FV101 Scorpion The FV101 Scorpion is a British armoured reconnaissance vehicle . It was the lead vehicle and the fire support type in the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance ( Tracked ) , CVR ( T ) , family of seven armoured vehicles . Manufactured by Alvis it was introduced into service with the British Army in 1973 and served until 1994 . More than 3 , 000 were produced and used as an reconnaissance vehicle or a light tank . History . The Alvis Scorpion was originally developed to meet a British Army requirement for the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance ( Tracked ) or CVR ( T ) . In 1967 Alvis were awarded the contract to produce 30 CVR ( T ) prototypes . Vehicles P1 – P17 being the Scorpion prototypes were delivered on time and within the budget . After extensive hot and cold weather trials in Norway , Australia , Abu Dhabi and Canada , the Scorpion was accepted by the British Army in May 1970 , with a contract for 275 which later rose to 313 vehicles . The first production vehicles were completed in 1972 and the first British regiment to be equipped with the Scorpion were the Blues and Royals of the Household Cavalry in 1973 . In November 1981 , the RAF Regiment Royal Air Force took delivery of its first of 184 Scorpions and other variants of CVR ( T ) . Alvis built more than 3 , 000 Scorpion vehicles for the British Army and Royal Air Force and the export market . All the CVR ( T ) vehicles were to be air - portable and two Scorpions could be carried in a C130 Hercules . Another requirement of the CVR ( T ) project was the low ground pressure - similar to that of a soldier on foot - and this would serve it well in the Falklands War Armament . The Scorpion was armed with a low velocity 76 mm main armament gun , which could fire high - explosive , HESH , smoke and canister rounds . Stowage was provided for 40 or 42 rounds . A 7 . 62 mm coaxial machine gun ( 3 , 000 rounds carried ) and two multi - barrelled smoke grenade dischargers were also fitted each side of the turret . Main armament elevation is 35 degrees and depression of 10 degrees with a full 360 degree traverse . Engine . The original engine was the Jaguar J60 4 . 2 litre petrol engine , which was replaced by a Cummins or Perkins diesel engine . The maximum speed was about and it could accelerate from nought to in 16 seconds . The maximum speed on water ( with the flotation screen deployed ) was . Other systems . The vehicle was fitted with a nuclear , biological , chemical protection system , image intensification sights for gunner and driver and a floatation screen . A commode was located under the commander ' s seat , an internal water tank and a boiling vessel for cooking and heating water were also provided . Scorpion 90 . Scorpion 90 or Scorpion 2 was version armed with the long - barrelled Cockerill Mk3 M - A1 90mm gun designed for the export market . Service history . The Scorpion was used by the armed forces of ; Belgium , Botswana , Brunei , Chile , Honduras , Iran , Indonesia , Ireland , Jordan , Malaysia , New Zealand , Nigeria , Oman , Philippines , Spain , Tanzania , Thailand , Togo and the United Arab Emirates . While Canada never operated the Scorpion , a number of Scorpion turrets were used with AVGP hulls to create the Cougar . The Scorpion was deployed on mainland Britain as part of security measures against expected terrorist action at Heathrow Airport in 1974 . Combat use . Two troops from B Squadron , Blues and Royals served in the Falkland war . They were the only armoured vehicle used in action by the British Army during the conflict . Scorpions also served in the Gulf war . The 1st Queen ' s Dragoon Guards a reconnaissance regiment had 32 and the close reconnaissance troops of the armoured regiments each had eight . Foreign users . Some small armies such as the Botswana Defence Force and the Irish Army , and notably the larger Philippine Army , continue to use the Scorpion , in some cases up - armed with the 90mm Cockerill . Sabre . The Scorpion has been withdrawn from British Army service and the refurbished hulls have been mated with surplus turrets from the FV 721 Fox CVR ( W ) wheeled reconnaissance vehicle to form a composite vehicle , to create the Sabre reconnaissance vehicle . Salamander . A small number of converted Scorpions are in use at British Army Training Unit Suffield in Canada as part of OPFOR . With the main armament barrel replaced with a dummy they represent 125mm gun armed T - 80 - type vehicles .