AAI RDF/LT

     Country of Origin: United States

     Notes: The US Army began phasing out the M-551 Sheridan in 1978; by 1990, only the 82nd Airborne had fully combat-capable Sheridans (though a small number of Sheridans are still in use for training VISMOD purposes), though the 82nd had already been notified that their Sheridans were going to be phased out too, and by 1996, even the 82nd Airborne had no Sheridans.  This left the 82nd Airborne and light infantry divisions with no support vehicles that had any heavy firepower or even halfway-decent armor protection.  The Army started the High-Survivability Test Vehicle (Lightweight) (HSTV-L) initiative in the early 1980s to find a vehicle to replace the Sheridan, but ultimately the program came to naught.  This is despite the fact that several promising and excellent vehicles resulted from HSTV-L.  The HSTV-L program had become a tug-of-war toy for the Pentagon, Congress, and the President, as well as for budget-cutters and those who felt that the 82nd Airborne needed no such vehicle.  By 1996, the HSTV-L program had become a very low-priority program, and though it is still funded at a low level (little more than enough to keep it alive), it is acknowledged that no vehicle will result from the program.

AAI RDF/LT Round One – the “LAV-75”

     The AAI RDF/LT (Rapid Deployment Forces Light Tank) was one of the earliest vehicles to result from the HSTV-L program, with the first prototypes appearing in 1980. The first version (called by the designers of Twilight 2000 the “LAV-75,” though the vehicle had no actual military designation) was based on a modified M-113A3 APC chassis.  The greatest changes were to the suspension, engine, and drive train, as well as having a lower profile and the modifications necessary for a small-turreted vehicle.  The hull of the LAV-75 became unrecognizable as something based on the M-113A3.

     The LAV-75 has armor of welded aluminum.  Though armor thickness was increased dramatically, it is still rather thin.  Because of this, the LAV-75 is able to take several add-on armor packages, which would be added on later, and could be added quickly and easily enough that it could be done by crews in a combat zone.  One of these packages is a set of simple appliqué aluminum plates for the hull and turret roof, and a set of track skirts. (The turret is too small to take appliqué armor, except on the roof.)  Another set is an appliqué armor kit similar to the first kit, but the plates and side skirts are made of ceramic/aluminum sandwich armor; this armor is actually lighter than the aluminum appliqué, but costs more.  A third method of added protection is a set of lugs for ERA for the glacis, hull sides, and turret roof.  The ERA lugs can be attached to either one of the appliqué armor kits.  Though offering much better protection, the appliqué armor kits also add a lot of weight, slowing the LAV-75 down.  The LAV-75 also cannot be airdropped with those plates in place.

     The engine of the LAV-75 is an Avro-Lycoming M-650 gas-turbine with an output of 650 horsepower and rapid acceleration.  The driver’s position used the steering wheel of the M-113A3, with pivot steer levers above and in front of the steering wheel.  Standard and parking brakes are provided, and the standard brakes and gas pedal are standard pedals.  The power pack mounting is innovative; it is accessed from the rear, and can be slid out on rails for service and maintenance.  Although the suspension is a modified version of the M-113A3’s suspension, the tracks are a modified form of those of the M-551s.

     The turret of the LAV-75 is very low-profile, being less than a meter tall.  During development, a bustle rack was added at the rear of the turret for crew equipment and any additional gear and ammunition.  The most remarkable part of the turret is the main armament – an ARES 75mm autocannon.  This gun uses a revolving breech to speed reloading as well as new case-telescoped ammunition with a combustible case. Recoil is largely taken up by a recoil piston, and the rest by a recoiling breech. The LAV-75 has a two-man crew; the commander doubles as a gunner.  The commander has a hatch on the turret roof, with a pintle-mounted M-240 machinegun on a contra-rotating cupola.  The ARES autocannon has another M-240 as a coaxial machinegun.  In an unusual twist, the driver can fire the coaxial machinegun in an emergency, though he cannot fire the autocannon.  The commander’s sights are located in an armored head atop the turret, and consist of an advanced FLIR imager, an image intensifier (primarily for day use), and a standard telescopic coincidence sight as a backup.  A ballistic computer and a laser rangefinder are located in the turret, with the laser firing from a coaxial position opposite the coaxial machinegun.  The commander/gunner can access these sights from the cupola if needed, though he cannot aim or fire his machinegun from under armor.  In another unusual twist, the driver has his own sight head with a FLIR and image intensifier; he can therefore assist the commander/gunner in finding targets in a sort of hunter/killer setup.  The driver also has direct vision blocks for normal driving.  Both the driver and the commander/gunner can use direct binocular or monocular sight interfaces to access the information from their sight heads, or may view them on an LCD screen.

