Armored Fighting Vehicles version M4 - are we going with that? Sure, man.

[Matti]

Nowadays they let the wheelies carry the ATGMs... AMX-10 with MMP missiles, prototype

That looks more like a wheeled tank. I understand it isn't one anymore than Cougar MRAP is an armoured car.

[grimlock1]

Presumably no shot, and I wouldn't be surprised if they "salted" it a bit with extra paper and other flammable materials.

Plus, it's friggin' 64-pounder! That's a lot of powder!

The "pounder" nomenclature was the weight of the projectile, specifically, solid round shot, right?  What happened with the switch to ogive tipped shells?

[ColBosch]

The "pounder" nomenclature was the weight of the projectile, specifically, solid round shot, right?  What happened with the switch to ogive tipped shells?

Not quite. "Pounder" refers to the weight of a hypothetical perfect sphere of iron at the diameter of the gun's barrel. It's a similar measurement to a shotgun's "gauge." So, while these guns did fire cannonballs that weighed (in this case) 64 lbs. for most of their history, the system of measurement could still be used as more-advanced shells came into service.

[kato]

That looks more like a wheeled tank. I understand it isn't one anymore than Cougar MRAP is an armoured car.

That's the demonstrator for the unmanned Nexter T40M turret. They just put it on a AMX-10RC to have a platform for firing trials. For sales exhibitions (Eurosatory, IDEX etc) it has also been mounted on a VBCI and a Patria AMV, both 8x8 vehicles.

The T40 will be mounted in a modified (manned) version on the successor vehicle for the AMX-10RC, i.e. on EBRC Jaguar. That one uses a elevatable 2-round MMP launcher. The T40M shown simply has mockup launchers for other missiles (HOT or TOW) instead.

Besides the AMX-10RC the Jaguar will also replace the VAB Mephisto with its elevatable 4-round HOT launcher:

[Kidd]

VAB Mephisto with its elevatable 4-round HOT launcher:

Cold War chills  :D

[Dave Talley]

I realize it's just a test vehicle, but that open spot where the launcher was bugs  me

[kato]

I realize it's just a test vehicle, but that open spot where the launcher was bugs  me

That VAB? That's the genuine article in use since 1976.

It's not really a hole in the roof but a recess which the launcher can fold down into. The interior of the vehicle is separated from this recess through armor.

This is what it looks like from the inside - those two hatches with the numbers are for accessing the launcher for reloading under armor.


Note: the vehicle was actually cleared for that photo. Usually there's a seat for the loader in the center in the back, you can see the mount points for that on the floor. Those arms with the hinges either side hold the missiles for the loading process. A HOT missile weighs around 25 kg. The launcher itself is in the "down" position in this picture.

[Kidd]

does the poor chap get a lungful of missile exhaust when those hatches are opened?

[kato]

Only if they fired the launcher in the down position... which they wouldn't.

[Matti]

deleted

[Orin J.]

nice to know style still counts for something, i feel the curtains really tie the whole thing together.  ;D too bad they didn't leave an energy drink in there for scale, i'd have liked to have gotten a proper understanding of how badly they're getting crammed in there in the thing.

[kato]

Seats in the centerline mounted (one for loader, one for launcher operator). The loader's seat (rear) can be turned 360°.

Right side missile loading system extended in loading position, left side folded back against side wall to increase available space for occupants. Each of those loading arms mounts a pair of missiles on top and another on the bottom, with the loader able to just flip it over to load the other side.



View from the loader's seat, with right-side missile loading arm in the folded-back position and missiles mounted. The cans that you see on the wall in the crawlspace towards the front are ammo cans for the machine gun on the commander's hatch. 3,500 rounds.

P.S. Note industrial-design joystick for the launcher operator to remotely move the launcher.



For demonstration - missiles on left side mounted, loading arm in loading position, hatch to launch recess opened for insertion (launcher is in the up position though), right side loading arm folded back, loader's seat turned 180° to the back, wooden slats on floor to prevent sliding:



People for scale; in my opinion - from experience in similar other vehicles - the VAB has a relatively high interior:

[MoneyLovinOgre4Hire]

Only if they fired the launcher in the down position... which they wouldn't.

Do the missiles intended to be fired by that launcher have a minimum arming distance that would prevent them from detonating in the event that someone somehow managed to disarm all the safety systems that would keep the launcher from firing in the down position?

[kato]

HOT only arms the fuze of the HEAT warhead once the guidance wire is unrolled for 50m distance from the launcher. Can't really tamper with that either as the missile is a fully encapsulated round that launches from its sealed transport container.

[HobbesHurlbut]

https://thearmoredpatrol.com/2018/05/09/2018-victory-day-parade-video/

That Uran 9 is such an adorable killbot.

[ANS Kamas P81]

Holy crap, it's TANK-E!

[Orin J.]

https://thearmoredpatrol.com/2018/05/09/2018-victory-day-parade-video/

That Uran 9 is such an adorable killbot.

Got to admit russia makes a neat looking cannon though.

[grimlock1]

https://thearmoredpatrol.com/2018/05/09/2018-victory-day-parade-video/

That Uran 9 is such an adorable killbot.

Anyone else find it odd that the drones couldn't be trusted to drive themselves down the street?

[Daryk]

Not at all... In Soviet Russia, YOU drive the robot!  :D

[Failure16]

Well, to be fair, no one wants an ED-209 moment in the middle of a Victory Day Parade.  It's embarrassing.

[Kidd]

New French EBRC Jaguar recon vehicle showing off its MMP launcher... the thing looks top heavy dunnit?

[DoctorMonkey]

actually, my first thought was that it has terrible ground clearance

[Sabelkatten]

Very active suspension, I think. Look inside the front wheel.

[kato]

It doesn't look that much worse than with the ERC-90 that it replaces - that one had around 34 cm depending on how the wheels were inflated at default suspension height.

[I am Belch II]

The Stryker with the 30mm turret looks also top heavy to me also.

[Fat Guy]

And yet more top heavy...

[beachhead1985]

And yet more top heavy...

There seem to be no limits wheeled AFV companies will accept in terms of high centre of gravity and high ground pressure.

[ColBosch]

Oh hey, that was supposed to be my ride, except I got out before we were ever actually issued them. Actually, I think that photo is quite specifically the MGS I would've been driving. I can see what appears to be a 2/2 CAV identifier, but can't make out the troop/vehicle, but I have found pictures of the very vehicle I would've been assigned.

I'm not sad that I never got to drive it.

[Kidd]

There seem to be no limits wheeled AFV companies will accept in terms of high centre of gravity and high ground pressure.

The Boxer IFV variant recently ordered by the Australian Army is practically the upper limit - its 35 tons and can't fit in any aircraft smaller than the Airbus A400M. IIRC they conducted a study of IFVs worldwide and this is the max weight and dimensions a wheeled vehicle can get, once you hit the ~40 ton mark going tracked is better.

That is, within the current limits of technology. They can only reach these weights in the first place due to advances in wheel and suspension tech.

[Feenix74]

I understand that the Boxer will fit in a C-5 or an An-124 (see photo below when they airlifted out here to Aus)