LY7 Rottweiler
LY7 (Sumerian demonstrator)
LY7 Rottweiler, Lyran standard variant
Key Data
Crew 3 (Driver, Commander, Gunner)
Dimensions
Length (not including gun); 7.2m
Height; 2.6m
Width; 3.2m
Weight; 60 tonnes
Ground Clearance; Variable. Default at 50cm
Performance
Maximum (Governed) Speed; 88 kph (55mph)
Cross Country Speed; 65 kph
Speed, 10% Slope; 35 kph
Speed, 60% slope; 18 kph
Acceleration; 0kph to 32 kph in 6.8 seconds
Range; 650 km (525 km at operational cruising speed)
Manoeuvrability
Vertical Obstacle Crossing; 108cm
Trench; 295cm
Suspension; Hydropneumatic
Armament
Main Armament; Modular – Most weapons in the 105 – 140mm range
Coaxial (Left) Weapon; Modular – Most weapons up to 35mm. Standard options include; KWF PAK2 25mm automatic cannon (550 rnds) OR 15mm AGH-32 HMG (700rnds) OR 14.7mm LY60 HMG (700rnds) OR 7.62mm LY64 (2,400rnds) OR 7.5mm Lagash MG (2,400rnds)
Coaxial (Right) Weapon; Modular – Most weapons up to 35mm. Standard options include; KWF PAK2 25mm automatic cannon (550 rnds) OR 15mm AGH-32 HMG (700rnds) OR 14.7mm LY60 HMG (700rnds) OR 7.62mm LY64 (2,400rnds) OR 7.5mm Lagash MG (2,400rnds)
Commander's Weapon; Modular on powered remote rotary platform. Standard options include; KWF PAK2 25mm automatic cannon (550 rnds) OR 15mm AGH-32 HMG (700rnds) OR 14.7mm LY60 HMG (700rnds) OR 7.62mm LY64 (2,400rnds) OR 7.5mm Lagash MG (2,400rnds)
Additional Laterally mounted 4 barrelled multi-purpose grenade launchers
Power
Propulsion; Modular – default powerplant 40L LY665 V10 multi-fuel propane-injected twin-turbo diesel 1600 HP at 2500RPM [OR] 10L Guarita DO86-2S03, opposed-8 twin-supercharged, high- pressure six-stroke diesel.
Transmission; Hydropneumatic automatic transmission (5 fwd gears, 2 rvse)
Power-to-Weight Ratio; ~26.6hp/ton (weight and power variable depending on configuration)
APU; 2 (underarmour)
Armour and Protection
Armour; Highly modularised. Base includes IRHA, titanium-ceramic, 4th Generation Composite, HERA blocks, slat attachments, North Point applique armour.
NBC Protection; SCFM, clean cooled air, LYMkII CBRN overpressure system.
Missile Countermeasures; Modular. Standard options include WATCHKEEPER, GOLIATH, GOLIATH II, ENLIL III. Other APS also compatible.
Background
For a number of years, the LY4 and LY4A1 Wolfhound have been at the cutting edge of tank warfare. It has, to date, been one of the most mass produced tanks in the world, with over a million sold to foreign militaries and private military concerns, and gross export revenues in the trillions. Further to that, even today, nearly 12 years after it was first deployed, it continues to win awards as well as firefights, and has been selected as the main battle tank of choice in numerous trials and concept tests.
From this distinguished lineage, and following on the heels of the aborted multi-national LY5 “Coyote” MBT, the LY7 Rottweiler medium tank was conceptualised.
It has been no secret that the tank, in a number of its forms, has been a critical piece of equipment for both the Reich and Lyras' militaries. Both forces revolved around manoeuver elements, of which the tank was itself the primary entity. Indeed, in the Prussian military nearly every other unit in the ground forces revolved around supporting the main battle tank in its breakthrough operations.
The main doctrine that both the Lyrans and Prussians adhered to was the theory of manoeuver warfare, a doctrine which lends itself very readily to mechanised warfare in its many incarnations. Taking this into account, Krupp Industries and the Lyran Protectorate Research and Development Commission Arms began research into a tank able to complete a variety of roles and excel in each. Such a tank needed to be heavily armed and armored to attack strike a sufficiently weighted blow (schwerpunkt) at the focal point of a conflict. Whatever the level of force required, the new tank needed to be able to breakthrough concerted and determined resistance and still remain able to effectively conduct ensuing phases of the battle and campaign. Such a platform must, for that following phase, be fast, tactically, operationally and strategically, have cutting-edge communications capabilities, and be logistically sustainable. High mobility and networking allows a mechanised force to operate with geometrically greater effect, allowing such a force to create chaos amongst hostile elements, and dislocate an enemy from the critical requirements that enable the continuation of the opposing centre of gravity. Such a tank must also be able to integrate with its combined arms forces in order to facilitate an aggressive and mobile campaign, and also to provide for the rapid application of supporting firepower on behalf of manoeuver forces should the need arise.
