PzKpfw 151 Tiger
General Characteristics:
- Type: Main battle tank
- Weight: 72.5 t
- Length (hull): 7.9 m
- Length (gun forward): 12.4 m
- Width: 3.8 m
- Height (turret roof): 2.6 m
- Crew: 3 (driver, gunner, commander)
Mobility:
- Engine: AMG HL280 multi-fuel quad-turbo V12 diesel engine, 1,765 kw (2,400 PS)
- Auxiliary power unit: SDI RKM700 turbocharged rotary engine, 60 kW (80 PS)
- Transmission: AMG AK 7-700 hydrokinetic transmission (7 forward, 3 reverse gears)
- Suspension: In-arm hydropneumatic
- Max onroad speed: 75 km/h
- Max offroad speed: 60 km/h
- Max reverse speed: 30 km/h
- Fuel capacity: 1,300 l
- Operational range: 550 km
Armament:
- 1x 15 cm L/60 smoothbore gun, 39 rounds
- 2x 8 mm MG-45E machine guns, 5,850 rounds
Maneuverability:
- Power/weight Ratio: 33.5 PS/t (24.6 kW/t)
- Ground clearance: 0.55 m
- Ground pressure: 0.90 kg/cm2
- Gradient: 70%
- Sideslope: 40%
- Fording Depth: 1.4 m
- Trench Crossing: 3.0 m
- Vertical Wall Climb: 1.3 m
Overview
The Panzerkampfwagen 151 (PzKpfw 151) Tiger is an advanced main battle tank (MBT) designed by SDI Vehicle Systems.
Armament:Main gun: The main armament of the Tiger is a 15 cm SDI smoothbore gun with a barrel length of 60 calibers which is designed to fire SDI's family of 15 cm high-pressure smoothbore ammunition.The gun is mounted in the vehicle's stabilized turret and is capable of traversing a full 360° at 40°/s and elevating from -10° to +15° at 40°/s using an electric turret drive with < 0.3 mrad pointing accuracy. The 15 cm L/60 gun includes a hydraulic recoil system with approximately 500 mm of travel along with a slotted multi-baffle muzzle brake to absorb the recoil force of the weapon. The gun uses a vertically opening multi-lug breech design designed to reduce the stress concentrations between the breech and breech-block during firing. The nickel-chromium-molybdenum alloy steel lugs on either side of the breech mechanism are subject to both shot peening and mechanical overload to further induce favorable residual stresses into the lugs, maximizing the the number of firing cycles the breech mechanism can endure before needing replacement. To reduce barrel weight the 15 cm L/60 gun features a composite construction consisting of an autrofrettaged double vacuum remelted ultra-high strength steel (UHSS) tube with a metal-matrix (MMC) composite overlap made from silicon carbide fibers transversely wound into a 6061 aluminum alloy matrix. High temperature wear and corrosion protection for the gun tube assembly is via twin refractory tantalum liners along the inside of the barrel applied using a sputtering process. Barrel weight of the cannon is approximately 1,600 kilograms and the complete weight of the barrel with the breech and gun mount assembly is approximately 4,300 kilograms. A full-length composite thermal sleeve constructed from E-glass filaments transversely wound into a low thermally conductive epoxy matrix is attached via a pivoting collar to the bore evacuator, the thermal sleeve serving to minimize barrel distortion due to uneven heating of the barrel surface and to minimize the thermal signature of the barrel assembly. Accuracy degradation due to terrain-induced vibrations on the gun are minimized using a dynamically tuned shroud (DTS), a spring loaded collar with an energy absorbing rubber liner attached to the front of the thermal sleeve which acts as a tuned mass absorber. The absorber is dynamically tuned using a set of preloaded leaf springs which can be adjusted to vary the stiffness of the absorber. This system allows the gun to be isolated from external vibrations and also reduces the load transmitted from the gun barrel to the projectile during launch, significantly improving weapon accuracy. The gun is also fitted with a dynamic muzzle reference system (MRS) comprising a reflector mounted on the muzzle and a laser transmitter mounted on the rotor assembly which automatically measures the angular deflection of the barrel in both azimuth and elevation in real time while the tank is both stationary and moving. The DMRS is connected to the firing circuit of the gun and when the gunner depresses the trigger will automatically fire the gun only when the barrel is near straight, maximizing accuracy.
Autoloader: The tank's cannon is fed from a bustle-mounted robotic autoloader system (RALs) which contains 17 ready rounds in the rear of the turret. The RALS system comprises a a double-row, closed-loop chain of 17 telescoping cells each containing a single 15 cm round. When an ammunition type is selected by the gunner the chain drive moves the telescoping cell with the cartridge into the loading port where the loading door in-line with the breech of the gun is opened. An electric rammer then grips the rim of the round and then pushes the round through the telescoping cell into the gun breech, the rammer and telescoping cell then retracting back into the bustle and the loading door closed. With the process reversed rounds can be extracted from the breach and put back in the autoloader by the system. Twin titanium blowout panels are fitted to the top of the RALs system to protect the crew in the event of of an ammunition explosion. Reloading of the RALS system can be done manually using a reloading port at the rear of the vehicle. 22 rounds of 15 cm two-piece ammunition are stored separately in the hull in twin 17 cell, double-row closed-loop chain (like those in the turret bustle) magazine units stacked on top of each other which are located in between aft end of the turret ring and the transversely mounted powerpack. Each cell in the hull magazine contains either a forward projectile section or two aft propellant charges, allowing up to 22 complete rounds to stored separately in the hull magazine. A robotic transfer mechanism is used to shift ammunition from the lower hull autoloader magazine to the upper hull magazine and from the hull magazine into the turret bustle autoloader. Reloading the turret magazine from the bustle takes approximately two minutes and requires the vehicle to be stationary with the turret locked facing forward. Replenishment of the hull magazines is via a port located on the left rear of the turret which transfers rounds directly into the turret bustle autoloader cells and then into the twin hull magazines using the robotic transfer arm.
