Denel T-6

     Country of Origin: South Africa

     Notes: This South African vehicle was designed for the Indian self-propelled howitzer competition. The turret is developed from the turret of the G-6, and the chassis is taken from captured and home-manufactured T-72 chassis. The turret has ammunition-loading hatches on the right and left, and a conveyor belt may be extended from either of these hatches for ammunition loading or direct feeding of the gun from a ground pile. There are two hatches on the roof of the turret. The vehicle is equipped with GPS and a fire control computer for direct laying of the gun, or firing at a target where the location is known.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: When the Twilight War broke out, the remaining prototypes were taken into South African service and production was begun.

     Merc 2000 Notes: After losing in the Indian SP Howitzer competition, one prototype T-6 was placed in a museum, and the rest dismantled.

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$404,657

D, A

400 kg

46 tons

6

17

Passive IR

Shielded

 

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

117/82

25/20

1000+400

274

Trtd

T6

TF14 TS7 TR7 HF100 HS14 HR8

 

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

+1

Basic

155mm L/52 Howitzer, M-2HB (C)

45x155mm, 550x.50

 

GDLS XM-2001 Crusader

     Country of Origin: United States

     Notes: The Crusader is a completely automated system, with the gun and ammunition being aimed, loaded, and fired by remote control. The turret is unoccupied, with the weapons being operated by the crew in the front of the hull. The gun is laid and controlled by computer. The Crusader requires no FDC and its fire control system is totally self-contained, requiring only information from forward observers or reconnaissance aircraft. Accurate fire can begin within three phases of a halt. Rate of fire is vastly improved over normal howitzers, as is armor protection and fire control for direct fire. Note that the turret is only capable of traverse 20 degrees on either side of center, but the vehicle is capable of rapid pivot steers for larger deflection changes. If the turret is penetrated in combat, no crew casualties are possible. The Crusader has become a political football in the budgetary process; the last I heard, it has been cancelled, but this has gone back and forth several times.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This vehicle does not exist, except for four evaluation vehicles that were used against the Mexicans in Texas.

     Merc 2000 Notes: The Crusader made it through the budgetary process, but the first vehicles were not delivered to operational units until 2008.

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$486,432

D, G, AvG, A

850 kg

40 tons

3

15

Thermal Imaging, Image Intensification

Shielded

 

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

121/85

25/20

700

242

Trtd

T5

TF13 TS7 TR7 HF16 HS5 HR4

 

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

+3

Fair

155mm L/56 howitzer, M-2HB

60x155mm, 2000x.50

 

GDLS XM-2002 Crusader RSV

     Country of Origin: United States

     Notes: These vehicles are issued to units along with the Crusader SPH; they are issued as a set. The Crusader RSV (ReSupply Vehicle) was designed to carry ammunition and fuel for the Crusader SPH and resupply the howitzer in action. It does this through a docking port that hooks onto the Crusader SPH in the rear of the turret. The ammunition is conveyed automatically to the Crusader SPHs magazines, and fuel is transferred to the Crusader's fuel tanks. Ammunition is conveyed at the rate of one round per two phases. Fuel is transferred at the rate of 5 liters per phase. The Crusader RSV has a remote cupola with an M-2HB; as with the SPH, the refueling and rearming process is completely automated and the crew sits in the front of the vehicle under the glacis plate. The Crusader has become a political football in the budgetary process; the last I heard, it has been cancelled, but this has gone back and forth several times.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This vehicle does not exist, except for four evaluation vehicles that were used against the Mexicans in Texas.

     Merc 2000 Notes: The Crusader made it through the budgetary process, but the first vehicles were not delivered to operational units until 2008.

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

$574,076

D, G, AvG, A

1 ton

33 tons

3

13

Thermal Imaging, Image Intensification

Shielded

 

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

121/85

25/20

1400

179

Stnd

T5

HF16 HS5 HR4

 

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

+2

Fair

M-2HB

2000x.50, 60x155mm (Rounds Only)

 

ASELSAN Tafun

     Country of Origin: Turkey

     Seen In: Current development by ASELSAN of Turkey for the Turkish Army.

