Pionierpanzer AY2-AVEE 'Hindenburg'
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Introduction
The Pionierpanzer AY2-AVEE (English: Combat Engineering Tank AY2-AVEE) or more commonly known as the PiPz AY2-AVEE, is the primary combat engineering tank of the Yohannesian Wehrmacht (Defence Forces). The AY2-AVEE utilises a modified AY2 chassis and is based of the state-of-the-art Pz.Kpf.W AY2-1E Panthera Tigris.
The AY2-AVEE, which stand for the AY2 Armoured Vehicle Engineering E-series, was designed to be equipped with a short-barreled Halstenmetall 170mm AY5D demolition gun, specifically developed with the full purpose of demolishing ground obstacles, such as large accumulation of bricks, opposing walls, tactical roadblocks, bunkers, and various other logistical boundaries and/or field barriers within its main gun's range. Included with the main gun is its utilisation of a land mine clearing rake, and if need be, a bulldozer device.
Beside these changes, the AY2-AVEE maintained the E variant's Adversus and Hauberk armour layout, thus maintaining the excellent all-around protection trait and well-armoured characteristic of the Panthera Tigris. The Forza FB-12TSD propulsion and 8GDCT automated double clutch transmission systems of the Panthera Tigris was also kept, alongside its VLT HPVS-MBT hydropneumatic active suspension system, thus allowing the AY2-AVEE to maintain the excellent mobility of the Panthera Tigris.
Primary Armament
The AY5M 170mm HVDE (high velocity demolishing gun) is a high velocity, multiple projectory short barrelled, obstacle barrier demolishing version of the AY2-E1's AY5M gun, which utilised solely its 35 HESH (High explosive squash head) rounds, mainly utilised against opposing ground obstacles, such as large accumulation of bricks, opposing walls, tactical roadblocks, bunkers, and various other logistical boundaries and/or field barriers within its range of approximately up to 2,800 metres.
The AY5M and its 170mm HESH rounds were developed by the VMK Bureau of Procurement and Technological Research within its 1990 programme regarding a possible combat engineering, ground demolishing intensive modification, of the previous AY5M gun. The existing Royal Ordnance L9 165mm gun was another option, although its failed voting result and popularity within the circle of the VMK R&D Division, sealed the deal in finality towards the incorporation of its Halstenmetall counterpart. Following the E/G model’s successful export production, Halstenmetall AG has decided to design a modified version of its AY5M gun; a high velocity short barrelled version towards the upcoming combat engineering and support vehicular variant of VMK AG.
The 170mm AY5M incorporate the utilisation of high velocity jet teamed up with a fixed volume of active slurry energy. The combination is fired within its propellant combustion phase, which will then be fired in multiple projectory shot towards the vehicle’s target, preferably that of obstacles such as walls, bunkers, piles of blocking materials, hard fences, obstacle trenches, and in some cases, light ground formation of infantries and light armoured vehicles, although operation against the latter has been proven to be relatively ineffective.
The AY5M is best utilised against opposing boundaries and barriers, where the demolishing, high velocity nature of the gun can be operated to its full effect. As described previously, the AY5M demolished its opposing target of barriers by virtue of the gun's active energetic slurry, high velocity, multiple projectory initiations, which is released at its initial first targeted shot. Active energetic slurry of the round will then expand the penetration inflicted upon its targeted surface area, whilst simultaneously act as a high pressure shock initiation and hot gasses generator towards the targeted structure.
For the AY5M HVDE, HMX will be used as the source of energetic slurry, and will be separated from the projectile, with a mixture of aluminium incorporated to maximise the possibility of its reaction with that of the active slurry energy. It is separated from the gun's propellant by a polyethylene barrier (which may be utilised with the addition of other plastic materials) in-between the slurry combination and the propellant.
The HESH round element will then react with the energetic slurry to establish a stronger, expanded explosion upon impact, and the projectile will then split into multiple fragmentary pieces upon the firing phase, to further maximise the lethality of the gun upon impact. The original propellant combination of the AY5M is also kept towards this modified short-barrelled version.
Beside the AY5M HDVE, the AY2-AVEE is also primarily equipped with its signature, vertically rectangular shaped-rotary mine clearing rake blade and obstacle bulldozer, which can be utilised to clear any unwanted ground buried and surface minefield away from the vehicle's path. Once taken, it will then be disposed within its attached vertically moldboard plow.
Working in tandem with the primary demolition gun system is that of the vehicle's signature piggyback pods rear-mounted Longbow-III Y Missile System.
Longbow-III Y; Finns retracted, extended and piggyback.
The Longbow Missile system was developed as part of the Archer Programme of missile development (See Crossbow IV-Y introduction), to compliment the missile as an additional optional piggyback system for vehicles in use in Alfegos. The more successful of the three designs to begin with, the Longbow was used extensively with the Type 440 motorised Rocket Artillery system, as a very effective and devestating system against infantry, particularly in moderately dense terrain.
The current incarnation, Longbow-III, draws on advances made by the other two missile families in the production of an effective anti-infantry system, removing the advantage of cover that is provided to infantry, and increasing the lethality of armoured vehicles sporting the device. The export version, licenced under the UFPR (Unlimited Foreign Production Rights) Contract of VMK-AG/Alfegos Aeronautics Consortium, is the Longbow III-Y, is designed for optimal integration into packages designed by VMK-AG and used in the military of Yohannes.
