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94-516: The CFC is commanded by a four-star U.S. Army general, with a four-star ROK Army general as deputy commander. This pattern exists throughout the CFC command structure: if the chief of a staff section is Korean, the deputy is American and vice versa. The American general also serves, concurrently, as the Commander of United Nations Command and Commanding General, U.S. Forces Korea. CFC's mission

188-667: A fire control system (FCS) in the M48. The fire control system included a rangefinder, mechanical ballistic computer, ballistic drive, and gunner's sight. Collectively, these mechanical devices resembled in miniature the fire control systems used in naval gunnery . Only after the Second World War did such systems become small enough for use in combat vehicles. These mechanical fire control systems permitted tanks to engage effectively at much longer ranges than in World War II ,

282-405: A stereoscopic model range determination occurred by measuring the distance from the observer to a target using the observer's capability of binocular vision . The coincidence rangefinder uses a single eyepiece. Light from the target enters the rangefinder through two windows located at either end of the instrument. The ARCOVE emphasis upon increased long range accuracy led to the incorporation of

376-751: A $ 200 million contract to become the sole producer of the M48A2 and started production at its Grand Blanc Tank Plant in Michigan in April 1953. The decision raised skepticism among lawmakers. Senator Estes Kefauver noted the move would effectively leave GM as the only producer of light (the M41 Walker Bulldog ) and medium tanks when the Chrysler production contract for M48A1 production was set to expire in April 1956. Months later Chrysler underbid GM in

470-610: A $ 200 million contract to start producing the tank in 1953 at the Schenectady Tank Plant in New York. All four companies were given initial production contracts in that same year for around 400 tanks each. The first Chrysler production tank was unveiled on 1 July 1952 as the 90mm Gun Tank M48 and christened the M48 Patton by Mrs. Beatrice Ayer Patton, widow of the late General George S Patton . The M48 featured

564-574: A 120mm smoothbore gun and are of local manufacture. The future replacement for the K1 and K1A1 MBTs has been named the K2 Black Panther (흑표;黑豹 Heukpyo), which will be fitted with a 1500hp MTU-based engine, 55-caliber 120mm main gun with autoloader . The new tank will also feature radar equipment as well as all-bearing laser detection and defense systems, anti-missile active protection, and heavy reactive armor and sensor package comparable to

658-609: A 30mm twin gun system for anti-aerial fire support. Besides having vehicles and equipment of their own design as well as American models, the ROK Army also possesses inventories of Russian-built AFVs, including BMP-3 IFVs and T-80U MBTs, given by the Russian government to pay off the financial debt owed to South Korea. Other notable foreign equipment in service with the ROK Army includes the Mistral MANPADS . In 2015, it

752-456: A G305 cupola riser with 9 non-removable vision blocks installed (some versions had 7 with the 2 rear blocks deleted) between the turret roof and the cupola. It also came with a new bulged hatch cover to provide the tank commander with more headroom and allowed him to reload the weapon while remaining under armor protection. A major drawback of both these cupolas was their inability to mount either daylight or infrared vision devices. The receiver of

846-456: A centerline driver's compartment and no bow machine gunner. As with nearly all new armored vehicles it had a wide variety of suspension systems, cupola styles , power packs, fenders and other details among individual tanks. The early designs, up to the M48A2C, were powered by a gasoline engine. The M48A3 and A5 versions used a diesel engine, however, gasoline engine versions were still in use in

940-545: A change in the nomenclature for tanks in the US military. It was decided that weight designations (Light, Medium, Heavy) were no longer applicable due to changes in the way tanks were developed and employed on the battlefield, and the varying calibers of main guns now available. Thus the caliber of the gun replaced its weight designation. For example, the M103 Heavy Tank was redesignated as the 120 mm Gun Tank M103 and

1034-650: A critical consideration for the Army, expecting to enter the European battlefield outnumbered. Instead of a gunner's sight being slaved to the gun tube, the ballistic computer and drive computed the range and elevated the gun. The gunner's primary responsibility lay in keeping the sight on the target. The mechanical ballistic computer made a more accurate computation of range possible by mathematically accounting for such factors as vehicle cant and ammunition type. Many developmental range finders based on pulses of IR light, such as

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1128-533: A distance of 1,000 yd (910 m), but was not accepted for service. Instead it was decided to use an improved version of the 90 mm gun, the T139 for the M48 production tanks. It allowed for easier barrel changing and weighed less than the preceding M36/T119 gun. It was later standardized as the 90mm Gun M41 in February 1951. The T48 and M48(Mod A) tanks featured a remote controllable machine gun mount as