It was no doubt a lofty objective, and in pursuit of these requirements designers hit a conceptual brick wall as solutions diverged. It became increasingly evident that any single manifestation would, by necessity, be a compromise solution at best. Thus, the project goal shifted from an attempt to squeeze the best solution from a one-size-fits-all platform to a completely modular vehicle, able to take on a wide array of differing roles, as the strategic or operational task required.
Rottweiler was not initially designed to supersede, but rather to supplement the LY4A1 Wolfhound in roles for which the heavier and more logistically intensive platform was deemed excessive. Protectorate Research and Development has, throughout the LY7's development, examined methods of reducing weight, increasing deployability, adding world-benchmark levels of modularity, and expanding upon the Wolfhound's ground-breaking battlespace integration and information-network commonality (However, as time went on, the development of the LY7 increasingly made apparent that the platform's capability was going to exceed initial expectations, and debate has raged within the senior ranks of the Lyran Protectorate regarding whether or not to completely replace the earlier series. The discussion is ongoing, but so is production of the LY7).
The LY4 series, in particular the heavily upgraded LY4A1, remains more than sufficient to counter any known non-Lyran alternate, but the work was begun to develop and field the advanced, flexible and modularly adaptable tank detailed above. Heavy emphasis was placed on networking-informational integration, signature reduction, combat accuracy and engagement speed. In conjunction with the LY4's international success, the LY7 seeks to expand Lyran Arms and Krupp Industries' combined share of the international arms trade.
Spurred on in no small part by the Sumerian medium tank procurement initiative, the Rottweiler's modularity allows for a vast number of potential weapons fits and equipment loadouts, which can themselves be changed if circumstances warrant. This modularity allows a major client state, such as Sumer, to fulfil domestic content requirements without limiting or compromising options available to other operators. Where the LY4 showed the effectiveness of Lyran and TPFian hardware, the LY7 does more. While retaining the distinctive design signature of the Lyran Protectorate, and benefitting from the centuries of experience of Krupp, the Rottweiler also allows client states or entities to select the configuration that best suits their needs. Local hardware, or Lyran, or any number of alternates, all combine to make the LY7 a truly unique machine.
As in the LY4 serries, the Protectorate Research and Development Commission was the first charged with the task of developing a new tank, utilising state-of-the-art technologies, deriving those technologies from anywhere, and continuing the extremely successful trend of not restricting themselves to purely Lyran designs. Where the Wolfhound boasted of 25% co-operative technology, the Rottweiler pushes 50%, with TPF, the Commonwealth of Varessa, Holy Empire of Verenberg, Nianacio, the Federal Republic of Hamilay and Asgarnieu all co-operating on aspects of the LY7's development. Having cost nearly NS$3bn in development, the design was finally confirmed as production-ready. As with the LY4, Lyran examples of the LY7 are manufactured at the Bredubar, Eastcudgel and Castlegate Manufacturing Zones. However, strong international demand is expected, and facilities at Osmouth and Honour are in construction exclusively to service the anticipated export market.
The Rottweiler is intended as the world-leader in adaptable, flexible, responsive and lethal medium armour, able to interract intuitively with the most advanced combat systems, as fielded by the most technologically sophisticated states, in order to deliver the optimum in combat performance and thereby ensure the successful completion of objectives.
Main Armament
The main armament to the LY7 is fitted to the turret of the vehicle, as is standard. However, what is not standard is the modular nature of the platform, and the unmanned low-profile, high-survivability turret. Any of a number of main gun systems in the 105mm to 140mm range can be fitted, with the system's modularity enabling the primary weapon to be altered as the tactical, operational or strategic situation warrants, as new or better weapons become available, or as military doctrine changes.
Given the size of the principle parts to a tank's main gun, however, the alteration of the main weapon is not a small undertaking, and will usually require the services of a level 3 facility, and take at least 6 hours per vehicle. This factor notwithstanding, the ability of the LY7 to field any main gun, whether it be 103mm, 105mm, 115mm, 120mm, 122mm, 125mm or 140mm, allows the vehicle to transition easily into any modern military, and also allows the platform to continually evolve to meet the constantly changing requirements of the modern battlefield.
On Lyran and Prussian vehicles, the main gun is the 120mm/140mm dual-breech high-pressure electrothermal chemically fired smoothbore LY407, a slightly modified version of the LY402 fitted to the LY4-series. As with its LY402 predecessor, the LY407 is autofrettaged and stress-hardened to increase durability over extended periods of firing.
For some time, tanks throughout the world over have been rapidly increasing in speed, armour protection and lethality, and it was becoming more and more evident that the conventionally propelled main gun had reaching its peak. Main gun bore diameter and projectile sizes can only get so large before the size of the projectile limits the amount of ammunition carried, making the vehicle combat ineffective.
