4. Primary Armament[Out of character: NationStates modern technology with Post-Modern technology elements that can be removed, e.g., remove the electrothermal chemical technology. ]
Primary armament: Halstenmetall Frontier AY7M 140/L50 Electrothermal Chemical Smoothbore Tank Gun (space for 30 rounds in the tank)
Power elevation: -9º to 20º
Autoloader: XA1Y-E2 two successive stages, with a rate of fire of up to 15 rounds per minute (not recommended)
Ammunition:- PLA-80E APFSDS-T depleted uranium armour piercing fin stabilised discarding sabot
- Length: 1,000 mm
- Diameter: 140 mm
- Frustum length: 140 mm (dub: 20mm)
- Rod and cap: 20 x 800 mm + 35 x 140 mm
- Weight: 17 kg
- Penetrator density: 57,400 kg/m3
- Impact velocity: 2,200 m/s
- Penetration: 2,400 mm with a target Brinell hardness of 300; NATO 60 degrees obliquity
- PLA-82E Tandem MP HEAT multi purpose tandem-charge high explosive anti tank
- Length: 700 mm
- Diameter: 140 mm (heavy anti tank)
- Weight: 23 kg
- Jet length coefficient: 0.75
- Penetration: 2,300 mm with a target jet length coefficient of 0.5; high strength concrete with strength grade of C140
- PLA-83E HE-FRAG high explosive fragmentation
- Length: 700 mm
- Diameter: 140 mm
- Tail fin span: 350 mm
- Jet length coefficient: 0.75
- Fragmentary impact: 97 mm with a charge weight of 4.5 kg, target jet length coefficient of 1.5, and target density of 985 kg/m3
- PLA-84E GLATGM gun launched anti tank guided
- Length: 1,000 mm
- Diameter: 140mm
- Weight: 23 kg
- Target: Top attack (tandem high explosive antitank)
- Guidance: Laser beam raider, AYTRACK 03 IACS command supported
- Tail finspan: 350 mm
- Velocity: 350 m/s to 700 m/s (top)
- Range: 7.7 km
- Penetration: 700 mm post-ERA
- PLA-87E APFSDS-T-TP and other similar training rounds
To prioritise ease of integration and commonality with the rest of the Commonwealth Navy Expeditionary Force inventory, the L variant is equipped with the Halstemetall AY7M 140/L50 Tank Gun.
Whilst during the 2011
Greater Tezdrian-Lyras War the Halstenmetall AY4M 140/L50 Tank Gun — used by the now discontinued D variant tank — had certainly proven its capabilities, the existence of other similar tank gun designs outside Yohannes, with pretty much the same performance, had instilled a sense of urgency for Halstenmetall AG to release yet another improvement for the AY series of gun. During the 2011 Solm-
Tergnitz Crisis unfolding in the historical region of
Judea, it was shown that tank guns of similar technical data to the AY4M design were exported to the opposing alliance
Judean Sanctum. This was, without a doubt, unacceptable for Yohannesian policy-makers. The Commonwealth Navy Expeditionary Force Chief of Staff was further taken off-guard when, during the tactical engagement known in Northern Judea as the Battle of the Nebarod Plain, Solmian armoured formations successfully defended their assigned tactical positions against the advancing panzerkampfwagens of the Yohannesian Thirteenth Panzer Division. In the aftermath of that brief conflict and the political stalemate which ensued, numerous field tests were conducted with the sole purpose of developing a new variant using the latest gun technologies (i.e. along
Lyran and
Lamonian standard). Halstenmetall AG, a leading propellant and heavy engineering family-owned company in the Regency of Lindblum, was chosen as the primary contractor
Over the next five years, Halstenmetall AG slowly adopted an indigenous version of the then popular electro-thermal chemical tank gun designs already employed by many well-known arms manufacturing exporters (and older nations) overseas — such as
Allanea,
Amastol,
Dostanuot Loj (Sumer), Lamoni, Lyras,
Nachmere and
The Macabees (the Golden Throne) to name just some. To quote the Lamonian President Andrew Stintson in 2013, “the acquisition of a workable electrothermal chemical tank gun design was the top priority of our ally Yohannes, and in 2010 alone the
Bank of Yohannes and its allied banking enterprises overseas poured untold sum of [Universal] Standard Dollars towards ETC related research and development. I was sceptical back then that they [Yohannesian leaders] would succeed.” The sceptical President was wrong, however, for the conceptualisation of the aforementioned technology was finally realised (although only partially) with the introduction of the AY1M Tank Gun, which was designated for the prototype of the AY1 ‘Serenity’ tank (a discontinued variant of the
AY1 series of tanks).
