The ERC 90 is one of Panhard's legendary armoured cars. In the many conflicts France has faced
in the last 30 years, it has always been the first to go to battle. Those who underestimated
its 90mm gun and low ballistic protection have bitterly experienced how wrong they were.
Now, we are investigating the light but deadly ERC 90.
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The ERC 90 was named after the first letters of Engin à Roues, Canon, which means gun-armed
wheeled vehicle in French. It has two main models; Lynx and Sagaie, and both names suit
it. The lynx is a small but deadly predator.
The Sagaie, which means assegai, is a type of spear with a wooden handle and an iron
tip. The ERC 90 is small but deadly vehicles. Its
ballistic protection is weak, like wooden, but its gun is highly effective, like an iron
tip. Although it would later become a legend, the
birth of ERC 90 was not easy. Until the late 1960s, the EBR and AML of Panhard
had been the best in their classes. However, now, they were no longer able to meet the
modern combat requirements. Especially, the French Army was seeking the
successor of the EBR. Seeing the situation, in the late 1960s, Panhard
developed a new heavy vehicle called M8, which had innovative but highly sophisticated running
gear. However, the French Army, which did not want
to have another complex machine like the EBR. So, Panhard decided to work on a simpler solution.
As a private venture, the company began the development of the ERC 90 in 1975. This programme
aimed to create the successor of the AML. Panhard was also working on the VCR armoured
personnel carrier, which had the same automotive sub-systems as the ERC 90. It was a logical
choice. Because its M3, which had the same automotive
sub-systems as the AML, had also been successful in the international market.
Panhard aimed to gain the same success with the ERC 90 and VCR.
These vehicles were offered to the French Army in 1977.
But, they lost against the VAB and AMX-10 RC.
Then, Panhard also lost the French Mobile Gendarmerie's tender to VBC-90.
There was no other option but to focus on the international market for Panhard. And,
soon, it succeeded. In 1979, Argentina became the first customer
of the ERC 90. The Argentine vehicles had the Lynx turret with the 90mm F1 gun.
But, this gun could only fire high explosive anti-tank rounds, which could not penetrate
the armour of modern main battle tanks of the time.
So, Panhard designed a new turret with a 90mm long barrel F4 smoothbore gun for the ERC
90. This variant was named Sagaie. The F4 gun
had a muzzle brake originally designed for the older AMX-13 tank. It could fire armour-piercing
fin-stabilized discarding sabot rounds, which was highly effective against modern armours.
Ivory Coast became the first export customer of the ERC 90 Sagaie.
At the very beginning of the 1980s, a new opportunity arose for Panhard in the domestic
market. Initially, the French Army had planned to
have 525 AMX-10 RCs. But, this vehicle was big and heavy to be transported by the C-160
cargo aircraft. However, France needed a lighter vehicle,
which had suitable size and weight for airlift, for its rapid reaction force. Also, the main
operating areas of this force were Africa and the Middle East. But, many bridges in
Africa was not suitable for the heavyweight of the AMX-10 RC.
So, the French Army reduced the number of the AMX-10 RC order to 337 and decided to
procure the lighter ERC 90 to replace its AML fleet.
In 1984 the vehicle finally went into service for its home country.
The original production variant of the ERC 90 was fitted with a petrol engine. It had
held the title of being the only petrol-engine vehicle in the French Army for a long time.
Between 2005 and 2009, the French Army has reequipped around 160 ERC 90s with a 170 horsepower
diesel engine. Besides the upgraded French Army variants,
the vehicle also has a version, called ERC-2, equipped with a diesel engine. It is longer
and wider than the other models. This variant, also known as Sagaie 2, was preferred by only
Gabon. The ERC 20 Kriss, preferred by only Gabon,
is the self-propelled anti-aircraft gun version, which has two 20mm autocannons.
Panhard also developed some non-serial variants of the ERC.
For example, the EMC 81 had 81mm mortar instead of a 90mm gun.
The ERC 60-20 had the Hispano-Suiza 60-20 Serval turret armed with a 60mm mortar and
a 20mm autocannon. The SANTAL was the air defence variant of
the ERC, which had the Mistral missiles. Argentina, Chad, France, Gabon, Ivory Coast,
Mexico, and Nigeria are the users of the ERC family.
Some sources claim that Ecuador, Iraq, and Morocco are also users of the vehicle. But,
we could not find any visual confirmation for the Ecuadorian ERC 90s.
