FV438 Swingfire

FV438 Swingfire
Type	Anti-tank vehicle
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Specifications
Weight	16.2 t
Length	5.1 m
Width	3 m
Height	2.7 m
Crew	3
Armor	12.7 mm max
Main armament	Two Swingfire ATGM launchers 2 ATGM in launchers with 12 more missile stored inside. Launchers could be reloaded inside the Vehicle.
Secondary armament	7.62 mm L7 GPMG, smoke dischargers
Engine	Rolls-Royce K60 multi-fuel 240 hp
Power/weight	15.7 hp/tonne
Suspension	torsion-bar, 5 road wheel
Operational range	480 km
Speed	52 km/h

The FV438 Swingfire was an armoured anti-tank vehicle of the British Army.

It was derived from the FV430 series of vehicles by converting the FV432 to accommodate a launcher for Swingfire anti-tank guided missiles.

It had two firing bins and could carry fourteen missiles, which could be reloaded from inside the vehicle. Instead of using the mounted guidance system a control unit could be deployed and the missiles aimed and fired from up to 100 metres away, allowing the vehicle to remain completely hidden from the enemy; the Swingfire missile was capable of making a ninety-degree turn immediately after firing.

When it first came into use in the 1970s, the FV438s were operated by specialised anti-tank units of the (British Infantry and Royal Armoured Corp). The role was transferred to the Royal Artillery in the mid 1980s, and the FV438s were taken into service as guided-weapon troops of armoured regiments, nine vehicles to a regiment.

References