1222-731: A gasoline-powered engine, different models were used depending on availability and manufacturer. Originally the M48(Mod A) that was built by Chrysler Defense at the OTAC Test Center (T48 Pilot #1) in 1951 used the Continental AV-1790-5B coupled to a General Motors CD-850-4A cross-drive transmission as used for the M47. The M48s built by American Locomotive used a Continental AV-1790-5C gasoline engine and either an Allison CD-850-4A or 4B cross-drive transmission. Additionally

1316-435: A mechanism that dropped his three periscope heads to provide clearance for the hatch door as it swung to the right, and the driver then had to reposition the periscopes by hand once the hatch was closed again. It had 5 return rollers, 6 roadwheel pairs per side with the drive sprocket at the rear and a torsion bar suspension system. Pilot #2 was built in February 1952 and also used the early Mod A design with small hatches. It

1410-725: A replacement of the M46 and M26. The United States entered a period of frenzied activity during the crisis atmosphere of the Korean War, when America seemed to lag behind the Soviet Union in terms of tank quality and quantity. Testing and development cycles occurred simultaneously with production to ensure speedy delivery of new tanks. Such rapid production caused problems but the importance given to rapidly equipping combat units with new tanks precluded detailed testing and evaluation prior to its quantity production. Notable among these were

1504-838: A reserve unit of the National Police . In addition, some Nationalist Chinese and former soldiers of the Manchukuo Imperial Army also contributed to the force. The National Defense Force was established on January 15, 1946, replacing the United States lead constabulary from 1945. The outbreak of the Korean War caught the ROK forces unprepared, requiring the United Nations to intervene with US-led forces. The South Korean military rapidly developed during

1598-464: A simple but powerful engine, requiring little or no maintenance. The operating range should be several hundred miles. We would also like it to be invisible". The T48 project was to focus on improving the turret of the M47 Patton and upgrading performance with a more powerful yet more efficient gasoline engine. 1/4 and 1/8 scale design mockups of the turret were constructed during May 1950 using

1692-533: A simple but powerful engine, requiring little or no maintenance. The operating range should be several hundred miles. We would also like it to be invisible". Some ideas proposed were to utilize a nuclear fission power plant in the R-32 or a vapor-cycled power plant fueled by hydrocarbons in the Chrysler TV-8 tank. In response to these findings an eventual replacement for the M48A2 was recommended. ARCOVE and

1786-425: A two-cylinder, gasoline, air-cooled engine (sometimes referred to as the "Little Joe" by tank crews) was provided to power a 28 volt, 300 ampere generator when the main engine was not needed. Fuel capacity was 200 US gal (760 L) providing a cruising range of about 70 mi (110 km). The suspension consisted of six roadwheel pairs with a torsion bar suspension system and five return rollers. There

1880-509: Is named after Won-Su , to ensure that this rank is higher than Sang-sa . Each of these is coupled with " Sa " ( 士 ) equals sergeant, although actual 'sergeant' rank is " Byeong-jang ". This system is due to the Hanja or Sino-Korean origin of the names. M48 Patton 177.8 km (110.5 mi) The M48 Patton is an American first-generation main battle tank (MBT) introduced in February 1952, being designated as

1974-712: Is permanently garrisoned in the frontline near the DMZ . The current administration has initiated a program over the next two decades to design a purely domestic means of self-defense, whereby South Korea would be able to fully counter a North Korean attack. The ROK Army was formerly organized into 3 armies: the First Army (FROKA), the Third Army (TROKA), and the Second Operational Command, each with its own headquarters, corps, and divisions. The Third Army

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2068-572: Is to "Deter hostile acts of external aggression against the Republic of Korea by a combined military effort of the United States of America and the ROK; and in the event deterrence fails, defeat an external armed attack against the ROK." To accomplish this mission the CFC has operational control over more than 600,000 active-duty military personnel of all services, of both countries. In wartime this would expand to include some 3.5 million ROK reservists as well as additional U.S. forces deployed from outside

2162-533: The 90mm Gun Tank: M48 . It was designed as a replacement for the M26 Pershing , M4 Sherman , M46 and M47 Patton tanks, and was the main battle tank of the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps in the Vietnam War. Nearly 12,000 M48s were built, mainly by Chrysler and American Locomotive Company , from 1952 to 1961. The M48 Patton was the first U.S. medium gun tank with a four-man crew, featuring

2256-600: The Daewoo K11 , entered service in 2010. The overall concept of this weapon is more advanced to the American OICW , however its production has been halted and weapon discontinued in 2020 due to excessive issues involving its targeting component and the quality of ammunition, to focus on fixing the issues which have been quickly resolved. Inspection of military equipment in June 2021 found that 26% of components involving

