Panhard AML

Panhard AML 60/90
Panhard AML 60/90
	; Panhard AML 90 armoured car at Saumur armour museum
Type	Light armoured car
Place of origin	France
Service history
Used by	numerous, see text
Wars	Portuguese Colonial War, Rhodesian Bush War, Mozambican War of Independence, Western Sahara War, Angolan Civil War, Falklands War, Lebanese Civil War, Border patrols during Northern Ireland Troubles.
Production history
Manufacturer	Panhard
Produced	1960–
Number built	over 4,000
Variants	AML 60, AML 90, AML 20, M3
Specifications
Weight	5.5 tonnes
Length	4.15 m
Width	1.97 m
Height	2.07 m
Crew	3
Primary; armament	AML 60: 60 mm breech loading mortar ; AML 90: 90 mm GIAT F1 gun ; AML 20: 20 mm G12 cannon
Secondary; armament	2 × 7.62 mm MG
Engine	Panhard 1.99 l (121 cu in) Model 4 HD flat 4-cylinder air-cooled petrol; •90 hp at 4,700 rpm; •compression ratio 7.5:1
Transmission	4×4
Ground clearance	330 mm
Operational; range	600 km
Speed	90 km/h

The Panhard AML (called the AML 245 by Panhard) 60/90 is a light armoured car with permanent 4×4 drive for mobility. 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 enables night time operations, and it is provided with a modern telecommunications system.

Production history[]

During the 1950s, the French Army used the Daimler Ferret in large numbers but decided to build their own armoured car and Panhard started the production of the AML in 1960. Since then over 4000 vehicles have been completed and manufacture continues for the export market. The AML 60/90 have been sold to over 30 countries. In addition to the French production, 1300 AML 60/90 were built under licence by South Africa under the name of Eland 60/90.

An armoured personnel carrier (APC) version was also developed, the Panhard M3. The M3 and the AML share 95% of working parts, encouraging many countries to employ both the M3 and the AML in order to reduce operational costs.

All Irish Army versions have been re-engined with diesel engines.

Fitted with coil spring suspension and drum brakes, the AML lacks hydraulic assist on either brakes or steering; only front wheels steer.^[4] It also uses nitrogen-filled inner tubes (in this case Hutchinson V.P.-P.V.s), similar to the EBR, providing run-flat capability, on 16 in (41 cm)-diameter wheels; these its 11 in (280 mm)-wide Michelin tires can be deflated to reduce ground pressure to as low as 70 to 110 kPa (10 to 16 psi).^[5]

Variants[]

All the versions have a common configuration: the driver is seated in front with a two-seater turret on top. There is a door on each side and the power unit in the back.

AML 60: 60 mm breech loading mortar and a 7.62 mm machine gun
AML 60 HE 60-7: 60 mm breech loading mortar and 2 × 12.7 mm machine gun
AML 60 HE 60-12: 60 mm breech loading mortar and a 12.7 mm machine gun
AML 60 HE 60-20: 60 mm breech loading mortar and a 20 mm cannon
AML 60 S530: self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon with dual 20 mm cannons used in Venezuela
AML 90: 90 mm gun
AML 90 Lynx: Hispano-Suiza designed turret with a 90 mm GIAT F1 gun, night equipment of vision, and telemeters laser
Eland 60: South African version of the AML 60 HE60-7
Eland 90: South African version of the AML 90
AML 20: Irish Army version introduced in recent years replacing the AML 60 armament with a 20mm cannon.
Panhard M3: An armoured personnel carrier variant of the Panhard AML.

Combat history[]

At least 52 AML-90s were delivered to the Lebanese Army in 1970-72,^[6] and saw considerable action during the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990).

In the Falklands War, the Argentines deployed 12 AML-90s from Escuadron de Exploracion Caballeria Blindada 181 (181st Armoured Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron) and an unknown additional number from Escuadron de Exploracion Caballeria Blindada 10 near Port Stanley. During the Battle of Wireless Ridge the only armour versus armour engagement of the war was fought when these units encountered FV101 Scorpions and FV107 Scimitars of the Blues and Royals. The AML-90s were abandoned in Stanley after the conflict ended.^[7]

AML 90s where used in by El Salvadoran Army against communist insurgents during the 80s and early 90s.

Operators[]

Niger Panhard AML — Panhard AML light armoured cars with 90mm guns stand in a holding area during Operation Desert Shield. The equipment is part of the Niger Army's arsenal.

