an exercise in system realism for the
three-man crew, hunter/killer fire control conce pt and low
silhouette.
Armament for th e HSTV(L) consists ofa 7.62 mm M240
machine gun for both commander and coaxial position and a
75 mm smooth bore cannon. The cannon employs a revolv-
ing breech and telescoping ammunition which enables th e
automatic loader to load one round per I V2 seconds. The
in battery-firing recoi l mechanism has a fixed piston that
allows the greater mass of recoil cylinder and breech mechan-
ism parts to recoi l during firing. The 75 mm gun and" auto-
matic ammunition feeder are designed and made by ARES
Inc, Port Clinton, Ohio.
Texas Instruments supplies th e fire-control system which
uses the hunter/killer concept. The commander uses a stabil-

149
 . ~~
i~~' .~~
initial FOV target Idenlilied in FOV
operator slews
looking IOf target

HSTV(L) undergoing stabilisation/fire-control testing on Motion

Base Simulator, TACOM , Warren , Michigan (US Army)
operator Initiates
auto-track mode

ised hunter sight that revolves independ ently of the turret. aulo tracking
brings larget to
track box contains
larget
Once a ta rget is selected on this sight, the turre t a nd kill er boreslghl
largel velocities
sight can be a ligned with it. The gunner can th en des troy th e computed lor
ballistic lead
selected targe t while th e comm a nder returns to sea rch with
his hunter sight. Bo th direct vision a nd FUR (Fo rwa rd
Looking Infra-red ) optics a re avail a bl e fo r either sig ht. The operator
pulls
comma nd er can use either a biocul a r direct view optic trigger
to first
eyepiece for improved cl a rity a nd redu ced power dra in , or a detent

HSTV(L) with all hatches closed and armou red track skirts fitted Above: Typi cal target engagement by HSTV(L)

150
 Both elevation and azimuth stabilisati on is provided for
Hunter sight (commander)
the 75 mm gun wi th a slaved killer sight a nd an indepen-
2·axis stabilised head
direct view thermal Imaging
d ently stabilised h unter sight. Fire-on-the-move ca pab ilities
direct view visual optics
tv imaging
a re improved by decoupling th e yaw motion of th e hull fro m
thermal imaging
primary (gunner) sight th e turret. Cadillac G age supplies the gun control a nd
laser range linder
2·axls stabilised head sta bilisati on system for HSTV (L).
thermal Imaging
rv lmage • Propulsion for th e HSTV(L) comes from a gas turbine
engine mounted beside th e transmission with a cross-dri ve
gea rbox connecting the two. Avco Lycoming supplies the
nonregenera tive 650 horsepower modified helicopter gas
turbine. The tra nsmission is an X-300 Detroit Diesel Allison
a utoma ti c four-speed with lock-up torque converter. Auxili-
ary power is provided by two 250 a mp genera tors a nd a
60 gpm hydra ulic pump. The hydra ulic pump supplies
power for the engine compa rtment mounted oil cooler fan
and through a hydra ulic slip ring; it also supplies power to
the gun control system a nd a utoma ti c a mmunition load er in
th e turret.
T eledyne suppl y the fi xed height hydro-pneuma tic sus-
pension sys tem. A 355.6 mm jounce a nd 127 mm rebound
travel is poss ible due to the sma ll 558.8 mm dia meter road
Cutaway drawing of HSTV(L) showing position of main wheels. The track is ari improved ve rsion of the type found on
components of Texas Instruments fire-control system th e M 55 1 Sherid an.
The man-machine interface for th e HSTV (L ) is of prime
video screen. In the hull , a video screen visible to both gunner importance. The use of th e hunter/killer concept a llows both
and driver receives transmissions from hunter and killer th e gunner and th e comma nder to contribute as much infor-
sights. ma tion as possible towards th e neutralisation of th e enemy.
T he electronic fi re control processor uses inputs from th e The use of press ure sensitive isometric ra te controller thumb
sights, crosswind sensor, muzzle reference, verticle reference switches allows for more precise gun control while firin g on
system, and an eye-safe C02 laser rangefind er to compute th e· move. The drive r a nd gunner seating positions a re semi-
proper gun pointing . The laser rangefinder is supplied by reclined for maximum comfort in a minimum space. The tv
Ray theon. Automati c tracking and rate aid tracking can also screens considerably improve fi re-on-the-move sighting
be accomplished by the fire control processor. clarity.

Three-view drawing of HSTV(L)

gunner's hatch
,
primary sight (gunner's)

driver's hatch commander's hatch

centre of gravity with applique armour

without applique armour

15 1
SPECIFICATIONS
CREW 3 TRANSMISSION GM C Delroit Diesel Allison + 45°/ -6° rear
TE ST VEHICLE WEI GHT Di vision cross drive model + 45·/ -30· side
(with in strume ntati on and X-300-4 A with 4 lorward and Max elevation/depression
parti al appli que 1 reverse gears, rate (power) 1.0 rad/sec
a rm our) 20450 kg sing le.-stage, multiple-ph ase Max elevation/depression
POWER-TO-WEIGHT torqu e converter with rate (manual) 10 mil s/crank
RATI O 3 1.78 hp/tonne a utomati c lock up M in elevation/depress ion
GROUND PRE SSURE 0.7 kg /cm' STEERING hydrostatical ly controlled rate (power) 0.2 mi ls/sec
LENGTbI ·GUN differential. pi vot steer in Max traverse rate
FORWARDS 8.528 m neutral (power) 1.0 rad/sec
LENGTH HULL 5.9 18 m TURN ING RADIUS pi vot to infinity Max traverse rate
WIDTH 2.794 m BRAKES multiple wet pl ate, servi ce (manual) 10 mil s/crank
HEIGHT and parking , hydrostati cal ly Min traverse rate
(overall ) 2.414 m app lied w ith mechan ical (power) 0.2 mi ls/sec
(to turret top) 1.994 m backup Peri scopes driver 3 ( x 1)
(to hul l top) 1.422 m SUSPEN SION hydro-pn eumati c gunner 3 ( x 1)
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.508 m ELECTRI CAL SYSTEM 24 V co mmander 8 ( x 1)
TRACK 2.349 m BATIER IES 6 x 12 V, 300 Ah Pri mary engagement sight
TRACK WIDTH 44 5 mm ARMAMENT (turret) stabi lised head, FLiR CO,
MAX SPEED (roa d) 83. 68 km/h (main) 1 x 75 mm laser rangelinder, tv, 2 FOV
ACC ELERATION (coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mm MG linked to all three crew
(0 to 48 km/h) 11.8 sec (anti-aircraft ) 1 x 7.62 mm MG members
FUEL CAPACITY 409 1itres AMMUN ITION Hunter sight (tu rret) stabil ised head , rotates
MAX CRUI SING (main) 26 independently 01 turret; FLlR;
RANGE 160 km (MG) 3200 d irect view optics, tv, 2 FOV
FORDING 1.0 m FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM powered/manual li nked to all three crew
GRADIENT 60% By comma nd er yes members
SIDE SLOPE 30% By gunner yes Gunner's sigh: (hull ) slaved to weapon , direct view
TURN ING RADIUS pi vot to infini ty Gun elevati on! optics, 2 FOV gunner's use
ENGIN E Avco-Lyco min g 650 depress ion + 4 5°/ - 1]0 front onl y
tu rbos haft developing 650 hp

Status: U ndergoing sta bil isa tion/ fire control tes ting on the Manufacturer: AAI Corpora ti on, Box 6767 , Baltimore,
Moti on Base Simu la tor, T a nk Auto motive Comma nd , Wa r- M a ryland 21204, USA _
ren, M ichi ga n .

Rapid Deployment Force
Light Tank (RDF/LT)
Development
T he Ra pid Deployment Force Light T a nk (RDF / L T ) has
been desig ned as a pri va te venture by AA I Corpora tion
which has already built the prototype of the H ig h Surviva-
bil ity T est Vehicl e (Lightweight) und er contract to th e
United Sta tes Army T a nk-Automotive Comma nd_
The pro to type was shown for th e first time in O ctober 1980
when it was said by the compa ny th a t it co uld be in servi ce by
1984, if a decision on produ ction was ta ken in th e imm edi a te
fut ure_
The vehicle is airporta ble: the Lockheed C-5B transport
aircraft can carry eight RDF/ LTs, the C-1 30 a nd C- 141
co~ld each carry two a nd the Navy/ Ma rine Corps C H-53E
helicopter can carry one slung und er its fuselage_
This vehicl e, with some cha nges a nd improve ments in
a rmour protection , is AAI's entry in th e MPGS competition_
Description
The hu ll of the RDF/ LT is made of all-welded alu miniu m
a rm our with the driver sitting at the front of th e hull on the
left a nd the comma nder/g unn er to his right. Both crew mem-
Powerpack of AA I RDF/LT sl ides out for ease of ma intenance and
fi eld replacement

152
Prototype of AAI Rapid Deployment Force Light Tank

,
UNITED INCUS,TRIAL
~ CORPORA 10

Rapid Deployment Force Light Tank fitted with Universal One-Man turret armed with 75 mm ARES gun

153
bers have a single-piece ha tch cover tha t opens outwa rds a nd
has th ree integrated periscopes. Between th e dri ver and
commander/gunner, in th e upper part of the glacis pla te, is
th e hull-mounted a uxilia ry sight.
T he main a rmament consists of a 75 mm ARES canno n
mo unted in th e centre of th e hull behind th e crew. T he
75 mm AR ES cannon is fed from an a utoma ti c magazine
h o ldi ~ 60 rounds of APFSDS and multi- purpose a mmu-
ni tion and when used for indirect fi re has a maximum ra nge
of 12 000 metres. T o th e right of the main a rm a ment th ere is a
coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun .
Moimted above and behind th e main ar ma ment is the
sta bilised rota ry head which is th e prima ry sight. The main
a rm a ment is full y sta bili sed and th e fire-control system 75 mm ARES automatic gun as fitted to the HSTV-L, RDF Light
incl ud es a d igital com puter. T he fi re-control sys tem is similar Tank and the High Mobility Agi lity Test Vehicle (HIMAG)
to tha t of the H ST V( L) and is full y descri bed in th a t entry.
The engine a nd transmission are mounted a t th e rea r of the
hull and th e complete powerpack is on ex tensible rails to
faci lita te ma intenance in the field .
T he torsion bar suspension consists of five dual ru bber-
tyred road wheels with a drive sprocket a t th e rear, idler a t
the front and one return roller.
Appliq ue steel armo ur can be fitted to the RD F/LT for
increased pro tection. As an altern ative to the 75 mm ARES
cannon which is mounted in an unmanned turret and fi tted to
th e pro totype vehicle, a n AA I Uni versal O ne-Man T urre t
which is also armed with a 75 mm ARES cann on, fed from a n
a utoma ti c load er, can be fitted .

Variants
In 1982 AA I announ ced a new version of thi s vehicle fi tted
with a new one-man turret also armed with the ARES 75 mm
a utoma ti c cannon. This has a single-piece ha tch cover open-
ing to the rea r, six periscopes for all ro und observa tion and AAI Rapid Depl oyment Force LightTank prototype fitted with new
forward a nd to the right of th e hatch is a sta bilised sight for one-man all -cast turret armed with 75 mm ARES automatic gun
targe t acq uisition/ fi ring. undergoing trials in 1982

SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE General Motors 6V53T.

turbo-charg ed. 6-cy linder
diesel developing 350 hp
(RDF/LT with three man crew and turret menti one d TRANSMISSION General Motors. All ison
above) Di vision. X-200 cross dri ve,
CREW 3 automatic
WEIGHT SUSPENS ION torsion bar
(combat) t 3 426 kg ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 V
(unloaded) 12247kg BATIERIE S 6 x 12 V. 190 Ah
POWER TO WEI GHT ARMAMENT
RATIO 26.07 hp/tonne (main) 1 x 75 mm
GROUND PRESSURE 0.49 kg /cm' (coaxi al) 1 x 7.62 mm MG
LENGTH GUN AMMU NITION
FORWARDS 8.235 m (main) 60
LENGTH HULL 5.569 m (coaxial) 2600
WIDTH 2.54 m FIRE-CONTROL
HEIGHT (top 01 Sight) 2.286 m tu rret power control hyd raul ic/manual
AXIS OF FIRE 1. 562 m by com mander yes
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.50m by gunner yes
MAX ROAD SPEED 64 km/h Gun elevati onl
FUEL CAPACITY 378 litres depression + 40' / - 15'
MAX CRUI SING RANGE 500 km Turret traverse 360'
FORDIN G 1m Turret slew rate 60'/s
GRADIENT 60% Gun elevation rate 60'/s

Status: Prototype. This vehicl e has been designed to meet Manufacturer: AA I Corporati on, PO Box 676 7, Baltimore,
th e US requirement for a Mobile Protected Gu n Sys tem. Maryland , 21 204, USA.

154
13.2 Tonne Rapid Deployment Force Light T he all-welded turret is in th e ce ntre of the vehicle with th e
Tank (RDF/LT) co mma nd er seated on th e left a nd th e g unner on th e right.
Both have a single-piece ha tch cover, six pe riscopes for all
Development ro und observa ti on a nd a n M 32 periscope for a iming th e
arma ment. The g unn er's M 32 periscope inco rpora tes a lase r
The origin al AA I Ra pid Deploy ment Force Light T a nk
ra ngefind er.
(RDF/ T ), descri ped in th e preceding entry, cannot be
ex ported a t present as th e ARES 75 mm a utoma tic cannon
AAI 13.2 tonne Rapid Deployment Force Light Tank prototype
has not ye t completed its U S Arm y fund ed d evelopment.
showing new turret armed with 76 mm M32 gun which can fire a
In 1982 AA I a nn ounced th a t they had built the prototype new APFSDS-T projectile developed by AAI
of a 13.2 tonne RDF/ LT fitted with a new two-ma n tu rret
a rmed with th e sa me 76 mm M32 g un as the M 4 1 light
ta nk's . This was phased out of US Army service some years
ago, although it remains in service with ma ny other
co untries . The prototype uses th e chass is of the o riginal
RDF/ L T bu t produ cti on vehicles wo uld have a slightl y dif-
fere nt hull a nd the description below rela tes to this. A Lock-
heed C-1 30H aircraft can carry two 13.2 tonne RDF/ L Ts.