2350-517: The Korean War when 3rd Infantry Division of the ROK Army first crossed the 38th Parallel , thus leading the UN coalition into North Korean territory for the first time. The National Security Guard of South Korea was originally formed out of the ROK Army. This organization was created during the United States-led occupation period from 1945 to 1948. The National Security Guard was initially

2444-752: The Newark Tank Plant in Newark, Delaware, in March 1951 to produce the M48 while Chrysler Defense Engineering and ARCOVE continued advanced production engineering (APE) to evolve the design using the T48 prototypes at the OTAC Detroit Arsenal. In May 1952 Chrysler agreed to take control of a Government-Owned and Contractor Operated (GOCO) basis of the Newark Tank plant production facility with

2538-517: The ROK Army or South Korean Army , is the army of South Korea , responsible for ground-based warfare. It is the largest of the military branches of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces with 365,000 members as of 2022 . This size is maintained through conscription : All able-bodied South Korean males must complete military service (18 months for the army, auxiliary police, and marines, 20 months for

2632-462: The T42 , T69 and T48 projects as well as continuing to pursue further improvements to the M47. Compromise was inevitable, but not always welcomed, as General Bruce C. Clarke ironically observed: "We know exactly what we want. We want a fast, highly mobile, fully armored, lightweight vehicle. It must be able to swim, cross any terrain, and climb 30 degree hills. It must be air-transportable. It must have

2726-848: The American M1A2 Abrams and the German Leopard 2A6 . The ROK Army is planning to field approximately 443 Black Panthers. In addition, the Republic of Korea manufactures the K-9 howitzer which has been exported to Turkey as the T-155 howitzer as well as the ZMA series TIFV's which saw action in UN peacekeeping operations ( PKO ) as part of the Malaysian peacekeeping forces. A variation of the K200,

2820-741: The Armor School at Fort Knox to train crewmembers and maintenance personnel. The Army concluded in January 1952 that the T42 had failed as a tank capable of combat in Europe against Soviet tanks and reached the same conclusion in November 1953 for the M48 Mod A versions. The M48A1 focused on improving the engine and the vehicle's operational range and fixing numerous mechanical problems. To cope with

2914-612: The Congress would not approve the procurement of the M48A2 after the fiscal year 1959. However, the ongoing T95 Tank Program was progressing slowly as its new technologies were being developed. Several ideas were proposed to replace the M48A2. General Bruce C. Clarke wrapped competing and even conflicting desires in irony, observing that "We know exactly what we want. We want a fast, highly mobile, fully armored, lightweight vehicle. It must be able to swim, cross any terrain, and climb 30-degree hills. It must be air-transportable. It must have

ROK/US Combined Forces Command - Misplaced Pages Continue

3008-647: The Deputy Chief of Staff, Logistics (DCSLOG) submitted a proposal for a tank based on the M48A2 featuring improved firepower and a compression ignition engine and started the design development of the XM60 in September 1957. The engine deck was redesigned with two large louvered doors that replaced the complicated grill work of the rear engine decks of the M48/M48A1 hull designs. This new rear hull arrangement on

3102-579: The Ground Operations Command in 2019. The army consists of 365,000 troops, approximately 2,200 tanks, 3,100 armored fighting vehicles, 5,600 artillery pieces, 60 guided missile systems, and 620 helicopters as of 2022. Main battle tank types include: 400 M48 Patton series and its upgrades such as the M48A3K, M48A5, and M48A5K, 33 Soviet T-80U and 2 T-80UK (given by Russia to pay off debt), as well as 1,511 K1A1 and K1 tanks, which bear

3196-638: The KAFVs can be retrofitted to bear a 90mm cannon, 40 mm grenade turret, M230-1 Chaingun Turret, or MK-30 Chaingun Turret. A replacement for the K200 series IFVs are currently being tested, designated as the K21 KNIFV (Korea Next Generation Infantry Fighting Vehicle), which will have various capabilities for both land and naval warfare. The initial production is set for 2008, with the ROK Army planning to field approximately 600 units. The K21 KNIFV's chassis will be constructed entirely out of fiberglass, reducing

3290-675: The Korean War, suffering enormous casualties and loss of equipment. As the Soviets had armed North Korea, the United States armed and trained the South Korean military throughout the Korean War. The Republic of Korea Army is structured to operate in both the mountainous terrain native to the Korean Peninsula (70% mountainous ) and in North Korea with its 950,000 strong Korean People's Army Ground Force , two-thirds of which

