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67-779: In 1965, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the U.S. began to collaborate on a common reconnaissance vehicle. The effort came to nothing as the UK developed the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) Canada acquired the Lynx . The U.S. Army issued a request for proposals for the armored reconnaissance scout vehicle as a replacement for the M114 in October 1971. Six companies responded: Chrysler , FMC Corporation and Teledyne Continental (with

134-720: A 6th set of road wheels) and heavier (12,700 kg) vehicle with steel and aluminium armour. Production began in 1982. Malaysia ordered 25 of the APC variant. In 1986, the British Army selected Stormer to carry the Starstreak missile anti–aircraft system and a flatbed version fitted with the Shielder minelaying system . BAE Land Systems, the descendant of Alvis military vehicles, market Stormer with various weapon systems for many purposes. Indonesia has received about 50 Stormer variants, including

201-454: A contract was agreed for 275 Scorpions and 288 Scimitars. The first production Scorpion being completed in 1971, initial delivery to the British Army was in January 1972. By 1986, the United Kingdom had taken delivery of 1,863 CVR(T)s. Total production for the British Army was 313 Scorpions, 89 Strikers, 691 Spartans, 50 Samaritans, 291 Sultans, 95 Samsons and 334 Scimitars. In 1988, Alvis plc

268-480: A diesel engine, upgraded suspension, new track and vision enhancements. Brunei is the only country known to have returned vehicles for an overhaul. In 2001, Thales Optronics won the contract for the Battle Group Thermal Imaging (BGTI) programme. The contract will replace the image intensification sights installed on British Army Scimitar and Royal Engineers Spartan vehicles. They were replaced by

335-452: A drain on the defence budget. A new strategy was proposed, that troops and equipment would be airlifted to trouble-spots from their bases in Europe. To support the air-landed troops, a requirement was identified for an AFV that could provide fire support with an anti-armour capability and be light enough to be airportable by the projected Armstrong Whitworth AW.681 . At the same time, consideration

402-634: A low velocity 76mm main gun with a coaxial 7.62 mm GPMG and multi-barrelled smoke grenade dischargers. The first production vehicles were completed in 1972. The first British regiment to be equipped with the Scorpion was the Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons) in 1973. In November 1981, the RAF Regiment took delivery of the first of 184 Scorpions and other variants of CVR(T). These were to be used for airfield defence and served at RAF bases in

469-428: A mounting at the rear of the vehicle, with another five stowed inside. Secondary armament consisted of a commander's 7.62 mm GPMG and multi-barrelled smoke grenade dischargers. Striker looked very similar to Spartan in appearance, becoming more easily identifiable only when the missile tubes were raised. In mid 2006, the British Army had 48 Strikers in service, although they were in the process of being phased out as

536-569: A new gunner's sight with a day thermal image and laser rangefinder sight. The vehicle commander will have a monitor and a map display and the driver a navigation capability. The FV101 Scorpion was originally developed to meet a British Army requirement for the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked). Scorpion was accepted by the British Army in May 1970, with a contract for 275, which later rose to 313 vehicles. Main armament consisted of

603-575: A reconnaissance role alongside Leopard 1 and Leopard 2 tanks. The Venezuelan Army operates a fleet of 50 Scorpion 90s and two Sultans. In South East Asia and the Pacific, CVR(T) operators included Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and New Zealand. Brunei is understood to have a fleet of 19 CVR(T)s, which comprises 16 Scorpions, two Sultan command post variants and one Samson armoured recovery vehicle. The Indonesian Army uses

670-522: A single Solex Marcus carburettor, resulting in a power output reduction from 265 bhp to 195 bhp. The driver position, being located at the front of the vehicle alongside the engine, dictated that the turret would have to be at the rear. The fire support version, armed with a 76 mm gun, was named Scorpion as the rear-mounted turret suggested a sting in the tail. Following the example of Alvis predecessor vehicles Saladin , Stalwart (load carrier) and Saracen (personnel carrier), all CVRTs started with

737-525: A variant of the Scorpion ) submitted tracked designs while CONDEC, Ford and Lockheed Missiles and Space Company submitted wheeled designs. Two different vehicle designs were selected for further evaluation in the XM800 program. Lockheed's XM800W unconventional articulated 6 × 6 wheeled armored car and FMC's XM800T tracked version. The contenders produced four prototypes each (three of which were delivered to

