ERC 90 Sagaie
Place of origin	France
Specifications
Weight	8.3 tonnes
Length	7.7 metres
Width	2.50 metres
Height	2.25 metres
Crew	3
Armour	10 mm
Primary armament	cannon 90 mm
Secondary armament	2 x 7.62 mm machine guns
Engine	Peugeot V-6 petro 155 hp at 5,250 rpm
Operational range	730 km
Speed	90

The Panhard ERC 90 Sagaie (Engin de Reconnaissance à Canon de 90 mm) is a French six-wheeled armoured vehicle. It is mobile, amphibious and NBC-proof.

[edit] Background

Developed by Panhard on its own funding, it appeared in 1977 and was based on a project proposed to the French Army in the early seventies. The original project lost against the Saviem (now Renault) VAB, but the ERC 90 has been adopted for the French Fast Deployment Force.

The first ERC-90 was built in 1977. It was an export success, orders being made by Argentina, France, Iraq, Côte d'Ivoire, Niger, and Mexico. The first batch were for Iraq, where they had to be fitted with the UTM-800 turret. Panhard later used more modern turrets fitted with the F4 90 mm gun.

The all terrain mobility of the ERC 90 is enhanced by the capability to raise or lower the central pair of wheels depending on terrain condition. It is equipped with two hydrojets and requires no preparation for amphibious operations. It can be fitted with different turrets. The ERC 90 Sagaie, used by the French Army, has a GIAT TS 90 turret.

The Sagaie can be ferried by Transall C-160 or Hercules C-130 planes

It was used by the Iraqi army in the succession of wars which took place there, and proved very useful for the French Army in urban conditions during the Siege of Sarajevo.

[edit] Variants

French ERC 90 Sagaie of the reconnaissance squadron of the 13th half-brigade of the Foreign Legion near Djibouti in 2005

• EMC 91: Fire support version armed with 81mm mortar in an Hispano-Suiza EMC turret.
• ERC 20: Anti-aircraft version with 2 x 20 mm autocannons.
• ERC 60-20: Fitted with Hispano-Suiza 60-20 Serval turret armed with a 60 mm mortar and a 20 mm autocannon.
• ERC 90 (Diesel): Fitted with a diesel engine.
• ERC 90 F1: Fitted with the Hispano-Suiza Lynx 90 turret as fitted to the Panhard AML.
• ERC 90 Sagaie: Fitted with GIAT TS 90 turret.
• ERC 90 Sagaie 2: Slightly larger version fitted with twin engines and improved turret.
• VCR: APC based on ERC.

[edit] User countries

Mexican Army ERC 90 during the Independence day Parade.

•  Argentina (Argentine Marine Corps) - 14
•  Chad - 4
•  Côte d'Ivoire - 7
•  Ecuador - 10
•  France - 192
•  Gabon - 14
•  Iraq
•  Mexico (120)
•  Nigeria

[edit] Characteristics

Argentine Marine Corps ERC-90 Recon. Vehicle

• Armament: 1 x 90 mm, 1 x 7.62 mm coaxial MG, 1 x 7.62 mm AA MG AA (optional), 2 x 2 smoke grenade dischargers
• Ammunition: 20 x 90 mm, 2,000 x 7.62 mm
• Armour: maximum 10 mm steel
• Crew: 3
• Weight:: 8,100 kg
• Length: 5.10 m hull, 7.69 m overall
• Width: 2.49 m
• Height: 2.25
• Wheelbase: 1.63 + 1.22 m
• Engine: Peugeot V-6 petrol, 155 hp (116 kW) at 5,250 rpm
• Maximum speed: 95 km/h
• Fuel capacity: 242 L
• Range: 700 km
• Fording: Amphibious
• Water speed: 4.5 km/h wheels, 9.5 km/h hydrojets
• Ground clearance: 0.34 m
• Vertical obstacle: 0.8 m
• Trench: 1.1 m
• Gradient: 60 %
• Side Slope: 30 %
• NBC system: Optional
• Night vision: Optional (passive)

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: ERC-90 Sagaie

• globalsecurity.org
• cnn.com
• nasog.net
• (French) armyrecognition.com
• (French) Presentation by the French Ministry of Defence

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