3384-638: The Light Tank M41 Walker Bulldog as the 76 mm Gun Tank M41 Walker Bulldog . The M47 Patton entered production in 1951 and was used by the United States Army and Marine Corps but ongoing technical and production problems kept it from serving in the Korean War . This forced the US to field older tank models, such as the M26 Pershing and M46 Patton . In response, the Army launched several design projects for

3478-513: The M2HB took up a great deal of space in the already cramped cupola's interior. Also due to restraints in the cupola, smaller 50 round ammunition boxes were used. Development of its eventual replacement, the T9/M19 cupola of the XM60 tank was continued into 1958 and some M19 cupolas were retro-fitted to M48A5s to allow for the use of IR and daylight periscopes by the commander. Chrysler began building

3572-588: The M47's M36/T119 90 mm rifled main gun could not consistently penetrate its frontal armor, even with special armor-piercing capped (APC) or HEAT ammunition. Work was performed to address this by developing the improved T300E53 HEAT ammunition and the T137 series of hypervelocity armor-piercing discarding-sabot (HVAP-DS or simply APDS) ammunition for the M36 gun. The new APDS round could penetrate 11.1 in (280 mm) of homogeneous steel armor, angled at 30 degrees, at

3666-504: The M48A1 (T48 Pilot #3) were further upgraded to the A2 hull design standard but retained their original 5 return roller configuration. The M48A2 hull design saw several modifications including a reduction from five to three return rollers per side. The suspension system was simplified, a more compact powerpack compartment and additional fuel cells, with large louvered grill access doors replaced

3760-548: The M48A1 was considered an even match for its Soviet counterpart, the T-54 and fielded to combat units in Europe. On 25 October 1954, the Army decided to amend its designation of the M48 tank. Thereafter, the tanks with the original Mod A hull design and the Chrysler-designed M1 remote-control machine gun mount attached to the tank commander's pop-up hatch would remain the 90mm gun tank M48. However, all those tanks with

3854-453: The M48A2 tank helped in cooling the engine and minimizing the infrared (heat) signature of the vehicle. The suspension system was simplified. The track tensioner arm was eliminated, modifications to the idler arm, the addition of bumper springs and friction snubbers, and a relocation of the air cleaner assembly. The number of return rollers was reduced to 3 per side. With the more compact AVI-1790-8 engine, additional fuel tanks were installed in

ROK/US Combined Forces Command - Misplaced Pages Continue

3948-416: The M5A2 ballistic drive and mechanical M13A3 gun data computer which integrated barrel temperature data with an M17 coincidence range finder. The rangefinder is a double image coincidence image instrument used as the ranging device of the gunner's primary direct sighting and fire control system. The gunner is provided with an M20 day periscope with a magnification of x8 and an M105D day telescopic sight with

4042-437: The Mod B hull (some production M48A1 tanks had the Mod B turret) and fitted with the new small turreted M1 cupola armed with a .50 caliber M2HB machine gun would be designated as the 90mm gun tank M48A1. M48A1 tanks with 5 return rollers and the ModB driver's hatch were modified to the M48A2 hull configuration. The hull's armor framing for the engine compartment was modified. In addition detachable headlights, armored boxes around

4136-421: The Optical Tracking, Acquisition and Ranging (OPTAR) rangefinder of the T95 continued into 1957. Another requirement of the T48 project was to explore the use of autoloaders for the main gun as they became available. Preliminary experiments with a loading system using the T48 turret were unsuccessful due to the limited space and the need to line up the breech with the loading system after each firing. It also

4230-451: The ROK. Despite the impression of total American control of the Republic of Korea's armed forces via the CFC, during peacetime the Korean units are wholly independent. Only during wartime would the Korean military come under the operational command of the CFC. ROK Army The Republic of Korea Army ( ROKA ; Korean :  대한민국 육군 ; Hanja :  大韓民國陸軍 ; RR :  Daehanminguk Yukgun ), also known as

4324-476: The T119 90mm main gun of the M47 Patton . The design study was accepted by the Army in December and a contract for the advanced production design and engineering (APE) of a 90mm armed tank was awarded to the Chrysler Defense. Hull redesign included moving the driver's station to the front center and removal of the bow-mounted machine gun and its associated crew station, which was converted to safe container storage for additional main gun ammunition. The front glacis

4418-490: The US Army Field Forces (AFF) declared the T42 medium tank unfit for production in November 1952, mainly due to serious shortcomings of its hull design. Ford's production of the M48 ended in August 1953 after a fire destroyed most of the Livonia Tank Plant. Testing and feedback from ARCOVE had uncovered the fact that the original driver's hatch design of the M48 Mod A hull's design (T48 pilots #1 and 2) tanks proved to be too small and made for an uncomfortable seating position for