Description
The hull of th e RDF/ LT is of all-welded a luminium co n-
struction. T he d river is sea ted a t the fro nt of th e hull on the
left with 30 ro unds of 76 mm a mmunition stowed ho ri zon-
tall y to his right. T he dri ve r has a single-piece ha tch cover
th a t opens to th e left, in th e forward par t of this a re three
periscopes th e cen tre one of which can be re placed by a
passive periscope for ni ght d ri ving.

proiotype of AAI 13.2 tonn e Rapid Deployment Force Light Tank undergoing initial cross-country trials in 1982

155
Cutaway drawing of 13.2 tonne Rapid Deployment Force Light Tank showing crew positions and ammunition stowage

Main ar ma ment consists of a 76 mm high velocity M32
gun which is installed in the M41 tank. In addition to the
range of am munition origina ll y developed for this weapon,
a nd fully descri bed in the entry for the M4 1 light tank, AAI
have developed a new round of APFSDS-T am munition
based on their ex perience in developing a mmunition for the
ARES 75 mm au toma tic. This has already been tested in
Denmark during trials with an M41 light tank. According to
AAI, this proj ectile has three times the probability of killing a
T-62 tank a t a norm al combat range of 1500 metres tha n the
105 mm M456 HEAT-T round and only slightly less kill
probability a t a similar range to the 105 mm M735
APFSDS-T ro und . A 7.62 mm M 240 machine gun is
mounted coaxially with the mai n arma ment.
A Cadillac Gage stabilisation and weapons control system
is fitted as standard ena bling the vehicle to fire on the move
with a high probability of a first round hit. Optional fire-
control systems include an M32 sight with an AN/VSG-2
Tank Therm al Sight or a digital tank fire-control system with
the AN/ VSG-2 T ank Therma l Sight, AN/GVS-5 laser
rangefind er and a digital ballistic computer.
The engine and transmission are mounted a t the rear of the
hull and the complete powerpack is on extensible rails to
facilitate maintenance in the field.
The torsion bar suspension consists of five dual rubber
tyred road wheels with the drive sprocket at the rear, idler at
the front and one return roller which is positioned above the
second a nd third road wheel sta tions. Track is the M 11 3.

SPECIFICAn ONS FUEL CAPACITY 3781itres AM MUNITION

CR EW 3 MAX CRUISING RANGE 500 km (main) 50
WEIGHT FORDING 1m (coaxial) 2600
(combat) 13200 kg GRADIENT 60% FIRE-CONTROL
(unloaded) 11800kg ENGINE General Motors 6V-53T. turret power control hydraulic/manual
POWER TO WEIGHT turbo-charged. 6-cylinder by commander yes
RATIO 26.5 hp/ton ne diesel deve loping 350 hp by gunner yes
GROUND PRESSURE 0.48 kg/c m' TRAN SMISSION General Motors. Allison GUN ELEVATION/
LENGTH GUN Di vision, X-200 crossdri ve , DEPRESSION +22·/ -10·
FORWARD S 7.34 m automatic TURRET TRAVERSE 360·
LENGTH HULL 5.569m SUSPENSION torsion bar
WIDTH . 2.54m ELECTRI CAL SYSTEM 24 V
HEIGHT BATIERIES 6 x 12 V. 190 Ah
(overall. M32 Sig ht) 2.235 m ARMAM ENT
(hul l top) 1.562 m (main) 1 x 76 mm
GROUND CLEARAN CE 0.50 m (coax ial) 1 x 7. 62 mm MG
MAX ROAD SPEED 64 km/h

Status: Prototype. Manufacturer: AA I Corpora tion, Box 6767, Baltimore,

Maryland 2 1204, USA.

156
Mobile Protected Gun System (MPGS)
The United States Marine Corps has a requirement for a
highly mobile armoured vehicle which is at present called th e
Mobile Protected Weapons System (M PWS). It will be an
additional anti-armour, anti-material, anti-personnel system
complementing, at times replacing (with fewer capabilities)
the MBT in combat operations during an amphibious assa ult
and subsequent operations as hore at all levels of combat
intensity.
As an integrated part of task organised units, the MPWS
will operate with combined arms of infantry, artillery, a ir and
MBTs, and be capable of operating over all types of terrain.
It shou ld be able to deal with a wide variety of battlefield
targe ts including tanks, ATG W carri ers and ATG W ground
mounts, light armoured vehicles, short-range ar tillery,
motorised and dismounted troops, helicopters, anti-aircraft
sys tems and fixed positions.
MPWS must be airportable in current transport aircraft
such as the C-5A, C- 130 and C-14I, be able to ford rivers, be
compatible with current amphibious craft and be fitted with
an NBC system . Main armament could be the ARES 75 mm
automatic cannon (or a 90 mm version), or th e 105 mm
Rheinmetall Rh 105-11 super low recoil gun already installed
in the Swiss MOWAG Shark (8 x 8) vehicle or a lightweight
105 mm under development by Benet Laboratory.
I n Decem ber 1981, th e Marine Corps agreed to merge its
M3 Bradley Cavalry Fighting Vehicle
MPWS Program with the Army's Mobile Protected Gun
System Program . The Army's requirement is similar to that
of the Marine Corps but did not require lift via the CH-53E
helicopter. A draft Joint Service Operational Req uirement
has been developed and is being staffed at this time. Thejoint
system wou ld retain the Marine Corps helicopter lift
requirement while incorporating many of the Army's ta nk-
like characteristi cs.
Although fielding is projected for th e early 1990's, it is
being reviewed in th e context of various armor-antiarmor
studies and considerations by the Army to restru cture its
light forces.
M3 Bradley Cavalry Fighting Vehicle
The M3 Bradley Cavalry Figh ting Vehicle is almos t iden ti cal
to the M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle but has a five
man crew (instead of ten) , no firing ports in th e rear troop
compartment and increased ammunition carrying capab il-
ity. Main armament comprises a Hughes Helicopters 25 mm
Chain Gun, 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun a nd a twin
Hughes TOW ATGW launcher on th e left side of the turret.
A total of 1500 rounds of25 mm and 4540 rounds of7.62 mm
ammunition are carried plus 12 TOW ATGW's of which two
are in the launcher for ready use.
157
Cadillac Gage Commando V-300 Armoured
Vehicle Range
Development
The Commando V-300 (6 x 6) ra nge of a rm oured vehicl es
has been developed as a priva te venture by th e Cadill ac Gage
Company which has already designed and built th e highl y
successful C ommand o V- 150 (4 x 4) range of vehicles which
are now in service with more than 20 countries. The first two
prototypes of the V-300 were completed in 1979 and th e
vehicl e entered produ ction in 1983. La te in 1982 Pana ma
placed a n ord er worth over $6 mi llion for 12 V -300 Com-
ma ndo ve hicles in four different confi gura tions including fir e
support vehi cle with 90 mm Cockerill Mk III gun; APC with
twin 7.62 mm machine guns and recovery. All of th ese were
Cad iliac Gage V-300 Commando with two-man tu rret armed with
90 mm Cockeri ll Mark II I gu n
Cadi ll ac Gage V-300 Commando fitted with one-man turret armed with 12.7 mm and 7.62 mm machine guns
158
schedul ed for d el ivery by the end of 1983 . The company also
supplied a number of vehicles for th e Light Arm ored Vehicle
competiti on including models fitted with th e two-man Cock-
erill 90 mm turret, two-man 25 mm C hain Gun turret and
two- man 25 mm C ha in Gun turret fitted with a sta bilisati on
sys tem.
Description
The hu ll of th e V-300 Commando is of a ll-welded unitised
constru ction of special high ha rdn ess steel ball istic plate that
p rovides th e crew with protection from small a rms fire and
shell splinters.
The dri ver is seated a t th e front of th e hu ll on th e left side
and has a single-piece squ are ha tch cover th at opens to the
rea r. T o his front are three periscopes for forwa rd observa tion
Cadillac Gage V-300 Commando fitted with two-man turret Cadillac Gage one-man turret with 20 mm Oerlikon cann on
armed with 20 mm Oerlikon cannon, 7.62 mm coaxial MG , (described in V-150 entry) .
7.62 mm anti-aircraft MG and smoke dischargers Cadillac Gage one-man I-metre MG turret (described in
V-I SO entry ).
and one of these can be replaced by a pass ive periscope for Cadill ac Gage one-man MG turret (d escribed in V-ISO
driving at night. In th e side of th e hull to th e left of th e driver
entry).
is a bullet-proof vision block with a firing port und erneath . Ring mount with 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm MG.
To the rear of this is a small half-door th at opens to th e rear, The troop compartment is a t th e rear of th e V-300 and in
this has a bullet-proof vision block und ern eath of which is a each side of the hull a re three bullet-proof vision blocks each
firing port.
The engine compartment is to th e right of the dri ver with
Cadillac Gage V-300 Commando fitted with turret armed with
the air inlet and air outlet in the roof and the ex ha ust pipe in 20 mm cannon, 7.62 mm coaxial mac hine gun and 7.62 mm
the right side of th e hull. Power from th e engine is transmitted anti-aircraft machine gun
to th e final drives via an Allison MT-643 four-spe ed a uto-
matic gearbox. The transfer box contains a two-speed system
with a spline engage ment clutch for th e axle drive.
On th e glacis pl ate is a rece ptacle for a shovel and pick axe
and under th e nose is an internally mounted hydra ulic winch
which has a maximum capacity of9072 kg, this is provided
with 45 metres of 12 .7 mm dia meter steel core cable.
The V-300 can be fitted with a number of armament
installations, th ese are mounted in th e centre of the hull over
the second axle and include:
Cadill ac Gage two-man turret with 90 mm Cockerill Mk III
gun (descrihed in V-150 entry).
Cadillac Gage two-man turret with 76 mm Royal Ordnance
Factories L23AI gun (described in V-150 entry) .
Turret armed with 25 mm M242 Hughes Chain Gun,
7.62 mm coaxial MG, 7.62 mm anti-aircraft MG and smoke
dischargers. .
Cadillac Gage two-man turret with 20 mm Oerlikon cannon
(described in V-1 50 entry) .

159
Cadillac Gage V-300 Command o fitted with Cadillac Gage one-metre turret armed with 20 mm Oerlikon cannon and
7.62 mm coaxial machine gun

with a firin g port und erneath . Over th e top of th e troop Variants

compartment a re two rectangul ar roof ha tches hinged on th e
outside. The infantry enter and leave the vehicl e th rough two
TOW Anti-tank
doors in the rear of the hull , each of th ese being provided with
This would be fitt ed with th e same mount as used in the
a bullet-proof vision block und ern eath of which is a firin g
M901 Imp roved TOW Vehicle based on the MI1 3 chassis
port. As an a ltern ative to th e two part ha tch cover a circul ar
with two missiles in th e ready to laun ch position and ad-
ha tch cover with p rovision for mounting a 7.62 mm pintle-
ditional missiles being carried in reserve in th e hull:
mounted GPMG can be fitted .
The front suspension is a swing-mounted solid ax le with
rear suspension being independent with coil springs a t each TOW Anti-tank
wheel sta tion. The front solid axle is res trained longitudinally Fitted with a n ex ternal top-mounted swing-up launcher with
by trailing arms a nd la terall y by sta bilising rods attached to an elevation of + 30 degrees, depression of - 10 degrees and
the axle and hull. The two rear ax les consist of short dri ve
shafts extending from th e hull-mounted differentia ls to th e
independently-sprung trailing-a rms mounted wheel sta tions.
The road wheels have a combined wheel travel of 30 cm , a
jounce of 17.5 cm and a rebound of 12. 5 cm. All th e swing
mounted axles are of th e double-reduction top-mounted
type. T he front and rear ax les have positive No-Spin differen-
tials to maintain traction in off road opera tions. The central
axles contain the inter-axle differentia l. All wheels have hy-
dra ulic bra kes with steering being power- ass isted on th e front
wheels. All wheels have run-fl at tubeless tyres.
The V- 300 is full y a mphibious without prepa ra tion being
propelled in th e wa ter by its wheels a t a speed of 4.8 km/ h.
A wide range of optiona l equipment is available including
night vision devices, heater kit, air-conditioning sys tem,
NBC system, wiper kit for th e driver and a slave cable.
Ambulance model of V-300 Commando showing raised roof for
greater headroom and ramp instead of twin doors in hull rear to
facilitate loading of stretchers

160
Cadi ll ac Gage V-300 Commando fitted with turret arm ed with Hughes Helicopters 25 mm Chain Gun, coax ial 7.62 mm
machi ne gun and smoke dischargers. The 7.62 mm anti-ai rcraft machi ne gun is not install ed

traverse of360 degrees. T en TOW ATGW missiles are carried Ambulance

plus 7.62 mm machine gun and 2000 rounds of ammunition. This model would be un armed and be fitted with a raised roof
and ramp in place of twin doors at th e rear to faci lita te th e
loading of stretchers and walking wounded.

81 mm Mortar Oth ers

Fitted with turntable-mounted 81 mm mortar with elevation
from + 42 to +85 degrees, total traverse of360 degrees, range
of 150 to 4400 metres with a total of60 mortar bombs carried.
Also fitted with 7.62 mm machine gun for which 2000 rounds
of ammunition are carried .
These co uld include cargo carrier, command vehicle, re-
covery vehicle and anti-aircraft with a missile system such as
ADATS, or a gun system such as th e General Electric 20 mm
Vulcan as installed on a number of V-I 50 Commando 4 x 4
vehicles which have been suppl ied to Saudi Arabia.

SPECIFICATIONS WHEELBASE 2.209 m + 1.524 m TRANSfER CASE 2-speed with spline

ANGLE OF APPROACHI engagement clutch for axle
CR EW 3 + 9 (max) DEPARTURE 45°178° drive
CONFIGURATION 6 x 6 MAX SPEED STEERING vario rati o power
COMBAT WEI GHT 13137 kg (road) 92 km/h SUSPENSION ~o l id front axle. midd le and
POWER-TO-WEI GHT (waler) 5 km/h rear independenl with co il
RATI O 17.88 bhp/tonne ACCELERATION springs . direct acting
LENGTH 6.40 m (0 to 32 km/h) 8 seconds telescopic shock absorber
WIDTH 2.54 m FUEL CAPACITY 2651itres acting at each wheel station
HEIGHT MAX RANGE 700 km TYRES 14.5 x 21
(MG turret) 2.59 m FORDING amphibious BRAKES
(20 mm turret) 2.692 m GRADIENT 60% (main) hydrau lic (all whee ls) power
(lTV) 2.756 m SIDE SLOPE 30% booster with electric back up
(hul l top) 1.981 m VERTICAL OBSTACLE 0.609 m (parking) drum and shoe hand
GROUND CLEARANCE TURNING RADIUS 10m operated
(hull ) 0.533 m ENGINE VT-504 V-8 tu rbo-charged ELECTRI CAL SYSTEM 24 V
(axle) 0.355 m diesel. 235 hp at 3000 rpm BATIERIES 2 x 12 v . 100 Ah
TRACK TRANSMISSION Allison MT-643 automatic. 4
(front) 2.167 m speeds forwards and 1
(rear) 2.198 m reverse

16 1
Status: In production. In service with Pa na ma. Manufacturer: Cadillac Gage Company, PO Box 1027,
Warren, Michigan 48090, USA.

Dragoon 300 Armoured Vehicle Family
Development
The Dragoo n 300 a rmoured ve hicl e fami ly was origin ally
designed to mee t a requirement issued in 1976 by th e United
Sta tes Army Military Police for a vehicle which wou ld be
a irportabl e in a Lockh eed C- 130 H ercul es trans port a ircraft
a nd be suitable for convoy a nd a ir base protecti on.
Although this requ es t subseq uently la psed th e Verne Cor-
pora tion of D etroit went a head a nd built two prototypes
which made th eir first public ap pea ra nce in 1978. Following
successful trials, both in the United States a nd overseas, a
pre-produ ction batch of 17 vehicl es was built by th e Domin-
ion Manufacturing Compa ny, nea r Was hington DC.

