Gourt Home::Gourt :: FV101 Scorpion
The FV101 Scorpion is a modern British light tank, part of the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) or, CVR(T) family. The full design name is Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) Fire Support (Scorpion). Manufactured by Alvis Vickers it was introduced into service with the British Army in 1973 and served until 1994. More than 3000 were produced.
History
Intended to be a fast and air-transportable reconnaissance vehicle, the Scorpion is built from mainly aluminium armour and mounts a L23A1 76 mm gun firing HE, HESH, Smoke, and Canister rounds. Original models had a Jaguar 4.2 litre petrol engine. This engine was chosen because of its high power to weight ratio. Some customers specified diesel engines. The Perkins Diesel engine was chosen, which has shown longer in-service life, and has a reduced risk of fire. All models are capable of 80km/h.
The Scorpion and the similar Scimitar saw active service in the Falklands War of 1982, the only armoured vehicles of the British. With a 'footprint' lighter than that of a man, it was one of the few vehicles capable of operating in the extreme conditions of the Falklands land mass (wheeled vehicles had almost no use away from established roads).
The Scorpion has been withdrawn from service. The hulls have been reused with the turrets from the FV 721 Fox wheeled reconnaissance vehicle to form a new vehicle Sabre which is very similar in appearance to the Scimitar.
Users
Variants
Scorpion 90 - This export version is armed with the long-barreled Cockerill M.k3 M-A1 90mm gun, fitted with a prominent muzzle brake. It was purchased by the Malaysian and Venezuelan armed forces.
Related vehicles using the same (or similar) hull include:
- FV102 Striker anti-tank guided weapon carrier
- FV103 Spartan armoured personnel carrier
- FV104 Samaritan armoured ambulance
- FV105 Sultan command post vehicle
- FV106 Samson armoured recovery vehicle
- FV107 Scimitar armoured reconnaissance vehicle
- Sabre - Scorpion chassis retro-fitted with a turret from the Fox Armoured Reconnaisance Vehicle
These vehicles are collectively known as the CVR(T) - Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) - family.
Trivia
- In the computer game Generals, the basic battle tank of the Global Liberation Army is called the Scorpion. However, the tank used in that game is closer to the T-34 or FT-17, and has little in common with its real-world namesake.
- A total of approxiamately 4,000 vehicles of the CVR(T) family had been manufactured in the UK and Belgium by the time production ceased in the mid-1990's.
- In the video games Combat Evolved and Halo 2, the human tank is called the Scorpion.
External links
- British Army museum
- Janes Land Forces
- History of the development of the series
- FV101 Scorpion at Army-Guide.com
See also
- Tank
- History of the tank
- AVGP Canadian armoured vehicle using the Scorpion turret.
Light tanks | Cold War armored fighting vehicles | Reconnaissance vehicles
Scorpion (Panzer) | FV101 Scorpion | スコーピオン (戦車) | FV101 Scorpion | Alvis Scorpion | Scorpion
"FV101 Scorpion"