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804-451: Is the British Army command and control vehicle based on the CVR(T) platform, 205 were in service in 2006. It has a higher roof than the APC variants, providing a more comfortable "office space" inside. A large vertical map board and desk are located along one side, with a bench seat for three people facing it. Forward of this are positions for the radio operator, with provision for four radios, and

871-575: The Aviation Minister , announced that the UK Government had authorised the go-ahead for the HS.681 and that, in addition to a detailed project study being conducted, a prototype of the aircraft was projected to perform its maiden flight sometime during 1966. Around this time, it was anticipated that a total of 50 aircraft would be ordered. Furthermore, arrangements were also made for around 20 per cent of

938-493: The Irish Army Cavalry Corps . As the United Kingdom, Belgium and Spain have all disposed of their Scorpions, Ireland was the sole user of the type during the last decade in Europe until they were retired in 2014. The Latvian army has obtained 123 ex-British Army Scimitar, Sultan, Spartan, Samson and Samaritan vehicles. According to the contract, all the vehicles will be modernised and overhauled. First deliveries to

1005-666: The Latvian Land Forces will commence in September 2015. Some of these vehicles will be used as mobile platforms for 4th generation Spike anti-tank guided missile systems. In December 2019 Latvia signed a treaty to receive additional 82 CVR(T) vehicles. Later that number was reduced to 74. In September 2024 Latvia announced it will donate an unknown number of their CVR(T) vehicles to Ukraine . In South and Central America, CVR(T) operators included Chile, Honduras and Venezuela. The Chilean Army has 28 Scorpions, which are used in

1072-561: The Light Dragoons . Four other European countries used CVR(T): Belgium, Ireland, Latvia and Spain. The Belgian Army ordered 701 EA CVR(T) in the Scorpion, Scimitar, Sultan, Spartan and Samaritan versions, which were delivered in 1975. They were used by the COMRECCE that comprised the 1st, 2nd and 4th Mounted Rifles Regiments (also the 3rd Lancers, which was equipped with the Leopard 1 tank),

1139-497: The M113 A1 armored personnel carrier (utilized as a baseline), M113A1 AIFV , Canadian Lynx, PI M113A1 1/2 featuring a turbocharged engine and tube-over-bar suspension, British Scimitar reconnaissance vehicle, modified M551 Sheridan , XR-311 dune buggy, and V-150 armored car. The test report determined that the XM800T displayed superior overall performance as an ARSV compared to both

1206-513: The Panther Command and Liaison Vehicle in some roles. The FV104 Samaritan is the ambulance version of the CVR(T), 50 were produced for the British Army. In appearance it is similar to the Sultan Command and Control vehicle. It has a crew of two and capacity for four stretchers ; being an ambulance it is not armed except for multi-barrelled smoke grenade dischargers. The FV105 Sultan

1273-705: The Queen's Own Yeomanry . Scimitars were also used by one of the four squadrons in an armoured regiment and the reconnaissance platoons of armoured infantry battalions. In August 1974, Scorpions from A Squadron 16th/5th The Queen's Royal Lancers , were transported by C-130 Hercules to Cyprus, to protect the British Sovereign Base Areas during the Turkish invasion . During the Falklands War in 1982, two troops from B Squadron, Blues and Royals were attached to

1340-568: The 8 × 8 Lockheed XM808 Twister which was trialed in Vietnam. The XM800W was later equipped with a new turret design that kept the M139 cannon, but that had an upper cover that flipped forward to form a gun shield, or rearward to close up. During the June to August 1974 force development test and evaluation, the XM800T and XM800W were evaluated with and without their turrets. They were compared with vehicles including

1407-587: The APC, command post vehicle, ambulance, recovery, bridge-layers and logistics vehicle. Malaysia has 35, Oman has four and the United Kingdom has over 170. In British Army service, the CVR(T) was mainly used by the Formation reconnaissance regiments , which have been the Household Cavalry , 1st Queen's Dragoon Guards , 9th/12th Royal Lancers , Light Dragoons , Queen's Royal Lancers , the Royal Yeomanry and

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1474-620: The Army and one was retained by the company), test rigs and a hull for ballistics testing. Both models initially featured the same turret with the US-built version of the Hispano-Suiza HS.820 20 mm autocannon , the M139, as the primary weapon, as well as an M60 -derived machine gun on a pintle mount . The M139 had been selected for all of the MICV projects. The XM800W was based on Lockheed's work with

