Panhard AML

     Notes: Manufactured by the French firm of Panhard, the 4x4 AML comes in several types:  The AML-90 is armed with a French 90mm gun, the AML-60-12 with a 60mm gun/mortar and M2HB, and the AML-60-20 with a 20mm autocannon and 60mm gun/mortar.  Both versions have a door on each side, and a hatch on top of the turret for the commander and gunner. The AML is partially related to the British Daimler Ferret, and has several similarities to that design; the AML was originally to have been a license-produced Ferret. Production began in 1960, and over 4000 were produced by the early 1980s. The AML was designed specifically for counterinsurgency work, especially in France’s involvement in the Algerian War. Most were originally produced with a gasoline engine, but some were upgraded with more powerful diesel engines; the diesel engine I am modeling here is an Israeli 102-horsepower engine, though other upgrades have been undertaken with several different engines.

     The AML has an interesting “feature,” in that, due to the nature of its coil spring suspension and drum brakes, the steering wheel cannot be turned while the AML is stationary – you cannot start off going into a turn and must instead get going 2-3 meters before turning the wheel.  In addition, turning the wheel requires a modicum of strength, as does braking. (Like an M113, for different reasons, one will build upper body strength driving an AML.) Though the AML has a manual transmission, there is no clutch pedal; instead, the clutch is engaged by gripping the gearshift, which is located on the floor of the driving compartment, which strangely is located behind the driver’s seat. The powerplant design was borrowed from the Panhard EBR and is a 90-horsepower gasoline-fueled engine, which is somewhat underpowered and prone to mechanical breakdowns in hot weather.  This engine was designed to fit into the space available in the AML’s engine compartment; though several engines were tried in the AML to solve the powerplant problem; all of these retrofits required a costly rebuilding of the AML’s engine compartment, and only a diesel variant of the engine went into production. The small size of the AML makes the turret basket cramped, and little room is available above the turret ring without unbalancing the vehicle. The space problem is especially acute in the AML-90, with the relatively huge gun breech and recoil stroke. The driver is on the center front deck; the commander is on the left side of the turret, with the gunner on the right. Either the commander or gunner may operate the searchlight from inside the turret. There is a door on either side of the hull, with the one on the right side for the driver’s entry and exit and the one on the left side for emergency purposes. The left side door is a bit heavy to open, as it normally mounts a spare tire or fuel or water cans. The AML’s wheels have nitrogen-filled inner tubes granting the AML a run-flat capability.

     AMLs equipped with the 60mm Brandt LF gun/mortar have an elevation limit of +80 degrees and a depression of -15 degrees. A command variant of the AML-60-7 was produced, which has more communications equipment and a reduced load of mortar shells and machinegun ammunition. The commander carries out observation through a binocular periscope, while the gunner’s sight uses a monocular telescope and an indirect fire sight. The AML-60-20 is upgraded with the Serval turret, which had more room for the larger Brandt LR gun/mortar which had a barrel much longer than the CS DTAT gun/mortar and a larger breech.  Unfortunately, the larger mortar along with the autocannon exacerbated the tight space even with the larger turret. This turret also included an electronic fire control system.

     The AML-90 had a then-new low-pressure short-recoil 90mm main gun, which was specifically designed for rearguard duties and to engage and destroy Soviet Airborne vehicles which were likely to be employed by parachuting forces.  It later showed an ability to destroy T-55 tanks in Israeli use and in Africa. However, the range is poor compared to T-55s and newer armored vehicles and proved to be a handicap in employment against such forces. An amphibious variant of the AML-90 was also produced, with bulged side panels inflated with polyurethane and propellers.

     The AML-90 Lynx turret upgrades the fire control and stabilization of the 90mm gun, borrowed from AMX-10RC.  The upgrade replaced the day telescopic and binocular telescopic sights with sights based on an image intensification system. The new sights also increased the first-round hit probability at long range. The searchlight was moved to the left side of the main gun, adjacent to the coaxial machinegun, with the image intensifier sight mounted on the right side of the main gun. Two alternate engines were offered, a 95-horsepower diesel or a 115-horsepower diesel. The main gun is modified to allow the firing of APFSDS rounds, further increasing its anti-armor efficacy. In contrast to other AML turrets’ manual traverse, the Lynx had hydraulic turret traverse. The commander has a domed cupola with all-around vision blocks.