Dragoon 300 fitted with two-man Arrowpointe turret armed with

90 mm Cockerill Mk III gun and coaxial 7.62 mm ma c hine gun

Drag oon 300 in armoured personnel carri er configu ration with cupola-mounted 12.7 mm M2 HB machine gun

162
Dragoon 300 with Arrowpointe designed two-man tu rret armed with Hughes Helicopters 25 mm M242 Chain Gun , 7.62 mm
machine gun coaxia l wi th main armament and two banks of four smoke dischargers
World-wide marketing of the Dragoon 300 armoured vehicle
family is und ertaken by the Arrowpointe Corporation.
The Dragoon 300 armoured vehicle fami ly has already
been evaluated by a number of countries in South America
and first production vehicles were completed for the United
States Army and Navy in 1982 (see separate entry und er
Variants).
From the early concept stage, logistics and life-cycle cos ts
were the main criteria in the development of th e Dragoon .
Some 70 per cent of the components of th e vehicle are com-
mon to the M 11 3A2 full tracked armou red personnel carrier
and th e M809 (5 x 5) 5-ton tru ck. Components of the former
include th e engine, starter, alternator, cold start, periscopes,
bilge pumps, interior and exterior lighting, gauges, switches,
electrical and hydrau lic system components. M809 com-
ponents include ax les, suspension, brakes, steering, electrical
and hydrau li c system components.
Description
The all-welded hull of th e Dragoon is ofXAR-30 high hard-
ness steel ballistic plate which meets the requirements of
MIL-A- 12560 and is ofmonocoque construction with welded
seams. XAR-30 is a pproximately 30 per cent superior to US
Specification MIL-A-1 2560 homogeneous steel a rmour
against small calibre ball and armou r piercing a mmunition ,
in addition XA R- 30 has threshold penetra tion velocities in
excess of that specified by US Mil.Spec.46I OOB .
The driver is seated at the front of the vehicl e on th e left
with th e vehicle commander/co-driver to his right. The
driver has three vision blocks to his front which provide him
with a 180-deg ree field of view, while the commander has one
with each being provided with a single-piece hatch cover that
opens to th e outside and a vision block in th e side of th e hull.
A firing port is provided below the commander's vision block.
Both also have a seat which is adjustable front/ rear and
up/ down with th e back folding forwa rd for access. .
In each side of th e hull, between th e front and rear axles, is
a side door, the lower part fo lds down to form a step while the
upper part, which contains a vision block with a firing port
und erneath, swings backwards through 180 degrees and can
be locked open.
Forward of the side door is a vision block undern eath
which is a firing port. All vision blocks are fitt ed with spall
shields and crash pads and the firing ports have covers that
can be secured from within th e vehicle and have qu ick cam
levers for opening and closing. 'r
163
Dragoon 300 command, control and com muni cation s
countermeasures vehi c le with 12.7 mm M2 HB machine gun

When being used as a n APe, a max imum of eleven full y-

equipped men, plus a two-ma n crew, can be carried , each of
th e la tter being provided with a n individua l seat with a back
res t.
The engine compa rtm ent is at th e rear of th e Dragoon o n
th e right side. Thermal a nd acousti c insula tion a re provided
between the engine compa rtment a nd the perso nnel a rea on
intercha ngeable close-o ut pa nels. Quick access is provided to
th e engine compa rtment from th e interior a nd ex terior of the
vehicle, the pa nels do not have to be in place for correct
engine running.-
The a ir inta ke louvres a re in top of the hull and the a ir
outlet louvres a nd exhaust outlet a re in th e right side of th e
hull a nd have been d esigned to preve nt th e entry of flaming
liquids such as petrol bombs. A co unter-balanced tilt hood
gives access to the engine compa rtment and fluid level
checks . Access doors a re provided for servicing th e filters.
Power is tra nsmitted from the engine a nd gearbox via a
chain case a nd rear propeller shaft to the rea r differential,
th en via a n intermedia te propeller shaft to the disconnect
clutch in th e ce ntre of th e hull. From then it is transmitted to
the front differential a nd front axle via a forward propeller
sha ft. All of th e drive tra in components a re enclosed . The
tra nsmission employs a torque converter active through th e

Dragoon 300 with 90 mm Cockerill gun (left) , command, contro l

and countermeasures vehicle (centre with antennas raised) and
12.7 mm APC variant (right)

164
Dragoon 300 video optical surveillance vehicle as used by US Army's 9th Infantry Division
~ hr ee lowest forward gear reductions, and direct drive (lock-
up) in fourth and fifth forward gears.
The cooling system is at the rear of the engine compart-
ment on th e right side and provides the maximum possible
engine and transmission cooling and incorporates a hydraul-
icall y driven fan.
Both waterproof ax les are designed so that in the event of
an axle shaft failure , a wheel will not come off.
The Dragoon has power-assisted hydraulic brakes a nd a
separate electrically actuated hydraulic override braking sys-
tem permits braking in the event of a prima ry hydraulic
system failur e. A parking brake is included as pa rt of the
primary brake system.
Power-ass isted steering is provided and permits manual
steering in th e event of failure of th e hydraulic system, with
variable steering ratios for both cross-cou ntry and high speed
road operations . After a loss of air pressure th e tyres a re
capable of continuing operations for a minimum of80 km on
a concrete road surface at a speed of 56 km/ h.
The heavy duty suspension consists of semi-elliptical
springs and direct action hydrau lic shock absorbers. Special
wrap is provided on th e second leaf for added safety and the
front and rear springs are interchangeable. The shock absor-
bers have built-in shock valves for good balance between
cross-country and high speed road operation. J ounce stops
are installed at each spring position to prevent the suspension
components from stri king the hull. The stops sustain all the
imposed loads without damage to the rubber portion.
In th e rea r of the hull on the left side is another door, th e
lower part of which folds down to form a step whi le th e upper
part, which contai ns a vision block a nd a firing port, opens to
the right. In th e left side of th e hull , towards th e rear, is a
single vision block.
A tow hook at th e rea r enables the Dragoon 300 to tow a
trailer or other vehicles up to a maximum weight of
II 338 kg. Mounted interna ll y at th e front of th e hull is a
winch with a capaci ty of9078 kg, this is operated off th e main
vehicle hydrau lic circuit which enables the veh icle to be in
gear while winching a nd during recovery operations. This
has 52 metres of cable.
The Dragoon is fully amphibious being propelled in the
water by its wheels, when afloat steering is by turning th e
front wheels as on land. Three bilge pumps, each with a
capacity of 190 litres, expel any water that seeps into th e hull
through th e rubber door seals.
Standard equipment on all vehicles includes a heater,
run-flat tyres and a dry fire extinguisher. A wide range of
op tional eq uipment is available including act ive or passive
night vision equipment, air conditioning, smoke dischargers,
infra-red firewire detection/ fire suppression system , NBC
system arid various spotlights.
Variants
There are four distinct groups of Dragoo n 300 veh icles:
Personnel carrier may be outfitted as a basic APC, reconnais-
sance, command , recovery, security, escort or a command/
communications vehicle. Each of th ese may be fitte d with
ring or pintle-mounted machine guns up to 12.7 mm in
calibre, and a variety of communica tions systems. Command
version cou ld have a rais ed roof with additional vision blocks.
Light weapons carri er may be fitt ed with a single machine
gun up to 12.7 mm calibre, twin machine guns up to 12.7 mm
165
cali b re, or machine g uns in combina ti on such as
7.62 mm/ 12.7 mm .
Special wea pons carri er such as 8 1 mm morta r, TOW missile
carrier (w ith Improved TOW system ), Dragon ATG W car-
ri er a nd an ti-personnel rocket la un cher.
H eavy wea pons carrier which may be equipped with va rious
a rm a ment installa tions including turret-mounted 20 mm or
25 ml cannon, 76 mm or 90 mm gun, all of which may have
a coax ia l, ring or pintle-mounted mac hine guns. The oth er
turrets have been des igned specifi call y for th e Dragoon
a l th ough th ey car"i be fi tted to oth er vehicles sllch as th e
M I 13A2. T he two-man Arrowpointe designed turrets have
the same degree of protecti on as the bas ic vehicle with th e
comma nder seated on th e left a nd th e gunn er qn th e right,
both with a n individua l ha tch cover th at opens to th e rea r,
two periscopes, one facing th e fro nt a nd th e oth er th e rear,
and a vision block in each side of th e turret. The gunner has a
M36 sight, also used in th e M60 MBT, with X I a nd X 7
optics with provision for ac tive or pass ive night vision
equipment.
Turret power is provided by th e primary vehicle hydraulic
system and is supported by a seconda ry manual back-up.
T he tu rret has an independent 24 V dc power so urce to
prevent d raw on th e vehicle's power system in silent wa tch
and to ensure turret and wea pon opera tions in case the basic
ve hicle becomes disabled or th ere is a fa ilu re in th e primary
hydra ulic or electrical system. Ex ha ust blowers a re fitted in
th e turret to expel fum es.
Control of turret and weapons opera ti ons is provided by a
single cycl ic control grip. This self-conta ined grip includes
elevation, dep ression, trave rse, weapon selecti on (main or
coaxia l), cycl ic rate of fire and fi ring. All fun cti ons of th e
weapon system a re provided with emergency back up.
Brief deta ils of the turre ts are given below. When fitted
with a ny of th ese two-man tu rrets the Dragoo n has a nine-
man crew, comma nder, gunner, d ri ve r and six full y-
eq uipped infantrymen.
For th e Light Armored Vehicle competition, Arrow pointe
proposed th e fo llowing models of th e Dragoon 300 vehicle:
Bas ic ve hicl e with pintle-moun ted 7.62 mm M60 machine
gun

MAIN ARMAMENT Cockerill Mk.11i Mecar M1 39A2 Rh 202

CALIBRE 90mm 90 mm 20 mm 20 mm
SECONDARY ARMAMENT
(opl ional) 7.62 mm 7.62 mm 7.62 mm 7.62 mm
AMMUNITION
(main) 50 50 n/a n/a
(coaxial) 4000 4000 4000 4000
GUN ELEVATION +32· +32· +60· +60·
GUN DEPRESS ION -4· -4· -10· -10·
TURRET TRAVERSE 360· 360· 360· 360·
ELEVATI ON SPEED 40·/s 40·/s 60·/s 60·/s
WEIGHT
(emply) 1640 kg 1453 kg 1433 kg 1433 kg
(loaded) 1876 kg 1666 kg 1679 kg 1679 kg
DIAMETER
(outer) 1.6m 1.6 m 1. 6 m 1.6 m
(ring ) 1.372 m 1.372 m 1.372 m 1.372 m
(basket) 1.32 m 1.32 m 1.32 m 1.32 m
HEIGHT
(a/a inc baskel ) 1.651 m 1.651 m 1.651 m 1.651 m
(turret) 0. 607 m 0.607 m 0.607 m 0.607 m

Dragoon 300 with Arrowpointe designed two-man turret armed with 90 mm Cockerill Mark III gun , 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun
and two banks of four smoke dischargers

166
Fitted with one-man turret armed with 7.62 mm and
12.7 mm machine guns
Fitted with two-m a n turret armed with 20 mm or 25 mm
cannon and 7.62 mm coaxia l machine gun, weapons have
elevation of +60 deg rees and depression of -10 degrees
Fitted with two-ma n turret a rm ed with 90 mm Cockerill
Mark III gun a nd-7.62 mm coaxial machine gun, weapons
have eleva tion of + 35 deg rees a nd depression of -8 degrees
Fitted with two-m a n turret a rm ed with 90 mm M eca r gun
and 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun, weapons have elevation
of +45 degrees and dep ression of - 8 degrees
Command and co ntro l vehicle equipped with various
antenna and co mmuni cations equipm ent
Service and co ntrol vehicle with barricade ram/debris blade
at front of hull , 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm machine gun at front
and 7.62 mm machine gun a t rea r of hull
Ambulance or utility vehicle, un a rmed
Morta r ca rri er with 7.62 mm ma chine gu n
Self-loading logistics vehicle with boom with capacity of
2268 kg
Maintena nce, recovery a nd enginee r vehicle with boom
crane and front mounted d oze r blade or scoop bucket
US Army and US Navy vehicles
Between March a nd November 1982 th e Dragoon was in
production to meet contrac ts pl aced by the US Army an d
Navy.
Six Dragoons were suppl ied for the 9th Infantry Division
High T echnology T est Bed (HTTB) with two provided for
th e electronic warfa re rol e, each fitt ed with the Emerson
AN/ MSQ-I03A Teampack and a video optical surveillance
vehicle.
The EW variant carries out advanced ba ttlefi eld direc tion
finding and high speed communications jamming a nd is
fitted with an anten na that can be quickly rais ed well above
the veh icle. The video optical surveillance veh icle has a
modified Arrowpointe 25 mm two-ma n turret which in its
forward part has been fitted with a long range day/ night
surveillance system that can be retracted qui ckly und er
armour protec tion. This provides th e field commander with a
high mobile, armour protected observation ca pabi lity,
which , when connected to a n on-board data link, gives a
clear, front line view of the battl efield for rear area co mm a n-
ders. The Tea mp ack elec troni c detection system is normally
ca rri ed in the horizontal position on th e left side of th e vehicle
a t th e rear protected by a brush guard and a wea th er shield.
When required for action it can be erec ted quickly into the
vertical position . A 7.62 mm M60 machine g un is mounted
on the forward pa rt of th e roof on th e rig ht side.
The US Navy versions are used to patrol three nuclea r
weapon storage faciliti es on the east coast of the USA and at
one facility in Alaska. These a re fitt ed with a 7.62 mm MG
with a ba llistic shield a nd a floodli g ht a bove. This model a lso
has a double width door eac h side wh ich in three parts, th e
lower part dropping down to form a step a nd th e upper pa rts,
each with a vision block with a firing port und ern ea th , open-
ing either side. This enables personn el to be dis embarked
quickly.

SPECIFICATIONS VERTICAL OBSTACLE

(forwards) 0.99 m
(reverse) 0.61 m
CREW 3 +6 TURNING RADIUS
CON FIGURATION 4 x 4 (land) 8.788 m
COMBAT WEIGHT 12700kg (water) 8.839 m
UNLOADED WEIGHT 9430 kg ENGINE Detroit Diesel Allison 6V-53T
POWER-TO-WEIGHT 6-cylinder, liquid-coo led,
RATIO 23.62 bhp/tonne turbo-charged diesel
LENGTH 5.588 m developing 300 bhp at
WIDTH 2.438 m 2800 rpm
HEIGHT TRAN SM ISS ION Allison MT-653 DR
(over turret periscopes) 2.642 m automatic, 5 forward and 1
(hull top) 2.133 m reverse gears
GROUND CLEARANCE TRANSFER CASE single-speed
(hull centre) 0.692 m STEERING hydrauli c
(axles) 0.381 m SUSPENS ION semi-elliptical spring s and
TRACK 1.981 m hydraulic shock absorbers
WHEELBASE 2.794 m TYRES 14.00 x 20
ANGLE OF APPROACHI BRAKES
DEPARTURE 60·/45· (main) Alien internal expanding
ACCELE RATION shoe
(0 to 35 km/h) 4.5 seconds (parking) integral
MAX SPEED (road ) ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 V
(5th gear) 115.9 km/h BATIERIES 2 x 12 V, 100 Ah
(4th gear) 83.7 km/h ARMAMENT
(3rd gear) 37.0 km/h (main) 1 x 20 mm
(2nd gear) 22.5 km/h (coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mm MG
(1st gear) 11 .3 km/h SMOKE-LAYIN G
MA X SPEED (water) 4.83 km/h EQUIPMENT optional
FUEL CAPACITY 341 Iilres FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM
MAX RANGE (road) 1045 km Turret power cont rol hydrauli c/manual
FORDING fully amphibious Gun elevationl
GRAD IENT 60% depression +60·1- 10·
SIDE SLOPE 30% Turret traverse 360·

Status: Production . In se rvice with US Army and Navy. Manufacturer: Dominion M a nufacturing Company, mar-
keted by The Arrowpointe Corporation, 4000 Town Center,
Southfield, Michigan 48075, USA .