     In 1982, AAI tested a different, enlarged turret on the LAV-75, which I have called here the LAV-75A1.  The new turret is a two-man turret, with a gunner and commander; it is not as low-profile as on the LAV-75, but is still fairly small, with the gunner being more in the hull than in the turret.  The LAV-75A1 has a separate sight head for the gunner, allowing for a true hunter/killer capability; as a result, the driver has no ability to fire the coaxial machinegun, and does not have the sight head of the LAV-75.  The commander and gunner use the same sight interfaces as on the LAV-75, though the driver has a simple day/night vision block. The new turret is large enough to allow the use of appliqué armor on the turret sides and rear (but not on the front).  The LAV-75A1 can also take lugs for ERA on the turret sides and front. Other than the increased weight of the new turret, the LAV-75A1 is basically the same as the LAV-75 in detail.

     At the same time, AAI introduced another version of the LAV-75A1 – this one with a box on either side of the turret.  This version was designed for antiaircraft use, and the boxes on either side of the turret could hold four Stinger or three RBS-70 SAMs.  The SAM boxes can be elevated or depressed (both together) independent of or in synch with the main gun and coaxial.  The sights for the main gun are also be used to fire the SAMs, and all weapons can be fired together; in this case, the commander fires the SAMs and the gunner fires the main gun and coaxial machinegun.  Due to the SAM boxes on the sides of the turret, this version cannot take lugs for ERA on the turret sides, and appliqué armor has to be modified to accommodate the mounts for the SAM launchers.  For game purposes, I have dubbed this version the LAV-75A2.

     Another version, which I have dubbed the LAV-75A1E1. It essentially the same vehicle as the LAV-75A1, but uses only a two-man crew, Both crewmembers sit up front with all around vision blocks with night channels. The driver is also sort of a vehicle engineer; while the commander is also the gunner and an auxiliary vehicle engineer; he can also drive the vehicle if necessary.  He aims and fires the gun through a downlinked panel.  The actual sensors are on the roof of the turret.  The idea is that the crew would prove less vulnerable due to both crewmembers being in the low-profile hull, and the turret could also be lower profile.  A worry is that the two-man crew would be simply overwhelmed by their tasks.

Round Two – The LAV-75A3

     The 13.2-Ton Rapid Deployment Forces Light Tank was designed primarily for export.  I have dubbed it the “LAV-75A3” here; it was designed with a different gun, as the ARES 75mm autocannon was deemed too advanced at the time of inception to be exported, and because many potential export customers were still using the old 76mm high-velocity gun or had easy access to its ammunition.  The LAV-75A3 was developed in parallel with the LAV-75A1 and A2, with production-level prototypes being available for export in 1982.

     The LAV-75A3 is for the most part identical to the LAV-75A1, but the 75mm ARES autocannon is replaced with the 76mm M-32 high-velocity gun, which was first used on M-41 Walker Bulldog light tank.  This gun was also used by the Dutch on their version of  the M-41, and they had developed an APDSFS-T round for the gun to give it a chance against targets with heavier armor.  The LAV-75A3 remained air-droppable and was also able to use the appliqué armor and ERA lugs of the LAV-75A1 and A2.  The gas turbine of the first three members of the LAV-75 series is not used; instead, a rather low-power 350-horsepower  turbocharged diesel engine, coupled with an appropriate transmission and smaller fuel tanks.  The GM 6V-53T engine used was almost identical to that of the M-113A3. This was primarily due to US government request; AAI would have preferred to have put a more powerful engine in the LAV-75A3 and standard fuel tanks to make it more attractive to export buyers.  As it was, they had none, and Venezuela was the only country to even test the LAV-75A3.

The LAV-75A4 – A Fictional Twilight 2000 Variant

     Fast forward about a decade.  The US was looking for a light tank to use as a support vehicle for the 82^nd Airborne division as well as a vehicle to supply to other allied countries in a sort of Lend-Lease program – and they needed a vehicle that could be easily put into production, quickly built, and with production farmed out to other companies a la World War 2 production of weapons.  AAI stepped up to the plate again; as it was, they still had the production equipment for the earlier LAV-75 variants in storage, and pulled them out in short order and picked up production within 90 days.

     Meanwhile, in the intervening time, weapons technology marched on.  The new version of the LAV-75, dubbed “LAV-75A4” in its export version and “M-20 Ridgway” in US Army parlance, incorporated a number of new features.  The armor suite received an upgrade – most of the armor, except for the rear of the vehicle and turret rear – used a new aluminum/ceramic sandwich armor that is light in weight, yet stronger than the LAV-75s original armor.  The glacis used a new version of armor based upon the Chobham principle.  Side skirts are standard on the LAV-75A4, and the ammunition is contained in explosion and fire-resistant armored bins, as are the fuel tanks.  The LAV-75A4 can use appliqué armor similar to that of the other LAV-75s; however, the turret front is not large enough to take appliqué or ERA.  The small straight parts of the turret sides can take appliqué, but the turret roof cannot.

