Sabre (tank)
| Sabre | |
|---|---|
 Sabre atGreat Dorset Steam Fair | |
| Type | Reconnaissance vehicle |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1995−2004 |
| Used by | United Kingdom |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Alvis/BAE Systems Land & Armaments |
| No.built | over 325 for UK and several hundred exported[1] |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 8.1 tonnes |
| Length | 4.8 m (15 ft 9 in) |
| Width | 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in) |
| Height | 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in) |
| Crew | 3 |
Main armament | 30 mm L21RARDENcannon |
Secondary armament | Co-axial7.62 mmchain gun |
| Engine | Cummins BTA 5.9 diesel 190 hp (142 kW) |
| Suspension | torsion bar |
| Maximum speed | 80 km/h (50 mph) |
Sabreis a variation of theCombat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked),featuring the turret from a wheeledFox Armoured Reconnaissance Vehiclemounted on the hull of a trackedFV101 Scorpion.
Development[edit]
This UK hybrid vehicle was introduced as a less expensive way of producing a similar vehicle to the 30mm cannon armedFV107 Scimitartracked reconnaissance vehicle, but with a slightly lower profileturret.It was brought into service in 1995. During initial combat exercises, several flaws were identified. In particular, the vehicle lacked defensive capabilities. As such, modifications were made to the turret of the Sabre to include redesignedsmoke grenadelaunchers and theL94A17.62 mmchain gunreplacing the standard 7.62 mm FN MAGgeneral-purpose machine gun,foranti-personneluse. Anammunitionhopper sits on the side of the machine gun allowing the weapon to be more quickly reloaded than a belt-fed machine gun.
The UK initiated theTactical Reconnaissance Armoured Combat Equipment Requirement(TRACER) to replace the Sabre andScimitar.[2]In 1996 the U.S. joined in on the project.[3]In 2001, both the UK and U.S. dropped out of the joint program.[4]
The marriage of the Fox turret and Scorpion chassis was not successful, and Sabre was withdrawn from British Army service in 2004.[5]
Additional specification[edit]
- Smoke grenade dischargers
- Ammunition:
- 30 mm:160 roundsArmour-piercingEnhanced Penetration (APEP) andHigh Explosive(HE)
- 7.62 mm: 3,000 rounds
References[edit]
- ^Staff Writer,"Alvis Sabre: Reconnaissance Light Tank (1995)",Military Factory,retrieved11 October2021
- ^Baumgardner, Neil (8 June 2001)."Britain Seeking Information On Off-The-Shelf Vehicles For FRES Program".Defense Dail International.ProQuest217294908.Retrieved17 February2022.
- ^"U.S., U.K. Sign Letter of Intent for Work on Future Scout Vehicle".Inside the Army.Vol. 8, no. 42. Inside Washington Publishers. 21 October 1996. p. 5.JSTOR43979553.Retrieved8 February2022.
- ^Winograd, Erin Q. (22 October 2001)."But Technology Will Not Be Abandoned: British, U.S. Officials Announce an End to Joint Future Scout Program".Inside the Army.Vol. 13, no. 42. Inside Washington Publishers. pp. 1, 9–11.JSTOR24819092.Retrieved8 February2022.
- ^Mr. Ingram,Minister of State for the Armed Forces(4 July 2006)."Written Answers (Military Vehicles)".Parliamentary Debates (Hansard).House of Commons. col. 912W–913W.
