- Yes
- No
The Alvis Scorpion 90 in Indonesian Army Service
The Little Tank That Could
Expanded List of Indonesian Vehicles - Ground
History and background
Our story today begins in 1969 when the first CVRT Scorpion prototypes rolled out of the Alvis’ factory for strenuous testing[1.1]. This testing would conclude in 1970 positively[1.2], and soon the first production units would be completed with deliveries commencing in early '72[1.3]. The CVRTs would serve with distinction from formal adoption in '73. First in Germany, then in soon after in Cyprus in '74, then Belize in '77, then famously the Falklands in '82, then finally their last combat deployment was to the Gulf in 1990[2] which while they had served admirably, the age of the CVRTs started to show. A fleet wide upgrade programme was begun, however due to an unfortunate short sighted decision not to fit the Scorpion with a fume extractor and the increasing ineffectiveness of the 76mm L23A1 gun the choice was made to retire the Scorpion from British service[3], though it would return for a short while as the Sabre. However that is not the heroine of the day.
Instead let’s look outwards, from the outset the potential of the Scorpion and it’s siblings was noticed. With a Belgian order for 701 units of all types as British testing concluded in 1970, this would be followed by Iran ('74), Nigeria ('75), Brunei ('76), The Philippines ('76), Thailand ('77), Tanzania ('78), The UAE ('78), Honduras ('78), New Zealand ('80), Oman ('80), Ireland ('80), Spain ('85), Togo ('86), Botswana ('94), and Chile ('95)[4].
While happy with the success of the Scorpion, Alvis did not simply sit on it’s laurels and in 1980 began an internal upgrade programme for the Scorpion[5], the result of this was more options for customers including diesel engines, sights with thermal capabilities, and most critically the Belgian Cockerill Industries 90mm Mk.3 gun, later the Mk.3 would be replaced with the Mk.3-MA1. This gun upgrade did not see as wide spread adoption as the L23A1, however it was a modest success with Malaysia ('82), Venezuela ('88), and finally the top of today’s suggestion Indonesia placing orders in 1995 and 1996 for 35 and 45 tanks respectively[4]. This controversial order would be the last Scorpion new build order ever made.
Specifications
Information on the exact configuration delivered to Indonesia is a bit spotty, so I am specifying the minimal plausible config where I don’t have anything.
General >
- Crew: 3
- Weight: 8.7t [6]
- Length: 5150mm [6]
- Width: 2260mm [6]
- Height: 2600mm [6]
- Armour: Same as the Scimitar already in game.
Automotive >
- Engine: Perkins Phaser producing 134KW/180HP [6]
- Gearbox: TN-15 [7]
- Speed Forwards: 80KPH [6]
- Speed Backwards: 80KPH [6]
Weapons and Optics >
- Gunners sight: Avimo (later Thales) NVL3001, providing a LRF and Image intensification night vision. Thermals where offered but I have no evidence of a purchase. [8]
- Commanders sight: Avimo (later Thales) NVL3001, providing a LRF and Image intensification night vision. Thermals where offered but I have no evidence of a purchase. [8]
- Sight Zoom: 7x Night vision - 8x Day channel [8]
- Horizontal traverse: 400mil/s or 22.5 Degrees/s [9]
- Vertical traverse: 400mil/s or 22.5 Degrees/s [9]
- Gun Stablisation: I cannot find evidence of a stabliser being a equipped
- FCS: I have found no evidence of a FCS being equipped
- Ready rack: 8 Rounds [10]
- Total ammunition: 36 Rounds [11]
- Gun Depression: +30 to -8 [12]
- Gun: Cockerill Mk.3-MA1
- Ammunition [13]
- HE
- HEAT
- HESH
- Smoke
- APFSDS
Summary:
The Scorpion 90 is a refresh of an iconic British classic, bringing the Scorpion up to fighting strength against peer adversaries.
In game the Scorpion 90 would play similarly to the Mars-15 in the French Tech Tree and provide the Japanese with a solid light tank at a lower BR than Japan’s domestic options.
Sources and References
[1] Important CVRT Scorpion development dates, Jane’s Light Tanks and Armoured Cars - Christopher F Foss - ISBN 978-0710603227 Available at Archive.org
[1.1] “The first prototype was completed in January 1969…” - Page 113
[1.2] “…in May 1970 the Scorpion was accepted for service with the British Army.” - Page 113
[1.3] “The first production Scorpions were delivered to. the British Army in January 1972” - page 113
[2] Combat deployments from Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance Tracked CVR(T) - History - Think Defence
[3]
[4] SIPRI Arms Transfer Database: Query Used “Supplier: UK, Weapon Category: Armoured Vehicles, Designation: Scorpion”. Link to search form = https://armstransfers.sipri.org/ArmsTransfer/TransferData.
[5] “The Scorpion improvement program by Alvis ran from the early 1980s.” - In Development: Scorpion 90 | Armored Warfare - Official Website
[6] Display card at event from this article - https://www.beritasatu.com/news/186304/indonesia-prancis-bangun-pabrik-propelan
Display card
[7] “The engine is coupled to a TN15 X-type transmission, which provides seven forward gears and one reverse gear.” - FV101 Scorpion CVRT
[8] Gunsight is Avimo NVL3001
- Page 512 - Jane’s Armoured Fighting Vehicle Retrofit systems 1993-'94 (ISBN: 9780710610799)
“Versions have already been procured for use in Scorpion tracked reconnaissance vehicles mounting … 90 mm guns…”
- Visually matches “Old Gunner Sight System (Original)” Pictured here
(Direct image link) https://forum-en-cdn.warthunder.com/optimized/4X/d/4/c/d4c868520d076179049e1a9f6dfe1de2bb213df1_2_750x484.jpeg
(Post Link) Expanded List of Indonesian Vehicles - Ground - #52 by NFrost51
[9] Turret drives are Marconi PD700 Light Armoured Vehicle Dual Axis Power Drive System
Page 372 - Jane’s Armoured Fighting Vehicle Retrofit systems 1993-'94 (ISBN: 9780710610799)
“The system has been trialled extensively on vehicles such as the tracked Scorpion (with … 90 mm turrets)”
“…it was selected by Venezuela to be installed on its 80 Alvis Scorpion CVR(T) vehicles armed with a 90 mm gun and it has also been installed on the 90 mm Alvis Scorpion vehicles delivered to Togo.”
“The PD700 gives the vehicle crew complete two axis power control of the gun and turret with accurate response over a wide speed range from slow tracking at better than 0.5 mil/s to fast slew at 400 mil/s”
[10] Ready Rack is 8 rounds
- Page 339 - Jane’s Armoured Fighting Vehicle Retrofit Systems 1993-'94 (ISBN: 9780710610799)
“A total of eight ready to use rounds are carried in the turret”
[11] Total Ammunition carried is 35
- Page 116 - Jane’s Light Tanks And Armoured Cars (ISBN: 9780710603227)
“…the Scorpion 90 carries 35 rounds.”
[12] Traverse angles is -8 to +30
- Page 116 - Jane’s Light Tanks And Armoured Cars (ISBN: 9780710603227)
“The 90mm gun has an elevation of +35 degrees and a depression of -8 degrees…”
[13] Nexter Ammunition Catalog,
- Pages 93-101
Nexter 2016 Catalog : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive