View source for Engineering:Saxon (vehicle)

{{Infobox weapon
| name               = Saxon
| image              = Saxon Armoured Vehicle MOD 45143139.jpg
| image_size         = 300
| caption            = A Saxon Armoured Personnel vehicle from the Cheshire Regiment, British Army, 2003
| origin             = United Kingdom
| type               = [[Engineering:Armoured personnel carrier|Armoured personnel carrier]]
<!-- Type selection -->| is_vehicle         = yes
| is_UK              = yes
<!-- Service history -->| service            = 1976-present
| used_by            = ''[[Engineering:Saxon (vehicle)#Operators|Operators]]''
| wars               = {{ubl|[[History:Cold War|Cold War]] |The Troubles |Gulf War |Bosnian War |Kosovo War |War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) |Iraq War |Russo-Ukrainian War}}
| designer           = GKN Sankey
| design_date        = 1975-1976
| manufacturer       = {{ubl|GKN Sankey |[[Company:Alvis plc|Alvis]] |[[Company:Alvis plc|Alvis Vickers]] | BAE Systems}}
| unit_cost          = 
| production_date    = 
| number             = 
| variants           = <!-- General specifications -->
| weight             = 10.6 tonnes
| length             = {{convert|5.17|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| part_length        = 
| width              = {{convert|2.49|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| height             = {{convert|2.63|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| diameter           = 
| crew               = 2
<!-- Vehicle/missile specifications -->| armour             = 
| primary_armament   = 7.62 mm MG
| secondary_armament = none
| engine             = Bedford 500 6-cyl diesel
| engine_power       = {{convert|164|hp|kW|abbr=on}}
| transmission       = 
| payload_capacity   = 10 passengers
| fuel_capacity      = 
| pw_ratio           = 
| suspension         = Wheel 4x4
| clearance          = 
| vehicle_range      = {{convert|510|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| speed              = {{convert|96|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}
| guidance           = <!-- For all -->
| ref                = <ref name="ARSAXON">{{cite web |url=http://www.armyrecognition.com/europe/Angleterre/vehicules_a_roues/Saxon/Saxon_Angleterre_description.htm |title=Saxon AT-105 AT105 Description identification pictures picture photo image british wheeled armoured armored vehicle véhicule blindé à roues britannique anglais |website=www.armyrecognition.com |access-date=6 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080419070943/http://www.armyrecognition.com/europe/Angleterre/vehicules_a_roues/Saxon/Saxon_Angleterre_description.htm |archive-date=19 April 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

The '''Saxon''' is an [[Engineering:Armoured personnel carrier|armoured personnel carrier]] used by the British Army and supplied in small numbers to various overseas organisations. It was developed by GKN Sankey from earlier projects, AT 100 IS and AT104, and was due to be replaced by the Future Rapid Effect System.

==History==
The first operational Saxons were deployed in Germany in 1983, to equip mechanised infantry battalions. The Saxon has now been withdrawn from service in HM Armed Forces, but 147 are kept in storage.{{citation needed|date=March 2021}} The Saxon has been deployed to places such as Bahrain, Brunei, Bosnia, Malaysia, Northern Ireland, Oman, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Seven Saxons were ordered by the Royal Hong Kong Police from GKN Sankey in 1987 and delivered in 1988 where they replaced 15 [[Engineering:Alvis Saracen|Saracens]]. They were assigned to the Police Tactical Unit<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1903597/hong-kongs-saracen-armoured-police-cars-patrol-small-town | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126063602/https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1903597/hong-kongs-saracen-armoured-police-cars-patrol-small-town | archive-date=26 January 2016 | title=Hong Kong's Saracen armoured police cars on patrol in small-town England | date=23 January 2016 }}</ref> and remained there until withdrawn in 2009. In the Balkans, Saxons were outfitted with turrets taken from FV432s to serve as improvised anti-sniper turret.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2015/02/not-secret-life-saxon/ | title=The Not So Secret Life of the Saxon - Think Defence | date=14 February 2015 }}</ref>