The Halstenmetall R&D team discovered a process in which a notable increase in, and higher rate of projectile muzzle velocity could be achieved by synchronising the use of both electrothermal energy and liquid propellant. The team also predicted that their application would result in not just a controlled increase of muzzle velocity for the projectile, but also an increase in maximum gas pressure (and their maintenance) which must be present within acceptable safety level in the barrel of the planned AYM series of smoothbore tank guns. Three weeks of further experimentation continued, with the sole objective of applying the electrothermal chemical (ETC) concept down. It was not easy, but with the precision engineering and ‘can do’ attitude of Yohannesian engineers anything was doable. The subsequent discovery to follow confirmed the original theory of the leading VMK scientist of the day, Dr Aleksander Himmler, that the disadvantages or negative side effects of separately employing the two components (i.e. electrothermal and chemical) could be negated by synchronising their application with one another. This technology, however, was not easily adopted by VMK following this discovery. Historically in the nineteen countries, the gun of an armoured fighting vehicle used an extended barrel platform. This followed the traditional layout, where the end of the breech and the centre bore were structurally put together. The burning of propellant by an igniter that was then needed to produce heated gasses — acting as they were as the catalyst for the projectile to accelerate through the bore of the gun — would consequently result in a higher rate of initial high pressure.
Figure 2: Type D; electrical controlled combustion of powder charges with increased loading densities and integrated additives (OOC: Rheinmetall W&M GmbH).However, it was extremely hard to extend the the duration of this initial high pressure, because it would then decrease gradually at the same time that the projectile would move through the barrel of the gun. And whilst applying liquid fueling technology would theoretically extend the duration of the rate of high pressure initially achieved, many bad things — such as one, the large size of the fuel chamber that will be required — meant that that fueling process was not the right solution nor was it practical. Meanwhile, employing chemical propellant systems by themselves for the AYM gun series would be regarded as equally — if not even more so — defective. The act of mixing and synchronising two chemicals were truly difficult to manage, and would substantially increase risks in the process. As a result, the Halstenmetall AG R&D team spent quite the appreciable time to thoroughly consider and review the use of such technologies for their latest pet project. To close the matter, the team then discovered that money to be raised to build the aforementioned technologies would be astronomical, and not worth the final outcome. This low return to investment ratio was considered as unacceptable.
Sadly, the lone application of electric energy as the chosen propulsive system for the AYM tank gun was also viewed with heavy scepticism by Halstenmetall researchers and their Bank of Yohannes financiers. Such scepticism resulted from the reasoning of many Yohannesian scientists that the final technology developed by using this route would be very uneconomical, mainly caused by the incurred weight and features of the system’s structure. This in turn was caused by the large electric source that would be required to supply the system. Therefore the utilisation of electro-thermal chemical technology to increase the AYM tank gun’s accuracy and muzzle velocity, whilst negating all the previously mentioned defect features of individually employing electric energy and liquid fueling technologies, was regarded By Halstenmetall as its number one priority. On the ground defectiveness of previous Yohannesian ETC tank gun designs, however, have shown Yohannesian policy-makers that merely copying the designs of Lamoni and Lyras, without having the national industrial and willingness to modify these designs to suit the technological level or operational preference of the nineteen countries, will result in serious flaws in future.