The Longbow III-Y is based around the common missile frame used for the Archer series of missiles (Crossbow, Scorpion and Longbow). As such, it is of the same calibre as the other units, allowing a relatively common mounting system to be employed. The Longbow Missile, as a cluster munition, is the heaviest and largest of the three systems, and uses the longest of piggyback pods to mount onto vehicles.
The piggyback pod system is revolutionary in allowing multiple missile types to be ported by almost any armoured vehicle - for example, an MBT could protect itself with a dedicated SAM pod, and a light truck could easily be rapidly modified to carry ATGM systems to target threats to a convoy.
The system relies on an interface computer in the pod, that interprets and produces universally recognised I/O functions to and from the vehicle's onboard computer and the missile itself, allowing a single control interface for secondary or tertiary armaments to control a wide variety of different systems. The pod communicates via an existing external port to save additional damage to vehicle hulls (for example, an external machinegun mount), and is physically mounted in such a way as to not cause interference with other onboard systems.
The warhead units for the Longbow missile are varied, allowing the missile to be deployed in multiple scenarios against targets. The main two deployed warheads are cluster-type munitions, using multiple submunitions for target destruction. Against infantry, fragmentation warheads provide greatest destructive radius, with multiple smaller munitions providing a greater effective area than a single large warhead.
- Type M-S4A
Submunition type M-S4A is a 550g fragmentation submunition. The unit is designed for airburst, with an electric ground-proximity fuse (combined with redundant impact fuse) triggering an internal 200g charge of RDX. Surrounding this is a 280g fragmentation jacket layered internally with small shrapnel, producing a unit with an effective lethal radius of about 25 metres, and an injury radius of up to 80 metres.
This munition, the heavier of the two available, is mainly intended for use in denser areas (such as forestry blocks, rainforest and urban environments). The munition is effective against light-skinned vehicles. The munition is cylindrical in shape, fuse pointing downwards when deployed, the idea to produce a large amount of lateral shrapnel. This also allows easier packing of the submunitions.
Additionally, the cavity formed by the proximity fuse serves to shape the charge partially, producing a downwards jet targeted to those in dead ground or in the prone position. In all, the missile can carry 72 of these submunitions, arranged in cross-sections of 10 within the main body of the warhead, reduced as the warhead tapers at front and rear. - Type M-S2A
Submunition type M-S2A is a 270g fragmentation submunition. The unit is designed for airburst, with an electric ground-proximity fuse (combined with redundant impact fuse), which triggers an internal 100g charge of RDX. The 100g shrapnel jacket surrounding the device produces a lethal radius of about 10 metres, and an injury radius of up to 40 metres.
The device is designed for use in areas with low cover (open terrain), or moderately dense terrain that requires saturation with cluster munitions. The munition can be effective against vehicles if a direct hit is obtained. The munition is cylindrical, and 135 of these munitions can be carried in the warhead in cross-sections of 10.
The missile is also able to port an incendiary warhead. Against infantry, whilst inhumane and unjustifiable from an ethical standpoint, a large incendiary acts as a powerful demoraliser, able to break enemy advances with ease (especially in the case of human wave attacks). In thick cover, incendiaries rapidly remove the cover and flush out hiding men, as well as denying that cover in future.
The warhead can also be useful at denying material to the enemy. On the other hand, such applications are not as commonly required as for those missiles with cluster warheads. The warhead also allows rapid clearance of buildings, above all wooden-framed buildings. - Type M-S9C
The incendiary warhead (submunition type M-S9C) contains white phosphorous contained within submunitions. Each 140g submunition contains approximately 100g of phosphourous. Approximately 215 (depending on packing, plus or minus one or two) are packed within the warhead, each armed with a light impact detonator to break open the submunition and spread the incendiary.
Finally, there is the option of having a single fragmentation warhead fitted to the missile. The warhead of mass 45kg contains 35kg of explosives, with a large amount of steel and lead shrapnel surrounding the warhead unit. The warhead is armed with a ground proximity fuse and redundant impact fuse, the main aim being to detonate approximately 12 metres above the ground.
The single warhead has an effective lethal radius of more than 200 metres against infantry, and at ranges of up to 50 metres can gain soft kills on lightly armoured vehicles. A direct hit would similarly be significant against heavier armour and structures. This option is rarely taken, due to the low area of effect and lack of need to target light-skinned vehicles directly.
All cluster munitions are scattered at altitude by a combined guidance system that ensures a controlled spread pattern (as desired on launch) over a target zone. With the aimed use as an area of effect weapon, the missile utilises a GPS guidance system with location given via the launching vehicle before firing. When fired, two parameters are required as input - the desired area of effect (for cluster warheads), and desired centre point for the aimed cluster weapon. Upon input of this information, the missile computer determines a flight path, and scatter altitude.
At scatter point, the missile computer operates a small explosive charge to burst open the containing section of the warhead at the tip and base. A secondary charge within the warhead base throws the submuntions out in a spread pattern, with height determining the size of the spread.
It was found that, as an inevitable result of the stacking of submunitions, an annular pattern appears over the target area, with areas of increased saturation within the target zone. However, it is seen that this counters the risk of detonators not working within the submunitions, and allows a greater number of submunitions to be deployed to bombard the target area.
The missile, as a result of the larger warhead, ports a larger rocket engine. The engine is not an off-the-shelf Er'sui Heavy Industry unit, instead being tailor made for the rocket. However, the vast bulk order of the system (particularly for MLRS and airship aims in saturation bombardment) countered the increase in price. The engine is a standard polymer-bound solid fuel rocket, controlled via wire by graphite exhaust vanes. The entire system is stabilised by self-deploying fins, allowing a more controlled flight to the dispersal area without risk of tumbling (which would affect the scatter, producing a tighter group).
