Cadillac Gage Commando Scout
 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (December 2014) |
| Cadillac Gage Commando Scout | |
|---|---|
| Type | Scout car |
| Place of origin |  United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1982–present |
| Used by | See Operators |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Cadillac Gage |
| Produced | 1977–1987 |
| No. built | 140 |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 7.24 tonnes (7.98 short tons; 7.13 long tons) |
| Length | 5.003 m (16 ft 5.0 in) |
| Width | 2.057 m (6 ft 9.0 in) |
| Height | 2.159 m (7 ft 1.0 in) |
| Crew | 2-3 |
| Armor | Welded steel |
Main armament | 1 × 20 mm autocannon, 1 × 12.7 mm or 7.62 mm machine gun; 1 × 12.7 mm machine gun, 1 × 40 mm grenade launcher; 1 × BGM-71 TOW launcher, 1 × 7.62 mm machine gun; 1 × 106 mm M40 recoilless rifle |
| Engine | V6 turbocharged diesel engine 155 hp (115 kW) |
| Power/weight | 20.58 hp/tonne |
| Suspension | Wheeled 4x4, Trailing arm |
| Ground clearance | 290 mm (11 in) |
| Fuel capacity | 378 L (83 imp gal; 100 US gal) |
Operational range | 846 km (526 mi) |
| Maximum speed | 88 km/h (55 mph) |
The Cadillac Gage Scout (4 x 4) light reconnaissance vehicle was as a private venture designed for the export market that was first announced in October 1977 at the Association of the United States Army meeting in Washington D.C.
In 1983, Indonesia placed an order for 28 Scout vehicles, as well as 22 Ranger armoured personnel carriers. Details of this vehicle, which is no longer manufactured or marketed are given in the armoured personnel carriers (wheeled) section.
In August 1986, Egypt placed a US$22.8 million contract with Cadillac Gage for 112 Scout reconnaissance vehicles, with half the vehicles delivered in 1986 and the remainder in 1987.
By early 1999, a total of 140 Scout (4 x 4) vehicles had been built by Cadillac Gage.
Cadillac Gage is now part of Textron Marine & Land Systems. There has been no recent production of the Scout, although marketing continues.
Description
The welded hull of the Scout is made of special hardness Cadloy armour plate which will defeat at a minimum 7.62 mm armour-piercing rounds. The front, sides and rear of the hull are well sloped to afford maximum protection within the weight of the vehicle.
The front of the Scout is sloped at an angle of 76° from the top of the driver's hatch to the nose. In addition to providing ballistic protection it allows the vehicle to push its way through underbrush.
The driver is seated on the left side of the hull with the engine to his right and is provided with an adjustable seat and a single-piece hatch cover that slides to the front of the vehicle when he is driving with his head out. Driver vision is provided by three periscopes mounted forward of the hatch area.
The fuel tank is at the front of the hull between the wheels. The engine is coupled to an Allison Transmission four-speed automatic transmission via a Cadillac Gage power transfer unit. The complete power pack, consisting of the engine, transfer unit, transmission and cooling system, can be removed and replaced in two hours. Access to the engine is by a large hatch in the right side of the hull through which all fluid levels (coolant, lubricant, brake fluids and so on) can be checked.
The turret or pod is at the rear of the vehicle and access is by a two-part hatch in the rear of the hull with the bottom part folding downwards and the top part opening to the right.
The front suspension features coil springs over a solid axle with trailing arms. The split rear axle is tied to a heavy-duty coil spring suspension. Cone-shaped passages in the rear of the hull allow for high individual vertical roadwheel travel. Both axles are fitted with positive locking differentials which provide improved traction by preventing one wheel spin-out.
The integral hydraulic power steering is powered by a gear-driven pump working directly off the engine. This approach has eliminated the requirement for belt drives which slip or break and steering cylinders that require maintenance.
The independent front and rear brake systems function through a split master cylinder and a back-up system supports them in the event of an engine failure. The back-up system consists of an electric motor which supplies pressure to the master cylinder. The tyres are of the run-flat type. Standard equipment includes two hand-held fire extinguishers stowed inside the vehicle, a pioneer toolset, a breaker bar and lug wrench, a first aid kit, a vehicle toolkit, and an air compressor with a 15.24 m hose.
The Scout is not fitted with an NBC system, has no night vision equipment and is not amphibious. Optional equipment includes a siren/public address system, radio installations, weapon stowage, water and fuel cans, a slave cable, a 15.24 m auxiliary cable, a camouflage net, a smoke grenade system and a fragmentation grenade system.
