×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Scale (2024) Special Forces

Alvis FV603 Saracen


6x6 Wheeled Armored Personnel Vehicle / Armored Car


United Kingdom | 1952



"Despite service entry taking place in the early 1950s, the Alvis Saracen armored car is still in operational service around the globe today."

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one land system design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Alvis FV603 Saracen 6x6 Wheeled Armored Personnel Vehicle / Armored Car.
1 x Rolls-Royce B80 Mk 6A 8-cylinder gasoline engine developing 160 horsepower.
Installed Power
45 mph
72 kph
Road Speed
249 miles
400 km
Range
Structure
The physical qualities of the Alvis FV603 Saracen 6x6 Wheeled Armored Personnel Vehicle / Armored Car.
2 + 9
(MANNED)
Crew
15.7 ft
4.8 meters
O/A Length
8.3 ft
2.54 meters
O/A Width
8.1 ft
2.46 meters
O/A Height
24,251 lb
11,000 kg | 12.1 tons
Weight
Armament & Ammunition
Available supported armament, ammunition, and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Alvis FV603 Saracen 6x6 Wheeled Armored Personnel Vehicle / Armored Car.
OPTIONAL (in optional turret):
1 x 7.62mm (.303) light machine gun (usually BREN or similar) OR 1 x Anti-Riot Water Projector.
6 x Smoke Grenade Dischargers

Also any personal weapons carried by the passengers.
AMMUNITION:
1,000 x 7.62mm ammunition
6 x Smoke Grenades
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Alvis FV603 Saracen family line.
FV603 "Saracen" - Saracen vehicle family designation; base armored personnel carrier.
Saracen Mk 1 - Principle production model; completed with or without turret assembly fitting armament.
FV604 - Armored Command Vehicle variant
FV610 - Armored Command Post variant
FV606 - Armored Ambulance variant
FV611 - Armored Ambulance variant
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 07/16/2023 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

With its wide-reaching colonial empire at risk from unrest, the British Army relied heavily on cost-effective armored cars for security - the vehicles easily able to outpace and outgun most any weapons and systems to be fielded by rebel parties. Alvis built a series of such vehicles for the British military and others prior to and during World War 2, continuing in the role during the Cold War years as well. Once usch product became the FV603 Saracen 6x6, a lightly armored 6x6 wheeled Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) to be used t shuttle personnel under protection and provide a security-minded measure where needed. Alvis was founded in Coventry, UK as the Alvis Car and Engineering Company, beginning production of civilian automobiles in 1919. The brand then fell under the Rover label in 1965 before eventually going defunct in 1967 (today the Alvis brand is a property of defense powerhouse BAe Systems). The company ultimately produced the Dingo Scout light vehicle, FV601 Saladin armored car, a dedicated 8x8 AVLB bridgelayer and the successful family line of light vehicles in the FV101 Scorpion/FV102 Striker/FV103 Spartan (and similar).

Despite its rather unorthodox appearance, the Saracen is composed of a rather conventional internal design. The engine is held in a forward compartment, aspirated through a heavily slatted grill assembly, with the driver compartment just aft and a vehicle commander in the centralized crew cabin at rear. The vehicle holds space for a further nine combat personnel with entry/exit made possible through a pair of large, hinged rectangular doors at the rear of the hull. All sides of the vehicle can be defensed through hinged firing ports that also feature vision slits for observation. The Saracen is fully-armored in the sense that it is capable of sustaining direct hits from small arms fire and light artillery projectiles. Protection includes 16mm of Rolled Homogenous Armor (RHA) covering. Smoke grenade dischargers are fitted over the front fenders in two banks of three and can provide the crew with a make-shift, self-imposed smoke screen as required. The 6x6 wheel arrangement comprises three individual axles, each with steel-rimmed rubber road wheels for maximum traction. Shock absorbers are afforded to each wheel position for off-road capabilities. The Saracen is therefore granted a maximum road speed of 72 kmh and can managed upwards of 32 kmh off-road. Operational range, through the gasoline engine, is 400 kilometers. Power for the series is served through a Rolls-Royce B80 Mk.6A 8-cylinder engine developing 160 horsepower output. A fully-enclosed turret is optional along the hull roof line and this emplacement usual mounts a .30 caliber light machine gun offering for basic defense/offense. Alternatively, the vehicle could be outfitted with a water projector for riot control. Primary production Saracens were recognized simply as "Saracen Mk 1".

The FV603 Saracen is from the same line of Alvis FV600 military vehicles though some components differentiate it from the rest. This family includes the aforementioned "Saladin". The Saracen was, itself, further evolved into several battlefield-minded forms including Armored Command Vehicle (as the FV604), an Armored Command Post artillery-spotting vehicle (as the FV610) and a battlefield ambulance (as the FV606/FV611). The series was pressed into action in 1952 during the Malayan Emergency (1948-1960) which involved British and Commonwealth participation. Malaya remained under British rule as a colony where it formerly languished under Imperial Japanese occupation during the fighting of World War 2. The rising tide of communist power in the nation led to a bloody guerilla war that required interventon that included the British commitment numbered 35,000. The war was eventually won by the British and Commonwealth forces to help restore some order in the troubled country.

The Saracen became a widely-exported vehicle as well where it served with the forces of Australia, Brunei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the UAE, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Niger, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Thailand. The Sri Lankan Army utilized the Saracen during the 1983-2009 Sri Lankan Civil War though it is perhaps recognized for its time under British use during "The Troubles" of Northern Ireland spanning from 1967-1998. Saracens were used as security vehicles and a highly visible deterrent to ongoing violence in the country. Lebanese Army Saracens were used in similar fashion during the long running Lebanese Civil War that spanned from 1975 into 1990.

While some nations still rely on the Saracen APC to some extent, many modern-minded forces have retired the line for more modern alternatives or, lacking funds, not at all. The British Army retired their Saracen line in 1993 after decades of faithful service.

Sources indicate total production of Saracen cars having reached 1,838 units with production spanning from 1952 to 1972.

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Alvis FV603 Saracen. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national land systems listing.

Total Production: 1,838 Units

Contractor(s): Alvis - UK
National flag of Australia National flag of Indonesia National flag of Jordan National flag of Kuwait National flag of Lebanon National flag of Niger National flag of South Africa National flag of Sri Lanka National flag of Sudan National flag of Thailand National flag of the United Arab Emirates National flag of the United Kingdom National flag of the United States

[ Australia; Brunei; Hong Kong; Indonesia; Jordan; Kuwait; Lebanon; Niger; South Africa; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Thailand; United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom; United States ]
1 / 4
Image of the Alvis FV603 Saracen
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
2 / 4
Image of the Alvis FV603 Saracen
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
3 / 4
Image of the Alvis FV603 Saracen
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
4 / 4
Image of the Alvis FV603 Saracen
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Going Further...
The Alvis FV603 Saracen 6x6 Wheeled Armored Personnel Vehicle / Armored Car appears in the following collections:
HOME
ARMOR INDEX
ARMOR BY COUNTRY
VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE VEHICLES
VEHICLES BY CONFLICT
VEHICLES BY TYPE
VEHICLES BY DECADE
COLD WAR VEHICLES
MODERN TANKS
MODERN ARTILLERY
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks of the World U.S. Department of Defense Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols Breakdown U.S. 5-Star Generals List WWII Weapons by Country World War Next

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)