Eland Mk7

Infobox Weapon
name= Eland Mk7


caption=
origin= South Africa
type= Armoured car
is_vehicle=yes
service= 1962 - 1990
used_by= See "Operators"
wars= Angolan Civil War
designer= 1962
design_date=
manufacturer=Reumech Sandock
unit_cost=
production_date=
number=
variants=
weight=
length= 3,79 m
part_length=
width= 1,97 m
height= 2,07 m
diameter=
crew=3
armour=
primary_armament= 60 mm breech loading mortar
secondary_armament= 2x 7,62 mm machine gun
engine= Panhard Model 4 HD 4-cylinder air-cooled petrol
engine_power= 90 hp at 4,700 rpm
transmission=
payload_capacity=
fuel_capacity=
pw_ratio=
suspension=
clearance=330 mm
vehicle_range= 600 km
speed=90 km/h
guidance= The Eland is a South African light armoured car based on the Panhard AML. Its permanent 4x4 drive gives it its mobility, and it can carry either a 90 mm quick firing low pressure gun, or a 60 mm breech loading mortar as main weapons. Night vision equipment provides effective night time operations, and it is provided with a modern telecommunications system.

Production History

South Africa signed a contract with the French company Panhard for AML armoured cars. 100 were delivered from France and local production started in 1962 for 500 units. Later further production was undertaken - bringing the total number of locally produced vehicles to 1300. The Eland Mk7 is derived from the Panhard AML 60-7 armoured car and has been extensively modified (e.g. diesel conversion) by Reumech OMC for use in the harsh African environment. Some were exported to Lesotho, Malawi and Zimbabwe. The South African Army has replaced the Eland with the Rooikat AFV.

Variants

* Eland Mk7 - Also known as the Eland 60
* Eland Mk9 - Also known as the Eland 90 - Modified version of the AML H 90 armored car, keeping the Panhard chassis but having a new Hispano-Suiza designed turret with a 90 mm GIAT F1 gun

Operators

:flagicon|Lesotho Lesotho Defence Force:flagicon|Malawi Military of Malawi:flagicon|South Africa South African Army (Replaced by the Rooikat):flagicon|Rhodesia Rhodesia :flagicon|Zimbabwe Zimbabwe National Army

Combat History

Elands were used extensively by the SADF during the Angolan Civil War, and were known to crews as "Noddy Cars". [http://www.allatsea.co.za/army/glossary.htm AllAtSea.co.za/army - Glossary of SA military terminology and slang] ] They were effective against light armored vehicles and older tanks such as the T-34/85 that were used by the Cubans and the MPLA.Fact|date=December 2007 A small number of Eland 90's were sold to the Rhodesian government in the mid 1970's to replace the aging Ferret armoured car.

ee also

*List of military armoured cars
*Panhard AML

References

External links

* [http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/eland.htm FAS.org]