MBT's

[RC4]

Fotos during testing in 2018

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

What they've done essentially, with the Chinese designations for ERA "FY-4" is add 10mm more, to each of the two armored steel plates that make up the ERA "panel/case". The term used to describe the plates (And please from memory.) is "flyer/orflyers" which when struck, will shift to break up the jets causing disruption to the warhead thus reducing it's penetration into the RHA armor.

Earlier versions and the Chinese model from the ref below in general follows the history of ERA which started with just Steel plates.
Paras 4-6 get to the issue.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/weap...mmunition.html

There are three other types (That I'm familiar with, NERA, NxRA and SLERA. These have their advantages and many consider them to be better and or superior to ERA. What can't be denied is they're all much lighter. The following covers these in an easy manner, I hope is at the end of the article, you'll see were it's sourced from.

Also though, as I've heard of the technology involved I couldn't remember the names they are also in this article as I've just read it.

So under "Reactive armor technologies under development for battle tanks" you'll find what you want, if you want it.
https://www.asminternational.org/doc...e-e94395d1bb3f

The above comes from the USA Research community, note the sources at the end of each article.

I just don't know yet how much of a difference those 10mm's are going to make a difference. are we talking as a matter of increasing the ERA package as in the game now for the VT-4, by a factor of 10%, 15% or 20% I just don't have the information now to make a "good educated guess". I am pretty sure that it probably won't be more then 20% - 25% at best.

And I'm not "keen" on that 25% until I break out my calculator.

Regards,
Pat

[Karagin]

Originally Posted by MarkSheppard

GD has unveiled their entry for the US Army Light Tank Competition:

So they are trying the XM8 AGS again? Wow...they tried once in the 90s with this.

[RC4]

Regarding French 105mm Guns
French guns are designated “Canon 105mm” or CN105, I suggest in game “CN105mm” this way everyone would understand it is a French gun.
As for sub-types, we have:
- “Gun F1 81”(L/56) for the French AMX30. I suggest the name “CN105mm Mle67” to all of them. Has the OCC F1 Mle60 HEAT round, from 1993-98 it received the OFL105G2 APFSDS and the from 1999 the OFL105F2 DU APFSDS (developed in 1995)

- “CN D1504” (L/44), Argentinian “FTR” is a similar gun made under licence (used by Paraguay too). Also, Austrian SK105 “Gun F 65”. I suggest the name “CN105mm Mle57” to all of them. The Israel “CN D1” (L/51) is D1508 (Chile too). They are all the same guns, accuracy should change to all users from 11 to 14.

- “Gun G1” it’s the “CN105mm Mle57” (L/44) with a modified muzzle brake to fire the new OFL105G1 APFSDS

- “Gun F3 78” (L/48) of the AMX10RC is the “CN105mm F2 78”, it was introduced only in 1981 and its APFSDS OFL105F3 was introduced only in 1987. From 2010 it was updated to AMX10RCR with a new “CN105mm G2” (L/50)
The Argentina SK105A1 in game have a “Gun F3 78”, that’s bad info, all SK105A1/2 have the “CN105mm G1”. The Austrian Army SK105s have “G2” and “G3” guns shown, Brazilian SK105A2S have “G2”, but that’s not right, it was G1 all the time

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

MAY TANK NEWS AND YES I'M TRACKING THEM ALL with a couple of extras.

ARGENTINA: The Nahuel DL43 is already in the game. This shows some rare pictures of the tank with an interesting background story.
https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/nahuel-dl-43/

BRAZIL: Looking for a tank at 50 tons w/ a low recoil 120mm MG. As the poster suggests, the T-84-120 Yagatan (Ukraine) is ready made and has been updated w/ the OPLOT-M FCS for UKRAINE's use as I posted late last Fall. If selected the FCS should look kike THAILAND's OPLOT-T as revised again in the last patch. Also Japan is mentioned in the 2nd ref, I wonder why? .
http://www.tank-net.com/forums/index...howtopic=44508
(Janes link is dead (Which is what I had.) as I've said those are perishable.)
https://monch.com/mpg/news/land/6884...t-vehicle.html
(This reports a 8x8 FSV as well.)

