GDLS UK Ajax

     Notes: The Ajax is both the designation for the class of vehicles to which the Ajax belongs and the designation of a specific vehicle, a reconnaissance/scout vehicle. The Ajax entered service with the British Army in 2017 and is still undergoing familiarization with the troops and units who are integrating it into their units.  Units equipped with the Ajax are expected to be ready for deployment by 2020. The Ajax was formerly known, during development, as the Scout Specialist Vehicle.  The roots of what would become the Ajax began in the early 1990s and the FRES (Future Rapid Effects Vehicle), which was also to have been a family of related vehicles, but did not bear fruit except in a general way.  The Ajax is based on General Dynamics Land Systems’ ASCOD 2 Common Base Platform, which is also a family of vehicles, and it beat out another family of vehicles developed from BAE/Hagglunds’ CV-9040. The Ajax family will replace the CVR(T) range of vehicles currently in service with the British Army.

     The Ajax has a wide turret ring and large turret basket, making it much more flexible and roomy than most AFVs.

     The Ajax is equipped with a state-of-the-art ISTAR package linked to its radios, computers, location and mapping system (based on GPS) and the British T-BMS system.  The ISTAR system uses several high-density solid-state hard drives which can store an estimated 12 TB of data and burst-transmit it to other friendly vehicles and higher HQ. The Ajax is generally connected to higher headquarters and other Internet capable vehicles via 20 Gbit intelligent open architecture system, which gives high speed internet connectivity as well as allowing for easy upgrading.  This Internet system is the primary method by which the Ajax transmits information to higher headquarters.  It uses the BOWMAN C4I system, which is a system which integrates HF, VHF, and UHF radios used by the Ajax, communicates with dismounted soldiers and other vehicles, and used encrypted frequency-hopping radios.  (This will be replaced with the MORPHEUS C4I system in the future.) The Ajax has a feature which is still relatively rare on AFVs: an acoustic shot detection system (actually, three total).  All crewmembers have an LCD screen, and have 100% access to all information the sensors find around them, BMS data, and vehicle state data.  The Ajax has a limited weather reconnaissance function, able to measure wind, barometric pressure, and general weather conditions. 

     Armor is of course classified, but rumors say that the Ajax is able to stop hits from 35mm autocannons from the front, 20mm autocannons from the sides, and 14.5mm rounds from the rear. The turret is said to have similar levels of protection, or perhaps slightly less.  Rumors also state that the armor is a combination of RHA, spaced armor, and composite armor in some strategic shots.  I’ll admit I’m not fond of rumor mills, but I’ll stat this in below. There are armored track skirts and an obvious piece of added armor on the upper sides of the vehicle.  Photos indicate that the Ajax is usually clad in radar and IR-reflective /absorbent camouflage-net-like form-fitting sheets, and the engine has IR suppression.  These two give the Ajax Stealth 1 and IR Stealth 2.  The floor armor is said to be very thick and includes spaced armor, able to take the blast of a 10-kilogram antiarmor mine. The tracks have unspecified resistance to mines, and are stronger than standard tracks. The Ajax can mount ERA or NERA on the glacis, hull sides, turret front, and turret sides.  The armor is also modular; when more advanced armor is available or the armor is damaged, the old armor can be easily removed and replaced.  The Ajax can also be equipped with cage armor; the Ajax is set up for this, but it is anticipated that it is only a contingency, since equipping the Ajax with cage armor would negate the Ajax’s Stealth rating.

     The Ajax has a crew of three: the driver, gunner/intelligence specialist, and the commander/intelligence specialist.  The driver is in the front left of the hull behind the glacis, while the gunner is normally stationed down in the turret, and the commander down inside or standing in his hatch on the turret right.  The gunner also has a hatch on the top turret right, but once the mission starts, he rarely uses it, staying inside with his sensor suite.  The gunner is the primary intelligence specialist, while the commander is generally on the lookout for hazards and enemy units, but also evaluates and gathers some intelligence data.  The commander is also responsible for monitoring the BMS and vehicle state computer.  The driver primarily uses his LCD for navigation and to monitor fuel state, speed, terrain, etc.  However, each crewmember may access 100% of the systems data. The crew has an air conditioner with NBC filters, NBC overpressure, and a passive APS.  The passive RWS’s decoy smoke is in addition to two clusters of four smoke grenade launchers on each side of the turret, which are electrically-fired by any crewmember as necessary.  As with almost all British vehicles, the Ajax has a ration/water heater; it also has a 30-liter chilled drinking water tank.

