Panhard ERC
Panhard ERC | |
---|---|
MAS machine guns | |
Engine | Peugeot V-6 Petrol engine 155 hp at 5,250 rpm |
Power/weight | 18.7 hp/tonne |
Suspension | 6×6 coil springs with shock absorbers |
Operational range | 730 km (450 mi) |
Maximum speed | 90 km/h (56 mph) |
The
Background
The ERC was originally a private venture aimed at the export market. It was developed by Panhard in the latter half of the 1970s as a heavier, six-wheeled successor to Panhard's highly successful AML range of armoured vehicles.[3]
Design
The ERC and VCR are a family of six wheel armoured reconnaissance vehicles. The ERC is the cannon-armed turret model. The VCR is the armoured personnel carrier version. ERC is the French abbreviation of term Engin à Roues, Canon or Gun-armed Wheeled Vehicle. The ERC shares many components of the VCR vehicles. Two main versions of the ERC were developed: first the ERC F1 90 Lynx, then the ERC F4 90 Sagaie. The Lynx appeared about 1977 and the Sagaie followed approximately two years later in 1979. The Lynx was developed primarily as an armoured reconnaissance vehicle. The Sagaie was also an armoured reconnaissance vehicle, with the added secondary role of tank-destroyer.[4][5]
In 1977, Panhard offered the ERC and VCR to the
Production history
The first production order for the ERC 90 F1 Lynx was in October 1979 from Argentina, for 36 units, to be used by Argentine Marines to patrol the long border between Argentina and Chile.[citation needed] The second large order was from Mexico, for 42 units in early 1981. Both countries ordered the ERC Lynx version because it could elevate or depress its 90mm cannon over a wider range for operations in steep mountain terrain.[citation needed]
Further export orders followed. Both nations also appreciated the all-terrain mobility of the Lynx which is enhanced by the capability to raise or lower the central pair of wheels depending on terrain condition, especially in sandy or muddy ground.[7] All versions of the ERC are also equipped with two hydrojets behind the rear wheels and require no preparation for amphibious operations.[5]
ERC 90 F4 Sagaie
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/RHP_Cote_d%27ivoire_2003.jpg/220px-RHP_Cote_d%27ivoire_2003.jpg)
Shortly after the ERC 90 F1 Lynx had been built for export, Panhard recognized the need for a cost-effective light armoured vehicle that could defeat a more modern main battle tank (MBT), like the Russian T-72, which was being exported to many nations.[
The F4 90mm could fire
The French Army had at first planned on equipping the second regiment with the
Sagaie upgrade
The French Army has upgraded 160 of its 192 ERC's in service with a diesel MTU 4-cylinder 170 hp engine, coupled to an automatic gearbox made by Renk and have made enhancements to the turret to improve observation, fire control and command.
ERC-90 Sagaie 2 (twin-engine)
A weakness of the Sagaie is its low power-to-weight ratio. The Sagaie 2 is an ERC, extended with two Peugeot XD 3T four-cylinder turbocharged diesel 98 hp engines, the same engine used on the VBL (Light Armoured Vehicle). Six were ordered by Gabon. A prototype equipped with two PRV V6 engines was built as a private venture, but none were ordered.
Variants
- EMC 81: Fire support version armed with 81mm mortar in an Hispano-Suiza EMC turret.
- ERC 20 Kriss: Anti-aircraft version with 2× 20 mm autocannons.
- ERC 60-20: Fitted with Hispano-Suiza 60-20 Serval turret armed with a 60 mm mortar and a 20 mm autocannon.
- ERC 90 (Diesel): Fitted with a diesel engine.
- ERC 90 F1 Lynx: Fitted with the Hispano-Suiza Lynx 90 turret as fitted to the Panhard AML.
- ERC 90 F4 Sagaie: Fitted with GIAT TS 90 turret with long barrel high velocity cannon that can fire APFSDS anti-tank rounds.
- ERC 90 Sagaie 2: Slightly larger version fitted with twin engines and improved turret.
Operators
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/ERC_90_operators.png/400px-ERC_90_operators.png)
Argentina: 12 ERC-90 Lynx.[9]
Chad: 4 ERC-90 Lynx.[9] 9 more offered by France in January 2021.[10]
France: 190 ERC-90 Sagaie.[11] All ERC were retired in 2022.[12]
Gabon: 6 ERC-90 Sagaie, 4 ERC-20 Kriss.[13]
Ivory Coast: 7 ERC-90 Sagaie.[9]
Mexico: 120 ERC-90 Lynx.[9]
Nigeria: 40 ERC-90 Sagaie, 40 ERC-90 Lynx.[14]
References
- Notes
- ISBN 9782913903166.
- ^ "Beard-wearing Boko Haram terrorists dress as women in attempt at avoid security officials". Media World News. Archived from the original on March 12, 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
- ISBN 978-0-88254-978-1.
- ^ Foss, Christopher. Jane's AFV Recognition Handbook
- ^ a b c d e f Furlong, R. "Light Armored Vehicles for French Rapid Deployment Force" International Defense Review, May 1981
- ^ Foss, Christopher. Jane's AFV Recognition Handbook
- ^ The French Army's Sagaies now have their middle set of wheels fixed in the down position.
- ^ In the French army the Marine units are the old Colonial Infantry, Troupes coloniales, renamed Troupes de marine in 1961, and not amphibious units.
- ^ a b c d "Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Archived from the original on 2011-05-13. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
- ^ "La France cède neuf blindés légers Sagaie à l'armée tchadienne". lignesdedefense.blogs.ouest-france.fr (in French). 23 January 2021. Retrieved 2021-01-24.
- ISSN 0722-3226.
- ^ [1]
- ISBN 9781032012278.
- ^ Metz, Helen Chapin (ed.). Nigeria: A Country Study. pp. 336–349.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Video links
- Panhard company promotional video of the ERC 90 Sagaie on YouTube
- Sagaie in action in CHAD on Youtube by Panhard 2008.