A scout car is a light wheeled armored military vehicle, purpose-built and used for passive reconnaissance. Scout cars are either unarmed or lightly armed for self-defense, and do not carry large caliber weapons systems. This differentiates them from other reconnaissance vehicles and wheeled armoured fighting vehicles that may fulfill a similar mission but also possess much heavier armament. Scout cars are designed for carrying out observation and remaining undetected, while avoiding contact with the enemy. Armies which adopted the concept were likelier to place an emphasis on reconnaissance by stealth, unlike others which preferred more heavily armoured reconnaissance vehicles, designed to fight to obtain information if necessary.
A Soviet BRDM-2, the most common modern scout car.
Daimler Ferret
BRDM-1
EE-3 Jararacas
A reconnaissance vehicle, also known as a scout vehicle, is a military vehicle used for forward reconnaissance. Both tracked and wheeled reconnaissance vehicles are in service. In some nations, light tanks such as the M551 Sheridan and AMX-13 have also been used by scout platoons. Their armament ranges from a medium machine gun to a large cannon. Modern examples are often fitted with ATGMs and a wide range of sensors.
United States Army M1127 Reconnaissance Vehicle
German Army Fennek reconnaissance vehicle
M114A1 of the Armored Cavalry Platoon 2/54th Infantry, 4th Armored Division takes part in exercises in Grafenwöhr, Germany.
6x6 wheeled armored Reconnaissance vehicle Pars Scout 6x6