The
FV101 Scorpion is a
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
armoured
reconnaissance vehicleA reconnaissance vehicle, also known as a scout vehicle, is a military vehicle used for forward reconnaissance.- Design :Smaller caliber weapons help reduce the vehicle's profile and noise signatures...
. It was the lead vehicle and the fire support type in the
Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked)The Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance —or CVR—is a family of armoured fighting vehicles s in service with the British Army and others throughout the world...
, CVR(T), family of seven armoured vehicles. Manufactured by
AlvisAlvis Car and Engineering Company Ltd was a British manufacturing company that existed in Coventry, England from 19191967. In addition to automobiles designed for the civilian market, the company also produced racing cars, aircraft engines, armoured cars and other armoured fighting vehicles, the...
it was introduced into service with the
British ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in 1973 and served until 1994.
More than 3,000 were produced and used as a reconnaissance vehicle or a light tank.
History
The Alvis Scorpion was originally developed to meet a British Army requirement for the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) or CVR(T). In 1967 Alvis were awarded the contract to produce 30 CVR(T) prototypes. Vehicles P1–P17 being the Scorpion prototypes were delivered on time and within the budget. After extensive hot and cold weather trials in
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
,
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
,
Abu DhabiAbu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
and
CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the Scorpion was accepted by the British Army in May 1970, with a contract for 275 which later rose to 313 vehicles. The first production vehicles were completed in 1972 and the first British regiment to be equipped with the Scorpion were the
Blues and RoyalsThe Blues and Royals is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. The Colonel-in-Chief is Her Majesty The Queen and the Colonel is HRH The Princess Royal...
of the
Household CavalryThe term Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth to describe the cavalry of the Household Divisions, a country’s most elite or historically senior military groupings or those military groupings that provide functions associated directly with the Head of state.Canada's Governor General's...
in 1973.
In November 1981, the
RAF RegimentThe Royal Air Force Regiment is a specialist airfield defence corps founded by Royal Warrant in 1942. After a 32 week trainee gunner course, its members are trained and equipped to prevent a successful enemy attack in the first instance; minimise the damage caused by a successful attack; and...
took delivery of its first of 184 Scorpions and other variants of CVR(T).
Alvis built more than 3,000 Scorpion vehicles for the British Army and Royal Air Force and the export market.
All the CVR(T) vehicles were to be air-portable and two Scorpions could be carried in a C130 Hercules. Another requirement of the CVR(T) project was the low ground pressure - similar to that of a soldier on foot - and this would serve it well in the
Falklands WarThe Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
.
Armament
The Scorpion is armed with the low velocity 76 mm L23A1 gun, which could fire high-explosive, HESH, smoke and
canisterCanister shot is a kind of anti-personnel ammunition used in cannons. It was similar to the naval grapeshot, but fired smaller and more numerous balls, which did not have to punch through the wooden hull of a ship...
rounds. Stowage was provided for 40 or 42 rounds. A 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun (3,000 rounds carried) and two multi-barrelled smoke grenade dischargers were also fitted each side of the turret. Main armament elevation is 35 degrees and depression of 10 degrees with a full 360 degree traverse.
Engine
The original engine was the Jaguar J60 4.2 litre petrol engine, which was replaced by a
CumminsCummins Inc. is a Fortune 500 corporation that designs, manufactures, distributes and services engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission control and electrical power generation systems...
or Perkins diesel engine. The maximum speed was about 50 miles per hour (22.4 m/s) and it could accelerate from nought to 30 miles per hour (13.4 m/s) in 16 seconds. The maximum speed on water (with the flotation screen deployed) was 3.6 mph (1.6 m/s).
The Irish engineering company IED replaced the existing Jaguar engine in a successful re-powering process with a
SteyrSteyr Motors is an Austrian manufacturer of Diesel-engines based in Steyr, Upper-Austria.-History:Steyr Motors has its origin in the Diesel-engine division of the earlier Steyr-Daimler-Puch group. Since 2001 it became an independent company trough internal Management Buyout.In 2008 Steyr Motors...