Also requiring follow-up (Which will probably be fielded first.), BRAZIL is further looking into upgrading their LEO2A5-BR tanks.

CHINA: They have deployed the TYPE-15 in the Tibetan Region, as expected. This tank would be at the forefront of any action against India in that region and surrounding areas due to road conditions in that region.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/may_...et_region.html

ALSO: An older story (AUG 2016) that however due to costs of the TYPE-99 Series of tanks still holds true now. This article is on the what was then to come, the TYPE-96B tank.
https://thediplomat.com/2016/08/meet...ew-tank-force/

CROATIA: This next again as above is just good information that's tracks most of what's known on M-95 DEGMAN it was a newer source I crossed checked against others that had "snippets" of newer data in it. This tank like most from the last submission to the patch was a resubmission from the pervious year that appeared originally ONLY in the MBT THREAD and put "back to together" in the Patch Post Thread as
Parts 1-3 for the last game patch. I made some minor adjustments based on this and newer information to that tank from when it originally was posted the previous year.
https://aw.my.games/en/news/general/...nt-m-95-degman

CZECH REPUBLIC: 30 T72M4CZ will be upgraded by 2023 with new components and electronics to include the FCS among others. Also they be able to fire the new EPpSV-97 APFSDS round that pierces 540 mm of rolled homogeneous armor (RHA) at 2,000 m. I can see this in effect by JUN 2021 with enough units to establish "roughly" a company of these tanks pending no delays or cancellation of the program (COVID-19 is already delaying several armored programs or worse at this time, as will be shown as I post those articles.)
https://www.armyrecognition.com/june...s_by_2023.html

It's time "I squared myself away" before I just might not!?! No worries, that won't happen because of you know who!!

Regards,
Pat

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

My time has been limited as of late and it's back to work today I endeavor to do the best I can with the time I have, there's lots going on across the Threads I've stated. Going backwards slightly first.

News and Guesses...

CHINA: We start with the TYPE-15, which the PLA plans have 300 of, is to receive an APS System. This will also be offered on the export version VT-4. I found this of interest in ref. 1, "Next to the 105-millimeter tank gun, the [ZTQ-15] is reportedly armed with a 35-millimeter grenade launcher and a 12.7-millimeter machine gun.", I might've missed it as modeled in the game, however, I rather get more information on this.
https://thediplomat.com/2019/08/chin...ection-system/
https://www.armyrecognition.com/augu...on_system.html

There has been nothing more on this since ref.2 that's popped up on the APS System. I therefore wish to see more data on this.

FRANCE: Of the 6 major MBT Projects that are on going this will be one of the few we'll actually see get in the game, my thinking at this point is, we'll see the LeClerc XLR in the Summer or Fall of 2021. Also to be addressed, will be improved Armor, FCS and I'm "on the fence" concerning TI/GSR, I see an improvement but, it's more about how much.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/augu...2019-2025.html
https://www.armyrecognition.com/sept...and_force.html
https://www.armyrecognition.com/main..._10704171.html

FRANCE/GERMANY: The MBT we won't see, the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS.) MBT. This is a joint venture project started in 2012. The MBT is expected to be available prior to 2035 when it's believed that both the LeClerc and LEOPARD 2 will essentially become obsolete. This is the same tank Poland was trying to get involved with as I've posted on for a little over a year now.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/apri..._mgcs_mbt.html

And with that I'm done for now, have a great day!

Regards,
Pat

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

With a purpose in mind, for now I'm only going to post this website before I continue with going through my MBT Folder. This website was instrumental in my ability to see the LEOPARD A27 UNIT 267 get into the game. It provided me with definitive "proof of life" they existed to include the unit operating them and some great pictures during an exercise.

It also shows the LEOPARD's currently in service and others as prototypes. This includes and or mentions two that went out of active service in 2004 and 2008 (Though 15 of each would continue in training operations up to 2018.) which of course would be the LEOPARD 2A4/2A5 tanks.

I'm tracking the LEOPARD 2A7V development currently. The first to be updated to the standard will be the LEOPARD 2A7 as they can obviously be upgraded and fielded the fastest. The rest will come from a mix of mostly stored LEOPARD 2A4 rounded out with some LEOPARD 2A6 MBT's.

