New armoured concepts

Inspired by theRATTE thread and Planemans older aircraft design threads, i started to wonder if people would have new ideas for armoured vehicles, for modern battlefields.

My concept vehicle is based on M1A2 Abrams, using it's engine and suspension. Vehicle has a five man crew with 3 gunners, driver and commander. It could be classified as a armored assault/firesupport vehicle.





Armament:
3x20mm automatic cannon in an overhead weapons stations
1x120 Patria Nemo Mortar, capable of firing all 120mm mortar ammunition. Including top attack ATGMs and GPS/Laser guided munitions.

Additionally it has an elevated sensor mast for fire control purposes.


NEMO

Patria Nemo
• Compact, unmanned turret
• High rate of fire
• Direct fire capability
• Fire-on-the-move capability (naval version)
• Rapid deployment
• Modular ballistic protection against infantry weapons and splinters
• NBC and muzzle blast protection
• Low carrier loads
• Large on-board ammunition supply
• Compatible with all standard 120 smoothbore mortar ammunition
as well as smart guided ammunition
• Full 360° traverse without limitations
Nemo Characteristics
Turret
• Weight 1500 kg
• Traverse range n x 360°
• Elevation range -3° - +85°
• Laying system electrical / manual back-up
automatic aiming
• Crew unmanned turret
2-3 in chassis compartment
• Ammunition carrier dependent
(total on-board) typically 50-60 rds
Armament
• Mortar 120 mm smoothbore
• Barrel length 3000 mm
• Loading system electrical, semi-automatic
• Recoiling system hydro-pneumatic
• Secondary armament machine gun
smoke launchers
Performance
• Time to open fire < 30 sec
• Time to scoot < 10 sec
• Max. rate of fire 10 rds / min
• Sustained rate of fire 7 rds / min
• First 3 rounds 12 sec
• Range +10 km
• Multiple Rounds
Simultaneous Impact
(MRSI) up to 6 rds

M1A2 Performance:

Max Speed: 41.5 MPH
Horsepower: 1500 shp
HP per Ton: 21.8
Acceleration: 0 to 20 in 6.2 sec
Grade (Ascend): 60%
Vertical Obstacle: 49 Inches
Ditch: 108 Inches
Ground Clearance: 19 in
Fording: 48 in
Range: 298 Miles

As the NEMO turret + 3x20mm OWS are conciderably lighter than the M1A2s original 120mm turret, the vehicle can be uparmoured to a new standard making it impervoius to most AT weapons.

With networked command and communications a force of these vehicles can operate syncronously in all terrain, while cross-providing fire support to each other.

Bigger images

[edit on 28-4-2008 by northwolf] Spelling

[edit on 28-4-2008 by northwolf]

[edit on 28-4-2008 by northwolf]

whats the plow for? it looks like it would make it less versatile because its treads wouldn't be able to crush things.

it also looks pretty heavy on the amour. the militaries of today are aiming for a lighter and quicker attack style...

i think the future will be CUAV's, light land drones (small) and smart bombs that will aid the human soldiers.

Plow is for clearing obstacles and preparing routes for lighter vehicles. It's hydraulic and it can be lifted up.

This vehicle has the same performance as M1 Abrams, so its speed is decent on roads and good in cross country.

I'm very sceptical about the US concept based on light wheeled platforms. Simply based on my on experience with 6x6 APCs, they are good in some duties, but in an all out combat... you need something that can take a few hits and still provide you with fire support.

Nice COncept model...


Here are the Draw-backs that i see...

1. No evident battle role- This would be a medium armored vehical, inbetween a Tank and a Hummer... The armor would make it inpenitrible to small arms fire... but migh still be vunarable against other hevily armored vehicals that have more fire-power...

2. The Motor seems out of place... what purposes would a vehical mounted Motor be... would a couple gernade launchers be better... or is the Motar for Long-range purposes... (10km on a motar is VERY NICE...)

