176-667: The AMX-30 is a main battle tank designed by Ateliers de construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux (AMX, then GIAT ) and first delivered to the French Army in August 1966. The first five tanks were issued to the 501st Régiment de Chars de Combat (Tank Regiment) in August of that year. The production version of the AMX-30B weighed 36 metric tons (40 short tons), and sacrificed protection for increased mobility. The French believed that it would have required too much armour to protect against
352-583: A Doppler radar , which could be folded into an armoured box when not in use to protect from damage. The fire control depended on visual tracking, and so could only work in daylight and clear weather. Three missile systems were developed to be mounted on the AMX-30 chassis. Recognizing the need for tactical nuclear missile mobile launchers, the French Army began developing the Pluton missile in 1963. In 1964,
528-410: A battle tank or universal tank , is a tank that fills the role of armour-protected direct fire and maneuver in many modern armies. Cold War -era development of more powerful engines, better suspension systems and lighter composite armour allowed for the design of a tank that had the firepower of a super-heavy tank , the armour protection of a heavy tank , and the mobility of a light tank , in
704-505: A "heavy" tank for assaulting fixed positions, was redesigned during the war with armour and gun upgrades to allow it to take on anti-tank roles as well, and was reclassified as a medium tank. The second half of World War II saw an increased reliance on general-purpose medium tanks, which became the bulk of the tank combat forces. Generally, these designs massed about 25–30 t (25–30 long tons; 28–33 short tons), were armed with cannons around 75 mm (3.0 in), and powered by engines in
880-453: A 360º view of the tank's surroundings onto crew helmet-mounted displays or other display systems. MBTs, like previous models of tanks, move on continuous tracks , which allow a decent level of mobility over most terrain including sand and mud. They also allow tanks to climb over most obstacles. MBTs can be made water-tight, so they can even dive into shallow water (5 m (16 ft) with snorkel). However, tracks are not as fast as wheels;
1056-468: A 7.62-millimeter (0.300 in) anti-aircraft machine gun on the turret roof. The vehicle carried 50 105-millimeter (4.1 in) projectiles, 748 12.7-millimeter (0.50 in) rounds and 2,050 7.62-millimeter (0.300 in) bullets. The tank commander was issued a cupola which offered ten all-around direct-vision episcopes, and a binocular telescope with 10x magnification. The commander was also given an optical full-field coincidence range finder. The gunner
1232-500: A 80-meter (87 yd) heavy towing cable, while an auxiliary winch has another 120-meter (130 yd) towing cable, able to tow up to 20 metric tons (22 short tons) when working over the front of the AMX-30D. In the latter case the vehicle must be supported by removable props, which are carried on the vehicle, and the bulldozer blade must be lowered on the ground. The crane can lift up the 3.29 metric tons (3.63 short tons) power pack and
1408-476: A 90-millimetre (3.5 in) tank gun. Although the 48-metric-ton (53-short-ton) vehicle was comparable to contemporary battle tanks in firepower and engine power, it suffered from distinct disadvantages, including an antiquated track design. While 600 were planned, only 60 were ultimately produced by 1950. That year, these were issued to the French Army's 503rd Tank Regiment. Given that the ARL 44 had been considered only
1584-467: A bridgelayer, a self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle , a tactical nuclear missile launcher and a self-propelled artillery piece. The armoured recovery vehicle, known as the AMX-30D (AMX-30 Dépanneur-Niveleur ), was designed to recuperate or help maintain vehicles in the field. Work on the AMX-30D began in 1966, as the French Army researched developing a recovery vehicle to be issued to units receiving
1760-593: A burden on tactics, training, support and maintenance. The MBT has a positive morale effect on the infantry it accompanies. It also instills fear in the opposing force who can often hear and even feel their arrival. ARL 44 The ARL 44 was a French heavy tank and tank destroyer , the development of which started just before the end of the Second World War . Only sixty of these tanks were ever completed, from 1949 onwards. The type proved to be unsatisfactory and only entered limited service. The tank
1936-514: A command tank and six reserve vehicles, instead of the then normal strength of 52 units. Also six older AMX-30Bs were deployed, fitted with Soviet mine rollers provided by Germany from East German stocks, and named AMX 30 Demin . The vehicles were all manned by professional crews, without conscripts. The Daguet Division was positioned to the West of the Coalition forces, to protect the left flank of
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#17327872112182112-569: A contract which would allow both countries to produce two prototypes separately. The next year, however, the project suffered a first setback when Charles de Gaulle took power in France, creating the Fifth Republic : the Paris treaty had as its main point developing a common nuclear weapon and on 17 June 1958 de Gaulle decided to refuse Germany and Italy the atomic bomb, to avoid antagonizing
2288-631: A detection range of 16 kilometers (9.9 mi). The third missile system, called the AMX-30SA SAM , was developed in 1975 for Saudi Arabia, to fire the SA-10 Shahine , developed and manufactured by Thomson-CSF ; the launching vehicle was heavily based on the AMX-30R. The canon automoteur de 155 GCT (for Grande Cadence de Tir , fast rate of fire) was developed based on the AMX-30 chassis to provide tactical artillery support to units in
2464-432: A door which was the normal way for the crew to enter the tank. Additionally there were a rectangular hatch at the left turret top, and a circular hatch at the right with between them a very low cupola for the commander. In all, the ARL 44 was an unsatisfactory interim design as the "Transitional Tank", the main function of which was to provide experience in building heavier vehicles. The main lesson learned for many engineers
2640-406: A dual role, able to engage other armoured targets such as tanks and fortifications, and soft targets such as light vehicles and infantry. It is fixed to the turret, along with the loading and fire mechanism. Modern tanks use a sophisticated fire-control system , including rangefinders , computerized fire control, and stabilizers, which are designed to keep the cannon stable and aimed even if the hull
2816-456: A further 30 AMX-30B2s in 1987. The United Arab Emirates placed an order in 1977 for 64 tanks and a single armoured recovery vehicle, to complete an armoured brigade, in 1977. Due to political issues between Chile and Argentina , the former placed an order for 46 tanks, although this was later cut short to 21 when the contract was canceled by the French government in 1981. In 1982, Cyprus acquired
2992-401: A high level of self-protection, and which is not designed and equipped primarily to transport combat troops." Originally, most MBTs relied on steel armour to defend against various threats. As newer threats emerged, however, the defensive systems used by MBTs had to evolve to counter them. One of the first new developments was the use of explosive reactive armour (ERA), developed by Israel in
3168-605: A human to load. This reduces the silhouette which improves the MBT's target profile. However, with a manual loader, the rounds can be isolated within a blowout chamber, rather than a magazine within the turret, which could improve crew survivability. However, the force of a modern depleted uranium APFSDS round at the muzzle can exceed 6000 kN (a rough estimate, considering a uranium 60 cm/2 cm rod, 19g/cm , @ 1,750 m/s). Composite+reactive armour could withstand this kind of force through its deflection and deformation, but with
3344-543: A lack of full armament parity with the latest medium tanks. The prospect of delivering many thousands of these to the Germans induced the French to adopt the idea and plan to create light tank "Type 67" armoured divisions, for which the AMX-13/105 was specially designed. A private enterprise design aimed at fulfilling the same requirement was the somewhat larger Char Batignolles-Châtillon. A derived medium tank prototype of
3520-580: A large ballistic weakness in the area of the skirt and turret ring. Originally, the first two prototypes were powered by a 720 horsepower (540 kW) spark ignition engine, named the SOFAM 12 GSds. Later, a multi-fuel diesel engine was adopted, developed by Hispano-Suiza . The seven 1963 prototypes of the AMX-30 were later rebuilt with the new diesel engine. Two further prototypes, meant to be direct preproduction vehicles, were delivered in November 1965. Besides
3696-467: A maximum on-road velocity of 60 kilometers per hour (37 mph) and a maximum road range of 500 kilometers (310 mi). The AMX-30H bridgelayer , or Poseur de pont , consists of the AMX-30's chassis with a box-like superstructure, supporting a scissor-type folding bridge. The 22-meter-long (24 yd) bridge can span 20-meter (22 yd) gaps. The bridge has a width of 3.1 meters (3.4 yd), but can be increased to 3.95 meters (4.32 yd) through
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#17327872112183872-497: A military design team in occupied France, headed by Maurice Lavirotte , was active. When in August 1944 Paris was liberated , the new provisional government of France did its utmost to regain the country's position as a great power, trying to establish its status as a full partner among the Allies by contributing as much as possible to the war effort. One of the means to accomplish this was to quickly restart tank production. Before
