In the mid 1960s, the UK began work on developing a new light tank, the FV 101 Scorpion. However, what was initially planned to be a standalone project, soon became the lead vehicle of a whole family of lightly armoured tracked vehicles. The Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked), or CVR(T), family consisted of seven vehicles based around the same chassis, which fulfilled various roles within the British army, ranging from scouting and reconnaissance to troop transport. Since all of the vehicles were based off the same chassis and powerplant, service and maintenance was cheap and easy, with spare parts always being available. In addition to cheap maintenance, this development choice allowed for the interchangeability of certain parts between different vehicles of the family, such as the engine and undercarriage, among others. CVR(T) vehicles were conceived in such a way that they would be able to follow and support infantry troops, no matter what the terrain or climate conditions were. Thus it’s also not surprising that vehicles of this class, thanks to their small size and weight, were even able to be transported by air as well.

The FV102 Striker was one such vehicle of the flexible CVR(T) family, being given the ATGM carrier role. Initial production versions of the Striker used a 6-cylinder Jaguar petrol engine, a common car engine at the time, however, these were later replaced with a diesel engine, along with other equipment, in a modernization effort to prolong the service life of the vehicle. Regardless of the powerplant, the Striker remained a quick and nimble vehicle, thanks to its compact size and lightweight aluminium armour. Initially, the Striker was equipped with the Mk.1 Swingfire ATGM system, however, this was also replaced in the before mentioned modernization work, conducted in the late 1980s. The new Mk.2 system enhanced the Striker’s anti-tank capabilities by increasing the Swingfire’s penetration capability and upgrading the aiming system to a semi-automatic one.

The first prototype of the Striker was built in 1972 with production following a few years later, in 1975. Officially, the FV102 Striker entered service with the British army in 1976 and saw its peak in use during the invasion of Iraq, in 2003, where it also scored its first kill. The Striker remained in service with the British army until 2005, when the Javelin missile replaced the Swingfire. Out of a total of around 3,500 produced vehicles of the CVR(T) family until 1996, the FV102 Striker accounted for around 200 units made