Taking its name from Automitrailleuse Légère, meaning light armoured vehicle, the AML is
one of the most legendary armoured cars ever produced. The 90mm gunned model of the vehicle
has repeatedly proven to be a successful tank destroyer, with a high effect against first
and second-generation tanks and light armoured vehicles. Now we are investigating the AML,
the simple but fearsome war machine of France. Please don't forget to subscribe to our channel,
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our channel. The AML is a true legend with its high performance
in low-intensity wars, particularly in Africa. Although it is now 60 years old, the vehicle
still plays important roles in many conflicts. To better understand this legendary vehicle,
let's take a look at the pages of history. After the Second World War, the peace was
still far away for France. It was facing the colonial independence movements.
Of course, Paris, like other capitals of the free world, was concerned about the Soviet
threat. But, outside the control zone in Berlin, there
was no area where France directly faced the Red Army.
The primary security problem for the French government in the 1950s was keeping the colonies
under control. France began to reorganize its army with this
threat perception and procure the armoured cars. These vehicles were more useful in counterinsurgency
operations. Such missions required neither heavy armour nor large guns. Since quick response
capability was essential, it was natural to prefer the armoured cars over the relatively
slow tracked vehicles. The running costs of the wheeled armoured vehicles were considerably
low compared to the tanks. Also, any regular mechanic could maintain and repair the armoured
cars, which were based on passenger cars. Finding spare parts was naturally easy too.
The reason why the French military staff gave such importance to wheeled vehicles was not
only counterinsurgency operations. They could perform other important tasks.
During the Second World War, the German Puma and the US M8 Greyhound had proved themselves
for anti-armour missions. So, an armoured car equipped with a medium
calibre gun could be highly effective in a possible Third World War.
At first, France had procured a large number of armoured cars from the US surplus as an
interim solution. Later, it began to develop domestic vehicles.
The first fruit of this work was the EBR. It was highly advanced but also extremely
complex. This vehicle was offering good cross-country mobility by 8x8 driving.
On the road, two central axes were being raised to go faster like a 4x4 vehicle.
It had two drivers; one was looking to the front, while the other was facing the rear.
So, the vehicle could go forward or back at the same speed without turning.
To reduce the silhouette, the engine was fitted under the floor horizontally. So, to reach
the engine for maintenance or repair, the turret had to be dismantled.
But, the French Army needed a simpler vehicle for its colonial operations.
So, France purchased some Ferret armoured cars from the UK to use in Algeria. However,
this vehicle only had a machine gun. The French Army required a new armoured car.
In 1956, the French Panhard company began the development of the AML to answer this
requirement. Many parts of the new vehicle came from the EBR to reduce development time
and costs. The first prototype was introduced in 1959. Two years later, the French Army
began to handle the AML. Different from the EBR, the AML had one driver
at the front of the hull. The vehicle featured the 4x4 configuration
rather than 8x8. Its V shape hull provided higher protection
against landmines than the other armoured cars of that time.
The AML gained huge export success and was preferred by over 40 countries.
Things has not been all beer and skittles for many African countries that have declared
their independence from the colonial empires. They faced internal turmoil and armed conflict
with their neighbours. The largest weapons supplier of these new
countries or the guerrilla group trying to take control was the USSR.
But, finding the weapon was not the main problem. Because of many years of colonial rule, the
new nations of Africa did not have sufficient educational and technical skills. They could
not use and maintain modern weapons effectively. Therefore, previous generation weapons or
even the Second World War-vintage equipment were more preferable in this continent. Yet,
it was not economically possible to have in large numbers from these systems in Sub-Saharan
Africa. Therefore, there were not enough armoured vehicles and tanks to create an iron fist
in the continent. This situation played an important role in
the African countries with close relation to the West, especially France, in choosing
the low cost and easy to operate AML. Also, this vehicle had good cross-country
mobility across the flat African terrain. Especially, the AML-90 variant, equipped with
the Lynx turret, had passive night vision, laser rangefinder and automatic target tracking
capability. These features made the vehicle highly deadly
against the old generation Soviet tanks. The three-person crew of the AML-90 consists
of the commander, driver, and gunner. The vehicle has a full length of 5.11 metres,
a hull length of 3.79 metres, a width of 1.97 metres, and a height of 2.07 metres. Its combat
weight is 5,5 tons. The original porduction version of the AML-90 has a 90-horsepower
Panhard Model 4 HD petrol engine. Its road speed of 90 kilometres per hour. The range
is 600 kilometres. The vehicle can negotiate 0.3-metre vertical steps and 0.8-metre trenches
and can ford to a depth of 1.1 metres. The AML-90 has a 90mm gun and a 7.62mm coaxial
machine gun. By using the kit, the vehicle can swim.