The Longbow-III in Fegosian configuration was first deployed in mass during the Cynacia conflict, against a well armed foe, via MLRS and airships.
This was however the first conflict to see Longbow-III missiles in a mass role aboard armoured vehicles not dedicated as Artillery roles. Whilst the overwhelming majority of Longbow-III missiles were deployed via airship (with 349 of the 1041 fired via airship utilised in a 2 minute "shock and awe" bombardment by the AAS Thunderflash Consul-class Aerocruiser, which alongside Scorpion missiles and a couple assorted cruise missiles saw the effective annihilation of the forces occupying Cynacia City), and by MLRS (398 fired).
However, 144 missiles were fired by units operating piggyback units. Whilst kills attributed to the weapons were difficult to assess (due to the movement of injured/killed personnel by forces, or difficulty in determining cause of death), commanders of platoons and companies equipped with these weapons reported that:
- Longbow missiles worked exceptionally well in forcing infantry into hard cover areas that could consequently be targeted by heavier munitions, breaking enemy front lines.
- A single missile can be effective in breaking an enemy advance over a 200 metre front.
- The missiles complimented the direct fire abilities of IFVs and APCs equipped with machineguns and autocannons, and particularly aided the attached infantry units.
- The missiles, if fired as a battery, were very capable of providing sudden and well-needed "backup" artillery support in the event of no artillery, air support or infantry mortars being available in sufficient quantity.
- Launch failure rate: 2/144
- Guidance failure rate: 1/144
- Scatter failure rate: 8/135
- Submunition failure rate: 16%
- Length: 2010mm
- Diameter (Body): 205mm
- Finspan: 870mm
- Mass: 42kg + Warhead
- Cluster Frag. - Heavy: 83kg
- Cluster Frag. - Light: 79kg
- Cluster Incendiary: 73kg
- Fragmentation: 88kg
- Engine: Solid Fuel
- Velocity: Mach 1.9
- Range: 22km
- Warhead & AoE:
- Cluster; 72x 550g - 50m to 400m radius
- Cluster; 135 x 270g - 50m to 400m radius
- Cluster Incendiary; 215 x 140g - 25m to 300m radius
- Fragmentation, 45kg - Single warhead
- Guidance: GPS/Barometric
- Operating Temperatures: -55 to +90 degrees
- Submunitions:
- M-S4A: 51mm x 132mm; 550g; RDX/Frag - Prox/Impact
- M-S2A: 51mm x 69mm; 270g; RDX/Frag - Prox/Impact
- M-S9C: 41mm x 150mm; 140g; WP - Impact
Additional Armaments
Additionally, the AY2-AVEE comes with one Ignatz-Ewald 12.7mm AY14-HMG (2,400 rounds) and eight multipurpose smoke-capable, fragmentary firing grenade launchers on both the surrounding left and right side of the turret with a capability to engage opposing infantries and support personnel within the vicinity of the tank.
With a field of firing range of over 2,800 metres and 570 rounds per minute rate of firing, the Ignatz-Ewald 12.7mm AY14-HMG heavy machine gun was conceptualised as a vehicle mounted machine gun, although it can still be utilised by ground infantries, but are nonetheless deemed as ineffective in such a role, a negative side-effect of its heavy weight of approximately 50 kilograms.
The AY14-HMG is utilised by virtue of its recoil system, which incorporate a double sliding piece chamber together with a fixed barrel. Its barrel extension, which utilised a systematic special holding cavity, will then be filled with the chamber’s left and right operations, with the left side operating as an ejector and the right side operating as the round’s main support.
The right side is also attached by an arched camming initiation which operates as a control and ejection accelerator, towards the chamber. The slide utilised as both the extractor and ejector mean is attached to the recoil spring, and is initiated as the round’s selection primary function, which of course, can be utilised as the round’s extraction system as well.
The chamber’s second half is initiated as the accelerator of the round’s progress, and as a feeding belt mean to link it with one another within its cycle. A selector firing pin will then ignite once the process is completed, and this cycle will start all over again.
The cycle’s force is acquired from the motion in which the round is pushing itself against the operating holder, and pressurise both the two sides together up until the pressure is lowered to a sufficiently safe level. This will then allow both of the halves to be motioned back again. The accelerating role is seized by the cammed side, which will then fling the other side back together with it. Used rounds are ejected down, or to the left and right side, optionally to be chosen by each individual operating the gun.
The gun’s feed mechanism can also be motioned towards both side, with as little changes to its operation as possible, thereby increasing the gun’s effectiveness in terms of manpower and time cost. The aforementioned operation is considered to be quiet heavy in practicality, although the reason it was chosen was due to the fact that it generates an increasing rate of accuracy of the fixed barrel, and also will generate timesaving operation for a quick change of barrel.
This moderately heavy barrel is utilised both to optimise surface area and decrease the operation cooling period and heat dispersion initiation. A front forward grip is also utilised and fixed to act as assistance towards the barrel’s change operation. It is also used to remove the need of protecting arm glove utilisation.
A dual trigger mechanism is utilised towards the AY14-HMG, consequently requiring both of the triggers’ depressing method operation to allow for the first shot initiation. However, automatic firing operation will be sustained throughout the rest of the gun’s utilisation with only a single trigger, which will henceforward allow for a better energy saving of manpower, whilst simultaneously and drastically increasing the gun’s safeties level.