Smoke-grenade launchers: The vehicle is equipped with a total 32 smoke grenade launchers grouped into four groups of four on each turret face turret covering the front two 90° sectors. The smoke launchers fire 76 mm diameter red phosphorus smoke grenades which provide effective obscuration across the entire visual (0.4 to 0.7 µm) and infrared (0.7 to 14 µm) spectrum for countering TV, EO/IR, laser, and SACLOS guided weapons. Each smoke grenade weighs 1.2 kg including 800 grams of red phosphorous fill and is launched to a range of 40-45 meters where the grenade bursts and produces a smokescreen approximately 12 meters long and 6 meters high for a duration of 20-30 seconds. The launchers can also fire fragmentation grenades containing an explosive charge and 750 grams of steel balls which are designed to burst at a height of 5-6 meters above the ground. The smoke grenade launchers are controlled automatically through an interface to the vehicle's laser warning sensors and launches smoke grenades automatically when the vehicle is illuminated by a hostile laser rangefinder or laser designator. The launchers can also be controlled manually from a panel in the commander's station which can fire individual grenades or salvos of four across each frontal 90° sector.
Secondary armament: Two belt-fed 8mm MG 45E machine guns are fitted as standard to the tank. A coaxial MG-45E machine gun is mounted on the left side of the main gun and another MG 45E machine gun is mounted mounted to a remote weapon station attached to commander's sight on top of the turret. 5,850 rounds of 8x57mm ammunition and carried inside the vehicle for both weapons.
Protection:Armor Protection:The Tiger employs a heavy-metal composite armor system designed to provide protection against kinetic energy (KE) threats in the form of long-rod penetrators fired by high-pressure tank cannons and chemical energy (CE) threats including large-caliber shaped charge munitions. The composite armor covers the front and sides of the turret and the front and the sides of the hull with the remainder of the vehicle protected only by conventional steel armor. The line-of-sight thickness of the armor of the vehicle measures 1,300 mm across the glacis and turret front and 700 mm across the frontal turret sides. The armor is designed to provide frontal /- 30° protection against large caliber tank gun fired APFSDS rounds (800-1000 mm RHA penetration) and large caliber anti-tank guided missiles (~170 mm diameter SC with 1500-1600 mm RHA penetration) and 360° protection against 15mm AP ammunition and handheld anti-tank weapons (110 mm diameter SC). Approximate average RHA equivalent protection for the glacis and turret armor across the frontal 60 degree arc is 1,000-1,200 mm RHA against kinetic-energy munitions and 1,800-2,200 mm versus chemical-energy munitions. The armor in the glacis is structurally integrated into the hull and side skirts of the vehicle while the turret composite armor is contained in a series of armor modules which bolt onto the front and sides of the turret. The armor modules are designed to be replaced in field when damaged and can additionally be opened up and specific armor components inside the modules repaired or replaced in the field. In the addition to the composite armor the inside of the hull and the turret of the vehicle are fitted with spall panels to minimize the post-armor effects of rounds which penetrate into the vehicle. The spall panels are also loaded with 5% by weight boron to provide protection against fast neutron, thermal neutron, primary gamma rays and secondary gamma rays.
Fire extinguishing system: The crew, ammunition, fuel, and powertrain compartments of the vehicle include an automatic fire extinguishing system (AFES) which is designed to prevent fires inside the vehicle caused by penetrating munitions. Combined UV/IR electro-optical infrared sensors placed inside the crew and ammunition compartments are used to detect the formation of explosive fires inside the vehicle within several milliseconds. The engine, transmission, and fuel compartments of the vehicle substitute the electro-optical sensors with several loop of thermal sensing wire which active the fire suppression system when compartment temperature exceed 80 degrees C. Four 9 kg pressurized bottles containing Halon 1301 fire suppressing agent are located in the diver's compartment which through a series of hoses and pipes spray Halon agent into the fighting compartment or ammunition engine compartment when the system detects a fire. The system can also be manually activated through a panel in the driver's compartment. After the compartment is flooded with halon and the fire extinguished the vehicle's ventilator is automatically switched on and the residual smoke and halon gas is then vented to the atmosphere. An additional 2.5 kg Halon fire extinguisher is also stored in the fighting compartment underneath the main gun.
NBC System:The vehicle's NBC systems consists of pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system which supplied filtered air to the crew compartment and maintains fighting compartment pressure at a constant 4 millibar above outside atmospheric pressure. The pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system works by using two filter beds' one adsorbing at high pressure while the other is regenerating at low pressure by the removal of previously adsorbed particles. Following regeneration the incoming air is diverted to the cleaned bed and the bed previously online begins its regeneration cycle. Air first is drawn into the system through a cyclone filter which removes dust and biological particles from the air before it enters the first stage air compressor. The first stage air compressor raises the air pressure to 1.8 bar where the air is then cooled by passing through the first stage heat exchanger before it enters the second stage air compressor. The second stage air compressor raises the air pressure to 3.0 bar where the air is again cooled by passing it through the second stage heat exchanger. The air then enters the on-line bed where it is cleaned . The cleaned air that leaves the on-line bed is cooled by passing it through a recuperator where it is then expanded through a turbine which drives the second stage air compressor. The cold air leaving the turbine is released into the crew compartment through a pressure relief valve (PRV) which maintains the crew compartment at 4 millibar above outside atmospheric pressure.
