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Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) (CVR(T))
Peter Padley, HMForces .co.uk
July 06, 2010
Designed by Alvis in the late 1960’s the first of the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) (CVR) Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFV) was delivered for use in the British Army in 1972 and in the course of the following 14 years over 1800 vehicles were delivered for use by the Army.
The CVR ‘family’ of seven armoured vehicles were designed in such a manner that the variants were fitted with the same engines, suspension units and designed to strict measurement specifications to ensure they would fit into transport aircraft.
Because weight was a critical factor they were fitted with aluminium armour thus ensuring the vehicles were as light as possible making them the ideal air transportable armoured vehicle.
The strict measurement specifications also dictated how large the engine bay would have to be – and with a width of only 2 feet (0.6 metres) there was only one suitable engine at the time – the 4.2 litre Jaguar petrol engine.
This engine has now been replaced by the Cummins BTA 5.9 or Bedford 600 diesel engine, as part of the CVR Life Extension Programme, and is capable of providing a road speed of 80 kmph (50mph).