     The turret used is a remote “casemate” turret, a modified form of that of the Stryker MGS.  This turret is armed with an M-68A1E4 105mm main gun – a modified form of the gun mounted on many earlier NATO tanks and the first generation of M-1 Abrams tanks.  This version of the M-68A1 uses a low-pressure firing principle, as well as a shorter 45-caliber gun, with no muzzle brake.  It has a fume extractor and a muzzle reference system.  The main gun is fed by an autoloader, with a capacity of 20 rounds; the rest is carried in the aforementioned armored bins. To the right is a coaxial machinegun.  On either side of the main gun are a two clusters of four smoke grenade launchers.  The driver is in the usual place, but the gunner’s hatch is to the right of the casemate turret.  The commander’s position is on a sponson on the left side of the casemate; while he does not have a commander’s machinegun, he is able to fire the limited-traverse coaxial machinegun, which is directly in front of him. The commander and gunner have their own vision heads, allowing them to act in a hunter/killer arrangement.  The driver has standard passive IR, with a TV camera at the rear to assist when backing up.

     This led to an increase in weight, and a more powerful engine was installed -- derived from an engine used for a heavy tractor/bulldozer, and coupled to an appropriate transmission. This engine is a Caterpillar D-11T DB multifuel engine; the smaller size of the engine allowed larger fuel tanks to be installed.  These fuel tanks are self-sealing and use fire and explosion-dampening technology, and the entire vehicle has fire detection and automatic fire extinguishers.

The LAV-75A5 -- Another Fictional Twilight 2000 Variant

     When ARES designed the XM-274 75mm autocannon, it also designed a 90mm version of this gun.  Only two working versions were developed, and though they performed very well (with far better penetration than the 75mm gun), a lack of onboard ammunition as well as a much smaller elevation ability, as well as the size (the resulting vehicle would be too big to airdrop from a C-130 or C-141), the Army decided to forgo a LAV with the 90mm gun.  ARES worked up a version on paper that allowed for more ammunition, but it was too big again for airdrop to work for the 82nd Airborne.

     Now to the fictional part. In 1990, increased production of the C-5A and the C-17 made bringing bigger loads to a drop zone tenable, and the Airborne again began to show interest in the LAV-75A5. (The name denoted its kinship with earlier members of the RDF/LT family, and because there was already a LAV-90 in service.  Dubbing it the M-27 MacArthur, the vehicles were sent primarily to Light Infantry Divisions, and were also used by the US Marines.  Export customers included Taiwan, China (after the Twilight War started), Thailand, Turkey, and Oman.  The 90mm ARES M-275 autocannon was capable of blasting out a rapid-fire stream of heavy-caliber fire, and could penetrate even a T-62's or early T-64's frontal armor, and virtually any tank from the side and rear.  Light armored vehicles, APCs and IFVs, and unarmored vehicles were fodder. Fire from the 90mm gun could also bring down the wall of a four-storey building in quick order, and three or four flechette rounds could decimate an infantry formation.  Unfortunately, the LAV-75A5 did not fare well in fights with better-armored tanks, even with its standard composite armor suite.

     Unlike the LAV-75, the LAV-75A5 was based on the M-113A4 (MTVL) chassis instead of the M-113A3, up armored and partially fixing its own shortcomings in its earlier iterations.  It was widened and the suspension beefed up. The extra length gave more room for a larger ammunition carousel as well as reloads and special ammunition. The turret was also enlarged, not only to make room for the larger autocannon, but to allow for a small turret bustle to store more ammunition.  This unfortunately changes the configuration of the MacArthur, in total makes it a bigger target; however, the turret could be more armored than earlier LAV-75s.  It barely slips out the rear door of a C-5 or even a C-17; the long gun also takes up a lot of room inside the bird, but some drop loads carried in addition to LAV-75A5 could be put under the gun.  This meant that is saw only limited use by the 82nd Airborne. It did not use most of the appliqué armor packages of the LAV-75 and LAV-75A4; due to the standard composite armor suite of the LAV-75A4, not many appliqué armor types were designed for the MacArthur. Though modifications were often made in the field, the only standard appliqué package was a set of bolt-on aluminum plates bolted on to pre-drilled holes.

     Despite the MacArthur's shortcomings, it acquitted itself well in the Twilight War, many surviving to serve into the 2040s.

Experience in the Twilight War

     While the 82^nd Airborne and some of the light infantry divisions were partially equipped with the original LAV-75 variants (they had a hodgepodge of armor), the LAV-75 variants were primarily supplied to China.  The Chinese were only too happy to have more armor, even light armor, and the XVIII Airborne Corps was happy to have a guinea pig for the new, untried vehicles. 

     By 1995, the picture had become ugly; the ARES 75mm autocannon and the M-32 75mm gun were simply unable to penetrate most enemy frontal armor, and caused less-than-expected damage when hitting enemy armor from the sides.  The LAV-75 series had proven to be mechanically reliable with maintenance being quite easy, and the LAV-75 series was decently survivable, particularly if used properly and equipped with appliqué armor packages.  The high speed of the LAV-75 series proved to be an important tactical asset; they could practically run circles around enemy armor.

     The problem was those guns, and the 82^nd Airborne, US light infantry divisions, and the Chinese demanded a better gun.  This led to the LAV-75A4 version, using the 105mm low-pressure gun. These vehicles, though still deficient in armor, served with distinction in the Twilight War.      