     The AML-20 is a light fire support version of the AML, armed with a single 20mm autocannon and a coaxial machinegun.  By the commander’s hatch is a mount for another machinegun. The turret has power traverse and elevation for the turret and armament, and the main armament could be elevated to +50 degrees and depressed to -8 degrees. Unlike the AML-60-20, the M693 autocannon as installed in the AML-20 has room for a dual-feed mechanism, allowing antipersonnel and antiarmor ammunition to both be loaded and ready to fire.  Two different turrets were offered for the AML-20, the SAMM TL-120 SO and the Denel LCT-20.  The SAMM turret was noted for its thicker frontal armor, though it was open-topped.  The commander did not have a way to direct fire from the main armament, with only the gunner able to acquire targets. The LCT-20 turret was more sophisticated and had a roof instead of being open topped. It had night vision for the gunner and commander, and the commander’s hatch was domed and had four panels of bullet-resistant glass. Sights for the main armament were provided for both the commander and gunner, with the commander having override controls for the autocannon and coax.

     For testing purposes, an AML-90 turret was modified to mount an HS 831 30mm autocannon, with a coaxial machinegun.  This was the AML-30. This variant did not elicit any interest from the domestic or export markets and it was not continued with, though a further variant with amphibious capability was also devised. A variant was also devised mounting four launchers for SS-11 or SS-12 ATGM, but this variant was also not proceeded with.

     The Jordanians fitted the complete turret of the FV107 Scimitar light tank on an AML chassis, and operated them for a while in the 1980s. These were then retired to museums, displays, and ranges.

     Kenyan AML-60s and AML-90s have been completely refurbished by the Israelis, and come out of this refurbishment with a Wear Value of 1.

*The turret is open-topped, and the AV for the Turret Roof is 0,

GIAT AMX-10RC

     Notes: This reconnaissance vehicle first equipped French forces in 1976.  The AMX-10RC has been described as more of a light wheeled tank than a scout car, with its powerful 105mm gun.  Other users include Morocco (where they make up a substantial part of the armored forces of that country) and Qatar.  Many of the automotive components of the AMX-10RC are the same as on the AMX-10P tracked armored personnel carrier, with about 40% parts commonality, especially in the engine, transmission, and steering mechanisms.  The AMX-10RC has air conditioning and heating. The first half of production used a French-made gun, while later vehicles had a gun that fires NATO standard ammunition.  The driver’s hatch is in the front center of the vehicle, and there are two hatches on the turret deck for the commander and loader.  Though it is not a part of the vehicle as delivered, it was a common practice to equip these hatches with weapon mounts. The AMX-10RC has an NBC Overpressure system and may conduct reconnaissance on a contaminated battlefield.

     Part of the AMX-10RC’s first production run was powered by an HS 115-2 multifuel supercharged diesel engine developing 249 horsepower. In 1985, this engine was replaced in production with the Baudouin 6F11 SRX supercharged diesel developing 280 horsepower. Eventually, this engine was retrofitted to all French AMX-10RCs. The AMX-10RC is amphibious with preparation, propelled in the water by waterjets. The transmission has four reverse and four forward gears, as well as a parking gear and a neutral gear. The AMX-10RC is skid steered and can perform a pivot turn. The suspension is 6x6 and has a Hydropneumatic suspension with variable ground clearance and tilt. The driver has access to a central tire pressure regulation system. Each wheel has a shock absorber.

     The main gun is a 105mm F2 BK MECA Gun; this fires proprietary 105x527R ammunition, designed specifically for this gun as mounted in the AMX-10RC. This gun was also designed specifically for the AMX-10RC to take up less space than the NATO M68/L7. The turret has storage for 12 rounds, with the rest being stored in the hull.  All of the coax’s ammunition is stored in the turret.

     Production of the first version stopped in 1994, with all versions being upgraded in several ways. The LLTV equipment was replaced with CASTOR thermal imaging sights, applique armor was added, and an EIREL IR jammer was fitted, giving the AMX-10RC the equivalent of IRCM 1.  The original muzzle brake was replaced with a better one featuring 10% better recoil reduction.  The heavier vehicle is no longer amphibious, and the bilge pumps and waterjets have been removed.