4048-457: A new transmission, an improved engine and the introduction of a new OFL 105 F1 fin-stabilized kinetic energy penetrator . Production of the AMX-30 also extended to a number of variants, including the AMX-30D armoured recovery vehicle , the AMX-30R anti-aircraft gun system, a bridge-layer, the Pluton tactical nuclear missile launcher and a surface-to-air missile launcher. It was preceded by two post-war French medium tank designs. The first,
4224-678: A new universal tank was rendered unnecessary. The Centurion, entering service just as World War II finished, was a multi-role tank that subsequently formed the main armoured element of the British Army of the Rhine , the armed forces of the British Empire and Commonwealth forces, and subsequently many other nations through exports, whose cost was met largely by the US. The introduction of the 84 mm (3.3 in) 20-pounder gun in 1948 gave
4400-455: A normal fin-stabilized HEAT round, while the inner shell did not spin, allowing the warhead to work at maximum efficiency. The warhead, containing 780 gram hexolite , could penetrate up to 400 millimeters (16 in) of steel armour and was effective against tanks at up to 3,000 meters (3,300 yd). As it combined a good accuracy with a penetration that was independent of range, it has been considered an "ideal round" for its day The AMX-30
4576-589: A package with the weight of a medium tank . The first designated MBT was the British Chieftain tank , which during its development in the 1950s was re-designed as an MBT. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the MBT replaced almost all other types of tanks, leaving only some specialist roles to be filled by lighter designs or other types of armoured fighting vehicles . Main battle tanks are a key component of modern armies. Modern MBTs seldom operate alone, as they are organized into armoured units that include
4752-470: A pre-series were completed by 1977 and then evaluated, prompting the order of 183 vehicles that same year. The Roland includes a rectangular superstructure, taller than that of both the AMX-30D and the Pluton, which houses the radar system and mounts two launching tubes on either side, with an autoloading system feeding from an eight missile reserve inside the superstructure. The Roland's exploration radar has
4928-670: A project which had begun in 1938. The transmission was one of the AMX-30's major faults and caused a variety of mechanical problems, including that the driver would have to manually change gears at specific times, even if the tank was moving over rough terrain. The tank's weight is distributed over five double, aluminum-alloy, rubber-tyred road wheels on either side, propelled on 570-millimeter (22 in) wide tracks. The tank could ford 1.3-meter (1.4 yd) deep water obstacles without preparation, up to 2 meters (2.2 yd) with minor preparation, and up to 4 meters (4.4 yd) with full preparation. Full preparation for water operations consisted of
5104-470: A reservoir and was equipped with an escape tube. During the production run, many improvements were implemented. These did not include gun stabilization from 1971, and from 1972 replacing the original coaxial heavy machine gun with a dual purpose 20-millimeter (0.79 in) autocannon against light armour and helicopters, with the ability to depress to −8 degrees and elevate to 40 degrees. All French army vehicles were eventually brought to this newer standard;
5280-535: A second hit in the same area, an armour breach is inevitable. As such, the speed of follow up shots is crucial within tank to tank combat. As secondary weapons, an MBT usually uses between two and four machine guns to engage infantry and light vehicles. Many MBTs mount one heavy caliber anti-aircraft machine gun (AAMG), usually of .50 caliber (like the M2 Browning or DShK ), which can be used against helicopters and low flying aircraft. However, their effectiveness
5456-629: A separate national designation: AMX 30 . The trials indicated that the German type, on 1 October also getting its own name Leopard , had a better mobility and acceleration. The French government decided that it could not procure a new tank until 1965, while the Germans refused to adopt the Franco-German 105-millimeter (4.1 in) tank gun, in lieu of the British Royal Ordnance L7 , of which they had already ordered 1,500 in
AMX-30 - Misplaced Pages Continue
5632-405: A series of corporate mergers under state guidance, most of these firms would eventually be concentrated into GIAT. Originally, 300 AMX-30s were ordered by the French Army, and by 1971 the order had been increased to 900, divided between eight batches, including all variants based on the chassis. Beginning in 1966, ten AMX-30s were assembled per month, and the first five were issued in August 1966 to
5808-525: A single one;, but the other two ANX-30 regiments, the 2e/5e Dragons , only had their tanks adapted for a possible relatively quick upgrade, in case of an emergency. The BRENUS system used 112 GIAT BS ( Brique de Surblindage ) G2 explosive reactive boxes with a total weight of 1.7 metric tons (1.9 short tons), offering a protection equivalent to 400 millimeters (16 in) of steel at 60° versus shaped charges and more than 100 millimeters (3.9 in) of steel versus kinetic energy projectiles such as APFSDS. During
5984-447: A stop-gap vehicle for the French Army's armoured forces since inception, work on a new tank had begun as early as March 1945. Development of the new tank was offered to five separate manufacturers: Atelier de Construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux (AMX), Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée (FCM), Renault , Societe Lorraine de Dietrich (SLD-Lorraine) and Societé d'Outillage Mécanique et d'Usinage d'Artillerie (SOMUA). The new vehicle
6160-419: A tank. Though the other FINABEL nations did not formally participate, the type was called Europa-Panzer to indicate its common European nature, and experts from all countries were involved in the design process. The specifications (FINABEL 3A5) for the new tank called for a lightweight and mobile battle tank, setting the weight limit to 30 metric tons (33 short tons) and compromising the ability to heavily armour
6336-619: A target and thereby enhance the first-round hit probability. The United States's experience in the Vietnam War contributed to the idea among army leadership that the role of the main battle tank could be fulfilled by attack helicopters . During the Vietnam War, helicopters and missiles competed with MBTs for research money. Though the Persian Gulf War reaffirmed the role of main battle tanks, MBTs were outperformed by
6512-477: A torsion bar suspension with hydraulic shocks, a power-to-weight ratio of at least 30 horsepower (22 kW)/metric ton and a road range of at least 350 kilometres (220 mi). In May, Italy joined the project, though only nominally, without any material contribution, because after the war it had no tank design bureaus. That same year, on 28 November, the French and German ministries of defence in Paris agreed upon
6688-464: A total fuel capacity of 970 liters (260 U.S. gal), gave the AMX-30 a maximum road range of up to 600 kilometers (370 mi). The engine's drive is taken through a Gravina G.H.B.200C twin-plate centrifugal clutch. The gearbox was an AMX 5-SD-200D, with five forward gears and five reverse gears. This transmission was heavily influenced by that of the German Panther tank and was based on
6864-486: A total of 16 AMX-30B2s and a single AMX-30D, and later ordered another 36 AMX-30B2s. Total production of the AMX-30 and variants totaled 3,571 units. Later many used vehicles were resold to other nations: in 2005 Cyprus had 102 AMX-30s (obtained from Greece) and 52 AMX-30B2s; Bosnia 32 AMX-30s (from the UAE). French strength had dwindled to about 250 AMX-30B2s. In the early hours of 17 November 1973, an AMX-30 tank operated by
7040-458: A trend towards heavier weight and greater firepower during World War II; speed was not a substitute for armour and firepower. An increasing variety of anti-tank weapons and the perceived threat of a nuclear war prioritized the need for additional armour. The additional armour prompted the design of even more powerful guns. The main battle tank thus took on the role the British had once called
7216-461: A type that could be obtained for free from the Allies in any numbers so desired. It was therefore decided that the ARL 44 would be fitted with 120 mm of sloped armour , bringing the weight, which even in the conceptual stage had already grown to 43 metric tons, to 48 tons. The armament should consist of the most powerful gun available; this would probably be the American 76 mm or with some luck
AMX-30 - Misplaced Pages Continue
7392-580: A width of 3.1 metres (10 ft), comparable only to the Swiss Panzer 61 , and a height of 2.28 meters (7.5 ft), comparable only to the Soviet T-55 . In contrast to the AMX-50, the AMX-30 was issued a conventional turret, because it was found that it was more difficult to seal oscillating turrets from radioactive dust and against water when the tank was submerged. Oscillating turrets also had
7568-534: A world of shaped charge weapons, and new designs rapidly emerged from most armed forces. The Quebec conference in 1957 between the US, UK and Canada identified the MBT as the route for development rather than separate medium and heavy tanks. The concept of the medium tank gradually evolved into the MBT in the 1960s, as it was realized that medium tanks could carry guns (such as the American 90 mm (3.5 in), Soviet 100 mm (3.9 in), and especially
7744-435: Is considered one of the fastest MBTs in existence. The MBT is often cumbersome in traffic and frequently obstructs the normal flow of traffic. The tracks can damage some roads after repeated use. Many structures like bridges do not have the load capacity to support an MBT. In the fast pace of combat, it is often impossible to test the sturdiness of these structures. Though appreciated for its excellent off-road characteristics,