167
Cadillac Gage Commando V-1S0 Armoured
Vehicle Range
Development
In 1962 th e Cadill ac G age Compa ny, as a pri va te venture,
star ted d es ign work on a 4 x 4 a rmoured vehicle whi ch co ul d
und er ta ke a wide ra nge of roles such as a rmo ured perso nnel
carrier, convoy esco rt ve hicle or reconn a issance vehicle. The
fi rst prototy pe of th e ve hi cle, called the V-IOO Comma nd o,
was com pleted in M arch 1963 a nd th e fi rst produ ction ve-
hicles th e following yea r.
T he V-IOO was widely used in Viet-N a m for bo th convoy
escort wo rk a nd for pa trolling a ir bases a nd oth er hi gh va lue
V-150 Commando fitted with turret arm e d with 20 mm Oerlikon cann on, 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun and 7.62 mm anti-airc raft
machine gun . Si x smoke di sc hargers are fitted to turret side
168
ta rgets. The V -100 was powered by a C hrysler 36 1 V -8 petrol
engine which developed 200 hp a nd gave the vehicle a maxi-
mum road speed of JOO km/ h. G ross vehicle weight was
73 70 kg a nd a maximum of twelve men incl uding the crew
could be carri ed . T he V-IOOwas suppl emented in produ ction
by the la rger V-200, whi ch was powe red by a C hrysler 440
C ID engine which developed 275 hp a nd gave the vehicle a
max imum road speed of 96 km/ h . G ross vehi cle weight of the
V-200 is 12 730 kg. The V-200 is beli eved to have been sold
onl y to Singa pore a nd is no longer bei ng produ ced .
V-150 Commando fitted with two-man turret armed with 20 mm
Oerlikon cannon , 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun and 7.62 mm
anti-airc raft machine gun

V-1 00 Commando with turret armed with 0.30 and 0.50 machine
guns
The United States Air Force sti ll uses a number of origin al
V- 100 Comma ndo ve hicles at the T actical Fighter Weapons
Centre at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. T ypical roles
include simulating th e Soviet SA-9 SAM system and com-
ma nd a nd control sys te ms associa ted with th e Soviet air
defence systems.
In October 1971 the V-ISO was introdu ced and has now
replaced th e V-IOO a nd V-200 in production. Produ ctio n of
the V-IOO, V-I SO and V-200 has now reached well over 4000
units.
The ve hicles have been exported to over 20 co untries a nd
have bee n used in some numbers both by the United States
Army and th e United States Air Force. As a res ult of ex peri-
ence in use th e ve hicl e has bee n co nstantl y upd a ted a nd
improved.
There is a separate entry for th e Cad illac Gage V-300
(6 x 6) a rmoured vehicle ra nge.
There a re two oth er vehicl es on th e ma rket tod ay which a re
very simila r in a ppea ra nc-e to th e Commando, th e American
Dragoon 300 series a nd th e Portuguese Chaimite, which is
known to be in service with Leba non, Libya, Peru , Philip-
pines a nd Portugal.
Cad illac Gage has deli ve red two V- ISO S Commando ve-
hicles for evalua ti on in th e LAV competition. One is fitted
with a two-man turret a rm ed with a 90 mm Cockerill Mark
III gun , 7.62 mm , coaxial a nd 7.62 mm anti-aircraft
machine g un, with the second being a rm ed with a -2S mm
M242 C hain Gun, 7.62 mm coaxia l a nd 7.62 mm anti-
aircraft machine gu ns.
Description
The all-welded hull of th e V-I SO Commando a rm oured per-
sonnel carri er protects th e crew fro m small a rms fire up to
7.62 mm in calibre, overhead blast, shell splinters a nd
Molotov cockta ils.
The drivf'r is sea ted a t th e frant of th e hull on th e left side
a nd has two vision blocks in front of him a nd one on his left.
The vehicle comm a nd er sits on the dri ver's right a nd has one
vision block to his front a nd one on his right. Both crew
members have a single-piece ha tch cover over th eir position
tha t opens to th e outside. Early produ cti on vehicles had a
firing port just behind th e driver's a nd comm a nd er's side
vision block, but current vehicles do not.
The troop compartment is behind the commander's a nd
driver's position with three infantrymen seated down each
side of th e hull and one to the rear of th e machine gunner's
position. They enter a nd leave th e vehicle by ,two doors in the
side of th e hull , one on each side. The lower part of th e door
folds downwards a nd th e upper part, wh ich contains the
vision block and firing port, opens to th e rea r. In each side of
th e hull , forward ofthe side doo r, is a firing port with a vision
block over th e top. All vision blocks in th e V-ISO have cras h
pads and spall shields for additional protection.
In centre of the troop compartment roof is a cupola which
can be traversed man uall y throug h 360 degrees and has a
single-piece ha tch cover tha t opens to th e rear. On th e for-
ward pa rt of th e cupola, which has no observation d evices, is
a pintle-mounted 7.62 mm machine g un with 200 rounds of
ready-us e a mmunition and another 3000 rounds in reserve in
the hull.
There is also an entra nce a t th e rea r of the hull on th e right
side, with th e lower pa rt folding downwards a nd th e upper
part, which contains th e firing port a nd vision block, opening
upwa rds. Over the top of the passageway that connects th e
troop compartment with th e rear door is a single-piece circu-
lar ha tch th a t opens forwards. A furth er two sea ts a re pro-
vided in this passageway.
The engine compartment is at the rear of th e hull on th e left
side with access pa nels in the top a nd side of th e hull. The
engine cooling system is a conventional au to moti ve water-
cooled system utilising a fin and tubed radia tor with a n
additional surge tank for rese rve ca pacity. The engine fan
a nd venturi a re d esigned for maximum air fl ow efficiency a nd
minimum horsepower draw. 'rhe cooling sys tem is ca pable of
0
operating in a mbient tempera tures of 130 F. The engine
compart ment has a fire-ex tinguishing system that is ma nu-
all y operated by th e driver.
Whereve r possible, standard military a utomotive com-
ponents a re used in th e V-ISO Commando, such as th e
engine, transmiss ion a nd axles. When originall y introdu ced
th e Commando V-I SO was powered by a Chrysler 36 1 V-8
petrol engine d eveloping 200 hp a t 4000 rpm co upl ed to a
ma nu al transmission with fiv e forw ard and one reverse gears
a nd a single-speed tra nsfer case . Current production vehicles
have a V-8 diesel tha t develops 202 hp at 3300 rpm co upled
to an a utomatic transmission and a two-speed transfer case.
The solid axles have silent locking differentia ls a nd th e
suspension consists of semi-elliptical springs and hydra ulic
V-200 Commando of Singapore Army fitted with two-man
Cadillac Gage turret armed with 20 mm Oerlikon cannon and two
7.62 mm machine guns
169
V-200 Command o 120 mm mortar carrier of Singapore Army with roof hatches , side and rear doors open
d ouble-ac ting shock a bsorbers with rebo und co ntrol a t each
wheel sta tio n. J ounce control is by hollow rubber springs a t
each wheel sta tion. The run-fl a t tyres, which a re ca pa ble of
opera tion for a dista nce of 40 km, have self-cl ea ning treads.
Mo unted internally at th e front of th e hull is a winch with a
capacity of 4536 kg, which has 48. 76 metres of 9.5 mm
di a meter ca ble. All members of th e Comma ndo fa mily a re
full y a mphi bious being propelled in th e wa ter by their
wheels.
Sta nd a rd equi pment on all ve hicl es includes fu el a nd wa ter
can, two ha nd-held fi re ex ting uishers, pioneer tool set, tow
ca ble, breaker ba r a nd lug wrench, fi rs t aid kit, sna tch block,
vehicle tool kit (including 8000 kg hydra uli c j ack stowed
inside th e vehicle), pa mphlet bag, oddment box, slave ca bl e,
wiper kit, spare vision blocks a nd a n air com pressor with
hose.
O p tiona l equipment fo r the Comma ndo incl ud es smoke or
smoke/fragmenta tion la un chers, fi xed pintle socket for rear,
rea r ring mount with 7.62 mm pintle a nd cradl e, ring mo unt
a nd cradl e for 0.30 calibre, 0.50 calibre machine g uns or
40 mm a utoma ti c grenade la un cher, g un s hield for fi xed
pintle socket or ring mount wea pon , spotlight fo r fixed pintle
socket or ring mo unt wea pon with or without shield , night
vision eq uip ment, perisco pe for ring mount (s ta nd a rd on
20 mm, 76 mm a nd 90 mm turret ring mounts), spa re peri-
scope a nd stowage, weapons (w here a pplica ble), ex tra spa re
ba rrel stowage, ha nd held weapon stowage, M26 ha nd gre-
nade stowage, smoke hand grenade s towage, binoc ul a r stow-
age, radios a nd associa ted mountings, canopy with poles
(pod type vehicles onl y), visio n blocks in pod (s tand ard on
Police ERV ), gun ports in pod (s ta nda rd on poli ce ERV ),
170
sight M 28C x 5.6 power (M G turret ve hicles only), la nd
naviga tion sys tem a nd lo r ve hicle heading reference system,
NBC sys tem, publi c add ress system (s ta nd ard on Police
ERV), hea ter kit, air-cond itio ning sys tem, wiper kit for
drive r, blackout covers, ha ndbra ke wa rn ing light, cooker kit
a nd lifting boom.
Variants
Commando with MG Turret
Bas ic vehicle fitte d with Cadillac Gage one-ma n turret which
can moun t twin 7.62 mm or tw in 0.30 calibre machine g uns
or a com bina tion of 7.62 mm/ 0.50 cali bre machine guns or
0. 30/ 0.50 cali bre machine guns. Laying a nd control of the
weapons a re mecha ni cal with a ha nd-operated gearbox th a t
a llows 360 degrees continuous traverse, a nd a g unner's
ha ndle at the rea r of the bala nced g un cradl e which allows
eleva ti on from -1 3 degrees to + 55 deg rees . The tu rre t has a
single-piece ha tch cover th a t opens to th e rea r, eight vision
blocks a nd a n M28C sight with a magnifica ti on of x 1.5.
M o unted coaxiall y with th e wea pon is a 500000 cand-
Ie power spotlight. When fi tted wi th twin 7.62 mm machine
g uns 3800 ro unds of a mmunition a re carried of which 800
ro unds a re in th e turret for read y use a nd 3000 in th e hull.
This model has a crew of three a nd can carry seven infa ntry-
men . H eight to top of tur re t is 2.54 metres a nd gross vehicle
weight is 898 1 kg.
Commando with 1-metre MG Turret
Basic ve hicle fitt ed with Cadillac Gage o ne-metre turret
which ca n be a rm ed with twin 7.62 mm , twin 0.30 calibre or
twin 0. 50 calibre machine guns, or a combination of th ese
wea pons. The turret has a ma nual traverse through 360
degrees and th e guns have an elevation of + 55 degrees and a
dep ression of -10 degrees . The turret has a single-piece
hatch cover that opens to the rear, a n M28C sight with a
magnifi cation of X 1.5, eight vision blocks and a 500000
candlepower spotlight. Depending on the armament in-
sta lled 1400 rounds of 0. 50 calibre ammunition are carried of
which 400 a re for ready use in th e turret, or 3800 round; of
0.30 or 7.62 mm ammunition of which 800 are for ready use
in the turret. Th is model has a crew of three and can carry
seven infantrymen. H eight to th e top of turret is 2.59 metres
and gross vehicle weight is 8754 kg.
Commando with 1-metre 20 mm Turret
Bas ic vehicle with one-man turret a rmed with 20 mm Oer-
likon 204 GK cannon with provision for coaxial 7.62 mm
machine gun . Gun can be elevated from -8 to + 55 deg rees at
40 degrees a second a nd turret traversed through 360 degrees
a t 60 degrees a second. Traverse is electro-hydraulic with
manual back up. Turret has eight vision blocks and a sight
with a mag nifica tion of X8 and X I, and a 500000 candle-
power searchlight that moves in elevation with th e armament
an d a blower for removing turret fum es.
A total of 400 rounds 0["20 mm a mmunition are carried
200 in th e turret ready to use and 200 in hull , and 3200 round~
of7.62 mm ammunition, 220 for ready us e and th e remainder
in hull.
This model has a three-man crew consisting of comman-
der, gunner a nd driver and can carry five men, a loaded
weight of 9072 kg and a height of 2.895 metres.
Commando with 20 mm Turret
Bas ic vehicle fitted with a two-man turret armed with a
20 mm Oerl ikon 204 GK .cannon , with a 7.62 mm machine
gun mounted coaxiall y to the left of th e main armament and a
7.62 mm anti-aircraft machine gun mounted on th e turret
roof. The cannon has an internally controlled hydraulic
charger, emergency firing trigger for th e commander and ra te
controll er whi ch allows firing of one, two or four rounds per
V-150 S fitted with two-man turret armed with 25 mm Hughes
Helico pters M242 Chain Gun and 7.62 mm M240 coaxial
machine gun
V-150 fitted with one-man turret armed with 40 mm Mk 19
grenade launcher and 12.7 mm M2 HB machine gun
second or fully a utomatic. Turret tra verse is a full 360 degrees
a t 60 degrees a second with eleva tion from -8 to +60 deg rees
at 40 d egrees a second. The electro-hydraulic controls are th e
same as in the 76 mm and 90 mm turrets a nd are scaled down
versions of th e Cadillac Gage system used in the M60 and
Leopard 1 MBTs. Either the commander or th e gunner can
aim and fir e the a rmament. Turret vision equipment consists
offour vision blocks (two in each side of th e turret) , comman-
der's peris co pe that can be traversed through a full 360
deg rees and a gunn er's sight with a magnifi cation of X8 and a
periscope with a projected reticle. In addition to th e ma in
sights the turret has an external anti-aircraft sight. It is also
provided with a 500 000 candlepower spotlight and a turret
blower. Of400 rounds of20 mm a mmunition carri ed 200 a re
for ready us e and of3200 rounds of7.62 mm ammunition 400
are in th e turret for ready use and 200 at th e anti-aircraft gun
for ready use. This model has a crew of three and can carry
two infantrymen. The gross vehicle weight is 9888 kg and th e
height to th e top of the turret is 2.54 metres. .
Commando with 25 mm turret
This turret was insta lled on th e V-I SO S Comma ndo entered
in the Light Armored Vehicle competition. It is armed with a
25 mm M242 Hughes H elicopters Chain Gun, 7.62 mm
M240 coaxial MG and a similar weapon on th e turret rooffor
anti-aircraft defence. Two hundred and thirty 25 mm ready
rounds (170 HE and 60 AP) are carri ed in th e turret with a
furth er 400 in th e vehicle. There are 400 rounds of7 .62 mm
ready use a mmunition in the turret, 200 at the anti-a ircraft
station and a furth er 1000 rounds in th e vehicle.
The turret has powered traverse (360 degrees a t 30 degrees
at second)and eleva tion (from -8 degrees to +60 degrees at
30 degrees a second). Vision equipment includes a n M36E 1
day/ night sight for the gunner and eight periscopes for th e
c~mma.nder. The comma nder can also have an M 36E l day/
mght sight but onl y six periscopes are then fitt ed .
Commando with 40 mm/12.7 mm turret
This is fitted with a one-man turret armed with ~ r40 mm
Mk 19 Mod 3 grenade la uncher on the left and a 12.7 mm M2
HB machine gun on the right and four smoke discha rgers
mounted either side of th e turret at the rear. The weapon can
be elevated from -8 deg rees to +45 degrees and turret
traverse is a full 360 degrees.
171
Cadillac Gage 20 mm Vulcan air defence vehicle in firing position with outriggers deployed
Commando V-150 S
This was announced in 1981 with two vehicles being de-
li vered for evaluation in th e LA V competi tion late in the
same year. Both vehicles had a two-man turret, one armed
with a 90 mm Cockerill Mk III gun and th e second with a
25 mm M242 Hughes C hain Gun, both having a 7.62 mm
coaxia l and a 7.62 mm anti-aircraft machine gun. The V-150
S is very similar to th e V- 150 but is slightl y heavier, has a
longer hull and longer wheelbase.
Commando Air Defence Vehicle
This is th e basic veh icle fitted with th e same turret as
mounted on th e 20 mm M 167 towed system. Of 1300 rounds
of 20 mm ammun ition carried 500 are for ready us e. The
six-barrelled 20 mm cannon has an elevation of + 80 degrees
and a depression of - 5 degrees at a speed of 45 degrees a
second and a trave rse through a full 360 degrees at a speed of
60 degrees a second. This model has a crew of four: driver,
gunner, commander and rad io ope rator. To provide a more
stable firing platform stabi lisers are lowered to th e grou nd
when the system is deployed . This ente red production for
Saud i Arabia in 198 1.
Commando with 76 mm Turret-mounted Gun
This model is fi tted wit h a two-man power-operated turret
armed with th e 76 mm L23A I gun as installed on th e British
17 2
Scorpion CVR(T), with a 7.62 mm machine gun mounted
coaxia lly to the left of th e main armament and a 7.62 mm
anti-aircraft machine gun on th e turret roof. Turret traverse
is a full 360 degrees a t 45 degrees a second and elevation is
from -10 degrees to + 30 degrees at 45 degrees a second. The
electro-hydraulic control system is identical to that installed
in the 20 mm turret. Vision equipm ent co nsists of three
vision blocks (two in th e left side of the turret a nd one in the
right) , a commander's periscope th a t can be traversed
through a full 360 degrees, gunner's pe riscope with a
magnification of X8 a nd a unity periscope with a projected
reticle.' A 500 000 candle power spotlight is mounted co-
axia lly with th e main armament. Of 4 1 rounds of 76 mm
ammu nition carried ten rounds are in th e turret for ready use
a nd of 3200 rounds of 7.62 mm ammun ition 400 are in the
turret for ready use and 200 at the anti-aircraft position. This
model has a crew of three and can carry three infa ntrymen.
Gross vehi cle weight is 9888 kg. As of ea rly 1983 the 76 mm
ve rsion had not been placed in production.
Commando with 90 mm Turret-mounted Gun
This was origina ll y a rm ed with the Belg.ian M eca r gun but is
now offered with the Cockerill Mk III gun. Mounted co-
axiall y with the m ain armament is a 7.62 mm machine g un
and a similar weapon is fitted on the turret roof for ant i-
a ircraft defence. Tu rret travers e is a full 360 degrees at 30
 a mmunition carri ed , eight are for ready use in th e turret a nd
of 3200 rounds of7 .62 mm mac hine gun a mmunition 400 are
for ready use in th e turret and 200 for th e anti-aircraft
machine gun. This model has a crew of three and can carry
four infantrymen, gross vehicle ,weight being 9888 kg. In
1983 the V-I SO Comma nd o with th e Marconi Space and
Defence Systems Digital Fire C ontrol System was success-
full y demonstra ted . This gives a high first round hit proba bil-
ity and is suita ble for installa tion in a wide range of oth er
tracked and wheeled vehicl es.