The sixteen smoke-firing and laser detection countermeasure aerosol capable general purpose grenades' conceptualisation was a result of the VMK Bureau's additional requirement of an additional armaments allocation and all-around camouflage protection intensive battle systems to further reinforce its corresponding vehicle's safetiness within its field of engagement.
It utilise the procurement of an invisible-purposed, fast burning and slow burning charged smoke shell to cover the vehicle's presence from hostile fire when deemed as needed necessarily. As do of most existing smoke grenade's usage, the associated armoured fighting vehicle will then be protected by a partial smoke screen envelopment in-between the associated vehicle itself, and that of the opposing entity's line of fire.
By utilising the rapid establishment of the surrounding thick wall of smoke layers, vehicle's three crews would be able to establish a fairly effective means of secondary prevention and camouflage method against the enemy's general abilities to project any of its available power projectile threats against the vehicle, and to further maintain the smoke layers' length of time considerably in durational terms.
The process was done by utilising two smoke emitting, partial charging, differing reactionary and emitting rate, smoke shells. The VMK Bureau of Procurement and Development discovered that the condition in which a longer duration of length the discharged smoke would engulfed and therefore, screened its corresponding armoured fighting vehicle, would be achieved by expelling whilst burst charging the aforementioned smoke shell simultaneously.
The result is an approximate slow burning time of 200 seconds after firing.
Electronics
As in the case of commonality most associated with the Yohannesian Wehrmacht, the exact characteristic can be found upon the AVEE variant of the AY2 series of tanks.
The AY2 and its variants' fire control system is that of the Yohannesian AYTRACK advanced fire control system, following the VMK Bureau of Procurement and Development's tradition, and is in all its application an equal, if not more than a match, in comparison of the heavier AY1-1L's AYTRACK fire control system and electronics. AYTRACK as its associated networking and sensory system was conceptualised and developed by the VMK Bureau of Development and Technological Research Committee to provide state-of-the-art Yohannesian armoured fighting vehicles with the ability to engage hostile mobile target flawlessly whilst on the move, and thereby increasing the vehicle's power projectile accuracy and capability's scope of operation effectiveness and ability within its immediate field of tactical surrounding.
With the seemingly unending and ever increasing cold hostility between the multiple present major powers internationally, military development and advancement of research that within the field of armoured warfare in particular, has progressed forward by leap and bound. With the successful development of various multi-day and night twenty-four hour laser ranging sights and the existence of multiple accurate digital tracking target acquisition computer electronics being regarded upon as the future edge over that of raw firepower and protective measure of an armoured fighting vehicle alone.
The VMK Bureau of Development and Technological Research has noted that the development of these computerised systems has reached a level whereby its digital processing capacities were able to accurately track its target on the field of battle, day and night and under some of the most undesirable mobile vibration and situational environmental conditions, to be worrying.
And therefore the development of a remotely controlled weaponry networking systems ignoring all its necessary developmental characteristics cost was initiated with great haste, as the VMK Bureau of Procurement and Technology Research has realised that Yohannes was well behind in terms of its domestic military development to that of other major powers within its rank, categorically regarded as it was as a financial and monetary exchange country, or more simply as an economic powerhouse only, and not a military powerhouse. The AYTRACK was therefore, developed as a direct result of these developments in its developers' mind.
At the most basic level, AYTRACK features electro-optical techniques and electronics which enable the vehicle's gunner to increase the gun's first-strike hit capability in terms of its probability in a considerable manner, by measuring automatic error input and replace the value with a post-entered correctional azimuth and elevation signals. These factors will then be recorded into the computer to calculate elevation and lateral co-ordinate position of the gun, which will then automatically invalidate the previously programmed value, drastically increasing the gunner's first hit probability upon the target.
Further to increase the vehicle's lethality, AYTRACK incorporate a two-axis integral laser range-finder line of stabilised gunner sight, together with a missile guidance information processing capacity and a compensatory automatic drift device. Its gun sight features the application of a Yohannesian XD1-04 computerised controlled targeting mark, or more specifically a range marking, graticule-calibrated application within its sub-systems, with the capability to point its associated gun's specific form of ammunitions, in conjunction to the axis of the corresponding vehicle's gun barrel specification.
The VMK AG Bureau of Development and Technological Research however identified a certain flaws within the aforementioned system, in which the condition of a constant parameter value could not be achieved in some cases, despite multiple-fix error re-programming, and the revelation that upon the conclusion of a successful target hit, a departure from the aforementioned graticule marking range would be needed in regard to the amount of cumulative variation input identified within the system's parameter.
However, recent development has made the discovery whereby the situation in which a range of standard ballistic value, complete with the gun's elevation rate and a computerised arrangement of correlation in regard to the range between the corresponding armoured fighting vehicle to its target possible, consequently propelling the VMK Bureau of Development and Technological Research to develop these additional features towards AYTRACK to further increase its lethality and countermeasure these previous disturbing setbacks.
With the ability to utilise an improved graticulated sight, the VMK Bureau of Research and Technological Development team had decided to initiate the programming of an enhanced computer system which will effectively arrange and provide the appropriate range of ballistic effectiveness value to further provide the AYTRACK corresponding armoured fighting vehicle's crews with the ability to calculate the right specification of the corresponding gun elevation exaction, which would be most effectively be initiated upon by the appropriate circumstance's choice of ammunition range involved regarding the differing situation within the immediate field of operational range.
The crews will now be able to pre-programme the computer to change the exact type of ammunition needed for the right circumstance, and pending the relatively correct input given in regard to the condition only however, in which the parameter of the gun's atmosphere and barrel are at the right set value, the AYTRACK will then be able to automatically provide an accurate target hit value in exaction..
