Saxon (vehicle)
| Saxon | |
|---|---|
 A Hong Kong Police Force Police Tactical Unit Saxon AT105, all retired in 2009. |
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| Type | Armoured personnel carrier |
| Place of origin |  United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| Used by | See operators |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | GKN Sankey |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 10.6 tonnes |
| Length | 5.17 m (17 ft 0 in) |
| Width | 2.49 m (8 ft 2 in) |
| Height | 2.63 m (8 ft 8 in) |
| Crew | 2 |
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| Main armament |
7.62 mm MG |
| Secondary armament |
none |
| Engine | Bedford 500 6-cyl diesel 164 hp (122 kW) |
| Payload capacity | 10 passengers |
| Suspension | Wheel 4x4 |
| Operational range |
510 km (320 mi) |
| Speed | 96 km/h (60 mph) |
The Saxon is an armoured personnel carrier used by the British Army and supplied in small numbers to various overseas organisations. It was developed by GKN Sankey, from earlier projects, AT 100 IS and AT104, and is due to be replaced by the Future Rapid Effect System.
Contents |
[edit] Design
The Saxon was intended to act as a cheap but efficient "battle-taxi" for units that would have to make long journeys from the UK to reinforce the BAOR. As a lightly armoured wheeled vehicle it is much faster - especially on roads - and easier to maintain than a tracked vehicle. Indeed, it shares many parts with commercial trucks, reducing the operating cost.
It is armoured against small-arms fire and shell splinters, but is not intended to stand up to any anti-vehicle weaponry. The vehicle has a single machine gun for local air defence, and can carry up to ten men.
A number of Saxon IS, or Saxon Patrol, vehicles were acquired for service in Northern Ireland, serving both as troop carriers and used in riots with extendable wings to be used as protective shields as well as being used as ambulances. These have various minor modifications compared to the normal version, such as searchlights and wire cutters, intended for internal security operations.
[edit] Usage
The first operational Saxons were deployed in Germany in 1983, to equip mechanised infantry battalions. the saxon is now withdrawn from service in HM Armed Forces, but 147 are kept in storage.[1] The Saxon has been deployed to places such as: Bahrain, Brunei, Malaysia, Oman, Iraq and Afghanistan. The Hong Kong Police Saxons were withdrawn from service and replaced by Unimog U5000 in 2009.
[edit] Variants
The Saxon can be fitted out as
- AT105A - Ambulance
- AT105E - Turret armed with one or two machine guns
- AT105MR - 81 mm mortar
- AT105C - Command vehicle
- ARV - Recovery vehicle
Also the Simba range of vehicles, and a variant with the French Milan ATGW turret.
[edit] Operators
Bahrain - 10
Brunei - 24
Kuwait[citation needed]
Malaysia - 40 for Royal Malaysia Police.
Nigeria - 20
Oman - 15
Iraq - 60
[edit] Former Operators
United Kingdom - British Army all taken out from service
Hong Kong - Hong Kong Police Force Police Tactical Unit All retired in 2009
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Armed Forces of the United Kingdom, Charles Heyman. Leo Cooper, 2003.
[edit] External links
- Technical Data Sheet and pictures to www.ArmyRecognition.com
- Khakicorpsimports.com
- Saxon at army.mod.uk
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