Consequently more capital was raised by VMK with the permission of the Yohannesische Bundesbank, with sources of funding appreciably raised to include such foreign banking entities as
Lambda Financial and (later) the
Bank of the Atlantic, to name just two. The result was the introduction of the AY2M 125/L55, and ultimately the AY4M 140/L50; the former designated for the B variant whilst the latter for the prototype C and export D variants (both discontinued since mid 2012). A marked improvement and a higher rate of muzzle velocity were reached during the operational trial and final testing stage of the AY4M. This came about as a result of the gun’s harmonious combination of both its electro-thermal energy and liquid propellant systems, in comparison to that of the previous AY1M’s flawed combination. Halstenmetall AG further improved the AY4M concept with the development of its successor, the AY7M 140/L50 Tank Gun. A controlled increase of the projectile's muzzle velocity and the limited maintenance of maximum safety in the barrel of the AY7M were further improved from the AY4M. The absorption of higher recoil energy was also utilised to accommodate the newly improved round power. An identical electrical supply-charged propellant system, without the drawbacks found during this method’s previous experimentation and testing (i.e. with the AY1M), was also incorporated for the AY7M, resulting in a tank gun with lower structural weight. This method — the procurement of less electrical energy — was achieved by the utilisation of higher density chemical propellants, which was similar with the one utilised by the AY4M. Field testing just before the 2011 Gholgoth-Judea military stand-off showed that this arrangement was superior when compared with the employment of granulated solid propellants (found in the majority of foreign conventional tank guns).
Under auspices of its leading researcher Dr. Harvey Proctor, Halstenmetal has furthermore exploited the chemical substance arrangement of the AY7M by integrating its electrical application with extra precision in balance and in accordance with its chemical counterpart. This method further optimised the effectiveness of the gun. A higher projectile velocity rate, together with lower chamber and breech pressure rates, were also achieved and maintained because of the heavier ejection of electrical output from the plasma’s vessel branches. A high rate of temperature was then established (i.e. diffusing of fused wire), which then acted as the source of ionised gas. This further diffused and further acted as catalyst for the combination of fuel and oxydising materials. The existence of a continuous power supply would then be maintained as a result of the process, which would further increase the control of the fuel and oxidising material’s combustion rates. Such an arrangement, and ultimately the resulting energy to be released, would ensure the projectile’s constant nature as it travels along the length of the gun’s barrel. This ultimately extended the duration and optimised the projectile’s high rate of velocity, whilst still maintaining its low chamber and breech pressure rate’s stability even further.
As a measure to accommodate the appreciable increase in high internal pressure of the AYM series of tank guns, Halstenmetall incorporated the use of another of its latest innovation, the Frontier barrel design, for the AY7M tank gun. Frontier is a gun barrel design which uses depressed molybdenum liners for its bore, with an outer jacket of carbon-fibres reinforced metal matrix. The fibres are structured in a cylindrical-like pattern, helix-ended cut alongside the liners. Frontier is a joint design developed by Halstenmetall AG and Schwarzenegger & Oldenburg AG. The average elastic modulus point of its depressed liners of molybdenum is 2.0685 x 105 Pa, or 30 x 106 psi in absolute value. The helically structed carbon fibre and reinfored metal matrix which comprise its outer jacket combination are also used for the bore and applied for the exterior of the liner. This structure gives it good additional and high burst strength, allowing for a good bent force stiffness (twenty-nine per cent greater estimated along the length of the barrel) and integration for the structure of the gun, greater angle pressure stiffness (forty per cent higher estimated along the length of the barrel), and finally provides excellent internal stress resistance and high pressure resilience that often than not become the reality of high intensity firing operation coming from high pressure gun systems, such as those found in not just some Yohannesian main battle tanks, but also those of Lamonian and Lyran main battle tanks.