M16 TCA HD engine (6-cylinder, 145kW), making the Scorpion more powerful and more reliable in critical environment.
Other systems
The vehicle was fitted with a nuclear, biological, chemical protection system, image intensification sights for gunner and driver and a floatation screen. A
commodeA commode, commode with legs, or commode on legs is any of several pieces of furniture. The word commode comes from the French word for "convenient" or "suitable", which in turn comes from the Latin adjective commodus, with similar meanings.Originally, in French furniture, a commode introduced...
was located under the commander's seat, an internal water tank and a
boiling vesselA Boiling vessel is a water heating system fitted to British Armoured fighting vehicles that permits the crew to heat water and cook food by drawing power from the vehicle electrical supply....
for cooking and heating water were also provided.
Scorpion 90
The Scorpion 90 or Scorpion 2 was a version armed with the long-barrelled Cockerill Mk3 M-A1 90mm gun designed for the export market.
Service history
The Scorpion was or is used by the armed forces of; Belgium, Botswana, Brunei, Chile, Honduras, Iran, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Philippines, Spain, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo and the
United Arab EmiratesThe United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
.
While Canada never operated the Scorpion the original Scorpion turret was married with the
MOWAGMOWAG is a Swiss company which develops, designs and produces armoured vehicles for military applications in both land-only and amphibious configurations. These vehicles have gross vehicle weights ranging from 9t to 30t. More than 12,000 armoured wheeled vehicles of the type Piranha, Eagle and DURO...
Piranha IThe MOWAG Piranha is a family of armoured fighting vehicles designed by the Swiss MOWAG , corporation....
chassis to create the
AVGP CougarThe AVGP is a series of three armoured fighting vehicles ordered by the Canadian military in 1977.The three vehicles are the Cougar, Grizzly and Husky....
fire support vehicle used by the Canadian Armed Forces.
The Scorpion had on occasion deployed in main UK airports as a measure against possible terrorist threats e.g. Heathrow Airport in 1974.
Combat use
Two troops from B Squadron,
Blues and RoyalsThe Blues and Royals is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. The Colonel-in-Chief is Her Majesty The Queen and the Colonel is HRH The Princess Royal...
served in the Falkland war. The CVR(T) were the only armoured vehicles used in action by the British Army during the conflict.
Scorpions also served in the
Gulf warThe Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. The 1st Queen's Dragoon Guards a reconnaissance regiment had 32 and the close reconnaissance troops of the armoured regiments each had eight.
Foreign users
Some small armies such as the
Botswana Defence ForceThe Botswana Defence Force is the military of Botswana. It was formed in 1977 and has approximately 9,000 members. The commander is Lieutenant General Tebogo Masire. The commander in chief is the President of Botswana...
and the
Irish ArmyThe Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
, and notably the larger
Philippine ArmyThe Philippine Army is the ground arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines . Its official name in Tagalog is Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas. On July 23, 2010, President Benigno Aquino III appointed Maj. Gen...
, continue to use the Scorpion, in some cases up-armed with the 90mm Cockerill.
Sabre
The Scorpion has been withdrawn from British Army service and the refurbished hulls have been mated with surplus turrets from the
FV 721 FoxThe FV721 Fox Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance was a 4x4 armoured car deployed by the British Army as a replacement for the Ferret scout car and the Saladin Armoured Car...
CVR(W) wheeled reconnaissance vehicle to form a composite vehicle - the
Sabre reconnaissance vehicleSabre is a variation of the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance , featuring the turret from a Fox reconnaissance vehicle mounted on the hull of a Scorpion....
.
Salamander
A small number of converted Scorpions are in use at
British Army Training Unit SuffieldThe British Army Training Unit Suffield is a British Army unit located at the vast training area of Canadian Forces Base Suffield in Alberta, Canada...
in Canada as part of OPFOR. With the main armament barrel replaced with a dummy they represent 125mm gun armed
T-80The T-80 is a main battle tank designed and manufactured in the former Soviet Union. A development of the T-64, it entered service in 1976 and was the first production tank to be equipped with a gas turbine engine for main propulsion.the Swedish Stridsvagn 103 of 1971 used a gas turbine alongside...
