C.Ngoc
Commission builds: Leyland DAF 4 tonnes truck and Rapier Missile System
The Leyland 4-tonne truck was produced by Leyland Trucks in Lancashire. It was developed for the British Army and won the competition to replace a fleet of older Bedford M-type 4-tonne trucks. It shares some key components with the commercial 45 Series light truck. Deliveries to the British Army started in 1990. The official British Army Out of Service Date for this truck was the end of 2014, but around 650 were retained. Small numbers were exported.
Rapier is a surface-to-air missile developed for the British Army to replace their towed Bofors 40/L70 anti-aircraft guns. The system is unusual as it uses a manual optical guidance system, sending guidance commands to the missile in flight over a radio link. This results in a high level of accuracy, therefore a large warhead is not required.
Entering service in 1972, it eventually replaced all other anti-aircraft weapons in Army service; both the Bofors guns used against low-altitude targets and the Thunderbird missile used against longer-range and higher-altitude targets. As the expected air threat moved from medium-altitude strategic missions to low-altitude strikes, the fast reaction time and high maneuverability of the Rapier made it more effective than either of these weapons, replacing most of them by 1977.
Commission builds: Leyland DAF 4 tonnes truck and Rapier Missile System
The Leyland 4-tonne truck was produced by Leyland Trucks in Lancashire. It was developed for the British Army and won the competition to replace a fleet of older Bedford M-type 4-tonne trucks. It shares some key components with the commercial 45 Series light truck. Deliveries to the British Army started in 1990. The official British Army Out of Service Date for this truck was the end of 2014, but around 650 were retained. Small numbers were exported.
Rapier is a surface-to-air missile developed for the British Army to replace their towed Bofors 40/L70 anti-aircraft guns. The system is unusual as it uses a manual optical guidance system, sending guidance commands to the missile in flight over a radio link. This results in a high level of accuracy, therefore a large warhead is not required.
Entering service in 1972, it eventually replaced all other anti-aircraft weapons in Army service; both the Bofors guns used against low-altitude targets and the Thunderbird missile used against longer-range and higher-altitude targets. As the expected air threat moved from medium-altitude strategic missions to low-altitude strikes, the fast reaction time and high maneuverability of the Rapier made it more effective than either of these weapons, replacing most of them by 1977.