Active Protection System: The Tiger is equipped with SDI Aegis Active Armor System, a modular, distributed hardkill active protection system designed to protect the vehicle from rockets, missiles, top-attack munitions, and cannon-launched HEAT projectiles. The system consists of a set of pre-warner radar arrays and multiple modular countermeasure modules mounted along the turret sides and roof containing electro-optical tracking sensors and directional explosive countermeasures designed to destroy or deflect oncoming projectiles before they strike the vehicle. The radar tracking system employs eight low-power Ka band (35 GHz) frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar panels which detect and track oncoming projectiles at ranges of 10-30 meters from the vehicle. Six panels are arranged around the sides of the turret with another two on the turret roof which provide combined 360 degree hemispherical coverage around the vehicle. The short range and low power level of the radar antenna (less than 1 watt each) minimizes the chances the radars will be detected by enemy ECM or electronic intelligence sensors. The radar are used to detect and track incoming projectiles and determine if they are on a course to impact the vehicle. Information from the radar arrays is processed by a central open-architecture countermeasures processor unit which identifies incoming threats and then activates further electro-optical sensors which provide fine tracking of incoming projectiles 2 to 4 meters from the vehicle. Countermeasure initiation is triggered by the electro-optical LADAR sensors with the interception point being approximately a meter from the vehicle. The explosive countermeasures used by the system are contained in bricks on the outside of the vehicle and employ a directional DIME (dense inert metal explosive) charge which fires a blast of micro-sized (1-2mm diameter) heavy metal tungsten alloy (HMTA) shrapnel towards the projectile. The direction of the blast can be steered up or down by varying where the detonation in the charge initiates, allowing the modules placed along the turret to provide coverage over the the hull of the vehicle by steering the blast downwards or to defeat over-fly top attack projectiles by firing upwards. The blast of micro-shrapnel is designed to destroy oncoming threats at distances of a meter or less and loses momentum very rapidly due to air resistance, rendering it safe to dismounted infantry past four or so meters from the vehicle. The countermeasures bricks themselves employ a metal-free composite construction and are encased in a layer of thermoplastic armor to prevent the brick itself from generating any shrapnel and to protect the explosive charges from small arms fire and shrapnel and other hazards. The vehicle by default is fitted with eight countermeasure modules along the sides and front of the turret which provide coverage around the the hull and turret sides against direct attack or over-fly top-attack projectiles and an additional four roof-mounted countermeasure modules to intercept diving top-attack munitions.
Mobility:
- Name: HL280
- Type: Multi-fuel diesel engine
- Length: 1,750 mm
- Width: 780 mm
- Height: 950 mm
- Dry Weight: 1,890 kg
- Bore/stroke: 150/135 mm
- Displacement, cylinder: 2.30 l
- Displacement, total: 27.6 l
- Charging method: Quad variable-geometry sequential turbochargers
- Intercooling: Air-oil intercooler and aftercooler
- Number of Cylinders: 12, V, 60 degrees
- Cooling method: Oil cooled
- Injection method: Common rail, piezoelectric direct injection
- Specific fuel consumption: 190 g/kW-hr
- Power: 1,765 kW (2,400 PS) @ 3,300 RPM
- Torque: 6,890 N-m (5080 ft-ib) @ 2,000 RPM
- Fuel: JP-5, JP-8, Ultra-low sulfur diesel
The Tiger is powered by a self contained rear drive system which includes an AMG (Arkaenisch Motorenfabrik Gesellschaft) designed HL280 diesel engine and an AMG AK 7-700 hydromechanical planetary transmission, accessory drive gearbox, auxiliary power unit (APU), self-cleaning air filter (SCAF), exhaust IR suppression system, engine and APU fuel system, and the vehicle electrical system which is separated from the fighting compartment by a fireproof bulkhead. Inlet air for the engine flows through a set of armored grills located on the left side of the vehicle's engine deck before being scrubbed by a pre-cleaner and passed through a self-cleaning air filter (SCAF) where the now cleaned air then enters the engine. The exhaust from the engine is passed through an IR suppression system and then finally vented overboard through a louvered grill mounted at the rear of the vehicle. Relatively compact and designed for reliability and ease of maintenance, the vehicle's power pack has a 5,000 hour mean time between overhaul (MTBO) and air filters designed for 100 hour continuous operation at twice zero-visibility dust concentrations, can accept virtually any grade of diesel or jet fuel, can cold start at temperatures as low as -50 degrees C, and can be removed from the vehicle in as little as 15 minutes for replacement or repair.
Engine: The AMG designed HL280 diesel engine is a multi-fuel, low-heat rejection (LHR), quad-turbo diesel engine with a maximum power output of 1,765 kilowatts (2,400 PS) at its maximum rated speed of 3,300 RPM. The HL280 engine block is a monobloc design with a 60 degree cylinder bank angle and is constructed from compacted graphite iron (CGI) and features integral charge air cooler and intake manifold housings along with machined cooling passages for the synthetic oil coolant. Both the turbocharger intercooler and aftercoolers and exhaust manifolds are constructed from high-temperature stainless steel alloy and are located on the outside of the V-block with the intake manifolds integral to the V-block itself. The HL280 features a common rail electronic controlled injection (ECI) system with one piezoelectric injector per engine cylinder. Fuel is pressurized by a high-pressure, fuel lubricated hydraulic boost pump with the fuel rail mounted on the engine serving as a high-pressure accumulator. The fuel is distributed to the individual fast-switching piezoelectric injectors integrated into each engine cylinder where fuel is then injected at 2,500 bar pressure into each engine cylinder. The cylinder heads are constructed from cast ductile iron and feature black nitride coated stainless steel inlet valves and high temperature titanium/inconel alloy exhaust valves with monolithic zirconia valve seats capable of surviving the high exhaust gas temperatures of each cylinder without needing cooling. The piston in each cylinder is two piece, articulated design with a forged maraging steel crown with tungsten-carbide piston rings screwed into an aluminum skirt assembly, the steel crown of the piston being cooled using a single piston oil supply nozzle located on the underside the crown. Both the cylinder head and piston crown feature a plasma-spray applied 2mm zirconia ceramic thermal barrier coating (TBC) which facilitates high temperature, high pressure engine operation with minimal thermal losses. The cylinders themselves are constructed from ductile cast iron with a silicon carbide (SiC) fiber reinforced 7075 aluminum alloy metal matrix composite liner with a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating which reduces both the head temperature and the friction between the piston rings and the cylinder walls. The cylinders are cooled using synthetic oil which flows through an annular groove at the top of the cylinder in between the cylinder block and cylinder liner. The engine's crankshaft and connecting rods use an induction hardened, forged 18Ni maraging steel alloy construction with diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings to improve abrasion and corrosion resistance. The connecting rods are a telescoping design which allows for the compression ratio of the engine to be varied from 9 up to 18, allowing for the cycle isotropic efficiency to be maximized across the engine's entire operating envelope. The intake pressure of the HL280 engine is boosted via the use of four variable-geometry sequential turbochargers. The turbine of each turbocharger is a single, stage axial design constructed from silicon nitride ceramic and features a set of axially pivoting variable-area turbine vanes which open up at low engine RPMs to reduce turbo-lag and increase engine torque and then at higher engine RPMs close down to increase engine boost pressure. The exhaust turbine of each turbocharger drives both a low pressure compressor (LPC) and high pressure compressor (HPC) on a common shaft with an air-oil intercooler placed between the low pressure and high pressure stages and an air-oil aftercooler placed after the high-pressure stage of each turbocharger. Each turbocharger additionally features set of variable inlet guide vanes (VIGVs) ahead of low and high pressure compressors which prevent surge or chocking of the flow through the compressor.
