Armoured Cars.

When is a car armoured?

There has always been the concept of an armoured chariot or device to move ones troops in relative safety near to the enemy. With the introduction of the petrol engine, the car or automobile was born. Having such a vehicle to patrol, the car was made heavy by the introduction of armoured plating. Thus the early form of the Armoured car.

Today we have a host of vehicles which have been specifically designed for the military, para-military police, anti-terrorist operations and riot control. Each has a differing measure of hull plating, while armament varies from smoke dispensers to light machine guns up to heavy weapons and rocket launchers of various types.

Some vehicles have become known as the ARV (Armoured reconnaissance vehicle), these have serious fire power 76, 87 or 90mm guns, some such as the Brazilian Engesa EE-9 Cascavel. They also may be armed with SAM (Surface to air missile) systems.