Sandcat LAV

Sandcat Light Armoured Vehicle
Sandcat LAV variants (Clockwise from Top Left: Sandcat FSV A*, Sandcat SPAAG C**, Sandcat Chassis X*, and Sandcat MCV B**)
Place of origin	Estradia
Service history
In service	2005 (Mark X*) 2013-present (Mark X**)
Used by	UFRE Defence Force
Production history
Designer	SimbaCo
Designed	1989-2003 (Mark X*) 2005-2012 (Mark X**)
Manufacturer	UFRE Engineer's Conglomerate
Produced	2004-present
No. built	6,240
Variants	see Variants
Specifications
Weight	18.5 tonnes (Mark X*), 19.7 tonnes (Mark X**)
Length	7.32m (without gun)
Width	2.78 m
Height	2.59 m
Crew	4
Armor	RHA - Frontal Armour resistant against 23mm API, 14.5mm AP from all sides.
Main armament	120mm L/45 smoothbore gun (32 rounds), or 90mm breech-loaded mortar (66 rounds), or 23mm ZU-23-2 twin autocannon (800 rounds)
Secondary armament	2x 7.62mm MG
Engine	SimbaCo V896 300 kW
Power/weight	16 kW/t
Transmission	6/N/4 Preselector
Operational range	800km on road
Speed	90 kph on road
Steering system	4-wheel

The Sandcat is the UFRE-DF's Light Armoured Vehicle. It succeeded the AMX-10RC in Estradi service.

In the late 80's, the UFRE came to realize that the in-use AMX-10RC was, while functional, beginning to show it's age, and so a replacement began development. While initially foreign suppliers were examined, it was quickly decided that a locally-designed, developed, and produced vehicle would be much more beneficial to the nation as a whole; and so the UFRE Engineer's Conglomerate was funded to create a new 8x8 armoured vehicle with performance similar to, or better than, the AMX-10RC.

By 2001, with more than a decade of off-shoot research and development, the Sandcat Mark X* finished development and, after another year of initial production, the system was brought into service. There were, however, a handful of areas that were identified in need of improvement, and many engineers were in need of new projects, and so almost immediately after entering service, a secondary upgrade program was initiated.

Variants

The Sandcat LAV has three primary variants divided into two "chalks" - the first iteration (*) and second iteration (**), the primary differences being in the electronics suite - where the Mark X* features three CSB mounts, a single

Sandcat Mark A* FSV

The primary armament of the Mark A* FSV is the 120mm L/44 smoothbore cannon.

Sandcat Mark B**

The Mark B package utilized the added capabilities of the Mark ** Chassis to mount a 90mm variable-charge high/low-velocity cannon/mortar with an extreme degree of elevation and depression, as well as a complete indirect fire coordination suite (included in the