Future of 1st Armoured Car Squadron

[Banner]

Hi All,

Just wondering what peoples views are on the above? Given the current budgetary environment and the drive for ever greater fiscal efficiencies and also the fact that the scorpions are nearly 40 years old and this unit never seems to deploy overseas could this unit be facing a bean counters guillotine?

On the DF website this unit is listed under the DFTC so is it more of a training oriantated unit? If so would that role help ensure it's continued existance?

At the risk of serious "Walting" is there any chance that the unit would be expaned and re-equipped in any future re-org? More MRV's perhaps or even (here comes Walter) CV90's? (Perhaps s part of a trade off for a 2 Brigade structure further investment in equipment etc etc)

All idle speculation is welcome (kinda bored at work :-)

[Wicklaman]

On the DF website this unit is listed under the DFTC so is it more of a training oriantated unit? If so would that role help ensure it's continued existance?

At the risk of serious "Walting" is there any chance that the unit would be expaned and re-equipped in any future re-org? More MRV's perhaps or even (here comes Walter) CV90's? (Perhaps s part of a trade off for a 2 Brigade structure further investment in equipment etc etc)

The BA ones being used in their wars at the moment have had some serious upgrades. Other people no doubt will know better why our ones have never been used abroad.

I'd say the training and operational experience of running a unit of tracked vehicles is invaluable for the DF. It'd be nice if they had a higher profile and were used more, though.

[DeV]

On the DF website this unit is listed under the DFTC so is it more of a training oriantated unit? If so would that role help ensure it's continued existance?

1 Armd Car Sqn is part of the DF Reserve based in DFTC (along with the ARW and B Coy 3 Inf Bn).

[Goldie fish]

There is more to the 1st Armoured Cav Sqn than the scorps. They also operate other armoured vehicles, on behalf of the Cav School.

[Banner]

"There is more to the 1st Armoured Cav Sqn than the scorps. They also operate other armoured vehicles, on behalf of the Cav School."

Really? Didn't know that, is that LTAV's? Mowags? Anyway I accept that they play a very critical role in providing training and familiarisation in terms of working with tracked vehicles. Personally I would like to see the Army get more "teeth" in terms of its mobile firepower and an expanded role for this unit might be the way to provide this. However from what I can see either replacement vehicles or signifcant upgrades will have to be invested in at some stage in the near/medium future as there is only so long vehicles purchased in the 1970's can be expected to keep going.

Just how old are the scorps in any case? Were they purchased in the early 70's?

[Herald]

"There is more to the 1st Armoured Cav Sqn than the scorps. They also operate other armoured vehicles, on behalf of the Cav School."

Really? Didn't know that, is that LTAV's? Mowags? Anyway I accept that they play a very critical role in providing training and familiarisation in terms of working with tracked vehicles. Personally I would like to see the Army get more "teeth" in terms of its mobile firepower and an expanded role for this unit might be the way to provide this. However from what I can see either replacement vehicles or signifcant upgrades will have to be invested in at some stage in the near/medium future as there is only so long vehicles purchased in the 1970's can be expected to keep going.

Just how old are the scorps in any case? Were they purchased in the early 70's?

80-84 I think.

[Tempest]

The priority for the survival of the scorpions is to have their petrol-hungry jaguar engines replaced with diesels. AFAIK they did have some upgrade work carried out before now, without the money for any credible replacement they will soldier on. I wouldn't expect them to get a gun upgrade tho, the Panhard 90's more likely to be replaced by a Mowag 90.

[Truck Driver]

Goldie Fish is correct

Pre the PDF re-org, there were two seperate units, 1 Tank Sqn and 1 Armd Car Sqn
Post re org, the two units were merged to form 1 Armoured Cavalry Sqn

[DeV]

I think I read somewhere that 1 Armd Car Sqn has either MOWAG CRVs or MRVs?!

[Goldie fish]

Both.
And neither.

[hptmurphy]

I think I read somewhere that 1 Armd Car Sqn has either MOWAG CRVs or MRVs

1st Arm Cav I assume..?

this unit never seems to deploy overseas

No serving unit deploys as its self overseas and units are made up of mixed units, the people deploy the equipment other than the scorpions do as well.