     Notes: Though the resulting vehicle name, if one results from this research, is not known, the current project name is Tafun, and so that is what I’m calling the vehicle here.  The Turkish expect to have a working vehicle by 2024 and deployment by 2028, though research has admittedly (according to ASELSAN) been more difficult than first thought and if any artillery vehicle results from Project Tafun, it will probably be late.

     The Tafun SPH centers around a turret mounting a 155mm L/39 railgun rather than conventionally-propelled ammunition.  It should be noted that several countries are working on a similar system, including the US and Israel, and are having similar setbacks, mostly in the area of generating the large amounts of electricity in a self-contained vehicle without using the engine, instead using an internal high-capacity electrical generator powered by what is essentially a second engine designed to produce electricity instead of motive power.  If Turkey is successful with Project Tafun (and it seems, from several accounts, to be ahead of other countries in producing a working prototype), it will be the first country to have an SPH which uses a railgun for its primary armament.  The Turkish have been testing the turret and gun of the Tafun on a pedestal mount with external power generation, and despite the short length of the howitzer barrel, , hits have been achieved at a range of 72.5 kilometers (though this was not a pinpoint hit, instead using an area salvo where the rounds all hit within an acceptable CEP).

     The internal firing engine must produce 8 Mj of energy to fire a round to this range.  So far, only HE rounds have been fired from the gun prototype, though rounds equivalent to standard NATO rounds are envisioned for the system, as well as advanced rounds guided by laser, radio, or GPS.  So far, no direct-fire rounds are being developed for the Tafun, though the ammunition page will include some for GP. The Tafun Project is also undertaking a lot of stress testing, as several components of the Tafun gun have failed during firing or autoloading, and the electricity-producing engine tends to fail to deliver the necessary power, resulting in shorter than expected range, stuck rounds, and rounds which do not fire at all.

     That said, the vehicle presented below is for a working vehicle that is at least a limited-production vehicle; we will assume that ASELSAN hit the Turkish Army’s deadline in 2028 for a working vehicle in limited production.  The caliber, as mentioned, is 155mm L/39, however, there are no propellant charges or any sort of chemical propulsion.  Instead, the gun barrel and breech have a pair of stainless steel rails which connect to the electricity-producing engine.  The rounds are aluminum, but surrounded by surrounded by stainless steel sabots to help propel the rounds through the barrel.  The actual caliber of the aluminum round is therefore smaller than the gun barrel at 127mm. The sabots are discharged in halves from the barrel when a round is fired. The sabots are not large; they are just enough to interact with the launch rails.  The rounds’ speed is hypersonic, and together with the fire control software are capable of intercepting aircraft within 40 kilometers, UAVs within 50 kilometers, and ground targets (depending on whether they are moving or not) at ranges from almost zero to over 2000 meters, or possibly more.  Other possible targets include incoming cruise missiles , air-to-ground missiles, and even artillery or mortar shells within range, (In one low-altitude test, a Tafun round was able to intercept an air-to-air missile fired from a Turkish fighter against a decoy target.)  The round development has included indirect artillery fire with target destruction achieved by the speed and force of the incoming rounds rather by an HE filler.

     Fire control is provided by a specialized system allowing the gunner or commander to quickly select the type of target and magazine to load from, and to select the type of target.  The Tafun also has an AESA-type target detection and acquisition radar, along with a comprehensive day/night visual suite, including up-to-date night vision gear, CCD cameras, and several telescopic sights, as well as a unity sight with a reticle on it for close-range shots.

     Unfortunately, generating enough electrical power to fire a shot is not fast, and while the Tafun is capable of quick MRSI salvos and other quick area or pinpoint salvos, firing five shots in rapid succession will require the engine to spend 30 seconds developing the necessary power to fire another such salvo.  Normal rate of continuous fire is one round every 6 seconds, though as stated, five rounds may be fired in rapid succession, after which the generator is drained for 30 seconds.  Quick single-shot firing may also be conducted, which will drain 1/10’s of the generating engine’s power.

