- Yes
- No
Scorpion 2000
Vehicle design history:
By the turn of the new millennium, the Scorpion had already
long service history, and to say it was beginning to show its age was an understatement, as by this time it had already completed its service with the British army from 1973-1994, and was resigned to service with remaining export clients. Many of these export clients were keen to keep their Scorpions and other CVR(t) variants in service, as they had proven both reliable and effective, so there was an export potential for upgrade kits for these vehicles, along with mothballed British Army examples currently in storage. Because of this the British Company Repaircraft PLC put forward a project called “Scorpion 2000” in order to upgrade these veteran vehicles in a manner making them suitable for service for the year 2000 and beyond.
In order to show off their potential upgrades they demonstrated a proof of concept vehicle at MVEE99 at Chertsey on September 15th 1999. This vehicle offered to refurbish and upgrade Scorpion tanks to fit a wide range of scenarios, with a focus on improved reliability and quality of life improvements for the crew. The majority of these upgrades were also offered for other CVR(t) variants, including the Spartan APC and the Sultan command vehicle. Commonly reported upgrades at the time was the addition of an auxiliary power unit, with a secondary generator allowing the vehicle to power its systems and air conditioning without running the main engine, and improved track and suspension elements along with increased stowage space, which could also be ejected in the event of an emergency.
What often goes unreported though is the large slew of upgrades actually offered, which I will bullet point the main ones here as it is extensive:
- AUXILIARY POWER UNIT (APU) for CHARGING BATTERIES
- AUXILIARY POWER UNIT (APU) for HEAVY DUTY AIR CONDITIONING
- Night Vision and Thermals for both Commander’s and Gunners sights
- integrated Laser rangefinder
- Improved Drivers periscope with both night vision and thermal options
- BRUSHLESS HEAVY-DUTY 200 AMP GENERATOR AND ELECTRONIC REGULATOR
- MODERN HULL ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND PROTECTION
- AUTOMATIC FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM
- EXPLOSION SUPPRESSANT FUEL TANKS
- IMPROVED ENGINE COOLING
- Choice of two different Diesel engines, the S2000 Steyr Engine or JCB 191-236
- TN15DE GEARBOX UPGRADE
- HDHD DRIVE COUPLING
- Options for 90mm MAIN GUN (Unrelated to the Scorpion 90)
- IMPROVED TURRET FUME EXTRACTION SYSTEM
- EXTERNAL PINTLE MOUNTED GUNS 7.62mm GPMG / 0.50in HMG / 40mm GMG
- LARGER AND ADDITIONAL STORAGE BINS
- UPRATED SUSPENSION
- IMPROVED TRACK
- IMPROVED TRACK TENSIONING RAM
- Options for BAR ARMOUR / APPLIQUÉ ARMOUR / SPALL LINERS / MINE PROTECTION / CREW RESTRAINT
- Improved TURRET POWER TRAVERSE AND ELEVATION (http://www.scorpiontank.co.uk/PDFs/Upgrade%20Menu/Power%20Traverse%20and%20Elevation%20(8%20November%202011).pdf )
- DIGITAL TRAVERSE INDICATOR
- VARIOUS RADIO AND INTERCOM Upgrade options
- NBC protection
- LASER ATTACK COUNTERMEASURES SYSTEM
This extensive range of upgrades thoroughly modernized the Scorpion tank, and multiple client countries would adopt various upgrades offered normally regarding suspension and track reliability. Repaircraft failed to find the large export order they had initially intended though, with the most note-worthy interest coming from Brunei, though after testing and comparisons, they instead went with a similar package offered by BAE Systems.
This setback didn’t stop Repaircraft from conducting a rather famous publicity stunt with their Scorpion 2000 demonstration vehicle, as they believed it would highlight for possible clients the merits of their long list of possible upgrades. The publicity stunt I refer to is then securing the Guinness world record for the fastest production tank, when the Scorpion 2000 demonstrator achieved a speed of 82.23 km/h (51.10 mph) at the QinetiQ vehicle test track in Chertsey, Surrey, on 26 January 2002. This record currently still stands, and Repaircraft continues to sell their upgrade packages to this day, as the Scorpion tank continues to play a role in the armed forces of over a dozen armed forces to this day, in some part thanks to the improvements stemming off the Scorpion 2000 program.
Vehicle specification:
Mass 17,800 lb (8.074 tonnes)
Length 5.288 m (17 ft 4.2 in)
Width 2.134 m (7 ft 0 in)
Height 2.102 m (6 ft 10.8 in)
Crew 3
Armour Aluminium armour, Cast and 1318b plate
Main armament ROF 76mm L23A1 gun
Secondary
armament
1 x Coaxial 7.62 mm L43A1 machine gun
1 x pintle mounted 12.7mm M2 browning 50cal
12 x smoke dischargers
Suspension Torsion-bar
Operational range 756 km (470 mi)
Maximum speed 82.23 km/h (51.10 mph)
Additional historical photos:
Sources:
- Upgrade Menu (Full list of upgrades offered in the Scorpion 2000 program by Repaircraft PLC
- Scorpion 2000 MVEE, Chertsey 15 September 1999 | Scorpion wa… | Flickr (Source of one of the photos)
- Contents (Manufactures website with all the info still available for the scorpion 2000, and the specifications for ammunition and other performance spec.)
- CVR(T) Projects (prototypes, variants) | Secret Projects Forum (Source of additional photos)
- Army Guide (Scorpion 2000’s failed bit for export to Brunei)