7920-456: Is limited in comparison to dedicated anti-aircraft artillery. The tank's machine guns are usually equipped with between 500 and 3,000 rounds each. Performing situational awareness and communicating is one of four primary MBT functions. For situational awareness, the crew can use a circular review system combining augmented reality and artificial Intelligence technologies. These systems use several externally mounted video sensors to transfer
8096-474: Is performed in high-intensity conflicts where reconnaissance by light vehicles would be insufficient due to the necessity to "fight" for information. In asymmetric warfare, main battle tanks are deployed in small, highly concentrated units. MBTs fire only at targets at close range and instead rely on external support such as unmanned aircraft for long range combat. Main battle tanks have significantly varied characteristics. Procuring too many varieties can place
8272-524: Is reserved for ammunition. External space enhances independence of logistics and can accommodate extra fuel and some personal equipment of the crew. The Israeli Merkava can accommodate crew members displaced from a destroyed vehicle in its ammunition compartment. Emphasis is placed on selecting and training main battle tank crew members. The crew must perform their tasks faultlessly and harmoniously so commanders select teams taking into consideration personalities and talents. The main battle tank fulfills
8448-574: Is turning or shaking, making it easier for the operators to fire on the move and/or against moving targets. Gun-missile systems are complicated and have been particularly unsatisfactory to the United States who abandoned gun-missile projects such as the M60A2 and MBT-70 , but have been diligently developed by the Soviet Union, who even retrofitted them to T-55 tanks, in an effort to double
8624-561: Is unfounded. Three surviving ARL 44s were counted in 2008. An ARL 44 can be seen in the Musée des Blindés in Saumur ; another one is a monument at the 501st-503rd Tank Regiment , Mourmelon-le-Grand, and a third is a wreck on the technical zone of the base of the 2nd Dragoon Regiment at Fontevraud . It is relatively complete but the gun is dismounted from the turret. Later an additional two were located; they were in 2017 awaiting restoration by
8800-533: The 503e Régiment de Chars de Combat stationed in Mourmelon-le-Grand and before the end of 1950 replaced seventeen Panther tanks used earlier by that unit. In service the ARL 44 was at first an unreliable vehicle: the brakes, the gear box, and the suspension were too frail, resulting in several serious accidents. A special improvement programme remedied most of these shortcomings. The ARL 44 made only one public appearance, ten vehicles participating in
8976-610: The AMX-30SA (first known as the AMX-30 DCA , for "défense contre avion".) Developed to defend against low-altitude attacks, the system included two Hispano-Suiza 30-millimeter (1.2 in) 831 A automatic guns, coupled to an Oeil-noir fire control system. This system had already been installed on the AMX-13, in lieu of a heavier chassis, using a turret designated the S 401 A. Although this particular vehicle began production in 1962,
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#17327872112189152-619: The ARL 44 , was an interim tank. Its replacement, the AMX 50 , was cancelled in the mid-1950s in favour of adopting the M47 Patton tank. In 1956, the French government entered a cooperative development program with West Germany and Italy in an effort to design a standardized tank. Although the three nations agreed to a series of specific characteristics that the new tank should have, and both France and Germany began work on distinctive prototypes with
9328-462: The Atelier de Construction de Roanne in the town of Roanne . This heavy manufacturing factory was built during World War I to produce artillery shells, although by 1952 the factory had begun producing armoured fighting vehicles. Before producing the AMX-30, for example, it had made 1,900 AMX-13s and variants. The Roanne factory was responsible for final assembly, most components were made elsewhere:
9504-555: The Bastille Day parade on 14 July 1951. When the American M47 Patton became available, a type that also had a 90 mm gun, they were phased out in 1953. In November 1953 it was proposed to either scrap them or use them in static positions to reinforce the border fortifications. On 20 December 1954, it was decided to scrap them. Some were used as targets. The rumour that most ARL 44s were exported to Argentina
9680-487: The Cromwell tank , combined with efficiency savings elsewhere in the design, almost doubled the horsepower for cruiser tanks. This led to speculation of a "Universal Tank", able to take on the roles of both a cruiser and an infantry tank by combining heavy armour and manoeuvrability. Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery is acknowledged as the main advocate of the British universal tank concept as early as 1943, according to
9856-781: The Greek junta crashed through the gates of the National Technical University of Athens , which had been occupied by students since 14 November. This was the beginning of the final events that ended the Athens Polytechnic uprising and the anti-junta revolt in Greece. Qatari AMX-30s saw combat during the Gulf War at the Battle of Khafji , where on 30 January 1991 they counter-attacked in an attempt to retake
10032-655: The Second Battle of Fallujah the United States Marines brought in two extra companies of M1s. Britain deployed its Challenger 2 tanks to support its operations in southern Iraq. Advanced armour has reduced crew fatalities but has not improved vehicle survivability. Small unmanned turrets on top of the cupolas called remote controlled weapon stations armed with machine guns or mortars provide improved defence and enhance crew survivability. Experimental tanks with unmanned turrets locate crew members in
10208-829: The Super AMX-30 modernization package for AMX-30B. The consortium itself consisted of AEG , Krupp Atlas Elektronik , MTU , Wegmann & Co. , Diehl , ZF Friedrichshafen , and GLS . The upgrades to the power packs were new MTU MB833 Ka501 diesel engine with 850 hp, ZF LSG-3000 automatic transmission, new engine cooling system, and increased fuel capacity up to 1,028 liters. The upgrades on mobility also includes upgraded torsion bars, hydraulic shock absorbers, new slightly larger road wheels, and Diehl Type 234 tracks. The fire control systems were upgraded with MOLF-30 modular laser FCS by Krupp Atlas Elektronik, gyro-stabilized gun and gunner's day/night sight, laser rangefinder, and fully electric turret drive. Optional additional armour on
10384-532: The T-72 . The United States Army used 1,100 M1 Abrams in the course of the Iraq War . They proved to have an unexpectedly high vulnerability to improvised explosive devices . A relatively new type of remotely detonated mine, the explosively formed penetrator , was used with some success against American armoured vehicles. However, with upgrades to their rear armour, M1s proved to be valuable in urban combat; at
10560-543: The attack helicopter . Other strategists considered that the MBT was entirely obsolete in light of the efficacy and speed with which coalition forces neutralized Iraqi armour. In asymmetric warfare , threats such as improvised explosive devices and mines have proven effective against MBTs. In response, nations that face asymmetric warfare, such as Israel, are reducing the size of their tank fleet and procuring more advanced models. Conversely, some insurgent groups like Hezbollah themselves operate main battle tanks, such as
10736-586: The "universal tank", exemplified by the Centurion, filling almost all battlefield roles. Typical main battle tanks were as well armed as any other vehicle on the battlefield, highly mobile, and well armoured. Yet they were cheap enough to be built in large numbers. The first Soviet main battle tank was the T-64A (the T-54/55 and T-62 were considered "medium" tanks) and the first American nomenclature-designated MBT
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#173278721121810912-412: The 10 metric tons (11 short tons) turret. Instead of a turret, the AMX-30D is fitted with a superstructure, and weighs 36 metric tons (40 short tons), although with the extra power pack it can weigh up to 40 metric tons (44 short tons). The vehicle can protect itself with a 7.62-millimeter (0.300 in) machine gun. The driver's visibility is aided by the inclusion of three M-223 episcopes. The AMX-30D has
11088-505: The 1930s, is the most obvious sign of its basic Char B1 ancestry; it is in essence identical to that of the Char B1 ter. It had been considered to use a more modern pneumatic suspension, but when the armour was increased a choice was made for a traditional configuration with steel coil springs and hydraulic shock-breakers, as the rubber seals of the pneumatic elements could not withstand the higher pressures. The type has often been compared to
11264-479: The 1990s, however the AMX-30 continued to play a key role in the French army and two further up-grades were implemented in limited numbers for French rapid reaction force which was made up of 2 Tank Regiments 1er and 2e Chasseurs . The first upgrade was an Explosive Reactive Armour package called BRENUS . Final upgrade was the purchase of 500 Renault RVI Mack E9 turbocharged diesel engines generating 750 hp These two tank regiments in peacetime were combined into
11440-485: The 1990s, the AMX-30 has also been used as a testbed for several stealth technologies , including air cooling of hull surfaces and the use of visual camouflage. This prototype is known as the Démonstrateur Furtif à Chenille . Its hull and turret are fully covered by a superstructure built of angled plates made of radar absorbent material . In the late 1980s, a consortium of West German companies developed
