FV438 Swingfire

FV438 Swingfire
Type	Anti-tank vehicle
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Specifications
Weight	16.2 t
Length	5.1 m
Width	3 m
Height	2.7 m
Crew	3
Armor	12.7 mm max
Main armament	Two Swingfire ATGM launchers 2 ATGM in launchers with 12 more missile stored inside. Launchers could be reloaded inside the Vehicle.
Secondary armament	7.62 mm L7 GPMG, smoke dischargers
Engine	Rolls-Royce K60 multi-fuel 240 hp
Power/weight	15.7 hp/tonne
Suspension	torsion-bar, 5 road wheel
Operational range	480 km
Speed	52 km/h

The FV438 Swingfire was an armoured anti-tank vehicle of the British Army.

It was derived from the FV430 series of vehicles by converting the FV432 to accommodate a launcher for Swingfire anti-tank guided missiles.

It had two firing bins and could carry fourteen missiles, which could be reloaded from inside the vehicle. Instead of using the mounted guidance system a control unit could be deployed and the missiles aimed and fired from up to 100 metres away, allowing the vehicle to remain completely hidden from the enemy; the Swingfire missile was capable of making a ninety-degree turn immediately after firing.

When it first came into use in the 1970s, the FV438s were operated by specialised anti-tank units of the Royal Artillery. The role was transferred to the Royal Armoured Corps in the mid 1980s, and the FV438s were taken into service as guided-weapon troops of armoured regiments, nine vehicles to a regiment.