There have been several attempts to circumvent this difficulty. The first of them was in the form of the LY2A3-2 Bull Mastiff, a tank destroyer fielding the LY366 155mm, 65 calibre gun. A highly effective weapon, the LY366 was however extremely heavy, and the sacrifices made, in terms of mobility and armour protection, on the LY2A3-2 in order to field it were what forced the platform into the role of tank destroyer, rather than MBT in the true sense. While the LY3 series, which fielded the same LY366 primary armament, sidestepped the issue, in part, by the simple recourse of making the entirety of the platform notably larger, allowing for greater armour and a far more powerful engine, that was always seen as an interim solution at best, due to the borderline impractical strain that the vehicle placed on logistics and the issue of technological advancement continued. So while the simple answer may have been to go with a bigger gun, because it had the very real advantage of being available immediately and generating the required first-round lethality, it was generally accepted within the Protectorate that alternate means of delivering increased muzzle energy had to be considered.
Prolonged testing, carried out in parallel to the development of the LY3 series lead to several divergent paths, all of which the Protectorate is involved in examining. Various technologies, in which research does continue, were examined and put aside into the medium term. Such technological concepts include (but are not limited) to railguns, coilguns, kinetic harpoons and directed-energy weapons. As a result, the electrothermal chemical system was adopted, almost more as an affirmation of the limits of current understanding than anything else. Nevertheless, trials of several ETC-based weapons systems were conducted at the Lughenti Testing Range, with differing but generally positive results, most of which were utilised as part of the development of the LY402, which was eventually developed with a bore of 120mm, mainly due to high parts commonality with already existing 120mm rounds.
While still not as powerful as the LY366, the notably lighter weight of the LY402 (lighter in the order of several tonnes) allowed for a substantially lighter tank, despite upgrades to armour and a far more extensive integrated electronics suite, without sacrificing platform lethality.
In order to handle the dramatically increased recoil force brought about by the adoption of ETC technology, a muzzle brake was fitted, in addition to the installation of a new 550mm recoil mechanism.
These innovations continued in service with the LY407, with the primary differential being the dual-breech, allowing for still-easier conversion to 140mm, should the need arise, or the move be judged beneficial.
Vehicles intended to fulfil the Sumerian medium tank contract are fitted with the 115mm/60 calibre smoothbore Type-3660, itself towards the top end of contemporary tank armament. While fractionally smaller in bore than the Lyran systems, the extra five calibres of length allows for a longer gas-expansion and smoother power-transfer curve, delivering higher muzzle velocity than most equivalent conventional systems. Furthermore, by being a high-pressure system, higher-powered propellants can be used, itself a generator of higher muzzle velocity. With Sumer's world-renowned stockpiles of tanks (in particular the MCA-3, upon which the Type-3660 is fielded), tank weapons, and ammunition, the amount of ammunition and spare parts available for the Type-3660 is immense, and this factor alone ensures that the Type-3660 will remain in service for some time to come.
The Type-3660, when fitted to the LY7 turret, utilises the same recoil mechanism as the LY407.
The LY7 autoloader is integral to the turret, and constitutes a major component of the mechanics. With the turret of the Rottweiler being designed around the autoloader, many problems systemic to other tanks fielding autoloaders have been avoided. As with the LY4-series, the LY7's compact autoloader allows a rate of fire of 15 shots per minute and holds 40 rounds of ready ammunition; it can accommodate up to seven different types of ammunition at once, and unlike many autoloader systems it can change ammunition types after a round has been loaded into the breech. The most common types of round carried on Lyran vehicles are the armour piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot (APFSDS) with a depleted uranium core and the high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) round, although Lyran-modified examples of the M1028 canister rounds using liquid propellant are also available in large quantities.
Once the LY7's main gun magazine is depleted, the entire magazine can be removed, and a fresh one inserted, a process not dissimilar to changing magazines on a rifle, only on a larger scale. This does require the presence of a dedicated service vehicle, but takes less than 4 minutes. Should such a vehicle be unavailable, the system can be reloaded manually/conventionally.
Additional armament
As with other primary elements of the LY7's makeup, the additional armament (armament other than main gun, in this context) is highly modularised. Three slots are available in which to fit weapon systems, one above the unmanned turret (generally slated for operation by the vehicle's commander), and one on either side of the main gun, mounted coaxially (and generally controlled by the vehicle's gunner).
The coaxial stations are designed to be able to fit weapons generally of up to 35mm, while the turret-mounted station can field a wider variety, including, but not limited to, light anti-aircraft missiles, automatic grenade launchers, BVR anti-tank missiles and HMGs.
Weapons options on Lyran vehicles on the turret mount (and thus available to nations seeking to purchase the LY7) include a quartet of SALY28 short-to-medium range AA missiles, LY60 14.7mm HMG, LY64 7.62mm MMG, Helios II BVRATGM and PAK2 25mm automatic cannon. Weapons of most types are compatible, though of course those produced by states other than those contributing to the LY7 cannot be exported by or through Lyran Arms. Such weapons are easily integrated into the LY7 after purchase, and include such well known systems as the Sumerian AGH-32 HMG and AGS-5 LMG, Yanitarian “Hag” HMG, Former Soviet KPV and RPK machine guns, AGL-19s and Koronet ATGMs, and such systems as the MG-3, M2 .50 cal HMG and Javelin.