     As a Tafun is a high-priority target, armor-protection is much greater than most SPHs. Especially on the turret.  The vehicle is also capable of mounting both standard and MEXAS applique armor, and also has lugs for ERA on the sides of the vehicle, glacis, lower bottom part of the front of the vehicle, and on the turret sides, rear, and front, and front quarter of the turret.  The commander controls an RWS above his hatch upon which a couple of weapons are mounted, and has 360-degree rotation.  It is possible that an Israeli-made Trophy APS may be mounted on the Tafun.

     Engine power and the chassis are provided for by a Turkish-modified MAN 8x8 truck, with armor added and puncture-resistant run-flat tires.  The engine power is distributed 8x8, with a fully-automatic transmission with a manual backup.  The engine is under the cab; tthe complete power pack may be removed by hinging open the cab.  The rear-mounted electrical engine is removed by sliding out the rear.  The motive power is provided for by it’s own fuel tanks, and the electrical firing engine has its own fuel tanks.  In addition, the Tafun is equipped with a 30kW APU which runs off the vehicle’s fuel, and can provide power for up to 30 shots or power up three other guns for up to 15 shots, or an FDC, plus two conveyor belts for ammunition resupply.  Ammunition resupply is normally done through doors on either side of the Tafun’s turret, but the loader’s hatch may also be used.  The turret carries the Gunner and Loader, while the cab carries the Driver and Commander (though the RWS is on top of the turret).  The gunner and loader may also be stationed in the cab, with remote equipment like the Driver and Commander have.

     Note that the generator engine cannot be tapped to provide power to the rest of the vehicle; however, the fuel supply for the generator engine can be so tapped.

Vehicle

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

Tafun

$2,365,981

D, A

625 kg

56.17 tons

4

43

Image Intensification (D), Backup Camera (D), Day/Night CCD Camera (D, G, RWS, C), 2nd Gen Image Intensification (G, RWS, C). 3rd Gen FLIR (G, RWS), AESA Radar (100km, G, C)

Shielded

Tafun w/Applique

$2,367,061

D, A

482 kg

58.46 tons

4

45

Image Intensification (D), Backup Camera (D), Day/Night CCD Camera (D, G, RWS, C), 2nd Gen Image Intensification (G, RWS, C). 3rd Gen FLIR (G, RWS), AESA Radar (100km, G, C)

Shielded

Tafun w/MEXAS Applique

$2,189,532

D, A

553 kg

57.32 tons

4

45

Image Intensification (D), Backup Camera (D), Day/Night CCD Camera (D, G, RWS, C), 2nd Gen Image Intensification (G, RWS, C). 3rd Gen FLIR (G, RWS), AESA Radar (100km, G, C)

Shielded

Tafun w/Trophy System

$2,489,471

D, A

612 kg

56.38 tons

4

46

Image Intensification (D), Backup Camera (D), Day/Night CCD Camera (D, G, RWS, C), 2nd Gen Image Intensification (G, RWS, C). 3rd Gen FLIR (G, RWS), AESA Radar (100km, G, C)

Shielded

 

Vehicle

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

Tafun

161/82

44/22

500 +200

248 + 8/Shot

Trtd

W(6)

TF32Cp  TS24Cp  TS15  HF40Cp  HS40Cp  HR15*

Tafun w/Applique

158/80

43/22

500 +200

253 + 8/Shot

Trtd

W(6)

TF36Cp  TS28Cp  TS15  HF44Cp  HS44Cp  HR15**

Tafun w/MEXAS Applique

160/81

43/22

500 +200

251 + 8/Shot

Trtd

W(6)

TF37Cp  TS29Cp  TS16Sp  HF48Cp  HS48Cp  HR15***

Tafun w/Trophy System

160/82

44/22

500 +200

249 + 8/Shot

Trtd

W(6)

TF32Cp  TS24Cp  TS15  HF40Cp  HS40Cp  HR15*

 

Vehicle

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

Tafun

+4

Fair

155mm L/39 ETC Howitzer, M2HB (RWS), Mk 19 (RWS)

60x155mm ETC rounds, 2000x.50, 2000,40mm Grenade

*Cab Roof AV is 6, Turret Roof Armor is 6Sp.  Floor Armor is 10Sp.  