Algeria: 55/44 AML-60
Argentina: 48 AML-90
Bahrain: 48, 22 AML-90 and 26 AML-60
Benin: 22
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 12
Burkina Faso: 15
Burundi: 18
Cameroon: 100
Chad: 50
Côte d'Ivoire: 16, 8 AML-90 and 6 AML-60
Colombia: 40 units with the colombian national police.
COD 40+
Djibouti: 24
Gabon: 24
Ecuador: 27
Egypt
El Salvador: 10 AML-90
Iraq: 10
Ireland: 52
Israel^{[citation needed]}
Kenya: 72
Lebanon: 70, 60 AML-90 in service with the Lebanese Army, between 1976 and 1990.
Lesotho: 10
Malawi: 13
Malaysia: 140 AML-60
Mauritania: 60, 39 AML-90 and 20 AML-60
Mexico 45
Morocco: 230, 140 AML-90 and 38 AML-60
Nigeria: 180, 120 AML-90 and 60 AML-60
Niger: 125
Portugal: 40, 15 AML-90 and 32 AML-60
Rwanda: 12 AML-60
Saudi Arabia: 300/235
Senegal: 57, 24 AML-90 and 28 AML-60
Somaliland
South Africa: 118
Sudan: 6 AML-90
Togo: 10
Tunisia: 35, 20 AML-90 and 10 AML-60
United Arab Emirates: 50, 49 AML-90
Venezuela: 22
Yemen: 185
Zimbabwe: 20 AML-90

Former Operators[]

Cambodia: unknown number of AML-60s and AML-90s in service between 1960-1975.
FNLA: at least 2 unknown AML models equipped with 76mm cannons; saw service during the Angolan Civil War.^[8]
Ethiopia 56 AML-60^{[citation needed]}
Rhodesia: 34 Eland 90s and Eland 60s in service with the Rhodesian Security Forces in 1979,^[9] passed on to successor state.

Trivia[]

In the James Bond film The Living Daylights, two Panhard AMLs (used to portray Soviet Army vehicles) pursue Afghan Mujahadeen fighters. In fact these were Panhard AMLs belonging to the Royal Moroccan Army (FAR). The Mujahadeen were portrayed by Moroccan soldiers.

Gallery[]

References[]

↑ Ogorkiewicz, R. M. AFV Weapons Profile 039 Panhard Armoured Cars (Windsor, Berks: Profile Publications).
↑ Ogorkiewicz.
↑ Ogorkiewicz.
↑ Ogorkiewicz.
↑ Ogorkiewicz.
↑ Zaloga, Tank battles of the Mid-East Wars (2003), p. 52.
↑
↑ "David Thompkins Interview". GWU (14 February 1999). Retrieved on 17 October 2011.
↑ Locke & Cooke, Fighting Vehicles and Weapons of Rhodesia (1995), p. 100.

Christopher F. Foss, Jane's Tank and Combat Vehicle Recognition Guide, HarperCollins Publishers, London 2002. ISBN 0-00-712759-6
Ogorkiewicz, R. M. AFV Weapons Profile 039 Panhard Armoured Cars. Windsor, Berks: Profile Publications.
Peter Gerard Locke & Peter David Farquharson Cooke, Fighting Vehicles and Weapons of Rhodesia 1965-80, P&P Publishing, Wellington 1995 ISSN 0-473-02413-6
Steven J. Zaloga, Tank battles of the Mid-East Wars (2): The wars of 1973 to the present, Concord Publications, Hong Kong 2003. ISBN 962-361-613-9

External links[]

Panhard's AML page
Chars Français (French)
- AML 60
- AML 90

This page uses some content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Panhard AML. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons by Attribution License and/or GNU Free Documentation License. Please check page history for when the original article was copied to Wikia

[1] Ogorkiewicz, R. M. AFV Weapons Profile 039 Panhard Armoured Cars (Windsor, Berks: Profile Publications).

[2] Ogorkiewicz.

[3] Ogorkiewicz.

[4] Ogorkiewicz.

[5] Ogorkiewicz.

[6] Zaloga, Tank battles of the Mid-East Wars (2003), p. 52.

[7] ↑

[8] "David Thompkins Interview". GWU (14 February 1999). Retrieved on 17 October 2011.

[9] Locke & Cooke, Fighting Vehicles and Weapons of Rhodesia (1995), p. 100.

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