Transmission: The transmission used with the HL280 engine is the AMG AK 7-700 hydro-kinetic power shifting, reversing, and steering transmission with seven forward and three reverse gears. The transmission employs a powershift system with planetary gearing capable of shifting under full engine load, a reversing gear mechanism, and a hydrokinetic torque converter with a lock-up clutch to improve efficiency at higher speeds. Operation of the transmission is fully automatic and automatically changes gear within a range pre-selected by the driver. A digital transmission control unit (TCU) is used to control shifting in automatic mode which interfaces with the engine control unit (ECU) to control the range of the transmission. A manual override is additionally fitted which allows for range override of the transmission through a lever in the driver's compartment connected through a cable to a series of mechanical linkages attached to the shifting mechanism of the transmission. The steering drive fitted to the transmission is an infinitely variable hydrostatic/hydrodynamic superimposed differential system employing twin hydraulic drives with variable-displacement hydraulic pumps and twin hydraulic motors which are used to add or subtract power from each side of the vehicle and allow for neutral or pivot turning at infinitely variable speed. Power is transferred to each sprocket using a twin-speed planetary final drive with 10:1 and 20:1 gear ratios. Braking functions of the transmission include a combined hydrodynamic/mechanical dual circuit integrated brake system with an internal hydrodynamic brake and external oil-cooled power assisted disc brakes on either side of the transmission. Independent service and parking brakes are additionally included. A hydraulic power take-off (PTO) system fitted to the transmission output is used to power the transmission cooling fans as well the accessory drive gearbox which contains a toroidal CVT (continuously variable transmission) which provides a constant 3,000 rpm speed output independent of engine RPM which is used to drive the vehicle's NBC compressor, alternator, self-cleaning air filter (SCAF), scavenge blower, and IR exhaust suppression system.
Auxiliary Power Unit: Auxiliary power is provided via an SDI RKM700 under-armor auxiliary power unit (APU) attached to the accessory gearbox within the engine compartment. The APU system consists of the RKM700 engine along with integral starter, fuel conditioning system, and self-contained cooling system and is used to power the vehicle's alternator, air filter compressor, and self-cleaning air filter while the engine is offline. The RKM700 APU is a single-cylinder turbocharged rotary engine with a 0.7 liter displacement which can generate a maximum of 60 kilowatts (80 PS) of power at it's rated speed of 6,000 RPM. In addition to the single-stage turbocharger the RKM700 engine features an air-to-air aftercooler and a dry-sump oil lubrication system. The RKM700 APU is oil-cooled using an integral oil-air heat exchanger and cooling fan. The APU is fed from the main engine air inlet and exhausts though a grille in the upper left hull sponson.
Electrical System The vehicle's electrical system interfaces with the engine and transmission, CVT accessory drive gearbox, self-cleaning air filter (SCAF,) APU, NBC filtration system, HVAC system, fuel system, and fire suppression system. The electrical system is consists of four 170 amp-hour lithium-ion batteries, battery heater system, electrical distribution system, and a 1,000 amp, 28 kilowatt oil-cooled brushless permanent magnet alternator driven by the APU or main engine through the CVT accessory drive gearbox. The lithium-ion batteries are wired in series-parallel and provide 680 amp-hours capacity of 24 VDC output from -40 degrees to +50 degrees C ambient temperature and allow for engine cold start at -40 C without the APU after up to four hours of silent watch. The batteries are charged using the 1,000 amp oil-cooled alternator through a solid-state voltage regulator which at an alternator speed of 3,000 rpm delivers 28-30 volts of DC power at up to 150 amps to rapidly charge the batteries.