     The AMX-10RC 105 TML is a progressive upgrade of the AMX-10RC armored reconnaissance vehicle, with appliqué armor, upgraded night vision, improved stabilization, and a Finders C2R Battle Management System for a commander to keep track of his units and enemy units on a computerized system.  A more powerful engine has been installed to cope with the extra weight. A turret with a bustle-mounted autoloader is an option; the installation of this turret reduces the crew requirement by one, and requires a new turret with 22 rounds kept in the bustle for the autoloader (other rounds carried in the hull must be loaded into the bustle before the autoloader can index them). This variant of the AMX-10RC is armed with a 105mm G2 high-pressure main gun, equivalent to a NATO standard gun and firing NATO standard ammunition. Though this modification was given a hard look, in the end it was not undertaken.

     The 2000 AMX-10RCR upgrade for the most part duplicates the 105 TML upgrade, though using the standard main gun instead of the G2 gun. The additional armor is more tightly integrated into the vehicle, making the AMX-10RCR lighter than earlier additional armor designs, and includes armored side skirts. A SAGEM hard-kill APS is also installed, along with EIREL IR jammer, and set of LIRE IR flare launchers.  The AMX-10RCR is also equipped with Galix smoke grenade launchers which can also fire flare or explosive rounds.  The AMX-10RCR is equipped with a SIT V1 battlefield management system and fitted with up-to-date Thales PR4G VS4 frequency-hopping secure radios. The main gun remains the F2, but it paired to an advanced computerized fire control system.  The NBC Overpressure is paired with an NBC-resistant air conditioning system. The transmission is now automatic, and the controls power boosted, though the engine remains the same. The turret is a bit larger, allowing the installation of an additional radio (in addition to the 2-4 already installed) and battlefield management equipment.

     The AMX-10RAC is essentially the same AMX-10RC hull, topped with the TS-90 turret armed with a 90mm main gun; as found on the AMX-10 PAC 90 and Renault VBC-90. One prototype was completed, but it found no takers on the international market and was dropped. The AMX-10RCM variant was proposed in the early 2000s; it featured a new modular turret armed with a 120mm NATO-compatible main gun. This variant never made it beyond the design board. The AMX-10RC T40M is an AMX-10RC with the Nexter T40M turret.  This turret is armed with a 40mm autocannon, coaxial machinegun, a roof-mounted RCS with machinegun integrated into the commander’s hatch, and 2 ATGM pods.  The AMX-10RC T40M was a testbed produced in order to test-fire the 40mm CTA autocannon on a working hull, as the turret would be later mounted on the EBRC Jaguar. On the testbed, the missile pods were mockups, but the stats below reflect a “what if” variant.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: Most of the French vehicles were deployed by the Foreign Legion, with about 50 being retained for use on the Franco-German border and 25 elsewhere in France. 

*Belly armor with the anti-mine kit is AV 6Sp.

**Belly armor with the anti-mine kit is AV 7Sp.

Panhard EBR

     Notes: This is one of the first armored vehicles built in France after the Second World War, but it is based on a pre-World War 2 design, much improved and updated with the technology of the post-war world.  Even so, it is a very old design, almost totally replaced by 2000 in the French Army by the AMX-10RC, and found primarily in the hands of Indonesia, Mauritania, Morocco (in small numbers), Portugal, and Tunisia.  West Germany also employed a small number of EBR M1954s with their Border Police. The assembly line for the EBR was shut down in 1960, though conversions were performed until 1969.  The EBR experienced combat service in the Algerian War, the Portuguese Colonial War, and various African hotspots.

