| Panhard M3 | |
|---|---|
 M3 VTT "Bosbok" at Tempe School of Armour, Bloemfontein | |
| Type | Armoured personnel carrier |
| Place of origin | France |
| Service history | |
| Used by | See Operators |
| Wars | Portuguese Colonial War Angolan Civil War Lebanese Civil War Iran–Iraq War Gulf War Internal conflict in Burma Iraqi Civil War (2014–2017) Yemeni Civil War (2015–present) |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1968[1] |
| Manufacturer | Panhard[2] |
| Unit cost | USD $166,000 (1986)[3] |
| Produced | 1971–1986[3][4] |
| No. built | 1,180[3] |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 6.1 tonnes (6.7 short tons; 6.0 long tons)[5] |
| Length | 4.45 m (14 ft 7 in)[1] |
| Width | 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in)[1] |
| Height | 2 m (6 ft 7 in) (hull)[1] |
| Crew | 2 (commander, driver) + 10 passengers[1] |
Main armament | Various |
| Engine | Panhard Model 4HD four-cylinder air-cooled petrol[1] 90 hp (67 kW) at 4,700 rpm[1] |
| Power/weight | 14.75 hp/tonne (10.9 kW/tonne)[2] |
| Suspension | Independent; coil springs[4] |
| Ground clearance | 0.35m[5] |
| Fuel capacity | 165 litres[5] |
Operational range | 600 km[5] |
| Maximum speed | 90 km/h (56 mph)[5] |
The Panhard M3 VTT (French: Véhicule de Transport de Troupes) is an amphibious armoured personnel carrier. Developed as a private venture for the export market, the M3 was built with the same mechanical and chassis components as the Panhard AML range of light armoured cars.[6] The two vehicle types share a 95% interchangeability of automotive parts.[3] The M3 is an extremely versatile design which can be configured for a wide variety of auxiliary battlefield roles.[2] The most popular variants of the base personnel carrier included an armoured ambulance, a mobile command post, and an internal security vehicle.[2] It could also be fitted with a wide variety of turrets and armament, ranging from a single general-purpose machine gun to medium calibre autocannon.[6]
The M3's relatively light weight and the location of its air and exhaust outlets on the hull roof made it possible to design it as an amphibious vehicle.[6] The M3 is propelled at a modest speed of 4 km/h through water by all four wheels.[2] Although never adopted by the French Army, the M3 series was procured in vast quantities by foreign armies and security forces, especially in Africa and the Middle East.[5] By the time production ceased in 1986, it was the most common wheeled APC produced by any Western nation in the world.[7]
- ^ a b c d e f g Christopher F. Foss (1976). Jane's World Armoured Fighting Vehicles (1976 ed.). Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd. pp. 209–213. ISBN 0-354-01022-0.
- ^ a b c d e Christopher F. Foss (16 May 2000). Jane's Tanks and Combat Vehicles Recognition Guide (2000 ed.). Harper Collins Publishers. pp. 250–251. ISBN 978-0-00-472452-2.
- ^ a b c d Dunstan, Simon (2019). Panhard Armoured Car: AML 60, AML 90, Eland. Haynes Manuals. pp. 33, 85–97. ISBN 978-1-78521-194-2.
- ^ a b O'Malley, T.J. (1996). Fighting Vehicles: Armoured Personnel Carriers & Infantry Fighting Vehicles. Mechanicsburg: Stackpole Books. pp. 74–77. ISBN 978-1-85367-211-8.
- ^ a b c d e f Chant, Christopher (1987). A Compendium of Armaments and Military Hardware. New York: Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. 47–48. ISBN 0-7102-0720-4. OCLC 14965544.
- ^ a b c Ogorkiewicz, R. M. AFV Weapons Profile 039 Panhard Armoured Cars (Windsor, Berks: Profile Publications).
- ^ Bradford, James (2006). International Encyclopedia of Military History (2006 ed.). Routledge Books. pp. 97–98. ISBN 978-0415936613.