Ratel 20 - Revision history

U38088265 at 09:40, 13 July 2024

2024-07-13T09:40:38Z

U42773747: Added some detalization on this tank. May conflict a bit with the given description from previous edit, but i think this is easy to merge. Feel free to edit it, idk/idc.

2024-05-30T17:42:29Z

Added some detalization on this tank. May conflict a bit with the given description from previous edit, but i think this is easy to merge. Feel free to edit it, idk/idc.

Show changes

U91965995: New Description Project

2024-05-28T00:59:48Z

New Description Project

U43191476: Edited See Also section for relevancy

2023-11-09T01:08:35Z

Edited See Also section for relevancy

U28580205: Undo revision 160404 by U125200635 (talk) Began development in 1970

2023-04-11T04:49:51Z

Undo revision 160404 by U125200635 (talk) Began development in 1970

U125200635: /* History */

2023-04-10T21:30:13Z

‎History

U38088265: /* Ammunition */ Converted to transclusion

2023-01-22T17:59:44Z

‎Ammunition: Converted to transclusion

U9202753: Added a new Specs-Card image

2022-07-04T08:54:45Z

Added a new Specs-Card image

U38088265: /* History */

2022-05-01T09:08:20Z

‎History

U28580205 at 22:38, 30 April 2022

2022-04-30T22:38:32Z

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 The Ratel family of IFVs came to be in 1976 in South Africa to meet the needs of the South African Army. It pioneered many different areas of IFV development, such as being the first IFV in the world of a wheeled design to enter service worldwide, and the introduction of mine-protecting hulls on IFVs. The choice of a wheeled hull was due to the region's expansive deserts and relative lack of harsh terrain, as well as the longevity provided by wheels over tracked vehicles of similar types in maintenance. The Ratel 20 was the base variant of the Ratel family of IFVs, equipped with a 20 mm autocannon and MILAN anti-tank guided missiles. During its service with various militaries and international organizations, some of which still use the Ratels in active service, the Ratels provided valuable mobility and firepower to the lowest levels of the army, but were also often forced into situations beyond what they were originally designed for.
 == General info ==
 === Survivability and armour ===
@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 <!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
-The 20 version of Ratel is not very different from 90 at a first glance - the crew positioning and armour are identical and are quite poor. The turret and hull sides are vulnerable to 12.7 mm MG and the hull roof will implode if exploded by any kind of high explosives, but the armour is also thin enough to not trigger APHE at many angles of attack. The crew is quite tightly packed and there is only 3 of them, so a bad hit to the middle of the tank will easily destroy the tank in RB and is likely to make it useless in AB.
+The Ratel 20 is not very different from the Ratel 90 at a first glance - the crew positioning and armour are identical and are quite poor. The turret and hull sides are vulnerable to 12.7 mm MG and the hull roof will implode if exploded by any kind of high explosives, but the armour is also thin enough to not trigger APHE at many angles of attack. The crew is quite tightly packed and there is only 3 members, so a bad hit to the middle of the tank will easily destroy the tank in RB and is likely to make it useless in AB.
-What is different is the ammunition placement - there are no longer random HEAT shells scattered across the tank, instead there are small boxex of 20 mm shells behind the driver head and a stack of ATGMs next to the engine on the left side. This greatly reduces chances of being obliterated in a single shot, although knowing opponent might just shoot the ATGM storage from the side, if they know where to aim and don't want to try hitting the crew for some reason.
+What is different is the ammunition placement - there are no longer random HEAT shells scattered across the tank, instead there are small boxes of 20 mm shells behind the driver's head and a stack of ATGMs next to the engine on the left side. This greatly reduces the chances of being obliterated in a single shot, although a knowing opponent might just shoot the ATGM storage from the side.
-The ATGM on top of the vehicle is a blessing and a curse at the same time - it's positioning allows to repel incoming tanks without exposing the tank itself, but it also can explode if hit hard enough and then overpressure the carrier, so at least some caution is adviced when fighting competent enemy.
+The ATGM on top of the vehicle is a blessing and a curse at the same time - its positioning allows to repel incoming tanks without exposing the tank itself, but it can also detonate if hit hard enough and then overpressure the carrier, so at least some caution is advised when fighting a competent enemy.
 Two smoke groups can be fired to create a 90 degree smoke screen in turret direction. The grenades fire rather far, so it will take longer than average to deploy, but it may also allow to use smoke offensively.
@@ Line 77: / Line 77: @@
 {{main|GI-2 (20 mm)}}
-The 90 mm cannon was replaced by a 20 mm autocannon. The turret is not very different, so someone used to Ratel 90 will not find it too difficult to adapt to it's behavior. The cannon can aim higher than usual, allowing it to aim at the sky when needed, but it may require a hill to aim above tank itself.
