FV106 Samson

Last updated

FV106 Samson
Samson CVR(T) ARV.jpg
Type Armoured recovery vehicle
Place of origin United Kingdom
Production history
No. built136 [1]
Specifications
Mass8.7 tonnes
Length5 m (including Vice and bench)
Width2.4 m
Height2.8 m (Including A-frame)
CrewCommander, driver and crew

Main
armament
1 x 7.62 mm L7 GPMG
Secondary
armament
8 Smoke dischargers
EngineJaguar 4.2 litre petrol
Operational
range
483 Km
Maximum speed 72 km/h
References [2]

FV106 Samson was a British Army armoured recovery vehicle, one of the CVR(T) family. The main role of this vehicle was to recover the CVR(T) family of vehicles, but could also recover other light tracked vehicles such as the FV430 series.

Contents

Design and features

The Samson was conceived in the early 1970s with the final design entering production in 1978. The hull is an all-welded aluminium construction. It usually carries a crew of three operating a 3.5T capstan winch that can also be utilised in a lifting configuration. It carries suitable equipment to enable a 4:1 mechanical advantage with 228m of winch rope. This winch is capable of recovering up to 12 Tonnes of vehicle. A manually operated earth anchor is situated at the rear to anchor the vehicle while operations are carried out. [2]

Rear view of a Samson showing the rear crew hatch, A-frame and anchor Samson CVR(T) rear view.jpg
Rear view of a Samson showing the rear crew hatch, A-frame and anchor

The Samson can be fitted with a flotation screen so it can be operated amphibiously using its own tracks at 6.5 km/h or at 9.6 km/h if also fitted with a propeller kit. The Samson can also be fitted with a full NBC protection unit. [3]

Operators

Map of FV106 operators in blue FV106 operators.png
Map of FV106 operators in blue

A single Samson accompanied the two troops of Blues and Royals CVR(T)s to the Falklands War. [4]

Current operators

Examples on display

Philippines

United Kingdom

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beach armoured recovery vehicle</span> British amphibious armoured recovery vehicle

A beach armoured recovery vehicle (BARV) is an armoured recovery vehicle used for amphibious landings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers</span> Maintenance arm of the British Army

The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers is the maintenance arm of the British Army that maintains the equipment that the Army uses. The corps is described as the "British Army's professional engineers".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked)</span> Armoured fighting vehicles

The Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked), abbreviated CVR(T), is a family of armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) developed in the 1960s and is in service with the British Army and others throughout the world. They are small, highly mobile, air-transportable armoured vehicles, originally designed to replace the Alvis Saladin armoured car.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FV101 Scorpion</span> Reconnaissance vehicle, light tank

The FV101 Scorpion is a British armoured reconnaissance vehicle and light tank. It was the lead vehicle and the fire support type in the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked), CVR(T), family of seven armoured vehicles. Manufactured by Alvis, it was introduced into service with the British Army in 1973 and was withdrawn in 1994. More than 3,000 were produced and used as a reconnaissance vehicle or a light tank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FV105 Sultan</span> Weapon

FV105 Sultan was a British command and control vehicle based on the CVR(T) platform. It has a higher roof than the armoured personnel carrier variants, providing a more comfortable "office space" inside. Sultan entered service in 1978. It is no longer used by British Armed Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FV107 Scimitar</span> Reconnaissance vehicle

The FV107 Scimitar is an armoured tracked military reconnaissance vehicle formerly used by the British Army, until it was retired from active service in April 2023. It was manufactured by Alvis in Coventry. It is very similar to the FV101 Scorpion, but mounts a high-velocity 30 mm L21 RARDEN cannon instead of a 76 mm gun. It was issued to Royal Armoured Corps armoured regiments in the reconnaissance role. Each regiment originally had a close reconnaissance squadron of five troops, each containing eight FV107 Scimitars. Each Main Battle Tank Regiment also employed eight Scimitars in the close reconnaissance role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warrior tracked armoured vehicle</span> British infantry fighting vehicle

The Warrior tracked vehicle family is a series of British armoured vehicles, originally developed to replace FV430 series armoured vehicles. The Warrior started life as the MCV-80, "Mechanised Combat Vehicle for the 1980s". One of the requirements of the new vehicle was a top speed able to keep up with the projected new MBT, the MBT-80 – later cancelled and replaced by what became the Challenger 1 – which the FV432 armoured personnel carrier could not. The project was begun in 1972; GKN Defence won the production contract in 1984 and the Warrior was accepted for service with the British Army in November 1984. Production commenced in January 1986 at Telford, with the first vehicles completed in December that year. GKN Defence was purchased by BAE Systems, via Alvis plc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tow truck</span> Truck used to move motor vehicles

A tow truck is a truck used to move disabled, improperly parked, impounded, or otherwise indisposed motor vehicles. This may involve recovering a vehicle damaged in an accident, returning one to a drivable surface in a mishap or inclement weather, or towing or transporting one via flatbed to a repair shop or other location.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FV432</span> British armoured personnel carrier

The FV432 is the armoured personnel carrier variant in the British Army's FV430 series of armoured fighting vehicles. Since its introduction in the 1960s, it has been the most common variant, being used for transporting infantry on the battlefield. At its peak in the 1980s, almost 2,500 vehicles were in use.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conqueror (tank)</span> British heavy tank