     Armament is surprisingly heavy for a reconnaissance vehicle, and advanced: the Ajax is armed with a CTAI 40mm CT40 autocannon, using case-telescoped ammunition which is lighter and more compact than standard 40mm ammunition, allowing for more ammunition onboard.  (A 45mm standard-ammo autocannon was tested, but dropped in favor of the high-powered CTAI gun.) The gun’s sensors can automatically find the most threatening targets, and at a command from the gunner, automatically lay the gun on the selected target.  The 40mm CTAS is also able to engage helicopters, low-flying aircraft, and UAVs. The coaxial machinegun is an L94A1 7.62mm weapon.  Ammunition is stored outside of the crew compartment in the turret bustle, except for ready-use ammunition (usually about 100 rounds of 40mm ammunition and 300 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition). The primary fire control system is Thales’ ORION system, which combines all sights, vision equipment, and fire control equipment into an integrated whole. If desired, a Kongsberg RWS may be mounted on the turret ahead of the gunner’s hatch; this RWS is projected to be armed with an M2HB heavy machinegun.  The RWS can be controlled by the commander or gunner. The commander’s station is equipped with a CITS, a reticle to aid in controlling artillery and air strikes, a reticle for the RWS (which may not be used if the Ajax is not equipped with an RWS), and a long-range laser designator with a range of 10,000 meters.

     The Ajax is powered by a German MTU V8 199 TE21 turbocharged diesel with a heat-dampened exhaust, developing 805 horsepower.  This is coupled to an automatic transmission, and the Ajax has power steering and power brakes.  It is also capable of pivot steering.  The Ajax has a 12kW APU for powering systems while on silent watch. The APU is diesel powered, using fuel from the vehicle’s fuel tanks, and also having a heat-dampened exhaust and otherwise under the vehicle’s armor, giving it protection and making it very quiet. An interesting fact (common to the entire Ajax family) is that it is capable of towing 62 tons, though if towing this much weight, fuel consumption is quadrupled.

*The RWS has a +4 Fire Control rating.

**Floor AV is 10Sp.   

FV-101 Scorpion

     Notes: Officially named the CVR-T (Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance – Tracked) by the British military, the Scorpion (also known as the Scorpion-76 to distinguish it from later 90mm-armed versions) is a light tank and scout vehicle developed to replace the Saladin armored car.  The first versions appeared in British ranks in 1972, and by 1987 over 3500 were built for the British Army and for export.  Most British Scorpions were replaced by the later Scimitar and Sabre, and the Scorpions sold to other countries (especially the turrets, which could be mounted on many different vehicles). Most British and Australian Scorpions have diesel instead of gasoline engines, but most export versions still have the original engine.  There is a hatch on the front left deck for the driver and two hatches on the turret deck for the commander and gunner.  Commander’s weapons are not fitted by default, but many such field modifications were carried out during the war.   The Scorpion requires a flotation screen to be raised to be amphibious; this takes about 5 minutes.

     The original engine for the Scorpion was a Jaguar J60 Mk 100b 4.2-liter 220-horsepower gasoline engine; this was later thought of as too fuel-hungry and replaced with a Cummins BTA 5.9-liter diesel engine developing 190 horsepower for most domestic and allied Scorpions, and all Scorpion-90s used this engine. Most export Scorpion-76s, however, were exported with the Jaguar gasoline engine. The Irish had to be different, and replaced their Jaguar engines with a Steyr M16 TCA HD 194.4-horsepower diesel engine. (The Irish also developed a fume extractor for the L23A1 76mm gun.) The Scorpion-76 originally used a David Brown TN15 manual transmission, but this was later changed to a TN15X automatic transmission when the diesel engines replaced the gasoline engines. The Scorpion is noted for having a low ground pressure, little more per square centimeter than a soldier on foot; this particularly served well on the boggy ground of the Falklands.

     The Scorpion-76 used a 76mm L23A1 short-barreled main gun, which has an elevation range of +35 degrees and -10 degrees; this was placed in a manual-traverse turret which was hand-cranked and slow, and later, electric traverse was installed. The main gun was, after long deliberation, declared unsatisfactory, as the L23A1 lacked a fume extractor and toxic fumes gradually concentrated inside the turret, gradually making the turret unlivable in a fight.  This led to the Scorpion-90 version and vehicles like the Scimitar (below).

