Eland Mk7
|
| Eland Mk7 |
| Country Of Origin: | France |
| Designation: | Light Armoured Car |
| Configuration: | 4 x 4 |
| Manufacturer: | Reumech Sandock |
| Length: | 3,79m |
| Width: | 1,97 m |
| Height: | 2,07 m |
| Weight: | 5,5 |
| Ground Clearance: | 330 mm |
| Trench: | 0,8 m |
| Speed: | 90 km/h (road)
km/h (off-road) |
| Range: | 600km |
| Primary armament: | 60 mm breech loading mortar |
| Secondary armament: | 2 7,62 mm MG |
| Power plant: | Panhard Model 4 HD 4-cylinder air-cooled petrol developing 90 hp at 4,700 rpm |
| Crew: | 3 |
A
South African light armoured car with permanent 4x4 drive gives it exceptional 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 provides effective night time operations, and it is provided with an excellent telecommunications system.
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 Diesel Turbo (DT) 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 very 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
:
Lesotho Defence Force:
Malawi Army:
South African Army (Replaced by the Rooikat):
Rhodesia and after 1980
Zimbabwe National ArmyElands were used extensively by the
SADF during the
Angolan Civil War. 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.
*
List of military armoured cars*
Panhard AML*
FAS.org