Coaxial stations are a little more restricted, by virtue of their limited independent traverse and more rigid alignment, however the modularity in this section remains second to none. Lyran examples are generally fitted with a PAK2 25mm cannon on the left coaxial station, an LY64 7.62mm MG on the right coaxial station, and either a SALY28 pod, automatic grenade launcher, LY60 14.7mm HMG or pair of Helios II BVR ATGMs.
Whatever the preferred armament, the LY7 can cater for it.
Networking, integration, electronics and fire control
As with all Lyran designed vehicles, the LY7 is designed to integrate seemlessly and easily into the most sophisticated of military forces. The vehicle is fitted with a highly extensive sensor suite so as to enable the transmission of as much information as possible into any extant battlenet, while possessing internal computational facilities so as to handle required downloads from it.
While designed to slot into any existing battlespace architecture, the LY7 by default utilises the world-benchmark Cromwell II. Cromwell II is an integrated and adaptive battlespace network that maximises combat lethality, performance, and output and enables command and control on an unprecedented scale. Information is sourced not only from multiple sources on the individual platform, but from every Cromwell II equipped friendly vehicle within the battlespace, which provides constant informational updates across a broad spectrum of sources, both known to the operators, and operating below their awareness.
The Cromwell II system utilises this information to compute a firing solution for the gunner, based upon analysis of the target beneath the reticle. This is achieved in less time than it would take the gunner to depress the firing stud. The firing solution that Cromwell II generates ensures a near-perfect hit percent at standard ranges, across all conditions.
At the most basic level, the Cromwell II system aims to accelerate engagement cycles and increase operational tempo at all levels of the warfighting system. This acceleration is achieved by providing a mechanism to rapidly gather and distribute targeting information, and rapidly issue directives. Cromwell II's ultra-high speed networking permits high integrity transmission in a bare fraction of the time required for voice-based transmission, and permits transfer of a wide range of data formats, from a multitude of compatible sources.
Borrowing from fire control measures designed by the Koreans for the K2 Black Panther, Lyran Arms and the Varessan Commonwealth's VMRDB developed a built-in trigger-delay mechanism. Other contemporary tanks, up to and including the LY4A1, but not including the K2, can be found to, despite all other fire control methods, miss their target when they fire their gun and hit a slight bump at the same time, a problem exacerbated, as would be expected, by movement at high speeds and/or across uneven terrain. The designers of the K2 anticipated this situation, and generated a solution for it by installing a laser emitter-receiver assembly linked to the FCS, a concept that has been brought across for implementation in the main gun, whatever that main gun may be, on the LY7.
The emitter is fitted near the top of the gun barrel, with the receiver being placed at the barrel's base. The gun can only be fired when the laser receiver array is exactly aligned with the emitted laser. By means of example, if at the point of firing, when the gunner presses the trigger, linked as it is to the fire control system, the vehicle comes upon an irregularity in the terrain at the same moment, the laser will find itself pushed off the reciever by the sudden movement, and the FCS will delay the round's ignition until the beam reorients to the receiver again. As the barrel shakes up and down, the FCS will automatically fire off the gun when the laser finds its mark, and the barrel is judged to be on target. This system, combined with both an advanced stabiliser and powerful fire control system, dramatically improves the tank's capacity to engage targets while moving at speed, even when moving across broken terrain.
In case of an emergency, the vehicle can be operated by only two, or even a single, member of its three crew. The FCS can autonomously locate and track visible targets, comparing them both to known hostiles (identified by datalink) or targets established by image recognition (again as available via information uplink), avoid blue-on-blue engagements and fire its main gun without needing any input from a human operator, although the absence of a human operator will adversely affect engagement tempo.
The LY7 crew-stations, on Lyran and Lyran-allied vehicles only, utilise a far more advanced and adaptive control interface than standard, by displaying sensor data from the vehicle's external sensors directly onto the HUD inside the crew's headset-visor. As the crewman turns his head, the view pans, and either physical or voice activated controls are then used as required. By way of example, the crew commander may look left, with the weapon mounted on the commander's weapon station following his movement (if the function is activated). As required, the commander simply has to look at the target, and press the firing stud. Alternatively, he could look at a target, and designate it for engagement by the gunner by either voice command or toggle. Targets can be sequenced for engagement, and the gunner may target and fire in a similar manner using the vehicle's main gun, or either of the two co-axials. The gunner's station is identical to, and interchangeable with, the commander's, and either can take on additional roles if the situation requires. This feature is only available to LY7s in Lyran or allied service. When used in conjunction with Cromwell II, and the fast-traversing low-signature falcon-type turret, the engagement speeds of the LY7 are almost twice as fast as any previously designed Lyran vehicle – a crucial element to AFV survivability.
A developed on the LY6 series, and subsequently retrofitted to all Lyran-operated AFVs, the electrics of the LY7, more specifically the circuitry, are composed of Gallium Arsenide (GaAs), rendering the vehicle proof against electromagnetic interference or EMP-based attack, although the GaAs is itself a highly expensive addition. It was quickly reasoned, however, that when operating in an environment which may include anti-strategic platforms such as the LY4032 “Rampart”, the chances of the platform encountering high levels of electromagnetic interference goes up dramatically, and the dangers this presents far outweigh the relatively modest (though expensive in absolute terms) cost of the implementation of GaAs components.