1541-562: The BAC.222 proposal possessed very strong long-term production prospects and represented an excellent solution to the requirement; he also noted that both Lockheed and BAC aggressively lobbied for its construction. Armstrong Whitworth, which was by then a constituent of Hawker Siddeley Aviation , submitted their own design, designated AW.681. The company had chosen to adopt the Rolls-Royce RB.142 Medway , an in-development turbofan engine, to power

1608-787: The British Army's formation reconnaissance regiments– part of the NATO Implementation Force (IFOR), a multinational force in Bosnia and Herzegovina . The next deployment for the British Army's CVR(T)s was the 2003 invasion of Iraq ( Operation Telic ). The initial force contained the 1st Queen's Dragoon Guards and D Squadron, the Household Cavalry , both equipped with CVR(T). After Iraq, CVR(T) equipped formation reconnaissance regiments have taken part in Operation Herrick in Afghanistan, notably during Operation Panther's Claw with

1675-407: The CVR(T) family were designed to share common automotive components and suspension; aluminium armour was selected to keep the weight down. By 1996, more than 3,500 had been built for British Army use and export. Scorpion, Scimitar, and Striker have now been withdrawn from British Army service. In the early 1960s, the United Kingdom's overseas commitments were proving costly to garrison and were

1742-519: The CVR-T group (Armoured Recce school) and all of the scout platoons from the 12EA armoured Infantry and 8EA Tank Regiments. The Belgian Army used its CVR(T) vehicles on UN deployments in the Balkans and Somalia. Belgium had disposed of all its CVR(T)s by 2004. The Spanish Marines obtained 17 Scorpions in 1985. All had been disposed of by 2004. The Irish Army obtained a small number of Scorpions for use by

1809-562: The M113A1 and the XM800W. Conversely, the XM800W exhibited commendable performance on roads with its quiet operation and high speed. Nevertheless, its limited cross-country mobility, along with issues of lateral instability and directional control, made it inferior overall compared to the M113A1. As of 1976, the program was reported to be in trouble. Jane's Christopher F Foss reported that while FMC's vehicle appeared to be superior, neither vehicle had

1876-560: The RAF that had pushed the limit of aircraft capabilities, as well as the failure to settle those requirements. In its basic configuration, the AW.681 was a monoplane with a circular cross-section fuselage, featuring a swept shoulder-mounted wing and a high T-tail . The rear fuselage was upswept, accommodating both sizable clamshell loading doors and a ramp; further egress was to have been provided by several side-mounted fore-and-aft cabin doors. In

1943-473: The RAF's needs instead. In response to the order's cancellation, Armstrong Whitworth pursued a last-minute effort, promoting the development of a non-STOL version of the HS.681, designated the HS.802. To achieve lower costs, this proposal would have adopted both the same wings and engines as had been used on the HS.801 Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft . Wood notes that the redesign, while likely being cheaper, came at

2010-595: The RAF's transport requirements instead. By 1960, several major British programmes in the field of military transport aircraft had been terminated or considerably curtailed, such as the Short Belfast and the Vickers V-1000 ; according to author Derek Wood, these outcomes had been largely due to a lack of meaningful support from their principal customer, the Royal Air Force (RAF). One promising opportunity remaining

2077-564: The Scorpion 90 armed with the Belgian 90mm Cockerill cannon and the Stormer. The Stormer variants include the APC, command post vehicle, ambulance, recovery, bridge-layers and logistics vehicle. The Malaysian Royal Armoured Corps of the Malaysian Army is known to use both Scorpion and the newer Stormer. The Royal Thai Army was forced to expand its forces after the fall of South Vietnam and

XM800 armored reconnaissance scout vehicle - Misplaced Pages Continue

2144-501: The Scorpion prototypes, P18–P30 were prototypes of the other six CVR(T) versions. Having to work under strict cost limitations imposed by the Ministry of Defence , the first prototype was completed on time and within budget on 23 January 1969, after extensive hot and cold weather trials in Norway, Australia, Canada and Abu Dhabi . In May 1970, the CVR(T) was accepted into British Army service;

2211-572: The Shah. The vehicles differed by having no wading equipment, and the vehicle commander's cupola on the RAF Regiment Spartan was a different design from that of British Army variants. British Scorpions were withdrawn from service in 1995, principally because of the toxicity hazard in the crew compartment caused when the main armament was fired. In addition, RAF Bomb Disposal (EOD) teams used Scimitar and Spartan. Their protection and mobility allowed