75 Saxons were sold to Ukraine reportedly under a contract made in 2013, i.e. predating the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/feb/14/ukraine-receives-british-troop-carriers|title = Ukraine receives British troop carriers|date = 14 February 2015|access-date = 14 February 2015|website = the guardian}}</ref> The Ukrainian military announced the deal on 5 December 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://army.unian.ua/1018315-minoboroni-zakupilo-75-bronemashin-saxon.html|title=Міноборони закупило 75 бронемашин Saxon}}</ref> The former chief commander of British land forces, Richard Dannatt, said that supplying the vehicles to Ukraine was "immoral" as they were "useless" in high intensity warfare.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/566355/Russia-Ukraine-tank-video-struggles-to-get-up-hill-UK-military|title=VIDEO: Embarrassing moment tank sent to Ukraine by UK struggles to climb TINY hill|first=Dion|last=Dassanayake|date=25 March 2015}}</ref> Before September 2015 another 200 were bought from one of europe's largest army surplus company.

In Ukrainian service, the type has seen combat against Russian forces during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. As of September 2022, available video and photographic evidence indicates Ukraine has lost at least 11 Saxons during the invasion, with 9 being captured by Russian forces and two being destroyed.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2022/02/attack-on-europe-documenting-ukrainian.html?m=1 | title=Attack on Europe: Documenting Ukrainian Equipment Losses During the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine }}</ref>

==Design==
The Saxon was intended to act as a cheap but efficient "battle-taxi" for units that would have to make long journeys from the UK to reinforce the British Army of the Rhine. It was made as a relatively low cost armoured personnel carrier based on a revised [[Engineering:Bedford TK|Bedford M series]] 4x4 truck chassis and other commercially available components.<ref name="MT">{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070118061056/http://www.military-today.com/apc/saxon.htm|url=http://www.military-today.com/apc/saxon.htm|archive-date=2007-01-18|url-status=live|title=Saxon|publisher=Military Today}}</ref>

As a lightly armoured wheeled vehicle, it is much faster - especially on roads - and easier to maintain than a tracked vehicle. It shares many parts with commercial trucks, reducing the operating cost. It is armoured against small-arms fire and shell splinters, but is not intended to stand up to any anti-vehicle weaponry. The vehicle has a single machine gun for local air defence.

The Saxon's hull is welded steel with a V-shaped under-chassis plate to deflect mine detonations. Seating is provided in the rear for up to ten troops, although eight is a more comfortable load if all their equipment is included.<ref name="MT"/> There is an equipment stowage area on the hull roof.<ref name="MT"/>

Some Saxon IS, or Saxon Patrol, vehicles were acquired for service in Northern Ireland, serving as ambulances or troop carriers, which had extendible wings that could be used as protective shields during a riot. Compared to the standard model, these have various minor modifications intended for internal security operations, such as searchlights and wire cutters.

==Variants==
[[File:Saxon Recovery Version.jpg|thumb|A British Army Saxon ARV on display at the REME Museum painted in UN colours.]]

The Saxon can be fitted out as:

* APC<ref name="ASSAXON">{{cite web | url=https://www.armyrecognition.com/united_kingdom_british_army_wheeled_vehicle_uk/at105_saxon_4x4_armoured_vehicle_personnel_carrier_technical_data_sheet_specifications_description_u.html | title=AT105 Saxon 4x4 armoured vehicle personnel carrier technical data sheet specifications description U &#124; United Kingdom British Army wheeled vehicle UK &#124; British Army United Kingdom military equipment UK }}</ref>
* Command Vehicle<ref name="ASSAXON"/>
* Incident Control vehicle<ref name="ASSAXON"/>
* [[Engineering:Armoured recovery vehicle|ARV]]<ref name="ASSAXON"/>
* Saxon Patrol<ref name="ASSAXON"/>
* LHD converted Saxons by KADDB in Jordan<ref name="SaxonKADDB">{{cite web|url=http://www.armyrecognition.com/jordan_jordanian_army_wheeled_armoured_vehicles_uk/saxon_kaddb_armoured_vehicle_personnel_carrier_technical_data_sheet_specifications_information_uk.html|title=Saxon KADDB armoured vehicle personnel carrier technical data sheet specifications information UK - Jordan Jordanian army wheeled armoured vehicles UK - Jordan Jordanian army military equipment vehicles|last=Administrator|website=www.armyrecognition.com}}</ref>

==Operators==
[[File:Saxon operators.png|thumb|upright=1.6|A map of Saxon operators in blue with former operators in red]]
[[File:Saxon at105.jpg|thumb|AT-105 Saxon vehicles in the Ukrainian Armed Forces]]