Suspension & Running Gear: the Tiger features an SDI designed semi-active in-arm hydro-pneumatic suspension system with four sets of paired, overlapping 800 mm diameter rubber-tired road wheels on either side of the chassis (16 road wheels total) each mounted on a swing-arm with an integral in-arm suspension unit (ISU) which allows for independent control of each road wheel bogie. Each ISU consists of a compressed nitrogen shock absorber and hydraulic dampener unit contained inside the roadwheel arm. When the arm rotates upward a piston-arm attached to a stationary pivot is forced into a cylinder in the moving suspension arm which in turn displaces the hydraulic fuel inside and compresses the nitrogen gas inside, causing the unit to act as a spring. The variable damping of the suspension is provided by a stack of hydro-mechanically controlled wet friction discs located on the hull pivot axis of the in arm suspension unit which are compressed by a hydraulic pressure plate to vary the dampening rate of the suspension arm as a function of the suspension arm position and velocity. Ground clearance of the vehicle is adjustable by the driver from between 100 and 700 mm, depending on terrain. The suspension also allows the vehicle to "tilt" forwards or backwards permitting additional gun elevation and depression. The vehicle uses a decoupled running gear design where the final drives and sprockets, idlers, and roadwheel arms are all mounted on left and right side running gear carriers which are decoupled from the sides of the hull using rubber mounts. The vehicle employs double-pin, twin center guide tracks with removable rubber road-pads. Track width is 75 centimeters with a pitch of 20 centimeters with a total of 88 links per track. To reduce weight the vehicle's track links and pins employ a novel composite construction using a particle reinforced titanium metal matrix composite in place of traditional steel. The track parts are formed through powder metallurgy using titanium carbide (TiC) particles mixed into Ti-6Al-6V-2Sn (Ti-6-6-2) alloy powder, the final composite parts offering superior corrosion and wear resistance to steel parts while reducing track weight approximately 25% over an equivalent strength steel design. Each track link is fitted standard with twin detachable road pads constructed from a kevlar-natural rubber composite to reduce noise and road wear. For traversing icy ground up to 44 steel cleats can be fitted to each track, one cleat replacing the rubber pad on every fifth track link, the cleats being stored on the vehicle's glacis when not in use. The tank's sixteen road wheels employ a twin hollow shell design formed using twin hollow cavities constructed from a single 7075-T6 aluminum alloy forging fitted with an inner steel wear ring and polyurethane tire which are then bolted together back-to-back to form the complete road wheel units.
Fire Control:Gunner's Sight: The Tiger is equipped with a two-axis stabilized gunner's thermal sight which is housed in an armored covering at the right forward edge of the turret. The main features of the sight are a third generation dual-wavelength (3-5 um and 8-12 um) thermal imager and high-resolution color CCD imager with 2-axis independently stabilized line of sight, ballistic computer, eye-safe laser rangefinder, and integrated GPS/inertial navigation system. The third generation thermal imager used with the gunner's sight is a SDI'd WBG-3G 1280 x 1024 pixel dual color (MWIR and LWIR) Mercury cadmium telluride (HgCdTe) staring focal plane array (FPA) detector. The thermal imager is cooled using a Stirling cycle linear drive cryocooler which cools the detector assembly to 77° K. The detector and crycooler system are contained in a single Standard Advanced Dewar Assembly (SADA), a closed-cycle dewar-cooler assembly containing the linear crycooler, infrared FPA, Dewar, and various control electronics and sensors. The dual-color thermal imager features a color fusion system which assigns colors to pixel values from each MWIR and LWIR band (red for LWIR, cyan for MWIR), adding color contrast to the otherwise black-and-white thermal image. The thermal sight can be toggled between 16.7° wide field of view (WFOV), 8.9° medium field of view (MFOV), 4.4° narrow field-of view (NFOV), and 2.2° ultra-narrow field of view settings. Mounted alongside the thermal imager is a 2048 x 1536 pixel visible/near IR monochrome CCD camera with selectable 16.7° wide field of view (WFOV), 8.9° medium field of view (MFOV), 4.4° narrow field-of view (NFOV), and 2.2° ultra-narrow field of view settings which provides the gunner's sight with an additional daylight channel in addition to the dual-band thermal channel. Detection, recognition, and identification ranges for the sight are around 22/12/7.5 km for the thermal channel and 24/15/9 km for the daylight channel against a 2.3 x 2.3 meter vehicle target. An image fusion function is also available combines the data from the dual-band thermal imager and the CCD camera to provide a fused image selectable on the sight control panel from 100% visible / 0% IR to 0% visible / 100% IR in infinitely variable increments. Range information for the fire-control system is provided by a 2.06 um holmium-doped YLF eye-safe solid-state laser rangefinder which provides+/- 1 meter accuracy from ranges of 50 meters up to 40 kilometers. The sight additionally contains a 1.064 um laser designator, laser illuminator and laser spot tracker. The sight's dual axis stabilized head mirror assembly provides for enhanced on-the-move (OTM) stabilization capability, ensuring the reticle of the sight stays stabilized in the center of the sight while the vehicle is on the move. Dual-axis stabilization is provided by micromachined 2-axis hemispherical Resonator Gyroscopes (HRGs) with 0.001 deg/hour drift capability integrated into the sights inertial measurement unit (IMU) system. The output from the gunner's sight is displayed in the gunner's binocular image control unit (BICU), a dual binocular display mounted in the gunner's station which generates a stabilized virtual image of the output of the sighting unit. The display from the gunner's sight is also displayed in the gunner's primary sight extension (GPSE) in the commander's station which allows the commander to see what the gunner is looking at and to potential override him or sight and fire the main gun, if necessary. A backup TZF-18 gunner's auxiliary sight is mounted coaxially with the main armament and can be used to aim and fire both the main gun and coaxial machine gun armament. The TZF-18 is a fixed 8x magnification sight with a 10 constructed from a pressurized aluminum housing and features diopter adjustment, a tritium illuminated reticle with stadiametric rangefinder, and selectable neutral-density (NS) filter for high-brightness conditions.