+The 90 mm cannon was replaced by a 20 mm autocannon. The turret is not very different, so someone used to Ratel 90 will not find it too difficult to adapt to its behaviour. The cannon can aim higher than usual, allowing it to aim at the sky when needed, but it may require a hill to aim above the tank itself.
 Autocannon fire rate is reasonably high, and the ammunition belts consist of 150 shells, so suppressing fire is an option, but the cannon can overheat if it fires 70 shots without pause, so if the target cannot be suppressed or destroyed with this ammunition amount, it is better to attack with ATGM immediately or to think of a better plan.
-It might be unnecessary to mention, but tank commander should always stay realistic about using this weapon - almost all medium tanks (as well as heavy tanks) are built to ignore the 20 mm autocannon, so in a direct engagement with heavier vehicles the autocannon can only be used to damage their externals (such as the tracks or cannons) and maybe engines or commander cupolas (as they sometimes have less armour than the rest of the tanks)
+Almost all medium tanks (as well as heavy tanks) will be able to ignore the 20 mm autocannon, so in a direct engagement with heavier vehicles the autocannon can only be used to damage their externals (such as the tracks or cannons) and maybe engines or commander cupolas (as they sometimes have less armour than the rest of the tank).
 {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
@@ Line 101: / Line 101: @@
 ==== Ammunition ====
-All of the 20 mm belts consist of HVAP and HEFI in different proportions.
+All of the 20 mm belts consist of HVAP and HEI in different proportions.
-HEFI is a rather straightforward anti-air shell - it deals heavy damage upon hitting the aircraft or open-topped SPG and is useless against fully enclosed tanks.
+HEI is a rather straightforward anti-air shell - it deals heavy damage upon hitting the aircraft or open-topped SPG and is useless against fully enclosed tanks.
 HVAP has a rather high flat penetration for the calibre, but has abysmal angled penetration, to a point of being unable to penetrate the hull of some heavily angled light SPG and tanks. It also lacks the stopping power of the APDS and cannot overpenetrate engines, so while it can set them on fire, it will not hit anything past the engine decks (unless there are holes that could be punched through).
-* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
+* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
-* '''M594:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}
+* '''HE, 20 mm:''' {{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}
-* '''M601:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
+* '''AP, 20 mm:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
 {{:GI-2 (20 mm)/Ammunition|HVAP-T, HEFI-T}}
@@ Line 143: / Line 143: @@
 {{main|MILAN}}
-As an additional weapon (or, rather, a replacement for the 90 mm), the tank carries Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) launcher on its top-right side. The ATGM in question is MILAN, which is one of the easier missiles to control and navigate, as it is rather agile and forgiving. The missile is controlled via sniper crosshairs as it is semi-automatic, which means that it doesn't block the driver controls when fired, unlike other early missiles, but requires the target to be visible the entire time.
+As an additional weapon, the tank carries an Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) launcher on its top-right side. The ATGM in question is MILAN, which is one of the easier missiles to control and navigate, as it is rather agile and forgiving. The missile is controlled via sniper crosshairs as it is semi-automatic, which means that it doesn't block the driver controls when fired, unlike other early missiles, but requires the target to be visible the entire time.
 The control point can be swapped between the 20 mm autocannon and the launcher itself with a special hotkey, but the missile Line-Of-Sight (LOS) is calculated off the 20 mm regardless. To hit the target past 160 m, tank autocannon must see the target, or at least the missile itself, otherwise the missile will automatically fall down. The only way to counteract this is to fire the missile into the sky and redirect it into the enemy at the very last second, but even this might be pushing the limits of the tank.
@@ Line 193: / Line 193: @@
 ! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 |-
-| Coaxial || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
+| Coaxial || 3,000 (250) || 500 || - || -
 |-
 | Pintle || 3,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+3° || ±120°
@@ Line 209: / Line 209: @@
 * [[MILAN]] ATGM has good penetration values and is very easy to control, very hard to miss
-** Although missile launcher cannot truly control the missiles, it still can fire at anyone closer than 160 m directly without exposing the tank itself, which can be powerful both in offence and defence
+** Although the missile launcher cannot truly control the missiles, it still can fire at anyone closer than 160 m directly without exposing the tank itself, which can be powerful both in offence and defence
 * Ratel chassis is decently mobile when roads are present once fully upgraded; also has great reverse speed of 17 km/h
 * 20 mm GI-2 gun has a high rate of fire and a useful elevation of +38°; perfect against low flying aircraft

