The Alvis Striker of the CVR(T) family of tracked vehicles in service with the British Army is a dedicated missile carrier form intended for anti-armor missions. The vehicle utilizes the "Swingfire" anti-tank guided missile allowing the Striker to counter the threat as posed by modern enemy tanks at distances out to 4,000 meters (2.5 miles). The missile is controlled by either direct optic or thermal imaging sighting device. The vehicle can also work in conjunction with a separate optical sight up to 100 meters away allowing the Striker hull to remain safely hidden in cover while engaging with its missiles through the launcher fitted atop. The Striker entered service with the British Army in 1976 as part of the Royal Artillery before being transferred under Royal Armoured Corps control.
All Striker vehicles were fielded with five primary ready-to-fire Swingfire missiles with five reloads in tow. Missiles were originally managed through a Manual Command Line-of-Sight stick control interface before a Semi-Automatic Command Line-of-Sight function was added (SACLOS). Through the manual method, course corrections were sent to the launched missile attached wire based on operator input. Through the semi-automatic method, the operator merely maintained the target in his crosshairs, the missile correcting its own flight course.
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Outwardly, the vehicle managed an appearance similar to the FV103 Spartan Armored Personnel Carrier of the same CRV(T) family of tracked vehicles. The vehicle was dimensionally compact with a gradually sloping glacis plate, front-mounted engine and middle-set fighting compartment. The launch system was fitted to the rear of the hull roof. The driver managed a position at the front left of the hull complete with hatch and vision blocks. Running gear included five double-tired road wheels to a track side with the drive sprocket at front and track idler at rear. Eight smoke grenade dischargers were fitted in clusters of four to each front hull side. Self defense was through a single 7.62mm L7 General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), the British standard GPMG based on the Belgian FN MAG. The gave the vehicle support against both infantry, light-skinned vehicles and low-flying aircraft. The vehicle featured a standard operating crew of three to include the driver, commander and weapons specialist.
Power was served through a Cummins BTR diesel-fueled engine developing190 horsepower. This allowed the vehicle a top road speed of 80 kmh which gave it the needed pace to keep up with mechanized forces of the British Army.
Striker vehicles were deployed to the Gulf where they proved active elements of British armored forves. However, Striker missile carriers no longer actively serve in the inventory of the British Army, given up for good in 2005 with the arrival of the American man-portable Javelin Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM).
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Anti-Tank / Anti-Armor
Base model or variant can be used to track, engage, and defeat armored enemy elements at range.
Length
15.7 ft 4.8 m
Width
7.9 ft 2.4 m
Height
7.2 ft 2.2 m
Weight
17,924 lb 8,130 kg
Tonnage
9.0 tons LIGHT
(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Alvis FV102 Striker production variant. Length typically includes main gun in forward position if applicable to the design)
Powerplant:
1 x Cummins BTA diesel-fueled engine developing 190 horsepower.
Speed
49.7 mph (80.0 kph)
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base Alvis FV102 Striker production variant. Compare this entry against any other in our database)
1 x 7.62mm machine gun
10 x Swingfire SACLOS anti-tank missiles
Supported Types
(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)
10 x Swingfire SACLOS armor-defeating missiles
FV101 Scorpion - Base Reconnaissance Model with 90mm main gun.
FV101 Scorpion 90 - Updated FV101 base Scorpion model.
FV102 Striker - Anti-Tank Vehicle featuring 5 x Swingfire anti-tank missiles.
FV103 Spartan - Armored Personnel Carrier
FV104 Samaritan - Battlefield Ambulance
FV105 Sultan - Battlefield Command Vehicle
FV106 Samson - Battlefield Recovery Vehicle
FV107 Scimitar - Reconnaissance Vehicle featuring a 30mm gun.
Streaker - High Mobility Carrier
Sabre - Reconnaissance Vehicle featuring a 30mm powered turret.
FV4333 Stormer - Armored Personnel Carrier based on Scorpion chassis.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns / operations.
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