Reconnaissance vehicle

Design

Smaller caliber weapons help reduce the vehicle's profile and noise signatures. In contrast, French, and British doctrine was to fit reconnaissance vehicles, such as the AEC, EBR and the AMX 10 RC, with the heaviest weaponry possible on their light chassis, so as to allow them a further role for defence of the flanks. Some vehicles are designed for special data collection tasks (Sd.Kfz. 250/12) Thus reconnaissance vehicles can be divided into 3 main categories:

• Scout cars: Their main role is surveying the routes (directions of attack) and monitoring the activities of the enemy. Therefore, their weapons and armor are modest, since they are not designed to fight, but this role requires good observation, high speed and they are typically amphibious. Typical examples: Fennek, BRDM, Sd. Kfz. 221, Dingo, BA-64, Csaba.
• Combat reconnaissance vehicles: Heavier wheeled or tracked vehicles armed with autocannons and/or low pressure guns, some with thicker armor (up to 40 mm), for aggressive reconnaissance and to provide fire support for reconnaissance teams. Many are amphibious in order to be able to follow lighter units. Cold war and modern "light tanks" usually fit into this category but they often perform different tasks too. Typical examples: Scimitar & Scorpion, Saladin, Luchs, AML, BRM–1, M3, PT-76, AEC, BA-3, Sd. Kfz. 234/2.
• Intelligence vehicle: These (usually wheeled) units monitor enemy communications, artillery fire, or movements via electro-optics, electronic sensors or radar. They mainly provide information for strategic level decision making. At a tactical level, counter-battery operations and some kinds of precision strikes rely on data gathered by such platforms. Typical examples: Sd.Kfz. 250/12, YPR-765 PRRDR, 1V152, Infauna, M1015, Przebiśnieg, Samarkand. This category may include NBC reconnaissance cars (BRDM-2RKh, TPz 1A3/ABC), certain PsyOps vehicles (ZS-82) and electronic recon vehicles of engineer units (IRM) because of their strategic role.

Recon units sometimes also use other types of vehicles and some are mistakenly classified as recon vehicles. Reconnaissance troops use various all-terrain vehicles (MB, UAZ, HMMWV), motorcycles (Zündapp), militarized trucks known as "technicals" (Toyota), APCs (M113, BTR-40, BTR-80), self-propelled artillery (M106), and even tank destroyers (B1) but these are still classified according to their original type and role, not as scout vehicles.

History

During World War II, the British generally used armoured cars for reconnaissance, from the machine gun armed Humber Light Reconnaissance Car and Daimler Dingo to the 6-pdr (57 mm) gun equipped AEC armoured car. Post war the British Army used the Ferret and later, Fox scout cars. In Japan, the Kurogane Type 95 was introduced as a reconnaissance vehicle for operations in China.

The U.S. and UK experimented with the Future Scout and Cavalry System (FSCS) and Tactical Reconnaissance Armoured Combat Equipment Requirement (TRACER) programs in the 2000s aimed at creating a stealth reconnaissance vehicle capable of C-130 airlift.

Prior to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Iraqi Army placed an emphasis on the use of light wheeled vehicles for reconnaissance, particularly Soviet-manufactured BRDM-2 and French-designed Panhard AML armoured cars. Each corps had an attached BRDM or AML battalion. These were allocated by division; every brigade headquarters and regular infantry battalion received a platoon of six. The Iraqis did not make competent use of these assets during the Gulf War, opting to depend on signals intelligence against the comparatively sophisticated Coalition.

South African expeditionary forces in Angola also employed wheeled reconnaissance vehicles for their strategic and tactical mobility, sometimes engaging Angolan units up to brigade strength. Scout cars such as the Eland Mk7 were used to lure hostile T-34s or T-54/55s into prepared ambushes, where they were destroyed by heavier vehicles, ATGMs, and artillery.

Role

Reconnaissance by fire. Reconnaissance of enemy positions can involve firing upon the enemy in hopes of receiving return fire that gives away the enemy's position. This can make the reconnaissance vehicle vulnerable to return fire that may destroy the vehicle before the enemy's position can be relayed.

Dismounted operations by armed scouts include observation post manning, reconnaissance of areas not traversable by vehicle, and marking enemy mine fields.

CBRN reconnaissance vehicles can also detect weapons of mass destruction. They accompany regular reconnaissance vehicles and are fully protected against airborne threats.

List of contemporary reconnaissance vehicles

• Poland AMZ Bóbr-3
• Poland LPU Wirus 4
• UK Alvis FV601 Saladin
• France AMX-10 RC
• Australia ASLAV
• Serbia BOV M11
• USSR BRDM-1
• USSR BRDM-2
• Russia BPM-97
• USA Cadillac Gage Commando Scout
• USA M1117 armored security vehicle
• Canada Coyote
• Canada Lynx
• Canada TAPV
• Hungary D-442 FÚG
• Ukraine Dozor-B
• France EBRC Jaguar
• Brazil EE-3 Jararaca
• Brazil EE-9 Cascavel
• South Africa Eland
• Germany/Netherlands Fennek
• UK FV702 Ferret
• UK FV722 Fox
• Italy Freccia "Esplorante"
• UK FV101 Scorpion
• UK FV102 Striker
• UK FV107 Scimitar
• UK Sabre
• Philippines Gagamba
• South Korea K151 Raycolt
• South Korea K808 White Tiger
• Japan Type 87 ARV
• Italy LMV
• US LAV-25 Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle
• US M1127
• US M3 cavalry fighting vehicle
• Malaysia Mildef Rentaka
• Switzerland Mowag Eagle
• Switzerland Mowag Spy
• Turkey Otokar Akrep
• Turkey Otokar Cobra I & II
• Turkey Katmerciler Hızır Ateş variant
• Turkey FNSS Pars 8x8 Scout
• France Panhard AML
• France Panhard ERC 90
• France Panhard VBL
• Italy Puma
• Israel RBY MK 1
• South Africa RG-35 4x4 RPU
• South Africa Rooikat
• Germany Schützenpanzer SPz 11-2 Kurz
• Germany Spähpanzer Luchs
• Greece Namco Tiger
• Spain VEC-M1
• France VBC-90
• Germany Wiesel
• South Korea XAV
• ChinaZLT-11

References

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