Specifications
Name: IST-01 Stalker
Crew: 4 (Gunner, Commander, Loader, Driver) + 3 soldiers
Length (Rear to muzzle): 10.8 m
Length (Without gun): 8.6m
Width (Without skirt): 3.9m
Height (To Turret roof): 2.7m
Ground Clearance: 0.40 m
Weight: 68 tonnes
Armament: 125 mm smoothbore gun (64 rounds: 40 HE, 24 bunker buster)
20 mm co-axial autocannon (300 rounds)
.50 Cal computer guided HMG firing HE rounds(1200 rounds)
Armor: Composite Matrix of Ceramic-Titanium-Alluminium alloy.
Protection (Kinetic weapons): 30 anti-missile flares, computer guided HMG capable of intercepting unguided missiles (60% success rate)
Protection (Biological weapons): Hull can be sealed airtight, has 30 mins supply of air on board.
Suspension: Pneumatic
Engine: 1700 HP Cyclone MKIII Liquid-cooled turbocharged Diesel-Electric engine
Maximum Speed (On roads): 85 Km/h
Maximum Speed (All other surfaces) On Avg. 80km/h
Operational Range: 560 Km
The Stalker tank was developed after it was realized that the predecessor, the Predator, though powerful and deadly against most enemy armored vehicles, was much too slow for Maychion's blitzkrieg style aerial insertion offensives. Recent military simulations have shown the Predator to be at the very least three to four kilometers away from the frontlines. Thus, the need for a faster, more mobile tank was needed.
The Stalker was designed and planned with a few things in mind. Firstly, it had to obviously be lighter than the Predator, yet be reasonably protected. Secondly, it had to have a gun powerful enough to take on fortifications most infantrymen might face. Thirdly, it had to be able to traverse most surfaces in order to effectively support the infantry. And lastly, the safety of the crew was paramount.
And so, the Stalker was born. Preliminary tests on prototypes proved to be satisfactory, with the onboard targeting computer able to generate consistent 100% hits on targets while moving. The quad-track design also proved to be effective. As each track had independent suspension, the Stalker could easily traverse any terrain. At 80-85 km/h, it also proved to be a hard target. It's low ground clearance allowed it to be stable even in the roughest of conditions.
The armor proved to be effective against rounds up to 120 mm, although the number of hits it can sustain diminishes as the caliber increases. The flares help to confuse any heat seeking missiles, while the computer aided HMG can easily shoot down any stray rockets. The hull can be sealed tight to protect against chemical agents, whether it be gaseous or liquid. An air recycling system can effectively supply the crew with an unlimited amount of air. There are also food and water for three days for each of the 7 crewmen.
Using bunker buster rounds, the 125 mm gun have proven effective against concrete bunkers with walls up to 50 cm thick and steel walls up to 30 cm thick. The gun has also proven effective against most light and medium tanks, and can hold it's own against most main battle tanks. Of course, this is all from simulations, as Maychion does not have any tanks from states to test on.
It's ability to transport a squad of troops was completely unplanned, and only discovered after decreasing the total ammunition count for the 125 mm gun from 125 rounds to 64, on basis that if a tank needs 125 rounds, it was probably dead. As such, the Stalker can carry three soldiers, behind the tank crew. The rear hatch serves as their main form of exit. The carried troops have proven useful in urban combat simulations, where the main gun proved useless in the close ranged combat and there were too many targets for the onboard computer to cope.
Variants
IST-01M (Medical)
The M variant of the IST-01 which further reduces the ammunition count for all weapons. 45 rounds for the main gun, 800 rounds for the HMG and 190 rounds for the autocannon, in exchange for the ability to carry a medical team with the needed equipment in the expanded troop bay. It has a capacity of a team of 4 medics and two patients. Due to it being much more armored than a standard ambulance, and it being armed quite heavily, it can evacuate personnel off the battlefield in the heat of battle.
IST-01U (Urban)
The IST-01U was designed to excel in urban combat. It forgoes the 125 mm cannon and 20 mm autocannon for an array of four 40 mm autocannons with 900 (500 delayed fuse, 400 HE) rounds of ammunition each. It also has two computer guided HMGs to protect against unguided rockets and it carries twice the number of flares.
IST-01H (Howitzer)
This variant is simply a slight modification, replacing the main 125 mm gun and 20 mm autocannon with the powerful 160mm howitzer, allowing to act as an impromptu self-propelled artillery vehicle. With the right tools, this modification can be done on the battlefield.
Unit cost
IST-01: USD$ 9.5 million
IST-01M: USD$8 million
IST-01U: USD$ 7.5 million
IST-01H: SImply purchase the howitzer barrel for USD$ 950
Modifications can be requested, and price will be adjusted on a case by case basis.
Thank you for your attention.