Big Bang Ricochet 024: AT-104 Internal Security Vehicle (d20)
Developed originally as the AT-100 4x2 Internal Security Vehicle in 1971¸ the AT-104 was introduced the following year as the first vehicle specifically designed as a response to the urban insurgency in Northern Ireland¸ a wave of violence¸ known as "The Troubles" began in the summer of 1969 and ended in 2001. In this time¸ the Irish Republican Army split into the Marxist influence "Official IRA" and the violent¸ sectarian "Provisional IRA"¸ eventually killing 497 civilians¸ 638 British soldiers¸ 271 police officers of the Royal Ulster Constabulary¸ and 276 IRA members. The impetus for the development of the AT-104 was the retirement of the FV 1611 Humber "Pig"¸ and armored car with decades of service¸ sent to be scrapped in the mid to late 60's. However¸ rather than buy new vehicles¸ the British military instead recalled 500 Humbers to active duty¸ shipping them off to be uparmored one by one. In the end¸ only 30 AT-104s were ever sold; 24 to the Brunei military and another 6 to a special unit of the Dutch State Police. The AT-104 is the immediate predecessor of the AT-105 Saxon¸ a major armored personnel carrier for the British military during and after the Cold War.