The French 6×6 ERC 90 Series was developed by Panhard who is a French manufacturer who have produced a successful range of wheeled Armoured Fighting Vehicles over several decades. The ERC 90 was developed for the export market in the 1970’s as a 6×6 Wheeled Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle & later as a Tank Destroyer (ERC 90 Sagaire).
The French 6×6 ERC 90 Series – ERC 90 Lynx
This was the first vehicle developed. This vehicle is equipped with a two man HS-90 turret.
Armament – Main Gun is an F1 90mm smoothbore, which is capable of firing antitank or antipersonnel ammunition. It also has a coaxial machine gun.
Powerpack – Diesel 170hp MTU and automatic Renk gearbox.
Max. speed 95km/h
Range 800km
Gradient 50%
Side slope 30%
Vertical obstacle 0.5m
Trench 1.1m
Fording 1m
The French 6×6 ERC 90 Series – ERC 90 Sagaire
This was the second vehicle developed. This vehicle is equipped with a two man TS-90 turret.
Armament – Main Gun is an F4 90mm smoothbore, which is capable of firing APFSDS ammunitions. It also has a coaxial machine gun.
Powerpack – Diesel 170hp MTU and automatic Renk gearbox.
Max. speed 95km/h
Range 800km
Gradient 50%
Side slope 30%
Vertical obstacle 0.5m
Trench 1.1m
Fording 1m
The French 6×6 ERC 90 Series – ERC 90 Sagaire 2
As above but has two engines.
The French 6×6 ERC 90 Series – ERC 90 CMI
This was the third vehicle developed. This vehicle is equipped with a two man CMI CSE-90 turret.
Armament – Main Gun is an 90mm smoothbore, which is fitted with a modern Fire Control System. It also has a coaxial machine gun.
Powerpack – Diesel 170hp MTU and automatic Renk gearbox.
Max. speed 95km/h
Range 800km
Gradient 50%
Side slope 30%
Vertical obstacle 0.5m
Trench 1.1m
Fording 1m
The French 6×6 ERC 90 Series Operators
Argentina (ERC 90 Lynx) Ordered in 1979 for their Marines.
Chad (ERC 90 Lynx)
France (ERC 90 Sagaire) Panhard report 193 (as of 2010) vehicles are operated. Deliveries started
Gabon (ERC 90 Sagaire 2) As well as a number sporting turrets with 20mm SPAAG’s for the Anti-Aircraft role.
Ivory Coast (ERC 90 Sagaire) Ordered prior to the French Army order.
Mexico (ERC 90 Lynx) Panhard report 120 vehicles were bought. Orders started in 1981.
Nigera
Further info
Prior to the ERC 90, Panhard had developed the 6×6 VCR APC, so the vehicle shares many parts as the VCR. Its middle set of wheels is retractable.
The vehicle is fully amphibious powered by its wheels, but one of its many optional extra’s were water power jets. The turret was also manually traversed. Its combat weight is 8.3 tonne’s giving it a highly strategic mobility capability.
Some of the info in this article may differ compared to other publications (ie the engine) on the internet, this is due to our information being provided by the manufacturer.