The gunner's sight is integrated with a GPS/INS navigation system which inputs accurate heading, attitude, velocity and position information of the vehicle into the sight's ballistic computer. The navigation system combines 3 axis fiber optic gyroscopes, 3 axis pendulous accelerometers, and digital magnetic compass with further sensor input from vehicle motion sensor (VMS) systems in the drivetrain and two lightweight DGPS antennas integrated into either side of the sight housing. Attitude information from the GPS is used to give the sight far target location (FTL) capability which combines data from the GPS/INS system and laser rangefinder to provide a complete 3- dimensional attitude solution for the fire control system complete with 10-digit grid coordinate of a target accurate to within several meters at ranges up to 10 kilometers. The ballistic computer for the gunner's sight is contained in a single line replaceable unit (LRU) and features a shock, radiation, and electro- static discharge hardened outer casing and a convection cooling system with -50 to +70° C operating capability. The ballistic computer synthesizes inputs from multiple sensors including laser rangefinder, barrel temperature sensors and dynamic muzzle reference system (MRS), crosswind sensor, RFID propellant temperature sensors, vehicle motion sensors (VMS), and inertial navigation and vehicle position sensors and takes into account the target range, vehicle cant angle, the direction of vehicle motion relative to the target, crosswind velocity and direction, and the ballistic data of the selected ammunition in order to calculate the required lead and elevation to hit the target. The firing solution is then automatically transferred to the main gun's stabilization and control system which then lays the main gun onto the line-of-sight of the gunner's sight. The gunner's sight also features an automatic target recognition (ATR) capability imaging through an SDI designed imaging sensor autoprocessor (ISA) unit built into the sight. The ISA employs parallel very high speed integrated circuit (VHSIC) processors contained in a single LRU which includes the video multiplexer, segmentation processor, recognition processor, and and execution controller. Mid-wave and long-wave infrared video output from the sight's dual-band FLIR sensor is input into the ISA which then analyses the scene and uses edge detection and parallel processing image recognition algorithms to classify targets based on their size and contrast and attempts to match them with an on-board threat library of targets which includes trucks, armored personnel carriers, tanks, helicopters, and other vehicles.
Commander's Sight: External vision for the commander is provided by the commander's sight which features the same infrared imager, color CCD camera, laser range finder as the gunner's sight. The commander's sight features independent dual-axis HRG stabilization along with servomotor actuated 360° azimuth and -13°to +70 ° elevation travel. The independent commander's sight gives the vehicle "hunter-killer" capability by allowing the commander to independently search for targets and then hand them off to the gunner for engagement. Like the gunner's sight the commander's sight is contained within an armored housing which protects the assembly against shrapnel and small arms fire. The commander's sight additionally includes track-while-scan capability and an integral ballistic computer and ATR processor identical to the one in the gunner's sight which enables lead angle computation capability and far-target location ability like that of the gunner's sight. The commander's sight features both manual and automatic scan settings and a gun line of sight (GLOS) mode which slaves the main gun to the commander's sight. High Definition video output from the commander's sight is transferred into the turret via a 100 MHz bandwidth fiber-optical slip ring and displayed on the commander's integrated display (CID), a 1920 x 1080 resolution touchscreen SXGA display with 20 programmable edge keys all with variable backlight which can each be assigned to various surveillance or fire control functions.
Situational Awareness:Driver Vision Enhancer:The Tiger features both front and rear mounted driver vision enhancer (DVE) sensor units which provide both front and rear facing thermal and low-light-level color television imagery to assist the driver when driving the vehicle at night or in adverse weather conditions. Each DVE sensor consists of an 640 x 480 pixel uncooled long-wave infrared (8 - 12 μm) detector and a low-light level (400 - 1000 nm) CCD camera with fixed 1x magnification and a 55° x 40° field of view. The DVE features sensor fusion of the IR and CCD camera output which is selectable from 0% IR/100% visible to 100% IR /0% visible to allow for optimum visibility in a varying of weather, light, and road conditions.
See-Through Armor System: The Tiger is equipped with an SDI See-Through Armor System or STAS which provides 360 degree panoramic view of the surroundings around the tank while under hatch. The STAS system consists of four camera modules mounted to the turret roof each containing two 640 × 480 pixel long-wave infrared (8-12 µm) thermal imagers with a 58° by 45° FOV each and two ultra-high resolution color CMOS daylight CCD cameras with a 95° by 78° FOV which are set at a 90° angle from each other. Each STAS module measures 200 x 100 x 250 mm and weighs 10 kilograms and features a ballistic protection cover to protect the cameras from shrapnel and small arms fire. The STAS system with four sensor modules provide overlapping 360 °field-of-view day and night vision around the tank and is capable of detecting a person sized target out to 800 meters (900 meters with the daylight channel) and like the DVE units feature sensor fusion of the IR and CCD camera output which is selectable from 0% IR/100% visible to 100% IR /0% visible to allow for optimum visibility in a varying weather and light conditions. Each STAS module also contains an imaging sensor autoprocessor (ISA) similar to the one in the gunner and commander FLIR sights which provides automatic target recognition (ATR) capability of threats detected by the system. The STAS can be used to monitor the area around the vehicle during silent watch or while the crew is asleep and includes automatic alert broadcast and target-tracking/moving-target indicator functions which can track detected threats and can interface with the fire control system to hand-off threats to the gunner or commander's sight for immediate engagement by the tank's main or coaxial armament.
Vehicle Missile & Laser Warning Receiver: The vehicle comes equipped with a missile and laser warning system derived from SDI's SN/AAR-64 airborne Missile/Laser Warning System which provides passive warning of incoming threat missiles and illumination by threat lasers. The system employs four optical sensor heads with integral optical signal converters placed around the turret of the vehicle with 360 ° azimuth and -10° to + 45° elevation coverage, a central processor which inputs and analyses signals from the four sensor heads to detect and classify threats, and a central control unit located in the vehicle which provides visual and aural threat warning to the crew and allows for control of the system. Each sensor heads contains an ultra-violet (UV) single-pixel quadrant sensors with an adjunct UV sensor for improved dynamic blanking, a laser warning sensor which detects lasers in the 0.4-2.1 μm and 8-12 µm wavelength range including laser designators, illuminators, and rangefinders, and a short-wave infrared (SWIR) camera which provides muzzle flash detection detection and tracking of incoming rocket and tracer ammunition. The missile and laser warning system delivers audio and visual warning of detected laser threats through the vehicle's intercom system and onboard situational awareness displays and features integral counterfire capability where the system can automatically slew the turret to within <2 degrees RMS of detected laser or missile threats through a button on the vehicle commander's joystick, presenting the frontal armor of the turret towards the threat and allowing the threat to be rapidly engaged by the tank's armament.