2278-581: The Swingfire missile was replaced by the Javelin in mid–2005. The FV103 Spartan is a small armoured personnel carrier (APC); it can carry seven men in all, the crew of three and four others in the rear compartment. In the British Army, it is used to carry small specialised groups, such as engineer reconnaissance teams, air defence sections and mortar fire controllers. In mid-2006, the British Army had 478 Spartans in service, which from 2009 were being replaced by

2345-417: The United Kingdom, Germany and Cyprus. The 76mm gun was ideal for the role, especially the canister round, which could be used on base against attacking personnel whilst minimising the risk to aircraft and infrastructure due to its short range. The RAF Regiment tranche of vehicles is understood to have originally been part of an order for Iran, but which were not delivered following the revolution that overthrew

2412-606: The commander and gunner. They were assigned to the reconnaissance platoons of armoured and mechanised infantry battalions. They were also issued to Yeomanry squadrons in the Territorial Army to replace their Scimitar CVR(T) vehicles which were requisitioned by the Regular Army Medium Reconnaissance Regiments and others to replace the Scorpion CVR(T), which was being withdrawn from service. Sabre

2479-449: The configuration proposed for the RAF, the AW.681 would have been able to accommodate a maximum load of 60 paratroops . The retractable main undercarriage was accommodated within large bulges on the lower sides of the fuselage. The AW.681 was to have been powered by an arrangement of four Rolls-Royce RB.142 Medway turbofan engines; these would have been combined with a series of vectored thrust nozzles mounted upon pylons underneath

2546-550: The construction of a prototype , which was projected to fly around 1966. However, following a change in government, during February 1965, the cancellation of the HS.681 programme was announced. Despite efforts to cheapen the design by Armstrong Whitworth, culminating in the HS.802 proposal, there was no reversal of this decision. Following the AW.681's termination, it was decided to purchase the American-built Lockheed Hercules as an off-the-shelf means of fulfilling

2613-471: The contract, as well as engine manufacturing Bristol-Siddeley and Rolls-Royce Ltd to power it. Both submissions had to be revised heavily following an update to the Requirement that added VTOL performance. Armstrong Whitworth's AW.681 submission emerged as the favoured option for selection. On 5 March 1962, Armstrong Whitworth received UK Government authorisation to proceed with a detailed project study and

2680-471: The engines. As designed, the AW.681 was set to feature boundary layer control (BLC), which would have used blown flaps mounted upon the leading edges of the wing; the ailerons , flaps , and slats would all have been operated using blown air. The combination of BLC and thrust vectoring would have provided the AW.681 with a high degree of STOL performance, which could be achieved exclusively using its Medway engines. To achieve further performance gains,

2747-694: The government from opting for a collaborative programme with the Americans despite explorations of such arrangements. A second issue of the requirement called for the presence of four deflected thrust engines, which were to be suitably augmented by several lift engines housed underneath the wings to allow the aircraft to achieve a viable Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) capability. In response, Armstrong Whitworth issued multiple revisions of their AW.681 proposal to accommodate this new need; these revised submissions incorporated both vectored thrust nozzles and boundary layer control (BLC) amongst other features; there

XM800 armored reconnaissance scout vehicle - Misplaced Pages Continue

2814-453: The gun mantlets of the Scimitar, and an improved specification armour (AA1707 made to MVEE -1318B with strict quality control) was fitted from 1978. To fit inside the transport aircraft of the time, the vehicle's height had to be less than 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in), its width had to be less than 2.102 m (6 ft 10.8 in). To meet the ground pressure requirement of five psi ,

2881-481: The increased tension in the area. As part of this expansion, they obtained 144 Scorpions between 1973 and 1976. Armstrong Whitworth AW.681 The Armstrong Whitworth AW.681 , also known as the Whitworth Gloster 681 or Hawker Siddeley HS.681 , was a projected British long-range STOL military transport aircraft design of the early 1960s. Developed by manufacturer Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft , it

2948-507: The letter 'S'. The other vehicles were named to reflect their function; Striker anti–tank guided weapons, Spartan armoured personnel carrier; Samaritan ambulance; Sultan command and control and Samson recovery vehicles. In addition, the British General Staff had requested another vehicle armed with a 30 mm cannon, which became Scimitar. In 1967, Alvis was awarded the contract to produce 30 CVR(T) prototypes. Vehicles P1–P17 being

3015-584: The production work to be sub-contracted to Short Brothers in Belfast , Northern Ireland . During 1964, following the formation of a new government dominated by the Labour Party , a review of all ongoing large military programmes was announced. During February 1965, the cancellation of the HS.681 programme was announced by the government; in its place, it would procure the American -built Lockheed Hercules to meet

