18 January 2001

Alvis Vehicles has designed the Scarab 4 x 4 fast attack/scout vehicle. The first of two pre-production vehicles were completed late last year.

The Scarab is one of the contenders competing to meet the Belgian Army Reconnaissance 2000 and the British Army Future Command and Liaison Vehicle (FCLV) requirements. Belgium needs up to 169 vehicles and the UK at least 500. No firm date has been given as to when these two competitions will be decided.

To reduce overall life-cycle costs, Scarab uses proven sub-systems wherever possible. For example, the engine and drive line is from the Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG 4 x 4 cross-country vehicle.

The crew of the Scarab depends on the mission, but is typically three who are seated at the front of the vehicle with the power pack at the rear. A wide range of weapon systems can be mounted on the roof including 7.62mm or 12.7mm machine guns, 20mm cannon or anti-tank guided weapons. Specialised sensor pods can also be fitted.

Standard equipment includes power steering and crew heating, and optional equipment includes a central tyre-pressure regulation system.

Specifications

Crew: 3 - 5

Armament: 1x12.7mm M2 machine gun (typical)

Combat weight: 10,400kg*

Power-to-weight ratio: 22.1hp/t

Power pack: Mercedes-Benz six-cylinder diesel developing 230hp coupled to Allison automatic transmission

Length: 5.17m

Width: 2.405m

Height: 1.89m (roof)

Max speed: 110km/h

Range: 600km

Airportable: C-130 Hercules

Status

Prototypes. Not yet in production

Variants

Scarab has a high level of protection against mines and can use various armour packages to meet different operational requirements.

Manufacturer

Alvis Vehicles Ltd, Telford, England

Scarab 4 x 4 fast attack/scout vehicle (Source: Alvis Vehicles)