The commander is also the loader. The standard version of the AML is equipped
with a breech-loaded 60mm mortar, which could perform both indirect and direct fire. This
model, called AML-60, also has sub-variants with a coaxial 7.5, 7.62, or 12.7mm machine
gun, as well as a 20mm automatic cannon. Ireland had reequipped some of its AML-60
and AML-90 with a 20mm gun or a 12.7mm machine gun, as well as a Peugeot diesel engine.
The variant with the 20mm G12 gun had renamed as AML-20.
The AML-127 had a 12.7mm M2. All of them was retired.
The AML S530, chosen by only Venezuela, was the self-propelled anti-aircraft gun variant.
The AML gained a 90mm main gun later. This gun would make the vehicle a legend. Although
it was a successful vehicle, the AML was not enough to win the wars fought in France's
colonies. Still, the adventure of French AMLs was not
over, but it had just begun. Due to its suitable size and weight for the
C-160 and Noratlas, the AMLs were assigned to the French Foreign Legion’s rapid deployment
force. Thus, they became the first vehicles that
were sent for various small conflicts in Africa. After the Algerian War of Independence, the
French AMLs faced a major battle in Chad in the late 1970s. Initially, the enemy was the
relatively weak Libyan-backed National Liberation Front of Chad. The AML could easily deal with
the light armoured vehicles of this group. Yet, after a while, Libya directly involved
in the war with its large tank units. The T-55, whose front armour was resistant
to 90mm ammunition, was a serious opponent. But, the French began to use the speed advantage
of the AML and attack the side and rear of the Libyan tanks. The result was highly successful.
During the conflict, the main enemy of the AML was the RPG-7, not the T-55s.
Yet, in the 1980s, the French replaced the AMLs in Chad with the AMX-10RCs.
However, Chad continued to use these vehicles effectively against Libya. During the Toyota
War, the Chadian Toyota pickups were supported by the AMLs, which could perform operations
at the same speed as themselves. The AML's performance in Africa was not without
problems. Especially, Portugal, which fought in Angola and Mozambique, complained of frequent
motor failures due to the corrosive tropical climate. The problem was solved by the installation
of custom-made Volkswagen air intakes. South Africa produced the AML under license
with the name of Eland. The South African Defence Forces used this vehicle in South
West Africa and Angola for the long-range raids.
Yet, due to its high fuel consumption, the Eland could not follow the Ratels in these
raids. Also, the 90mm gun was inadequate against
the T-55s. However, the South Africans managed to use the Elands effectively, thanks to their
successful tactics and well-trained soldiers. The Cuban generals in Angola had to admit
that they could not come up an effective solution against the superior manoeuvrable Elands,
which they considered as one of their most challenging rivals.
But, this was only partly true. When the weather was hot, the vehicle had good cross-country
mobility on dry ground. However, when the rains started, the 4x4 Eland, which had high
ground pressure, had a hard time in the mud. There were also important other complaints
about the vehicle. Its petrol engine could cause fire when the vehicle hit the landmines.
During the 1967 Six-Day War, the Israeli AMLs played a key role in capturing Ramallah and
East Jerusalem and managed to destroy at least 13 Egyptian and Jordanian tanks. However,
the Arabs also knocked out several of them. Survivability was crucial for small-populated
Israel. So, the Israeli Defence Forces retired its AMLs shortly after the war.
During the civil war, Lebanese AMLs were generally not used effectively due to staff shortages.
But, on one occasion, three of them, supported by other vehicles, repelled all assaults of
the Lebanese Arab Army, which was the predominantly Muslim splinter faction. Then they advanced
and managed to take control of the entire district.
The AML was the only Argentine armoured vehicle on the islands when the British Army arrived during
the 1982 Falklands War. They engaged the British Scimitars and Scorpions.
Nevertheless, none of them managed to knock out each other.
When the war lost, the Argentinian crew abandoned their AMLs.
Of course, the AMLs were used in numerous conflicts taking place in other parts of the
world. They are still fighting in Africa and the Middle East. The AML has proven itself
again and again when used for the right task, in the right place, and by the right hands.
Its users have already begun to give up on this obsolete vehicle. However, the AML is
an indispensable legend for military history enthusiasts.
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