Timoney

The Timoney armoured personnel carrier refers to a series of armored personnel carriers developed by Timoney Technology Limited of Ireland in the 1970s and 1980s. Production history Mk I, II, III, In the early 1970s against the background of the escalating Troubles in Northern Ireland the Irish Government decided to expand the Irish Army. In 1972 Séamus Timoney, a professor at University College Dublin (who had previously contributed to the design of the British FV601 Saladin and FV603 Saracen armoured vehicles) offered to design a new APC, based on requirements developed in coordination with the Irish Army. The designers believed that the experience of the British Army in Northern Ireland had shown that APCs designed for conventional warfare had a number of drawbacks when used in an urban counter-insurgency role. The new APC was planned to be suitable for urban guerrilla warfare while still being able to fulfil the demands of a conventional conflict. The vehicle was specified to have all-around small arms armor-piercing protection and to provide the driver with an unobstructed field of view without compromising protection; good vision was considered essential for urban operations. Protection against petrol bombs was also required. The vehicle was to be easily dismountable and provide the crew with firing ports and be equipped with a turret armed with twin machine-guns. Easy handling characteristics were considered important to minimise driver fatigue, and to give a comfortable ride while being capable of effectively traversing off-road. The APC also had to be amphibious without preparation. High traction was required to breach street barricades and other obstacles. The production vehicle also needed to be capable of being manufactured without a sophisticated industrial base, which Ireland lacked. The final Timoney design was built of high-hardness steel with three doors for easy egress, optimised for urban combat. The driver's front window was also hinged for use as an emergency exit. The seven firing ports covered the sides and rear of the vehicle. The roof mounted air intakes incorporated a baffle system to prevent incendiary materials from entering the fighting compartment. The exhaust pipes running along the edge of the roof were left uncovered to dissuade any attempt to climb onto the APC. The chosen powerplant was a Chrysler 360 V8 for reliability, availability and also compatibility with serving Irish Army vehicles.