Gazelle FRV
Encyclopedia
The Gazelle FRV or Fast Reconnaissance Vehicle is a 4x4 infantry fighting vehicle
(IFV) intended for scouting duties based on the body of the Mercedes-Benz Unimog light truck
developed by Zimbabwe
in the early 1980s.
) and the newly-created Zimbabwe Defence Industries (ZDI) to meet a requirement from the Zimbabwe Government for a home-grown light armoured vehicle intended to the export market. After the prototype was completed, ZDI demonstrated the Gazelle to the Kenyan Army, but no orders were ever placed and production did not proceeded as expected. Although the prototype was also tested by the Zimbabwe National Army
’s (ZNA) 1st Mechanised Battalion in Mozambique
, the ZNA never formally evaluated or adopted the vehicle and eventually the whole project was discontinued.
U1100 Unimog
416 2.5 ton light truck
chassis, it consisted of an armoured hull of welded ballistic steel plate incorporating one rear and two side doors.
The overall design is very similar to the French
ACMAT
TPK 4.2 PSF armoured car, with exception of the glacis which had a small conventional windscreen on the right side and on the left side a projecting, box-type canopy of three framed windows of bullet- and splinter-proof glass to give the driver better lateral vision. This peculiar element of design was probably inspired by South African-made armoured vehicles such as the Buffel
, which entered service with the South African Defence Force
(SADF) at the time.
The Gazelle had a five-man crew – driver, commander, gunner and two infantry scouts. Though a very fast and robust vehicle with a good off-road performance the Gazelle however, unlike most former Rhodesian and Zimbabwean armoured vehicles, lacked protection against landmines and had not for this single design flaw, it certainly would had been a commercial success. Is no longer being marketed.
or a FN MAG
58 7.62 x 51mm NATO light machine-gun.
Infantry fighting vehicle
An infantry fighting vehicle , also known as a mechanized infantry combat vehicle , is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to carry infantry into battle and provide fire support for them...
(IFV) intended for scouting duties based on the body of the Mercedes-Benz Unimog light truck
Light truck
Light truck or light duty truck is a U.S. classification for trucks or truck-based vehicles with a payload capacity of less than 4,000 pounds...
developed by Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
in the early 1980s.
Development
The FRV project begun in 1981-82 as a joint-venture by the private firm Kew Engineering of Gwelo (now GweruGweru
Gweru is a city near the centre of Zimbabwe at . It has a population of about 146,073 , making it the third largest city in the nation. Gweru is the capital of Midlands Province. Gweru was founded in 1894 by Dr. Leander Starr Jameson. The first bank opened in Gweru in 1896, and the stock exchange...
) and the newly-created Zimbabwe Defence Industries (ZDI) to meet a requirement from the Zimbabwe Government for a home-grown light armoured vehicle intended to the export market. After the prototype was completed, ZDI demonstrated the Gazelle to the Kenyan Army, but no orders were ever placed and production did not proceeded as expected. Although the prototype was also tested by the Zimbabwe National Army
Zimbabwe National Army
The Zimbabwe National Army is the land warfare branch of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. The ZNA currently has an active duty strength of 30,000.-History:...
’s (ZNA) 1st Mechanised Battalion in Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
, the ZNA never formally evaluated or adopted the vehicle and eventually the whole project was discontinued.
General description
Built on a Mercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
U1100 Unimog
Unimog
Unimog is a range of multi-purpose auto four wheel drive medium trucks produced by Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG. The name Unimog is pronounced in German and is an acronym for the German "UNIversal-MOtor-Gerät", Gerät being the German word for machine or device...
416 2.5 ton light truck
Light truck
Light truck or light duty truck is a U.S. classification for trucks or truck-based vehicles with a payload capacity of less than 4,000 pounds...
chassis, it consisted of an armoured hull of welded ballistic steel plate incorporating one rear and two side doors.
The overall design is very similar to the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
ACMAT
ACMAT
ACMAT , is a French producer of cross-country and tactical military vehicles since 1958...
TPK 4.2 PSF armoured car, with exception of the glacis which had a small conventional windscreen on the right side and on the left side a projecting, box-type canopy of three framed windows of bullet- and splinter-proof glass to give the driver better lateral vision. This peculiar element of design was probably inspired by South African-made armoured vehicles such as the Buffel
Buffel
The Buffel is a mine-protected APC used by the South African Army during the South African Border War. The Buffel was also used as an armoured fighting vehicle and proved itself in this role...
, which entered service with the South African Defence Force
South African Defence Force
The South African Defence Force was the South African armed forces from 1957 until 1994. The former Union Defence Force was renamed to the South African Defence Force in the Defence Act of 1957...
(SADF) at the time.
The Gazelle had a five-man crew – driver, commander, gunner and two infantry scouts. Though a very fast and robust vehicle with a good off-road performance the Gazelle however, unlike most former Rhodesian and Zimbabwean armoured vehicles, lacked protection against landmines and had not for this single design flaw, it certainly would had been a commercial success. Is no longer being marketed.
Armament
A one-man turret similar to the Mine Protected Combat Vehicle - MPCV, which accommodated either 12.7mm or 14.5mm Heavy Machine-Guns (HMGs) could be fitted on the top roof though the vehicle also served without it and with other armament such as a pintle-mounted 20mm autocannonAutocannon
An autocannon or automatic cannon is a rapid-fire projectile weapon firing a shell as opposed to the bullet fired by a machine gun. Autocannons often have a larger caliber than a machine gun . Usually, autocannons are smaller than a field gun or other artillery, and are mechanically loaded for a...
or a FN MAG
FN MAG
The FN MAG is a Belgian 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale by Ernest Vervier. It has been used by more than 80 countries, and it has been made under licence in countries such as Argentina, Egypt, India, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the...
58 7.62 x 51mm NATO light machine-gun.