| Panhard M3 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Armoured personnel carrier |
| Place of origin | France |
| Service history | |
| Used by | see operators |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1969 |
| Manufacturer | Panhard |
| Produced | 1971-1986 |
| Number built | 1200 |
| Variants | see variants |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 6,100 kilograms (13,000 lb) |
| Length | 445 centimetres (175 in) |
| Width | 240 centimetres (94 in) |
| Height | 248 centimetres (98 in) |
| Crew | 2 |
| Passengers | 10 |
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| Armor | 8-12 millimetres |
| Main armament |
see armament |
| Engine | Panhard 4 HD 90 horsepower |
| Power/weight | 14.75 hp/t |
| Payload capacity | 1,360 kilograms (3,000 lb) |
| Ground clearance | 35 centimetres (14 in) |
| Fuel capacity | 165 litres (44 USgal) |
| Operational range |
600 kilometres (370 mi) |
| Speed | 90 kilometres per hour (56 mph) |
The Panhard M3 VTT (French: Véhicule de Transport de Troupes), armoured personnel carrier was designed as a private venture with the first prototype completed in 1969. The prototype had a single door in each side of the hull and twin doors in the hull rear. Mounted on the top of the hull was a Giat Industries one-person manually operated turret armed with a 7.5 mm AA-52 machine gun.
The first production vehicle, had a redesigned hull incorporating three hatches on either side of the troop compartment, and was completed in 1971. The Panhard M3 armoured personnel carrier shares 95% of its working parts with the Panhard AML armoured car, encouraging many countries to employ both the M3 and the AML in order to reduce operational costs. The M3 APC was subsequently replaced in production by the Panhard Buffalo.
Contents |
The hull of the Panhard M3 is made of all-welded steel armour. The driver is seated at the front of the vehicle and has a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the right and in which there are three day periscopes. The centre one can be replaced by an image intensification periscope for night driving. The Panhard 4 HD engine is behind the driver.
The suspension at each wheel station consists of coil springs and hydropneumatic shock-absorbers acting on the suspension arms of the wheel mechanism. The tyres have puncture-proof Hutchinson inner tubes.
There are four doors in the M3, one in each side of the hull and two in the rear. The rear doors both have a circular firing port. Along the upper part of each side of the hull are three hatches hinged at the top that can be locked open. The Panhard M3 can carry 10 troops in addition to its crew of two, or it can carry 1,360 kg of cargo.
There are two circular hatches in the roof, one behind the engine compartment and a second one at the rear with a single-piece hatch cover. A wide range of armament installations could be mounted on the forward position; typically these are a 7.62 mm or a 12.7 mm machine gun, but some users have fitted a turret-mounted 20 mm cannon.
The basic M3 is fully amphibious without preparation. It is propelled in the water by its wheels at a speed of 4 km/h, but it can operate only in lakes and rivers. Steering, when afloat, is by turning the front wheels as on land. Optional equipment includes an air conditioning system and smoke grenade dischargers.
The Israeli company of Saymar have completed development and testing of a new automotive upgrade package for the Panhard M3. Saymar have replaced the old petrol engine with a more fuel-efficient Toyota 2L-T diesel engine developing 102 hp. Other sub-systems upgraded include the manual transmission, new engine cooling system, new and improved electrical system, new disc braking system all round, hydraulic powered steering, new turret electrical system, communications and intercom system. All new electrical components include more reliable electrical wire bundles, electric voltage regulator, 24 V 65 A generator, 24 V starter, new drivers panel and new instrumental panel. This upgrade can be carried out in the user's own facilities with the aid of kits provided by Saymar or the company could carry out the work in its own facilities. This upgrade package could also be combined with a general overhaul of the vehicle to bring it up to an almost new build standard.
In 1983 Irish army tested a M3 fitted with a 140 hp Peugeot V6 petrol engine. The test was successful, and 14 Irish Panhard M3s were rebuild with the new engine as well as a new Citroen braking system, a 6-speed manual gearbox and new electrics.
At least 60 M3 were delivered to the Lebanese Army in 1970-72[1] and saw considerable action during the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), with some being loaned to the Internal Security Forces (ISF) in 1976.
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