FV601 Saladin

Origins and design

Developed during the 1950s and produced by Alvis, the Saladin used a welded armored hull and turret on a six-wheel chassis. Its 76 mm gun gave a reconnaissance formation considerably more direct-fire power than machine-gun-armed scout cars. ^{1, 2}

Operational use

British units used Saladins in Germany, the Middle East, and other deployments, and the vehicle was exported widely. National Army Museum records show British service from 1959 into the 1970s, while foreign careers lasted much longer. ^{1, 2}

Reconnaissance role and lineage

Within the archive, the Saladin is a direct predecessor in concept to later British gun-armed wheeled reconnaissance proposals, even though Britain ultimately shifted heavily toward tracked CVR(T) vehicles. ^{1, 2}

Sources and further reading

Representative source set used for this profile. Primary image source and reuse terms are listed with the image.

1. National Army Museum, Saladin Mk 2 6x6 armoured car
2. The Tank Museum, Tank Chat #105 Saladin

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