4512-403: The US Army National Guard through 1968 and by many West German Army units through 1975. Numerous examples of the M48 saw combat use in various Arab–Israeli conflicts and the Vietnam War . Beginning in 1959, most American M48A1s and M48A2s were upgraded to the M48A3 model. The M48 Patton-series saw widespread service with the United States and NATO until it was superseded by the M60 tank . It

4606-407: The US Government and continue production design refinement of the T48 at the OTAC Detroit Arsenal. To meet the urgent need for tanks, production contracts were also awarded to General Motors Fisher Body Division (Grand Blanc Tank Plant) and Ford Motor Company (Livonia Tank Plant) to produce the tank in Michigan starting in April 1952. Also in July 1952 the Army awarded American Locomotive Company

4700-604: The Warrior Platform program for modernization of South Korean infantry is defective. On 1 December 2020, all subordinate regiments of each divisions in the Republic of Korea Army reorganized into brigades . As of July 2023, the Republic of Korea Army has 2 field armies , 6 corps , and 34 divisions . In officer ranks, " So " ( 少 ) equals lower; " Jung " ( 中 ) equals medium; " Dae " ( 大 ) equals higher. " Jun " ( 准 ) equals equivalent, used for warrant officer and 1 star generals to ensure that they are regarded as officers/generals, although these ranks are lower than

4794-404: The commander and loader. An additional three hulls were constructed (T48 pilots 4 through 6) in 1953. These tanks were used into 1955 for the component development of the M48A2 production tanks including fire control systems, turret cupolas, suspension configurations and powerpacks . At least one of these hulls was fitted with experimental silica glass composite armor panels. In conjunction with

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4888-403: The commander, gunner and loader were positioned in the turret and the driver stationed in the front center of the hull. The M48's turret consisted of a redesigned flat gun shield and standard pop-up hatch for the commander's station. The M48 Mod A turret design had smaller roof hatches for both the commander and loader. A .50 cal M2HB using a M1 remote control mount on a pedestal was available for

4982-417: The commander. When not in use, the machine gun mount could be stowed on a bracket welded to the turret roof in front of the loader. The M48's direct fire control system consisted of an M12/T41 stereoscopic rangefinder with a field of view of 5 degrees and magnification of x7.5, an azimuth indicator, an M20 gunner's periscope and a T13 super elevation actuator. Two main bearings are bolted to the mounting plate on

5076-431: The complicated grill work of the rear engine decks of the M48/M48A1 hull designs. This hull was used on newly constructed M48A2 and M48A3 tanks of the M48 series. The turret used for the M48 series was hemispherical in shape and was made from cast homogeneous steel. It had a flat gun shield and a standard pop-up styled hatch for the commander and an additional hatch for the loader's station. Early production Mod A models of

5170-422: The creation of integrating committees to coordinate tank and component development. These Army Combat Vehicle (ARCOVE) committees included military and industrial representatives who provided early warning of defects and recommended remedies. Testing trials of the T48 tanks began in February 1952 and continued until the end of 1955. However, the perceived immediate threat of Soviet aggression in Western Europe and

5264-402: The development of the T48 project there was some discussion regarding armor. The weight of conventional armored steel needed to provide protection against the emerging large-caliber high-velocity main guns and improved APDS kinetic energy penetrators was making its continued use impractical. Composite applique armor panels made with fused silica glass was envisioned to be fitted to the hull. It

5358-418: The driver when operating the tank with his hatch in the open position. To rectify this problem a new larger driver hatch was devised that was introduced into series production vehicles as early as possible. Also the driver's front vision block was removable and could be replaced with an infrared IR vision block. A redesigned power pack featured an AV-1790-7B gasoline engine and CD-850-4B transmission. The turret

5452-405: The driver. T48 Pilots #1 & 2 incorporated a mechanism that dropped the three periscope heads to provide clearance for the hatch door as it swung to the right, and the driver then had to reposition the periscopes by hand once the hatch was closed again. The vehicle did not have an NBC protection system for the crew and a fording depth of approximately 1.2 m (3.9 ft). It had a crew of 4;

5546-486: The engine compartment, increasing fuel capacity to 335 gallons. Many older model M48A1s were rebuilt to this production configuration but retained their original 5 return rollers per side. The M48A2C saw improvements for the turret implementing the Mod B turret design with larger hatches for the commander and loader. The M12 rangefinder was replaced with a full-field coincidence model along with an improved turret control system. The M13 Fire Control System (FCS) consists of