11616-435: The 1991 Gulf War , AMX-30s were deployed by both the French and Qatari armies. Qatari AMX-30s saw action against Iraqi forces at the Battle of Khafji . France and most other nations replaced their AMX-30s with more up-to-date equipment by the end of the 20th century. Although the occupation of France during World War II temporarily interrupted French development of armoured fighting vehicles , clandestine research allowed
11792-411: The 21st century, 50% of Saudi Arabia's AMX-30 fleet were in storage, given that the AMX-30 lacked the capabilities to deal with more modern threats, such as against Iraqi T-62s and T-72s , and Israeli Merkava tanks. These were largely displaced by an order for 315 M1A2 Abrams tanks in 1989, and the acquisition of 450 M60A3 Patton tanks. Although Saudi Arabia planned to procure more M1 tanks, it
11968-609: The 400–500 hp (300–370 kW) range. Notable examples include the Soviet T-34 (the most-produced tank at that time) and the US M4 Sherman . Late war tank development placed increased emphasis on armour, armament, and anti-tank capabilities for medium tanks: Britain had continued on the path of parallel development of cruiser tanks and infantry tanks. Development of the Rolls-Royce Meteor engine for
12144-475: The 501st Régiment de Chars de Combat . Monthly production grew to 15–20 tanks as new factories began to manufacture components of the vehicle and existing factories increased their production potential. However, in April 1969, production was again reduced to ten per month. By 1971, about 180 vehicles were in service; in 1975 delivery began of the last 143 units of the final eighth batch of the original order. In 1985,
12320-552: The AMX-30 and variants were ordered by Greece , soon followed by Spain ( AMX-30E ). In the coming years, the AMX-30 would be exported to Saudi Arabia , Venezuela , Qatar , the United Arab Emirates , Cyprus and Chile . By the end of production, 3,571 units of AMX-30s and its variants had been manufactured. Both Spain and Venezuela later began extensive modernization programs to extend the life of their vehicles and to bring their tanks up to more modern standards. In
12496-478: The AMX-30 tank. A prototype was produced and delivered for experimentation in 1971, and in February 1973 the first of a pre-series of five vehicles was delivered. That same year, another 100 AMX-30Ds were ordered, and these began production in 1975. The recovery vehicle includes a winch powered by the vehicle's engine, with the ability to pull a maximum of 35 metric tons (39 short tons) of weight. The vehicle also has
12672-641: The AMX-30B2, and deliberately imitating the spaced armour concept the Germans had successfully implemented on the Leopard 1A3 and A4, the AMX-32 fielded greater armour protection to offer increased survivability against anti-tank guided missiles. A 20-millimeter (0.79 in) autocannon was included as the main gun's coaxial weapon, and a 7.62-millimeter (0.300 in) machine gun attached to the roof. However, no orders were ever placed. AMX-30 production occurred at
12848-421: The ARL 44 as a result was fitted with an impressive and complex array of ventilators and cooling ducts; the engine deck was made to extend behind the track to accommodate them all. Fuel reservoirs holding 1370 litres gave a range of 350 to 400 kilometres. The hull glacis plate is 120 mm thick and reclined at about 45°, giving a line-of-sight thickness in the horizontal plane of about 170 mm. This made
13024-462: The ARL 44 the most heavily armoured French tank until the Leclerc . Within the glacis, low on the right side, a 7.5 mm modèle 1931 machine-gun is fitted in a fixed position. The turret was the most modern looking part; it was also an obvious makeshift solution, somewhat crudely welded together from plates taken from the wreck of the battlecruiser Dunkerque scuttled in 1942, made necessary by
13200-408: The ARL 44 was to be fitted with a very old-fashioned suspension system with small road wheels, using the same track as the Char B1, limiting maximum speed to about 30 km/h. The suggestion to use a more modern foreign suspension system was rejected as it would have compromised the tank's status as a purely French design. A Talbot 450 hp or Panhard 400 hp engine was envisaged. Progress
13376-444: The British 17-pounder ; 90 mm guns had not been made available by the Allies. Only a wooden mock-up had been completed by an engineering team headed by Engineer General Maurice Lavirotte, when the war ended. However, the end of hostilities did not mean the end of the entire project. To maintain some continuation in French tank design and bolster national morale, on 23 May 1945 it was decided to build 150 vehicles, even though there
13552-627: The British L7 105 mm (4.1 in) ) that could penetrate any practical level of armour then existing at long range. Also, the heaviest tanks were unable to use most existing bridges. The World War II concept of heavy tanks , armed with the most powerful guns and heaviest armour, became obsolete because the large tanks were too expensive and just as vulnerable to damage by mines, bombs, rockets, and artillery. Likewise, World War II had shown that lightly armed and armoured tanks were of limited value in most roles. Even reconnaissance vehicles had shown
13728-540: The British and Americans seemed to be behind Germany in heavy tank development, having no operational vehicles that were equal to the Tiger II in its combination of firepower and armour. An important secondary goal of the project was simply to ensure that France would in the future have a sufficient number of weapons engineers; if these could not be employed now, they would be forced to seek other occupations and much expertise would be lost. Consequently, on 25 November it
13904-524: The COTAC APX M-508 fire control system included the installation of a laser rangefinder and a low-light TV (LLTV). The main gun's lethality was improved with the introduction of a new armour piercing fin stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS). The original engine was exchanged for an improved variant, known as the HS-110.2, producing 680 horsepower (510 kW). The poor transmission was replaced with
14080-546: The French Leclerc , or the Russian/Ukrainian T-64 , T-72 , T-80 , T-84 , T-90 , and T-14 and, for this reason, the crew can be reduced to 3 members. MBTs with an autoloader require one less crew member and the autoloader requires less space than its human counterpart, allowing for a reduction in turret size. Further, an autoloader can be designed to handle rounds which would be too difficult for
14256-551: The French Renault FT ; these were light tanks or tankettes . Many late-war and inter-war tank designs diverged from these according to new, and mostly untried, concepts for future tank roles and tactics. Each nation tended to create its own list of tank classes with different intended roles, such as "cavalry tanks", "breakthrough tanks", "fast tanks", and "assault tanks". The British maintained cruiser tanks that in order to achieve high speed and hence manoeuvrability in
14432-519: The French Army was looking for a tank with the protection of the former and the firepower of the latter. Although the design borrowed from German tanks, including the Maybach 1,000 horsepower (750 kW) engine, based on an earlier model, and the torsion bar sprung road wheels, the AMX 50 also included a number of unique features. For example, it included an oscillating turret , mounted on trunnions, which
14608-581: The French Army, who refer to it as the AMX 30 AuF1 . The 155-millimeter (6.1 in) howitzer was 40 calibers long, and was autoloaded allowing it a rate of fire of eight rounds per minute, with a maximum range of 30 kilometers (19 mi) with the LU211 round. The turret enables the gun to have an elevation of up to 66 degrees, and allows it to traverse a full 360 degrees. The vehicle carries 42 rounds of ammunition, with combustible cartridge cases. The origins of
14784-639: The French tank. Throughout the 1960s, Spain had considered both the AMX-30 and the Leopard 1 to complement their existing fleet of M47 and M48 Patton tanks. Ultimately, Spain opted for the AMX-30 for a variety of reasons, including British unwillingness to sell the L7 tank gun to a fascist regime and the French offer to allow the AMX-30 to be manufactured in Spain. Spain ordered 19 tanks in 1970, and later agreed to manufacture another 180 tanks in Spain. In 1979, Spain began
14960-429: The French to quickly recover lost ground after its liberation in mid-1944. During the occupation, the French had secretly worked on an armour program that was, in 1944, taken over by the state workshop Atelier de Construction de Rueil (ARL), resulting in the design and production of the ARL 44 , which began production in 1946. The tank was powered by a Maybach HL-230 575 horsepower (429 kW) engine, and armed with
15136-464: The Leopard when France refused to allow partial component production of the AMX-30 in Belgium, fearing it would increase the unit cost. Less costly and easier to maintain, the AMX-30 has been preferred over the Leopard 1 by less affluent or developed nations. In 1969, the Greek military junta agreed to procure a total of 190 AMX-30s and 14 AMX-30Ds, making Greece the first foreign nation to purchase
15312-422: The MBT can become immobilized in muddy conditions. The high cost of MBTs can be attributed in part to the high-performance engine-transmission system and to the fire control system. Also, propulsion systems are not produced in high enough quantities to take advantage of economies of scale . Crew fatigue limits the operational range of MBTs in combat. Reducing the crew to three and relocating all crewmembers from
15488-517: The Modèle F1, a monoblock steel 105-millimeter (4.1 in) cannon. HEAT warheads suffer when spin stabilized, a product of rifled barrels, causing the French to develop the Obus G, (Gresse). This projectile was composed of two major parts, including the outer shell and a suspended inner shell, separated by ball bearings. This allowed the projectile to be spin-stabilized, and therefore more accurate than
