Alvis Saladin
Encyclopedia
The Saladin is a six-wheeled armoured car built by Alvis
, and fitted with a 76mm gun.
Used extensively by the British Army
, it replaced the AEC Armoured Car
that had been in service since World War II
.
armoured personnel carrier, Stalwart High Mobility Load Carrier and Salamander
fire tender. It is named after the warrior Saladin
, Alvis using names beginning with an "S" for the whole range of FV600 vehicles.
The Saladin was used by B sqn 16/5 Lancers during their defence of Nicosia airport in 1974 and subsequent armed recce operations under the banner of the UN.
Indonesian Army (TNI AD) use the Saladin for "KOSTRAD Cavalry Batallion", "KOSTRAD Recon Company" and Armoured Car Company.
The Australian Army
mounted Saladin turrets on M113A1 APCs
to produce the Fire Support Vehicle. This was later renamed as the Medium Reconnaissance Vehicle after the somewhat unreliable turret was replaced by the turret from the FV101 Scorpion
Light Tank
. Royal Australian Armoured Corps(RAAC) personnel referred to them as "Beasts". The Sri Lanka Armoured Corps
used Saladins extensively during the early stages of the Sri Lankan Civil War
and remained in reserve status till the end of the war in 2009. It forms the Tank Crew pin of the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps.
Saladin armoured cars could be seen in the streets of the Honduran Capital Tegucigalpa
in the 2009 coup
against President Manuel Zelaya
.
There is an Alvis Saladin at Sri Lanka Armoured Corps Training Centre, Anuradhapura - a gate guard.
Several Saladin Armoured Car parked at a tank garage at The Indonesian Army 4th Cavalry Battalion.
There is a Saladin Armoured Car in Bovington Tank Museum
, Dorset, England.
There is a Saladin at the York depot of the Queen's Own Yeomanry
, a Territorial Army
regiment.
There is also a non-functioning Alvis Saladin displayed outside the Lebanese Army's Military Outpost in the mountain region of Baabda
located between Hammana
and Chbaniyeh.
An American college sports enthusiasts club in Knoxville, Tennessee, the "Big Orange Army" operates a Saladin painted orange as an advertising device.
Alvis Cars
Alvis Car and Engineering Company Ltd was a British manufacturing company that existed in Coventry, England from 19191967. In addition to automobiles designed for the civilian market, the company also produced racing cars, aircraft engines, armoured cars and other armoured fighting vehicles, the...
, and fitted with a 76mm gun.
Used extensively by the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, it replaced the AEC Armoured Car
AEC Armoured Car
AEC Armoured Car is a series of heavy armoured cars built by the Associated Equipment Company during the Second World War.-History:AEC of Southall, Middlesex was a manufacturer of truck and bus chassis and its Matador artillery tractor was used for towing medium field and heavy anti-aircraft guns...
that had been in service since World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
History
The Saladin was the armoured car of Alvis' FV600 series, using similar suspension and drivetrain components to the SaracenAlvis Saracen
The FV603 Saracen is a six-wheeled armoured personnel carrier built by Alvis and used by the British army. It became a recognisable vehicle as a result of its part in the policing of Northern Ireland.-History:...
armoured personnel carrier, Stalwart High Mobility Load Carrier and Salamander
Alvis Salamander
The Alvis Salamander is a 6X6 Airport Crash Tender with off-road capabilities, developed in 1956.It shares the same common six-wheel-drive chassis and other components with the FV 601 Saladin armoured car and FV 603 Saracen armoured personnel carrier...
fire tender. It is named after the warrior Saladin
Saladin
Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb , better known in the Western world as Saladin, was an Arabized Kurdish Muslim, who became the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, and founded the Ayyubid dynasty. He led Muslim and Arab opposition to the Franks and other European Crusaders in the Levant...
, Alvis using names beginning with an "S" for the whole range of FV600 vehicles.
The Saladin was used by B sqn 16/5 Lancers during their defence of Nicosia airport in 1974 and subsequent armed recce operations under the banner of the UN.
Indonesian Army (TNI AD) use the Saladin for "KOSTRAD Cavalry Batallion", "KOSTRAD Recon Company" and Armoured Car Company.
The Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
mounted Saladin turrets on M113A1 APCs
M113 Armored Personnel Carrier
The M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier that has formed the backbone of the United States Army's mechanized infantry units from the time of its first fielding in Vietnam in April 1962. The M113 was the most widely used armored vehicle of the U.S...
to produce the Fire Support Vehicle. This was later renamed as the Medium Reconnaissance Vehicle after the somewhat unreliable turret was replaced by the turret from the FV101 Scorpion
FV101 Scorpion
The FV101 Scorpion is a British armoured reconnaissance vehicle. It was the lead vehicle and the fire support type in the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance , CVR, family of seven armoured vehicles...
Light Tank
Light tank
A light tank is a tank variant initially designed for rapid movement, and now primarily employed in low-intensity conflict. Early light tanks were generally armed and armored similar to an armored car, but used tracks in order to provide better cross-country mobility.The light tank was a major...
. Royal Australian Armoured Corps(RAAC) personnel referred to them as "Beasts". The Sri Lanka Armoured Corps
Sri Lanka Armoured Corps
The Sri Lanka Armoured Corps is currently a collection of six regular regiments and a volunteer regiment. It has an independent Armoured Brigade and provides the armour capability of the Sri Lankan Army, with vehicles such as the T-55, T-55AM2, and Type 69 main battle tanks, the BMP infantry...
used Saladins extensively during the early stages of the Sri Lankan Civil War
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
and remained in reserve status till the end of the war in 2009. It forms the Tank Crew pin of the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps.
Saladin armoured cars could be seen in the streets of the Honduran Capital Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa , and commonly referred as Tegus , is the capital of Honduras and seat of government of the Republic, along with its twin sister Comayagüela. Founded on September 29, 1578 by the Spanish, it became the country's capital on October 30, 1880 under President Marco Aurelio Soto...
in the 2009 coup
2009 Honduran coup d'état
The 2009 Honduran coup d'état, part of the 2009 Honduran constitutional crisis, occurred when the Honduran Army ousted President Manuel Zelaya and sent him into exile on June 28, 2009. It was prompted by his attempts to schedule a non binding poll on holding a referendum about convening a...
against President Manuel Zelaya
Manuel Zelaya
José Manuel Zelaya Rosales is a politician who was President of Honduras from January 27, 2006 until June 28, 2009. The eldest son of a wealthy businessman, he inherited his father's nickname "Mel," and, before entering politics, was involved in his family's logging and timber businesses.Elected...
.
Surviving Vehicles
This is an incomplete list.There is an Alvis Saladin at Sri Lanka Armoured Corps Training Centre, Anuradhapura - a gate guard.
Several Saladin Armoured Car parked at a tank garage at The Indonesian Army 4th Cavalry Battalion.
There is a Saladin Armoured Car in Bovington Tank Museum
Bovington Tank Museum
The Tank Museum is a collection of armoured fighting vehicles in the United Kingdom that traces the history of the tank. With almost 300 vehicles on exhibition from 26 countries it is the second-largest collection of tanks and armoured fighting vehicles in the world.The Musée des Blindés in France...
, Dorset, England.
There is a Saladin at the York depot of the Queen's Own Yeomanry
Queen's Own Yeomanry
The Queen's Own Yeomanry is an armoured regiment of the British Territorial Army. The Queen's Own Yeomanry is the only Yeomanry regiment that serves in the formation reconnaissance role, equipped with the CVR family of armoured reconnaissance vehicles, including Scimitar and Spartan.On...
, a Territorial Army
Territorial Army
The Territorial Army is the part time volunteer force of the British Army. With around 35,500 members, the TA forms about a quarter of the overall manpower strength of the British Army. TA members regularly volunteer to serve overseas on operations, either with TA units, or as individuals...
regiment.
There is also a non-functioning Alvis Saladin displayed outside the Lebanese Army's Military Outpost in the mountain region of Baabda
Baabda District
Baabda District , sometimes spelled B'abda, is a district in Mount Lebanon, Lebanon, to the south and east of the Lebanon's capital Beirut...
located between Hammana
Hammana
Hammana is a town in Lebanon, about 26 km East of Beirut. Hammana sits at an altitude of 1200m above sea-level. It is in the Mount Lebanon Governorate in the district of Baabda. Nearby are the towns of Falougha, Chbaniyeh and Mdeyrig.Hammana has multiple water sources...
and Chbaniyeh.
An American college sports enthusiasts club in Knoxville, Tennessee, the "Big Orange Army" operates a Saladin painted orange as an advertising device.