3082-451: The rear door. The FV107 Scimitar is very similar to the Scorpion but carries the 30mm RARDEN cannon as its main weapon. Secondary armament consists of a coaxial GPMG and multi-barrelled smoke grenade dischargers. Stowage is provided for 201 rounds of 30 mm and 3,000 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition. In 2006, the British Army had 328 in service; which were retired from active service in 2023, being replaced by Ajax . The Sabre

3149-694: The rear. The design would come in both tracked and wheeled versions and share the same engine and transmission as the FV432 armoured personnel carrier. The final weight of the prototype was over 13 tons, which exceeded the weight limit if it was to be transported by air. To reduce weight, aluminium alloy armour – using AA7017 made to Alcan E74S specification (Al + Zn 3.9; Mn 2.6) – was originally selected instead of steel; research revealed that it provided greater protection from artillery shell-splinters because of its areal density . However, this alloy suffered from stress corrosion cracking over time, especially around

3216-484: The required surveillance equipment, anti-aircraft armament, and could not operate for a continuous 24-hour period. As of early 1974, $ 39.5 million had been spent on the program. Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) The Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) ( CVR(T) ) is a family of armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) developed in the 1960s and is in service with the British Army and others throughout

3283-578: The sacrifice of the type's STOL capabilities. Despite lobbying, the HS.802 failed to secure any commitments, making further development untenable; accordingly, Armstrong Whitworth shelved the project entirely. As a consequence of the cancellation, the Armstrong Whitworth factory in Coventry was closed, resulting in the loss of 5,000 jobs. Wood critiqued the programme and its cancellation, attributing some responsibility to overly-ambitious requirements of

3350-453: The task force. They were equipped with four Scorpions and four Scimitars supported by a Samson and were the only armoured vehicles used in action by the British Army during the conflict. The two troops deployed provided fire support for the 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment during the Battle of Wireless Ridge and for 2nd Battalion Scots Guards during the Battle of Mount Tumbledown . By

3417-525: The teams to move around airfields that had unexploded ordnance (UXO) and CBRN contamination. The 30mm main armament on the Scimitar could be used to detonate the UXO or to crack the case of a bomb to allow the contents to drain or to deflagrate . The FV102 Striker was the anti-tank guided missile version of the CVR(T), which was armed with the Swingfire missile system. Striker had five missiles ready to fire in

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3484-742: The time of the Gulf War , the CVR(T) was well established in the British Army and all versions were deployed. The divisional reconnaissance regiment attached to the 1st Armoured Division was the 16th/5th The Queen's Royal Lancers, (with 36 Scimitars, 16 Strikers, 12 Spartans, 9 Sultans and 4 Samaritans), and 'A' Squadron 1st Queen's Dragoon Guards (16 Scorpions, 4 Spartans, 2 Sultans, 1 Samaritan, 1 Samson). This unit also had 1 Sqn RAF Regiment (Operating Scorpion, Spartan, Sultan & Samsons ) attached to them. The armoured regiments and armoured infantry battalions reconnaissance troops also had eight Scorpions or Scimitars each. The CVR(T) family were deployed with

3551-498: The tracks had to be 0.45 m (18 in) wide. The width also dictated the engine used – it had to fit next to a driver in full winter clothing. Thus the engine compartment could only be 0.60 m (24 in) wide. No tank engines in production or development at the time were suitable, so the Jaguar 4.2-litre petrol engine was used. This was modified to use military-grade fuel, with a compression ratio lowered from 9:1 to 7.75:1 and

3618-503: The type; according to Wood, Armstrong Whitworth viewed the engine as a suitable basis for a broader programme covering both civil and military markets. There was a lengthy interval between the submissions and the British government making any decisions regarding the requirement. Wood observed that there was considerable pressure within the British aircraft industry for an indigenously developed design to be favoured, which had perhaps dissuaded

3685-412: The use of both water injection and reheat were proposed options. One proposed variant of the AW.681 would have been capable of VTOL performance, albeit requiring extensive alterations in order to achieve this. In one configuration, it would have been powered by an additional eighteen 6,000 pounds-force (27,000  N ) RB.162-64 lift engines in addition to its four Medway engines. Alternatively,