Propulsion and mobility
The LY7 further adds to its modularity by a new first among armoured fighting vehicles; modular engines. Capable of accepting an extremely wide variety of engines, as long as they are both able to generate electrical power and fit in the engine bay, the LY7 allows for a new benchmark in force sustainment and domestic integration of non-indigenous components.
The armoured engine bay is designed for easy access and expedient removal, which also flows on to notably easier maintenance, and the LY7's flexibility enables any given battleforce to continue, if desired, its extant logistics practices with the aim of greatly enhanced battleforce sustainment.
The LY7, borrowing from features first demonstrated on the LY219 and later on the LY6, uses an electric transmission system, where the drive shafts have been replaced by cable and the power from the engines is transferred by cable throughput, which delivers a number of advantages, including volume efficiency, very high fuel efficiency (reliant, of course, on the engine used), reduced lifecycle costs, and reduced environmental impacts.
The electric drive has also greatly improved low observability characteristics in terms of thermal and acoustic signatures as well as low visual and radar signatures.
Borrowing again from the LY219, and LY6 Werewolf, the LY7's suspension is mounted on the underframe and not on the side frames, so the suspension is separated from the hull. A result of using a decoupled suspension in conjunction with the spall liners is that the internal noise level is as low as 75dB which is well below civilian vehicle noise acceptability standards, and 4dB below the previously benchmark LY6, the difference due to the LY7's chassis being 38 tonnes lighter .
The engine, whatever it may be, is further decoupled from the final drives allowing flexibility in the placing of systems in the vehicle and also easily allows two smaller engines to be installed instead of one, should smaller engines be preferred for export purposes. Batteries are integrated into the electric drive system, which when considered in combination with the suspension, allow the vehicle to be driven near-silently for several hours with the engines shut down, a factor very likely to increase psychological strain on forces fighting against it in close terrain or poor visibilty.
The final drives are connected by a cross-shaft which gives higher power efficiency in turning manoeuvres by transferring the power regenerated at the inner track during a turn to the outer track.
Any engine fitted will, like its predecessors (bar the LY663), be linked to the Cromwell system, which keeps track of the temperatures of each individual segment of the engine, and both monitors and records engine stresses. The system then notifies both the operators and higher command when replacement or repair is required for components, as well as when the engine or parts of it are coming due for routine maintenance. This contributes to greatly reduced attrition, and total combat readiness is markedly improved as a result, while lowering maintenance workloads. The Cromwell system is also responsible for monitoring the active cooling of the vehicle's exhaust, as a means of reducing the vehicle's already low thermal signature, further enhancing the vehicle's low observability characteristics.
The entire assembly is, as per existing Lyran and TPF-standards, also fitted with deployable sand filters for use in high-sand environments, such as deserts or certain parts of the littoral.
As is also the standard with Lyran armoured vehicles, and now has been for some time, the Rottweiler is fitted with rear-vision cameras for manoeuvering in close country or urban environments, a factor which, in other vehicles, has prevented a tremendous number of accidents and eased the psychological load on personnel responsible for moving the vehicles in less-than-optimal conditions.
Tracks are shrouded as standard to increase resilience to battle damage, and have seven road wheels and two drive rollers, with only the forward roller on each side partially unshrouded.
Active Protection System options
In keeping with the LY7's focus on modularity, the platform is able to be fitted with one of any number of active protection systems. At the time of release, three have been specifically tested, but the system infrastructure is in place to ensure maximum possible adaptability and compatibility with alternate or upgraded active protection suites.
The first is the still-new GOLIATH system, itself a co-operative venture between Krupp and Lyran Arms, derived from the highly regarded, well known and effective WATCHKEEPER active protection systems, which itself, owes much of its renown to the tremendous export success of the LY4 Wolfhound MBT, LY219 Ironheart series of combat vehicles, and LY6 Werewolf assault gun. Originally an interim solution by TPF to Lyran requirements for an APS suite, Krupp, despite the system's success, continued to consider it as such, and constantly attempted to improve it.
Responsible for a great number of saved vehicles, especially amongst the LY219s fighting on the Cancun peninsula during the Mokan Civil War WATCHKEEPER nevertheless proved to have some trouble targeting and destroying multiple threats that originated from greater than 30 degrees elevation. Thus, designers began work on the GOLIATH, which was to be a multi-tiered system that could combat multiple threat natures effectively, quickly, reliably and flexibly.
GOLIATH detects incoming missiles by two means, one by millimeter wavelength radar (mounted on seven flat-panel antennae with a combined field of 360°/6400mils), and the other by LIDAR. This dual-mode sensor input provides a higher degree of redundancy against any failures or jamming methods, and has raised reliability against a number of active anti-countermeasure systems. The system has a reaction time of 0.4 seconds.
