By the end of the 1960s, Land Rover had begun work on what was to become the lOlin (2.6m) forward-control gun tractor. During the development period, trials were also conducted with a view to using the 101 as a mount for the Swingfire system for use by infantry units.
Still carrying a trials’ registration number, one of the prototypes was delivered to the British Aircraft Corporation where it was trial-fitted with a multi Swingfire system dubbed Beeswing. In what would now be called the TEL role (transporter, erector, launcher). Beeswing was designed to be installed on the rear loadbed of the 101, providing three pairs of missiles arranged in a ready-to-fire configuration. Flanking missiles were orientated at 45 ° from the
Left: MILAN Isa second-generation tube-launched spin-stabilised anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW). armed with a sealed 103mm HEAT warhead. The weapon can be launched either from the ground or from the vehicle mount. (PW)
Centre unit to give an effective 90“ coverage without requiring the launcher to be traversered.
The equipment consisted of a tubular Y-shaped launch assembly holding the six missiles at a maximum 10“ elevation, and a base pallet holding the launch assembly in a ready-to-use position, whilst providing stowage facilities for use during transit. Cables, connectors and a separation sight were stowed in two boxes fixed to the front of the base pallet. The missiles were carried in hermetically-sealed launcher boxes. The system could be broken down into convenient packages allowing transportation by a three-man crew.
All of the necessary electrical connections were made as the missile boxes were loaded into the launch assembly. Once the target was acquired, missiles could be fired at two-second intervals. A pair of reload missiles could also be carried in the centre launcher position giving a total of eight missiles.
With all of the equipment stowed for transport, the vehicle remained suitable for air
Transport or air-dropping and could be slung under a helicopter if required.
Both vehicle and equipment were tested at the Military Vehicles Experimental Establishment (MVEE), and BAC’s publicity material suggested that system had been constructed especially for the British Army. Although trials continued using production lOls, the equipment does not appear to have entered service.
A ‘palletised version’ of the Swingfire system, suitable for mounting on a Land Rover, was constructed under licence in Egypt. This may have been similar to Beeswing but, by the early 1970s, infantry units had abandoned Swingfire in favour of the smaller and simpler MILAN missile system.
World History
