AMX-30E
AMX-30E | |
---|---|
Torsion bar | |
Ground clearance | .45 meters (1.5 feet) |
Fuel capacity | 962 liters (211.6 imp gal; 254.1 U.S. gal) |
Operational range | 400 kilometers (250 mi) |
Maximum speed | 65 kilometers per hour (40.39 mph) |
The AMX-30E (E stands for España, Spanish for Spain) is a Spanish main battle tank based on France's AMX-30. Although originally the Spanish government sought to procure the German Leopard 1, the AMX-30 was ultimately awarded the contract due to its lower price and the ability to manufacture it in Spain. 280 units were manufactured by Santa Bárbara Sistemas for the Spanish Army, between 1974 and 1983.
First acquired in 1970, the tank was to supplement Spain's fleet of M47 and M48 Patton United States tanks and to reduce Spain's reliance on American equipment in its army. The first 19 AMX-30 tanks were acquired from France in 1970, while another 280 were assembled in Spain. It was Spain's first mass-produced tank and developed the country's industry to the point where the government felt it could produce a tank on its own, leading to the development of the Lince tank project in 1985. It also offered Santa Bárbara Sistemas the experience which led to the production of the Leopard 2E in late 2003. Although final assembly was carried out by Santa Bárbara Sistemas, the production of the AMX-30E also included other companies in the country. Total production within Spain amounted to as much as 65% of the tank.
Spain's AMX-30E fleet went through two separate modifications in the late 1980s, a modernization program and a reconstruction program. The former, named the AMX-30EM2 (150 tanks), sought to modernize and improve the vehicle's automotive characteristics, while the latter, or the AMX-30EM1 (149 tanks), resulted in a more austere improvement of the tank's
Although 19 AMX-30Es were deployed to the Spanish Sahara in 1970, the tank never saw combat. In 1985 Indonesia expressed interest in the AMX-30E, while in 2004 the Spanish and Colombian governments discussed the possible sale of around 40 AMX-30EM2s. Both trade deals fell through.
Background
In 1960, Spain's tank fleet was composed mainly of American M47 Patton tanks, with some newer M48 Patton tanks.[1] The M47s had been acquired by the Spanish army in the mid-1950s,[2] replacing the previous fleet of 1930s-vintage Panzer I, T-26 and Panzer IV tank designs.[3] During the 1957-58 Ifni War, the United States' ban on the usage of American ordnance supplied earlier as military aid to Spain[4] pushed Spain to look for alternative equipment which could be freely employed in the Spanish Sahara.[5]
In the early 1960s, Spain looked towards its European neighbors for a new tank. The Spanish government first approached
The Leopard 1 and the AMX-30 originated from a joint tank development program known as the Europanzer.
M47 Patton[17] | M48 Patton[18] | Leopard[12] | AMX-30[19] | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Weight | 46.44 t (51.19 short tons) | 53.5 t (58.97 tons) | 42.2 t (46.52 tons) | 36 t (39.68 tons) |
Gun | 90 mm L/48 M36 rifled (3.54 inches) | 90 mm L/48 M41 rifled (3.54 in) | 105 mm L7A3 rifled (4.13 in)
|
105 L/56 F2 rifled (4.13 in) |
Ammunition | 71 rounds | 62 rounds | 55 rounds | 50 rounds |
Road range | 128 km (80 mi) | 482.8 km (300.0 mi) | 600 km (370 mi) | 500–600 km (310–370 mi) |
Engine output | 810 PS (595.75 kW) | 750 PS (551.62 kW) | 830 PS (610 kW) | 680 PS (500.14 kW) |
Maximum speed | 48 km/h (30 mph) | 48.28 km/h (30.00 mph) | 62 km/h (39 mph) | 65 km/h (40 mph) |
In May 1970, the Spanish government decided to sign a contract with the French company
Production
On 22 June 1970, the Spanish Ministry of Defense signed an agreement of military cooperation with France, which outlined plans for the future acquisition of around 200 tanks for the Spanish Army. Of these, 180 were to be manufactured under license in Spain and 20 were to be manufactured by France. Ultimately, GIAT was contracted to manufacture 19 tanks. These were delivered to the
This agreement laid the foundations for the upcoming tank plant at the industrial polygon of Las Canteras, near the town of
On 27 March 1979, prior to the end of production of the first batch, the Spanish Army and
Although brand new, the AMX-30E entered service with automotive issues, including problems with the antiquated 5SD-200D transmission. Consequently, as the first production batch began to end, the Spanish Army and Santa Bárbara Sistemas began to study possible upgrades. The main objectives were to increase the power and the reliability of the power pack, an improvement to the tank's firepower and accuracy, as well as to increase the vehicle's ballistic protection and overall survivability. A number of modernization packages were proposed, including a suggestion to mount the AMX-30E's turret on a Leopard 1's chassis. Other options included swapping the existing power pack for a new American diesel engine and transmission or exchanging the power pack for a new German diesel engine and transmission. More austere versions of these same options were offered, pairing the existing
Modernization