This design is also, if compared to conventional steel barrels that can be found in some nations overseas, forty-seven per cent lighter, ultimately giving the gun system an enhanced vibration frequency and firing control. This means that the L variant has markedly improved operational firing accuracy whilst on the move in comparison to the previous B and E variants. Internal frictions, found most commonly as a result of high heat temperature in gun barrels — are also mitigated in the AY7M thanks to the carbon fibre-reinforced metal matrix within Frontier. With an absolute tensile strength of 6.2055 x 108 Pa, or 9 x 104 psi by average, the liners of Frontier are capable of resisting internal high pressure. They are also capable of preventing aggregated structural erosion caused by the AY7M’s projectiles. These liners, which may also withstand internal structural stress and heat arising from operational firing situation, are designed in the form of coating, thin plated upon the carbon fibres. The final coating is extremely thin, standing at no more than 0.0003 inches, and this is because a suitable bond form must be generated together with the the carbon fibres. It must also maintain as minimum a weight as possible, and generate a continuous metal staging in-between the composite jacket. The incorporation of molybdenum for the liners is also good for one more reason: it prevents the release of micro fibres towards the barrel’s external surrounding, which will affect nearby personnels’ eyes and lungs and also increase the possibility of abnormal electrical circuitry.
This fibres layering design which is incorporated to reinforce the composite barrel jacket is also designed by Schwarzenegger & Co. AG, a defence company mostly known in the Kingdom of Burmecia for its electro-optics specialised products. In agreement with Schwarzenegger & Co., VMK will manufacture the said design with the company in its Halsten and Valedonia Industrial Complex. The reason VMK chose Schwarzenegger’s design and not its other competitors is because the design, known by its project name as “Frontier”, can provide superior tensile strength and improved elastic modulus (stiffness) value in comparison to the other tenders’ designs. The carbon fibres have an ultimate tensile strength of 2.8 x 105 psi and generates an elasticity modulus value of 7 × 107 psi. The carbon fibres located within the inner and outer areas of the jacket are cut in a different way. This is because the inner areas’ carbon fibres have greater tensile strength in comparison to the outer areas’ carbon fibres. In exchange, the outer areas’ carbon fibres have much greater stiffness than the inner areas. Connecting these two areas are the middle area layer, which comprised of identical properties to the inner area of carbon fibres. The middle area however, is sectioned differently than both the inner and outer carbon fibres areas. The characteristic of the inner carbon fibres area must be that of high strength modulus fibres assembled and cut in superimposed layer, in its entirety.
During domestic production by foreign nations (i.e. would be purchasers), the domestic production right party (e.g. manufacturing company, factory, etc.) may opt for the layer itself to be made to consist of multiple wraps with identical angle, or a single wrap with thickness of approximately one fibre diameter. This inner section of the jacket, which is appreciably thinner in radial dimension than the outer section, provides an impact softening or literal cushion so that thermal expansion of the lining can be absorbed during high pressure firing operation by the tank. Frontier carbon fibres are applied and cut on the liner in a prescribed industrial manner. For ease of operational application outside Yohannes, other suitable carbon fibres (more amenable or affordable for those nations) may be incorporated, for instance those made from regenerated cellulose, monofilament fibre. These fibres must however be very carefully heated in extremely high temperature whilst being distended at the same time. Past operational field and compiled laboratory information have shown that the accuracy of the filament’s diameter will be very important, for without it barrel maintenance cost will go up (corresponding to the inaccuracy or lack of suitable materials). Also, even with proper maintenance the fibre cost will already be very expensive, providing an obvious weakness to this design.
Overall for the jacket, volume of the molybdenum must be put at around ten per cent (and fields tests have shown that it should not be higher than twenty per cent at the most lax). The carbon fibres content of the jacket generally should be as high as possible, although of course the final factor to determine its value will be the overall strength requirements of the barrel; that is, cost versus protection. In Yohannesian Halstenmetall manufactured tank gun system, the jacket is estimated to make up around sixty per cent carbon fibre by volume, allowing the metal matrix to provide more resistance to high structural or barrel stress. Finally, increasing even further the AY7M tank gun’s lethality, an ideal level of kinetic energy can be achieved by controlling maximum pressure. This is done by decreasing propellant burning by virtue of the electrical and propellant systems’ default alteration to limit the pressure rate.