     The EBR has a low profile with four roadwheels and four steel-rimmed floating wheels to ease travel over rough terrain and prevent bottoming out.  The floating wheels are powered, and the suspension is 8x8, but the floating wheels can be raised for roads or level ground. The tires consist of Veil-Picard tubes, which are nitrogen-filled and designed to absorb bullet hits to an extent. In addition, the tires are bullet resistant. The floating wheels have aluminum rims and steel grousers, and outer rubber blocks. The engine is a Panhard 12 H6000S Flat12 gasoline engine delivering 200 horsepower. (“Flat” is not an exaggeration; the entire engine is only 23 centimeters tall.) The transmission is manual and has 4 gears front and reverse. A novel feature is the front and rear driver stations; the EBR is capable of being driven with equal speed and maneuverability in either direction; however, the Moroccans and Tunisians tend to fill the rear driver’s position with supplies and leave the second driver at home (allowing an extra 150 kg to be carried).  There are hatches in the front and back decks for the two drivers, and two hatches on the turret deck for the commander and gunner. The engine is mounted under the turret basket of the EBR, which unfortunately means the turret must be removed to conduct major service on the engine. It’s also a mechanically complex piece of equipment.  The engine is rather loud when running, negating stealthy approaches despite the EBR’s low profile.

     The turret of the EBR a modified form of the FL-11 turret mounted on AMX-13 light tank, armed with a 75mm SA-49 gun, using the ammunition of the US M3 gun, already used by M4 Shermans and M24 Chaffee in postwar French service, and of the Mle 97 antitank gun. The gun is short-barreled.  Despite the AMX-13 turret, the EBR’s gun was manually loaded and did not include the AMX-13’s magazine-fed autoloader. The oscillating turret design for the elevation and depression was retained. This version, also called the EBR M1951, was produced from 1951-1954, with 836 being built.  Each driver had a hull-mounted MAC31 Reibel machinegun, and another one was mounted coaxial to the main gun.  Sometimes, the commander’s cupola was fitted with a pintle mount and another MAC31, but this was not standard and is not addressed in the stats below.  There are two smoke grenade launchers on either side of the turret. As the rear of the turret is a large stowage basket.

     650 of these vehicles were later modified between 1964 and 1968, with the main guns rebored out to 90mm and fitted with a large T-shaped muzzle brake, becoming the CN90 F2 90mm low-pressure gun. These are M1951Rs.

     Starting in 1954, an improved version was fielded, with a total of 279 EBR M1954s being built.  This version had a variant of the FL-10 oscillating turret (again, a variant of the AMX-13’s turret) mounted.  This version was armed with a long-barreled high-velocity SA-50 gun fed by a pair of 6-round magazines in the rear of the turret.  The M1954 was largely retired from French service in 1964, but some were reworked into command variants by removing their main gun and ammunition racks, replacing them with a map table and long-range radios (which were at that time very large). The command variant also has a set of two binocular periscopes.

     The EBR-ETT was an APC variant of the EBR. It was designed for use as a troop carrier for use in French cavalry squadrons.  They were not adopted by the French Army, but were adopted by the Portuguese Army. This consisted of a hull similar to the AMX-VTT APC (APC variant of the AMX-13) mounted on the EBR chassis. They were heavily armed, with a heavy machinegun on a ring mount on the commander’s position and a pair of medium machineguns, while retaining the driver’s hull-mounted front machinegun. There are two primitive firing ports on the sides and one firing port in the rear of the vehicle, but these are simply holes cut into the armor of the vehicle along with vision blocks. The roof of the passenger compartment has two long hatches. The smoke grenade launchers are moved to the front sides of the passenger compartment.  There are two doors on the rear face.

Panhard ERC

     Notes: The ERC began as a private venture by Panhard; military manufacturers sometimes do this, hoping that the domestic and international markets see that a design is good and want to buy it. The French Army did not buy the ERC (and its sister APC, the VCR), but several other countries did, including large orders from Mexico and Argentina, and smaller orders from Gabon, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Chad, and Nigeria.  They have seen combat service in the various brushfire wars in Africa, and in Mexico against the drug cartels.  The first production orders were for the ERC-90 F1 Lynx variant; the orders from Mexico and Argentina were for this variant, and both countries cited the Lynx’s greater ability to depress and elevate the main gun as reasons they chose this variant. Lynx production began in 1977, with the Sagaie beginning production in 1979. Iraq showed early interest in a version of the Lynx topped with a UTM800 turret; these are the VCR/TH found in French ATGM Vehicles.

