The
SPHINX is a project of armoured vehicle which will
be revealed by the French Defence company Panhard,
with a presentation of a mock up of the vehicle,
during the International Defence Exhibition of Paris,
Eurosatory 2010, which will be held from June 14th
to 18th 2010. The armoured vehicle Panhard SPHINX
belongs to the projects of modernization of the
French Army, gathered under the denomination of
“Program Scorpion”. The Scorpion program
aims “to develop and optimize the total technical-operational
performances of the GTIA (Groupements Tactiques
Interarmes), in other words to allow the French
Army to lead under good conditions the combat “to
the contact” with three families of vehicles:
an upgrade version of the Leclerc tank, the successor
of the VAB Renault ( the standard wheeled armoured
vehicle personnel carrier of the French Army) with
the program VBMR (Armored Vehicles Multi-Roles),
and the successor of the AMX-10RC with the program
EBRC (Armoured Vehicle of Reconnaissance to the
Combat). Currently, there remain 340 Leclerc main
battle tank in service. There will not be soon less
than 250, those which will not be modernized being
sold with export, in condition however that the
government finds a customer. The second vehicle
of the Scorpion program will be the successor of
the famous VAB Renault. The vehicle SPHINX belongs
to the projects of program EBRC (Armoured Vehicle
of Reconnaissance to the Combat). The final project
and delivery of the last vehicles for 2025.. The
DGA (French Army Agency Armament procurement) envisaged
to order 300 EBRC, to deliver as from 2018.
Variants
: Project EBRC Armoured Vehicle of Reconnaissance
to the Combat) for the French Army.
The
Panhard SPHINX would be equipped with a
two-man turret, armed with a new gun of
40 mm calibre, which should still be developed,
and whose final development would be carried
out only from here a few years. The SPHINX
could be also armed with complementary armament,
like mortar or anti-tank guided missiles.
To supplement its armament, the armoured
vehicle Panhard SPHINX would also have smoke-grenades
discharger mounted to each side of the turret.
Protection
The
Panhard SPHINX would be equipped with a
“V” shape hull, providing an
increased protection against the IED (Improvised
Explosive Devices). Protection would be
ensured up to a level 5. The vehicle would
have also the capacity to have an additional
armour in heavy or light version.
Propulsion
The
Panhard SPHINX uses a 6x6 chassis, motorized
by an engine for which “several solutions
were identified” but not yet formally
selected. Mercedes belongs to the serious
applicants, with V12 having a power of 550-600
cv, Steyr is not excluded. The Sphinx Panhard
would have transmissions out of H, and is
protected up to level 5.
Accessories
The
armored vehicle Panhard SPHINX would have
a minimum weight of 17 tons, (with an evolution
up to 18 tons according to the variants).
With this weight the Panhard SPHINX would
be transportable by air by a plane of type
A400M and C-130.
Specifications
Armament
One
40 mm gun, coaxial machine
gun, guided anti-tank missiles
Country
users
France
Designer
Company
Panhard
General Defense
Accessories
Latest
technologies of firing system,
NBC protection, night vision
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