Propellant system of the AY7M, unlike most other electro-thermal chemical tank guns, maintains a higher density rate, and is deemed to be sufficiently capable of penetrating any modern threat that it might face on the battlefield (with the exception of a few cases, such as the much-feared — though very bulky and relatively immobile — Lyran
LY9 ‘Direwolf’ heavy tank destroyers). The gun utilises a unique energetic-liquid dispersion method. In between every singular phase, the previously mentioned propellant burning method is controlled by an area of interfacial induction. Cyclotetramethylene-tetranitramine will then be dissolved within this system’s homogeneous ethylenediamine dinitrate. During early development of the AY7M, Dr. Josef Hasek of the Traugott-Universität Halsten theorised a new composition of propellant system that can improve tactical situation on the ground for a Yohannesian battle tank (Panzerkampfwagen) under an open area, open engagement free-for-all shooting setting. Further experimentation over the next eleven months would show that whilst the combined presence of nitrocellulose, nitroglycerine, and cyclo trimethyl trinitramine markedly increase the theorised gun’s energy, it simultaneously would seriously increase the gun’s internal impact, shock, and sensitivity of heat friction probability. In response, Dr. Hasek and the Halstenmetall R&D division researchers based on the Traugott-Universität Halsten altered the composition, with the hope of decreasing the aforesaid adverse side-effects.
Further two months of practical finding and laboratory experimentation resulted in a substantial decrease of the gun’s propellant energy output. Whilst initially accepted as the inevitable result, Halstenmetall further raised capital for funding the ambitious project, and as after three more months of intensive testing, Dr. Hasek and the Raugott-Universität Halsten development division finally developed a high-energy, multiple propellant gun system with substantially reduced internal friction, allowing them to minimise heat sensitivity that would be associated with improving a double based conventional propellant gun system. The gun's propellant composition also includes a liberal mixture of cyclo trimethyl trinitramine, thirty-one per cent in relation to the mixed composition of seventeen per cent nitrato ethyl nitramines, therefore subtracting the excess of nitrocellulose, nitroglycerine, and diethylene glycol dinitrate which act as stabilising factors for the improvement in energy output associated with the AY7M tank gun design. The gun was also known for its optimised high muzzle velocity. Computerised and lengthy simulation conducted by the Raugott-Universität Halsten team found that up to one point five per cent higher muzzle velocity could be achieved by composing a twenty-five-thirty-thirty-five combined percentage of cyclo trimethyl trinitramine together under a five micron weight particle size package.
Further experimental tests, three in total, conducted within the space of six weeks further strengthened the conviction that nitrato ethyl nitramines and cyclo trimethyl trinitramine were the right combination to be used in such a formula. This was approved within one week following the aftermath of the third experiment. The result is a gun with low internal pressure sensitivity, a high propellant momentum, and one point five per cent higher muzzle velocity. Using input from the data gathered from previous tests, for the gun fifty-five per cent energetic solid would be dispersed proportional to forty-two per cent of its weight, allowing for the possibility of more propellant burning control and intensity which result from the lack of sufficient energetic solid presence. A low percentage of nitrate-ester is also incorporated as solid stabilising presence for the gun’s propellants, which was done also for the previous AY2M and AY4M tank gun designs, to further increase the practical application of the energetic-liquid dispersion method. Also, for the AY7M it was found that the propellant must be energetic up only to the point that the requirement of electrical energy will not be considered as too excessive. An augmented combustion plasma mechanism is incorporated as the AY7M’s designated electric feed pump, which is applied during the process of fuel injection needed by the oxidising amplified chamber, and is controlled by the plasma cartridge’s attached amplified power. The plasma injection served to act as supply for the oxidising augmentation’s chemical reaction, thus increasing the system’s pressure and drastically enhancing the lethality of the AY7M tank gun.
