RARDEN
Encyclopedia
The L21A1 RARDEN is a British
30mm
autocannon
used as an combat vehicle
weapon. The name is a contraction of the Royal Armament, Research and Development Establishment and Enfield. The Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment (RARDE) and the Royal Small Arms Factory
(RSAF), Enfield
, at the time, were both part of the Ministry of Defence
.
The cartridge used is 170mm in length, and is based on the Hispano-Suiza 831-L round. Unlike the belt-fed systems on most vehicle weapons, Rarden is loaded manually with three-round clips. This limits its capacity to fire in automatic mode to 6 rounds. The Rarden gun does not require an external power source and can therefore remain in action even if the vehicle is disabled.
in the early 1980s, in the run up to their privatisation
, becoming part of Royal Ordnance
. Royal Ordnance (RO) planned to close Enfield and several other sites after privatisation. British Aerospace
(BAe) bought Royal Ordnance on 2 April 1987 and the closure of RSAF Enfield was announced on 12 August 1987. Most of RO Enfield's work was moved, prior to the closure of the RSAF, to RO Nottingham
.
Manufacture of the RARDEN was carried out at British Manufacture and Research Company BMARC
from 1985. This company was purchased by BAe in 1992, becoming part of RO Defence
; now renamed BAE Systems Global Combat Systems Munitions.
:
It appears that the Rarden was also intended to be retro-fitted to the FV432
armoured personnel carrier, but when fitted with Rarden and its turret there was too little room left to accommodate the necessary infantry. Some vehicles were fitted with the Fox turret, as an experimental fire support vehicle. There were problems with the long-barrelled weapon fouling external fittings (which meant that the turret had to be mounted on a three inch spacer) and with blast damage to the flotation screen.
developed by the Anglo-French firm CTA International
was selected to replace Rarden in the Warrior IFV and to be fitted to the reconnaissance vehicle which would replace the existing range of CVR(T)
vehicles.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
30mm
30 mm caliber
30 mm caliber ammunition is usually used in autocannon. Such ammunition includes NATO standard 30 × 173 mm and 30 × 113 mm and Soviet 30 × 165 mm ammunition widely used around the world....
autocannon
Autocannon
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...
used as an combat vehicle
Combat vehicle
A combat vehicle, also known as a ground combat vehicle, is a self-propelled, weaponized military vehicle used for combat operations. Combat vehicles can be wheeled or tracked.- Automation :...
weapon. The name is a contraction of the Royal Armament, Research and Development Establishment and Enfield. The Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment (RARDE) and the Royal Small Arms Factory
Royal Small Arms Factory
The Royal Small Arms Factory was a UK government-owned rifle factory in the London Borough of Enfield in an area generally known as the Lea Valley. The factory produced British military rifles, muskets and swords from 1816...
(RSAF), Enfield
Enfield Town
Enfield Town is the historic town centre of Enfield, formerly in the county of Middlesex and now in the London Borough of Enfield. It is north north-east of Charing Cross...
, at the time, were both part of the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
.
Design
The weapon uses a long recoil system of operation, for minimum recoil forces on the mounting and vehicle. Spent cases are ejected forwards. The weapon was also designed for minimum inboard length, allowing for more space in the turret or a smaller turret overall. Another feature is that no gun gas escapes into the turret.The cartridge used is 170mm in length, and is based on the Hispano-Suiza 831-L round. Unlike the belt-fed systems on most vehicle weapons, Rarden is loaded manually with three-round clips. This limits its capacity to fire in automatic mode to 6 rounds. The Rarden gun does not require an external power source and can therefore remain in action even if the vehicle is disabled.
Manufacture
The RSAF Enfield manufactured the Rarden from the early 1970s. However the RSAF was incorporated within the Royal Ordnance FactoriesRoyal Ordnance Factory
Royal Ordnance Factories was the collective name of the UK government's munitions factories in and after World War II. Until privatisation in 1987 they were the responsibility of the Ministry of Supply and later the Ministry of Defence....
in the early 1980s, in the run up to their privatisation
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
, becoming part of Royal Ordnance
Royal Ordnance
Royal Ordnance plc was formed on 2 January 1985 as a public corporation, owning the majority of what until then were the remaining United Kingdom government-owned Royal Ordnance Factories which manufactured explosives, ammunition, small arms including the Lee-Enfield rifle, guns and military...
. Royal Ordnance (RO) planned to close Enfield and several other sites after privatisation. British Aerospace
British Aerospace
British Aerospace plc was a UK aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was in the Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire...
