The Saladin was one of a series of wheeled armoured vehicles (FV600) developed by Alvis, and all based on the same 6 wheel chassis. All 6 wheels are driven and the front four steer. Although development started in 1947, the first production examples were not delivered until 1958. From then up to 1972 it was used extensively by the British Army and also forces of various Gulf States and Australia. Perhaps it found its most appropriate role in so-called ‘police’ actions where some armoured protection was needed, but armoured conflict was not a likely issue.

Despite having a large (for an armoured car) gun of 76mm calibre, the Saladin was really not a match for anything more than vehicles of its own type. The L5A1 gun was only a medium velocity weapon and lacked any stabilisation for shooting on the move. To preserve mobility, armour protection was modest and would only resist small arms fire and shell fragments.Although not tracked, the design of its chassis gave it good cross-country mobility and road speed. It demonstrated what could be achieved by a wheeled AFV if it was properly designed.

In general, wheeled armoured vehicles tend to come and go depending on the particular circumstances they face. At the outset of World War 1, when it was still a mobile conflict, they featured significantly in British operations in Northern France and Belgium. Between then and the final breakthrough in 1918, they were hardly seen. Elsewhere, in the Middle East for example, they endured and proved valuable.