Robur SK-1

     Notes: This former East German armored patrol vehicle was used exclusively by the East German Police and not used by the army.  Though similar in appearance to the Russian BA-64, the SK-1 is an independent development and much bigger than the BA-64.  To me, the SK-1 looks kind of like the race car token from the boardgame Monopoly. The SK-1 is the chassis of a Robur Garant 30K truck fitted with an all-welded armored body and a light turret.  There is a door in the rear of the hull for the crew to enter, and a two-piece hatch on top of the turret.  The body under the turret has small doors on either side. The turret traverse is manual. The turret has several vision slits and a hole for a machinegun.  The driver and commander have bullet-resistant windows to the front which may be covered by armored shutters with vision slits in them. The SK-1 was used by the internal security forces of East Germany and never issued to the East German Army. With the reunification of Germany, most of the SK-1s were scrapped, except for some sent to museums or private collectors. 

Spähpanzer Luchs

     Notes: This vehicle came out of a German Army requirement in the mid-1960s for a new generation of wheeled armored vehicles. The 6x6 version was accepted in service as the Fuchs, the 4x4 version was not placed into production, and the 8x8 version became the Luchs.  The Luchs is a light armored car for use in scouting.  The armament is light and best suited for suppressive fire, and it has enough speed for quick getaways, but the Luchs is not built for sustained combat, though frontal armor is heavy for a vehicle of its type.

     The turret is literally festooned with vision blocks, with 12 provided for all-around vision.  The driver is in the front of the hull on the left; there is a position for a second driver in the center of the vehicle about ¾ of the way back, but in practice this position was normally filled with up to 150 kg of supplies and extra ammunition and the second driver left at home.  On the turret are two hatches for the commander and gunner. There is a small door on the left of the hull between the second and third wheels. The Luchs has an NBC Overpressure system and is known for its quiet operation. The tires are run-flat and the suspension is 8x8, with equal speed forward or reverse. Up to Com Mov 69, the vehicle may be steered using all four axles, but above that speed, only the front two axles may be used in steering. The Luchs does not have a tire pressure regulation system, but the tires are low-pressure and well-suited to off-road driving. While the engine may burn diesel or gasoline, performance is limited to 300 horsepower with gasoline, AvGas, or Alcohol; with diesel fuel, the engine is rated at 390 horsepower. The Luchs is fully amphibious and has propellers at the rear and a folding trim vane at the front. The Luchs may move in water in reverse at one-half speed, but the manufacturer does not recommend amphibious operation in reverse. Radios include an FM short-range secure radio and an HF long-range radio with an amplifier for Morse Code transmission.

     The Luchs A2 upgrades the night vision system and the communications suite with frequency-hopping radios and the deletion of the Morse Code transmitter. The radios have increased range as well. The Luchs was replaced in German service by the Fennek in the early 2000s.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: About half of the Luchs in service at the time of the Twilight War were equipped with thermal imagers, and some were also equipped with video cameras and shotgun microphones along with recording equipment and radio links to higher headquarters.