- Yes
- No
Scorpion 90 Mk III A1 outside the British Alvis Vehicles headquarters with Alvis branding on the hull
History
The British FV101 Scorpion was historically the lead vehicle of the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) family of armoured vehicles. The development of the Scorpion began in 1967, when the British Army issued a requirement for an armoured fighting vehicle that could be quickly air-transported to combat zones. The contract was given to Alvis to produce 30 prototypes of what would become the Scorpion, and in 1970, following comprehensive testing in Norway, Australia, Abu Dhabi, and Canada, the Scorpion was accepted into service in the British Army. An estimated total of 3000 Scorpions were produced, with 1500 going into service with the British Armed Forces and 1500 being sold into the export market.
Although the FV101 Scorpion is typically armed with the low velocity L23A1 76mm, this cannon ran into difficulties. The lack of a fume extractor lead to toxic fumes building up in the fighting compartment, and the ammunition selection (HESH, HE, and smoke shells) meant that the Scorpion lacked the firepower to engage anything tougher than infantry and light armour.
The Scorpion 90s are a series of variants, predominantly aimed at the export market, that have been up-gunned with the 90mm Cockerill Mk III cannon. The Scorpion upgrade program was run by Alvis through the 1980s, with aims to deliver low cost, light weight, and hard-hitting tanks to export customers who perhaps didn’t have the budget or infrastructure for full-bore MBTs. Overall, the vehicle was a modest success, with small orders being placed by countries like Indonesia and Venezuela.
A couple of suggestions for the Scorpion 90 have already been made on these forums, such as the Alvis Scorpion 90 (Cockerill Mk III), and Scorpion 90 in Venezuelan service. So what’s different about this Scorpion? This suggestion, for the Scorpion 90 (Cockerill Mk III A1), is the among the most capable vehicles produced and marketed by Alvis.
Compared to the Mk III vehicle, this vehicle gets an upgraded cannon, the Mk III A1, with the ability to fire kinetic penetrators (APFSDS), as well as the potential for upgrades such as a laser rangefinder. This means that the Scorpion 90 (Mk III A1) would be a perfect light tank for around 8.x in the British tree, whereas the Scorpion 90 (Mk III), firing only HEAT, maybe even without a laser rangefinder, would be perfect for 7.x.
The Scorpion is among the most iconic British tanks, but unfortunately the 76mm version would not be hugely effective in-game with the current state of HESH, so the two 90mm variants are the perfect opportunity to get the vehicle into the game in a way that actually allows it to be competitive.
How is this vehicle unique compared to export variants?
Spoiler
This vehicle was used as a marketing demonstrator by Alvis throughout the late '80s and ‘90s, appearing at defence expositions such as the British Army Equipment Exhibition (BAEE), as well as being promoted at Alvis Vehicles’ UK Headquarters. The vehicle remained owned and operated by Alvis, and did not itself enter foreign service, although it almost certainly contributed positively towards the Scorpion 90’s export successes. However, almost all export Scorpions underwent fairly comprehensive upgrades to their optics and fire control systems, as shown on the Indonesian Scorpion 90s below, meaning that although the Alvis Scorpion 90 (Mk IIIA1) was one of the most advanced Scorpions demonstrated by the British, it definitely it not the most advanced variant fielded world-wide.
Some export variants of the Scorpion 90 do look similar at a glance, for example, there are a handful of photos of Indonesian Scorpion 90s without the optics/FCS upgrades, as shown below:
But they have a notably different hull, with different exhausts, engine hatches, stowage, and headlights, and, most importantly, different optics for the gunner. The Alvis marketing vehicle as featured in this suggestion is a unique variant that did not itself find its way directly into foreign service.
Specifications
Spoiler
General
Armament
Images
Spoiler
Alvis Scorpion 90 Mk III A1 as exhibited by Alvis at British Army Equipment Exhibition, Aldershot 1988
Scorpion 90 with the older Mk III cannon. Note the different, triple-baffle muzzle brake
Sources
Spoiler
Scorpion brochure (available here)
Scorpion 90 leaflet (available here)
Scorpion 90 brochure (available here (Arabic))
Jane’s Armour and Artillery 1991-1992 (available here)
Cockerill Ammunition Brochure
Jane’s Ammunition Handbook 2001-2002
FV101 Scorpion (general Scorpion history)