The fire control system's field of view consists of a kinetic energy stadiametric ranging scale, fragmentary high explosive and chemical energy ammunition information and statistics input, designated as it was as an effective Yohannesian secondary range finding method in case of an unexpected emergency. The system unable the gunner of its corresponding armoured fighting vehicle to accurately and smoothly track and verified its target within its scope of operational range tactically. Further aiding AYTRACK is the X1A-AY GPS sub-system.
The Yohannesian X1A-AY GPS (global positioning system) system of navigation is included to calculate and determine the armoured fighting vehicle's gun barrel position, and it collected its informational input and surrounding visible surface and statistical data within a state-of-the-art light modulating LCD (liquid crystal display) screen.
The X1A-AY is able to give the AYTRACK's corresponding armoured fighting vehicle the ability to observe its immediate surrounding operational condition tactically, and to present a rough and general outline of the vehicle's environmental and physical surrounding. Vehicular radio data furthermore link the corresponding vehicle to the AYTRACK immediate fire control command, which will allow the aforementioned vehicle to initiate its operation upon independent fire-strike missions rapidly once the system has delivered the collected position data of the target. The X1A-AY GPS sub-system further serve to reduce the chance of friendly formational casualties by utilising a Yohannesian X10-A BCIS (battlefield combat identification system).
Once the target within the input of the main AYTRACK screen is located within an ideal, if not suitable range of interception, the gunner will then be able to fire the gun by pressing a launch section located within the computerised LCD screen.
The development of the AYTRACK fire control system has considerably altered the main disadvantage of the previous AY1-1L's initial prototype model upon production, which utilised a more basic fire control computing programme, and AYTRACK further enhanced the effectiveness of the AY2 series of tanks.
The gun sight of the AYTRACK fire control system is also locked in conjunction with its telescopic axis sight, providing a parallel combined gun system, with one set of azimuthally drives and set of elevation, and another set of azimuthally sensors and elevation rate, assisted by the utilisation of a gyroscope gun stabilisation system which further enhanced the associated system's elevation and lateral sensor capability, and in finality, considerably altered the capability of the system to control its corresponding armoured fighting vehicle's gun line of sight.
The AYTRACK fire control system features a gunner's operated thermal imaging sight as well as a commander's active control and monitor panel, allowing both of the commander and gunner to retroactively detect, engage, and verified targets at long range, with a high rate of accuracy, and under some of the most unfavourable weather conditions within the battlefield and tactical scope of operation.
AYTRACK in general is divided by two stages in which the commander can select either a low-resolution imagery to identify minor threat, to be followed if necessary by an infra-red, high resolution and radar integrated imagery to provide a more thorough analysis of the target's position, and range. An AYTRACK sub-system commander-operated anti-aircraft sight allows the commander of the AY2 to subsequently engage air targets by utilising the AY2's AY02-MG from within the safety of its turret.
AYTRACK's internally operated target acquisition networking and management systems, infrared and laser ranging controlled data are initiated by controlling its stabilised networking, gunner-operated device to automatically aim the AY2's main gun towards any visible mobile and stationary target, with a twenty four hour day and night capability coverage, providing an accurate ballistic elevation and azimuth offset field position whilst providing a systematic informational gathering input essential upon the accuracy and capability of an effective modern fire control system.
By utilising the features of a combined sensors sight, in conjunction with its application internally within the AYTRACK computerised fire control system, the AY2 has acquired the ability to effectively countermeasure the ever-growing air threats coming from opposing enemy air support aircraft and ground projectile threat, in finality targeting the aforementioned threat from within its combined sensors sight, and thereby to aim its power projectile capability against the aforementioned threat.
The VMK Bureau of Acquisition and Application Management has recently observed as the availability and discovery of state-of-the-art sensors, combined with a range of previously unavailable micro electronics and computerised development has made the realisation of an advanced multi-threat targeting sight enveloped together within a unitary sensor, possible.
After two years of developmental research and quantum, the VMK Head of Procurement and Development Research, Dr. Siti Subrono has decided that the incoming AY2 project, alongside the heavier AY1, would utilise the aforementioned technology, thereby increasing the armoured fighting vehicle's direct projectile effectiveness and surveillance platform capability against opposing rotorcraft, land-based power projectile threat, and of course, hostile combat personnel.
Utilising the latest AYD0B active ballistic computer, the system features the ability to automatically verified angular crosswind and target speed input, course angle, and target range. AYD0B ABC act as a mean of informational input firing statistics data storing within the AYTRACK, and is mainly processed to approximately determine and track ballistic informational data, in-between that of the already stored information and the main collectible data.
The flexibility of the AYD0B active computer system enable the AY2's personnel to manually utilise the system's ability to track the associated ambient air temperature and barrel wear air pressure, and the ability to calculate with accuracy the necessary time that high-explosive, fragmentary projectile controlled detonation should be initiated over an identified and verified target.
The AYD0B computerised system detected multiple ballistic ammunition and projectile types, and its categorised informational input includes the verified target's drift signals, flight time, and super-elevation. AYD0B computer system operates by utilising a large collection of several sub-channels which will then transmit the collected operational data through several wires simultaneously, and used together in conjunction with an adjustable first operational amplifier which indicate with striking accuracy and precision the information and range of the tracked and verified target.