For the L variant, that mechanism has been slightly changed to further optimise the tank's lethality during open field, open area free-for-all engagement. The combustion plasma magnification system of the original AY7M was modified to further multiply the pressure in the gun. This was achieved by aligning the original housing cartridge and its chamber in a unique environment in the barrel of the gun. This setting allowed for the emplacement of a teamed up coaxial plasma energy amplificatory transmitter between the standardised electrical set of energy. Realistically, this would multiply the existing supply of electric power needed by the gun. Another benefit of this modification to the pre-existing system found in the E variant’s original AY7M gun would be the stable provision of electrical supply for the gun. This set of energy extends and expands its reach behind the projectile, whilst the projectile is being propelled towards the AY7M’s bore. This mechanism would also automatically release the addition of gases coming from the gun’s chemical propellant, which once initiated fully, would result in an extended pulse of electrical current. The result is the further magnification of the original plasma mechanism of the gun, therefore increasing lethality of the gun by virtue of its higher penetration capacity, longer tactical range, and higher rounds acceleration. Field tests have shown that 1 kilojoule electrical energy per gram on the propellant is the minimum requirement for this arrangement. Propellant burning behaviour is sufficiently controlled at the same time to ensure that the ideal pressure profile in relation to the appropriate function of time will be met with the appropriate arrangement with the amount of electrical energy. Further controlled burning rate is also provided by the incorporation of point four to point five per cent carbon-black, consolidated and dispersed solidly, further strengthened with guar ga=m.
This existing interaction between the system's propellants and electrical discharges was intended to be kept at all cost, because this will result in higher pressure level as the gun’s projectile accelerates and moves. A relatively quiet muzzle break enhancement handled the gun’s recoil process, in which an extended length of recoil is toned down, strengthened by the AY7M’s thermal shroud mass attenuation, consequently allowing the Panthera Leo to withstand the added recoil of the gun. The VMK Bureau of Development & Technological Research Division, with assistance from the family owned company Parsifal-Guido Defence Propellants AG in the Kingdom of Alexandria, accomplished this feat by applying the teamed up presence of high energy oxidiser and binder of thermoplastic elastomer, by diverging the concentration of seventy-eight per cent oxidised molding powder particles in relation to its weight, which form the thermoplastic elastomer binder’s covering, with a concentration of nineteen per cent in relation to its weight. Precipitation of polymer substance is utilised during the preparation phase of the molding powder, otherwise known as the polymer precipitating process. At the most basic, this process is achieved by incorporating the energetic polymer as a solute into liquid form, within the chosen solvent.
The next phase involves the slow addition of solid oxidiser, to be followed by the incorporation of a non-solvent to precipitate the polymer. This process is applied to ensure the solid oxidiser and precipitated polymer coating process is completed identically in multiple preparatory phases. The coated inter-connected sub-atomic constituents, which after some deliberations have been decided must be 730 micrometres in measurement are then shaped as appropriate to the gun’s propellant. This method would reduce the engineering cost of mass-producing large quantity of the gun’s propellant system.
Another well-known feature of the gun is its effective recoil counter-measure, which is achieved thanks to its unique barrel mounting mechanism. The feature substantially reduces weight and manufacturing efforts to produce the gun, at the same time incorporating the use pf a counter recoil and recoil brake mechanism to lower its track of recoil. This feat is accomplished without reducing stability of the tank whilst the gun is discharging its projectiles. The mounting used the addition of a unit of singular piston cylinder, which is applied to allow alterations of the linked barrel’s muzzle height. This structure allows the mechanism to initiate a suspended cylindrical motion. It also allows for the mount to carry the gun on the side end of its piston. At the same time, recoil brake process is connected to the framework of the gun barrel, which allows for an automatic on and off switch operation in case the projectile will pass through the barrel towards the clear path and resistance-free barrel recoil.