The first defensive mechanism GOLIATH employs is a soft-kill suite. The suite includes a number of features designed to confuse or misdirect enemy guided anti-tank systems. Primarily, the system uses the 'Gold' targeting program, interlinked to the databanks of the Cromwell II, which identifies incoming projectiles, classifies and prioritises them for intercept. By way of illustration, the system would engage a Helios II, Koronet and Javelin, most likely in that order, while ignoring the three incoming RPGs, given the latter's inability to cause damage to the armour. In addition, the Gold computer automatically deploys applicable alternate counter-measures including IR-suppressant smoke grenades and electro-optical jammers.
In addition to the soft-kill suite, GOLIATH also features an advanced and layered hard-kill suite. The first layer employs four 2.5 inch kinetic kill rockets. These rockets are designed to engage and destroy incoming targets out to 600 meters. This allows the tank to eliminate threats before they become of concern to the shorter ranged systems. The rockets also have an increased proportional effectiveness against air-launched ATGMs.
The second tier of the hard-kill suite is the most widely used system, and consists of four bundles of grenades, each consisting of four grenades a piece. This allows the GOLIATH to engage many multiple targets at the same time, while still providing a firm degree of protective target neutralisation. The second tier system can reach out to just over 100 meters.
The final tier is based more directly on the system's WATCHKEEPER predecessor, and is rarely employed, and generally only in the case of ammunition expenditure in the previous two tiers. The Cromwell fire control computer detects the incoming weapons system and calculates an approach vector. Once the attack is fully classified, the Cromwell system determines, if required, the best time and angle to fire the 3rd tier of GOLIATH. The response comes from four launchers installed on the vehicle, two on each side of the turret. The launchers can pivot/rotate on x and y axes, and can therefore engage targets in any direction that the fire control computer deems necessary. The launchers fire a spread of tungsten balls, similar to the projectiles of an M18A1 Claymore anti-personnel weapon, at the target at ranges out to 25 meters. The system is reloadable and there is a total of eight spreads.
The LY7, as with a great number of its predecessors, also sports an impressive suite of active ECM as a means of defeating incoming radar guided missiles, and the suite is usually activated if detection equipment determines that multiple radar signatures are illuminating the vehicle in question.
The second default option is the recently designed GOLIATH II. GOLIATH II differs from its predecessor by means of a more powerful and responsive detection system, simplified system architecture and more potent soft-kill suite.
Krupp Industries soon contracted out the design and production of an upgraded APS to Landmark Systems of Northern Prussia. It was quickly determined by Landmark that the most cost- and combat-effective (to say nothing of time) avenue was to generate an upgrade the current GOLIATH system that was being fielded on (and retrofitted to) the LY4A1 Wolfhound MBT and LY6 Werewolf assault gun, to say nothing of a host of other AFVs.
GOLIATH II relies on a phased radar array to detect, acquire, and track targets. The detection systems has five radar panels providing 360 degree protection. These panels are located on the frontal turret and hull, the hull sides, and the rear hull and turret, providing complete protection against enemy threats. The phased panel array allows for little ground clutter to interfere with targeting, especially in more built-up areas or forested locations.
GOLIATH II also makes use of a sophisticated soft-kill system for use against threats. Firstly, the system uses a Radar Waring Receiver, commonly on aircraft to detect if there is a hostile radar lock, but very rare on internationally successful tanks. The RWR gives (where possible) crews time to react and possibly evade or engage the threat. At the very least, the RWR's activation puts the APS online, and dramatically reduces system reaction time to hostile action. The RWR also allows for the active ECM suite to lock onto and possibly disrupt the enemy targetting or guidance systems, especially if the enemy forces are using less-powerful or more susceptible radars, such as the millimeter wavelength radars common to most tanks and UCAV's.
Secondly, GOLIATH II utilises a laser warning receiver and electro-optical jammer to help detect and engage enemy threats. Finally, the turret has eight different grenade launchers, each stacked with 60mm four grenades that are electronically fired. These grenades can fire chaff, IR-suppressant smoke, decoys, or illumination grenades.
A hard-kill mechanism is easily as important if not more important than the soft-kill system, and GOLIATH II introduces a new system for this role. This consists of a four barreled grenade launcher system mounted on a motor that allows the launchers to rotate a full 360 degrees twice in a second. The launchers are each equipped with grenades that use combustionable housing. This allows for the grenades to engage the enemy missiles with their blast power alone, allowing for no deadly shrapnel to remain for any friendly infantry nearby. Each grenade launcher is equipped with eight grenades that fire electronically and can engage at a range out out to 50 meters.
Additionally, Cromwell II is able to network with other tank allowing other tanks to “network” with each other and “cover” other tanks, providing integrated active protection for the formation, rather than simply for individual vehicles.
Also featured is the Enlil III active protection system, a system which is on its account both self-contained and modular, and a highly effective solution when dealing with a platform lacking an intrinsic active self-defence mechanism. In the case of states already fielding Sumerian hardware, the Enlil III provides for a logistics continuity which is both highly attractive and extremely effective, particularly with an eye towards force sustainment and cross-force commonality.
Armour
The LY7 continues the emphasis on modularity by means of a highly adaptable modular armour package.
While structurally steel, far and away the base armour of the chassis is titanium, which in general terms offers considerably higher protection per unit of weight. Given the premium placed on weight within the LY7, titanium was exceptionally attractive, with projected increased per-unit costs expected to come down greatly with the projected size of the production run.
