AMX-40
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| AMX-40 | |
|---|---|
 AMX-40 P01 pre-production model fitted with the T2 prototype turret at the Musée des Blindés at Saumur | |
| Type | Main battle tank |
| Place of origin | France |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1983 |
| Manufacturer | AMX-APX and GIAT |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 43.7 t (43.0 long tons; 48.2 short tons) |
| Length | 10.04 m (32 ft 11 in) (with gun barrel), 6.8 m (22 ft 4 in) hull |
| Width | 3.18 m (10 ft 5 in) 3.36 m (11 ft 0 in) (with side skirts) |
| Height | 2.38 m (7 ft 10 in) |
| Crew | 4 |
| Armour | composite armor |
Main armament | 120 mm GIAT model G1 smoothbore gun (L/52) (40 rounds) |
Secondary armament | 1 x 20 mm M693 autocannon with 578 rounds 2 x 7.62 mm ANF1 machine guns (2170 rounds) |
| Engine | Poyaud V12XS25 diesel engine 1,100 horsepower (820 kW) |
| Power/weight | 25.6 hp/ton |
| Transmission | ZF LSG 3000 (4 fwd/2 rev) |
| Suspension | torsion bar with rotary shock absorbers |
| Ground clearance | 450 mm |
| Fuel capacity | 1300 L |
Operational range | 550 km (340 mi) |
| Maximum speed | 70 km/h (43 mph) |
The AMX-40 was a French prototype main battle tank developed by GIAT during the latter stages of the Cold War as an export tank to replace the failed AMX-32. Designed to be an inexpensive tank orientated towards militaries with smaller defence budgets, the AMX-40 featured a lightly armoured hull and good mobility reminiscent of previous French MBTs with a powerful 120 mm cannon. It however failed to attract interest and sales, rendering the project a failure, being discontinued in 1990.[1]
History
Early history
As the AMX-32 had failed to attract any potential sales, GIAT decided to produce yet another upgrade, the AMX-40 Main Battle Tank. The development of the AMX-40 began in 1980 as a clean sheet design. In 1983, the first prototype was finished and presented at the Satory Exhibition that year. Two further prototypes were produced in 1984; the fourth and last one was fabricated in 1985. The design was not intended for service in France, but as a successor to the AMX-32, the improved export version of the AMX-30. However, the efforts to obtain foreign orders failed, the most serious potential customer to have considered the design being Spain. It ceased being offered for export in 1990.
Design
Armament
The tank was of standard configuration, with the driver at the front, the turret in the center, housing a gunner, commander and loader, and the engine at the rear. Its armament consisted of a GIAT 120 mm CN120-25 model G1 smoothbore gun. The main gun ammunition load was 38 to 40 rounds depending on the prototype. 17 rounds are stored in the turret, 14 of those are stored in a sealed compartment inside the turret bustle fitted with blowout panels. The rest of the rounds were stored in a large rack to the right of the driver. The tank could fire a variety of ammunition loads, including the OCC 120 G1 HEAT round and the OFL 120 G1 APFSDS round. The auxiliary armament included a 20 mm M693 autocannon, a derivative of the GIAT designed F2 autocannon. Since the elevation (up to +40°) system can be operated independently of that of the 120 mm gun[2], this armament provides a not inconsiderabe capability for defense against ground and air targets. In addition, a 7.62 mm AAN-F1 light machine gun for short-range anti-aircraft or ground defense is linked to the hatch of the TOP 7 commander cupola. It can be fired from inside the cupola. The fire control system was the COTAC also used for the AMX-30 B2. 12 Galix smoke, grenade, flare, decoy launchers grouped in two packs of six were located on either side of the turret.
Mobility
The tank was powered by a 24,690 cc (1,507 cu in) 1,100 horsepower (820 kW) Poyaud V12XS25 diesel engine coupled to an automatic ZF LSG 3000 transmission. The number of road wheels per side was increased from the five used on the AMX-32 to six. Like the AMX-32, the AMX-40 used the same 570 mm-wide dry pin tracks of the AMX-30. The combat weight was limited to 43.7 metric tonnes. The low weight, in combination with the powerful engine, ensured an excellent mobility (with 70 kilometres per hour (43 mph) maximum road speed and 50 km/h (31 mph) cross country speed) and a low operating cost.
Armor
The front turret and hull armour incorporated composite armor bulkheads designed to withstand 76 mm armor-piercing rounds and RPG-7 warheads[2]. The sides of the turret were made of spaced armor designed to withstand impacts from 23 mm armor-piercing rounds. Possibly, the AMX-40 could be equipped with a composite dozer blade an add-on armor on the bustle roof. Despite the armour afforded to the AMX-40, it was still considered light by late Cold War standards, especially when compared to NATO contemporaries such as the heavier M1 Abrams, Leopard 2 and Challenger 1. The armour could not effectively stop Soviet munitions fired by tanks such as the T-72 and T-80.[3]
Prototypes
- P1 : rolled out of the Satory workshop in 1983, directly issued from the work of its predecessor, the AMX-32.
- P2 : used the CH2 hull and the T2 turret. The CH2 hull was modified in order to be fitted with the powerpack of the future Leclerc. In the end, it was fitted with the 1,100 horsepower (820 kW) V12XS25 engine coupled to the LSG 3000 transmission. The P2 prototype had been handed over to the technical section of the French Army on several occasions.
- P3 : used the CH3 hull and the T3 turret. It was powered by a German MTU diesel engine coupled to a ZF transmission.
- P4 : consisted only of a CH4 hull using a 1,300 horsepower (970 kW) version of the V12X engine coupled to the SESM ESM 500 transmission.
- P01 : pre-production model
- P02 : pre-production model
- E4 : intented for the Egyptian Army, it featured an improved frontal protection against 105 mm APFSDS and HEAT rounds. The hull was lenghtened and widen, the 20 mm autocannon was replaced by a 7.62 machine gun and the gunner sight was relocated on the turret roof. Due to the projected combat weight of 50 t (49 long tons; 55 short tons) a 1200-1300 hp engine and wider NATO standard 635 mm tracks were foreseen. The E4 project remained on the drawing board.
See also
References
- ^ "AMX-40 Main Battle Tank (MBT)". Military Factory. Archived from the original on 11 November 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
- ^ a b CHASSILLAN, Marc (2008). LE CHAR FRANÇAIS AMX 40. Raids. pp. 52–59.
- ^ "AMX-40 Prototype main battle tank". Military Today. Retrieved 11 November 2018.[permanent dead link]
External links
- "AMX-40". Chars Et Blindés Français. Archived from the original on 2009-06-15.
- Military Today - AMX-40
- Forty, George. "The Illustrated Guide to Tanks of the World." Hermes House. 2005.