5640-424: The fielding of the remaining tanks. The Marines Corps however continued to use the M47 Patton . The M48A1's width proved too wide for many European tunnels, complicating rail transport. Operational readiness rates of M48-equipped units tended to be low. The tanks continued experiencing engine, transmission, track, and suspension problems, and the M12 stereoscopic rangefinder was uncomfortable to operate. However,

5734-475: The front glacis of rolled homogeneous steel. It had six roadwheel pairs per side and five return rollers, a torsion bar suspension system, and used T97E2 steel tracks. A new hemisphere-shaped turret eliminated the M47s noted shot traps and lowered the vehicle's height. T48 pilot #1 was constructed by Chrysler Engineering to begin testing at the OTAC Detroit Arsenal Test Center in December 1951. Six prototypes were built in all. On 27 February 1951, shortly after

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5828-433: The immediate replacement of the M48A2 as well as better quality control. Under the ARCOVE's "single, efficient producer" model, Defense Secretary Charles Erwin Wilson directed the Army to reduce the number of contractors producing each model of tank. In a new round of production bids for the M48A2, General Motors underbid Chrysler, and in September 1953 Army Secretary Robert T. Stevens awarded GM's Fisher Body division

5922-495: The lack of range, an add-on modification allowed the use of 4 external jettisonable 55 US gal (210 L) fuel drums of MOGAS (motor gasoline) that was mounted to the rear deck, extending the range to 135 mi (217 km). This proved very unpopular with tank crews and operational range remained unsatisfactory. Further ARCOVE changes included a desire for the commander to observe and operate his weapons station while remaining under armor protection. At this same time

6016-437: The modern battlefield. As of 2015, Turkey is the largest operator with over 750 units in service, Taiwan is second with approximately 500 upgraded variants, and Greece is third with 390 in service. After the conclusion of World War II , the United States Ordnance Tank-Automotive Command (OTAC) drastically slowed or canceled many tank development and design programs. On 7 November 1950, the Ordnance Technical Committee mandated

6110-413: The navy and conscripted firefighters, 21 months for the air force and social service, and 36 months for alternative service) between the ages of 18 and 35. The Republic of Korea Army traces its lineage back to the Gwangmu Reform , when the Pyŏlgigun was established by Emperor Gojong in 1881. The 1st of every October is celebrated in South Korea as Armed Forces Day . It commemorates the day during

6204-425: The new round of bidding. In September 1954 the Army awarded Chrysler an exclusive $ 160.6 million contract to restart production. In November 1955 the Army awarded American Locomotive Company a $ 73 million contract to begin producing 600 M48A2s the next year at the Schenectady Tank Plant, New York. However Alco opted to wrap up its tank business when its contract ended in July 1956. In May the Army awarded Chrysler,

6298-434: The ongoing Korean War impelled Army senior leadership to rush the T48 tank into series production before the inevitable bugs could be worked out of the new tank design. Instead, it was decided that any needed design changes uncovered by the continued testing and evaluation of the T48 tanks at the OTAC Detroit Arsenal Test Center would be incorporated into the M48 series production vehicles as quickly as possible. T48 pilot #1

6392-399: The only bidder, a $ 119 million contract to continue production of the M48A2 at the Delaware Tank Plant. In December 1955 Chrysler took on orders initially intended for the American Locomotive after Alco opted production cutbacks to its tank program and became the only manufacturer of the tank by the end of 1956. During the ARCOVE Questionmark III conference in June 1957 it was predicted that

6486-417: The outbreak of the Korean War , the Ordnance Technical Committee Minutes (OTCM) #33791 initiated the simultaneous production and design refinement of the new tank, designating the production tanks as the 90mm Gun Tank M48. The Army planned to produce some 9,000 M48s within three years of development. Chrysler Corporation became the principal producer of the tank. Expected production and teething troubles led to

6580-413: The roof of the tank turret to support the range finder on steel radial ball bearings. A parallel gun linkage between the gun trunnion and the range finder assures that the line of sight of the range finder reproduces the exact motion of the gun in elevation. A .30 caliber M1919E4 machine gun was coaxially mounted to the main gun's left and was operated by the gunner. An M12 full field optical range finder

6674-476: The same grade with " So " rank. " Wo " ( 元 ) equals principal, only used for Won-Su , General of the Army. Each of these is coupled with one of the following: " wi " ( 尉 ) equals company grade, " ryung " ( 領 ) equals field grade, and " jang " ( 將 ) equals general. NCO rank is similar to officer. " Ha " ( 下 ) equals lower; " Jung " ( 中 ) equals medium; " Sang " ( 上 ) equals higher; " Won " ( 元 ) equals principal, because this title