The primary external armour is titanium-chobham, a form of composite armor composed of multiple layers of titanium and ceramic. The titanium plates hold the ceramic in position and the ceramic maintains its resistance to shock even when fragmented, as long as it remains held together. Explosive reactive armour is fitted as standard (though can be removed) to the turret and major hull areas. Fireproof armoured bulkheads seperate the crew compartment from the engine bay, which itself forms part of the forward passive protection suite.
Fuel and ammunition are located within armoured sub-compartments with anti-spalling layers, and those self-same antispalling systems are also used to protect the internals of the crew compartment. The spall lining is also designed to provide a high degree of noise and thermal insulation, making the Rottweiler, like its two heavier predecessors, extremely quiet for its operators, analagous, to the operators, to a civilian vehicle.
The most important feature of the LY7's armour composition, however, and in keeping with the vehicle's conceptualisation, is the emphasis on applique armour as a means of providing variable levels of protection, appropriate to threat level and weight restrictions. Extensive use of heavy explosive reactive armour on multiple surfaces, or non-explosive reactive armour if operating in close-proximity to infantry, and each of varying types, is integral and expected. The vehicle's heavy use of titanium (especially on the sides and rear, where surfaces generally have the least slope) to keep weight to an absolute minimum while not sacrificing protection, and allowing for easy operator up-armouring is calculated as part of its standard operating circumstances. As is generally the case, titanium is considerably more expensive than an equivalent volume of steel, but it is anticipated that the extremely large production runs will bring the price down on a per-unit basis, and Lyran Arms will subsidise production until that point is reached. It is expected that, as new or more effective forms of modular armour are developed, users will be easily able to integrate the packages into the chassis with a bare minimum of effort.
Available from the Lyran Protectorate, at no extra cost, is the North Point applique armour system, designed for the LY4A1 and very much in mind during the LY7's design process. In response to burst-firing main guns being fielded by several nations, Lyran personnel enquired of Krupp Industries as to the possibility of developing a new form of armour suitable for up-armouring the LY4 series. After an extensive design and implementation process, the Bismarck armour, for which Krupp Industries had purchased rights to, was selected as the basis. Given that, from the outset, the new armour would be appliqué in nature (allowing for extensive retrofitting), emphasis was placed on creating effective armour that would not drastically increase the weight of the LY4 which was already heavy at just over seventy tons. The new armour system for the LY4A1 came to be known as 'North Point'.
Designers decided that there would be three primary layers added to the glacis and turret of the LY4. The first layer was a thick plate of approximately 80mm in actual thickness which correlated to an additional 350mm of RHAe equivalence. This plate consists of ceramic backed up significantly by heavy metals. First layer North Point relies primarily on boron carbide sandwiched between layers of Improved Rolled Homogenous Armour (IRHA). This plate is slanted at 45 degrees to further assist the defeat of kinetic penetrators and chemical energy (ie HEAT) threats.
The second layers is a backing to the first, and serves to utilise heavy metals to help defeat kinetic penetrators and explosively formed plasma jets. Due to weight limitations, this layering is only 20mm in actual thickness and consists of a IRHA plate embedded with depleted uranium pellets.
The third layer consists mainly of a specially designed Heavy Explosive Reactive Armor set [HERA] which is meant to provide high levels of protection for the tank with (proportionally) little gain in weight. The HERA, named “Rainmaker” uses a system of operation whereupon the offending projectile in engaged by the “rays” [Small EFPs] of the HERA and thus deflecting the projectile or (in some cases) actually destroying LRPs, thus drastically reducing penetrating ability of the offensive system.
North Point is composed of “bricks” making each “brick” easily replaceable once used and allowing the system to be fitted to AFVs already in service. The “bricks” are lightweight (at around 3kg) and this allows them to be positioned on as many areas of the tank as needs require. On the LY4A1 and LY7 these are not only positioned on the frontal glacis and turret front and sides, but also on the sides of the vehicle, thus providing a high degree of protection against threats originating from that axis.
The bricks are smaller than the armour plates on which they sit, and as such it is extremely unlikely that, in the advent of engagement by a vehicle employing a burst-fire main gun, the burst will strike the same brick. As a consequence, the chances of penetration being scored by a burst firing weapon against a North Point equipped vehicle is substantially lowered relative to its unaugmented counterpart. North Point has added a total of 5.6 tons to the overall weight of the original LY4, and 5.2 tons will be added to an LY7 similarly equipped.
Finally, the LY7's falcon turret roof, as part of the North Point upgrade, can be mounted with non-explosive reactive armor [NERA] bricks. These thick bricks grant the tank multiple hit capability against threats such as explosively formed penetrators, and thus is the most effective lightweight solution that can be provided to an area not condusive to HERA employment.