As an accommodation towards the Havik II box-launched anti-tank guided missiles and Attero man-portable air defence system which would be crucially required by the vehicle, developers of the original computing systems has devised a method whereby the 2E Flakpanzer variant’s electronics may be adapted simultaneously towards the effective support of the said missile systems.
AYTRACK utilises an assembly of conventional telescope cluster which enhanced the vehicle's ability to generate target position signals on the battlefield. The assembly comprises of a mirror which is used for detecting and directing any possibility of error signals within the telescope's line of sight. Alongside the processor's control signal input is the allocation of a motor which is utilised to control the assembly's mirror. The presence of angular noise and line is eliminated by the said processor and the said mirror's capability to operate simultaneously within the line of sight error signals.
The detection of digital error information is accomplished by the utilisation of a digital error detection system which will process the position of the target and its corresponding signals from the assembly. The said processed information will then be sent towards an attached amplification control stabilising system. During the alignment of the boresight, the said system's micro-controller will automatically input and instructed an encrypted data which will, at no less than two seconds by approximation, eliminate the presence of angular noise from the target positions signals. The said system furthermore can be used in conjunction with the assembly simultaneously to further adjust the associated line of sight of the gun.
The digital error detection system converts the provided azimuth and elevation error signals value and processed the said information into azimuth and mirror steering signals. By the utilisation of an analog interface, the system will then direct the steering signals and incorporate the given value into multiplex signals within the amplification control stabilising system. The clear and singular analog path is then converted back into the digital path by the converter.
The signals will then be processed by a micro-controlling device which filters any possible noise from that of the mirror steering signals. Its software information and instructions, and that of the boresight alignment offset correction value are then stored inside the digital memory. Easily deleteable and modular, the device provides excellent replays which are crucial for the mirror and boresight data input's alteration and adjustment. As such, the system unable the crew of the vehicle to calculate with striking accuracy the elevation error signals and azimuth average of the targets attached information.
In terms of communication systems collection and integration, crews of the vehicle is provided with an inter-crew operational ISLM helmet mounted digital communication system, with the addition of a fibre-optic net located within its associated vehicle. As a result, the vehicle is adequately protected from external jamming initiation by the utilisation of jamming devices, as well as simultaneously providing a superior communication method over other conventional communication systems.
The ISLM digital helmet communication system, or more commonly known as the ISLM-17 DCS, comprises of a helmet mounted display imitation capability with the capacity of providing a resolute rear projection screen visualisation, and an eyepiece optical providence, which is utilised to expand the large field of viewable images of the crew. The said technologies enhanced the ISLM-17 DCS’ XA-1SLM sub-system, or more commonly known as the XA-1 light spatial modulator system, which is incorporated to receive and simultaneously pass collected data and accurate images from that of the SLM sub-system, towards the projection screen’s rear side. Enhanced light magnification optics are utilised as an additional measure to receive and pass the modulated light from that of the XA-1 SLM.
The said arranged light magnification optics collectively has the projected capacity to accurately align visual light coming from the optical source to produce a numerically low natured illumination beam light, altogether with a beam pattern detachment to guide the illuminated light towards the designated path of modulated light space provided by the XA-1 SLM sub-system. There are two methods in which the said projection can be accomplished, that of a 90 degrees angle guidance in relation to the original light path, and that of a straight guidance.
As a result, the ISLM-17 DCS is capable of providing a markedly superior light modulation and image projection towards the usage by that of the vehicle’s crews, in comparison to other existing equipment of its level.
As a further addition of inter-vehicular communication towards the system’s integration is that of the XAV-T10 UHFR radio or more commonly known within the Wehrmacht as the XAV-T10 High Frequency Tactical Communication radio.
The XAV-T10 incorporate the addition of a transmission and receiver antenna & communication link, paired together with that of an integrated electrical microcircuit chip. The former is mounted to the circuit of silicon chip, whilst the receiver link accommodates the collected base of input and output signals flowing to and fro the pair of communication path. Thus essential information and data will be received at a significantly faster rate, allowing the saving of precious time upon critical operational and inter-vehicular tactical condition.
The said operation can simultaneously be integrated with that of a LAN communications radio operation, with the addition of an identical cycle, as previously mentioned above, inter-connected with that of a communication local area network, with the ability to restrict external interference by utilising the addition of the integrated electrical microcircuit arrangement in relation to the transmission and receiver communication link. As a result, crews of the vehicle may connect and surf the internet at leisure time with minimal interference, and utilised the previously mentioned above integrated communication systems to collect crucial tactical information from that of nearby allied, supporting and/or friendly vehicles. In conclusion, to further ensure maximum utilisation of spatial providence and safety allocation of the integrated systems, a default installation position is provided into each of the internal crew’s seat, and is protected from external shock and vibration.
Furthermore, as a resulf of its integration with the Nexus G Network, originating from Xzaerom and the Government of the Empires of Jenrak, crews of the vehicle has the capacity to 'snyc' and 'swarm' collected and browsed internet web pages within the limit of the G Network's allocation of passive memory storage. As a result, in leisure crews of the vehicle may record important tactical and strategic situational update within the vehicle's corresponding operational radius, as well as, amusingly, browsed saved websites from the worldwide web with ease.
Survivability
During the course of the development of the Adversus Tank Armour, which would be used on the Lamonian A2, and subsequently that of the Yohannesian AY2 series of tanks and its associated variants, different armour concepts came up that could be used for future projects, for example such as cross-wise oriented non-energetic reactive (NERA) armour panels.