**Cab Roof AV is 6.  Turret Roof AV is 7Sp.  Floor Armor is 12Sp.

*** Cab Roof AV and Turret Roof AV is 7Sp.  Floor Armor is 12Sp.  The vehicle has an MRAP hull.

 

Soltam Rascal

Country of Origin: Israel

Notes:  The class that of SP artillery that the Rascal is in is a rather rare category; the Rascal is designed to be able to use most conventional road surfaces and bridges (including railroads) without damage to the road or railroad surfaces.  For the same reason, over most roads, tank transporters are not needed, simplifying logistics. The Rascal has not been exported, despite heavy marketing by Soltam, and its appearance as several arms shows throughout the world, and despite the fact that the Rascal was aimed at the export market. Unlike many SP artillery vehicles, the Rascal is not based on any tank, SP gun, or APC chassis; it is a custom-built vehicle.  The Rascal is the lightest SP artillery system developed by Soltam (now a part of IWI), who envisions an array of vehicles based on the Rascal chassis.  With an L/39 barrel, it is known as the Rascal, while the L/45 and L/52 versions are called the Diabillo.

The Rascal was designed to be light in weight, able to take those roads mentioned above as well as smaller road and railroad bridges.  The key is that the Rascal is relatively light in weight, and the vehicle is rather long in size and has a tracked suspension, able to spread its weight in a large area.  The compact design also allows it to be air-transportable, not including the C-130/G.222 series of aircraft (though with its L/39 gun, it can fit in those aircraft).  The light weight also makes quick and mobile in combat situations or road marches.  It is capable of negotiating most terrain types.

The gun is a Soltam-designed 155mm howitzer, and an L/39, L/45 or L/52 gun may be used.  The gun is mounted at the rear of the vehicle, and extends through most of the fighting compartment, with the gun in either iteration hanging over the front of cab when in travel configuration.  The gun is mounted on a turntable, allowing a traverse of 30 degrees in either direction, and with elevation of +65 degrees, and depression of 0 degrees. Before firing, a pair of hydraulic jacks is lowered at the rear corners of the vehicle for stabilization. The Rascal has 36 ready rounds of ammunition, with another four kept in its shipping crate.  These are stored in the front of the fighting compartment.  The gun is fed by an autoloader; all the crew must do is insert the correct order of shells.  There are no mounts for heavier weapons on the Rascal; however, a cluster of five smoke grenades is found on each front bumper.

Armor, unfortunately, nothing to write home about, which also keeps the vehicle lightweight.  The rear of the fighting compartment has no armor whatsoever, and is exposed to the outside elements.  The fighting compartment is also open to the elements, though on each side are low-rising armored plates with internal equipment storage.  (The prototype Rascals were equipped with a set of steel tubes for a framework and hard Kevlar AV2 panels, but in testing, the crews considered them an impediment and that it took too long to deploy.) The ammunition racks are also inside an armored box, made of steel lined with thick Kevlar sheets. The charges are stored in a similar compartment forward of the gun. For that matter, the vehicle chassis is of largely steel construction, with some elements, such as roadwheels, hatches, and other such features made of aluminum alloy. When in travel configuration, the crew rides inside the better-armored crew cab, which has NBC overpressure protection, an air conditioner, and a heater. Most of the crew rides just forward of center right of the vehicle, with overhead hatches and shuttered vision blocks to the front.  The driver’s position is set forward near the front left of the vehicle in an armored sponson; he has large windows in the front and on either side, with armored shutters to lower if needed. In front of the crewmembers (except for the driver’s position) there is space for the crew’s personal gear, rations, water, and such. Normally, only the driver’s position has night vision, though optionally, one or more of the other crewmembers’ positions may have such equipment installed.

Power is provided by a turbocharged diesel developing 350 horsepower.  The engine is near the center of the vehicle in the left, behind the driver. The Rascal also has an automatic transmission, along with conventional driving controls that are power-assisted.  Despite the seemingly-low power of the engine, the Rascal is very quick and maneuverable due to its low weight.  In the front hull there is a recovery winch with a capacity of 30 tons and 60 meters of cable.