===Current operators===
*{{flag|Bahrain}}<ref name="MT"/>
*{{flag|Congo}} : 28 delivered in 2015<ref name="trade"/>
*{{flag|Côte d'Ivoire}} : 4 second-hand vehicles delivered in 2016 for use with MINUSMA<ref name="trade">{{cite web|url=http://armstrade.sipri.org/armstrade/page/trade_register.php |title=Trade Registers |publisher=Armstrade.sipri.org |access-date=2018-05-08}}</ref>
*{{flag|Djibouti}}: 4+<ref name=IISS>{{cite book |last=International Institute for Strategic Studies|date=2021|title=The Military Balance|page=462|isbn=9781032012278}}</ref>
*{{flag|Iraq}}: Iraqi Armed Forces now mostly used by police.
*{{flag|Jordan}}: 12 second-hand vehicles delivered to Jordanian Army, modernized by KADDB to change steering wheel position from right to left with newer engines and gearbox with a working model shown in SOFEX 2010.<ref name="SaxonKADDB"/>
*{{flag|Malaysia}}<ref name="MT"/>
*{{flag|Mauritania}}: 4 second-hand vehicles delivered in 2016 via France for United Nations operation in the Central African Republic.<ref name="trade2">{{cite web|url=http://armstrade.sipri.org/armstrade/page/trade_register.php |title=Trade Registers |publisher=Armstrade.sipri.org |access-date=2019-02-09}}</ref>
*{{flag|Mozambique}}: 25 delivered in 2013<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/69/124|title=United Nations Official Document|website=www.un.org}}</ref>
*{{flag|Nigeria}}<ref name="MT"/>
*{{flag|Oman}}<ref name="MT"/>
*{{flag|Russia}}: At least 10 were captured during the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2022/02/attack-on-europe-documenting-ukrainian.html | title=Attack on Europe: Documenting Ukrainian Equipment Losses During the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine }}</ref> Some were displayed at the International Military-Technical Forum «ARMY-2022».<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-17 |title=International Army Games |url=https://www.nationalreview.com/photos/international-army-games-2022/ |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=National Review |language=en-US}}</ref>
*{{flag|Somalia}}: 50 donated second hand by Djibouti April 2013.<ref>http://www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/cf/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3-CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/s_2013_413.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref>
*{{flag|Ukraine}}: Ukraine's Ministry of Defense has purchased 75 second-hand vehicles, which have been delivered in two shipments in 2015.<ref>{{cite web |title=British Saxon armored cars to be delivered to Ukrainian army after conversion and testing |url=http://www.unian.info/war/1043957-british-saxon-armored-cars-to-be-delivered-to-ukrainian-army-after-reconversion-and-testing.html |access-date=18 January 2017 |publisher=UNIAN (13 February 2015)}}</ref><ref name = 'useless'>{{cite news|author = Marcin Gawęda|title="Useless" Saxon Vehicles Surprisingly Useful In Ukraine. Kiev Benefits From The "Cost-Effect" Ratio|url=http://www.defence24.com/422720,useless-saxon-vehicles-surprisingly-useful-in-ukraine-kiev-benefits-from-the-cost-effect-ratio|publisher=Defence 24|access-date=18 January 2017}}</ref>

===Former Operators===
*{{flag|Hong Kong}}: Hong Kong Police Force Police Tactical Unit.<ref name="HKPD">{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001035253/http://www.police.gov.hk/offbeat/889/eng/n02.htm|url=http://www.police.gov.hk/offbeat/889/eng/n02.htm|title=New Armoured Personnel Carrier on the way|publisher=Hong Kong Police Force|access-date=2013-01-13|url-status=live|archive-date=2011-10-01}}</ref> All retired in 2009 and replaced by [[Engineering:Unimog#Unimog U5000 437.430|Unimog U5000]]s.<ref name="HKPD"/>
*{{flag|United Kingdom}}: British Army. All taken out from service.<ref name = 'useless'/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*''Armed Forces of the United Kingdom'', Charles Heyman. Leo Cooper, 2003.


[[Category:Internal security vehicles]]
[[Category:Wheeled armoured personnel carriers]]

{{Sourceattribution|Saxon (vehicle)}}