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 == Description ==
 <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
-The Ratel 20 is the original variant of the versatile Ratel IFV built by South Africa in 1976, to meet their tactics on mobile warfare. It is granted the title of the first wheeled IFV to enter service worldwide.
+The Ratel family of IFVs came to be in 1976 in South Africa to meet the needs of the South African Army. It pioneered many different areas of IFV development, such as being the first IFV in the world of a wheeled design to enter service worldwide, and the introduction of mine-protecting hulls on IFVs. The choice of a wheeled hull was due to the region's expansive deserts and relative lack of harsh terrain, as well as the longevity provided by wheels over tracked vehicles of similar types in maintenance. The Ratel 20 was the base variant of the Ratel family of IFVs, equipped with a 20 mm autocannon and MILAN anti-tank guided missiles. During its service with various militaries and international organizations, some of which still use the Ratels in active service, the Ratels provided valuable mobility and firepower to the lowest levels of the army, but were also often forced into situations beyond what they were originally designed for.
-While the mobile and indirect playstyle of the previous [[Ratel 90]] continues, the variation in weaponry sets ups for a somewhat more defensive and supporting approach during armoured engagements. The fast-firing 20 mm GI-2 automatic cannon and the powerful Milan ATGM are alternative armaments that will require some practice due to their situational unreliability when compared to a classical high-calibre cannon layout.
+The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ixwa Strike"]]. Keeping in line with the previous [[Ratel 90]], the Ratel 20 is in terms of chassis virtually unchanged. The only noticeable difference from the Ratel 90 is the turret and as a result the tank's armament, switching out the low velocity 90 mm gun for the original base configuration of a 20 mm autocannon and 7 MILAN ATGMs. This brings with it some playstyle changes, such as being able to use terrain more aggressively due to the increased gun depression, while losing the ability to directly go through enemies with the autocannon. As the hull is underpowered for both the Ratel 20 and 90, it is recommended that you pick ground that has relatively mild terrain features (but not none) to utilize your tank's above average gun angles but also level enough that your tank doesn't struggle moving up and down a hill.
-−
 == General info ==

@@ Line 82: / Line 82: @@
 ==== Ammunition ====
 * '''Default:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
 * '''M594:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}
@@ Line 215: / Line 216: @@
 * ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
-;Related service history
+;<nowiki>Other vehicles based on the Ratel chassis:</nowiki>
-*[[Eland 90 Mk.7]]
+Vehicles of similar design and role:
 * [[Warrior]]
-* [[BMP-1]]
+* [[Marder A1-]]
-* [[UDES 33]]
+* [[Pbv 302 (BILL)]]
 == External links ==
@@ Line 234: / Line 230: @@
 * ''topic on the official game forum;''
 * ''other literature.'' -->
 ;Bibliography:
 <references />