Variants
Twin/Combination Machine Gun (1 m) turret
This turret is manually/electrically rotated by a Power Assist Traverse (PAT) system and can be armed with twin 7.62 mm or twin 0.50 calibre machine guns, or a combination of 7.62 mm/0.50 calibre machine guns, which can be elevated from −10 to +55°. Manually traversed rate with PAT is a maximum of 45°/s. The amount of ammunition depends on the armament installed but if twin 7.62 mm calibre weapons are fitted each gun will be provided with 200 rounds of ready use ammunition and 2,200 rounds stowed in the vehicle. If twin 0.50 calibre weapons are fitted, each weapon has 100 rounds of ready use ammunition and 1,000 rounds stowed in the hull. It can also mount a 7.62 mm MG and a 40 mm Mark 19 grenade launcher with 100 ready rounds and 200 rounds stowed in the vehicle. The turret is also provided with eight vision blocks, an M28C sight with a magnification of x1.5 (x5 magnification optional) and a 500,000 candlepower spotlight mounted coaxially with the weapons.
40 mm/12.7 mm turret
One-man turret armed as on US Marine Corps AAV7A1 armoured amphibious assault vehicles. This is armed with a 40 mm Mk 19 grenade launcher and a 12.7 mm M2 machine gun with manual traverse and elevation.
Twin Machine Gun (1 m) turret
This is armed with twin 7.62 mm machine guns which can be fired singly or together and 400 rounds of ready use ammunition are carried with a further 2,200 rounds stowed in the vehicle. It has manual traverse and elevation and the weapons can be elevated from −10 to +55°. The turret is provided with eight vision blocks, and an M28C sight with a magnification of x1.5 (x5 magnification optional); a 500,000 candlepower spotlight is mounted coaxially with the weapons.
Command pod
This model has a crew of three, commander, radio operator and driver and has a pod mounted on top of the hull in each side of which is a firing port and a vision block. A circular hatch cover is provided on which a 7.62 mm machine gun and shield can be mounted. There are 2,200 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition carried. When fitted with radios the antennas are mounted at the rear of the hull.
Anti-tank armed with TOW
This model has a crew of two and is fitted with a Raytheon BGM-71 TOW ATGW launcher which has a traverse of 120° and can be elevated from −10 to +30°. There are two TOW ATGWs carried inside the hull and provision for a further four missiles outside. A standard TOW ground mount is carried inside the vehicle which enables the TOW system to be deployed away from the vehicle. Two positions for mounting one 7.62 mm machine gun are also provided with 2,000 rounds of ammunition being carried for this weapon.
106 mm recoilless rifle
This version incorporates a modified pod with top opening doors with armament consisting of a 106 mm M40 recoilless rifle on a 150° rotating swing mount.
The weapon backblast cone has been coordinated with the slope angles of the vehicle hull to allow 10° of depression and 10° of elevation of the weapon.
The 106 mm M40 recoilless rifle is aimed using a 12.7 mm barrel-mounted spotting rifle for which 100 rounds of ammunition are carried. A total of 15 rounds of 106 mm ammunition are carried for the M40 recoilless rifle.
20 mm Cannon (1 m) turret
This one-man turret is armed with an Oerlikon Contraves 20 mm cannon and a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun. Turret traverse is powered through 360° with manual back-up, while weapon elevation is from −8 to +55°, also powered with manual back-up.
The turret is also fitted with an internally controlled hydraulic charger, turret ventilating blower, emergency firing triggers and a rate controller for the 20 mm weapon which allows firing of 1, 2, 4 rds/s or full automatic mode.
For night surveillance a 500,000 candlepower searchlight is coaxially mounted to the 20 mm cannon. Sighting equipment consists of a x8 monocular sight and unity periscope with projected graticule, eight direct view vision blocks and an external anti-aircraft sight.
The turret is designed to carry 200 rounds of ready use 20 mm ammunition and 220 rounds of ready use 7.62 mm ammunition. Hull stowage is provided for 200 rounds of 20 mm and 2,200 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition.
Operators
References
- Armored Car: A History of American Wheeled Combat Vehicles by R. P. Hunnicutt
- Jane's AFV Recognition Handbook, 4th Edition, by Christopher F. Foss
- U.S. Military Wheeled Vehicles, by Fred W. Crismon