     The Scorpion is NBC sealed and has an overpressure system. The driver is on the front left behind the glacis; the commander is on the right side of the gun in the turret, with the gunner to the left.  Each has a hatch above them.

     The Scorpion-90 is the standard FV-101 Scorpion light tank, but with a 90mm Cockerill gun instead of the standard 76mm Cockerill.  These vehicles were normally built with a diesel engine instead of the normal gasoline engine.  They were built primarily for export, and Malaysia, Nigeria, Venezuela, and a few other countries ordered this variant. 

     The Scorpion-76 saw combat use by the British in Cyprus in 1974, and in the Falklands in 1982. They were occasionally called out as an antiterrorist measure to Heathrow Airport during the 1970s and 1980s. The British used Scorpion-76s during the 1991 Gulf War. The Iranians used the Scorpion-90 during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, with various degrees of success; the Iranians continue to use the Scorpion hulls, topped with a multiple Toophan (Iranian TOW 2 copy) ATGM system (I will put these in Iranian ATGM Vehicles), or with the standard turret and a Toophan launcher added atop the turret; these are called by Iranians Tosans. The Australians put a large number of Scorpion-76 turrets on M113A1 hulls to use as fire support vehicles, and these were only retired from active service in 1996. Scorpions were exported far and wide, sometimes being third-hand vehicles, particularly in Africa and the Middle East, as well as Chile, Southeast Asia, Venezuela, and the Philippines.  Nigerian Scorpion-90s have an upgraded Belgian OIP-5 fire control system incorporating a ballistic computer. UAE Scorpion-76s are similarly upgraded, with the Pilkington Optronics TLS system.  Omani Scorpion-76s have an additional 20mm-thick steel plate installed under the hull floor for increased mine resistance; they are also equipped with special flaps around the tracks for dust suppression. The heaters and NBC system were removed and replaced with an air conditioner. Belgian Scorpion-76s were equipped with mounting lugs for applique armor (along with Belgian Scimitars) along with an armor repair kit (for sealing cracks) and minor improvements for crew comfort and ergonomics.  These Scorpions were later sold to Botswana, after modifying them into Scorpion-90s. New Zealander Scorpion-76s had their NBC systems, night vision, and amphibious systems removed, and were upgraded with electronic fuel injection and US-built secure radios. The New Zealander Scorpion-76s later had their turrets removed and placed on M113A1 APCs, producing a vehicle similar to the Australian M113A1 MRV. Jordanian Scorpions are being upgraded with a number of improvements and modifications, including a new 235-horsepower diesel engine with a matching transmission, replacement of the main gun with a 30mm 2A72 autocannon, addition of a pair of AT-8 ATGM on each side of the turret, an upgraded suspension for a smoother ride, a new electrical bus, upgraded stabilization and fire control including an auto-tracking system, upgraded night vision, and air conditioning.

     The Scorpion-76 holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest tank, doing 82.23 kilometers per hour at the QinetiQ Test Track in Chertsey, Surrey on 26 Jan 02.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: They were in official service with 15 countries by the time of the Twilight War; one unusual user was the US Army and Marines, who ordered about 40 of them before the war for evaluation purposes, then put them to use during the war with about 12 going to the Marines and the other 28 going to the US Army’s 9^th Infantry Division. The US Marines had a number of them on loan from Britain before the Twilight War for evaluation as a fire support vehicle; when the Marines were deployed to Norway, they bought the test vehicles and ordered a few more for use in that campaign.  The Marines primarily used the Scorpion-76, while about half of the Army’s Scorpions were Scorpion-90s.

*Hull floor AV is 6.

FV-107 Scimitar

     Notes: This is basically a Scorpion with a slightly different turret mounting a 30mm Rarden autocannon instead of the 76mm gun.  Other than being slightly lighter than the Scorpion and having a smoother-riding suspension and better night vision suite, the Scimitar is identical to the Scorpion.  Most British versions are powered by the 190-horsepower diesel engine, but most export versions are powered by the 220-horsepower gasoline engine. 

     The Scimitar was employed by the British Army in the reconnaissance role.  The Scimitar was replaced by the Ajax, but as Ajax production has not been as fast as desired, Warrior IFVs have supplemented the Ajax in the reconnaissance role temporarily. Scimitar Mk 2s have also been shipped to Ukraine, and to Latvia. Jordan employs some 175 Mk 1 examples. Nigeria fields five Scimitar Mk 1s, while Honduras has three. Belgium used Scimitars until 2010, and still maintains them in a reserve role. Scimitars have seen combat use in the Falklands, in the Gulf War, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Ukraine.

