Saxon (vehicle)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Saxon | |
|---|---|
| Type | Armoured personnel carrier |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| Used by | UK |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | GKN Sankey |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 10.6 tonnes |
| Length | 5.17 m |
| Width | 2.49 m |
| Height | 2.63 m |
| Crew | 2 |
|
|
|
| Primary armament |
7.62 mm MG |
| Secondary armament |
none |
| Engine | Bedford 500 6-cyl diesel 164 hp |
| Payload capacity | 10 passengers |
| Suspension | Wheel 4x4 |
| Operational range |
510 km |
| Speed | 96 km/h |
The Saxon is an armoured personnel carrier used by the British Army and supplied in small numbers to various overseas organisations. It was developed by GKN Sankey, from earlier projects, AT 100 IS and AT104, and is due to be replaced by the Future Rapid Effect System.
Contents |
[edit] Design
The Saxon was intended to act as a cheap but efficient "battle-taxi" for units that would have to make long journeys from the UK to reinforce the BAOR. As a lightly armoured wheeled vehicle it is much faster - especially on roads - and easier to maintain than a tracked vehicle. Indeed, it shares many parts with commercial trucks, reducing the operating cost.
It is armoured against small-arms fire and shell splinters, but is not intended to stand up to any anti-vehicle weaponry. The vehicle has a single machine gun for local air defence, and can carry up to ten men.
A number of Saxon IS, or Saxon Patrol, vehicles were acquired for service in Northern Ireland, serving both as troop carriers and used in riots with extendable wings to be used as protective shields as well as being used as ambulances. These have various minor modifications compared to the normal version, such as searchlights and wire cutters, intended for internal security operations.
[edit] Usage
The first operational vehicles were deployed in Germany in 1983, to equip mechanised infantry battalions. Currently, the Saxon is used by four mechanised infantry battalions in 3 (UK) Division. Each vehicle cost over £100,000 at 1984 prices.[1]
In recent years it has seen use in deployments to the former Yugoslavia, where a "mine-proof lorry" has proven to be very useful. Other areas where the Saxon is deployed include: Bahrain, Brunei, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Oman, Iraq and Afghanistan.
[edit] Variants
Saxon can be fitted out as
- AT105A - Ambulance
- AT105E - Turret armed with one or two machine guns
- AT105MR - 81 mm mortar
- AT105C - Command vehicle
Also the Simba range of vehicles, and a variant with the French Milan ATGW turret.
[edit] Operators
Bahrain - 10
Brunei - 24
Hong Kong - six in the service of the Hong Kong Police Force
Kuwait[citation needed]
Malaysia - 40
Nigeria[citation needed]
Oman - 15
Serbia - Gendarmerie At least one is in use in Serbia having most likely been captured in Bosnia. Employed by the Gendarmerie, it has been fitted with rubber armor panels and a new weapon station mounting a 12.7mm Browning M2HB and smoke grenade dischargers.[citation needed]
United Kingdom - British Army - around 640 as of 2003.
[edit] See also
|
||||||||||||||||||||
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.armedforces.co.uk/army/listings/l0039.html ArmedForces website listing
- Armed Forces of the United Kingdom, Charles Heyman. Leo Cooper, 2003.