Vehicle Radar Warning Receiver: In addition to the missile and laser warning system the vehicle is fitted with radar warning receivers which warn the crew when the vehicle is being illuminated by a ground or airborne based radar system. The RWR system employs four circularly polarized spiral antennas co-located with the missile/laser warning receiver sensors which provide 360° azimuth and -5° to + 80° elevation detection of RF signals in the 2-40 GHz range. The four antenna feed into two identical receiver connected to a common processor and control unit inside the vehicle. An alphanumeric display and an interface to the vehicle's intercom system provides both visual and audio warning to the crew when the vehicle is being illuminated by a radar including radar type, direction, and scan mode. Like the RWR system is integrated into the vehicle's fire control system and features counterfire capability which automatically slew the turret to within <2 degrees RMS of detected threats through a button on the vehicle commander's joystick.
Acoustic Gunshot Location System: The turret of the vehicle is fitted with an SDI acoustic gunshot location system (AGLS) which uses a series of microphones to triangulate the location of incoming small arms, cannon, and rocket fire. The AGLS uses an array of four microphones fitted to a mast mounted to the rear of the turret which provides 360° hemispherical coverage around the vehicle. Incoming fire is triangulated to a probable shooter location with +/- 2° azimuth, +/-3° elevation, and +/- 10% range RMS error with the ability to interface with the vehicle's GPS system to provide 10 digit grid coordinates of the shooter probable location. The AGLS also interfaces with the vehicle's fire control system and can automatically slew the turret or RWS in the direction of detected threats.
Communications:Vehicle Multiband Networking Radio: The primary radio system of the vehicle is an SDI VHF/UHF Multiband Networking Radio (VMNR) which enables line-of-sight and beyond-line-Of-sight communication in the 30 MHz-2.5 GHz range. The VMDR is a four-channel, full-duplex, software defined radio which provides transmission of voice, video, and ISR data in the Narrowband VHF (30-225 MHz), UHF ( 225-520 MHz, 762-874 MHz), UHF SATCOM: (292-318 MHz transmit and 243-270 MHz receive). Wideband UHF (25-520 MHz), and L-band (762 MHz-2.5 GHz) communication bands. The complete VMNR system consists of a network information security unit, four universal transceivers, VHF and UHF power amplifiers, two wideband power amplifiers, and two omnidrectional VHF/UHF whip antennas mounted to the roof of the vehicle's unmanned turret. The SDI VMNR radio is designed to use a time-division multiple access (TDMA) networking waveform and like the Highband Tactical Radio is designed to enable inter-battalion and inter-brigade black core self-forming and self-healing mobile ad hoc network (MANET) operation with the ability to support up to 200 simulate nous nodes with transmit speeds up to 8 Mbbps.
Battle Management:SDI Arcturus Battle Management System (ABMS): Arcturus is a wireless tactical network system designed by SDI which provides blue force tracking, command and control (C2), communications network management, and decision-making support at the brigade/regiment level and below. The complete Arcturus Battle Management System (ABMS) vehicle installation consists of a blue force tracker (BFT) transceiver, central processor unit, commander's display unit, keyboard unit, a removable hard disk drive cartridge (RHDDC), and an interface to the vehicle's software defined radio which is used to transmit friendly and enemy locations, battlefield situational awareness reports, operational maps, and command and control (C2) messages in real time to other Arcturus equipped platforms. The commander's display unit is a 30.5 centimeter 1024x768 pixel XGA touch-screen display connected to a 3.1 GHz processor unit with up to 16 GB DDR3 RAM and a 512GB solid state hard drive and provides an electronic map with digital terrain elevation data (DTED) information, an own vehicle position/orientation indicator which displays the vehicle's current GPS grid position and orientation on the map in real time, and various situational awareness overlays including the locations of other platforms (friendly in blue, enemy in red) along with other tactical symbology which is overlaid onto the map display. An 85-key QWERTY keyboard is attached to the display and is environmentally sealed to protect against dirt, dust and moisture and includes a sealed mouse pointer and USB port for data input. The blue force tracking hardware consists of a ground vehicle transceiver contained on a single line replaceable unit (LRU) measuring 20 x 20 x 15 cm and weighing 2.75 kg which contains an omnidirectional phased array SATCOM antenna which provides two-way X band (7.9-8.4 GHz transmit and 7.25-7.75 GHz receive) full-duplex satellite communications with AES 256-bit bulk encryption at uplink and downlink rate of up to 131 kb/s with 5° to +90° elevation and 360° azimuth coverage around the vehicle. Blue force tracking information includes the unit's current GPS grid position and heading as measured by its INS/GPS system as well as fuel, ammunition, communication, and vehicle health status which is transmitted as a track file to other Arcturus equipped units every five minutes or after the vehicle has traveled a distance of 800 meters. Using the same SATCOM system the vehicle commander can also use the keyboard attached to his commander's display unit (CDU) to communicate with other units on the Arcturus network with various types of text message up to 500 characters long, lowering the radio traffic of equipped units. The system can also transmit various pre-programmed text messages which can be sent with a single button press. Message types supported by the system include enemy destroyed/damaged, friendly destroyed/damaged, NBC alerts, fragmentary orders (FRAGORDs), minefield alerts, call for indirect fire, call for CAS, contact reports, weather reports, route reports, engagement updates, ammo status/request, fuel status/request, position status/update, shell/bomb/missile/mortar damage reports, and requests or status for other reports. The commander can also use the touchscreen display to draw and transmit graphic overlays on the digital terrain map indicating enemy positions, terrain features or obstacles, fire support plan overlays, or other information which is then overlaid onto the digital maps of all units on the network.