-type vehicles.
Users
- 1500 units.
- 701 units.
- 20 units.
- 60 units.
- 16 units.
- 30 units ; in service with the Chilean Navy Marines.
- 19 units.
- 60 units.
- 130 units.
- 14 units.
- 80 units.
- 26 units.
- 26 units.
- 100 units.
- 120 Units.
- 41 units.
- It was on Service till 2009 on the Spanish Navy, (Infantería de Marina Española). There're a couple of units on static display, (2011).
- 154 units.
- 40 units.
- 12 units.
- 76 Units.
- 80 units.
See also
- Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Wheeled)
The Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle , abbreviated to CVR was a line of vehicles to replace the Ferret Armoured Car in British Army service.Two variants were planned:...
- Other CVR(T) vehicles
- FV102 Striker
The FV102 Striker was the anti-tank guided missile carrier in the CVR family and served in the British Army.-Overview:FV102 Striker was the Swingfire wire guided anti-tank missile carrying member of the CVR family. The FV102 Striker was externally very similar to the FV103 Spartan but carried five...
anti-tank guided weapon carrier
- FV103 Spartan
FV103 Spartan is a tracked armoured personnel carrier of the British Army. It was developed as the APC variant of the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance family. The vehicle can carry up to 7 personnel, including 3 crew members. Armed with a single machine gun, it is almost indistinguishable from the...
armoured personnel carrierAn armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...
- FV104 Samaritan
The FV104 Samaritan is the British Army armoured ambulance variant of the CVR family. It has a capacity for up to 6 casualties.The Samaritan is one of the variants of the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance family of armoured fighting vehicles developed by Alvis plc for the British military....
armoured ambulanceAn ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
- FV105 Sultan
FV105 Sultan is a British Army command and control vehicle based on the CVR platform. It has a higher roof than the APC variants, providing a more comfortable "office space" inside. This contains a large vertical map board and desk along one side, with a bench seat for three people facing it...
command post vehicle
- FV106 Samson
FV106 Samson is a British Army armoured recovery vehicle, one of the CVR family. The main role of this vehicle is to recover the CVR family of vehicles, but can recover other light tracked vehicles such as the FV430 series.-Design and features:...
armoured recovery vehicle
- FV107 Scimitar
FV107 Scimitar is an armoured reconnaissance vehicle used by the British Army. It is very similar to the FV101 Scorpion but mounts a high velocity 30 mm L21 RARDEN cannon instead of a 76 mm gun. It was issued to Royal Armoured Corps, Armoured Regiments in the Reconnaissance role...
armoured reconnaissance vehicle
- Sabre
Sabre is a variation of the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance , featuring the turret from a Fox reconnaissance vehicle mounted on the hull of a Scorpion....
- Scorpion chassis retro-fitted with a turret from the Fox Armoured Reconnaissance VehicleThe FV721 Fox Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance was a 4x4 armoured car deployed by the British Army as a replacement for the Ferret scout car and the Saladin Armoured Car...
- Alvis Stormer
Alvis Stormer is a modern military armoured vehicle manufactured by the British company, Alvis Vickers, now BAE Systems Global Combat Systems....
- a larger development of the CVR(T) used in the case of the British Army to carry the Starstreak High Velocity Missile system and the Shielder minelaying systemThe Shielder minelaying system is used by the British Army to quickly create anti-tank barriers. The system is based on the American Alliant Techsystems M163 Volcano system. It was ordered in 1995 and was first deployed in 1999....
.
- AVGP
The AVGP is a series of three armoured fighting vehicles ordered by the Canadian military in 1977.The three vehicles are the Cougar, Grizzly and Husky....
Canadian wheeled armoured vehicle fitted with the turret from a Scorpion.
- Medium Reconnaissance Vehicle (MRV) an Australian M113A1 fitted with the turret from a Scorpion.