Scorpion Prototype
In May 1970 Alvis Ltd of Coventry supplied the British Army with prototypes of a new tracked reconnaissance vehicle. Known as Scorpion it was a three-man light tank built of welded aluminium and powered by a 4.2 litre Jaguar XK series engine. It entered production in 1972 and was an immediate success. Light weight resulted in a very low ground pressure (less than that exerted by a human foot) and the powerful engine, linked to a seven-speed transmission, made it highly manoeuvrable. Armed with a 76mm gun it was capable of firing a variety of ammunition with considerable effect. A flotation screen fitted to early models enabled it to swim and it was also air portable; a single Scorpion could be lifted by a Chinook helicopter while two could be carried in a C130 Hercules. Scorpion has served with the British Army and RAF. It has seen action in the Falklands and the Gulf War in 1990-91 in addition to internal security duties in Cyprus.
In traditional terms Scorpion would be regarded as a light tank but in modern terminology it is Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked). It was the first fully tracked reconnaissance vehicle to enter service with the British Army since the light tanks of the 1930s, armoured cars having dominated through the intervening period. Designed for close reconnaissance work in armoured regiments and it is the tracked equivalent of the wheeled Fox armoured car. It was considered revolutionary at the time and became the first of a whole family of fighting vehicles including the FV102 Striker tracked anti-tank missile launcher, the FV103 Spartan APC, the FV104 Samaritan Armoured Ambulance, the FV105 Sultan Armoured Command Vehicle, the FV106 Samson Armoured Recovery Vehicle and the FV107 Scimitar Reconnaissance Vehicle.
Alvis produced 313 Scorpions for the British Army where they replaced the Saladin heavy armoured car. Scorpion was withdrawn from service in 1994 because of health and safety concerns about the 76mm gun. By 1999 total production of AFVs in the CVR(T) family amounted to over 3,500 vehicles for use by the UK armed forces and for export to Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei, Chile, Honduras, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Jordan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Philippines, Spain, Thailand, Tanzania, Togo and Venezuela. The Scorpion was produced under license in Belgium. Seen in The Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset, England.
Scorpion Prototype
In May 1970 Alvis Ltd of Coventry supplied the British Army with prototypes of a new tracked reconnaissance vehicle. Known as Scorpion it was a three-man light tank built of welded aluminium and powered by a 4.2 litre Jaguar XK series engine. It entered production in 1972 and was an immediate success. Light weight resulted in a very low ground pressure (less than that exerted by a human foot) and the powerful engine, linked to a seven-speed transmission, made it highly manoeuvrable. Armed with a 76mm gun it was capable of firing a variety of ammunition with considerable effect. A flotation screen fitted to early models enabled it to swim and it was also air portable; a single Scorpion could be lifted by a Chinook helicopter while two could be carried in a C130 Hercules. Scorpion has served with the British Army and RAF. It has seen action in the Falklands and the Gulf War in 1990-91 in addition to internal security duties in Cyprus.
In traditional terms Scorpion would be regarded as a light tank but in modern terminology it is Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked). It was the first fully tracked reconnaissance vehicle to enter service with the British Army since the light tanks of the 1930s, armoured cars having dominated through the intervening period. Designed for close reconnaissance work in armoured regiments and it is the tracked equivalent of the wheeled Fox armoured car. It was considered revolutionary at the time and became the first of a whole family of fighting vehicles including the FV102 Striker tracked anti-tank missile launcher, the FV103 Spartan APC, the FV104 Samaritan Armoured Ambulance, the FV105 Sultan Armoured Command Vehicle, the FV106 Samson Armoured Recovery Vehicle and the FV107 Scimitar Reconnaissance Vehicle.
Alvis produced 313 Scorpions for the British Army where they replaced the Saladin heavy armoured car. Scorpion was withdrawn from service in 1994 because of health and safety concerns about the 76mm gun. By 1999 total production of AFVs in the CVR(T) family amounted to over 3,500 vehicles for use by the UK armed forces and for export to Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei, Chile, Honduras, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Jordan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Philippines, Spain, Thailand, Tanzania, Togo and Venezuela. The Scorpion was produced under license in Belgium. Seen in The Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset, England.