@@ Line 82: / Line 82: @@
 ==== Ammunition ====
 * '''Default:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
 * '''M594:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}
@@ Line 192: / Line 191: @@
 '''Development'''
 [[File:Ratel-20.jpg|alt=A UN Ratel-20 IFV in the Royal Tank Museum, Jordan.|left|thumb|A UN Ratel-20 IFV in the Royal Tank Museum, Jordan.]]
-Named after the tenacious honey badger<ref>Scheepers, M., Pretorius, F. (2021) 'Loss of military equipment by the SADF at the Battle at Indungo during the Border War, 31 October 1987', ''Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies'', Vol 49, Nr 2, pp. 58-9.</ref>, the Ratel Infantry Fighting Vehicle's development began in 1972 when the South African Defence Force required armoured vehicles which could cover the vast distances of the African plains. These requirements prioritised strong firepower and good protection to enable mechanised infantry to play their role within a highly mobile warfare doctrine. The SADF were already using British APCs, but these aligned with the British doctrine of mobilised infantry dismounting for engagements which was counter-intuitive to the direction of the diverging South African structure<ref name=":0">Harmse, K., Dunstan, S. (2017) ''South African Armour of the Border War 1975–89''. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, pp. 18-47.</ref>.
+Named after the tenacious honey badger<ref>Scheepers, M., Pretorius, F. (2021) 'Loss of military equipment by the SADF at the Battle at Indungo during the Border War, 31 October 1987', ''Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies'', Vol 49, Nr 2, pp. 58-9.</ref>, the Ratel Infantry Fighting Vehicle's development began in 1970 when the South African Defence Force required armoured vehicles which could cover the vast distances of the African plains. These requirements prioritised strong firepower and good protection to enable mechanised infantry to play their role within a highly mobile warfare doctrine. The SADF were already using British APCs, but these aligned with the British doctrine of mobilised infantry dismounting for engagements which was counter-intuitive to the direction of the diverging South African structure<ref name=":0">Harmse, K., Dunstan, S. (2017) ''South African Armour of the Border War 1975–89''. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, pp. 18-47.</ref>.
 The SADF also used South African-designed armoured vehicles, yet these were liable to breakdowns and weapon failures which peaked during the South African Border War, exposing the weaknesses of older and cheaper IFV models and exposing the necessity for complete replacement to the more durable and reliable Ratel models. The South African derivative of the [[AML-90 (Family)|AML]], the [[Eland 90 Mk.7|Eland]] was successful as a reconnaissance vehicle with remarkable self-defence, and this would inspire the design of the Ratel which shares visual similarity<ref name=":0" />.
@@ Line 235: / Line 234: @@
 * ''topic on the official game forum;''
 * ''other literature.'' -->
 ;Bibliography:
 <references />

@@ Line 82: / Line 82: @@
 ==== Ammunition ====
 * '''Default:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
 * '''M594:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}
@@ Line 191: / Line 192: @@
 '''Development'''
 [[File:Ratel-20.jpg|alt=A UN Ratel-20 IFV in the Royal Tank Museum, Jordan.|left|thumb|A UN Ratel-20 IFV in the Royal Tank Museum, Jordan.]]
-Named after the tenacious honey badger<ref>Scheepers, M., Pretorius, F. (2021) 'Loss of military equipment by the SADF at the Battle at Indungo during the Border War, 31 October 1987', ''Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies'', Vol 49, Nr 2, pp. 58-9.</ref>, the Ratel Infantry Fighting Vehicle's development began in 1970 when the South African Defence Force required armoured vehicles which could cover the vast distances of the African plains. These requirements prioritised strong firepower and good protection to enable mechanised infantry to play their role within a highly mobile warfare doctrine. The SADF were already using British APCs, but these aligned with the British doctrine of mobilised infantry dismounting for engagements which was counter-intuitive to the direction of the diverging South African structure<ref name=":0">Harmse, K., Dunstan, S. (2017) ''South African Armour of the Border War 1975–89''. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, pp. 18-47.</ref>.
+Named after the tenacious honey badger<ref>Scheepers, M., Pretorius, F. (2021) 'Loss of military equipment by the SADF at the Battle at Indungo during the Border War, 31 October 1987', ''Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies'', Vol 49, Nr 2, pp. 58-9.</ref>, the Ratel Infantry Fighting Vehicle's development began in 1972 when the South African Defence Force required armoured vehicles which could cover the vast distances of the African plains. These requirements prioritised strong firepower and good protection to enable mechanised infantry to play their role within a highly mobile warfare doctrine. The SADF were already using British APCs, but these aligned with the British doctrine of mobilised infantry dismounting for engagements which was counter-intuitive to the direction of the diverging South African structure<ref name=":0">Harmse, K., Dunstan, S. (2017) ''South African Armour of the Border War 1975–89''. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, pp. 18-47.</ref>.
 The SADF also used South African-designed armoured vehicles, yet these were liable to breakdowns and weapon failures which peaked during the South African Border War, exposing the weaknesses of older and cheaper IFV models and exposing the necessity for complete replacement to the more durable and reliable Ratel models. The South African derivative of the [[AML-90 (Family)|AML]], the [[Eland 90 Mk.7|Eland]] was successful as a reconnaissance vehicle with remarkable self-defence, and this would inspire the design of the Ratel which shares visual similarity<ref name=":0" />.
@@ Line 234: / Line 235: @@
 * ''topic on the official game forum;''
 * ''other literature.'' -->
 ;Bibliography:
 <references />