What's at issue is the modernization was to have started in 2019 running through 2023 for a total of about or slightly less then 250 tanks.

I'm still searching for something more solid to verify this.

I'm going to contact the site owner to see if I can work out a "little something" and see if he has anything more to offer concerning the LEOPARD 2A7V.

Not like I haven't done it in the past, and as some know I have been mostly successful and managed to get the information requested. So a request to their MOD won't be out of the question, I'll just have to gauge/evaluate the situation at the time.
http://tank-masters.de/?page_id=148

He has some great shots of the STRYKER 30mm which I'll post under the main site.
http://tank-masters.de/?page_id=28
http://tank-masters.de/?cat=4
Stroll down to 21 FEB.
http://tank-masters.de/?page_id=810

I remember having issues trying to link back to this site quite awhile back and thought it a dead site. But while looking into the LEOPARD 2A7/A7V a couple of nights back, there it was about 3 pages into my search. It made me a very happy "researcher" knowing it's back in my "tool box".

Regards,
Pat

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

As I turn 41 again for the 20th time, I thought I'd leave you with some news before we're off to Savannah for a couple of days with our masks in hand.

As will happen I occasion, I'll be going backwards to start before picking up where I left off in my last "NEWS" post.

BRAZIL: Well if Turkey can do it so can Brazil, however theirs will be more of an extensive upgrade then Turkeys. LEOPARD 1A5BR fleet to get various upgrades for all 220 tanks. ACTIONABLE
https://www.janes.com/defence-news/n...ard-1a5br-mbts
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...tail&FORM=VIRE

GERMANY: Old but relevant news. Expansion.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/dece...battalion.html

G1: The LEOPARD 2A6 contribution to the fielding of the LEOPARD 2A7V. This I brought up in my last post. The ref is also indicating the first delivered batch of the 2A7V was to have been handed over by late 2019. Also apparently they are now going to have 329 2A7V tanks vice the original order of 225. Just became ACTIONABLE.

G2. The first LEOPARD 2A6MA2 was turned over in April 2018 as dated in the below ref. ACTIONABLE
https://www.army-technology.com/news...-battle-tanks/
http://tank-masters.de/?page_id=6790

G3: This next deals with DENMARK receiving 44 LEOPARD 2A7 tanks by 2022. This also "bleeds over" to the 2A7V, in that the ref offers more supporting data to the upgrade of this model. Based on the current data I hold to this point, I see no reason why we can't just copy the current GERMAN 2A7 over to DENMARKS OOB.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/octo...ttle_tank.html
https://www.armyrecognition.com/germ...res_video.html

GERMANY/HUNGRY and QATAR: This doesn't apply to GERMANY, they went the route of the 2A7 and now the 2A7V as noted above. I also provide the following additional info for this section only...
http://tank-masters.de/?page_id=264
http://tank-masters.de/?page_id=280

What HUNGRY (Will get)/QATAR (Have already) is the "watered down" version, the "giveaway" for me was the following from the first ref...
"The gunner’s station is fitted with an EMES 15 stabilized main sight and a FERO Z18 auxiliary sighting telescope." Germany is beyond that with ATTICA and I believe, SRATUS being the newest FCS which the Germans use.
https://www.armyrecognition.com/dece...o_hungary.html
https://www.armyrecognition.com/sept...d_2a7_mbt.html
https://www.armyrecognition.com/germ...htmlACTIONABLE TRACK W/SIPRI.

I need some sleep!!

Take Care!

Regards,
Pat

[DRG]

Digital communication and Blue Force Tracking is the only upgrade to the LEOPARD 2A6MA2 and it might be a big deal in RL but it changes nothing in the game

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

I concur, I was "sitting on the fence" about it for the same reasons. More an exercise of "testing the winds" when just before going to bed, I flashed back to one of our very first submission "discussions" that focused on an M-60 RISE variant I felt we needed at the time to fill in a RL "tank gap" for historical accuracy.

So yes it's a nice to know thing but, not worth the effort to put it in the game as it has "no added value".

The ability to reflect upon one's action is a gift not to be ignored.

Before I find I have "no added value" I better get off of here and get ready to head up the road!!

Regards,
Pat