Armor Advances Worldwide

Current operational problems obviously deserve priority attention; however, there remains a need to keep an eye on what is happening to armor worldwide. This is all the more important in view of the number and variety of armored vehicles being developed and produced, including new battle tanks, which are being developed in the Far East by at least three different countries. South Korea has already produced about 1,000 K-1 tanks, designed by Chrysler Defense (now General Dynamics Land Systems), soon after General Dynamics Land Systems designed the M1 Abrams. In consequence, the K-1 resembles the M1 in some respects, but was designed to a Korean specification, which resulted in it being powered by a diesel engine instead of a gas turbine and equipped with a hybrid hydropneumatic suspension. South Korea is now developing anew tank, the XK-2, which will have a three-man crew and an autoloader for its 120mm gun, and it is to be powered by a 1,500-horsepower German-developed MT-883 diesel engine. Japan is also developing anew tank, the prototype of which is expected to be completed in 2007. The current Japanese Type 90 is already an advanced tank with an autoloader, which was the first to be adopted in any tank designed outside the former Soviet Union. Type 90 was also the first tank to be produced with an au-totracker in its fire control system. The third country in the Far East to develop anew tank is China. This tank is a further development of the Type 98, which appears to be a mere clone of the Russian T-72 to the casual observer, but is actually a larger and much more advanced tank with general characteristics that resemble recent western tanks. Russia is reported to be developing anew tank and has produced a number of T-90 tanks, which are a further development of the T-72 with modern fire control systems and powerful 840-horsepower diesel engines. According to the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, Russia still has more than 22,000 earlier tanks and approximately 400 T-90s, but their operational status is unclear. Although India started to develop an indigenous tank, the Arjun, more than 30 years ago, its efforts have failed. In consequence, to modernize its T-72 tank fleet, India procured from Russia 310 export versions of the T-90 and the T-90S, with an even more powerful 1,000-horsepower engine, and will produce more under license. To counter India’s tanks, Pakistan is producing the Al Khalid, which was developed in collaboration with China and is very similar to China’s tanks. Like that of the Chinese Type 98, its general configuration follows that of Russia’s T-72 and T-90, and it is also armed with a 125mm smooth-bore gun with a carousel-type autoloader and a remarkably compact 1,200-horsepower opposed piston, two-stroke diesel engine imported from the Ukraine. Along with South Korea, Japan, China, Russia, and Pakistan, Iran is producing a — 45 new tank, called the Zulfiqar, which has much the same configuration as the Russian T-72 and is armed with a 125mm gun. Israel is also producing anew tank, the Merkava 4, which is even better armored than the earlier versions of this unique, front-engine tank. Its 1,500-horsepower diesel engine makes it more mobile. As for the United States and Europe, no new tanks are being developed and the production of earlier designs is drawing to a close. Only a few more Leclerc tanks are to be built for the French army to fill its order for 406. Similarly, only small additional numbers of the German-designed Leopard 2 tank are to be produced in Greece and Spain, which have adopted it as their battle tank, along with nine other European countries, and most recently, Turkey and Chile. Infantry Fighting Vehicles In contrast to tanks, new lighter tracked armored vehicles are being developed and produced in Europe. This applies in particular to infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), the most notable being the Swedish CV9040, which has a high degree of mobility in difficult terrain. This IFV was originally developed specifically for the Swedish army, but having proven itself superior to other IFVs in competitive trials, it has now been procured by five other European armies. However, the Swedish army version has a 40mm Bofors gun and the export versions have a 30 or 35- mm Bushmaster cannon; although the Bofors gun model has recently been adopted for South Korea’s new IFV. Another IFV in production in Europe is a collaborative Austro-Spanish design armed with a 30mm Mauser cannon, known in Austria as the Ulan and in Spain as the Pizarro. The most recent and significant IFV to appear, in prototype form, is the German Puma. This is the most heavily armored IFV to be built so far and consequently weighs as much as 89,500 pounds; although its weight can be reduced for air transport to 69,000 pounds by dismounting some of its modular armor. The only heavier infantry vehicle in use at present is the Israeli Achzarit, which weighs 97,000 pounds, but it is an armored infantry carrier, armed only with machine guns for self-defense. Wheeled Armored Carriers Although some effort has been devoted to IFVs, activity in Europe has been focused in the past few years on developing and producing wheeled armored carriers. The most successful of these carriers is the Piranha, developed in Switzerland by Mowag, a small independent company, until seven years ago when it was bought out by General Dynamics Land Systems. A total of about 8,000 Pi-ranhas and their derivatives have now been produced, mostly under license in Canada, and they have been used as the basis for the U. S. Stryker. Other 8x8 wheeled armored carriers recently developed in Europe include the armored modular vehicle (AMV), pro- “Russia is reported to be developing anew tank and has produced a number of T-90 tanks, which are a further development of the T-72 with modern fire control systems and powerful 840-horsepower diesel engines. According to the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, Russia still has more than 22,000 earlier tanks and approximately 400 T-90s, but their operational status is unclear.” “As for the United States and Europe, no new tanks are being developed and the production of earlier designs is drawing to a close. Only a few more Leclerc tanks are to be built for the French army to fill its order for 406. Similarly, only small additional numbers of the German-designed Leopard 2 tank are to be produced in Greece and Spain, which have adopted it as their battle tank, along with nine other European countries, and most recently, Turkey and Chile.” 