*Turret roof AV for the LAV-75, A1, A2, and A3 variants is 3.  With Appliqué 1 armor, the turret roof becomes 5, and the hull floor becomes 4.  With Appliqué 2, the turret roof and hull roof become 4Sp and the hull floor is 4.

The LAV-75A4, due to the nature of its casemated turret and more advanced armor, takes appliqué a bit differently.  Standard hull roof and turret roof armor (what there is of it) is 3; standard floor armor is 5. With Appliqué 1, the hull floor armor is 6Sp, but the turret roof armor cannot take appliqué.  With Appliqué 2, the hull roof armor becomes 6Sp and the floor armor becomes 7Sp; again, the turret roof cannot take this appliqué armor.

Begleitpanzer 57mm

     Origin: Germany

     Notes: The Begleitpanzer 57mm (Support Tank 57mm) is a light tank based on the Marder chassis.  It features a 57mm cannon based on a Bofors naval gun and a TOW or HOT ATGM launcher.  The main gun is fed by an autoloader, and married to a comprehensive fire control suite and night vision gear.  The main gun’s autoloader has four feed chutes that each hold 3 rounds, allowing for quick changes in ammunition type fired.  Further rounds are carried in the hull.  The missile launcher is likewise loaded by an automatic loader, and there is no need for the crew to expose itself outside the armor envelope.  The Begleitpanzer carries a small scout group of 3 troops; these troops can also double as impromptu crew members (usually to replenish the main gun’s magazine).  The driver has a hatch on the front left hull top.  The gunner and commander have hatches in the hull roof.  The three troops have a ramp in the rear of the vehicle, and there are two firing ports in each side of the hull and one in the rear.

     The Beglitpanser 57mm was never developed beyond advanced prototypes.

BRDM-3

     Origin: Russia (Soviet Union)

       Notes: Though a version of the BRDM like this was the subject of speculation in the West, it does not seem to actually exist.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This upgrade of the BRDM-2 was only a rumor until shortly before the Twilight War, when a chance encounter by Saudi patrols of the border between Saudi Arabia and Iraq in 1995 resulted in two of them being captured and two destroyed by the LAV-600s the Saudis were using.  The BRDM-3 is basically a BRDM-2 fitted with a larger turret housing a 30mm 2A42 autocannon and a PKT coaxial machinegun.  The combination of speed, small size, and good firepower that the BRDM-3 afforded proved to be a thorn in the side of Allied, Chinese, NATO forces, and a few were even encountered in North Korea.  The basic layout is otherwise unchanged from the BRDM-2 model, though there are improvements in stabilization and night vision equipment, as well as the addition of a video camera with a radio uplink to higher headquarters.

General Dynamics Expeditionary Tank

     Country of Origin: United States

     Notes: The Expeditionary Tank was designed for use by light and airborne forces as a fire support vehicle and light tank destroyer.  It was developed in the 1980s using as many existing components as possible to save money.  The vehicle is a very low profile design, with ammunition stored in the hull and the gun contained in a remote casemate.  The gun is well stabilized with accuracy rivaling the M-1 series of tanks.  The Expeditionary Tank has very light armor, but an appliqué armor package is available which can be installed in the field in 15 minutes by the crew, and dramatically increases the protection (and nearly doubles the vehicle’s weight). Though tested as a possible replacement for the M-551 Sheridan in the airborne armor role and for use in light divisions, it was ultimately rejected for US service (along with every other design meant to replace the Sheridan...)

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This was one of the many emergency solutions to the needs of airborne, air assault, and light infantry divisions for lightweight firepower.

GKN Reconnaissance Vehicle

     Country of Origin: Great Britain

     Notes: This British vehicle was built with experience gained in the building of the Warrior and Desert Warrior.  The vehicle was taken into limited service in Britain, but the primary customers were Middle Eastern, such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, and Yemen.  These vehicles are primarily demonstrators.  The armor, though light, is very advanced, and the fire control is likewise advanced.  The driver is seated on the front left.  The turret is nearly the same as that fitted to the Desert Warrior, but has a more advanced armor package and electronics.  The turret also has an optical chemical sniffer installed.  The vehicle is fitted with a computerized navigation system with inertial navigation and GPS.  Computers also compile information from reconnaissance and relay that information to higher headquarters.  Additional sensors are on a mast that can be elevated at the rear of the vehicle. 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: Production of these vehicles started shortly before the Twilight War, and was quickly stepped up to an accelerated rate.

LMT-105

     Country of Origin: Great Britain

     Notes: This is a light tank based on modified chassis of the Warrior armored personnel carrier.  In this role, armor is improved, and the vehicle is topped with a turret mounting a 105mm NATO-compatible gun.  The turret was also fitted as a test to the South African Rooikat armored car.  The vehicle may be fitted with appliqué armor, for an increase in HF and TF armor of 8, HS and TS armor of 6, and HR and TR armor of 4.  This increases weight by 4 tons, and decreases combat movement by 5. 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: Several prototypes of this vehicle were built before the war, but volume production did not begin until 1998, and it is a rare vehicle, most often employed in British scout units. 