6768-455: The taillights, newly redesigned mudguards, an updated fuel delivery system and a tank infantry phone were added. The concurrent testing of the T48 and production of the M48 was the source of widespread debate among Congressional Budget Oversight committees. The Bureau of the Budget believed that the Army was not progressing with sufficient speed in its tank modernization program and recommended

6862-581: The tank commander to aim and fire his weapon while remaining under armor protection via a remote controlled M2HB machine gun, however the commander had to open the cupola hatch and expose his head to reload or service the machine gun due to the limited headroom. These cupolas had a small rearward opening hatch and a single, non-removable vision block. They were designed by Aircraft Armaments Incorporated . Because of its smaller turret roof hatch opening those M1 cupolas retro-fitted to early production M48 Mod A turrets used an adaptor ring. The M1E1 cupola design used

6956-405: The tank commander's weapon on a pedestal, which allowed him to fire the .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2HB machine gun from within the vehicle's turret. It used a 100-round ammunition box and could also be employed manually by the commander. However, servicing and reloading of the weapon required the tank commander to open his roof hatch and expose his head and upper torso. This remote-controllable mount

7050-486: The top of the rear deck. There was a dual compensating idler arm at the front, and dual auxiliary track tension wheels behind the last road wheels, using the T97E2 track assembly. The drive sprocket was located at the rear of the hull. Shock absorbers were mounted at the first two and last roadwheel arms. This hull design was manufactured for the original M48 and M48A1 versions of the M48 series. Many Mod B hull designs used for

7144-472: The turret had somewhat smaller diameter hatches. The gunner was provided with an M37 .30 cal machine gun with 5,900 rounds of ammunition. During WWII and the Korean War, most tanks used a direct sighting system where the gun sights and rangefinders were slaved directly to the gun's barrel but its long range accuracy depended upon the focusing abilities of the individual gunner. There are two basic types of optical rangefinders , stereoscopic and coincidence. With

7238-515: The turret. Pilot #3 was constructed in November 1952 and used the Mod B hull and turret designs with a simplified, larger diameter hatch that was easier for the driver to operate. Also the front vision block was removable and allowed for the future use of IR vision blocks by the driver. It also had 5 return rollers, 6 roadwheel pairs per side with the drive sprocket at the rear and a torsion bar suspension system. The Mod B turret also had larger hatches for

7332-606: The vehicle's load and enabling it to travel at higher speeds without bulky and powerful engines. When constructed, the NIFV will be lighter than other IFVs, including the American Bradley series and Russian BMP series, increasing both speed and payload. The ROK Army also fields the mobile K-SAM "Pegasus"(천마/天馬; Cheonma ), fitted with 8 missiles that fly at maximum speeds of Mach 2.6, and the K-30 " Biho " series, which features

7426-408: Was a dual compensating idler arm at the front, and dual auxiliary track tension wheels behind the last road wheels, as had the preceding M46 and M47 tanks. The M48 used the new 28 in (0.71 m) wide T97E2 track assembly. It had hydraulic shock absorbers mounted on the first, second and sixth roadwheel pairs (opposite of the M46 and M47). The bow mounted machine gun and its related crew station

7520-427: Was also desired that a turret be constructed using this special armor. The OTAC and Carnegie Institute of Technology began development of the armor in November 1952 at Fort Belvoir VA as Project TT2-782/51. This composite armor offered protection against HEAT, HESH , and HE rounds. Its overall slow development limited its use to the T48 and was dropped from consideration in the M48 by 1953, however its development

7614-478: Was continued with the T95 Medium Tank until 1958. There were two different hulls used for the M48 series. The M48 hull had a wedge-shaped front glacis compared to the M46's rather flat design. Early Mod A hulls had smaller diameter driver's hatches. The suspension consisted of six roadwheel pairs per side with a torsion bar suspension system and five return rollers. The engine exhaust vents were located on

7708-503: Was designated as the .50 Caliber Machine Gun Mount, M1 and designed by Chrysler Defense Engineering. By October 1954, the Army decided to amend the design of the tank by installing a cupola. During the production of M48s it was modified several times resulting in a wide mix of cupola styles among individual tanks. Afterwards it was renamed as the Cupola, Tank Commander's Caliber .50 Machine Gun, M1. The new tank commander cupola would allow

7802-657: Was designed and constructed by Chrysler Engineering to begin the APE design development at the OTAC Detroit Arsenal Test Center in December 1951. This tank was provisionally armed with the M36/T119 gun using a Y-shaped deflector and a muzzle brake. This gun was not used for production M48 tanks. It used the Mod A hull and turret designs with smaller diameter crew hatches. The driver's hatch incorporated