15664-413: The Soviet Union's fighting capability. The Soviet Union made novel advancements to the weapon systems including mechanical autoloaders and anti-tank guided missiles . Autoloaders were introduced to replace the human loader, permitting the turret to be reduced in size, making the tank smaller and less visible as a target, while missile systems were added to extend the range at which a vehicle could engage
15840-627: The U.S. XVIII Airborne Corps . This disposition gave the French commander greater autonomy, and also lessened the likelihood of encountering Iraqi T-72s, which were superior both to the AMX-10RCs and the AMX-30B2s. With the beginning of the ground offensive of 24 February 1991, French forces moved to attack its first target, "Objective Rochambeau", which was defended by a brigade from the Iraqi 45th Infantry Division. A raid by Gazelle helicopters paved
16016-479: The US and United Kingdom. This made Germany lose much interest in a common tank project also. The French prototypes were developed and produced by the Atelier de Construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux , under the direction of General Joseph Molinié of the Direction des Études et Fabrications d'Armements (DEFA, the later Direction Technique des Armements Terrestres ) and AMX head engineer Heissler, The first prototype
16192-452: The addition of a snorkel tube, the installation of blanking plates, carried on the front of the hull, over the engine compartment's air intake louvers, and the installation of infrared driving equipment, including a searchlight. In 1969, a special diving and evacuation training vehicle, without engine or tracks, was created and nicknamed the AMX 30 Gloutte (from the French faire glouglou , "gurgle"); it could be quickly be lowered by winch into
16368-512: The appearance of the AMX-30 offered a larger chassis to which the S 401 A turret could be mounted on, providing superior mobility. The heavier AMX-30 also provided a more stable platform for the guns, and allowed the system to carry much more ammunition (1,200 rounds, as compared to the 600 carried by the AMX-13 version). The guns were designed to fire in 5-round or 15-round bursts, with a cyclic rate of fire of 650 rounds per minute. They were controlled by an analogue computer, receiving information from
16544-421: The armour sloped at 70 degrees on the front plate and 23 degrees on the side, offering protection against 20-millimetre (0.79 in) armour piercing projectiles. The Line-of-Sight armour values are: 79-millimeter (3.1 in) for the front of the hull; 59-millimetre (2.3 in) for the forward sides of the hull; 30-millimetre (1.2 in) for the rear sides and rear of the hull; 15-millimetre (0.59 in) for
16720-411: The attack carried less armour, and infantry tanks which operating at infantryman pace could carry more armour. After years of isolated and divergent development, the various interwar tank concepts were finally tested with the start of World War II . In the chaos of blitzkrieg , tanks designed for a single role often found themselves forced into battlefield situations they were ill-suited for. During
16896-501: The autumn of 1962, their plan having failed for Rheinmetall to produce in Germany a common type of munition of sufficient quality. Suggestions to save the project by combining the French turret with the German chassis failed. As a result, the program was cancelled and the French and Germans definitely decided to adopt their two separate tanks. The prototypes of the AMX-30 weighed 32.5 metric tons (35.8 short tons), and were compact, with
17072-471: The city of Khafji from Iraqi forces which had occupied it the night before. During the action, Qatari AMX-30s knocked out three Iraqi T-55s and captured four more. Two Qatari AMX-30s were lost during the battle. The French participation in the Persian Gulf War, codenamed Opération Daguet , saw the deployment of the 6e Division Légère Blindée ("6th Light Armoured Division"), referred to for
17248-540: The decision to design a self-propelled howitzer can be traced back to 1969, with the first prototype completed in 1972. By 1979, seven prototypes had been produced, and six pre-series vehicles, followed by the production of 110 vehicles. This order was later increased to 190. The first prototype of an improved AMX-30 for the export market, known as the AMX-32 , was unveiled in June 1979. Originally intended as an alternative for
17424-589: The designation remained AMX 30B . Beginning as early as 1973, only seven years after the beginning of production, the French began a research program for a future modification of the tank. The project was to result in a AMX 30 Valorisé ("upgraded AMX-30"). In June 1979, the French Army decided to both build new and modernize existing AMX-30s with an improved fire control system and a new transmission, and designated them AMX-30B2 s. The first new production vehicles were taken into service in January 1982. Improvements to
17600-444: The detonation of ERA blocks creates a hazard to any supporting infantry near the tank. Despite this drawback, it is still employed on many Russian MBTs, the latest generation Kontakt-5 being capable of defeating both high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) and kinetic energy penetrator threats. The Soviets also developed Active Protection Systems (APS) designed to more actively neutralize hostile projectiles before they could even strike
17776-403: The development and production of the turret would be drawn out; it was not until 1949 that turrets could be fitted to hulls produced in 1946 and placed into storage. Forty hulls had been completed by FAMH and a further twenty by Renault. They were fitted with captured German Maybach HL230 600 hp engines (real output 575 hp), brought back by a mission headed by General Joseph Molinié in
17952-476: The diesel engines, they had changed hull and turret casts and different gun mantlets ; the latter would again be changed in the production vehicles. The first production versions of the AMX-30, named AMX 30B to distinguish them from the AMX 30A prototypes, were completed in June 1966, manufactured with a welded and cast hull and a fully cast turret. The production version of the tank had a combat weight of 36 metric tons (40 short tons). The AMX-30's survivability
18128-531: The duration of the conflict as the Division Daguet . Most of its armoured component was provided by the AMX-10RCs of the cavalry reconnaissance regiments, but a heavy armoured unit, the 4e Régiment de Dragons ("4th Dragoon Regiment") was also sent to the region with a complement of 44 AMX-30B2s. Experimentally, a new regimental organisational structure was used, with three squadrons of thirteen tanks,
18304-520: The early 1980s to defend against the shaped-charge warheads of modern anti-tank guided missiles and other such high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) projectiles. This technology was subsequently adopted and expanded upon by the United States and the Soviet Union. MBT armour is concentrated at the front of the tank, where it is layered up to 33 centimetres (13 in) thick. Missiles are cheap and cost-effective anti-tank weapons. ERA can be quickly added to vehicles to increase their survivability. However,
18480-690: The early 1990s and 2000s; surviving numerous impacts from 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s era rocket-propelled grenades with negligible damage. It is much less efficient against later models of RPGs. For example, the RPG-29 from the 1980s is able to penetrate the frontal hull armour of the Challenger 2. Main battle tanks are equipped with a main gun and at least one machine gun . MBT main guns are generally between 100 mm (3.9 in) and 125 mm (4.9 in) caliber, and can fire both anti-armour and, more recently, anti-personnel rounds. The cannon serves
18656-400: The effect of protecting the vehicle's occupants from nuclear explosion radiation). By the late 1970s, MBTs were manufactured by China, France, West Germany, Britain, India, Italy, Japan, the Soviet Union, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States. The Soviet Union's war doctrine depended heavily on the main battle tank. Any weapon advancement making the MBT obsolete could have devastated
18832-988: The effective range of the vehicle's fire. The MBT's role could be compromised because of the increasing distances involved and the increased reliance on indirect fire . The tank gun is still useful in urban combat for precisely delivering powerful fire while minimizing collateral damage. High-explosive anti-tank (HEAT), and some form of high velocity kinetic energy penetrator , such as armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS) rounds are carried for anti-armour purposes. Anti-personnel rounds such as high explosive or high explosive fragmentation have dual purpose. Less common rounds are Beehive anti-personnel rounds , and high-explosive squash head (HESH) rounds used for both anti-armour and bunker busting. Usually, an MBT carries 30–50 rounds of ammunition for its main tank gun , usually split between HE, HEAT, and KEP rounds. Some MBTs may also carry smoke or white phosphorus rounds. Some MBTs are equipped with an autoloader , such as
19008-419: The era. Later came British Chobham armour . This composite armour used layers of ceramics and other materials to help attenuate the effects of HEAT munitions. Another threat came by way of the widespread use of helicopters in battle. Before the advent of helicopters, armour was heavily concentrated to the front of the tank. This new threat caused designs to distribute armour on all sides of the tank (also having
19184-435: The existing transmission with an Allison CD-850-6A. Venezuelan AMX-30s received new fuel tanks, increasing the tank's road range to 720 kilometers (450 mi), while firepower was improved through the adoption of a modern Lansadot MkI fire control system and Ballistic computer from Elbit Systems. In 1977, France and Qatar signed an agreement which garnered France another 24 AMX-30s sold, which would rise to 54 when Qatar ordered