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 {{Specs-Card
 |code=uk_ratel_20
-|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
+|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
 }}

@@ Line 34: / Line 34: @@
 ! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 |-
-| Hull || 15 mm (30°) ''Front plate'' <br> 10 mm (75°) ''Upper Glacis'' <br> 20 mm (30°) ''Lower plate'' || 8 mm (26°) ''Top'' <br> 10 mm (2-27°) ''Bottom'' || 10 mm (0-43°) || 6 mm
+| Hull || 15 mm (30°) ''Front plate'' <br> 10 mm (75°) ''Upper Glacis'' <br> 20 mm (30°) ''Lower plate'' || 8 mm (26°) ''Top'' <br> 10 mm (2-27°) ''Bottom'' || 10 mm (0-43°) || 6 mm
 |-
-| Turret || 12 mm (30°) ''Turret front'' <br> 12 mm (8°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 10 mm (17-21°) || 10 mm (16°) || 10 mm (16°) ''Front part'' <br> 10 mm ''Rear part'' <br> 8 mm ''Gunner hatch''
+| Turret || 12 mm (30°) ''Turret front'' <br> 12 mm (8°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 10 mm (17-21°) || 10 mm (16°) || 10 mm (16°) ''Front part'' <br> 10 mm ''Rear part'' <br> 8 mm ''Gunner hatch''
 |-
-| Cupola || colspan="3" | 8-10 mm (spherical) || 8 mm (46-85°) ''Hatch''
+| Cupola || colspan="3" | 8-10 mm (spherical) || 8 mm (46-85°) ''Hatch''
 |-
 |}
@@ Line 47: / Line 47: @@
 * Belly is 8 mm thick.
-* Unlike Ratel 90, the radiator's armour is 10mm instead of 5 mm thick.
+* Unlike Ratel 90, the radiator's armour is 10 mm instead of 5 mm thick.
 === Mobility ===
@@ Line 232: / Line 232: @@
 == History ==
 '''Development'''
 [[File:Ratel-20.jpg|alt=A UN Ratel-20 IFV in the Royal Tank Museum, Jordan.|left|thumb|A UN Ratel-20 IFV in the Royal Tank Museum, Jordan.]]
-Named after the tenacious honey badger<ref>Scheepers, M., Pretorius, F. (2021) 'Loss of military equipment by the SADF at the Battle at Indungo during the Border War, 31 October 1987', ''Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies'', Vol 49, Nr 2, pp. 58-9.</ref>, the Ratel Infantry Fighting vehicle’s development began in 1970 when the South African Defence Force required armoured vehicles which could cover vast distances of African plains. These requirements prioritised strong firepower and good protection to enable mechanised infantry to play their role within a highly mobile warfare doctrine. The SADF were already using British APCs, but these aligned with the British doctrine of mobilised infantry dismounting for engagements which was counter-intuitive to the direction of the diverging South African structure <ref name=":0">Harmse, K., Dunstan, S. (2017) ''South African Armour of the Border War 1975–89''. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, pp. 18-47.</ref>.
+Named after the tenacious honey badger<ref>Scheepers, M., Pretorius, F. (2021) 'Loss of military equipment by the SADF at the Battle at Indungo during the Border War, 31 October 1987', ''Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies'', Vol 49, Nr 2, pp. 58-9.</ref>, the Ratel Infantry Fighting Vehicle's development began in 1970 when the South African Defence Force required armoured vehicles which could cover the vast distances of the African plains. These requirements prioritised strong firepower and good protection to enable mechanised infantry to play their role within a highly mobile warfare doctrine. The SADF were already using British APCs, but these aligned with the British doctrine of mobilised infantry dismounting for engagements which was counter-intuitive to the direction of the diverging South African structure<ref name=":0">Harmse, K., Dunstan, S. (2017) ''South African Armour of the Border War 1975–89''. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, pp. 18-47.</ref>.
