Class 2B Armoured Car - Journey to the Rooikat Part 2

Sebbo_the_Plebbo · March 11, 2025, 1:01am

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Introduction

In the 1960s and 70s, the Eland, a domestically produced and modified version of the French Panhard AML, was the primary South African armoured car, used with great effectiveness in a series of conflicts known as the Bush/Border Wars. However, by in the 1970s, it was beginning to show some limitations, and in 1976, the South African Armoured Corps issued a new project for a “New Generation Armoured Car”. At this point in time, South Africa was under a heavy international arms embargo, so the project was going to have to be predominantly domesticaly.

The goal from the outset was for a significantly larger vehicle then the Eland, in either a 6x6 or 8x8 configuration. The first round of prototyping involved heavily modifying/rebuilding existing vehicles, and lead to the Concept 1, Concept 2, and Concept 3, all fitted with the Ordnance QF 77mm cannon taken from the retired Comet tanks.

None of these vehicles performed particularly well in trials, and the project somewhat stalled until 1980, when a second round of prototyping was initiated. The goal of these trials was to construct 3 vehicles in different weight classes, light to heavy (1-3), and assess which would be most appropriate for the needs of the SAAC/SADF. The light vehicle resulted in the Class 1, the medium vehicle resulted in the Class 2, and the heavy vehicle resulted in the Class 3.

Several vehicles were built under the Class 2 umbrella, including the Class 2B, armed with the GT4 76mm, and the Class 2C, which was front-engined with the goal of having a rear troop compartment (which was extremely ahead of its time when compared to modern vehicles such a the Boxer, Patria, Type 16 etc). The Class 2C is also occasionally called the Class 2A, such as here, but from my understanding Class 2C is the correct name.

The vehicle being discussed in this suggestion in the Class 2B, the first of the Class 2s to be equipped with the GT4 76mm naval cannon, that would become the primary armament of the Rooikat. The vehicle was constructed following the success of the earliest Class 2 prototype, and went on to continue testing and trials through the mid 1980s, resulting in five advanced development vehicles being ordered, which were delivered in 1987 and shortly afterwards entering service as the Rooikat.

Specifications

Spoiler

Class 2B Cheetah Specs