19360-465: The heavily armoured hull, improving survivability and reducing the vehicle's profile. Technology is reducing the weight and size of the modern MBT. A British military document from 2001 indicated that the British Army would not procure a replacement for the Challenger 2 because of a lack of conventional warfare threats in the foreseeable future. The obsolescence of the tank has been asserted, but
19536-617: The history of the late 20th and early 21st century suggested that MBTs were still necessary. During the Russian invasion of Ukraine , Western and Russian MBTs saw large-scale combat in large numbers. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe defines a main battle tank as "a self-propelled armoured fighting vehicle, capable of heavy firepower, primarily of a high muzzle velocity direct fire main gun necessary to engage armoured and other targets, with high cross-country mobility, with
19712-542: The hull top and bottom; 80.8-millimeter (3.18 in) for the turret front; 41.5-millimeter (1.63 in) for the turret sides; 50-millimetre (2.0 in) for the turret rear and 20-millimetre (0.79 in) for the turret top. Further protection is offered by a nuclear, biological and chemical protection suit, including a ventilation system. One of the unique features of the AMX-30 was the Obus à Charge Creuse de 105 mm Modèle F1 (Obus G) HEAT projectile and its main gun,
19888-416: The intent of testing them and combining the best of both, the program failed as Germany decided not to adopt the new French 105-millimetre (4.1 in) tank gun and France declared that it would postpone production until 1965. As a result, both nations decided to adopt tanks based on their own prototypes. The German tank became the Leopard 1 , while the French prototype became the AMX-30. As early as 1969,
20064-489: The last new variant vehicles, a batch of twenty GCTs, in 1994 by France. In the late 1990s, the French Army began to accept the new Leclerc main battle tank to replace the antiquated AMX-30. The first units to be outfitted with the new tank were the 501st and 503rd tank regiments, followed by the 6th and 12th Cuirassier Regiments. Having in February 1964 decided to produce its own battle tank, Israel at first considered licensed production of AMX-30 hulls, while importing
20240-405: The latest anti-tank threats, thereby reducing the tank's maneuverability. Protection, instead, was provided by the speed and the compact dimensions of the vehicle, including a height of 2.28 metres. It had a 105 mm gun, firing a then advanced high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead known as the Obus G . The Obus G used an outer shell, separated from the main charge by ball bearings, to allow
20416-500: The latter, made in 1955, proved that it was possible to produce a tank with a first-rate gun and frontally protected with 80-millimeter (3.1 in) steel equivalence within a weight constraint of 30 metric tons (33 short tons). This revived interest in the medium tank concept. In 1956, the WEU defence workgroup FINBEL (named after France, Italy , Netherlands , Belgium and Luxembourg ), founded in 1953 and consisting of representatives of
20592-568: The limits of mechanical technology. This limited the specific battlefield capabilities any one tank design could be expected to fulfill. A design might have good speed, armour, or firepower, but not all three together. Facing the deadlock of trench warfare , the first tank designs focused on crossing wide trenches, requiring very long and large vehicles, such as the British Mark I tank and successors; these became known as heavy tanks . Tanks that focused on other combat roles were smaller, like
20768-406: The many "Super Char B" projects from before the war. Its speed is likewise limited, the lowest of any fifty ton tank built after the war. This was also partly due to the lack of a sufficiently powerful engine; it had originally been intended to compensate for this by using a more efficient petro-electrical transmission. This kind of transmission has as a major drawback that it very easily overheats and
20944-439: The maximum speed of a tank is about 65 km/h (40 mph) . The extreme weight of vehicles of this type 40–70 t (39–69 long tons; 44–77 short tons) also limits their speed. They are usually equipped with a 1,200–1,500 hp (890–1,120 kW) engine (more than 25,000 cc (1,526 cu in)), with an operational range near 500 km (310 mi). The German Army has prioritized mobility in its Leopard 2 which
21120-642: The new NATO policy to use multifuel diesel engines. German defence minister Franz Josef Strauss began to oppose the common tank project. In July 1963, the defence committee of the German Bundesrat decided to procure a purely national tank. In response, the same month the French government decided likewise. Comparative trials were nevertheless held at Mailly-le-Camp , Meppen , Bourges and Satory between five French and five German prototypes between August and October 1963, under Italian, Dutch, Belgian and American supervision. The French type had received
21296-565: The number of AMX-30s had risen to 1,173. By the end of production, France had accepted 1,355 AMX-30s into service, including 166 brand-new AMX-30B2s. Another 493 tanks were refitted and modernized to AMX-30B2 standards; originally 271 new and 820 refitted vehicles had been planned. The French Army also accepted a large number of variants, including 195 self-propelled howitzers, 44 AMX-30 Pluton tactical nuclear missile launchers, 183 AMX-30Rs, 134 AMX-30Ds and 48 engineer vehicles ( AMX-30EBG ). The last 35 new battle tanks were in 1989 ordered by Cyprus and
21472-518: The number of aircraft available. Military planners anticipate that the airlift capability for MBTs will not improve in the future. To date, no helicopter has the capability to lift MBTs. Rail and road are heavily used to move MBTs nearer to the battle, ready to fight in prime condition. Where well maintained roads allow it, wheeled tank transporters can be used. The task of resupply is usually accomplished with large trucks. Main battle tanks have internal and external storage space. Internal space
21648-457: The one designed for the Char F1 and fitted with the 90 mm DCA naval AA-gun which had a muzzle velocity of 1000 m/s (AP; 1130 m/s HE) and a muzzle brake — thus the ARL 44 was the first French tank to feature this item. Firing trials began on 27 June 1947; the gun often proved to be more accurate than that of a Panther used for comparison. Mainly due to the change in armament,
21824-453: The order for the 75 mm tank was reduced to two hundred vehicles. The remaining three hundred would be produced after a choice had been made between two heavier armaments, the 90 mm CA modèle 1939 S with a muzzle velocity of 840 m/s and a Canon de 90 mm SA mle. 1945 gun with a velocity of 1000 m/s. At the same date two hundred ACL 1 turrets were ordered. As France had been rather isolated from engineering developments in
22000-523: The powerplant by the Atelier de Construction de Limoges , the full armour set by the Ateliers et Forges de la Loire , the turret by the Atelier de Construction de Tarbes , the cannon by the Atelier de Construction de Bourges , the cupola and machine-gun by the Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Étienne and the optics by the Atelier de Construction de Puteaux ; all these again used many subcontractors. In
22176-706: The production of a second batch of 100 tanks, completing a total of 299 AMX-30s issued to the Spanish Army ; these were designated AMX-30Es . Spain also procured 10 AMX-30Ds and 18 AMX-30Rs. As production of the AMX-30E ended in 1979, the Spanish Army was already looking for a modernization program to improve the quality of the tank's mobility. In 1987, the Spanish Army began a six-year modernization program which brought 150 tanks up to AMX-30EM2 standards and modified another 149 tanks to AMX-30EM1 standards. The former
22352-406: The program was suspended and instead the French Army opted for a missile with a longer range, able to be mounted on the AMX-30. A contract to develop the system was established in 1968. The first prototype was soon delivered and testing occurred between July and August 1970, followed by the production of a second prototype in 1971. Two more prototypes were fabricated in 1972. The next year, the vehicle
22528-466: The program, while in early 1946 the French government selected AMX and SOMUA to continue the development. The prototypes were designated M4s, and AMX completed its prototype in 1949, while SOMUA would not be finished until 1956. AMX's first prototype was armed with a 90-millimeter (3.5 in) cannon, although a second prototype was fitted with a larger 100-millimetre (3.9 in) gun in July 1950 Although it
22704-697: The purchase of 190 of the AMX-30S variant, designed for the desert environment of the Middle Eastern nation. Named the Palmier Contract, Saudi Arabia's tanks were delivered between 1973 and 1979, while 59 AMX-30Ds were exported between 1975 and 1979, 12 AMX-30Ps between 1977 and 1979, and finally 51 self-propelled howitzers, delivered between 1979 and 1980. Between 1979 and 1981, Saudi Arabia also received 52 AMX-30SAs and later 50 AMX-30C1 Shanine-2 s delivered in two batches, between 1980 and 1989. By
22880-401: The rear of the bustle, covered by a bolted-on plate. This could also be used to load ammunition. The turret was rotated by a Simca 5 engine. Three men out of a crew of five were seated in the turret. It also held a SCR 508 radio set. This differed from the configuration in the Char B1 bis where the radio had been placed at the inner left hull side. With the ARL 44, the space gained was used for
23056-479: The rest of its armament, can also intercept aircraft and missiles. MBTs can also be protected from radar detection by incorporating stealth technology . The T-14 Armata has a turret designed to be harder to detect with radars and thermal sights. Advanced camouflage, like the Russian Nakidka , will also reduce the radar and thermal signatures of a MBT. Other defensive developments focused on improving