Commando with 81 mm Mortar

This is a rm ed with an 81 mm M29 turnta ble-mounted mor-
ta r th at fir es through th e roof of th e vehicle, a nd can be
trave rsed through a full 360 degrees a nd elevated from + 42
degrees to + 85 degrees. Its minimum range is 150 metres and
ma ximum ra nge 4400 metres. When not in action th e roo f is
covered by concertina doors that' open either side of th e
V-150 fitted with two-man turret armed with 76 mm L23A 1 gun , vehicl e. Provision is made for mounting a 7.62 mm machine
7.62 mm coaxial and 7.62 mm anti-aircraft machine guns gun at any one offour positions a round th e top of th e hull a nd
2000 rounds of a mmunition are carried for it. A tota l of 62
8 1 mm morta r bombs are carri ed and if required th e mortar
degrees a second , and elevation is from - 8 to + 28 degrees at can be removed from th e vehicl e a nd fired from th e ground.
30 degrees a second . The electro-hydraulic control equip- This model has a five-man crew and a gross vehicle weight of
8845 kg.
ment is identi cal to th at ins fa iled in th e 20 mm turret. Vision
equipment consists of three vision blocks (two in left and one
in right side of th e turret), commander's periscope th at can Commando with TOW ATGW System
be traversed th ro ugh 360 degrees, gunner's peris cope with a This is almos t Identi cal to the a bove model but is fitted with a
magnifi cation of X8 and a unity periscope with proj ected ' Hughes TOW ATGW sys tem which has an elevation of + 30
reticl e. A 500000 candlepower spotlight is mounted co- degrees, a depression of - 10 degrees and 360-degree
ax ially with the main arma ment. Of 39 rounds of 90 mm traverse. A total of seven TOW missiles are carri ed . When

V-150fitted with two-man Cadillac Gage turret armed with 90 mm Mecar gun , 7.62 mm coaxial and 7.62 mm anti-aircraft machine
guns and smoke dischargers at turret rear

173
V-1S0 S with two-man turret armed with 90 mm Cockerill Mk III gun with externally mounted laser rangefinder, 7.62 mm coaxial
and 7.62 mm anti-aircraft machine guns
not in ac tio n th e top of th e vehicle is covered by ha tches th a t
open to th e front a nd rear. Provisio n is made for mounting a
7.62 mm machine gun a t a nyone offo ur positions a round th e
top of th e hull a nd 2000 rounds of a mmunition a re carri ed for
this weapon . This model has a fo ur-ma n crew a nd can also
carry two infa ntrymen . Gross vehicl e weight is 8958 kg.
Commando Command Vehicle
This is th e sta nda rd vehicl e fitted with a fi xed a rm oured pod
mo unted a t th e roof opening. In each of th e fo ur sides of th e
pod is a fi ring port a nd in th e roofi s a single-piece ha tch cover
V-1S0 armed with turret-mounted Belgian Cockeri II Mk III 90 mm
gun , 7.62 mm coaxial and 7.62 mm anti-aircraft machine guns
and smoke dischargers on turret rear
174
that opens to the rear, forw a rd of which is a 7.62 mm pintle-
mounted machine g un. Of 2000 ro unds of 7.62 mm a mm u-
nition carri ed , 200 a re for read y use . Intern all y th e vehicl e
has a mapboard , table and additio nal comm uni catio ns
equipment. In additi on to th e three- ma n crew seven staff
members are carri ed. O ve rall height witho ut th e machine
g un is 2.3 11 metres.
Base Security Vehicle
This was originall y d eveloped for th e U nited States Ai r Force
a nd like the morta r carri er has co ncertin a hatch covers th a t
V-1S0 Commando fitted with 81 mm mortar with roof hatches
open
V-1S0 Commando fitted with command pod and externally-mounted 7.62 mm machine gun

Police Emergency Rescue Vehicle (ERV) with fixed pod

175
Cadillac Gage V-150 recovery vehicle armed with 12.7 mm M2 HB machine gun with A frame stowed to rear

SPECIFICATIONS (Commando V-150 with tu rret-mounted 20 mm cannon. Speci fi cat ions in brackets relate to V-1 50 S Commando)

CREW 3 +9 SIDE SLOPE 30% ELECTRI CAL SYSTEM 24 V

CONFIGURATI ON 4 x 4 VERTICAL OBSTAC LE 0.609 (0.91) m BAITERIES 2 x 12 V, 100 Ah
COMBAT WEIGHT 9888 ( 10 433) kg TURNING RADIU S 8.382 (8.5) m ARMAMENT
POWER-TO-WEIGHT ENGINE V-8 d iesel d evelopin g (main) x 20 mm
RATI O 20.42 hpltonne 202 bhp at 3300 rpm (coax ial) x 7.62 mm MG
LEN GTH 5. 689 (6.14) m TRANSMI SS ION automati c, 4 (anti-ai rc raff) x 7.62 mm MG
WIDTH 2.26 m forward , 1 SMOKE-LAYIN G
HEIGHT reverse gears EQUIPMENT opti onal
(to turret roof) 2.54 m CLUTCH singl e pl ate, AMMUNITION
(to hull top) 1.981 m hydrauli ca lly actuated (main) 400
GROUND CLEARANCE TRANSFER CASE 2-speed (wi th (7.62 mm) 3200
(axles) 0.381 m spline engagement for FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM
(hull) 0.648 m front axle d rive) Turret power control electro-hydraulicl
TRACK STEERING power-assisted manual
(front) 1. 914 m SUSPENSION semi-elli ptica l springs By commander yes
(rear) 1.94 3 m and double-acting By gunner yes
WHEELBAS E 2.667 (3.12) m hydraulic shock Max rate power
MAX SPEED absorbers traverse 600ls
(road) 88.54 kml h TYRES 14.50 x 21 Max rate power
(water) 4.828 kml h BRAKES elevati on 400ls
ACC ELERATI ON 0-32.2 kml hl 10 s (ma in) hydraulic , dual Gun elevati on!
FUEL CAPACITY 303 litres circuit depression + 60°1 - 8°
MAX RANGE 643 km (parking ) drum acting on Turret traverse 360 deg rees
FORDING amphibi ous output shaff of
GRADIENT 60% transmiss ion

In 1982 Cadillac Gage ann ounce d that they had operati onal rang e of 800 km compared to the standard
developed a Cummins V-6 diesel conve rsion kit as a V-8 model with 644 km, wi th an accelerati on of 0 to
d irect repl acement for th e V-8 di esel installed in the 32 km/h in nine seconds. This kit can be installed with no
V- 150. When fined wi th th is eng ine the V-150 has an special tools or other equ ipment at base workshop level .

17 6
Status: In produ ction. In service with Boli via (V-IOO),
Botswana (I I delivered in 1980), Cameroon (V- 150 ad-
ditional 24 ordered in 1983 at a cos t of $ 13.1 million), Domi-
can Republic, Ethiopia (V-1 50)*, H aiti (V-1 50), Ga bon
(V-1 50), Guatemala (V-1 50), Indonesia (V-1 50), J amaica
(V-1 50), Malays ia (V-1 50), Oman (V-1 50), Philippines
(V-1 50), Saudi Ara bia (a mbulance, APC, ARV, 20 mm
an ti-aircraft , 81 mm mortar, 90 mm gun and Hughes
TOW), Singa pore (V-150 and V-200 ), Somalia (V-1 50)* ,
open either side of the vehicle. Prov ision is made for mount-
ing 7.62 mm machine guns or 40 mm grenade la unchers in
four positions a t th e front, sides and rear. A total of 3000
rounds 00 .62 mm a mmunition a re carried . This model has a
crew of th ree and can carry eight full y-equipped infantry-
men, weighs 9072 kg and is 2.3 11 metres high.
Police Emergency Rescue Vehicle (ERV)
This model has a fIXed pod with six vision blocks and eight
vertical gun p orts. In the roof is a single-piece ha tch cover
th a t opens to the rear and in front of which is a 7.62 mm or a
12.7 mm mac hine gun. This model has a three-ma n crew and
can carry nine additional men and weighs 9 162 kg. It is used
by a number of police authorities and a large number was
purchased by Turkey.
Recovery Vehicle
This is fitt ed with a heavy-duty winch with a max imum
capacity of II 340 kg which is provided with 60.9 metres of
19 mm dia meter cable. The boom is pivo ted a t the front of the
vehicl e and when req uired hinges forward to the front of th e
vehicle. When it is being used two sta bilisers are lowered a t
the front. The boom has a maximum capacity of 4536 kg with
th e sta bilisers in position. Arm ament consists of a 7.62 mm or
a 12.7 mm machine gun with 2200 rounds of a mmunition.
Lynx (or M113) Command and
Reconnaissance Vehicle
Development
This Command a nd Reconnaissance Vehicle was developed
as a private venture by the FMC Corporation with the first
prototype being completed in 1963. Although tested by the
United States Army it wa s not adopted by them as they had
already selected the M 114 Command and Reconnaissance
Carri er which is itself ve ry similar in a ppearance to the FMC
Lynx command and reconnaissance vehi c le
Suda n (V-1 50), T a iwa n, Thaila nd (V-1 50), Tunisia
(V-1 50) , Turkey (V-1 50), USA (V-IOO ) Venezuela, a nd
Viet-Na m (V-IOO) . Note: th e United Sta tes Army designa-
tion for the V-I 00 is th e M 706.
Manufacturer: Cadillac Gage Compa ny, Pos t Offi ce Box
1027, War ren, Michiga n 48090, USA.
*proba bly out of service
vehicle. The MI1 4 has now been phased out of service with
the United Sta tes Arm y.
The ve hicle shares many common automoti ve components
with th e MI1 3AI a rm oured personnel carrier but is mu ch
lower, has its engine a t the back instead of the front and has
one fewer road wheel each side. The vehicle has so fa r been
bought by two countries, Canada a nd the Ne therl a nds.
Canada calls the vehicle th e Lynx and th e first of 174 vehicles
was completed in M ay 1968. The Dutch Army ord ered 250
vehicles, the first of which was completed in September 1966.
The Dutch call th e vehicl e th e MI1 3 C & R.
Description (Lynx)
The all-welded a luminium a rmour hull of the Lynx provides
the crew with protection from small arms fire, fl ash burns and
shell fragments.
The dri ver is seated a t the front of th e vehicle on the left
side and has a single-piece ha tch cover tha t opens to the rear
with an integral M 19 infra-red periscope mounted in its roof
and fi ve M 17 periscopes arranged around the forwa rd pa rt in
the roof.
The commander, who also operates the main arma ment, is
seated to the right and rear of the driver and is provided with an
M26 turret that can be traversed manuall y through 360 degrees,
and has eight vision blocks for all-round observa tion.
The third crew member, the radio opera tor/o bserver, is
seated to the left rear of the commander/gunner and is pro-
vided with a single-piece ha tch cover th a t opens to th e rear.
Canadian Armed Forces Lynx command and reconnaissan ce
vehicle showing position of two machine guns (Canadian Armed
Forces)
177
Canadian Armed Forces Lynx command and reconnai ssance vehicle
Three M 17 a nd one M 17C perisco pes a re m o unt~ d in th e
roof of th e vehicle a ro und th e ha tch cover.
Access to th e engin e a t th e rea r of th e hull on th e ri ght side
is by a la rge ha tch in th e roof that opens to the night. In
addition th ere is an access door in th e hull rea r whioll opens
to th e left. Th e CMC 6V-53 di esel is co upl ed to an Alli son
TX I 00 tra nsmission , which tra nsmits powe r via a propeller
sha ft to the FMC DS200 controlled differenti al a t th e front of
th e hull , to whi ch access is by a n opening in th e glacis pl a te.
The torsion bar suspension consists of four dual road
wheels each side with th e drive sprocket a t th e front a nd th e
idler whee l at the rea r. There are no track return roll ers. The
to ps of th e tracks a re cove red by a rubber cover which ca n be
removed to reduce th e overall width of th e veh icl e.
The Lynx is fully a mphibio us, being propelled in th e wa ter
by its tracks . Before entering th e wa ter a trim vane is erected
at the front of th e hull a nd rectangular cove rs a re erecteu
a round th e air inl et and exhaust louvres on th e top of th e hull.
Sta nd a rd equipm ent includ es infra-red dri ving lights a nd
a fire ex tinguisher mounted in th e engin e compa rtlo ent th a t
can be operated by th e dri ver or from outside th e vehicle.
Optional eq uipment includes a n NBC d etection a nd ala rm
system, hea ter, winds creen a nd a capstan drum whi ch, when
attached to th e drive sprockets and used in conjun ction with
a n a nchor and cabl es, ca n be used for self-recove ry.
The M26 turret is arm ed with a 12.7 mm (0.50) M2 HB
machine gun that ca n be a imed and fired from within th e
vehicle. Turret traverse and eleva tion of th e ma in armament
178
are m a nua l. A 7.62 mm (0.30) machin e gun is mounted a t th e
radio-ope ratorlo bse rver's sta ti on a t the rea r of th e hull a nd
three smoke dischargers a re mounted on eith er sid.e of th e
hull a t th e front.
Variants
Dutch Vehicle
The Dutch ve hicl e has a layo ut slightly different from th a t of
th e Canadian Lynx. The driver is seated a t th e front of th e
vehicle on th e left a nd has a single-piece ha tch cove r th a t
opens to th e rea r with a n integral M 19 infra-red periscope
mo unted in its roof a nd four M 17 periscopes arranged
a round th e forwa rd pa rt in th e roof. The radi o-opera tor/
gunner is seated to th e right of th e driver a nd has a ha tch
cover th a t opens to th e rear and four M 17 periscopes
a rra nged a round th e forward part of th e ha tch cover. A
7.62 mm machin e gun ca n be mounted forwa rd of this ha tch
cover ifrequired . The re is a n entry d oo r in th e right side of th e
hull , to th e rea r of th e radio-operator/gunn er.
When origina lly delivered th e Dutch vehicles were armed
with a 12.7 mm (0.50) machine gun but in May 1974 th e
Dutch Army ord ered 266 Oerlikon C13D-AOA turrets a rm ed
with a 25 mm Oerl ikon KBA-B cann on for install at ion on th e
vehicles. The 25 mm ca nnon has three ra tes of fire, single
shot, 175 or 570 rounds per minute, a nd has 120 rounds of HE
a nd 80 ro unds of APDS- T ready-use a mmunition. The turret
Dutch Army command and reconnaissance vehicle fitted with Oerlikon GBD-AOA turret armed with 25 mm cannon
has ma nu a l trave rse a nd elevation, tra verse a full 360 degrees
a nd eleva tio n limits from -12 to + 52 degrees . The gunner is
provided with a forwa rd facing peris cope adjusta ble in
height, six vision blocks a nd a monocular sight for engaging
both ground a nd air ta rgets a nd a mecha ni cal a uxiliary sight.
Model of FMC C & R vehicle with one-man weapon station armed
with 25 mm Hughes Chain Gun and 7.62 mm MAG-58 coaxial
machine gun . This model would have M113A2 suspension,
300 hp engine coupled to Detroit Allison X200 transmission.
Loaded weight would be less than 9980.kg
Optional Armament Installations
FMC also offers th e following a rma ment installa ti ons: Model
IOO-E cupola with a 7.62 mm (0.30) M7 3 machin e gun ,
M odel 74 cupola with twin 7.62 mm M73 or twin 0.30
(7.62 mm) M 37 machine g uns , XM27 cupola (modifi ed
M26 ) with 20 mm O erlikon cannon, MI1 3 cupola with
12.7 mm (0 .30), 7.62 mm (0. 50) or 7.62 mm machin e g un
pintle-mo unted , FMC Pedes ta l Mo unt with 7.62 mm (0.30),
Systematic drawing of engine , transmission , differential and
suspension of Lynx command and reconnaissance vehicle
17 9
I