Lyran, TPF, and selected other states are also eligible to utilise the North Point A1 restricted armour upgrade package. This package, while generally very similar to the North Point system indicated above, differs in a number of crucial respects. First, and perhaps most notably, is the shift from boron carbide to tungsten disulfide (WS2) in the first layer of HERA. WS2 is an inorganic fullerene; a tubular or spherical nanocomposites. First proposed as a ballistic protection by the Israeli-based ApNano corporation, research into tungsten disulfide had proceeded independently for some time, despite considerable interest from a large number of national military and police forces. The Protectorate Research and Development Commission entering into an information-sharing agreement with the group in late 2006. A manufacturer of other high-strength armour-ceramic materials, such as boron carbide and silicon carbide, ApNano's research showed tungsten disulfide granting at least twice the protection level of equivalent mass boron carbide, between 4 and 5 times stronger than steel, and 6 times the strength of kevlar.
In contrast to organic (carbon-based) Fullerenes, WS2 is easier and much less expensive to produce, is chemically stable and is dramatically less reactive and less flammable. Organic fullerenes are also considered to be highly toxic, whereas WS2, like most other inorganic fullerenes, is not. As WS2 forms, it does so in layers, much like graphite, which is - along with diamond - one of two common forms carbon takes in nature. In WS2, molecules are bonded in trigonal prismatic layers, similar to MoS2. These form flat layers that are stacked on top of one another like sheets of paper.
When making nanotubes, the process, in essence, takes individual layers and folds them over so they join at either edge to form cylinders. Illustration is provided below.
In an interview recorded in late 2005, Dr. Menachem Genut, ApNano CEO, explained that the company was moving into semi-industrial manufacturing within the next six months producing between 100-200 kilograms of the material per day, gradually moving to full-scale industrial production by 2007, which lead to the production of several tons each day. Although it was difficult to determine the exact price of the "nano-armor" when in full industrial production, given the cost of the original materials and the relatively low production costs, Dr. Genut stated (in 2005) that a kilogram of the new material will cost considerably less than a similar amount of the carbon-based Fullerenes. As at the time of interview, the company was optimistic that with some external financial backing it will be possible to have the first product ready in less then three years.
The Lyran Protectorate was more than happy to provide such backing, which it did to the tune of NS$18 billion. That investment has reaped the requisite rewards, with multiple manufacturing complexes now devoted to production of the materials required for the production of “Dauntless” body armour, in addition to the North Point A1 applique armour package. The investment was recovered within days of the export release of 'Dauntless', due to the sale of over a million units of the ballistic armour to the Zinarian military and Griffencrest Corporation.
In mid-2005, research into WS2 was conducted at the University of Nottingham, England. A sample of the material was subjected to severe shocks, from a steel projectile moving at speeds of up to 1.5 km/second. The tungsten disulfide withstood the impacts of up to 250 tons per square centimeter. This is approximately equivalent to dropping four diesel locomotives onto an area the size of ones fingernail. During the test the material proved to be so strong that after the impact the samples remained essentially unchanged, when compared to the original material. Additionally, a recent study by Prof. J. M. Martin from Ecole Centrale de Lyon in France tested the new material under isostatic pressure and found it to be stable up to at least 350 tons/cm2.
While it is acknowledged that WS2 is three times the weight of boron carbide, and grants only twice the protection, it has been judged that in a large number of cases the additional total weight will not be of great concern to the tank, with the additional two tons of weight being well worth the extra protection against KE and HEAT threats. In either case, by virtue of the system's modular nature, the armour can be applied or removed as circumstances warrant.
Internal spalling layers are, by default, kevlar, a long-accepted international standard in the field. Should additional protection be sought, the kevlar can be removed and replaced with any number of materials, of which steltexolites of a variety of forms are popular choices. Steltexolites have been traditionally chosen by Lyras, due to its greater resilience to KE and HE based armour piercing AT weapons than kevlar.
Now, however, another option has become available for the anti-spalling layer, to those states eligible to acquire the North Point A1 armour upgrade. Also derived from research undertaken in conjunction with the 'Dauntless' body armour project, Lyran vehicles utilise anciniform spider silk as anti-spalling protection.
Once threads are manufactured, the silk is woven in the same manner as fibrous material anywhere. The fibres mesh well, and fibrous internal friction is low while elasticity and tensile strength both remain very high, allowing for exceptionally good resistance, particularly so when compared to other similar substances, such as aramids. The fibres, unusually, become proportionally stronger as they get thinner, and research and implementation quickly established what spiders established millions of years ago, that weaving 100 thin fibres into a silken strand is almost 60% stronger than an equivalent width single strand, while utilising (approximately) only 80% of the material mass. Also, critically, spider silk has a biphasic modulus – when initially subjected to force it is very stiff, like Kevlar, but just before the yield point it becomes very elastic. It also undergoes hysteresis, so if released from tension it comes back into shape.
In essence, while offering slightly improved protection-to-weight ratios than kevlar, anciniform spider silk is dramatically thinner, allowing notably more material to be packed into the same space. As a consequence, while the protection per unit weight may be similar to kevlar, the protection per unit volume is considerably higher, and it is this consideration that lead to its adoption as anti-spalling on most Lyran vehicles, at the cost of an additional 400kg of weight. Again, this option is modular, and some units do not utilise it.