The Rascal has GPS, but no capability to come up with its own targeting information (lacking the necessary fire control computers to hold down costs) and an FDC is required for anything but inaccurate fire.  The Rascal does have a mapping computer and an artillery ballistic computer which can take the information directly from the FDC and convert it into fire coordinates.

Twilight 2000 Notes: Due to accelerated testing and production, some 20 Rascals were available to the IDF for the Twilight War. These were used primarily by the IDF, though one captured example each was used by Lebanon and Syria.

Vehicle

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological**

L/39 Gun

$683,413

D, A

750 kg

19.5 tons

4

16

Passive IR (D)

Shielded

L/45 Gun

$698,972

D, A

734 kg

19.76 tons

4

17

Passive IR (D)

Shielded

L/52 Gun

$717,739

D, A

693 kg

20.06 tons

4

19

Passive IR (D)

Shielded

 

Vehicle

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor*

L/39 Gun

130/92

36/25

500

130

Stnd

T4

HF4  HS2  HR2

L/45 Gun

129/91

36/25

500

132

Stnd

T4

HF4  HS2  HR2

L/52 Gun

128/90

36/25

500

134

Stnd

T4

HF4  HS2  HR2

 

Vehicle

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

L/39 Gun

+1

Basic

155mm L/39 Howitzer

40x155mm

L/45 Gun

+1

Basic

155mm L/45 Howitzer

40x155mm

L/52 Gun

+1

Basic

155mm L/52 Howitzer

40x155mm

*Hull armor on the Rascal is a bit complicated.  The armor figures listed above are largely for the vehicle’s cab.  The fighting compartment is open, and therefore offers little protection; however, the rear half of the vehicle, where the ammunition is stored, is contained within AV2 lockers that can also protect the crew if they crouch behind it or offer some protection when returning fire with their small arms.  The entire cab of the Rascal has AV4, as does the floor of the entire vehicle.  If the framework and the Kevlar panels are erected, they give the gun crew AV2 to the vehicle’s sides and rear, except for their heads (if they are standing up).

**The Radiological protection listed above is for the cab only.  The Radiological rating in the fighting compartment is “Open.”

 

Soltam Sholef (Slammer)

     Country of Origin: Israel

     Notes:  The Sholef (translates to “Slammer”, which is slang in Hebrew for “Gunslinger”) is a heavily armored artillery gun mounted on a modified Merkava Mk1 chassis.  Many of these vehicles are Merkava Mk1s that were retired after the Mk 2s and Mk 3s came into service.  The Sholef turret has roots going back to the late 1970s, though the turret was not mated to a Merkava chassis until 1986. The original turret was a heavily-modified M109A5 turret, but this was later replaced with a purpose-built turret only very loosely-based on the M109 series. The Sholef is a fully-modern artillery gun on par with the Paladin, PzH-2000, and Braveheart.  Soltam does not appear to be offering the Sholef for export, but is offering some of the components as upgrades to existing systems; the Sholef’s components have a high degree of modularity. (Though the Indian Army tested the Sholef during its search for a new artillery gun, it was not selected.)  The IDF has also declined to accept the Sholef, feeling it is too large, too heavy, and too unwieldy, though the prototypes and limited-production vehicles built are being used as testbeds for new and updated concepts in field artillery and fighting vehicles – and it has been pointed out that the Sholefs could be easily put into service in an emergency.  (Different sources say that anywhere from two to eight Sholefs were actually built.)  In the end, the IDF decided to go with the Doher (see above), and to a much more limited extent, the Spark, pending the full deployment of the SPW2052; such lighter – and more mobile – artillery appears to be the wave of the future on the world market.