- Exote
- Aermet 100
- Resilin
- Aermet 100
- Composite Sandwich Panel
- Aermet 100
- Resilin
- Aermet 100
- Composite Sandwich Panel
- Aermet 100
- Ti-6Al-4V
- U-3Ti alloy DU mesh
- Ti-6Al-4V
- SiC encased in Ti-6Al-4V
- Ti-6Al-4V
- Chassis
- Anti-spall
Adversus is the latest in the LAIX ARMS line-up of armour solutions for tanks, originating and with headquarter within the Free Republic of Lamoni.
Adversus starts with Exote, which is rated as being effective against small arms armour piercing rounds (including 15 mm armour piercing rounds). The Exote layer is expected to deal with small arms fire and shrapnel from enemy weapons fire. Exote is Titanium Carbide ceramic particles in a metallic matrix. In this case, the metallic matrix is a rolled homogeneous armour (RHA), making it ductile, which greatly improves its multi-hit capabilities while preserving typical ceramic terminal ballistic properties; high hardness and ablation.
Due to the fact that the ceramic has been suspended in matrix form instead of sintered together, it is cheaper than ceramic tile armour arrays, while providing calculated protection levels equivalent to a 1.77x thickness efficiency, and 2.25x mass efficiency, compared to RHA alone. This process means that Exote is classified as a Metal Matrix Composite, or MMC. Exote-Armour was invented and first manufactured by Exote Ltd., a Finnish corporation.
Upon impact by an armour-piercing round, Exote's titanium carbide particles wear down the round via ablation, until the round is effectively turned into dust. Exote also spreads out the energy of the round, and distributes it over a larger area, thus fully neutralizing impact. The damage area is only 20-30% larger than the calibre of the hit, and the rest of the plate will still remain protective. This can be seen in Exote's multi-hit armour characteristic, which provides excellent protection from small arms, with a lighter weight than RHA alone. The Exote is also used to contain the rest of the armour package.
Lamonian innovations in the form of extruded para-organic resilin are also used. Resilin is an elastomeric fibrous compound found within the musculature of insects. To quote Dr Chris Elvin of Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation;
"Resilin has evolved over hundreds of millions of years in insects into the most efficient elastic protein known..."
Using genetically modified E.Coli bacteria, the CSIRO team was able to synthetically generate a soluble Resilin protein, based upon the cloning and expression of the first exon of the Drosophila CG15920 gene. By means of a CSIRO-patented process, the resulting resilin rubber was shown to have structurally near-perfect resilience nature, with a ninety-seven percent post-stress recovery.
The next-nearest competitors are synthetic polybutadiene ‘superball’ high resilience rubber (80 per cent) and elastin (90 per cent). The cross-linking process itself is remarkably simple. It needs only three components - the protein, generally lactose, or a near analogue, a metal ligand complex, ruthenium in this case, and an electron acceptor. The mixture is then flashed with visible light of 452 nanometres wavelength to form the polymer - within 20 seconds, the proteins will be cross-linked into a matrix with remarkable tensile strength.
Like it's Acerbitas cousin, the Resilin used in Adversus is intended, as with NERA generally, to warp, bend or bulge the Aermet 100 plates upon impact. As the plates move, bullets are subjected to transverse and shear forces, diminishing their penetration, and shaped-charge weapons find their plasma jets unable to readily focus on a single area of armor. In the case of segmented projectiles, the transverse forces are less pronounced, compared to unitary variants, but the movement of the plate essentially forces the projectile to penetrate twice, again lowering total impact upon the platform protected.
The Resilin components are layered with Aermet 100 plates. The Aermet plates are angled, as penetrators striking angled plates will bend into the direction the plate is facing. This action on the part of the penetrator serves to significantly reduce the impact of the penetrator itself, as the penetrator expends energy on this bending motion, instead of being allowed to focus all of its kinetic energy on a single spot on the armour.
Aermet 100 alloy features high hardness and strength, coupled with high ductility. Aermet 100 alloy is used for applications requiring high strength, high fracture toughness, high resistance to stress corrosion cracking, and fatigue. Aermet 100 is more difficult to machine than other steels; Aermet being specially graded martensitic steel, and requires the use of carbide tools.
Composite Sandwich Panels are used both to increase the structural integrity of the armour, as well as to catch fragments that are created by enemy fire. The outside of the panels are composed of one centimetre thick plates of Aermet 100 alloy. One such plate is placed on either side of the panel. The interior of each panel consists of a three centimetre thick honeycomb of hexagonal celled, thickness oriented Aermet 100, where each cell of the honeycomb measures six millimetres across. Each hexagonal cell is filled with a mix of sintered Titanium Diboride (TiB2) ceramic tiles, and vinylester resin. This adds additional ceramic protection to the armour.
Ti-6Al-4V is a very popular alloy of Titanium. Designed for high tensile strength applications in the 1000 MPa range, the alloy has previously been used for aerospace, marine, power generation and offshore industries applications. Ti-6Al-4V offers all-round performance for a variety of weight reduction applications. It is used to sandwich the Depleted Uranium mesh, encase the SiC ceramic, and as the majority of the armour after that.
As chemically pure Depleted Uranium is very brittle, and is not as strong as alloys, U-3Ti alloy is used for the DU mesh. This alloy has a density of 18.6 grams per cubic centimetre. The alloy displays higher strength, and less brittleness than chemically pure Depleted Uranium.
Silicon Carbide encased in Ti-6Al-4V comes after this, with the Titanium alloy being used to encapsulate the SiC ceramic, as well as assist in hydrostatic prestressing, which is known to extend interface defeat. The SiC is isostatically pressed into the heated matrix; which more securely binds the ceramic into place.