23232-572: The rest of the world, the designers based themselves on types they already knew well, mainly the Char B1 , the Char G1 and the FCM F1 — contrary to what some sources state the ARL 44 was not directly derived from the earlier ARL 40 project. An attempt was made to use the components developed between 1940 and 1944, though most soon proved to be incompatible. As a result of the reliance on older types,
23408-476: The role the British had once called the "universal tank", filling almost all battlefield roles. They were originally designed in the Cold War to combat other MBTs. The modern light tank supplements the MBT in expeditionary roles and situations where all major threats have been neutralized and excess weight in armour and armament would only hinder mobility and cost more money to operate. Reconnaissance by MBTs
23584-423: The round to be spin stabilized by the gun without spinning the warhead inside which would disrupt jet formation. Mobility was provided by the 720 horsepower (540 kW) HS-110 diesel engine , although the troublesome transmission adversely affected the tank's performance. In 1979, due to issues caused by the transmission, the French Army began to modernize its fleet of tanks to AMX-30B2 standards, which included
23760-573: The semi-automatic SESM ENC200 Archived 2016-02-01 at the Wayback Machine transmission (now RENK France), with a torque converter. The suspension was improved by adopting new torsion bars and shocks, which increased the vertical deflection range of the road wheels, thereby improving the tank's off-road mobility. From 1998, the French army started to replace the engines of its remaining AMX-30 tanks and variants with 500 Renault Mack E9 750 hp engines. Leclerc tank had already been ordered in
23936-421: The simple fact that Schneider as yet could not produce complete cast turrets large enough to hold a 90 mm gun. The turret front, however, was a cast section. As the turret was positioned near the middle of the tank, even when pointing to the back the gun would have a large overhang; to facilitate transport it was therefore made retractable into the turret, its breech even exiting through a rectangular opening in
24112-595: The strength of the armour itself; one of the notable advancements coming from the British with the development of Chobham armour in the 1970s. It was first employed on the American M1 Abrams and later the British Challenger 1 . Chobham armour uses a lattice of composite and ceramic materials along with metal alloys to defeat incoming threats, and proved highly effective in the conflicts in Iraq in
24288-483: The summer of 1945, repeating the course of events with the Char 2C , which after the previous war had also received captured Maybach engines. The ARL 44 clearly shows that it is based on earlier French heavy tank design. The hull is long, 722 centimetres, but relatively narrow, just as a vehicle meant to cross wide trenches would be. The covered suspension, with its many small road wheels, that had already been outdated in
24464-411: The supersonic ACRA [ fr ] ( Anti-Char Rapide Autopropulsé ) anti-tank guided missile , as well as high explosive rounds. A prototype was finished in 1967 with a new cast turret, wide enough to hold the much larger armament. However, the high costs of the missiles forced the French Army to abandon the program in 1972. The vehicles based on the chassis include an armoured recovery vehicle ,
24640-408: The support of infantry , who may accompany the tanks in infantry fighting vehicles . They are also often supported by surveillance or ground-attack aircraft . The average weight of MBTs varies from country to country. The average weight of Western MBTs is usually greater than that of Russian or Chinese MBTs. During World War I , combining tracks, armour, and guns into a functional vehicle pushed
24816-437: The tank a significant advantage over other tanks of the era, paving the way for a new tank classification, the main battle tank, which gradually superseded previous weight and armament classes. A surplus of effective WWII-era designs in other forces, notably the US and the Soviet Union, led to slower introductions of similar designs on their part. By the early 1950s, these designs were clearly no longer competitive, especially in
24992-480: The tank's mobility by adopting a new transmission and renovating much of the vehicle's worn out systems, such as the brakes, indicators and controls. These rebuilt AMX-30s were soon replaced by M60 Patton tanks procured from the United States in the early 1990s, while its fleet of AMX-30EM2s was later replaced by the B1 Centauro anti-tank vehicle. In 1972, France was able to gain a contract with Saudi Arabia over
25168-670: The tank, namely the Shtora and Arena systems. The United States has also adopted similar technologies in the form of the Missile Countermeasure Device and as part of the Tank Urban Survival Kit used on M1 Abrams tanks serving in Iraq. The latest Russian MBT, according to many forum members the T-14 Armata , incorporates an AESA radar as part of its Afghanit APS and in conjunction with
25344-468: The turret also available per buyer request. A single prototype was made and were publicly unveiled and tested in Saudi Arabia. The upgrade failed to find a buyer. The AMX-30 has a number of different variations, including a number of other armoured vehicles based on the same chassis. A simplified version of the tank, without the infrared searchlight and periscopes and a less complex commander's cupola
25520-409: The turret to the hull could provide time to sleep for one off-shift crewmember located in the rear of the hull. In this scenario, crewmembers would rotate shifts regularly and all would require cross-training on all vehicle job functions. Cargo aircraft are instrumental to the timely deployment of MBTs. The absence of sufficient numbers of strategic airlift assets can limit the rate of MBT deployments to
25696-692: The turrets from France. Favouring heavier armour over mobility, Major-General Israel Tal discontinued negotiations with France when the United Kingdom agreed to allow licensed production of the Chieftain tank , in 1966. France eventually also failed to obtain orders from the remaining two FINABEL nations, Belgium and the Netherlands: the Dutch did not even test the type and the Belgians ordered
25872-461: The type ARL 44 . The specifications were not at first overly ambitious and called for a thirty-ton vehicle with 60 mm of armour and armed with a 75 mm SA modèle 1944 Long 70 gun, rendering a penetration of 80 mm steel at 1000 metres and developed by engineer Lafargue from the 75 mm CA 32 gun, conforming to the earlier CDM intentions. It was hoped that fifty vehicles could be delivered per month from May 1945 onwards. On 28 December
26048-589: The ultimate goal of combining these components into the design of a possible future thirty ton battle tank, armed with a 75 mm gun. The projects were very disparate, including those for a trolleybus , the Caterpillar du Transsaharien (a regular cross-Sahara track and rail connection) and a tracked snow blower for the Kriegsmarine to be used in Norway . Firms involved were Laffly and Lorraine ; also
26224-467: The use of appliqué panels. It can support weighs of up to 46 metric tons (51 short tons). Bridgelayer development began as early as 1963, although it was not until June 1967 that development began on a prototype. Although a prototype designated AMX-30H was finished in 1968, it was not until 1971 that the vehicle was evaluated. At the end of the evaluations in September 1971, a pre-series of five vehicles
26400-456: The various General Staffs, drafted a set of specifications for a new medium tank to eventually replace their American and British tanks. That same year, Germany joined the workgroup, turning it into FINABEL (the added "A" standing for Allemagne , "Germany" in French) and on 27 October 1956 at Colomb-Béchar a bilateral agreement was concluded between France and Germany to collaborate in building
26576-469: The vehicle. French and German engineers, during a conference in Bonn on 12 February 1957, defined the requirements for the future tank. This included a maximum width of 3.15 metres (10.3 ft), a height of 2.15 metres (7.1 ft) and a 105-millimetre (4.1 in) tank gun, to be developed by the Franco-German military research institute at Saint Louis . The new tank would have an air-cooled, petrol engine,
26752-644: The war France had been the world's second largest tank producer, behind the Soviet Union. On 9 October 1944, the Ministry of War decided to start production of a char de transition , "transitional tank". However, French pre-war light and medium designs had become completely outdated and there was no way to quickly make up for the time lost and immediately improve their component quality. The Ministry hoped it might be possible to compensate for this by sheer size. A large and well-armed vehicle might still be useful, however obsolescent its individual parts were, especially as
26928-400: The war, limited-role tank designs tended to be replaced by more general-purpose designs, enabled by improving tank technology. Tank classes became mostly based on weight (and the corresponding transport and logistical needs). This led to new definitions of heavy and light tank classes, with medium tanks covering the balance of those between. The German Panzer IV tank, designed before the war as
27104-403: The way for an attack by the 4e Régiment de Dragons . Demoralized by heavy coalition bombardments, the Iraqi defenders rapidly surrendered. The following day, the 4e Dragons moved on to their next objective, "Chambord", where they reported destroying ten tanks, three BMPs, fifteen trucks and five mortars with the assistance of USAF A-10s , and capturing numerous prisoners. The final objective
