FV106_Samson
FV106 Samson
Armoured recovery vehicle
FV106 Samson was a British Army armoured recovery vehicle, one of the CVR(T) family. The main role of this vehicle was to recover the CVR(T) family of vehicles, but could also recover other light tracked vehicles such as the FV430 series.
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2017) |
| FV106 Samson | |
|---|---|
_ARV.jpg) | |
| Type | Armoured recovery vehicle |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Production history | |
| No. built | 136[1] |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 8.7 tonnes |
| Length | 5 m (including Vice and bench) |
| Width | 2.4 m |
| Height | 2.8 m (Including A-frame) |
| Crew | Commander, driver and crew |
Main armament | 1 x 7.62 mm L7 GPMG |
Secondary armament | 8 Smoke dischargers |
| Engine | Jaguar 4.2 litre petrol |
Operational range | 483 Km |
| Maximum speed | 72 km/h |
The Samson was conceived in the early 1970s with the final design entering production in 1978. The hull is an all-welded aluminium construction. It usually carries a crew of three operating a 3.5T capstan winch that can also be utilised in a lifting configuration. It carries suitable equipment to enable a 4:1 mechanical advantage with 228m of winch rope. This winch is capable of recovering up to 12 Tonnes of vehicle. A manually operated earth anchor is situated at the rear to anchor the vehicle while operations are carried out.
The Samson can be fitted with a flotation screen so it can be operated amphibiously using its own tracks at 6.5 km/h or at 9.6 km/h if also fitted with a propeller kit. The Samson can also be fitted with a full NBC protection unit.[2]
A single Samson accompanied the two troops of Blues and Royals CVR(T)s to the Falklands War.[3]
Current operators
Togo One in service
Belgium
Brunei Darussalam – 2 vehicles in service
Latvia[4]
Oman – 3 vehicles in service
Philippines – 6 vehicles in service
Thailand
United Kingdom – No longer in service with the British Army and Royal Air Force.
Ukraine - 5 vehicles from the United Kingdom in 2022
_rear_view.jpg){kind=link}
Philippines
- FV106 Samson retired Philippine Army is on outdoor static display at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig, Philippines.[5]
United Kingdom
- The REME Museum has an example of a Samson on display in The Prince Philip Vehicle Hall.
- Foss, C and Gander, T, "Jane's Military Logistics" (1988) 9th edition
- Staff Writer, "FV106 Samson: Armored recovery vehicle", Military Today, retrieved 15 November 2021
- Gordon L. Rottman (1 January 1993). Armies of the Gulf War. Osprey Publishing. p. 21. ISBN 978-1-85532-277-6.[permanent dead link]
- Ministry of Defence (4 September 2014). "Latvian army purchases UK armoured combat vehicles". Gov.uk. Archived from the original on 29 September 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2017.