7896-588: Was dropped from consideration for use on the M48 but was further developed on the T69 tank as the 90 mm T178 gun. It was fitted with an eight-round auto-loader system mounted in an oscillating turret. ARCOVE also involved the Ordnance Department with the goal of improving the 90 mm gun and its ammunition. The Army expected difficulties in engagements with the Soviet IS-3 heavy tank , since

7990-399: Was eliminated thus providing more ammunition storage for the main gun. The driver's station was moved to the front center of the hull. The steering controls were redesigned. A large aircraft-styled steering wheel (replacing the wobble stick control of the M46 and M47) and placing the transmission range selector on the floor to the driver's right. Mod A hulls had a small oval overhead hatch for

8084-735: Was fitted with the M1 cupola that enclosed the M2HB machine gun. Cupolas fitted on those tanks with early production Mod A turrets used an adapter ring. In April 1953, the Army standardized this configuration as the 90mm Gun Tank M48A1 Patton and originally applied this designation to both the early Mod A hull design and the Mod B hulls currently in series production. Between April 1952 and December 1954, nearly 7,000 M48s and M48A1s were produced, with production contracts for an additional 2,500 tanks to be built through 1956. Army units in Europe immediately received 2,120 of these early M48A1 tanks, but correction of ARCOVE defects discovered after production delayed

8178-463: Was fitted with the T139/M41 90mm gun replacing the muzzle brake with a cylindrical blast deflector. A T-shaped deflector was used for production M48 tanks. This vehicle had two machine guns installed, a .30cal M1919E4 mounted coaxially to the left of the main gun and a .50cal M2HB mounted on the commander's cupola. The full image stereoscopic T46E1/M12 rangefinder was placed in the central section of

8272-453: Was found to be prone to snagging brush. It was replaced with a T-shaped model early in production. These early M48 tanks suffered from engine, transmission, track, and suspension problems. The first production vehicles suffered from excessive oil consumption and engine failures after only 1,000 mi (1,600 km). The gasoline engine managed only 0.33 mpg US (0.14 km/L), limiting range to 75 miles (121 km). The M12/T41 rangefinder

8366-640: Was reported by South Korean lawmakers that more than 58,000 out of 100,549 South Korean soldiers at the Korean Demilitarized Zone lacked body armor capable of protection from North Korean firearms. The possession of only 42,030 body armor sets leaves 58,519 soldiers without body armor, and only 3,147 of the 42,030 sets are capable of protection from the AK-74 , the standard assault rifle of the Korean People's Army . A new infantry rifle,

8460-663: Was responsible for the defense of the capital as well as the western section of the DMZ. The First Army was responsible for the defense of the eastern section of the DMZ whereas the Second Operational Command formed the rearguard. Under a restructuring plan aimed at reducing redundancy, the Second ROK Army was converted into the Second Operations Command in 2007, and the First and Third ROK Armies were merged as

8554-421: Was sloped to offer much better ballistic protection than former welded and rather flat designs. An aircraft style steering wheel (a yoke ) replaced lever steering. The power pack consisted of the Continental AV-1790-5B gasoline engine producing 704 brake horsepower coupled to an Allison CD-850-4A cross-drive transmission with 2 forward and 1 reverse ranges. The hull armor was increased to 4 in (100 mm) on

8648-548: Was too fragile and often broke. Army Field Forces (AFF) found these tanks to be unsuitable for combat use in Europe and was regulated to limited use by US Army CONUS units until numerous shortcomings were corrected. Furthermore, some 120 hulls were found to have insufficient hull armor protection. These were denoted as the M48C and relegated by the Continental Army Command (CONARC) for non-ballistic training use by

8742-466: Was used, the same as the M47. The tank was not fitted with any night fighting or computerized fire control systems. Some early production M48s used a Y-shaped blast deflector on the barrel and carried 53 rounds. Eight ready rounds were stored in the left side of the turret bustle for the loader, the rest were stored inside safe containers in the hull. Tank crews complained that the Y-shaped fume extractor

8836-528: Was widely exported. The tank's hull also became the basis for a wide variety of experimental, utility and support vehicles such as armored recovery vehicles and bridge layers. Some M48A5 models served into the mid-1980s with US Army National Guard units, and M48A3s were used as targets for weapons and radar testing into the mid-1990s. Many M48s remain in service in countries other than the US. Most of these have been modified and their firepower, mobility and protection upgraded to increase their combat effectiveness on

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