The nature of warfare changed with the advent of nuclear weapons, but the need for lightweight, agile, and air-transportable military vehicles persisted. In the United Kingdom, this led to the development of the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) family of vehicles, of which the FV101 Scorpion is a part.
Developed in the late 1960s by Alvis Vehicles Ltd (now BAE Systems) and delivered to the British Army in 1973, the FV101 Scorpion had its combat debut during the Falklands War in 1982. The FV101 Scorpion was also used by the British Army during the 1991 Gulf War but was retired three years later. However, it continued to serve in several armies for at least another decade.
The FV101 Scorpion is still talked about as an iconic light tank not just because of its historical significance but also because of its speed. In fact, it still holds the Guinness world record for fastest production tank, as it can reach a maximum speed of 51 mph.