M-2A0 Walker AMTV (Armored Medical Treatment Vehicle)

     Country of Origin: United States

     Notes: This vehicle, based on a modified Bradley chassis, allows doctors, nurses, and medics to provide advanced medical care in combat situations.  The typical AMTV carries a full range of medical supplies (including a full set of surgical tools, the equivalent of 5 Doctor Medical Bags, enough refills for the personal medical kits of an entire platoon, a full range of drugs, at least 10 units of each blood type, plasma, and IV fluids, and advanced first aid kits).  A large refrigerator is carried, as well as a freezer, a 10kW generator for running equipment with the engine off, a defibrillator, Oxygen equipment, medical monitors, and radios to communicate with air as well as ground elements.  The crew of the AMTV normally consists of a driver, commander, medic, and nurse, doctor, or physician's assistant.

     The M-2A0 AMTV is just one of the many projected possible variants of the Bradley chassis, but so far there is no sign of when or even it will ever enter service.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: These vehicles were just reaching the US Army's inventory at the start of the Twilight War, and are thus rather rare.

M-3A3 Bradley III CFV

     Country of Origin: United States

     Notes: This vehicle was "designed" by the fertile imaginations of the people at GDW (though I have added a back story and some variants).  While there is apparently going to be or already is an M-3A3 in real life, this vehicle is not it.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The M-3A3 CFV began production only a few months before the Twilight War; as such, it is a vehicle in rather short supply, despite relatively high production rates.  Production continued for a while after the start of US involvement in the Twilight War, and some more were actually converted in the various theaters of the war by means of a "kit," but there were probably never more than 100 or so of them. 

Like the M-2A3 IFV, the M-3A3 replaces the standard turret of the M-3 series with a new one using Hellfire ATGM launchers and a laser designator instead of TOW ATGM launchers.  The twin launcher was mounted on rails on the left side of the turret instead of the box launcher of standard M-3 series CFVs.  In addition, while most of these vehicles used the standard 25mm Bushmaster Chaingun, approximately 25% of the total number were built or supplied with 30mm Bushmaster II Chainguns or 35mm Bushmaster II ChainGuns.  The M-3A3 otherwise uses the same sensor suite as standard Bradleys, as well as the improved armor of the M-3A2.

     The M-3A3, while considerably slower than the standard M-3 series due to the greatly-increased weight, was nonetheless welcomed by its crews due to the increased firepower it offered.

M-8 Buford AGS

     Country of Origin: United States

     Notes: This vehicle falls somewhere between a light tank and a light armored vehicle.  It was designed for use by airborne units, able to be airdropped or LAPSEd, and its modular construction allows it to be carried in aircraft.  It is based on the chassis of the M-2 Bradley, and carries a turret armed with a low-pressure version of the standard 105mm NATO gun.  The turret has ammunition storage bins equipped with blowout panels; if a turret (but not a hull) hit results in an ammunition explosion, the Buford is not destroyed and the crew killed.  Instead, all the ammunition in the turret (up to 15 rounds) is destroyed, all armament takes minor damage; all sensors take major damage, and each member of the crew takes 50 points of concussion damage.  There are three levels of modular armor protection available; these are indicated by slashes for Level 1/2/3 armor.  Each configuration has lugs for reactive armor on the HF, HS, TF, and TS.  It takes about an hour to take the Buford from Level 1 to Level 2 armor using 4 people, and another hour and a half to go from Level 2 to 3.  There has been talk lately of resurrecting the Buford program, but there are no firm plans.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: In the Twilight 2000 world, this vehicle program was never killed; it replaced about half of the Sheridans in the 82^nd Airborne Division, and also was used by the 101^st Air Assault Division, some Light Divisions, and even some heavier formations.

M-41 Walker Bulldog Experimental Variants

     Country of Origin: (M-41CG) United States; (M-41GTI) Germany

     Notes: These two versions of the M-41 were designed Cadillac Gage (in the case of the M-41CG) and Rheinmetall (in the case of the M-41GTI) with idea of selling them as kit-type upgrades to countries already using the M-41 and desiring to keep them in service for whatever reason.  Several countries apparently considered and possibly even tested these upgrades, but ultimately none actually bought the upgrades.

The M-41CG is an upgrade package designed by Cadillac Gage.  This upgrade basically places the turret of Cadillac Gage's Stingray light tank on the chassis of the M-41.  To cope with the increased weight, Cadillac Gage also installs a more powerful engine.  In addition, radios, electronics, transmission, and electrical components are also upgraded, a fire control computer is installed, and lugs are added to the turret front and sides for ERA.  The result is a Walker Bulldog which, while slightly slower, also has firepower far superior to the original M-41 series, as well as improved fire control and gun stabilization.

