At the 2018 Annual Meeting of the United States Army Association (AUSA 2018) held in October 2018, the United States SAIC (Science Application International) demonstrated the new 105mm artillery light tank concept prototype for the first time.
In November 2017, the U.S. Army officially proposed the Motor Protection Fire Support Vehicle (MPF) project. The main purpose of the project is to provide an armored fire unit for the IBCT (Infantry Brigade-class Combat Team) that accompany infantry and vehicle operations. In response to this demand, BAE Systems Company came up with an improved M8 light tank solution, while General Dynamics demonstrated the "Griffin" tank solution based on the "Ajax" heavy infantry fighting vehicle chassis. At this AUSA 2018 defense exhibition, SAIC and Singapore also launched their concept prototype.
USA SAIC Company MPF light tank concept prototype
SAIC Company light tank chassis adopts Singapore's next-generation armored combat vehicle (NGAFV). The NGAFV is 6.9 meters long, 3.28 meters wide, 3.2 meters high, and weighs 29 tons. Its power-to-weight ratio is 24.5 horsepower/ton, the maximum speed is 70 kilometers per hour, and the maximum stroke is 500 kilometers. The car can climb over a vertical wall of 0.6 meters high, 2.1 meters wide, and climb 60%. The new car integrates the concept of a networked battlefield and can be integrated into the combat network of Singapore Army .
SAIC Company's MPF light tank still continues the basic layout of the NGAFV infantry fighting vehicle, that is, the tank adopts the cockpit and power cabin front, and the overall layout of the combat chamber is arranged in the middle and rear of the vehicle body. The power compartment is located on the right side of the front of the car body, and the engine uses a 710-horsepower MTU 8V-199TE20 diesel engine, matched with a KDS (Power Transmission Solutions Company) HMX3000 transmission.
The tank crew is 3 people, including the commander, the gunner and the driver. The driver is located on the left side of the power compartment, with a double turret installed in the middle and rear of the vehicle body behind the driver. The turret slew and weapon pitch are driven by an electric system equipped with a stabilizer, which can shoot while traveling. A 12.7mm machine gun with an anti-shield can be installed in front of the cap of the vehicle cap. There is also a 7.62mm tiered machine gun on the left side of the 105mm main gun. The rear of the turret is an ammunition compartment that can store 12-16 rounds of ammunition, and an automatic loader is installed inside. There is a small replenishment port at the rear of the tail cabin.
USA SAIC 105mm light tank concept prototype rear
The rear of the tank is equipped with a hydraulically operated ramp plate tailgate for passengers to enter and exit. There is a small oval manual emergency hatch door open to the left on the tailgate, which is used for emergency access and exit of the passengers when the tailgate cannot be lowered. The tank chassis uses a liquid-gas suspension device. The vehicle body can withstand the attacks of 14.5mm heavy machine guns and landmines. The turret can withstand 25mm APDS-T (M791) or TLB 073 armor-piercing shells 500 meters away, attacking at an initial velocity of 1258 meters per second, or 155mm shell fragments that exploded 25 meters away.
The main weapon of the Corklier 3105 turret of the SAIC company MPF light tank is a 105mm rifled gun with a muzzle retractor. The turret weighs about 4 tons and is welded with aluminum bulletproof plates. It can be covered with additional armor. The tank gun is 6.095 meters long (of which the barrel is 5.586 meters long), weighs 1.75 tons, and has a recoil distance of 580 mm. The lifespan of the artillery barrel is 600 rounds and the firing angle is -10 degrees ~ +42 degrees, which can effectively deal with high-rise buildings. The gun can also launch the new anti-tank guided missile of Falarivk 105 developed by the Luch Design Bureau of Kiev, Ukraine.
Belgium Corklier 3105 turret adopts a modular design
SAIC The turret of the company's MPF light tank is installed on the top of the turret of two L-3 WESCAM company's MX™-GCS two-way independent stable sighting systems. Advanced fire control makes the tank have the ability to "hunting-anti-anti" combat. The commander can also surpass the gunners to control weapons and shoot. The ammunition bay contains 16 rounds (reduced to 12 rounds during air transport), and the ammunition supply speed is 6 to 8 rounds/minute, and ammunition can be replenished from the inside and outside.
General Dynamics Company's "Griffin III" concept prototype
SAIC Company's MPF light tank has strong firepower, good maneuverability, and a high degree of informatization. The firepower is comparable to BAE Systems' M8 light tank, but it is weaker than the "Griffin" tank. Although the technology is not as mature as the M8 light tank, its chassis technology is relatively new.Overall, SAIC's MPF light tank has certain modification and development potential. Once adopted, it can also promote the improvement of the combat effectiveness of the US Army in the future.
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