RARDEN
RARDEN is a British low-velocity 76 mm L23A1 tank gun. It was designed and produced by the Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment (RARDE), hence the name.
Design and Purpose:
The RARDEN was primarily designed to equip light armored vehicles, offering a greater anti-armor and anti-personnel capability than traditional heavy machine guns or autocannons, while remaining light enough to be mounted on relatively small and mobile platforms. Its low recoil allows it to be fitted to wheeled armored vehicles and lighter tracked platforms without compromising their stability or mobility. The gun's primary purpose is to engage lightly armored vehicles, infantry, and other soft targets.
Characteristics:
The RARDEN is a manually loaded weapon, meaning that each round must be loaded by the gunner. This contrasts with autoloading cannons that automatically load rounds. While manually loaded, the RARDEN benefits from a higher first-round hit probability due to the gunner's direct involvement in the loading and aiming process. It is known for its accuracy and effectiveness at medium ranges.
Platforms:
The RARDEN has been fitted to a number of armored fighting vehicles, including:
- FV101 Scorpion light tank
- FV107 Scimitar reconnaissance vehicle
- Fox armored car
- Warrior infantry fighting vehicle (in some variants)
- Alvis Saracen armored personnel carrier (in some modernized versions)
Ammunition:
The RARDEN can fire a variety of 76mm ammunition types, including:
- High-explosive (HE)
- Armor-piercing discarding sabot (APDS)
- Smoke rounds
The availability of different ammunition types allows the gun to be adapted to a variety of battlefield situations.
Service History:
The RARDEN has seen service with the British Army and other armed forces around the world. It has been used in various conflicts and operations, proving its effectiveness as a versatile and reliable weapon system for light armored vehicles. It is gradually being phased out in some armies, replaced by more modern weapon systems.