     The M-41GTI is a German-designed upgrade package using the same sort of idea as the M-41CG; however, the replacement turret is taken from the Leopard 1A1.  As with the M-41CG, Rheinmetall also installs a more powerful engine and fire control computer, as well as upgrading the radios, electronics, electrical systems, and transmission.  The gun stabilization is not quite as good as that of the M-41CG, but the result is basically the same: a much more powerful version of the Walker Bulldog.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: While the M-41GTI found a few scattered buyers in various places in the world, the M-41CG upgrade found many more -- especially in Taiwan, where almost all of their M-41 fleet was upgraded to the M-41CG standard.

M-551 Sheridan/Stingray

     Country of Origin: United States

     Notes: This was initially a test program by Cadillac Gage for a proposed upgrade to the M-551 Sheridan.  A few prototypes were built to demonstrate the viability of the concept, but the Army passed on the idea.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The US Army in 1994 began phasing out their M-551 Sheridan light tanks from the inventories of all but the 82nd Airborne and 101st Air Assault Divisions.  With the development of the M-8 Buford in 1995, the M-551 seemed to be facing extinction.  However, the production rate of the M-8 was initially only 300 per year; this left the US military in a terrible bind, because they had promised 100 of the M-8s to Taiwan, leaving only 200 Bufords dispersed over the whole of the Army, including the Airborne divisions.  A stopgap measure was suggested by fitting Cadillac Gage Stingray turrets to the smaller CG Commando chassis to produce what were nicknamed “Stingray Juniors.”  These caught the eye of some but the Army never adopted any; however, the Anniston Army Depot began experiments of retrofitting the Stingray turret to a modified M-551body.  The result was a vehicle which was hurried into production in late 1996, with an initial rate of conversion of estimated to be 75-150 per year.  Anniston Army Depot went further with its conversions by producing spare parts for the M-551 Sheridan body; Cadillac Gage provided spare parts for the Stingray turret.  Rudimentary changes made to the design included an upgraded armor plate on the underside of the vehicle to protect it from antitank mines.  Many of the problems were fixed with the removal of the 152mm Gum/Missile Launcher, especially the rangefinder problem, which was solved by using the CG turret.  Experiments were done with adding ERA by the 82nd Airborne while on maneuvers at Fort Irwin.

     In the end, the development and adoption of the LAV-75 and continued production of the M-8 doomed the would-be adoption of the modified M-551 Sheridan/Stingray, and the 50-75 production models which had been converted are spread out across Alabama (Anniston Army Depot), Kentucky (Fort Campbell and Knox), and California (Fort Irwin).  Unmodified versions of the M-551 with 152mm Gun/Missile Launchers can be found in large numbers at Fort Irwin (some 330 at last count), providing a large amount of spare parts.  It is believed that many of these vehicles in California have been deployed to counter Soviet/Mexican-backed attacks into California and Texas.  Stock models of the M-551 had been converted prior to the war to resemble many Soviet vehicles for use in training at Fort Irwin.

M1072 Clark Fighting Vehicle

     Country of Origin:  GDLS Multinational Project (primarily developed in the US)

     Seen In: Entry on Deviant Art website for the “Warmonger AFV” by Daniel Van In.  However, the story has been greatly changed.

     Fictional Notes: The Clark (named for the WW II general, Mark Clark) was a revolutionary new fighting vehicle just coming into service with several NATO countries, as well as Israel (who was actually the first country to use it in combat).  Though most do-it-all designs do not have much success, the Clark, nicknamed the “Warmonger” by its crews, was quite good at bringing down most fighting vehicles and  even many aircraft.  Design work began at Dugway Proving ground as sort of a “black project” in the late 1980s, but by 1992, they were in final field testing before being released to the general public notice and military units.  By Mid 1993, the Clark was put into a sort of high-rate LRIP production cycle, and issued to several US Army and National Guard divisions and two or three of them began to accompany MAUs subordinate units onshore.  Britain and Germany were believed to have received about twenty of them each, and the Dutch and Belgians also had a number of them on hand.  The Canadians had a large force of nearly 50 Warmongers in service at the beginning of the Twilight War.  The US, between the Army and Marines, may have had as many as 200 in service for the start of the Twilight War.  The Israelis, the first to use the Clark in combat on the Golan Heights in 1993, had some 60 of them, as they got on the bandwagon early and took part in much of the development and testing program.

     The Clark was envisioned to be a quick, agile, lightweight vehicle which could be called upon to take on all comers if necessary.  Though the base chassis was that of the M2A3 Bradley, the engine was a vastly improved version of the Bradley’s engine developing 902 horsepower, and the chassis was highly-modified and much more heavily-armored.  The primary armament was a pair of M61A2 Vulcan rotary cannons; though the turret looked like it may be large and roomy from the outside, the interior was in facts packed with ammunition for the Vulcans and reloads for the missiles, and the crew positions were actually quite tight. The autocannons could usually be counted upon to take on most unarmored vehicles and light armored vehicles, as well as low-flying helicopters, aircraft and UAVs; the quartet of Hellfire and Scorpion missiles on each side allowed the Clark to take on more meaty targets if the conditions were right. Just to round out, a semi-RWS M2HB mounting on the commander’s hatch could take on close infantry; the mounting allowed the commander to aim, fire, and reload the M2JB from under armor.