The FV 214 Conqueror, also known as Tank, Heavy No. 1, 120 mm Gun, Conqueror was a British heavy tank of the post-World War II era. It was developed as a response to the Soviet IS-3 heavy tank. The Conqueror's main armament, an L1 120 mm gun, was larger than the 20-pounder (83.4 mm) gun carried by its peer, the Centurion. The Conqueror's role was to provide long range anti-tank support for the Centurion. Nine Conquerors were issued for each regiment in Germany, usually grouped in three tank troops. In the British Army both the Conqueror and the Centurion were replaced by the Chieftain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guy Innes-Ker, 10th Duke of Roxburghe</span> British aristocrat (1954–2019)

Guy David Innes-Ker, 10th Duke of Roxburghe, was a British aristocrat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor</span> Armoured combat engineering vehicle

The FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor or C.E.T. is an amphibious specialist armoured vehicle formerly used by the British Army. A tracked, lightly armoured vehicle, with amphibious capability, the CET was used by Royal Engineers in ground preparation for bridge construction and towing activities in the front line of battle, such as digging vehicle fighting pits, constructing earthen barriers, repairing roads, recovery of disabled vehicles from water and other obstacles, preparing riverbanks for vehicle crossings and clearing obstacles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armoured recovery vehicle</span> Armoured vehicle for towing in combat conditions

An armoured recovery vehicle (ARV) is typically a powerful tank or armoured personnel carrier (APC) chassis modified for use during combat for military vehicle recovery (towing) or repair of battle-damaged, stuck, and/or inoperable armoured fighting vehicles, such as tanks and armoured personnel carriers. Most ARVs have motorized tracks, like a tank or bulldozer, enabling the ARV to operate on uneven ground. The term "Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle" (ARRV) is also used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ASCOD</span> Austro-Spanish armoured fighting vehicle

The ASCOD armoured fighting vehicle family is the product of a cooperation agreement between Austrian Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG and Spanish General Dynamics Santa Bárbara Sistemas. Both companies are now divisions of a unit of General Dynamics. The ASCOD family includes the LT 105 light tank equipped with a 105 mm gun, a surface-to-air missile launcher, an anti-tank guided missile launcher, mortar carrier, R&R vehicle, command-and-control vehicle, ambulance, artillery observer, and the AIFV model.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers</span> Series of armored military engineering vehicles

Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers (AVRE), also known as Assault Vehicle Royal Engineers, is the title given to a series of armoured military engineering vehicles operated by the Royal Engineers (RE) for the purpose of protecting engineers during frontline battlefield operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scammell Pioneer</span> Tractor unit

The Scammell Pioneer was a British 6×4 tractor unit used in World War II as an artillery tractor, recovery vehicle and tank transporter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tank transporter</span> Combination of a heavy tractor unit and mating semi-trailer used for transporting tanks

A tank transporter is a combination of a heavy tractor unit or a ballast tractor and a mating full trailer, hydraulic modular trailer or semi-trailer, used for transporting tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles. Some also function as tank recovery vehicles, the tractors of which may be armoured for protection in combat conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FV434</span> Armoured Repair/Recovery Vehicle

The FV434 is the Armoured Repair Vehicle variant of the British Army's FV430 series of armoured fighting vehicles. Introduced in the 1960s primarily as a means of quickly changing Chieftain MBT power packs in the field, it is operated by the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME). It is still used by the REME.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Dynamics Ajax</span> Family of British armoured fighting vehicles

The Ajax, formerly known as the Scout SV, is a group of armoured fighting vehicles being developed by General Dynamics UK for the British Army. It has suffered serious development and production difficulties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Challenger Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle</span> UK armoured recovery vehicle

The Challenger Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle or CRARRV is a large British armoured recovery vehicle based on the hull of the Challenger 1 main battle tank. The CRARRV is currently operated in conjunction with the Challenger 2 tanks of the British Army and Royal Army of Oman. It is one of the few vehicles capable of repairing and recovering Challenger tanks in the field. Eighty vehicles were delivered to the British between 1988 and 1993; an additional four vehicles were delivered to Oman.

References

  1. Staff Writer, "FV106 Samson: Armored recovery vehicle", Military Today, retrieved 15 November 2021
  2. 1 2 Connors, Shaun; Foss, Christopher F. (25 March 2010). Jane's Military Vehicles and Logistics 2010-2001. Jane's Information Group. pp. 78–79. ISBN   978-0-7106-2910-4.
  3. Gordon L. Rottman (1 January 1993). Armies of the Gulf War. Osprey Publishing. p. 21. ISBN   978-1-85532-277-6.
  4. Freedman, Lawrence (2005). The Official History of the Falklands Campaign: War and diplomacy. Psychology Press. p. 43. ISBN   978-0-7146-5207-8.
  5. Ministry of Defence (4 September 2014). "Latvian army purchases UK armoured combat vehicles". Gov.uk. Archived from the original on 29 September 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  6. Justine Punzalan (11 June 2022). "Philippine museums to visit for a quick trip down history lane". Philstar Life.
  7. Phil Loder (7 August 2023). "REME Museum Lyneham". www.keymilitary.com.