     The chassis is, of course, a modified form of the Merkava Mk 1; the primary difference is the removal of the heavy Chobham armor of the Merkava. The engine is the same turbocharged 900 horsepower diesel engine, with a T-bar steering column and automatic transmission.  Armor protection, though reduced from the Merkava, is still something to cause envy to rise among artillery crews.  (The Sholef was designed in part to allow it to survive a short slugfest with other armored vehicles.)  The driver remains in the front center of the tank, with the powerpack in front of him; this is why the turret and driver’s compartment are further back on the gun than most such vehicles.  The engine and transmission are combined in a unitary powerpack that can be removed in 30 minutes and replaced in an hour by an M-88 or other appropriate vehicle and a competent mechanic team. The turret is large and blocky, good for housing a big gun but not for protection.

     The main gun is a Soltam-designed L/52 155mm gun, with a large multibaffle muzzle brake, fume extractor, and heavy-duty recoil cylinders.  This Soltam-designed gun, however, has a marked resemblance to the South-African-designed G5 155mm howitzer. As the Sholef is designed to survive a short engagement with armor, the gun has good stabilization and fire control equipment and even fire accurately at direct fire targets while moving at half speed (though fire is one level more difficult). The Sholef is heavy enough that external hydraulic jacks are not necessary.  The turret is also designed by Soltam; is a large turret over 2 ½ times the size of the Merkava’s turret.  The large turret, along with proper arrangement of internal ammunition in the hull, allows for a copious onboard ammunition supply. The ammunition is arranged in ten 6-round magazines, with a further 15 rounds in bins not connected to the autoloader and generally occupied by special ammunition types or other rounds which do not fit in the autoloader or have special charge requirements. The hull door in the rear that is present on the Merkava remains on the Sholef and is used for ammo resupply; due to the internal arrangement of ammunition in magazines, rounds cannot be swapped for passengers, though two passengers or extra crewmembers can be squeezed in.  A half-sized bustle is mounted to the left of the door.  The Sholef’s gun is fed by an autoloader that requires only two men to operate.  Even the fuzes are attached automatically with this autoloader.  Charge loading is manual, but comes from a tray beside the main gun.  The Sholef can fire at a burst rate of 3 rounds in 15 seconds (1/phase) every 10 minutes, but normal ROF is 9 rounds per minute (ROF ½).  At the rear of the turret is a large door for reloading ammunition; an integral loading belt can be lowered to load from various different vehicles of a ground pile.  In front of the vehicle, on the glacis, is an electrically-operated travel lock.

     The Sholef is highly computerized, and also has GPS with inertial backup and the equivalent of the US Blue Force/Red Force tracker; a computer finds the maps, digests the numbers, positions, and coordinates, and provides an indirect fire control solution.  This means that the Sholef can not only fire immediately upon a halt, it does not require an FDC, and most Sholef units do not operate with one.  Fire missions are received through a battery of data-capable secure radios, including two long-range, one medium-range, and one short-range radio. The computerized system also gives the commander information on the state of the Sholef, from engine conditions to fuel state to the type of round loaded into the breech. The gunner fires indirect fire missions with the aid of the computers via an LCD touch panel instead of the gunner having to use an IF sight.  The same system can provide the gunner with direct fire information, though he must still use the optical sight for direct fire engagements. The driver’s LCD screen provides navigation through the GPS and mapping systems and partial Blue/Red Force Tracker information, as well as state information for the powerpack and fuel.  An initial barrage can be conducted automatically at the push of a few buttons by the gunner and the entry of fire support mission information – as this point, the Sholef may conduct an initial bombardment of up to six rounds without further intervention from the gunner or loader.  MRSI missions can also be conducted, also automatically.

     The gunner, commander, and the loader are in the turret.  The commander has a manually-rotating cupola with all-around vision blocks; one has a night vision channel.  The turret loader mans a medium machinegun when he is not busy in the turret, but he has no cupola and only one wide-angle vision block forward.  (Initially, the prototypes did not include this secondary MG, and the MAG was put in the loader’s position. The crew is protected by an NBC Overpressure system with a collective NBC backup; air conditioning and heating is also provided, along with a water/ration heater capable warming up to four MRE-type packets at once.  The Sholef has a 15kW APU, which is on the front left of the vehicle, under armor; at this position on the vehicle is a small rectangular set of louvers – intake and exhaust for the APU.