Oerlikon-BOhrle 25 mm KBA cannon as installed in GBD-AOA

turret fitted on Dutch Army co mmand and reconnaissance
vehicles
12.7 mm (0.50),20 mm or 25 mm cannon that can be loaded,
aimed and fired from within the vehicle, ATGWs mounted in
launcher boxes on the roof of the vehicle, 106 mm M40
recoilless rifl e mounted on the roof, and other types of turret
as requested by th e us er.
Product Improved Vehicle
For trials purposes FMC has fitted a vehicle with a new
tube-over-bar suspension system, similiar to that fitted to its
AIFV (as used by the Dutch Army) a nd a more powerful
turbo-charged diesel engine. These modifications give the
vehicle improved cross-country perform ance a nd a higher
road speed.

SPECIFICATIONS
(Dutch vehic le specifications relate to model before convers ion with new turret)

Model Dutch C & R Canadian Lynx Model Dutch C & R Canadian Lynx
CREW 3 3 MAX CRUISING RANGE 523 km 523 km
COMBAT WEIGHT 8477 kg 8775 kg FORDING amphibious amphibious
UNLOADED WEIGHT 7409 kg 7725 kg GRADIENT 60% 60%
POWER-TO-WE IGHT SIDE SLOPE 30% 30%
RATI O 25.36 hp/tonne 24.5 hp/tonne VERTICAL OBSTACLE 0.609 m 0.609 m
GROUND PRESSURE 0.46 kg/cm' 0.48 kg /cm' TRENCH 1.473 m 1.524 m
LENGTH 4.597 m 4.597 m ENGINE GMC Detroit Diesel 6)1-53 , 6-cylinder, 2-stroke,
WIDTH 2.4 13 m 2.4 13 m water-cooled diesel developing 215 hp at
(redu ced) 2.266 m 2.266 m 2800 rpm
HEIGHT TRANSMISSION Allison TX100 with torque converter, 3 forward and
(to hull top) 1.651 m 1.651 m 1 reverse gears
(wi th armament) 2.108 m 2.17 1 m SUSPENSION torsion bar torsion bar
GROUND CLEARANCE 0.406 m 0.406 m ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 V 24 V
TRA CK 1.885 m 1.885 m BATIERIES 2 x 12 V 2 x 12 V
TRACK WIDTH 381 mm 381 mm ARMAMENT
LENGTH OF TRACK (main) 1 x 12.7 mm MG 1 x 12.7 mm MG
ON GROUND 2.39 m 2.39 m (secondary) 1 x 7.62 mm MG 1 x 7.62 mm MG
MAX SPEED (optional)
(road) 70.8 km/h 70.8 km/h SMOKE-LAYING
(water) 6.6 km/h 5.6 km/h EQUIPMENT 2 x 3 smoke dischargers 2 x 3 smoke dischargers
ACCELERATION AMMUNI TI ON
(0-48 km/h) 18.5 s 18.5 s (mai n) 1000 1155
FUEL CAPACITY 330 litres 303 litres (secondary) 2000 2000

Status: Production has been completed for the Canadian Manufacturer: FMC Corporation, - Ordnance Division,
and Dutch armies but can be resumed if furth er orders are 1105 Coleman Avenue, San J ose, California 95108, USA.
received .

180
Chrysler MAC-1 Armoured Car
Development
The Chrys ler MAC-I (Medium Armoured Car) was
developed as a private venture by th e Defense Group of the
Chrysler Corpora~ion in the early 1960s. Wherever possible
standard automotive components were used. A small quan-
tity, believed to be 15, was del ivered to Mexico between 1963
and 1964. The vehicle is no longer in production and no
longe r offered by Chrysler.
Chrysler a lso proposed a furth er development of the
MAC- I called the MAC-II, which had th e same wheelbase
as th e earlier vehicle but was heavier, powered by a 276 hp
engine and wou ld have been fully a mphibious being propel-
led in th e water by its wheels at a speed of 6.43 km/ h. The
MAC- I I was never built even as a prototype. Chrysler also
designed an 8 X 8 vehicl e called the SWAT (S pecial Warfare
Armoured Transporter), but it never progressed beyond the
mock-up stage and is no longer being offered.
Description
The hu ll of th e MAC- I is. made of a ll-welded steel with the
driver and commander at th e front, turret in the centre and
th e engine a t th e rear. The driver is seated in the forward part
of th e vehicle with the commander to his right, each with a
single-piece hatch cover that opens outwards. The driver has
two periscopes to his front and th e commander has one and
both also have a periscope to th eir left and right res pective ly.
The turret is armed with a 20 mm H ispano Suiza cannon and
has a single-piece hatch cover that opens forwards . T urret
traverse and gun elevation are manual. Immed iately behind
th e turret are two peris co pes wh ich give observation to the
rear of the vehicle. There are no en try doors in th e sides of the
hull although two fir ing ports are provided in each side.
The MAC-I has no amphibious capa bility, no NBC sys-
tem and no night vision equipment.
Chrys ler MAC- 1 armou red car arm ed with turret mounted 20 mm
ca nnon

SPECIFICATIONS WHEELBASE 2.845 IT, TRAN SMISSION Chrysler A 727 automatic wi th

CREW 4 ANGLE OF APPROACH/ torque converter, 3 forwa rd
CONFIGURATION 4 x 4 DEPARTURE 58·/53· and 1 reverse gears
COMBAT WEIGHT 6136 kg MAX ROAD SPEED 104 km/h TRANSFER CASE 2-speed
UNLOADED WEIGHT 5681 kg FUEL CAPACI TY 151.4 litres STEERING power assisted
POWER-TO-WEIGHT MAX CRUISING RANGE 483 km SUSPENSION semi-ell ipti ca l springs
RATIO 29.33 hp/tonne FORDING 0.914 m TYRES 11 .00 x 20
GROUND PRESSURE 0.95 kg/em' GRADIENT 60% ARMAMEN T 1 x 20 mm
LENGTH 5.258 m VERTICAL OBSTACLE 0.508 m AMMUN ITION 300
WIDTH 2.438 m TURNING RADIUS TURRET POWER
HEIGHT (left) 7. 6 m CONTROL man ual
(to turret top) 2.108 m (right) 9.4 m GUN STABILISER
GROUND CLEARANCE ENGINE Chrysler model HT361 petro l. (vertical) no
(hull) 0.457 m 180 hp at 3600 rpm (horizontal) no

Status: Produ ction compl ete. In service only with Mexico. Manufacturer: Chrysler Corporation Defense Group, 6000
E 17 Mile Road , Sterling H eights, Michigan 48070, USA
(now General Dynamics, Land Systems Division) .

181
Cadillac Gage Commando Scout
Development
The Command o Scout (4 x 4) has been designed as a priva te
vent ure by th e Cadill ac Gage Company, manufacturer of th e
we ll-known Comma ndo ra nge of multi-m ission ve hicl es. The
ve hicle was first a nno un ced in October 1977 a t th e Associa-
tion .Qfthe Un ited Sta tes Army meeti ng in Washington ~ C.
The basi c role of the Com ma nd o Scout is reconnaissance a nd
security but it can also be fitted as a com ma nd or a nti-ta nk
ve hicle. In 1983 it was reported tha t Indones ia had placed an
order for a quantity of Commando Scout ve hicles as well as
Command o Ra nger armo ured personn el ca rriers.
Comma nd o Scout with 1-metre turret
Cadillac Gage Commando Scout fitted with command pod and 7.62 mm pintle-mounted machine gun
182
Description
The welded hull of the ve hicl e is made of special ha rdn ess
armour plate which wi ll d efeat a t a minimum 7.62 mm
armour-piercing rounds. The front, sides and rear of th e hull
a re we ll sloped to afford maximum protecti on within the
weig ht of th e vehicle.
The front of th e Comma ndo Scout is sloped a t a n angle of
76 degrees to the top of th e driver's ha tch to the nose. In
additi on to providing balli sti c protecti on it allows the vehicle
to push its way thro ugh und erbrush.
The driver is seated on th e left side of the hull with th e
engine to his right a nd is provided with a n adjustable sea t
a nd a si ngle-piece hatch cover th a t slides to th e front of the
Cadillac. Gage Commando Scout armed with twin 7.62 mm MGs in 1-metre turret
vehicle when he is drivin g with his head o ut. T here is a vision
block in th e front pa rt of th e ha tch for when th e vehicle is
being d riven cl osed down .
The fu el ta nk is a t the front of the hull betwee n th e wheels.
The powe r pla nt is co upl ed to a n Allison four-speed a uto-
ma ti c tra nsmiss ion via a Cadillac G age power tra nsfer unit.
The complete powerpack, co nsisting of th e engine, tra nsfer
unit, tra nsmi ssion a nd cooling system, can be removed a nd
replaced in two ho urs. Access to th e engine is by a la rge ha tch
in th e right side of th e hull th ro ugh which a ll fluid levels
(coola nt, lubrica nt, bra ke fluids etc) can be checked.
T he turret o r pod is a t th e rea r of th e ve hicle a nd access is
by a two-pa rt ha tch in th e rea r of th e hull with th e bo ttom
pa rt folding downwa rds a nd th e top part opening to th e right.
T he front ax le is solid a nd sprung by a pa ra ll el a rm
a rrange ment a ttached to coil springs. The split rear ax le is
ti ed to a heavy duty coil spring suspensio n. Cone-sha ped
passages in th e rear of th e hull a llow for high indi vidua l
ve rti cal road wheel travel. Both ax les are fi tted with positive
locking differentia ls which provide im proved trac tion by pre-
venting one wheel spin-out.
The integral hydra uli c power stee ring is powered by a
gea r-d riven pump wo rking directl y off th e engine. This
a pproach has elimina ted th e requirement fo r belt drives
which slip or break a nd stee ring cylinders tha t req uire
maintena nce. The independent fr ont a nd rea r bra ke systems
fun ction through a split mas ter cylind er a nd a back-up sys-
tem supports th em in th e eve nt of a n engine failure. The
back-up system consists of a n electri c motor which supplies
press ure to th e mas ter cylinder. The tyres are of th e run-fl a t
type. Sta nd a rd equipment incl ud es two ha nd- held fire ex-
ting uishers stowed inside th e vehicle, pio nee r tool set,
breaker ba r a nd lug wrench, first a id kit , ve hicl e tool kit, a nd
a n a ir compresso r with l 5. 24-metre hose.
The Comma nd o Scout is not fitt ed with a n NBC sys tem,
has no nig ht visio n equipment a nd is no t a mphibio us.
O ptional 'equipment includes a siren/ public address sys tem,
radio insta ll a tions, wea pon stowage, wa ter a nd petrol can ,
slave ca ble, 15.24 metre a uxilia ry ca ble, camo ufl age net,
s moke grenade system a nd fragmenta ti on g renade sys tem.
Variants
Twin/Combination Machine Gun (1-metre) Turret
Thi s turret is ma nua lly/e lectri call y rota ted by a Power Assist
Trave rse sys te m a nd can be a rm ed with twin 7.62 mm , twin
0.30 calib re or twin 0.50 calibre machine g uns, or a combina-
tion of 0. 30/ 0.50 or 7.62 mm/ 0.50 calibre machine g uns,
which can be elevated from -10 to + 55 deg rees, ma nu a ll y
trave rsed ra te with PAT is a max imum of 45 degrees per
second. The a mount of a mmunition d epends o n th e arma-
ment insta lled but if twin 7.62 mm or 0.30 calibre wea pons
a re fi tted each g un is provided with 200 ro unds of read y-use
a mmunitio n a nd 2200 ro unds stowed in th e ve hicle. If twin
0.50 calibre wea pons a re fitted , each wea pon has 100 ro unds
of ready-use a mmunitio n a nd 1000 rounds stowed in th e hull.
It can also mo unt a 7.62 mm MG a nd a 40 mm M a rk 19
grenade la un cher with 100 read y rounds a nd 200 rounds
stowed in th e vehicle. The turret is a lso prov ided with eight
vision blocks, a n M28C sight with a magnifi cati on of x 1.5
(x 5 magnifi catio n optiona l) a nd a 500000 candlepower
spotlig ht mounted coaxially with th e wea pons.
183
Cadillac Gage Commando Scout fitted with command pod armed with 12.7 mm MG

Twin Machine Gun (1-metre) Turret

T his is a rmed with twin 7.62 mm m ac hine guns whi ch can be for mounting one 7.62 mm machine g un a re also provided
fi red singly or toge th er a nd 400 rounds of ready use a mmu- with 2000 rounds of a mmunition being ca rri ed for th is
niti on a re ca rri ed with a furth er 2200 ro unds stowed in th e wea pon.
ve hicl e. It has m a nua l trave rse a nd eleva ti on a nd the
weapons can be eleva ted from - 10 to + 55 degrees. The Anti-tank armed with 106 mm Recoilless Rifle
turre t is provided with eight visio n blocks, and a n M28C This has a modified pod with openin g doors with th e 106 mm
sight with a magnifi cation of X 1.5 ( X 5 mag nifi cation M40 recoilless rifl e pivot-m ounted forw a rd of th e pod. The
op ti ona l); a 500000 ca ndl epower spotlight is mounted co- recoill ess rifl e has a trave rse of 150 degrees a nd can be
ax ia ll y with the wea pons. eleva ted fro m -10 to + 10 degrees. Fifteen rounds of 106 mm
a mmunition a re carri ed plus 100 rounds of 12.7 mm (0.50)
Command Pod a mmunition fo r the spotting rifl e.
Thi s model has a three-ma n crew, co mm a nd er, radio
opera tor a nd dri ver a nd has a pod mo unted on top of the hull
in each side of whi ch is a firin g port a nd a vision block. A
circul a r ha tch cover is provided on whi ch a 7.62 mm machin e
g un a nd shield can be mo unted . 2000 rounds of 7.62 mm
a mmunition a re carri ed . When fitt ed with radios th e anten-
nas a re mo unted a t th e rea r of th e hull.

Anti-tank armed with TOW

This model has a crew of three and is fitt ed with a Hughes
TOW ATGW la uncher whi ch has a traverse of 120 degrees
a nd ca n be eleva ted from -10 to + 30 degrees . Two TOW
A TG W s a re ca rri ed inside th e hull wi th p rov ision for carry-
ing a furth er fo ur missiles o utsid e. A sta nd a rd TOW ground
mo unt is ca rri ed inside th e vehicle whi ch enables th e TOW
system to be deployed a way from th e vehicl e. T wo positions

Cadillac Gage Commando Scout armed with 12.7 mm and

7.62 mm MGs in 1-metre turret

184
Cad iliac Gage Commando Scout fitted with Hughes TOW ATGW system

SPECIFICATIONS TRANSMISSION Alli son automatic with

CREW (depending on 4 forward a nd 1 reve rse
role) 1 + 1 or 1 + 2 speed s
CONFIGURATION 4 x 4 TRANSFER CASE 2-speed with sp line
COMBAT WEIGHT engagement clutch lor
(with twin 7.62 mm front-ax le drive
MG turret) 6577 kg STEERING integral hydraul ic
POWER-TO-WEI GHT SUSPENSION
RATI O 24.33 hp/tonne (front) swing-mounted solid
LENGTH 4.699 m fro nt axle
WIDTH 2.057 m (rear) independ e nt rear ax le
HEI GHT with co il spring s for
(with 1-metre turret) 2.235 m eac h wh ee l
TRACK 1.651 m TYRE S 15.50 x 21
WHEELBASE 2.667 m BRAKES
MAX SPEED (roa d) 88.5 km/h (main) dual power 4-wheel
FUEL CAPACITY 208 litres hydraulic, pump driven
MAX RAN GE (road) 800 km emerg ency electri cal back
FORDIN G 1.168 m up
GRADIENT 60% (parking)· drum and shoe, hand
SIDE SLOPE 30% operated
VERTI CAL OBSTACLE 0.609 m ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 V
TURNIN G RADIUS 7.925 m BATIERIES 2 x 12 V, 100 Ah
ENGINE Cummins V-6 diesel
deve loping 149 hp at NOTE: Height and weig ht is for veh ic le wi th 1-metre turret
3300 rpm and twin 7.62 mm MGs.

Status: In produ cti on. On ord er for Indonesi a . Manufacturer: Cadi llac G age Compa ny, Pos t Offi ce Box
1027, Wa rren, Michigan 48090, U SA.

185

AA a nti-a ircraft
AAG a nti-aircraft g un
ACVT Armored Comba t Vehi cle
T echnology Program me
ADATS Air Defence Anti-Ta nk
System
AFV a rm oured fi ghtin g vehicle
Ah a mpere ho ur
AIFV a rmo ured infa ntry fi ghting
vehicle
AML Automitra illeuse Legere (light
ar moured car)
AMR Auto Mitra illeuse de
Reconn a issance
AMX Atelier de Constru cti on
d' Issy-les-Moulinea ux
AP a rmo ur-piercing
APC a rm oured perso nnel carri er
APC a rm our-piercing ca pped
APC-T a rm our-pi ercing ca pped
trace r
APDS a rm our-pi ercing discard ing
sabot
APDS-T armour-piercing disca rd ing
sa bot trace r
APE Amphibisches
Pionier-Erkund ungsfa hrze ug
(a mphibious pionee r reconna issance
vehicle)
APERS a nti-personnel
APER5-T a nti-perso nnel trace r
APFSDS armour-pi ercing
fin-sta bilised discarding sabot
APFSDS(P) a rmo ur-pi ercing
fin- sta bilised discarding sa bot
(practi ce)
APFSDS-T a rm our-pi ercing
fin-sta bilised discarding sa bot trace r
APG Aberdeen Proving Ground
APHE a rmour-pi ercing high
ex plos ive
API arm our-piercing incendia ry
APIT a rm our-pi ercing incendia ry
trace r
APT a rmo ur-piercing trace r
APU a ux ilia ry power unit
APV a rm oured pa trol ve hicle
AR/ AA V Ar mored
Reco nna issance/ Air bo rne Assa ult
Vehicle
ARE Atelier de Constru cti on Roann e
ARMSCOR Arm a ment
Ma nufacturing Corporati on (So uth
Africa)
ARMVAL Anti-Arm or Vehicle
Evalua tio n
Abbreviations
AT a nti-ta nk
ATGW a nti-ta nk g uid ed wea pon
ATS Atelier de Constru ctio n de
T a rbes
AVGP a rmo ured vehicle general
purpose
AVR a rm ored ve hi cle reco nn a isance
BAOR British Arm y of th e Rhin e
BD base deto na ting
BE base ejecti on
bhp brake horse power
BL bla nk
BLR Blindado Ligero de Ru edas
(lig ht wheeled a rm oured ve hicle)
BL-T bla nk trace r
BMR Blind ado Medio de Ru edas
(medium wheeled a rm oured vehicle)
CAF Canadi a n Arm ed Forces
CCV C lose Comba t Vehicle
CFV Cavalry Fight ing Ve hi cle
Comp.B composition B
COTAC Condu ite de Tir
Auto ma tiqu e po ur C ha r
CP co ncrete-piercing
CRR Carro de Reco nh ecimento So bre
Rod as (wheeled reco nna issa nce
vehicle)
CTRA Carro de Tra nsporte Sobre
Rodas Anfi bo (am phi bious wheeled
tra nsport ve hicle)
CVR(T) Comba t Vehicle
Reconn aissance (Tracked )
CVR(W) Comba t Vehicle
Reconna issa nce (Whee led )
DARPA Defense Adva nced Proj ects
Age ncy
DIA Defense Intellige nce Agency
DOD Depa rtment of Defe nse
DS/T practi ce descard ing
sabot/ trace r
DTAT Directio n T echniq ue des
Armements T erres tres
DU de ple ted ura nium
EBR Engin Blinde de Reconn aissance
EFAB Etab lissement d'Etud es et de
Fa bricati ons d' Armement de Bourges
ELKE Eleva ted Kin eti c Energy
Wea pon
EMC Engin Blinde Morti er Cannon
EMG ex tern a ll y moun ted g un
ENGESA Engesa Enge heiros
Es pecializados
ERC Engin de Reconna issance
Cannon
ESD Electro nique Serge Dassa ult
ESRS electro slag refi ned steel
EWK Eisenwe rk e Ka isersla utern
Goppner
FLiR forw a rd looking infra-red
FMC Food Mac hinery Corpo ra tio n
FMS Fo reig n Milita ry Sales
FN Fa brique Na ti onale
FOV Field of View
FRAG Fragmentat ion
FV fig hting vehi cle
FVRDE Fighting Vehicles Research
a nd Development Esta blis hment
FVS Fig hting Vehi cle System
FY Fiscal Yea r
GIAT G roupement ind us tri el des
Armements T erres tres
GLS Gesellschaft flir Logistischen
Service
GMC General Mo tors Corpora ti on
GPMG genera l purpose machine g un
GW guid ed wea pon
HB heavy ba rrel
HE high ex plosive
HE-APERS-FRAG hig h-ex plos ive
a nti-personne l frag menta tion
HEAT hig h-ex plosive a nti-tan k
HEAT-MP hig h-explosive a nti-ta nk
multi-purpose
HEAT-MP(P) hi gh-ex pl osive
a nti-ta nk multi-purpose (prac ti ce)
HEAT-T hig h-explos ive a nti- ta nk
trace r
HEAT-T-HVY hig h-explos ive
a n ti- ta nk tracer heavy
HEAT-T-MP hi gh-ex plosive a nti-tank
tracer multi-pur pose
HEAT-TP-T hig h-ex plos ive a nti-tank
ta rge t prac ti ce trace r
HEDP high-ex plos ive du a l purpose
HE-FRAG high-ex plosive
fragmenta tio n
HEI high-explos ive incend ia ry
HEIT hig h-ex plos ive incendi ary
tracer
HEP hig h-ex plosive pl ast ic
HE-PR hig h-ex plosive prac ti ce
HEP-T hig h-ex plosive prac ti ce trace r
HESH hi g h-ex plosive squ as h head
HESH-T high-ex plosive squ as h head
tracer
18 7
HIMAG High-Mobility Agility T est
Vehicle
hp horsepower
HSTV(L) High Survivability T est
Vehicle (Lightweight)
HVAP high-velocity armour-piercing
HVAPDS-T high-velocity
arl!).o ur-piercing discarding sa bot
tracer
HVAPFSDS high-velocity
armour-piercing fin sta bilised
discarding sa bot
HVAP-T hi gh- velocity
arm our-piercing trace r
IAFV infantry armoured fighting
vehicle
IFV infa ntry fighting vehicle
ILL illumin ating
IMI Israel Military Industries
IOC initia l opera tional capab ility
IR infra-red
IS interna l security
lTV Improved TOW Vehicle
JGSDF J a panese Ground
Self-Defence Force
JPO J oint Proj ect Office
KE kin etic energy
LAV Light Armored Vehicle
LAV Light Assault Vehicle
LLLTV low-light level television
LMG light machine gun
MAC Medium Armoured Car
MAP Military Aid Progra mme
MBT main battle tank
188
MG machine gu n
MICV mechanised infantry comba t
vehicle
MILAN Missile d'Infa nterie Leger
Antichar
MoD Ministry of Defence
MPGS Mobile Protected Gun System
MPWS Mobile Protected Weapon
System
MV muzzle velocity
MVEE Milita ry Vehicles and
Engineering Establishment
NATO North Atlantic Trea ty
Organisation
NBC nuclear, biological, chemical
PAT power ass isted traverse
PRAC practi ce
PRAC-T practi ce tracer
PTO power take off
RARDE Royal Armament Research
a nd Development Establishment
RDF/LT Ra pid Deployment Force
Light Tank
RMG ranging machine gun
ROF Royal Ordnance Factory; ra te of
fire
RSAF Royal Small Arms Factory
RUC Royal Ulster Constab ulary
SAM surface-to-air missile
SAMM Societe d' Applications des
Machines Motrices
SAPI semi-a rmour piercing
incendia ry
SH/PRAC squash head practice
SLR Super Low Recoil
Smoke BE smoke base ejecti on
Smoke WP smoke white phosporus
SPAAG self-propelled anti-aircraft
gun
TACOM T a nk Automotive
Command
TOW Tube-launched, Optically
tracked , Wire-guided
TP target practice
TP-T ta rge t practi ce tracer
TTS tank thermal sight
USMC United Sta tes Marine Corps
VAB Vehicule de I'A va nt Blinde
(front-armoured car)
VAE Vehicu lo Armado Exploraci6n
(armoured reconnaissance car)
VAPE Vehiculo Apoyo y Exploraci6n
(s upport and reconnaissance vehicle)
VBC Vehicule Blinde Combat
(armoured combat vehicle)
VBL Yehicule Blinde Leger (light
armoured car)
VCR vehicule de Combat it Roues
(wheeled combat vehicle); va ri able
compression ratio
VLC Vehicule Leger de Combat (light
armoured car)
VRL Vehicule Reconna issance Leger
(light reconnaissance vehicle)
WAPC Wheeled Armoured Personnel
Carrier
WFSV Wheeled Fire Support Vehicle
WMRV Wheeled Maintenance and
Recovery Vehicle
WP white phosphorus
WP-T white phos phorus tracer
 Index

Light Tanks and Tracked AFVs and their variants in alphabetical order of countries

Note: T ype des ignati ons in bold print indi ca te prin cipal models; page numbers in bold print rel a te to deta il ed descri pti ons.