     Sensorwise, the Clark is also well endowed, ranging from an IFF interrogator to an AESA identification and targeting radar in the front of the turret which is useful against at air and ground targets, and FLIR and 2^nd-Generation Image Intensification as backups for the radar.  The AESA radar is also used to guide the Hellfire ATGM if armed with radar-guided Helfires, and the Clark also has a laser rangefinder/designator for use with laser-guided Hellfires. Of course, the laser can also be used for general rangefinding duties, as well as to guide other laser-guided munitions fired from other vehicles, helicopters, and aircraft.  The Clark uses a pair of FLIR/Image Intensifier heads, allowing the Clark crew to operate in a hunter/killer mode or to fire the autocannons at one target while firing the missiles of the commander’s machinegun at separate targets.

     In addition, the Clark has a comprehensive computer suite, ranging from three separate fire control computers (for the guns, missiles, and commander’s machinegun) to a full BMS with vehicle state computer.

     The driver is on the front right side, and he uses controls more like those of an M1 Abrams rather than those of a Bradley.  This allows for a faster maneuvering response.  The transmission is automatic with a manual backup and is related to the Bradley’s, but more advanced with faster gearshifting possible. The position on the turret deck where one might find another hatch is instead occupied with a Soft-kill APS system.  The turret is occupied by the gunner, an assistant gunner, and the commander, with all crewmembers exiting and entering the vehicle through the commander’s or driver’s hatches.  Nice touches are the ration heater built in (enough to heat four entrees or two canned beverages), and a 40-liter chilled water tank to the right rear of the driver’s compartment. The vehicle is NBC sealed, as well as being air conditioned and heated.  On each forward side of the turret are four smoke grenade launchers, and of course the APS has a magazine of smoke grenades for its use.

     An unusual feature of the Clark is a polyvinyl strip round the turret ring; this was to predetonate HE-type rounds in what would be a sensitive area to be hit, but in practice, it quickly got torn and broken and gave the danger of jamming the turret, so most crews removed it almost as soon as they arrived in the marshalling area of the combat zone they were assigned to or soon after their first battle was over.

     Enemy troops detested the Clark, with its fast-elevating guns and missile launchers, quick-rotating turret, and general accuracy of fire.  There were even some enemy tankers who didn’t want to tangle with a Warmonger, especially in open terrain – the Hellfire missiles were often in range of enemy tanks before the enemy tanks were in range for even an ATGM shot.

M1072A1 Clark

     When this limited-issue variant of the Clark began being built, crews and commanders immediately started to finagle as many of them as possible to replace their M1072 Clarks.  It was quickly dubbed the Warmonger 2 by the crews that were assigned to them, but in practice were generally also called Warmongers.  In short, the Warmonger 2 is armed with 30mm M1980 (GAU-13/A) four-barrel gatling guns instead of the Vulcans of the Warmonger 1.  The M1980 is a highly-modified version of the A-10’s GAU-8A gun – with heavy-duty recoil buffers and barrels one-half the length of the GAU-8/A.  Nonetheless, the M1980 can fire all of the ammo selection of the GAU-8/A.  Internal fittings inside the turret had to be drastically modified to accommodate the M1980s ammunition, and not only the recoil buffers, but the mounting s had to be basically replaced with new systems, and the fire control computers for the gun also had to be modified.  Despite the redesign, the Warmonger 2 is not able to carry anywhere near the ammo load of the Warmonger 1, something Warmonger 1 crews felt was a deficit compared to their vehicles.  The AESA radar on the M1072A1 also had to be modified to accommodate the additional range of the M1980 autocannons, Some say that the louder, more vibratory hammering of the autocannons led to greater crew fatigue, and the louder sound of the guns firing also caused hearing loss.  Warmonger 2 crews said “it’s something you get used to.”  The mounts for the electronics also had to be modified to take up the strain of the greater vibrations caused by the M1980 autocannons.  Whatever its problems, the Warmonger 2 was much harder-hitting than the Warmonger 1, and the addition of the capability to fire “silver bullet” ammunition was definitely a plus against armored vehicles, and the larger filling of the HE round easily produced greater casualties against infantry and unarmored vehicles.  Unfortunately, the GDLS production facilities in both the US and Canada were nuked in the TDM, after only about 10% Warmonger 2s were built as opposed to the Warmonger 1’s total, and most went to NATO forces in Europe and Army and National Guard units operating inside the US, and Canadian Land Forces units.

PT-57

     Origin: Russia (Soviet Union)

     Notes: This vehicle appears to have existed only on the drawing board, and no working examples were actually produced.    

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This variant of the PT-76 light tank is so rare that it has almost never been seen in the hands of normal troops.  If it is encountered, it is almost certain that one has encountered airborne or Spetsnaz troops.  In this version, the normal turret of the PT-76 has been replaced with one mounting a 57mm S-40 autocannon.  The PT-57 is meant for heavy, rapid-fire support of infantry and antiaircraft use.

