The Panhard VCR (''Véhicule de Combat à Roues'', French for Wheeled Combat Vehicle) is a light

armored personnel carrier An armoured personnel carrier (APC) is a broad type of armoured military vehicle designed to transport personnel and equipment in combat zones. Since World War I, APCs have become a very common piece of military equipment around the world. Acc ...

(APC) designed by

Panhard Panhard was a French motor vehicle manufacturer that began as one of the first makers of automobiles. It was a manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its final incarnation, now owned by Renault Trucks#Military vehicles, Re ...

for the export market and later used by several countries. After

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

ordered French turrets in September 1974 capable of launching antitank guided missiles (ATGM), the Panhard VCR was developed at the request of the Iraqis for vehicles with which to mate these ATGM-launcher turrets. This resulted in the largest order of VCRs, 100, for Iraq.

Description

The VCR is a 6×6 wheeled APC designed in the late 1970s and is based on the earlier 4×4 M-3 APC which had been a huge success for Panhard on the export market, with over 1,200 built. Production of the VCR began in 1979. The center pair of wheels can be raised when the vehicle is operated on roads (when down all six wheels drive). The engine is located in the front to the right, with the driver in the front-center of the vehicle. The VCR has 8 mm of steel armor on all sides except the front which has 12 mm. This gives protection against 12.7 mm AP rounds in the front and against 7.62 mm AP rounds on all other sides.C. Foss ''Armored Fighting Vehicles of the World'' page 31. The basic VCR is the APC version, the VCR/TT (''Transport de Troupes''), designed such that various weapons can be mated with the basic vehicle in a series of variants. The basic weapons option was either a 7.62mm light machine gun or a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun, on a ring mount located on the left-front roof. The VCR can also be fitted with a ring mount with a one-man armored turret with a 7.62 mm machine gun or a one-man armored powered turret mounting a 20-mm

automatic cannon An autocannon, automatic cannon or machine cannon is a automatic firearm, fully automatic gun that is capable of rapid-firing large-caliber ( or more) armour-piercing, explosive or incendiary ammunition, incendiary shell (projectile), shells, ...

located at the front-center of the vehicle roof. One option that led to the first large export order from Iraq for a hundred VCR vehicles was a tank-destroyer version of the VCR/TT fitted with an antitank missile turret for launching the

HOT Hot commonly refers refer to: *Heat, a hot temperature *Pungency, in food, a spicy or hot quality Hot or HOT may also refer to: Places *Hot district, a district of Chiang Mai province, Thailand ** Hot subdistrict, a sub-district of Hot Distric ...

wire guided ATGM (antitank guided missile). The ATGM variant was known as the VCR/TH (''Tourelle HOT''). The VCR/TH mounts four HOT missiles on the turret ready to fire with ten reloads inside the vehicle. There was a less expensive version of the VCR/TH offered that mounted the ''MCT cupola'' which fires the shorter range

MILAN Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...

antitank missile, but there were no orders for this version. Besides the three crew, the basic VCR/TT can transport nine infantrymen. Other versions included: ;VCR/AT :A recovery vehicle, the VCR/AT, with a heavy duty crane mounted on the roof over the back side, tool chest for two mechanics, working bench, welding equipment, spare parts and a towing bar. ;VCR/IS :An ambulance version, the VCR/IS, which has provision for three stretchers (four in an emergency for quick transport) and a medic, heavy duty air conditioning system, water supply, a refrigerator, electric sterilizer, medical cupboards and a large tent that can be erected from the rear of the vehicle. ;VCR/PC :A command post vehicle, the VCR/PC, with provisions for three radio operators, a long range transmitter and a short range transmitter, and four heavy duty storage batteries to provide power when the vehicle is stopped for long periods. There is also an electronic warfare vehicle based on the VCR/PC, fitted to customer requirements for intercepting and jamming enemy radio communications. ;VCR/TT "Hydrojet" :This unique modification of the VCR/TT is a 4x4 variant produced for

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

. The VCR/TT "Hydrojet" 4x4 amphibious variant replaces the center wheel stations with powerful waterjets, doubling the water speed over the standard 6X6 VCR-TT which relies on its wheels for water propulsion. The waterjets are placed in the center wheel position to protect them against obstacles in the water.

Operators

Current operators

* : 24 * : 100 VCR-TH delivered between 1979 and 1981, 44 a gift from UAE in 2005 * : 46 * : 82

Gallery

File:TankMadero2.JPG, Panhard VCR TT 6x6 File:TankMadero1.JPG, Panhard VCR TT 4x4 File:Panhard VCR.jpg, Schematics

Notes

References

* (Foss) Foss, Christopher F., ''Jane's Tank Recognition Guide'', London: HarperCollins, 2006. * (JAA) Foss, Christopher F. (ed.), ''Jane's Armour and Artillery 2007–2008'', London: Jane's Publishing Company Limited, 2008.

External links

warwheels.net
{{Modern IFV and APC Armoured fighting vehicles of the Cold War Armoured personnel carriers of France VCR Six-wheeled vehicles Military vehicles introduced in the 1970s Armoured personnel carriers of the Cold War Wheeled armoured personnel carriers