AUSTRIA UNITED KINGDOM T 4 1 138

Jagdpanzer SK 105 Kiirassier 8- 12 , 29, Al vis Sagitar I I I T 4 1EI 138
32 Alvis Scorpion CVR(T) ra mil y 5, 108, 13.2 Tonne RDF/ LT 155- 6
Greir ARV 9, II 110, II 2- 24, 126
Kurass ier II 9, II Samarita n Ambul ance ( FVI04) 11 3, Other Tracked AFV s
4K- 7f A - see Greif 120, 123
4KH 7FA-FA Dri ve r Trainer 12 Samson ARV (fVI06 ) 11 3, 12 1, 123
Scimitar (FVI07 ) 11 3, 122, 123, 124 CHINA, PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC
BRAZIL Spart an APC (fVI0 3) 11 3, 11 8, 12 1, T ype 59 26, 27
XLF-40 16 123
XLP-IO AVLB 16 Spartan/ AA 118, 11 9 CZECHOSLOV AKIA
XIA 15- 18 Sparta n/ Hughes TOW ATGW 11 9 OT-62 APC 98
XI A I 15, 16 Sparta n/ MILAN AT G W 11 9
A IA2 17, 18 Sparta n/ Blow pipe SA ~ 120
FRANCE
Stormer 24, I II
CHINA, PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC AMX VC I 29
Striker ( FVI02 )AT G W 117, 11 8, 123
T ype 60 25 A~X- 3 0 6, 9, 28, 29
Sultan Comm a nd Vehicl e (FV 105) 11 3,
Type 62 25, 26, 27- 8 AMX- 30 B2 5
120, 12 1, 123
Type 63 25- 7 A ~X- 5 0 28, 37
Scorpi on 90 24, I 15, I 16, 123
Sco rpi on 90/ Swingfir e ATGW 11 6, 117
FRANCE Al vis Streaker H~LC 124 GERMANY, FEDERAL REPUBLIC
AMX·13 8, 28-33,3 7, 38 fV 101 - see Scorpi on Leopard I 5, 14 1
~ od e l 5 1 29,30,3 1 TV 15000 - See Scorpion Leo pard 2 14 1
~ od e l 55 ARV 32 ~ a rd e r 63, 14 1
C RP AVLB 32
Hotchki ss SPz 11-2 61 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA NORTH VIET·NAM
LOHR VP X 110 57 AAI RDF/ LT 5, 152-4 T ype 53 1 (ex-K-63) A PC 25
VPX 5000 57- 8 AR/ AAV -see ~ 55 1
HSTV·L 5, 149- 52
GERMANY, FEDERAL REPUBLIC Lynx (MI1 3) C RY 177- 80 UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST
Wiesel Airportable (Waffentrage r ~11 3 AI APC III , 156, 160, 177
REPUBLICS
ll-LL ) 64-6 B~P-I 5
~1I 3 A 2 (Ca nadia n) 5, 163, 166, 179
Wi esel120 mm 65 B~P Ml CV 5, 94, 100, 145, 147
~11 3C& R ( Dut c h ) 177, 180
Wiesel/TOW 65 MPWS 157 BTR-50 APC 94
Wi esel/Co mmand & Control 65 ~2 Brad ley I fV 5, 157
KV-I 96
Wi esel/Ba ttlefi eld Surveill a nce 65 M3 Bradley CFV 5, 157 T- 34/76 96
Wiesel/ Ammuniti on Res upply 65 M3A I Stua rt 5, 15, 17 T -54 94, 95, 96
Wi esel/A PC 66 ~ 24 C haffee 5, 138
T- 55 94, 96
Wiesel/ ARV 65 ~2 4/ N~-1 1 6 -see Norway
T- 62 94, 156
Wi ese l/SA~ 65 M41 Walker Bulldog 6 1, 93, 138-43, T-72 94, 145
Wi esel/ Reco nnaissa nce 65 155, 156 Based on PT -76 chass is:
Wiesel/ Ambula nce 65 ~ 4 1AI 139, 140, 14 1
ASU-85 94
M4 1A2 93 , 139, 14 1 FROG-2, -3, -4, -5 94
NORWAY ~ 4 1A 3 93, 139, 14 1
GSP 94
NM·116 (mod. ~24 C haffee) 83- 5 M41B 14 1, 142 GT-T 94
BK 710 ARV 85 ~T-L 94
~ 4 1 C 142
~ 4 1 / NAPC Powe rpack 142, 143
Pinguin 94
TAIWAN ~ 4 1 / 90 mm Gun 142, 143
PYA 94
T ype 64 93 S A ~- 6 94
~1I 4C RV 5, 177
M551 Sheridan 5, 139, 14 1, 143- 9 ZS U-23-4 SPAAG 94, 145, 146
UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST ~ 55 1 A I 146 122 mm S P ~1 974 94, 145'r 146
REPUBLICS M 55 1 / AR~VAL 148
PT- 76 5, 25,26, 94-7 ~ 5 51 /75 mm HRES 148 UNITED KINGDOM
PT-76 Model I 94,96 ~ 55 1 / 10 5 mm Gun 148 Centuri on 14 1
PT- 76 ~ od e l 2 94, 95,96 T 37 Ph ase I 138 C hi erta in 11 3, 11 4, 11 6
PT- 76 ~ odel 3 96 T 37 Ph ase II 138 FV432 APC 18
PT-76 ~ od e l 4 96 T 37 Ph ase " 138 Vi ckers ~BT I 16

189
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA M44 155 mm SP 139 M60A2 141 , 147
AIFV 14 1, 180 M47 (T42 ) 28, 79, 139 M60A 3 14 1
LVTP-7 14 1 M48 AV LB 6 1, 14 1 MI03 (T43) 139
MBT-70 147 M52 105 mm SP 139 MI09 SPH 14 1
M I Abrams 5, 6, 14 1 M60 5, 6, 166
M42 SP AA 139 M60A I 14 1, 145

Armoured Cars and other Wheeled AFVs and their variants in alphabetical order of
countries
ARGENTINA AML/HE 60-1 2 52 ISRAEL
VAE (Panh ard) 8 AML/HE 60-20 52, 53 RAM AFV 68- 70
V AE (Rena ult ) 8 AML/HE 60-20 Serval 52, 53 , 55 RAM ICV 69
VAPE (Panh ard) 8, 48 AMLILynx 90 5 1, 52, 55 RAM IFV 69
VAPE (Renau lt) 8, 48 AML/S 530 53 RAM V-I 68, 69,70
AMLITG 120 (TTB 120) 53 RAM V-2 68, 69
AUSTRIA AML 20 54 RAM V-2L 69, 70
OAF (6 x 6) 12- 13 AM L 20 Scout Ca r (Eclairge) 55 RAM/AT 69
APC 13 AML 60 55,85 RAM/TC M-20 AA 69
Com mand Vehicle 13 AML/BTM Jun gle 54 RAM/TOW 69
Engineer Vehicle 13 EPR 53,54 RBY Mk 1 68, 69, 71- 2
Recon. Veh icle 13 EPR-EPA 53 RBY Mk I/AT 72
EPR-EPF 53 RBY Mk I/Communi cations 72
BELGIUM EPR-ERA 53
FN 4RM/ 62F AB 14- 15 Pan ha rd AMR-20 1 28, 37 ITALY
MG & Mortar Model 15 Panhard EBR (8 x 8) 5, 28, 30, 33 , 37- 9 FIAT-OTO Melara Type 6616
90 mm Gun Model 15 EBR 75 (Model 238) 37 (4 x 4) 72-4, 88
EBR ETT APC 39 Lizzard F333E 78- 80
BRAZIL Panhard ERC 90 Sagaie 5, 37, 44--9 Li za rd/ Anti-Riot 80
ENGESA EE-3 Jararaca (4 x 4) 22- 3 EMC 47 Li za rd/AT 79
ENGESA EE-9 Cascavel (6 x 6) 6, EMC 8 1 48,49 Li zard/Co mma nd o 80
18- 21 , 22 ERC 20 Kriss 48 Li za rd Scout 79
EE-9 Mk I 20 ERC 25 La nza 47 , 48 OTO-Melara OTO R 2.5 Gorgona
EE9 Mk II 20 ERC 90F I Lynx 46, 47, 49 (4 x 4) 77- 8
EE-9 Mk III 2 1 ERC 90F4 44,45,46,47 OTO Melara OTO R3 Capria
EE-9 Mk IV 2 1 ERC 90F4 TTB 190 46 (4 x 4) 75- 7
EE-9 Mk V 2 1 ERC TG 120 Gu epard 47 R3 Folgore x 2 FA 76
ENGESA EE-II Uru tu (6 x 6) 6, 18, 22 ERC 60/12 Mangouste 47 R3/T 7.62 FA 76
ENGESA EE-1 7 Sucuri (6 x 6) 8 ERC 60/ 20 Se rva l 47, 49 R3/T 12.7 FA 75
ERC/SAMM S530 A20 48 R3/T 20 FA-HS 76
ERC/ ESD TA-20 48 R3/T 106 x 2FA 76
CANADA
Panhard M3 (4 x 4) APC 6, 48, 50 R3/TOW 76
Cougar WFSV 24
Pa nh ard M Il VBL 56
Grizz ly WAPC 24 Panhard VCR APC 44 JAPAN
H usky WMRV 24
Renau lt VAB (6 x 6) APC 6,40, 4 1, 42, Komats u Seisaku-Jyo (4 x 4) 8 1
LAV-25 (8 x 8) (MI047) 24--5 48 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (6 x 6)
Renault VBC 90 (6 x 6) 5, 6, 40- 2, 48 Type 82 81- 2
CZECHOSLOV AKIA Renau lt VBL 56 Type 87 8 1, 82
OT-64 M odel 2A APC 98 Saviem (4 x 4) 50
MEXICO
FRANCE GERMANY, FEDERAL REPUBLIC ND-3 Caball o (4 x 4) 83
AMX-IORC (6 x 6) 5, 35- 7 , 39 APE (AM F) (4 x 4) 59- 60
AMX- IOC 36 Da imler Benz (8 x 8) 6 1 SOUTH AFRICA
AMX- IORAA 37 JPO (8 x 8) - see Lu chs Eland 85- 6
AMX-IO RAC 37 P3 Erprobungswagen 59 Ela nd Mk 1, 2 85
AMX-IOR P APC 36 Spiihpanzer Luchs (8 x 8) AA RV 5, Eland Mk 3, 4, 5, 6 86
AMX- IORTT 37 61-4 Eland Mk 7 87
DEFA-AMX (4 x 4) 50 Luchs/Oerlikon 35 mm GDD-BOE 63
Hotchki ss (6 x 6) 38 Lu chs/ Rola nd 2 SA M 63 SPAIN
Latil (8 x 8) 38 Tra nsportpa nzer I (6 x 6) 6 1, 63 BMR-600 IFV 87
LOHR RPX 90 (4 x 4) 43-4 Transportpanzer 2 (4 x 4) 6 1 VEC Cavalry Scout (6 x 6) 87- 9
LOHR RPX 6000 (4 x 4) 56-7 VEC/AA 89
Lorraine (6 x 6) 38 HUNGARY VEC/ATG W 89
Pan ha rd (8 x 8) 38 FUG (OT-65) (4 x 4) 66- 8, 103
Panhard AMD 37 FUG/Ambula nce 67 SWITZERLAND .
Panhard AML 90 (4 x 4) 5,6, 15, 18, FUG/Rad iologica l-Chemi ca l Recon. 67 MOW AG Pira nha (6 x 6) 24, 92
50- 5, 85 OT-65A 67, 68 MOWAG Rola nd (4 x 4) 83
AML/H 90 5 1 OT-65B 67 MOWAG Shark (8 x 8) 6, 89- 91
AM L/HE 60-7 5 1, 52, 55 PSZh- IV APC(FUG-66, -70 ) 68 MOW AG SPY 92- 3

190
UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST
REPUBLICS
BRDM-l 66, 67,97, 100, 103-7
BRDM-RKh 104, 105
BRDM-U 104
. BRDM-liAT-l Snapper 105
BRDM-l /AT-2a ATGW 105, 106
BRDM-l /AT-3 Sagger ATGW 106,
107
BRDM-2 (4 x 4) 5, 97- 103
BRDM-2 RKh 98
BRDM-2U 98, 99
BRDM-2/AT-2 Swatter-B ATGW 100
BRDM-2/AT-3 Sagger ATGW 99, 103
BRDM-2/AT-4 Spigot ATGW 101
BRDM-2/AT-5 Spandrel ATGW 100,
101
BRDM-2/SA-9 Gaskin SAM 5, 101 ,
102, 103
BRDM-3 10 1
BTR-60 APC 97, 100
BTR-60PA 25
BTR-60PB 98
BTR-70 APC 97, 100
UNITED KINGDOM
Alvis Ferret 80 (4 x 4) 129-30
Alvis Saladin (6 x 6) 107- 11 , 11 3
Saladin Mk 2 108 .
Alvi~ FV60 1(A)( B)(C ) - see Saladin
Alvis FV601(D ) (Kfz 93) 110
Alvis FV603 APC - see Saladi n
Alvis Saracen 107 , 11 3
Alvis FV604 Comm and Vehicle 120
Alvis FV6 10 Comm and Vehicle 120
Alvis Staghound 72
Daimler AEC Mk III 107
Daimler Dingo 131
Daimler Mk II 107
Daimler Ferret (FV70 1) (4 x 4) 124,
131-5
Ferret Mk 1 131 , 133
Ferret Mk 1/1 135
Ferret Mk 1/ 2 (FV704) 131 , 133 , 135
Ferret Mk 2 FV701(E) 131, 132, 135
Ferret Mk 2/2 133
Ferret Mk 2/3 FV701(H ) 132, 133, 135
Ferret Mk 2/4 133
Ferre t Mk 2/5 133
Ferret Mk 2/ 6 (FV 703 ) 133, 134, 135
Ferret Mk 2/7 133
Ferret Mk 3 133
Fe rret Mk 4 (FV7 11 ) 13 1, 134, 135
Ferret Mk 5 (FV712) 13 1, 134
ROF Leeds/ Daimler Fox (FV72 1)
CW R(W) 124--9
Fox/25 mm Hughes Chain Gun 127,
128, 129
Fox/MILAN ATGW 128, 129
Fox/Scout 128, 129
Vixen (FV722) 124, 131
ROF Leeds Pa nga 126, 127
Shorts Shorland 135-8
Shorland Mk 1, 2 135
Shorland Mk 3 135, 136
Shorland Mk 4 136, 137, 138
Shorts SB 40 1 APC 136
Shorts SB 403 Anti -Hijack Vehicle 137,138
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Cadill ac Gage Commando V-l00 (M706)
168, 169, 177
V-l00 ERV 175
Cadillac Gage Commando V-150
(4 x 4) 5, 24, 14 1, 158, 16 1, 168- 77
Commando/MG Turret 170
Commando/20 mm Turret 171
Commando/25 mm Turret 171
Commando/40 mm/12. 7 mm
Turret 171
Commando/Air Defence 172
Commando/76 mm Gun 172
Comma ndo/90 mm Gun 172, 173
Commando/8 1 mm Morta r 173
Commando/TOW ATGW 173, 174
Commando/Command Veh icle 174,
175
Commando/Base Security 174
Commando/Police Emergency 175, 177
Commando/Recovery Veh icle 176, 177
Cadi ll ac Gage Comm ando V-150S 169,
171, 172, 173, 176
Cad ill ac Gage Commando V-200 14 1,
168, 169, 170, 177
Cadillac Gage V-300 (6 x 6) 5, 24,
158-62, 169
V-300 Ambulance 161
V-300/TOW ATGW 160, 161
V-300/8 1 mm Morta r 161
Cadillac Gage Commando Scout
(4 x 4) 182- 5
Chevrolet M 38(T38) Wolfhound 107
Chrysler MAC-l (4 x 4) 181
MAC-II 18 1
Chrysler SWAT (8 x 8) 18 1
Dragoon 300 (4 x 4) 5, 162- 7
M8/M20 5
USMC LAV 115
191