27280-525: The writings of Giffard Le Quesne Martel , but little progress was made beyond development of the basic Cromwell cruiser tank that eventually led to the Centurion . The Centurion, at the time designated "heavy cruiser" and later "medium gun tank" was designed for mobility and firepower at the expense of armour , but more engine power permitted more armour protection, so the Centurion could also operate as an infantry tank , doing so well that development of
27456-415: Was a much more complete upgrade, which saw improvements to the tank's mobility through the adoption of a new engine and gearbox, as well as to the tank's firepower, with the development of a new kinetic energy penetrator and the introduction of a far more complex and accurate fire control system for the tank's gunner, amongst other things. The AMX-30EM1 was termed a "reconstruction" and only saw improvements to
27632-488: Was abandoned in 1956, mainly due to a failure to design a powerful enough engine. With the demise of the 100-millimeter (3.9 in) AMX 50 program in 1951, France temporarily officially abandoned the thought of producing a medium tank. It was expected that West Germany would soon be allowed to rearm, and the Germans had appeared to entertain the concept of equipping their forces with a host of low-cost light, but relatively powerfully armed tanks, their quantity compensating for
27808-650: Was also designed to fire the OE F1 Mle.60 high explosive projectile, the SCC F1 training warhead and the OFUM PH-105 F1 smoke round. The main gun was coupled with a 380-millimeter (15 in) recoil brake, which had a maximum extension of 400 millimeters (16 in), and could depress to −8 degrees or elevate to 20 degrees. The turret's firepower was augmented by a coaxial 12.7-millimeter (0.50 in) M2 Browning machine gun . The tank commander also made use of
27984-405: Was based on its mobility; French engineers believed that the tank's mobility would have been compromised had they added enough steel plating to protect against modern anti-tank threats, including high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warheads. As a result, the type had the thinnest armour of any main battle tank produced at the time. The turret has a maximum armour thickness of 50 millimetres (2.0 in),
28160-520: Was based on the new post-war requirement for a single battle tank. The new vehicle was designated the AMX 50. Its hull and suspension were similar to that of the German Panther tank , which had been used by the French Army in the immediate post-war. The French government's specifications for the new tank were strongly influenced by both the Panther tank and the heavier Tiger I ; specifically,
28336-585: Was completed in September 1960 and tested from February 1961; the second, with an improved range finder and track was tested in July 1961. These first vehicles had a very rounded turret, in a deliberate imitation of the Soviet T-54 , and Sofam petrol engines. Another seven, with an improved sleeker turret cast, were manufactured between 1961 and 1963. Work on the German prototypes was carried out by two teams, including Team A composed of Porsche , Maschinenbau Kiel , Luther & Jordan and Jung-Jungenthal . Team B
28512-490: Was decided to produce five hundred heavy tanks, to be designed by the Direction des Études et Fabrications d'Armement (DEFA) in which engineers from the former APX (the army Atelier de Puteaux ) and AMX (the Atelier de Construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux state factory) design teams were concentrated, and built by the Atelier de Construction de Rueil (ARL), the army workshop. Already in October it had been decided to name
28688-400: Was developed for export, known as the "basic AMX-30". This version also came devoid of the pressurized air filtering system, and moved the smaller 7.62-millimeter (0.300 in) machine gun into the coaxial position and the larger 12.7-millimeter (0.50 in) M2 to the turret roof. Another version was considered for the French Army, adopting a 142-millimeter (5.6 in) tank gun able to fire
28864-461: Was given a telescoping gun sight and two observation periscopes. The production version of the AMX-30 was fitted with Hispano-Suiza's HS-110 diesel engine, located in the rear of the hull. The 28.8 liters (1,760 cu in) engine could be replaced on the field in 45 minutes, and produced 720 horsepower (540 kW), offering the tank a maximum velocity of 65 kilometers per hour (40 mph) on roads. The fuel efficient engine, in conjunction with
29040-512: Was intended to put the AMX 50 into production as the standard medium tank of the Western European Union , financial reasons and the arrival of military aid from the United States in the form of 856 M47 Patton tanks caused the original program to be abandoned. In 1951 it was decided to turn the program into a heavy tank project with an even larger 120-millimetre (4.7 in) tank gun ; though three prototypes were built, this too
29216-523: Was made up by Ruhrstahl, Rheinstahl-HANOMAG and Henschel . Wood mock-ups were completed in 1959, while the first two prototypes were finished by 1961 (completed by Team A). De Gaulle decided that France, though formally remaining a member, would no longer participate in the NATO military organization. This caused a rift between France and West Germany, which then started to emphasize standardization with American equipment, especially in armament, and to follow
29392-451: Was no longer any real tactical need for them. On 23 June this was reduced to sixty vehicles, two to be finished in the first half of 1946. In March 1946 the first prototype was tested, still with 60 mm armour. The Atelier et Chantiers de la Loire built the ACL1 turret used for the prototype, fitted with the American 76 mm gun; this was later replaced by a Schneider turret based on
29568-630: Was ordered, resulting in a new period of evaluations beginning on 16 October 1972. In 1975, the AMX-30H was declared standard in the French Army, although none of these vehicles were ever ordered. 12 vehicles were purchased by the Saudi Arabian Army. The self-propelled anti-aircraft gun began development in 1969 to provide this type of vehicle to the French Army and for export. Although ultimately none were ordered for France, in 1975 Saudi Arabia ordered an improved version (53 units,) denominated
29744-431: Was phased out in 1953. During the German occupation some clandestine tank development took place in France, mostly limited to component design or the building of tracked chassis with either a pretended civilian use or with a Kriegsmarine destination. These efforts were coordinated by CDM ( Camouflage du Matériel ), a secret Vichy army organisation trying to produce matériel forbidden by the armistice conditions, with
29920-559: Was put into mass production and by 1 May 1974 four of these vehicles had been delivered to the 3rd Artillery Regiment. The missile itself weighs 2.4 metric tons (2.6 short tons) and is 7.6 meters (8.3 yd) long. Using a simplified inertial guidance system and a solid propellant rocket motor, the Pluton has a maximum range of 120 kilometers (75 mi). The second missile system is the AMX-30R ( Roland ) surface-to-air missile launching system, which began development in 1974. Five vehicles of
30096-489: Was that it was unwise to construct too-heavy types, and this opinion was reinforced by the failure of the tank project to which the ARL 44 formed the transition: the much more ambitious heavy AMX 50 . Only after a gap of sixteen years would France, in 1966, again build a main battle tank, the AMX 30 . On 26 October 1950 the type was reclassified as a tank destroyer , the Chasseur de Chars de 48 tonnes . The ARL 44s equipped
30272-577: Was the M60 tank . Anti-tank weapons rapidly outpaced armour developments. By the 1960s, anti-tank rounds could penetrate a meter of steel so as to make the application of traditional rolled homogeneous armour unpragmatic. The first solution to this problem was the composite armor of Soviet T-64 tank, which included steel-glass-reinforced textolite-steel sandwich in heavily sloped glacis plates, and steel turret with aluminum inserts, which helped to resist both high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) and APDS shells of
30448-652: Was the As-Salman air base ("Objective White"), that was reported captured by 18:15, after a multi-pronged attack, with the 4e Dragons attacking from the south. In all, the AMX-30s fired 270 main gun rounds. In 2015, Saudi Arabia's AMX-30s and M1 Abrams tanks deployed along the border with Yemen . Two were lost. Background: History of the tank , Tank classification , Tanks in the Cold War Main battle tank A main battle tank ( MBT ), also known as
30624-403: Was the first of its kind. The oscillating turret consisted of two parts, one of which was mounted on the trunnions of the lower part, attached to the turret ring. The main gun was attached to the upper part, facilitating gun elevation and depression, as well as simplifying the fire control equipment and the installation of the automatic loading system. Of the three contractors, Renault withdrew from
30800-433: Was unable to do so for financial reasons and the AMX-30 has still not been retired. Venezuela originally placed an order for 142 tanks in 1972, although this was later reduced to 82 and four AMX-30Ds. In the mid-1980s, Venezuela adopted a modernization plan for its deprecated AMX-30s, opting to replace the original engine with a new Continental AVDS-1790-5A diesel engine, producing 908 horsepower (677 kW) and exchanging
30976-469: Was very slow as there was a lack of resources and much infrastructure in the Paris region had been destroyed. Even finding paper and drawing materials was difficult. In February 1945 a meeting took place between the engineers and the Army. The tank officers quickly pointed out that building a tank according to the original specifications was pointless as such a vehicle would be inferior to even an M4 Sherman ,
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