46 — duced in Finland and already adopted by the Polish and Finnish armies; the véhi-cule blindé de combat d’infanterie (VBCI), 750 are being produced for the French army; and the Pandur, which has been adopted by the Austrian, Portuguese, and Czech armies. Incidentally, the Pandur has the distinction of being produced by the world’s oldest armored vehicle manufacturing company, Steyr-Daimler-Puch in Vienna, Austria (now owned by General Dynamics Land Systems), which built an armored car in 1905. The Artec Boxer is the most recent 8x8 wheeled armored carrier for which a production order has been issued by the German and Dutch armies. It is also the heaviest, which has an adverse effect on its mobility in difficult terrain. The Boxer also has the dubious distinction of taking 25 years to develop. This, as well as its size and weight, can be ascribed to the ill-effects political interference has on international projects, which in this case involved German, French, British, and Dutch authorities; consequently, the Boxer went from a 53,000-pound 6x6 vehicle to the 72,600-pound 8x8 vehicle. Wheeled armored vehicles are also being developed in the Republic of China (Taiwan), Singapore, and South Korea. Progress in developing wheeled armored vehicles has led some armies to believe they should confine themselves to armored vehicles, excluding tracked armored vehicles. For example, the Belgian army intends to use nothing in the future but wheeled armored vehicles and has already sold most of its Leopard 1 tanks to Brazil. Canada’s army has been considering a similar policy but, very wisely, appears to have changed its view and has decided instead to continue operating, at least for now, with its Leopard 1 tanks, as well as wheeled armored vehicles. Future programs The British Army has not accepted the idea that future armies should only use wheeled armored vehicles. It has decided that its future rapid effect system (FRES), which will provide it with a medium force capability, should consist of tracked, as well as wheeled, armored vehicles. FRES is in some respects a more modest British equivalent of the United States’ future combat system (FCS). At first, British army leaders insisted that armored vehicles, developed as part of its FRES program, be transportable in C130 aircraft. However, this requirement was abandoned last year for the sake of greater survivability, and FRES vehicles may now weigh up to about 53,000 pounds, which will still make them transportable in the A400M aircraft currently being developed in Europe as a successor to the C130. The first of the FRES vehicles are to be delivered to the British army in 2012, and will include 8x8 wheeled armored carriers and an unspecified number of tracked armored vehicles. In the meantime, the British army is retaining its fleet of 385 Challenger 2 tanks, which proved very effective in the capture of Basra in 2003, and form the core of the British army’s heavy force. However, there are plans to modernize them by replacing, at last, their 120mm rifled guns with smooth-bore guns, which will make them interchangeable with other western tank guns. The British army also plans to modernize its Warrior IFVs by replacing the 30mm cannon with a more powerful 40mm cannon. The French army also intends to retain a heavy armored force, equipped with its current Leclerc tanks, but plans to complement its force in the 2015 to 2025 timeframe with medium-force engin blindé médian (EBM) multirole armored vehi- “In the meantime, the British army is retaining its fleet of 385 Challenger 2 tanks, which proved very effective in the capture of Basra in 2003, and form the core of the British army’s heavy force. However, there are plans to modernize them by replacing, at last, their 120mm rifled guns with smooth-bore guns, which will make them interchangeable with other western tank guns.” cles, weighing between 44,000 and 55,000 pounds, and in all probability, wheeled. A similar approach is being adopted by the Swedish army. In its case, the heavy force is based on Leopard 2 tanks and CV9040 IFVs. These vehicles will be complemented by a modular armored tactical system, or Splitterskyddad Enhets-plattform (SEP), incorporating an interesting family of tracked and wheeled armored vehicles of about 38,500 pounds, which are to share many components, including engines, electric transmissions, and interchangeable mission modules. Two tracked and one 6x6 wheeled SEP technology demonstrators have already been built. There is a lot going in armor around the world and the advances that are being made are well worth keeping an eye on. Richard M. Ogorkiewicz is currently a professor, United Kingdom Defence Academy, Shrivenham, England. He received a B. S. and an M. S. from the University of London. He also serves as a member of the Defence Scientific Advisory Council, United Kingdom Ministry of Defence, and as a consultant to several armored vehicle producing companies. — 47