3. The low speed of the Vehical... ABout 40 MPH is just too slow... I belive even the M1-Abrahams is faster then that.. Also, because it is on treads, the mobitliy of the Vehical is lowered as well...

4. The PLow i am assuming would be custimizible... or at least attachable... or mabye having similar skirts on all sides of the vehical...





Overalll: This Prototype could be valuable in City warfare. Having full sized Tanks moving thru cities is klunky, and Hummers are not tough enough for the city... The vehicals would be able to fire in a 360 degree area. This would be a front line clearing vehical... one that could clear the roads of damaged vehicals and other garbage.


M1's and Hummers would still rule to open battlefeild, but this would be VERY useful in City warfare... being able to take most small arms fire, it sould be able to take the role of the HUmmer in the city...

Few clarifications, this vehicle is more heavily armoured than most MBTs. So it's really a tank with 3 turrets and a mortar.

NEMO mortar is capable of firing to point blank distaces and it can be used to fire rapid 7-round "burst" in direct fire with either HE or HEAT rounds, making it a potent short range weapon in addition of its fire support abilities.

Plow is of course detachable and i mostly added it for a meaner look

Speed is slow, but then again humvees and wheeled APC are not that fast in debris or cross country, trust me i've ridden them enough. Stated speed is one thing, real movement is another.

It just seems very under-armed to be clasified as a Tank... unless that Motar is God-like...


I would Love if there was more room inside the vehical also... If this were to be made, and used in Urban Warfare, it SHOULD be able to carry some men to exit the vehical , and fight on foot to clear houses...


If it ALSO carried 6 Marines as well as te Crew, that would be amazing...


What Program did you make this with???

The Russians have developed a similar concept, the BMP-T, based on their experience in Chechnya at the hands of anti-armor teams operating in urban environments. The BMP-T is based on a modified T-72 chasis, and utilizes twin 30mm cannon, machine gun, and missile armament, as opposed to a heavy mortar/ cannon.
I like your turreted mortar concept a bit better than the BMP-T weapons layout, as I think you get a more versatile platform, however, the proposed multiple turrets have historically been found to not work out so well in actual use. Perhaps a Mk 44 30mm in a redesigned main turret with the mortar? And maybe a twin Javelin armored missile pod on the side of the turret similar to the Bradley IFV to give you some limited direct fire anti-armor capability?
There's a lot of development in 30mm air bursting ammunition for anti-personnel, and the 120mm PGM rounds should be rolling out soon for precision engagements, as well as general 120mm HE for direct fire anti-structure applications.
I like the dozer blade add on as well. Why call for engineer support to either dig you in, or mitigate road blocks? Good force multiplier. A full width mine plow option might be nice too.

I think the next step is a MBT escort, with the same chassis as your MBT but instead of a gigantic turret you have a VLS system able to engage enemy armor BVR and provide fire support for infantry who are lasing/gps targeting bunkers and other positions that need more pop than a HMG.

Give it a crew served weapons system turret with an appropriately sized bushmaster for close in, light armor or putting ducks in the dirt.

Bonus points if it has it's own drone for targeting.

Looks like the last placed entry in an etch-a-sketch contest for 5 year olds

I'm thinking that an armored escort vehicle might be a good idea. You know, something to send alongside HMMWV's. Think an updated M551 Sheridan with reactive armor, a better gun (as the 152mm Shillelagh was unimpressive), maybe a GAU-8 or a pair of 40mm autocannons.

I always liked the idea of armoured vectored thrust vehicles, aka Thunderbirds. Imagine a tank with low-altitude flying capabilities. The sucker would be a gas guzzler. But then tanks and fighter jets are already gaz guzzlers. Military applications for a tank on vectored thrust would be crazy. Firepower and armor of a tank with the maneuverability and speed of a chopper. That would kick arse. Plus, if Thunderbirds ever become a reality, technology might allow the mounting of a railgun.

Sorry, I can not find any online pictures for Thunderbirds. So use your imagination.