     The Scimitar Mk 2 is designed for the export market, as Britain and Belgium passed on it. The engine is upgraded over the Scimitar, and the transmission is a David Brown TN15E+ automatic transmission. The engine is a little more fuel-efficient and the transmission provides more electrical power to Scimitar Mk 2 subsystems. This allowed an air conditioner to be installed. The interior is rearranged over the Mk 1, which allows the fuel tanks to be moved to a position where they are better protected by armor. Armor is enhanced over the Mk 1, including heavy plating on the hull floor, ceramic applique, and bar/slat armor for protection against RPGs. Armor has been added to the hull and turret roof. The hand-cranked turret traversed has been replaced with an electrically-powered solution. The Mk 2 has limited ECM to provide jamming of IED and mine fuzes. Located on the turret roof, the ECM transmitter jams the IED and mine fuzes on a task roll of 14 and a difficulty level of Difficult under most circumstances. In addition to the added hull floor plating, the Mk 2 has blast-resistant seats. Weight has ballooned, but Ukrainian Scimitar Mk 2 crews applaud the added protection despite the decreased agility. Due to its weight and the inability to employ a floatation screen, the Mk 2 is not amphibious.

     The Sabre is a Scorpion light tank fitted with the turret of the Fox armored car, along with some upgrades in engine, transmission, smoke grenade launchers, and stowage. This was done to save money on the introduction of a new reconnaissance vehicle. The idea of the Sabre was to produce a vehicle similar in capability to the Scimitar, but with a lower profile turret; however, due to suspension improvements, the Sabre sits higher than the Scimitar despite the lower-profile turret, though it is superior to the Scimitar in a hull-down position. The Sabre has a laser and radar detector linked to the vehicle’s smoke grenade launchers, allowing automatic or manual launching of smoke grenades. The smoke grenades may also be replaced with fragmentation grenades or flares. The coaxial machinegun on the Sabre is fed by an ammunition hopper, allowing fresh rounds to be simply poured into the hopper, reloading faster than a belt-fed machinegun. Unfortunately, the Sabre was not considered a successful design and it was withdrawn from service in 2004. Combat deployments included Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Yugoslavian Civil Wars.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: 104 Sabre conversions were carried out before the Twilight War, but few were carried out after the war began as it was felt as many vehicles as possible would be needed as possible. The Scimitar Mk 2 is a rare bird, but did see service in the Twilight War.

*Hull Floor armor is AV5Sp; Hull and Turret Roof AV is 3.

FV-432 Cymbeline Mk 2

     Notes: This is an FV-432 Mk 2 armored personnel carrier fitted with a Cymbeline counterbattery/ground surveillance radar set. The basic chassis has a driver’s compartment on the front left deck; behind him and slightly to the right is the commander’s cupola. The usual practice of surrounding the cupola with gun shields was not done on this version of the FV432 – the shields would interfere with the radar. The roof hatch, and indeed most of the roof, is replaced by the radar set and mount. A cluster of three smoke grenade launchers are found on each side of the vehicle at the top of the glacis. The radar and the associated equipment takes up almost the entire passenger area of the vehicle, and there is no room for passengers.  The interior has the electronic equipment, turntable, and radar receiver and transmitter, along with a computer to help interpret the signals from the radar. Also present are several radios, including at least one data-capable radio to transmit the radar’s findings to other units and higher headquarters. The computer may also be connected by cable to other vehicles and units – depending upon the type of cable, this may stretch for kilometers. The vehicle is powered by a Rolls-Royce K60 multifuel engine; the Radar Vehicle is often accompanied by a vehicle or trailer mounting a generator so the FV432 does not have to continually run its engine or deplete its batteries.

     The Cymbeline radar has a ground surveillance range of 10 km and a counterbattery range of up to 20 km. The radar scans in the X-Band at a 100-kilowatt signal output. The counterbattery function could locate a mortar-firing position within 50 meters. 81mm mortars can be detected at a range of 10 kilometers; larger mortars can be detected at a range of 20 kilometers. The radar dish may rotate 360 degrees. The Cymbeline Mk 2 uses a Foster Scanner to convert a relatively narrow beam to one 720 mils wide (720 meters wide at 1000 meters range) and 30 mils high; these are then split by radar horns into beams that are 25, 40, 45, 65, and 90 mils wide for more precise location and detection.