PT-90

     Country of Origin: Israel

     Notes: This is an Israeli modification of the PT-76. Original modifications were made for Indonesia, which has a number of old PT-76s. In the PT-90, the 76mm main gun is replaced by a Cockerill 90mm NATO gun, the coaxial machinegun is replaced by a MAG, a commander's machinegun has been added, and the engine is replaced with a version of the one used in the M-113 series of armored personnel carriers. The gun has been stabilized and new fire control equipment is added. As the new engine is smaller and lighter, more fuel has been added. Primarily designed as an upgrade package for countries already using the PT-76, the PT-90 has not as yet (officially) received any interest.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: During the Twilight War, captured PT-76s were modified to this standard and used by the Israeli military, and some modifications were done for the Egyptians.

PT-100

     Country of Origin: Russia (Soviet Union)

     Notes: This vehicle does not exist in real life; it is the idea of a friend of mine, Antti Henttu.  I have provided a small back story, however.  It should be noted that Rafael of Israel has come up with a PT-76 upgrade turret kit that uses an updated version of the 100mm gun of the T-55 along with a greatly-enhanced fire control and night vision suite as well as improved armor protection, but the PT-100 presented here is not the vehicle presented here.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This vehicle is the answer to US light tanks such as the M-8 Ridgeway and Stingray.  It entered service in about 1994, but was not seen in the hands of normal troops.  If one encounters this vehicle, one has almost certainly encountered airborne, Spetsnaz, or Naval Infantry troops.  The PT-100 is basically a PT-76 chassis with the turret of a BMP-3 IFV mounted in place of the normal turret.  The vehicle is meant to protect armored personnel carriers of those types of troops.  The BMP-3 turret may use BMP-3 appliqué armor.

R3

     Country of Origin: Italy

     Notes: This vehicle looks like something out a science fiction movie, with its long, low, slender silhouette. The chassis is based on that of the Gorgona, while the body is long and wedge shaped, with armor sloped on all sides. The driver is at the front with windows directly in front and to the sides; he has a hatch on top of his compartment. The commander’s position is to the rear and right of the driver’s position. To the rear is a hatchway that can be fitted with a variety of weapons stations or light turrets. On each side of the hull is another door, and to the rear of those doors is a firing port with vision block.

     The T 12.7 FA has an externally mounted M-2HB machinegun that may be aimed and fired from within the vehicle. The T 7.62 FA is the same, but has a lighter machinegun. The T 20 FA-HS is also similar, but uses a 20mm autocannon. The Folgore x2 FA has two Folgore recoilless rifles and a light machinegun; these cannot be aimed or fired from within the vehicle. (The Folgores are treated as being mounted on a tripod with optronic sight.) The T 106 x2 FA is similar to the Folgore vehicle, but uses two M-40A2 106mm recoilless rifles and has no machinegun. As might be guessed, the TOW FA has a TOW II system.

     The R3 was never actually put into production.

RPX 90

     Country of Origin: France

     Notes: This is another one of those interesting vehicles that never made it past the prototype stage.  The RPX 90 is a 4x4 light wheeled chassis mounting a MARS casemate turret with a 90mm gun.  It was intended to be a reconnaissance vehicle with a low silhouette and excellent mobility.  The driver is in the center front of the vehicle with bulletproof windows to the sides and front.  The commander and gunner sit to either side of the casemate, and they have a hatch on the left side of the hull.

RPX 3000

     Country of Origin: France

     Notes: The French are aggressively shopping around this vehicle, with no official orders yet.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This is a light scout car that was ordered into production by the French during the Twilight War for internal security work and patrolling of the "Dead Zone" along the Rhine River.  It was known to be a quick and maneuverable vehicle that was a thorn in the side of many a refugee. 

Vextra 105

     Country of Origin: France

     Notes: This is the scout car variant of the Vextra 25 armored personnel carrier, designed to replace the AMX-10RC in French service and the Luchs in German service.  The turret is replaced with a much larger one mounting a 105mm NATO gun. 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: Perhaps 25 of these vehicles had been produced for each army before production stopped for Germany.  French vehicles were largely deployed to the Middle East. 

VPX 5000

     Country of Origin: France

     Notes: This is another of those neat little vehicles that never quite made it into production. The VPX 5000 is a small scout APC, similar in concept to the US M-114, but with a more versatile chassis able to mount several weapons mixes. The MCT (MILAN Compact Turret) is a small mount for two MILAN ATGM launchers. The version with a HOT Launcher has a simple external HOT ATGM. THE MASCOT/MILAN has an externally-mounted remote machinegun and an external MILAN launcher. The BTM-208 turret has two machineguns. It is very light and has reasonable performance, but nothing outstanding (other than speed), and that probably led to its demise.

Ze'ev Mobile Armored Gun System (MAGS)

     Notes: This vehicle does not exist in real life; it is the invention of Frank Frey, designer of many of the Twilight 2000 modules.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The Ze'ev was designed and built in Israel in the late 1980's as a low cost alternative to the Merkava Mk 1 MBT. It carries its main armament in a remote control turret with an auto loader system. The commander, driver, and gunner ride in the chassis. They each have a separate hatch on the chassis deck.