     The ERC-90 F1 Lynx uses a lighter form of 90mm cannon, the CN90 F1, but this gun is hampered by its lack of antiarmor effect, and the Lynx is suited primarily for reconnaissance or, as the Mexicans and Argentines use it, as a fire support vehicle. The Lynx also has a coaxial machinegun and a machinegun on a pintle mount by the commander’s hatch on a ring mount. The Lynx is equipped with a laser rangefinder/designator. The central wheels are powered and the suspension is 6x6.  The center wheels may be raised for better efficiency on roads, and the Lynx is amphibious without preparation, propelled in the water by waterjets. The driver’s hatch is on the right side of the hull, and the commander and gunner’s hatches are on the turret deck.  The Lynx was powered by a 155-horsepower Peugeot gasoline engine. The Lynx can climb a 60% hill and a 40% side slope, climb over a 0.8-meter wall, and cross a 1.1-meter trench. The vehicle has automatic fire extinguishers, an NBC Overpressure system (with a later upgrade giving the Lynx an air conditioner), and three smoke grenade launchers on each side of the turret. Armor is decent for such a light vehicle, and sloping is marked.

     The ERC-90 F4 Sagaie 1 was designed in response to a need for a reconnaissance vehicle which could double as a light tank destroyer. To this end, the Sagaie 1 mounts a CN90 F4 main gun in a GIAT TS90 turret which can fire APFSDS rounds as well as other types of ammunition. The base vehicle was ready at the same time as the Lynx, but GIAT’s engineers had a hard time trying to find a muzzle brake which would work with APFSDS ammunition. In the end, they used the muzzle brake found on the AMX-13 light tank. Ivory Coast was the first export customer, and as the AMX-10RC would not fit in the Transall C-160s or C-130 aircraft, and most of the bridges in the area of Africa that France operated in had a 6-8-ton weight limit, the French Army ordered Sagaie 1s to equip part of their FDF Brigades as well as use by the Foreign Legion and Marines 160 French Sagaie 1s were converted in 1987 to a 170-horsepower diesel engine; by the early 1990s, most of these upgrades were complete, and the upgrade engine was offered on the international market. In addition to the different turret shape, the Sagaie 1 may be identified by its wrap-around turret basket.

     The Sagaie 1 has a weakness: it’s low power-to-weight ratio.  The Sagaie 2 addresses it by the mounting of two 98-horsepower diesel engines, for a total of 196 horsepower. The turret it uses is different, being the long and wide SAMM TTB-190 with more ammunition storage, and the hull is extended to make room for the double engine. The only known customer of this version was Gabon.  Its larger tires can distinguish this version. A prototype version of the Sagaie 2 with a pair of 123-horsepower gasoline engines was designed, but not produced.

     Prototypes of an ERC-60-20 with the Serval turret of the AML were produced, but don’t appear to have had any takers. The EMC-91, a version with a breech-loaded 81mm mortar, was produced as a prototype, but I don’t have enough information to stat it out.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: Some Sagaie 2s were diverted for French use from shipments originally meant for Gabon.

Renault/Saviem VBC-90

     Notes: The VBC-90 is a French-built, 6x6, armored car, intended for both domestic use and the export market. It is noted for its high-velocity long-barreled gun paired with a sophisticated fire control and ranging system.  It is based on the VAB APC, topped with a lower hull and a large turret. After France took the VAB into service in 1978, Renault developed a reconnaissance vehicle would be needed with similar specifications, and better yet, a similar parts train and logistics, but fitted with a different-shaped hull and turret. The VBC, however, was not designed to French Army requirements, nor was it ordered by any large army or was in receipt of any large orders. The VBC-90 however replaced the AMX-13 in Gendarmerie service, and was replaced by the Italian-made B1 Centauro; a small order of six was made by Oman, and an order by Lebanon was (so far) scuttled by Saudi Arabia. These were to have come from existing stocks; the VBC-90 itself is no longer being manufactured, though parts are still being made.

