Alvis Saladin
The FV601 Saladin is a six-wheeled armoured car developed by Crossley Motors and later manufactured by Alvis. Designed in 1954, it replaced the AEC Armoured Car in service with the British Army from 1958 onward. The vehicle weighed 11 tonnes, offered a top speed of 72 km/h, and had a crew of three. Saladins were noted for their excellent performance in desert conditions, and found favour with a number of Middle Eastern armies accordingly. They were armed with a 76 mm low-pressure rifled gun which fired the same ammunition as that mounted on the FV101 Scorpion.
| Alvis Saladin | |
|---|---|
Alvis Saladin at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford | |
| Type | Armoured car |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| Used by | See Operators |
| Wars |
|
| Production history | |
| Designer | Crossley Motors |
| Designed | 1954 |
| Manufacturer | Alvis |
| Produced | 1958–1972 |
| No. built | 1,177 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 11.6 t |
| Length | 4.93 m (16 ft 2 in) |
| Width | 2.54 m (8 ft 4 in) |
| Height | 2.39 m (7 ft 10 in) |
| Crew | 3 |
| Armour | Up to 32 mm (1.3 in) |
Main armament | 76 mm L5A1 gun with 42 rounds |
Secondary armament | 2 × M1919A4 machine guns with 3,500 rounds |
| Engine | Rolls-Royce B80 Mk.6A, 8 cyl petrol 170 hp (127 kW) |
| Power/weight | 15.5 hp/tonne |
| Suspension | 6x6 wheel |
Operational range | 400 km (250 mi) |
| Maximum speed | 72 km/h (45 mph) |
The Saladin also spawned an armoured personnel carrier counterpart, the Alvis Saracen.
Despite the vehicle's age and dated design, it is still in use in a number of countries in secondary roles.