3752-489: The vehicle commander. Armament consists of a pintle-mounted GPMG and multi-barrelled smoke grenade dischargers. The back of the vehicle is designed to be extended by an attached tent to form a briefing area. The FV106 Samson is an armoured recovery vehicle . The hull of the Spartan was adapted to contain a winch, which was operated to the rear of the vehicle. A hinged spade anchor was designed in two-halves to preserve access to

3819-544: The wings. The selection of the powerplant was subject to a considerable fight between engine manufacturers Rolls-Royce and Bristol-Siddeley . Ultimately, Armstrong Whitworth opted for the RB.174-11 model of the Medway, which was projected to generate a maximum thrust of 13,800lb, although more powerful models would have attained around 20,000lb according to Rolls-Royce. For improved STOL/VTOL performance, deflectors were to be installed around

3886-477: The world. They are small, highly mobile, air-transportable armoured vehicles, originally designed to replace the Alvis Saladin armoured car . Designed by Alvis in the 1960s, the CVR(T) family includes Scorpion and Scimitar light reconnaissance tanks, Spartan armoured personnel carriers (APC)s, Sultan command and control vehicle, Samaritan armoured ambulance, Striker anti–tank guided missile vehicle and Samson armoured recovery vehicle. All members of

3953-410: Was Operational Requirement 351 , which called for a capable medium-range freighter to replace both the Blackburn Beverley and Handley Page Hastings piston-engine aircraft then in service with the RAF. Officials within the service had heavily shaped the specified performance criteria of this requirement; specifically, the aircraft was to possess Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) capabilities, which it

4020-481: Was a hybrid vehicle, with the turret from a Fox Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle on a FV101 Scorpion hull and armed with the same 30mm RARDEN cannon as the Scimitar. One hundred and thirty-six of these hybrid vehicles were brought into service in 1995, after some modifications were made to the turret. These modifications included redesigning the smoke grenade dischargers, replacing the standard machine gun with an L94A1 chain gun and domed hatches to improve headroom for

4087-412: Was also considerable interest in adopting the Rolls-Royce Pegasus engine. BAC also revised their designs in line with the requirement change, although Wood notes that Armstrong Whitworth had already emerged as the front runner for selection around this time. Following a competitive evaluation of the submissions, the AW.681 proposal was selected for further development. On 5 March 1962, Julian Amery ,

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4154-405: Was awarded a £32 million contract to carry out a Life Extension Programme (LEP). The initial contract was for 200 CVR(T)s and supply kits for a further 1,107 vehicles. The LEP was carried out on the Scimitar and Sabre reconnaissance vehicles, Spartan APCs, Sultan command post vehicles, Samson recovery vehicles, Samaritan ambulances and the Striker anti-tank vehicle. The major part of this upgrade

4221-415: Was being given to the replacement of the Saladin armoured car . In 1960, work began on what was called the Armoured Vehicle Reconnaissance . The vehicle would mount a 76 or 105 mm main gun in a limited- traverse turret , which also housed the three-man crew; namely: driver, gunner and commander. The anti–armour capability would be met by a Swingfire missile system (then under development) mounted at

4288-405: Was intended to be capable of achieving both Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) and Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) performance. The AW.681 was designed to satisfy the performance specification of Operational Requirement 351 , which had been heavily influenced by the NATO specification NBMR-4 . Both Armstrong Whitworth and the British Aircraft Corporation vigorously competed to be awarded

4355-417: Was the replacement of the Jaguar 4.2-litre petrol engine by a more fuel efficient Cummins BTA 5.9 diesel engine. A second contract for 70 vehicles was divided between Alvis and the Army Base Repair Organisation (ABRO). ABRO was then contracted to upgrade about 600 of the remaining CVR(T)s to the LEP standard. Alvis also offered a comprehensive upgrade for the export version of the CVR(T), which included

4422-461: Was to perform while carrying a minimum payload of 35,000 pounds (15,900 kg). In response, multiple proposals were received from various manufacturers. The British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) decided to offer two designs; the BAC.222, which was a localised development of the American Lockheed Hercules , and the indigenously developed BAC.208, which would have been furnished with deflected-thrust engines and multiple lift fans. According to Wood,

4489-447: Was withdrawn from service in 2004. Sturgeon (based on the Spartan) and Salamander (based on the Scorpion) are visually modified vehicles used to represent opposing forces in training exercises at the British Army Training Unit Suffield in Canada. The Alvis Stormer was originally designed in the 1970s as a private venture APC, using the CVR(T) range as a starting point. It is a larger (0.48 m (1 ft 7 in) longer with

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