-The SADF also used South African designed armoured vehicles, yet these were liable to breakdowns and weapon failures which peaked during the South African Border War, exposing the weaknesses of older and cheaper IFV models and exposing the necessity for complete replacement to the more durable and reliable Ratel models. The South African derivative of the [[AML-90 (Family)|AML]], the [[Eland 90 Mk.7|Eland]] was successful as a reconnaissance vehicle with remarkable self-defence, and this would inspire the design of the Ratel which shares visual similarity<ref name=":0" />.
+The SADF also used South African-designed armoured vehicles, yet these were liable to breakdowns and weapon failures which peaked during the South African Border War, exposing the weaknesses of older and cheaper IFV models and exposing the necessity for complete replacement to the more durable and reliable Ratel models. The South African derivative of the [[AML-90 (Family)|AML]], the [[Eland 90 Mk.7|Eland]] was successful as a reconnaissance vehicle with remarkable self-defence, and this would inspire the design of the Ratel which shares visual similarity<ref name=":0" />.
 '''Combat usage'''
-The Ratel would enter production in 1975 and see immediate success in the Angolan War from 1978. Despite a design based around flat terrain and infantry combat, the Ratel found itself excelling in challenging mountainous terrain and rainforests, fulfilling additional combat and support roles. In later produced modular variants, the Ratel utilised the cannon turret of the [[Eland 90 Mk.7|Eland]], ATGMs and also support platforms such as observation and logistics<ref>O'Malley, T.J. (1996) ''Fighting Vehicles: Armoured Personnel Carriers and Infantry Fighting Vehicles''. London: Merlin Publications, pp. 98-9.</ref>.
+The Ratel would enter production in 1975 and see immediate success in the Angolan War from 1978. Despite a design based around flat terrain and infantry combat, the Ratel found itself excelling in challenging mountainous terrain and rainforests, fulfilling additional combat and support roles. In later produced modular variants, the Ratel utilised the cannon turret of the [[Eland 90 Mk.7|Eland]], ATGMs, and also support platforms such as observation and logistics<ref>O'Malley, T.J. (1996) ''Fighting Vehicles: Armoured Personnel Carriers and Infantry Fighting Vehicles''. London: Merlin Publications, pp. 98-9.</ref>.
-The Ratel-20 would see combat in Operation Reindeer, 1978, Operation Sceptic, 1980, Operation Askari, 1983, and Operation Excite, 1988 for the SADF in Angola<ref name=":0" />. It still serves several African nations in the present day; including South Africa which maintains over one thousand Ratel IFVs in total comprising a significant percentage of the SADF's land fighting capability; and Ratel-20s have been used extensively by countries participating in United Nations peacekeeping missions<ref>Wezeman, P. (2011). '''South African Arms Supplies to Sub-Saharan Africa''<nowiki/>', Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.</ref>.
+The Ratel-20 would see combat in Operation Reindeer, 1978, Operation Sceptic, 1980, Operation Askari, 1983, and Operation Excite, 1988 for the SADF in Angola<ref name=":0" />. It still serves several African nations in the present day, including South Africa which maintains over one thousand Ratel IFVs in total comprising a significant percentage of the SADF's land fighting capability, and Ratel-20s have been used extensively by countries participating in United Nations peacekeeping missions<ref>Wezeman, P. (2011). 'South African Arms Supplies to Sub-Saharan Africa', Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.</ref>.
 == Media ==