- Yes
- No
TL;DR: Portuguese unlicensed Cadillac Gage V-150 with dual SS.11 ATGM launchers
History
In the early 1960s, Portugal felt a growing need for a modern wheeled APC, to be used to in Africa. At the time, Portugal was in a period called the Estado Novo (New State), led by dictator António de Oliveira Salazar. A number of independence movements in Portugal’s African colonies began, culminating in the Portuguese Colonial War (1961-1974).
Portugal reached out to America, seeking the license for the Cadillac Gage Commando V-100. America did not authorise the license, as Portugal intended to use them outside the scope of NATO, of which it was a founding member. In March 1967, the company “BRAVIA SARL, Sociedade Luso-Brasileira de Viaturas e Equipamentos” was founded and plans were soon drawn up for the ‘Chaimite’. As Cadillac Gage did not provide Portugal with the license, Portugal resorted to using information from two American engineers who illegally provided technical data to Bravia.
The first prototype was produced soon after, and later that year, the Portuguese Army ordered 27 vehicles. By 1971, only 18 had been produced. The first Chaimites were sent to Guinea for testing at the end of 1970 – in two forms. Four were in the APC form (V-200), and one was in a light tank form, with a 90mm Mecar gun in a two-man turret designed by Bravia. Named the V-400 (and later V-400 Mk. I), this vehicle saw testing, and later was returned to Portugal, where it remained in Bravia’s storage until its closure.
- Left: V-200 during testing in Guinea; Right: Brochure for V-400 Mk. I, photo taken during testing in Guinea
Sometime before 1979, Bravia mounted the French SAMM S530 anti-aircraft turret on the V-200, acquiring the designation V-300. The V-300 was meant to mount smaller calibre weapons than the V-400, and a number of other turrets were proposed, including a Bravia design with a 20mm cannon, an Oerlikon GAD-AOA turret with a 20mm cannon, or an ESD TA-20 turret with dual 20mm cannons. No images or details regarding these modifications are available, and it seems only the SAMM S530 was mounted on the Chaimite.
Later, in April 1983, the French D90 turret – the same as on the AML-90 Lynx (not to be confused with the H90 on the original AML-90) – was mounted on the Chaimite, acquiring the designation V-400 Mk. II. This was also marketed, but like the Mk. I, never went further than a single prototype.
While the V-300 and V-400s never saw service, the V-200 saw active service in a number of countries, like Portugal, the Philippines, Lebanon, Libya and Peru. Bravia modified the V-200s with a number of different armaments, like with ATGMs and rocket launchers.
Bravia also marketed two versions, named V-700, with either Swingfire or HOT ATGMs, the former using the same turret as the British Ferret Mk. 5. Neither of these were built, however.
In the 1980s, Portugal received a number of French SS.11B1 ATGMs from Canada. The SS.11B1 is a version of the SS.11 built using semiconductor technology, instead of analogue technology. In 1987, at least three V-200s were equipped with the SS.11 ATGM, under the name “Auto Blindado Porta Lança Mísseis Chaimite D 4×4 M/67-87 V-200” (note: not the V-700).
- The three V-200 (SS.11)'s during exercises in Alcácer do Sal, 1988
The rest of their history isn’t clear, but seem to have seen further testing and been present during military exercises, until eventually being retired.
In 1989, Portugal received 15 V-150 Commando’s equipped with a 90mm Cockerill cannon. These are often mistaken online for Chaimite V-400s, but Portugal never appears to have mounted this same turret on the Chaimite. While the Chaimite and V-150 are almost identical, one key external difference is that the Chaimite has three side windows, whereas the V-150 only has two.
- V-150 in Portuguese service, NOT a Chaimite
Characteristics
The V-200 (SS.11) has a small turret with two launchers on either side, modified from the turret on the standard V-200s housing dual 7.62mm machine guns. The SS.11B1 is an MCLOS missile, capable of reaching a speed of 220m/s, with 600mm of penetration. The vehicle can presumably carry another 6 or so missiles in the hull, although no information is available for this. The turret front has 7.94mm of armour, and the sides and roof have 6.35mm.
- 12.7mm turret on V-200
The hull of the Chaimite is all-welded steel, with the driver and normally the commander at the front. Its armour is very thin – the hull front has 6.35mm at 75° on the upper section, and 7.94mm at 40° on the lower section. The thickest section of armour is the hull floor, at 9.35mm. The vehicle has a Chrysler 361 M75 V-8 petrol engine, delivering 210hp (or 191hp, sources differ) at 4000rpm. The V-200 APC variant has a weight of 7.3t, and as such, a power-to-weight ratio of 28.76 hp/t. The weight of the turret is unclear, but together with the missiles likely brings the total weight to ~7.7t . Along with a manual transmission with 5 forward gears and 1 reverse gear, this allows the Chaimite to have a maximum speed of 99km/h, a reverse speed of 13.7km/h, and 7km/h in water. The V-200 (most likely) has 4 crew – commander, gunner, driver and radio operator.
Conclusion
The Chaimite V-200 (SS.11) would be a potent tank destroyer for a future e.g. Iberian tree, or potentially added to the US (Cadillac Gage copy) or French (French missiles) trees as a premium. It would probably sit at a BR of 7.0 – comparable to vehicles like the Zachlam Tager and Type 60 ATM but with far better mobility, enabling it to reach crucial positions.
Specifications
Armament
- 2x SS.11B1 launchers
- MCLOS
- 220m/s
- 600mm penetration
- 2 kg TNTeq
- Unknown number in hull
Armour
- Hull front upper – 6.35mm at 75°
- Hull front lower – 7.94mm at 40°
- Hull sides upper – 6.35mm at 30°
- Hull sides lower – 7.94mm at 10°
- Hull top – 6.35mm
- Hull floor – 9.35mm
- Hull rear – 6.35mm at 30°
- Turret front – 7.94mm
- Turret roof – 6.35mm
- Turret sides – 6.35mm
Mobility
- Maximum speed
- 99km/h off-road
- 1st gear, 13.7km/h
- 2nd gear, 22.6km/h
- 3rd gear, 37.9km/h
- 4th gear, 62km/h
- 5th gear, 99km/h
- Reverse gear, 13.7km/h
- 7km/h in water
- 99km/h off-road
- Weight
- ~7.7t
- Engine power
- 210hp at 4000rpm, Chrysler 361 M75 V-8
- 27.3hp/t
Other
- Crew
- 4 – Commander, gunner, driver, radio operator
Images
- Only other image available
Sources
Spoiler
https://www.espada-e-escudo.org/magazine/EE-Numero-II-Abr-Jun-2022.pdf
Revista Cavlaria, Exército Português Auto-Metralhadoras, Parte II
CHAIMITE V-200 (Parte I) | Operacional
CHAIMITE V-200 (Parte II - Conclusão) | Operacional
Manual de peças do blindado Chaimite 4x4 (2/2)
Folheto do blindado Chaimite de 1976
Folheto antigo blindado Chaimite V-400 MKII - Armamento de 90 mm
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015077928375&seq=56&q1=V-150
SIPRI Arms Transfer Database