Timoney (armoured personnel carrier)

Mk I, II, III, In the early 1970s against the background of the escalating Troubles in Northern Ireland the Irish Government decided to expand the Irish Army. The designers believed that the experience of the British Army in Northern Ireland had shown that APCs designed for conventional warfare had several drawbacks when used in an urban counter-insurgency role. It was cannibalised for parts for the two successor prototype vehicles after testing concluded. The MkII prototype was fitted with an improvised engine cooling system and was delivered to the army in April 1974, and withdrawn 1977 after encountering mechanical problems including leaking oil seals. Mk VI The MkVI APC was a significantly improved version of the earlier MkIV APC, incorporating a Detroit Diesel 453 turbo diesel engine and reworked hull. It was also more heavily armed and armoured than the MKIV, mounting a Creusot-Loire TLi 127 turret armed with an (0.5 inch (12.7 mm) M2 Browning heavy machine gun and a 7.62 mm FN MAG machine gun. The MkVI hull had several advances on its predecessor including a redesigned glacis plate, driver's vision ports which were lower, more horizontal and placed slightly forward of the slope of the glacis plate. The wheelbase was increased from 2.87 metres to 3 metres while the track was widened from 1.93 to 2.2 metres, the expanded hull meant the weight grew to approximately 8000 kg. The MkVI was the definitive production version of the Timoney APC, but like the preceding MkIV only five were ordered in what was essentially a pre-production batch. Although the MKVI experienced minor teething troubles, these were quickly rectified and they stayed in service up to the year 1999. The MkVIs were reportedly popular with soldiers assigned to them and had lower maintenance costs compared to the Army's primary APC, the Panhard M3. A MkVI fire support variant fitted with a 90 mm GIAT Lynx Turret was evaluated but despite being successfully trialed no orders were placed for the upgunned variant of the APC.{{Cite web|url=https://euscreen.eu/item.html?id=EUS_F6E291D124D248D1B146778D551C5D62|title=Ireland's Eye: Timoney Products |date= 18 March 1982 ==Derivatives==

Timoney 6x6 armoured reconnaissance vehicle In the early 1980s Timoney presented a 6x6 reconnaissance derivative of their APC design. The hull resembled the firm's APC but longer with an extra pair of roadwheels and side-doors deleted. Two variants were offered, the first with a 200 bhp engine and armed with a 90 mm turret. The second was to utilise a 320 hp engine and was armed with a French FL-12 turret mounting a 105 mm CN-105 L/57 gun, used by some variants of the AMX-13 light tank. Timoney 4x4 armoured reconnaissance vehicle The Timoney 4x4 armoured reconnaissance vehicle (ARV) was a reconnaissance vehicle based on the drive components of the APC, but powered by a Perkins T6.3544 diesel engine. The design also incorporated Trelleborg AB run-flat tyres. The ARV was fitted with the two-man turret from the FV101 Scorpion armed with a 76 mm gun. The commander sat on the left and the gunner on the right. Traverse was manual but an electric drive could be installed. Timoney designed, built and tested two prototypes of the armoured reconnaissance vehicle in Ireland. The design reportedly then went into production in Tanzania for their armed forces under a technology transfer agreement. In the early 1980s Tanzanian engineers were brought to Ireland for training to facilitate the transfer. The ARV was one of a number of Timoney all-terrain vehicle designs the Tanzanian government hoped to manufacture domestically. BDX (Timoney Mk V) In 1977 production began under licence of an improved Timoney MkIV (also known as the MkV) by Beherman Demoen Engineering of Belgium, following negotiations the previous year. The vehicle, named the BDX is very similar to the Timoney design but with some modifications to meet Belgian requirements. The basic BDX APC lacks a turret, and an NBC collective protection or air conditioning system can be installed. Some vehicles had a small dozer blade mounted for obstacle clearing. Similar to the base Timoney design it was also possible to install a turret on the forward hull roof to accommodate either one or two 7.62 mm machine guns. Other armament options offered were a 20 mm cannon, a breech loaded 81 mm mortar or a 90 mm gun. Various other modifications have been proposed, including a turreted MILAN anti-tank missile carrier, an ambulance and a 51 mm multiple launch rocket system. A diesel engine was also tested as a possible customer option. Vickers Valkyr First presented to the public in 1982 and originally conceived as the BDX Mk2, the Vickers Valkyr was a BDX (Timoney Mk V) with a re-designed front hull and refined suspension. It had the same Timoney-designed twin 7.62mm machinegun turret. Later designs had a commanders hatch on the front left and a ring-mount machinegun in place of a turret. There was also a variant with a lowered hull mounting a Cockerill Mk3 90mm gun. The Vickers Mk.11 Viper was a wheeled fire support vehicle, capable of carrying infantry and intended to carry out reconnaissance and long-range patrols. The first prototype was derived from the Timoney CM-31 6x6 armoured personnel carrier with the front-end of the Valkyr fire-support variant. The second prototype was believed to have been built by Vickers at their facility. The vehicle was fitted with the turret from Vickers Mk.5 (VFM5) light tank mounting a fully-stabilised L7 105 mm gun. The Vickers Mk.11 had a crew of four and could carry 7 dismounts and there were firing ports for troops to fire their individual weapons. A family of variants derived from the Mk.11 were planned including ATGM carrier, 120 mm mortar carrier, SPAAG, enlarged APC that could carry up to 19 troops, command vehicle, armoured ambulance, logistics vehicle, and recovery vehicle. The platform failed to garner any export sales and with Vickers acquisition of Reumech to form Vickers OMC (now Land Systems OMC) the Mk.11 program was cancelled and the second prototype sold to a private collector. ==Operators==

• : Three prototypes, 5 Mk IV, 5 MK VI • : • Belgian Air Component - 63 BDX • Rijkswacht/Gendarmerie - 80 BDX • : 5 BDX • : 95 former Belgian BDX • : 2 Vickers Valkyr • : 2 Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle. ==References==