AI Modules:To aid in the performance of the crew the PzKpfw 151 Tiger vehicle includes a series of artificial intelligence (AI) modules run on the vehicle's central processor including navigation aids, situational report and assessment, C3 (command, control, and communications), and target acquisition and engagement which provide automatic communication management, sensor control, and target identification and tracking,
Navigation Aiding Module: the navigation aiding module is a driving and mission planning aid which combines own vehicle position information from the vehicle's INS/GPS system, terrain data from three-dimensional digital terrain elevation data (DTED) maps of the current terrain stored in the Arcturus central processor, and data received from the Arcturus network including the type, status, position, and heading of friendly forces, and intelligence reports received over the Arcturus network including the location, status, and activity of enemy units. The data is fused by the navigation module and superimposed on the commander's display unit indicating the location and display of friendly and enemy units. Data displayed on the commander's display includes the unit type (ie tank, APC, helicopter), unit position (GPS grid location and elevation), unit heading (degrees), unit status (moving, stopped, engaged, destroyed), and data time stamp (day/hour/minute). Using this information the navigation module calculates and displays viewsheds for enemy and friendly weapons as a function of sensor type, time of day, terrain, and ambient weather conditions and highlights danger zones on the map display where friendly units will be in the viewshed of enemy sensors and weapons. For movement operations the route planning capability of the navigation aid can then generate on-road and off-road routes to navigate to a user specified navigation point that minimizes both travel time, elevation change, and exposure to enemy sensors and weapons. The best navigation routes along with estimates with confidence intervals on travel distance and enemy exposure are displayed to the commander who can then choose which route he wished to follow. After the vehicle commander selects a desired route the route information is transmitted to the driver's display and to other vehicles in the commander's unit. During movement the system then prompts the driver with directions to follow and will continuously update it's route planning calculation with new information and prompt the commander if the system detects a new alternate route with less exposure and/or travel time than the currently selected ones. The navigation module also also includes a deployment planning capability to determine ideal vehicle positions for defensive or overwatch operations. Using the mouse, keyboard, and touchscreen on his commander's display the commander can select an area on the map he wants his unit to cover where the module will then determine the terrain positions which provide the best weapon and sensor viewsheds over the selected terrain.
Situational Report & Assessment: The situational report & assessment (SR&A) module is an analyzer module which processes current and past intelligence reports received over the Arcturus network and makes guesses about future enemy actions and activity. The SR&A does not directly interface with any sensors and instead collects, analyses and then displays intelligence data on the commander's display module. Data the SR&A analyses includes track files on friendly and enemy vehicle which includes the vehicle type (APC, tank, helicopter, etc), grid position and elevation, heading, IFF status (friendly, enemy, or unknown), damage status (operational, damaged, destroyed), sensor used to detect (ie FLIR, radar, visual) and derived data (LOS range, weapon viewshed) along with current terrain and weather data (light and visibility conditions, rain/snow/wind/fog, etc) and intelligence data in the form of estimated enemy ORBATs and tactics. The SR&A takes this data and then makes interference about future enemy behavior using a pre-programmed rule set with various scenarios modeling potential enemy behavior. Output from the SR&A module includes visual warnings on the commander's display alerting him to expected enemy actions or when the system detects a major change in its current situation assessment as well as the system's generated intelligence reports which are stored on the processor system's hard drive.
Command, Control, and Communications (C3): The Command, Control, and Communications or C3 module is responsible for centralized control of all vehicle external communications systems including UHF/VHF line-of-sight radio and SATCOM communications and controls the generation, transmission, and reception of communications messages. The C3 module also maintains a list of every node in the vehicle's current network with their current status and time of last transmitted or received message. Communications messages include track files from the blue force tracking systems, text messages, and IFF transmissions. The C3 module also attempts to maintain low probability of intercept (LPI) by reducing transmission frequency when in proximity of enemy forces and adaptively reducing communication power to the minimum needed to reach the recipient.
Target Acquisition & Engagement (TA&E): The Target Acquisition & Engagement or TA&E module is responsible for generating and updating track files of enemy contacts and disseminating them to the other AI modules and advising the vehicle commander on recommended actions in repose to enemy contacts. The TA&E module takes input from the dual band FLIR and TV cameras and the laser rangefinders in the gunner and commander sights and generates track reports of each contact including type (tank, helicopter, APC), position (GPS grid coordinates and elevation), heading (degrees), moving (yes/no), activity, and sensors used. Different vehicle sensors are used to fill out the different parts of the contact report, ie the automatic target recognition (ATR) capability of the dual band FLIR sights are used for determining contact type while the laser rangefinder and far target locator (FTL) system are used to fill in contact position and heading. After a track report has been generated the module then determines the kill probability (the probability the own vehicle can successfully engage and defeat the contact with its own weapons) and the contact danger (the probability the contact will detect and engage the own vehicle) based on contact type and position, own vehicle position, and environmental factors including terrain and ambient weather conditions. Contact danger will also be judged as extreme if the vehicle's missile, laser, and radar warning sensors indicate the tank is being actively illuminated or shot at. In response to extreme danger contacts the module will automatically deploy smoke grenades in the threat direction and prompt the crew to immediately move and engage the threat with the vehicle's weaponry. If the contact threat is judged as less severe the module can run various simulations to evaluate possible engagement scenarios and provide a recommended engagement option which could be to engage the contact with the vehicles weapons, continue monitoring the contact with the vehicle's sensors, or to simply ignore it.