The braking mechanism is inter-connected in the unit of piston cylinder; important for the muzzle height’s adjustment. This mechanism is activated during firing initiation phase of the gun, to be more precise during each upward motion of the barrel. The barrel’s recoil energy is then absorbed and dispersed at exactly the same time that the backward phase of braking mechanism described previously happens; jointly scattered through the recoil path and out of the recoil range. This allows the gun barrel’s axis turning motion to release the recoil energy, resulting in minimal braking force requirement. The breaking range and the braking mechanism maintain the recoil at minimum size along the path. This ensures the quantitative reduction of maintenance weight and effort, and drastically reduces the gun’s recoil length. Therefore the maximum path of barrel recoil and a reduced braking range can still be achieved at the same time that high muzzle height exists. Its electro-hydraulic braking median is furthermore designed to resist pressure momentum. This minimum braking length allows for ease of obtaining stability when the tank fires its projectiles, with muzzle height greater than five metres at braking length. Field testing conducted by the Bureau of Development & Research in Halsten Proving Ground has thus proven, justifying the monetary fund spent throughout the duration of the development, that stability of the tank during firing can be achieved with ease. The muzzle height of the barrel during testing was six metres, which proved that a braking force reduction requirement of just above thirty per cent could be realised.
The muzzle brake of the gun allows for the effective elimination of barrel stress when the tank is firing its load at the enemy, which is achieved by utilising an integral element alongside the muzzle’s side end in the barrel of the gun: the existence of multiple integrated bores situated to resemble a ring formation around the barrel. The long cylindrical jacket tube, with its separate gas openings and exit is inter-connected with the barrel’s side end. The tube’s surface is also guided by a circular ring arranged under a narrow depression, which ends at the opposite of both the narrow and long aperture gas exit openings, terminating into the barrel’s opening flat surface. Adding as an advantage is also the fact that the jacket tube is smaller when compared with other similar barrel arrangements which utilised the method of separating muzzle brak with the gun. This alternative method can be achieved because more than sixty per cent of the braking force energy in the AY7M is delivered towards the barrel whenever the tank fires its load, whilst only thirty per cent is delivered to the jacket tube; this making the gun system different than those found in other tank guns. This alternative arrangement further allows for lower barrel weight in comparison to some other muzzle brake arrangements. And finally, this arrangement for the gun allows for easier manufaturing of the barrel’s muzzle. It also allows the gun to fire its projectiles smoothly through the area of the muzzle brake, without the influence or presence of negative jump error angle. This ensures the L variant has higher hitting speed and higher striking accuracy against enemy target, which is increased further by the dynamic vibration attenuations capability of its AYTRACK 03 integrated advanced fire control system — a marked improvement from the previous E variant.
The AY7M uses a variety of rounds able to be used by the same generation of main battle tanks of its kind, for instance the Yohannesian (utilised by the Confederate States of Anagonia and the Confederate Army also) PLA-80E DU-APFSRPDS-T (depleted uranium armour piercing fin stabilised discarding sabot), with a perforation limit of 2,400 mm at an impact velocity of 2,200 /s, accommodated adequately by a tracer cavity at the flight projectile’s rear without any degradation to the penetration performance of the rod’s armour; PLA-83E HE-FRAG (high explosive fragmentation); PLA-82E Tandem MP HEAT (multi purpose tandem-charge high explosive anti tank); PLA-84E (top attack gun launched anti tank guided missile, on the lack of the Havik II BLATGM’s availability or preference), which has an effective range of 4000 m; and the APFSDS-T-TP (armour-piercing penetrator target practice), with other training rounds also provided. The AY7M acquired larger velocity mark as a result of its greater length and dimension, set at fifty calibres, a total of seven metres. The greater length of the gun allows for a slight improvement and more efficient propellant burning phase over the previous AY2M. The gun is furthermore fitted with a rigid fibre glass thermal sleeve blanket around its barrel to protect the gun thermally from operational on-and-off active battlefield environment and terrain conditions, utilising the existence of a ring-shaped gap found between the gun’s barrel and its sleeve, which is made up of of sandwiched honeycomb layers of materials in-between that of the stiff, unyielding inner and outer envelopment.
