SH_MM

Last year the Swiss Festungsmuseum received two Panzer 87 prototoypes: RUAG's Leopard 2 MLU with full add-on armor kit and a variant with partial add-on armor kit.

4 hours ago, Wiedzmin said:

it's also can be 20mm AP-T or 14,5mm AP-T, even 7,62mm AP need two digits thickness of armor

Well, in case of the K21 they mention protection against "00.0 x 000 mm API / B32"... so "14.5 mm" would likely be replaced with "00.0 mm". The 4x4 vehicle is protected against "0.00 × 00 mm AK00 0N00" which is likely some kind of 7.62 mm (x 39 mm?) round.

More on Samyang's website

http://samyangct.com/lab/

Seems that the side armor of the K2 is designed to stop 30 mm APDS (or "00 mm" APDS) along the crew compartment and 20 or 30 mm AP ("00 mm" AP) at the rest of the hull/turret.

6 minutes ago, Alzoc said:

Increased energy attained by increasing the volume of the chamber which is doubled compared to the Leclerc. For comparaison Rhm went the other way with their 130 mm, they kept a small chamber volume (15L) and increased the peak pressure (so we can assume the volume of the ASCALON's chamber is probably around 30L).

The chamber volume of a 120 x 570 mm smoothbore gun is 10.2 litres. So ASCALON's would be ~20 litre-ish (while basically the whole sabot of APFSDS rounds would be included in that).

14 hours ago, Sovngard said:

BTW, where did you get that side pic of the ASCALON ?

It is a screenshot from Nexter's ASCALON testing video (available on YouTube and the earlier posted tweet).

6 hours ago, alanch90 said:

Is it me or the Ascalon isn´t significantly bigger than 120mm guns (unlike Rh130)? 

No, the size of both guns is pretty much comparable. Also both of them have the same quoted weight (3,000 kilograms). The breech block of the current ASCALON prototype is bigger than Rheinmetall's, but it is supposedly to be changed in the future.

I guess the polygonal shape of the thermal sleeve make the barrel appear thicker, so the gun might seem shorter/smaller in relation to that. However the overall length of the ASCALON gun (including muzzle brake) is greater.

Not entirely for scale, just estimated based on the rough figures given for barrel lenght.

They didn't pay any attention to hide the signature of the exhaust? Seriously? Even the original ASCOD has that fixed.

On 6/14/2022 at 10:06 PM, Beer said:

A year ago or so the press release stated that the production shall start at the end of 2022 hence why I'm asking. 

Supposedly the first buyer is Indonesia for the Leopard 2RI.

8 hours ago, alanch90 said:

Lets say that Rheinmetall gets his way and the MGCS program is cancelled

Rheinmetall is not trying to get the MGCS cancelled. The MGCS means much more money for Rheinmetall (and more capabilities for the German and French Armies) than the Panther. The KF51 has been specifically described as "export tank" by Rheinmetall staff with the goal of maturing new Rheinmetall-made components to gain a competitive advantage over KDNS in the MGCS program. I.e. if the 130 mm L/51 gun already has a number of users, it is more likely to be selected than Nexter's 140 mm ASCALON. The same applies to APS, electronic architecture, control panels, armor package, etc.

Not sure if it was stated here already, but C. G. Haenel's lawsuit was dismissed, thus the planned purchase of the HK416A8 as part of German Army's G36 replacement program can move forward.

2 hours ago, Atokara said:

Honestly though the biggest waste of weight and space is the hull especially since it's using the EPP. There is just 1m of empty space in the engine compartment. Granted that space could have been adapted to fit some of the electronics systems, but with how much the Leclerc turret has chunked up, I would imagine that most of that stuff is mounted elsewhere.