 

     M4 Scorcher

     The computer wargame ARMA 3 posits a conflict between NATO and Russia/Warsaw Pact.  One of the vehicles that players may unlock is the M4 Scorcher, which is an upgraded version of the Sholef.  Primary differences are mostly to the armor suite – though the armor is still not as strong as a Merkava’s armor, the Scorcher does use Chobham armor, including in the front of the turret.  The turret itself is redesigned, being sharply-raked at the front and moderately angled on the sides.  Fire control is also improved, with a laser rangefinder and upgraded direct-fire computer for direct-fire shots and the ability to conduct a quick initial bombardment of six rounds within five seconds of a halt if fire coordinate information is received and fire solutions generated while the vehicle is moving to its firing position, or within 15 seconds of a halt if the coordinate information is still being transmitted and no fire solution have been arrived at yet.  Like the Sholef, the Scorcher may conduct fire missions while moving at half speed though at a cost to accuracy. 

     The commander has an OHWS designed specifically for the Scorcher that is armed with an M2 QCB version of the M2HB and a Mk 19 Grenade Machinegun. These weapons may be aimed, fired, and loaded from inside the vehicle, and are fired using the commander’s LCD. The OHWS has the same Stabilization and Fire Control as the Scorcher’s direct fire suite. The OHWS itself does not have a hatch for the commander; instead, the commander’s position is on the turret ahead of the OHWS.  The Scorcher has a full BMS.

     The main gun is a version of the Soltam gun licensed by Rheinmetall; the Merkava base chassis is also licensed by Rheinmetall.  These were further sub-licensed to General Dynamics in Canada.

     The overall vehicle is somewhat lighter than a Sholef, despite the replacement of the engine with one developing 1000 horsepower.  The direct fire and armor suites are a reflection of the fact that the Scorcher is expected to survive a short engagement with armored forces and even be an ad hoc tank destroyer.  The new shape and thicker armor had a cost – the Scorcher has less room for magazines and carries only eight.

     Most other particulars are as on the Sholef.

     The M4 Scorcher also appears in some mods of GTA 5, for reasons I don’t understand but somehow make me nervous.

 

     Twilight 2000 Notes: These vehicles were just entering production at the outset of the Twilight War and are rather rare.  The M4 Scorcher is available in very small numbers in the Norwegian, Dutch, Spanish, and Turkish Armies.  Some small numbers were also used by Canadian Forces; one out of every 20 produced in Canada was taken into Canadian service.  These Canadian Scorchers were retained within Canada, and not sent overseas.

Vehicle

Price

Fuel Type

Load

Veh Wt

Crew

Mnt

Night Vision

Radiological

Sholef

$1,659,499

D, A

800 kg

45 tons

4

32

Thermal Imaging (G, C), Image Intensification (D, C, G)

Shielded

M4 Scorcher

$1,730,934

D, A

863 kg

41.3 tons

4

25

Thermal Imaging (G, C), Image Intensification (D, C, G), Backup LLTV (D)

Shielded

 

Vehicle

Tr Mov

Com Mov

Fuel Cap

Fuel Cons

Config

Susp

Armor

Sholef

142/99

39/28

1250

333

Trtd

T6

TF35Sp  TS19Sp  TR17  HF44Sp  HS16Sp  HR12*

M4 Scorcher

166/116

46/32

1250

370

Trtd

T6

TF40Cp  TS24Sp  TR18  HF49Cp  HS19Sp  HR14**

 

Vehicle

Fire Control

Stabilization

Armament

Ammunition

Sholef

+2

Good

155mm Soltam L/52 Howitzer, M-2HB (C), MAG (L)

75x155mm, 1000x.50, 2000x7.62mm

M4 Scorcher

+3

Good

155mm Rheinmetall/Soltam L/52 Howitzer, M-2 QCB (C), Mk19 (C), MAG or MG3 (L)

63x155mm, 1000x.50, 300x40mm, 2000x7.62mm

*Floor AV is 8Sp; Roof AV is also 8Sp