Iraq did not procure the vehicle. It had the anti-tank variant with the UTM800
turret of the VCR. There is only one photo on the internet, which
is claimed as the Moroccan vehicle. But, after extensive research, we have found this photo
taken during the trials. It is not an ERC 90 in service of the Royal
Moroccan Army. The three-person crew of the ERC 90 Sagaie
consists of the commander, driver, and gunner. The vehicle is 7.69 metres long, 2.5 metres
wide, and 2.25 metres high. Its combat weight is 8,300 kilograms. The 155-horsepower Peugeot
PRV petrol engine provides a maximum road speed of 95 kilometres per hour. The range
of the ERC 90 Sagaie is 700 kilometres. The vehicle can negotiate 0.8-metre vertical steps
and 1.1-metre trenches. It is amphibious with a water speed of 7.2 kilometres per hour.
The ERC 90 Sagaie has a 90mm F4 smoothbore gun and two 7.62mm machine guns.
Different from the ERC 90 Sagaie, the ERC 90 Lynx has a combat weight of 7,600 kilograms
and a total length of 6.115 metres. Also, its hull length is 5.24 metres, while the
Sagaie variant has a hull length of 5.1 metres. The commander is also the loader. So, the
ERC 90 does not have hunter-killer engagement capability.
The gun of the ERC 90 Lynx can elevate between +35 degrees to -8 degrees, while the F4 gun
of the ERC 90 Sagaie can elevate between +15 degrees to -8 degrees.
The main gun is supported by a laser rangefinder. The ERC 90 carries 20 ammunition. Generally,
four OFL 90 F1 armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot rounds are vertically positioned
behind the commander and gunner. This munition has a muzzle velocity of 1250 metres per second.
It can penetrate 120 to 300 millimetres of steel armour, depending on the range.
The OCC 90 F2 shaped charge round can penetrate 320 millimetres of steel armour. Its range
is about 1,000 metres. The OE 90 F2 high explosive round can reach
a range of up to 3,000 metres. It is known that the turret drive mechanism
of the ERC 90 is weak. So, the gunner generally uses manual aiming wheels when the vehicle
is on an incline. The hull was made of 10 millimetre-thick welded
steel. The hull and the turret are resistant against 7.62mm armour piercing rounds.
The "V" shaped hull of the vehicle provides a more balanced structure in the rough terrain,
as well as more resistance against landmines. In time, France considered to equipped its
ERC 90s with the GALIX active protection system to increase survivability. But, later, it
abandoned the plan. Some of the French ERC 90s have been fitted
with the LIRE 15 infrared countermeasure smoke grenade system against second-generation anti-tank
missiles. However, it is known that some of them have been dismantled because of reliability
problems. When moving on the highway, the 6x6 ERC 90
raises the middle axle by using its hydropneumatic suspension. During the 4x4 drive, the ground
clearance reduces to 0.29 metres. On the field, the vehicle uses the six-wheel
drive and increases its ground clearance to 0.35 metres.
The only middle axle has the hydropneumatic suspension.
The ERC-90 is fully amphibious except for its desert variants. Also, the French modernized
version with the diesel engine has lost this capability.
These vehicles can ford to a depth of 1.2 metres.
The diesel-engined French ERC 90s has a range of 730 kilometres.
As the elements of the rapid reaction force, the ERC 90s of the French Army had been deployed
within the prepositioned units in Djibouti, Gabon, Ivory Coast, and Senegal.
But, they gained their first combat experiences in the Middle East.
France used them in the 1991 Gulf War. The first French units, arriving in the region
in 1990, had ERC 90s. These vehicles conducted reconnaissance missions along the Iraqi border
at the early stage. Before the Daguet Division's advance, the French ERC 90s conducted forward
reconnaissance missions. During the ground offensive, they waited behind the line because
of their insufficient armour protection. Later, the French ERC 90s returned to Europe
for another fight. But, this time, they performed more daring missions. They protected the United
Nation soldiers and civilians in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In 1995, an ERC 90 knocked out a Serbian T-54 at the range of 2,100 metres in Sarajevo under
nighttime conditions. They were also deployed in Kosovo.
During Operation Licorne in Ivory Coast, the ERC 90s involved in multiple skirmishes.
Today, these vehicles are still fighting in Chad and Mali.
It is known that Boko Haram captured some Nigerian ERC 90s. Later at least two of these
vehicles destroyed by the Nigerian Air Force. But, the time is running out for this highly
successful warrior. Soon, the French Army is going to replace
its ERC 90s with the EBRC Jaguar. Because today, many terrorist and guerilla
groups can easily find new generation RPGs and anti-tank guided missiles.
And, the ERC 90 cannot withstand them. Also, in many conflicts zone, now, we can
see the modern tanks, whose armour are highly resistant against the 90mm gun.
Even Mexico is considering replacing its ERC 90 fleet. There is a strong rumour that it
is interested in the French surplus AMX-10 RCs.
Still, the alternatives of possible replacement of the ERC 90 are expensive. Many current
users of the vehicle cannot afford this cost. So, we will continue to see the ERC 90 in
active service for a while. And this legendary vehicle may continue to add new pages in its
saga. Thanks for watching our video. And please
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