00EB33

Notes

Chieftain Mk1, known as "Crazy Horse". Not in Merlin — Mk1 variants predate the registration system. Originally a standard Chieftain Mk1 built by Vickers Armstrong. Selected by RARDE (Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment) in 1987 as the basis for an experimental full-size radio-controlled moving target project. The project aimed to provide a realistic moving armoured target for live anti-tank weapon training without risk to personnel. The remote operator controlled the vehicle from an Alvis Stormer APC at distances up to 6km via a video camera feed and radio link. Trials proved the concept viable but identified several problems: the L60 engine was unreliable, the radio equipment was expensive and complex, and the camera had a narrow field of view making control difficult. The vehicle received no additional armour protection, meaning standard British anti-tank missiles could penetrate it. The project did not progress to production but represented a significant early attempt at what would later be termed an unmanned ground vehicle concept. Now held in the Tank Museum Reserve Collection at Bovington.