(BAe) bought Royal Ordnance on 2 April 1987 and the closure of RSAF Enfield was announced on 12 August 1987. Most of RO Enfield's work was moved, prior to the closure of the RSAF, to RO Nottingham
ROF Nottingham
Royal Ordnance Factory Nottingham, first opened in 1916 and first opened as an ROF January 1936 was one of a number of Royal Ordnance Factories created at the start of World War II.-Background:R.O.F...
.
Manufacture of the RARDEN was carried out at British Manufacture and Research Company BMARC
BMARC
BMARC was a UK-based firm designing and producing defence products, particularly aircraft cannon and naval anti-aircraft cannon...
from 1985. This company was purchased by BAe in 1992, becoming part of RO Defence
Royal Ordnance
Royal Ordnance plc was formed on 2 January 1985 as a public corporation, owning the majority of what until then were the remaining United Kingdom government-owned Royal Ordnance Factories which manufactured explosives, ammunition, small arms including the Lee-Enfield rifle, guns and military...
; now renamed BAE Systems Global Combat Systems Munitions.
Service use
The Rarden is, or has been, fitted to a number of armoured vehicles in the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
:
- FV721 FoxFox Armoured Reconnaissance VehicleThe FV721 Fox Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance was a 4x4 armoured car deployed by the British Army as a replacement for the Ferret scout car and the Saladin Armoured Car...
armoured car - FV107 ScimitarFV107 ScimitarFV107 Scimitar is an armoured reconnaissance vehicle used by the British Army. It is very similar to the FV101 Scorpion but mounts a high velocity 30 mm L21 RARDEN cannon instead of a 76 mm gun. It was issued to Royal Armoured Corps, Armoured Regiments in the Reconnaissance role...
tracked reconnaissance vehicle (part of the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked)Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked)The Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance —or CVR—is a family of armoured fighting vehicles s in service with the British Army and others throughout the world...
or CVR(T) range) - SabreSabre (tank)Sabre is a variation of the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance , featuring the turret from a Fox reconnaissance vehicle mounted on the hull of a Scorpion....
— FV101 ScorpionFV101 ScorpionThe FV101 Scorpion is a British armoured reconnaissance vehicle. It was the lead vehicle and the fire support type in the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance , CVR, family of seven armoured vehicles...
with turrets taken from Fox Armoured cars (also in the CVR(T) range) - FV510 WarriorWarrior Tracked Armoured VehicleThe Warrior tracked vehicle family is a series of British armoured vehicles, originally developed to replace the older FV430 series of armoured vehicles. The Warrior started life as the MCV-80 project that was first broached in the 1970s, GKN Sankey/Defence winning the production contract in 1980....
infantry fighting vehicle, and some of its variants
It appears that the Rarden was also intended to be retro-fitted to the FV432
FV432
The FV432 is the armoured personnel carrier variant of the British Army's FV430 series of armoured fighting vehicles. Since its introduction in the 1960s it has been the most common variant, being used for transporting infantry on the battlefield...
armoured personnel carrier, but when fitted with Rarden and its turret there was too little room left to accommodate the necessary infantry. Some vehicles were fitted with the Fox turret, as an experimental fire support vehicle. There were problems with the long-barrelled weapon fouling external fittings (which meant that the turret had to be mounted on a three inch spacer) and with blast damage to the flotation screen.
Replacement
In March 2008, the UK Ministry of Defence announced that a 40mm weapon firing Cased Telescoped AmmunitionTelescoped ammunition
Telescoped ammunition is an ammunition design in which the projectile is partly or completely enveloped by the propellant. Examples include ammunition for both hand weapons and artillery.-External links:*http://www.veritay.com/defense/def_ammo.htm...
developed by the Anglo-French firm CTA International
CTA International
CTA International is an equal-shares joint venture company between defence companies Nexter and BAE Systems. CTAI is based in Bourges, France and has been established to develop and manufacture case telescoped weapons and ammunition...
was selected to replace Rarden in the Warrior IFV and to be fitted to the reconnaissance vehicle which would replace the existing range of CVR(T)
Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked)
The Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance —or CVR—is a family of armoured fighting vehicles s in service with the British Army and others throughout the world...
vehicles.
Specifications
- Calibre: 30 x 170mm
- Overall length: 3.15 metre
- Barrel length: 2.44 metre
- Inboard length: 430 millimetres (16.9 in)
- Complete weight: 110 kilograms (242.5 lb)
- Barrel weight: 24.5 kilograms (54 lb)
- Ammunition: Armour Piercing Secondary Effect (APSE), High Explosive Incendiary (HEI), Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot (APDS)
- Muzzle velocity:
- APSE, HEI: 1070 m/s
- APDS: 1175 m/s
- Range: 4000 metres (4,374.5 yd) (maximum)
Further reading
- Pam, David (1998). The Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield & its Workers. Enfield: privately published by the author. ISBN 0-9532271-0-3.