Fed by a modified version of the XA1Y-E1 utilised by the B variant, the AYM series of tank gun’s development has increased the importance of developing an upgraded automatic loading system, as the size and weight of the AY7M’s ammunitions have revealed the condition whereby a human cannot effectively handle them within the confines of the tank’s turret. Prioritising commonality factor, the VMK Bureau of Development and Technological Research has decided to create the XA1Y-E2. The production of ever increasing number of large calibre weaponry has seen the invention and production of many gun automatic loading systems in the international community, as the arms manufacturing industries of many nations strive to promote their own autoloading systems. Most apparently needed in a setting whereby a large field gun is fielded for an armoured fighting vehicle, and especially for tanks such as the AY2 series, the VMK R&D Division has proceeded to improve on its own autoloading system.
The advantages of a well-designed automatic loading system for a tank gun are clear. It would (i) considerably increase the gun’s rate of fire; (ii) lower on the ground crew number and thus reduce manpower requirement by removing the gunner; and (iii) free up internal space for crew compartment. Observations of many foreign produced autoloaders have seen the technical complexities of maintaining either the bustle or carousel system for their corresponding armoured fighting vehicle on the ground. The XA1Y-E2, as the E1, was therefore conceptualised with different technicality in mind. The XA1Y-E2 has the ability to load ammunitions under all azimuth and elevation co-ordinate value within its structural limit, which allows for an increasing rate of fire. This is because the two successive systematic gun loading stages of the XA1Y-E2 allow the ease of transfer of the gun breech loaded shells from the magazine in a more effective manner. It also achieved such in a reduced successive progress rate, thus allowing the XA1Y-E2 to work with as small an energy requirement as possible. Controlling movement of the XA1-E2 is kick-started by the utilisation of a trolley mounted in an identical pair of opposite motion direction-specialised tracks. The tracks are used to control its movement in relation with the shell retrieval position within the turret’s given internal ammunition storage space, done simultaneously at both sides of the magazine.
The gun feeding mechanism will then proceed to ram the shells towards the gun’s breech, which is mounted on the turret. The motion directing tracks located opposite to one another will then guide the mechanism to simultaneously operate alongside the given azimuth and elevation co-ordinate of the gun. Once this is done the trolley will propel a fully electrically-powered motor along the direction given by the track. This process will push both the shell and the trolley, fully electrically powered from the described source, from the magazine towards the pod. The whole process is pretty much almost done by the time the shell comes closer towards the pod’s inner section, for the gun has reached full loading position, and is ready to be loaded. To conclude the process, a fixed, controlled guidance is then provided from the rotating cam wheel, which will provide a secured holding position in-beween the rammer and the shell, positioned along the bore line’s direction. The motor will then propel twice, in fast successive stages, to create two propeling forces towards the gun’s breech. The pod will automatically detach itself once the position has been aligned and fixed, clearing the space for the gun recoiling process to happen.
Aided by the smooth-on-the-ground-operational-capability of the
VLT HPVS-MBT active hydropneumatic suspension system, the XA1Y-E2 automatic gun loading system has the ability to maintain accurate control on many rough terrains, and is manufactured to be fully compact whilst saving much needed internal turret space. By utilising the gunner’s gyro-stabilised panoramic sight, the crew of the tank can initiate the on-board hit avoidance and target acquisition sensors, which are mounted on the surrounding left and right frontal side of the vehicle's turret. The XA1Y-E2’s structural-based and adapted automatic loading system is capable of handling and firing up to fifteen rounds of AY7M ammunitions per minute, to be replenished internally within the turret or externally through the rear. The addition of a supporting burst diaphragm further ensures that when an ignition of the ammunition as a result of penetration towards the automatic loader and magazine happens, the forthcoming centre pressure of the blast will be vented upwards, consequently altering it away from the vehicle’s crew compartment. The AY7M tank gun can power elevate from 20º to -9º.