The FV603 Saracen was the armoured personnel carrier of Alvis’s FV600 family of six-wheeled vehicles. Other than the driver and commander, a squad of eight soldiers could be carried. Most Saracens had a small turret on the roof, similar to Ferret, armed with a Browning .30 calibre machine gun. 
It saw extensive use into the 1980s in Northern Ireland and became a familiar sight. During the Troubles, they were nicknamed ‘Sixers’. Due to experience in Northern Ireland, Saracen was retrofited with additional armour, becoming Mk.5, which was also fitted with internal padding to increase protection for the crew. The driver had a large, shock-absorbant seat. The modifications were successful despite the increased weight causing some mechanical problems. Only weeks after the upgrade, a retrofitted Saracen of 1st Royal Tank Regiment (Omagh) was blown up by a culvert bomb. The commander and driver suffered some minor cuts and bruises, but the soldiers in the back were unharmed and vacated the vehicle without injury. Saracen Mk.5 was also employed in Hong Kong. 
Equipped with Reverse-Flow Cooling, the Mk.5 became Mk.6 (CK3568C). Both marks were equipped with one of two different designs of bull bars on the nose in both N. Ireland CK3568D and Hong Kong CK3568E. 
Other than additional armour on and under the lower hull, Mk.5 can be distingushed from the more usual earlier marks by armour plates replacing the ventilators on the right superstructure, both side escape hatches have bolted-on bolted armour panels, and the driver’s two side visors were welded shut. Also, the rear roof hatches were replaced by a solid bolted panel, and the left side rear door had an armoured glass block replacing the visor flap.
An interior set is available separately as CK3568B.