I don't think the turret has "chuncked up", that is mostly the Trophy APS. There likely is no wasted space in the hull. The turret seemigly lacks the volume to integrate many components found on the current Leopard 2A7 and Leclerc XLR turrets (air-conditioning unit, comm server, computers, etc.). Furthermore the autoloader holds only 22 rounds of main gun ammunition, which is not sufficient for a modern MBT. As the frontal hull is now fully occupied by the crew (the fourth crew member takes up the space to the left of the driver, i.e. where the hull ammo rack in a Leopard 2 is located), the hull still needs to hold:

• a rack/container for main gun ammunition
• secondary ammunition for the coaxial machine gun, the 30 x 103 mm RWS and the normal RWS
• most likely computer and communication systems
• an air-conditioning system

Granted, the EMBT is a technology demonstrator, so they might have ignored that.

3 hours ago, Atokara said:

After the K2PL sale went through, the K2 is now a very formidable tank to try and directly compete against, but I feel like now would be the perfect time to begin gravitating away from the Leopard 2.

The sale has not gone through yet. Only a memorandum of understanding signaling Poland's intention to buy the K2 was signed; the actual contract is still being negotiated.

3 hours ago, Atokara said:

The Leo 2 is only going to get heavier and more expensive with newly built 2A7s being up there with the K2 and Type 10 in price.

KMW already mentioned last years that they are considering/planning to incorporate various weight reduction measures (including a new, lighter turret and ERA).

So there still is crew in the turret...

11 minutes ago, Beer said:

In the table it's written: "in service". That doesn't sound right for SHARD, does it? 

The bar code is different (used in the autoloader to determine which round is loaded), the brochure shows the OFL F1B (same bar code).

On 12/21/2020 at 11:29 AM, SH_MM said:

There also have been new developments regarding the SHORAD systems that Germany plans to procure as part of the NNbS project. First of all, Diehl presented its new IRIS-T SLS Mark III system, which is based on the Eagle V 6x6 variant and contains two slightly angled up shafts each containing two IRIS-T missiles. Two radar options - either SAAB's Giraffe 1X or Hensoldt's Spexer X-band radar - are offered. The vehicle will be equipped with the Fortion battlefield management system from Airbus (already in service for MANTIS and LeFlaSys) and a FLW 200 remote weapon station for self-defence.

 

 

The high-maneuverability of the IRIS-T missile enables the vehicle to provide 360° protection despite its fixed launchers. It is also claimed to be able to engage targets while on the move. Lock-on before launch with the missiles is only possible in a small sector (i.e. against targets facing the launcher), otherwise the system will utilize lock-on after launch.

They apparently built that thing 

Radar array is now slightly recessed behind the launchers' "muzzles", so it is not as tall as in the renders - but still too tall.

Other photos of the ASPIS-NG armor mock-up:

To be fair the Leopard 1 wasn't really designed with modern ergonomics in mind, the Cockerill 3105 should be a massive upgrade over the old 1A5 and they used to offer a 120 mm variant. So the turret is certainly a good choice (though likely rather expensive given the typical Leopard 1A5 operator's budgets), but the integration seems a bit shoddy.

21 hours ago, Collimatrix said:

I was just about to post that tweet.  20MJ at the muzzle, I wonder what this means.  That's quite a bit more than was stated earlier.  Are they including the sabot energy?  140mm straightwall does make some more sense if they are developing an NLOS round for it.

I believe that sabot energy is included, but then again Rheinmetall's 130 mm gun will supposedly deliver 19-20 MJ on target, so mabye it isn't?

Rheinmetall claims the Panther has a new TAPS (top attack protection system). Is it maybe based on micro-UAVs?

Why did they use different scales for the models. Really makes comparing them harder...

It is a technology demonstrator. Four men crew + autoloader. Even though it is fitted with the EuroPowerPack, there likely isn't enough space for ammunition (with only 22 x 120 mm rounds autoloader) given that the it also includes a 30 mm autocannon, a 12.7 mm HMG and a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun.

EMBT with new turret, Trophy-HV and modified hull.

Tracked Boxer

KF51 Panther

Caracal

KDNS also showing off a new tank at Eurosatory. Some speculate that this is a refined version of the EMBT.

12 minutes ago, Renegade334 said:

That would require redesigning the driver's compartment and reducing the amount of protection afforded by the huge fuel cell that surrounds the driver's seat.

The protection provided by the fuel cells is pretty small.