     The driver’s position is accessed by a hatch on the front left deck, and the position has large bullet resistant windows to the sides and front. The commander is in the turret with an overhead hatch with a ring mount, and is to the left of the main gun.  The commander has a viewer showing the field of view from the gunner’s sight. The gunner/loader is on the right, and has his own hatch on the turret roof. The armor is on par with other vehicles of its class, but protects primarily from shell fragments and small arms rounds, though it might stop 23mm autocannon rounds from the front due to a sharply-raked glacis. The suspension is 6x6, and the VBC-90 is powered by a Renault MIDS 06-20-45 220-horsepower turbocharged diesel, protected by an automatic fire detection and extinguishing system. This power pack is accessed by a large door on the rear of the vehicle. The VBC-90 is not amphibious, despite being based on an amphibious APC, being too dense. There is a power winch on the right side of the hull front with a capacity of 6 tons and with 60 meters of cable. The suspension is 6x6 and has a manual transmission with conventional controls. The VBC-90 has locking differentials, and an electrically-actuated clutch and gearshift. Each wheel has an independent suspension, with torsion bars and shock absorbers.

     The GIAT TS90 turret holds 20 rounds of the main gun ammunition supply, with the rest of the supply being carried in the hull.  The main gun, though not able to duel with main battle tanks, punches above its weight class, and is common to several French armored car designs.  The day gunsight has a 5.9x magnification and an 8-degree field of view, while the night sight has a 5.5x magnification with the same field of view. The fire control system is the same as fitted to late variants of the AMX-10RC. The rear of the turret has pairs of smoke grenade launchers on either side of the turret.

VBL

     Notes: This French light armored is basically an armored jeep-like vehicle with a multipurpose weapon mount on the roof and a modular interior construction that allows it to fulfill a variety of roles.  It is a “basic box” type of AFV. Though designed to a French Army specification, the first customer was actually Mexico, where deliveries to the Mexican Army began a few months before deliveries to the French Army in 1984. They were first placed in French service in 1985, and were then sold to several other countries.  They can be fitted with a bewildering variety of weapon options, from light machineguns to light autocannons, grenade launchers to ATGM launchers.  Variants include the various weapon carriers (used as scout vehicles), a ground surveillance radar carrier, command vehicles, communications posts, and the ATGM carriers, which are covered in the French ATGM Carriers section.

     There is a door on either side of the cab, a hatch on the roof for the gunner, and a door on the rear of the vehicle.  The VBL is, in most cases, equipped with air conditioning and heating.  The LRAC-89 or APILAS, while issued with the vehicle, are not on weapon mounts; the LRAC-89 was the first rocket launcher issued with the VBL, then later this was changed to disposable APILAS launchers; much later (after the Twilight 2000 timeline) six Eryx ATGM launchers were issued instead. Most weapons are on pintle mounts or on ring mounts and have no special mounting, but some of the heavier weapons are on electrically rotating cupolas, and the VBL Mk 2 has a light Protector RWS. Ring mounts often have semicircular gun shields around them, open only at the back. VBLs are powered by Peugeot XD3T 95-horsepower turbodiesel engine, but the VBL’s light weight means that this engine is adequate. (The VBL Mk 2 is powered by the VB2L’s engine.) The VBL is fully amphibious, propelled in the water by a propeller. The VBL may be transported by most aircraft, airdropped, or be carried underslung beneath medium and heavy lift helicopters.

     The VB2L, or VBL LWB (Long Wheelbase) has a rear cargo section extended by 20 centimeters and a 130-horsepower DW10FC turbodiesel engine installed to cope with the additional weight.  This allows for a bigger crew, or heavier weapons or increased ammunition carried. The VB2L has a total of 3 roof hatches, one in the front and two in the rear. Some VB2Ls have RWSs.

     Patrol, Scout and Reco (Reconnaissance) versions have an extra long-range radio, an optical chemical sniffer and a Radiac meter. The VBL and VB2L are not equipped with night vision devices, but the crews are normally equipped with night vision goggles (not included). The GSR (Ground Surveillance Radar) variant has a radar with a range of 20 km, and an extra radio for networking with command elements. ASR (Aerial Surveillance Radar) are similar, but they network to nearby AAA guns and SAM units. Command vehicles are equipped with at least two long-range radios and one short-range radio, as well as a ruggedized laptop computer, and a handheld image intensifier. The commo version normally has three long-range radios and a short-range radio, used for networking with a Command VBL. It also normally has a radio dedicated to a wireless modem.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: VBLs were being built at the rate of 40 per month at the time of the Twilight War and by 1995, over 1500 were in use by the French armed forces alone.