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Large picture

FASTEST TANK IN THE WORLD!

A CVR(T) Scorpion Tank, Upgraded to the latest Repaircraft PLC S 2000 PEACEKEEPER specifications, has just obtained the official international speed record for the World’s Fastest Tank.

Timed by the UK Police and MMST and witnessed by the Guinness Book of Records a standard production S 2000 PEACEKEEPER took the world record at an average speed of 82.23 kph / 51.10 mph.

UK car racing circuits are generally unwilling to allow tracked vehicles to use their special road surfaces so the record was carried out at the UK Ministry of Defence QinetiQ Test Track at Chertsey near London, England. To qualify as a world record, calibrated and certified electronic speed readings have to be taken for consecutive runs in opposite directions, so the electronic speed measuring equipment was set up in the centre of the main straight. This meant that the tank only had about 500 metres of straight to accelerate to its world record breaking speed. If the straight had been longer, higher speeds could have been achieved in both directions. Indeed the Repaircraft PLC Chief Test Driver with over 25 years experience piloting high powered vehicles, regretted that the straight was so short “If I had a longer straight I am sure we could have gone faster. As I went through the timing posts the S 2000 PEACEKEEPER was still accelerating !”.

The S 2000 PEACEKEEPER is the most modern version of the highly successful British CVR(T) vehicle, as used by 23 armies around the world. The principal differences are that the S 2000 PEACEKEEPER has a Repaircraft/Steyr Model 2133 Diesel 3.2 litre Turbocharged and Electronically Managed Engine, K10,000 Replaceable Rubber Pad Track, S 2000 Intelligent Electrical System, Explosion Suppressant Fuel Tank, DNGS Image Intensifier Day/Night Vision Gun Sights and Appliqué Armour fitted as standard.

The vehicle’s outstanding performance is guaranteed by the Repaircraft/Steyr 2133 diesel engine. This engine revs to 5,000 RPM, produces 200 BHP and up to 480 Nm Torque in standard specification. Weighing a featherweight 250 kg, the engine has no cylinder head and generates approx 20 kilowatts less heat than comparable engines. Quite simply this means that the fuel is turned into power rather than radiator waste heat, further engine performance and reliability in hot countries is dramatically improved by not having a separate cylinder head – on British Tanks traditionally the weakest link!

Variants of this engine are now used in various military vehicles and are for example now standard equipment in the Alvis Hägglunds BV 206S military tracked all terrain carrier.

Most remarkably the actual engine fitted to the record breaking S 2000 PEACEKEEPER vehicle had already logged over 11,200 miles (18,024 km) on the day of the world record. This may not sound much but in a Tank it is quite remarkable – probably the equivalent of 500,000 miles (804,650 km) in a car !

Also most notable is the vehicle’s revolutionary K10,000 Track. Traditionally a set of CVR(T) Scorpion Track has cost about UK Pounds £12,000.00 (depending on quantity ordered) and when the moulded-in rubber pads have worn down the track is thrown away. If used on tarmac roads the rubber pads can wear out in as little as 500 miles (804 km) at a cost of UK Pounds £24.00 per mile (1.60 km) to operate !

The revolutionary K10,000 Track has solved this problem very simply – fit replaceable rubber pads !

Not only do replaceable rubber pads give the track a 10,000 km life, the Track can save over UK Pounds £35,000.00 per vehicle, per 10,000 km and is more environmentally friendly.

Tank design philosophy has traditionally been Mobility, Firepower and Protection. However very few tank designers or armies can ever agree about which factor is the most important !

The S 2000 PEACEKEEPER addresses Firepower with the latest Image Intensifier or optional Thermal Sights and Laser Rangefinders for optimum Firepower accuracy.

Concerning protection the original CVR(T) Scorpion’s armour can be penetrated surprisingly easily by the latest 14.5 mm Russian sniper rifle ammunition. The S 2000 PEACEKEEPER has Appliqué Armour, a special ceramic material that causes high velocity bullets to literally shatter on impact. The design principal is that this additional Appliqué “hard skin” reduces the high velocity bullets “sting” so that the original ballistic aluminium armour can defeat the remaining impact of the bullet and so protect the crew.

Special custom alloy perforated steel ballistic skirts are fitted to the sides of the vehicle to protect the upper wheels and track – the enemies favourite target. These skirts are specially perforated to deflect high velocity bullets and therefore help to protect the original ballistic aluminium armour. They are also designed to cause Rocket Propelled Grenades to detonate away from the vehicle substantially improving the crews chances of survival. Being perforated they are surprisingly light and easy to remove and re-fit when servicing the vehicle.

In addition to Mobility, Firepower and Protection, Repaircraft PLC have now added another design philosophy – Safety.

The traditional CVR(T) Scorpion has an unfortunate reputation for being a “fire death trap” in combat situations. Unbelievably the fuel is stored within the crew compartment in a rubber bladder complete with a Perspex fuel level viewing window!

Diesel fuel, sadly as recent railway disasters have shown with vast numbers of deaths, will burn vigorously when ignited. Repaircraft PLC have for the first time in this class of Tank addressed this fundamental problem by developing an Explosion Suppressant Fuel Cell. Made from ballistic fibre (similar to bullet proof vests) the cell is filled with Reticulated Safoam IV which forms a highly effective three dimensional fire screen.

Amazingly an S 2000 Explosion Suppressant Fuel Cell Upgrade kit is about the same price as the traditional rubber bladder and can be easily retrofitted with standard workshop tools.The Repaircraft PLC S 2000 PEACEKEEPER Mobility, Firepower, Protection and Safety – in whatever order you want !