Interface Defeat is a phenomenon observed when a hypervelocity penetrator strikes a sufficiently hard ceramic. The penetrator flattens its nose against the ceramic without penetrating into the ceramic for up to several microseconds, with penetrator material flowing laterally across the face of the ceramic until the ceramic starts to crack. As soon as cracks form, the lateral flow stops and penetration resumes. This effect is also called "dwell" in some publications. Silicon Carbide is excellent for producing this effect.
More Ti-6Al-4V is used as the bulk of the armour after the encased SiC, which has a superior mass efficiency relative to RHA, while its thickness efficiency is a bit lower (about 0.9:1).
The chassis is located behind this, with Dyneema being used as a spall liner. For the AY2-AVEE, the chassis would likely consist of RHA.
Most of the armour is concentrated on the frontal arc, with the sides also being covered, but to a lesser degree. The rear of the tank (like all tanks) is protected by RHA. Where logically applicable, the VMK Board of Procurement Division followed the Lyran designed Hauberk ERA in order to increase the protection levels of the tank. This includes use of Hauberk on the tank's roof, which helps to protect the vehicle against top attack munitions.
'Hauberk' shaped-charged explosive reactive armour is fitted as standard (though can be removed), designed to destroy (or at the very least severely degrade) hostile munitions, be they high explosive (HE)-based or kinetic penetrators. 'Hauberk' is also available from yet another close bilateral allied state of the Kingdom of Yohannes, that of the Lyran Protectorate, at no extra cost, and has been designed specifically to take advantage of research into explosive reactive armour carried out at the Lughenti Testing Range, of which the Yohannesian Federal Government has noted approvingly.
Owing considerably to its 'Rainmaker' ancestor, 'Hauberk' differs from 'Rainmaker' in two ways. The first change is a shift in the formation of the explosively formed penetrators of the defensive system, from directly opposing the projectile (firing along the same axis as the most likely threat at any given armour location) to a slanted system, angling (approximately) 45 degrees up. The new system not only leaves 'Hauberk' considerably more compact, but dramatically improves its effectiveness against kinetic munitions of all forms.
The 'Hauberk' HERA system is composed of “bricks” making each “bricks” easily replaceable once used and allowing the system to be fitted to vehicles already in service. The “bricks” are lightweight (at around 3 kg) and this allows them to be positioned on as many areas of the tank as needs require.
An Aermet 100 Mine Protection Plate has been incorporated onto the underside of the tank, which offers protection from mines, and IEDs. This protection is in addition to the crew seating, and other protection measures.
The turret front and sides are fitted with wedge-shaped add-on armour in sections, which can easily be replaced by engineers and the vehicle's associated maintenance crew at field workshops if hit or, at a later stage, be replaced by more advanced armour. Aermet 100 alloy provides the outer casing, with a layer of Resilin to work against CE threats. U-3Ti alloy DU spheres encased in an Aermet 100 matrix cause KE rounds to yaw, reducing their penetration. The “wedge” armour is backed by more Aermet 100 alloy plating.
As a mainstay of primary and secondary countermeasure, the AYHK10 Active Protection System was developed by VWK AG under the assistance and guidance of the VMK Bureau of Design Committee, towards the AY2 series of tanks and its associated variants. The immediate aim of the research and task of the VMK Bureau of Design Committee then was the creation of a satisfactory if not an acceptable level of protection for Yohannesian armoured fighting vehicles in the face of the ever-growing capacity and power projectile reach of most of the present anti-tank aerial and land systems threats globally.
Worldwide, the advancement of anti-armoured vehicle measure systems, whether it coming from the air and ground, has developed at a rapid pace. The ongoing cold hostility between nations of the world has seen a period of military innovations and technological advancement unheard of over the previous decades. The majority of modern armoured fighting vehicles utilised a system in which its associated crews identified the aforementioned threat by relying on their field of eyesight vision and other passive defence systems such as the launching of a smoke screen envelopment alone to form a barrier around the vehicle, taking into account of course the availability of friendly infantry formations and the associated speed of the armoured fighting vehicle itself, within the vicinity of its operational ground.
However the rapid development and adoption of multiple armoured fighting vehicle countermeasure systems and tactics worldwide has seen the utilisation of such passive defence initiation to be outdated at best and redundant at worst. The development of laser guided and infra-red radiator illuminating means of detecting armoured fighting vehicles within its vicinity, together with the ever increasing pace of development upon various active anti-vehicle guided missile internationally, furthermore, has opened the eyes of the VMK Bureau of Development and Research Committee that the realisation of an active protection system within the incoming AY2 series of main battle tank project would be a must.
It was during the developmental phase of the AY main battle tank concept that the project was declared by the VMK Bureau of Design Committee, in conjunction to that of the Yohannesian Federal Ministry of Defence, to be categorically regarded as a clear project in majority. The systems allowed for its corresponding armoured fighting vehicle to withstand and survive operationally the threat active threat provided in the form of the aforementioned means of detection, by utilising its own active countermeasure and tracking systems against the incoming projectile and/or missile, thereby creating a condition in which the aforementioned projectile and/or missile guidance systems would at best fail, and at worst, would be able to eliminate the aforementioned threat.
The establishment of the said protocol was done only however, through numerous successful and favourably effective demonstrations, consequentially in the AYHK10's capability to neutralise anti-tank guided missiles and rockets, its corresponding acceptable low rate and high safety levels regarding friendly casualty chance and low percentage, and minimal collateral damage, with that of an acceptable rate of residual penetration.
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