Ultimately, a mixed solution named Tecnología Santa Bárbara-Bazán (Santa Bárbara-Bazán Technology) (or TSB) was chosen.[28] The improvement of the tank's mobility entailed replacing the HS-110 diesel engine with an MTU 833 Ka-501 diesel engine, producing 850 metric horsepower (625 kW), and the transmission with a German ZF LSG-3000, compatible with engines of up to 1,500 metric horsepower (1103 kW). The first 30 engines were to have 50% of the engine manufactured in Spain; the rest, 73% were to be produced indigenously.[29] This new engine gave the modernized tank a power ratio of 23 metric horsepower per tonne (21.13 hp/S/T). The new engine was coupled with the AMX-30B2's improved torsion-bar suspension, which used larger diameter torsion-bars and new shocks.[30]
To improve the tank's firepower, the gun mount around the loader's turret hatch was modified to allow the installation of a 12.7-millimeter (0.5 in) machine gun, while the main gun's firepower was augmented through the introduction of the new CETME437A armor-piercing, fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS). The gun's accuracy was improved through the installation of the new Mark 9 modification A/D fire control system, designed by Hughes Aircraft Company. The new system allowed firing during the day and during night operations, and increased the likelihood of a first round impact. The fire control system was also modernized through the exchange of the old M282 gunner's periscope with a new periscope and a new Nd:YAG laser rangefinder. A new ballistics computer, the NSC-800, was issued, as well as a new digital panel for the gunner, designed and manufactured by the Spanish company INISEL. The tank commander also received a control unit that allowed the choice of ammunition for the gun and provided information on the ballistics of the round and the target to be engaged. As a result, the loader received a presentation unit to display information on which round to load into the gun's breech and to communicate ballistic data received, including angular velocity, wind velocity, gun elevation and vehicle inclination. The fire control system also allowed for the future upgrade to a more sophisticated stabilization system for the tank's main gun. Survivability improvements included the addition of new steel side-skirts, a new smoke generating system linked to the engine and a new fire suppression system.[31]
One hundred fifty AMX-30Es received this modernization package and were designated AMX-30EM2s. The program began in 1989 and ended in 1993.[32] Ultimately, Spain's AMX-30EM2s were replaced by brand-new Centauro anti-tank vehicles, which were partially manufactured in Spain, in the early 21st century.[33]
Reconstruction
The other 149 AMX-30Es were reconstructed to improve their mobility. The reconstruction consisted of the replacement of the original French transmission with the American Allison CD-850-6A. Furthermore, several parts of the tank, such as the brakes, were renovated in order to bring them up to their original standards. The CD-850-6A was an automatic transmission, with a triple differential providing two forward velocities and one reverse velocity. However, the new transmission resulted in a new problem. The excessive heat produced by the transmission reduced the vehicle's range. The reconstruction of the 149 AMX-30Es began in 1988, and these were designated AMX-30EM1s.
Export
In the mid-1980s Indonesia approached Spain in an attempt to procure armaments for the modernization of its armed forces. Of the possible armaments for sale, Indonesia expressed interest in the procurement of the AMX-30.[37] Although this deal fell through, in 2004 the Spanish and Colombian governments agreed on the sale of between 33 and 46 second-hand AMX-30EM2s, which had recently been replaced in the Spanish Army.[38] However, the deal was canceled after José María Aznar was replaced by José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero as prime minister of Spain—the new Spanish government declared that Spain didn't even have enough AMX-30EM2s in working condition to sell to Colombia.[39]
See also
References
Notes
- ^ Manrique & Molina, La Brunete, pp. 31–69
- ^ Zaloga, The M47 and M48 Patton Tanks, p. 36
- ^ Manrique & Molina, La Brunete, p. 34
- ^ Vidal, Ifni 1957–1958, p. 70
- ^ a b c d Mazarrasa, Carro de Combate AMX-30E, p. 57
- ^ Rudnick, Atlantic Relations, p. 200
- ^ Rudnick, Atlantic Relations, p. 201
- ^ Rudnick, Atlantic Relations, p. 203
- ^ Rudnick, Atlantic Relations, p. 199
- ^ a b Hilmes, Modern German Tank Development, 1956–2000, p. 17
- ^ Ogorkiewicz, AMX-30 Battle Tank, p. 5
- ^ a b Jerchel, Leopard 1 Main Battle Tank 1965–1995, p. 28
- ^ a b Ogorkiewicz, AMX-30 Battle Tank, p. 8
- ^ Ferrari, The "Hows" and "Whys" of Armour Penetration, p. 87
- ^ Lathrop & McDonald, M60 Main Battle Tank 1960–91, p. 5
- ^ Rudnick, Atlantic Relations, p. 204
- ^ Mazarrasa, Blindados en España, p. 88
- ^ Zaloga, The M47 and M48 Patton Tanks, p. 29
- ^ Ogorkiewicz, AMX-30 Battle Tank, p. 20
- ^ Rudnick, Atlantic Relations, pp. 203–204
- ^ Manrique & Molina, La Brunete, p. 69
- ^ Mazarrasa, Carro de Combate AMX-30E, pp. 58–59
- ^ Mazarrasa, Carro de Combate AMX-30E, pp. 59–60
- ^ a b Mazarrasa, Carro de Combate AMX-30E, p. 60
- ^ Manrique & Molina, La Brunete, p. 73
- ^ Mazarrasa, Carro de Combate AMX-30E, pp. 60–61
- ^ Mazarrasa, Carro de Combate AMX-30E, pp. 78–80
- ^ Mazarrasa, Carro de Combate AMX-30E, p. 80
- ^ Pérez-Guerra, Spanish AMX-30 MBT upgrade program, p. 500
- ^ Mazarrasa, Carro de Combate AMX-30E, p. 82
- ^ Mazarrasa, Carro de Combate AMX-30, pp. 81–83
- ^ Mazarrasa, Carro de Combate AMX-30E, p. 85
- ^ Defensa firma un contrato de 200 millones de euros con Finmeccanica, El País
- ^ Mazarrasa, Carro de Combate AMX-30E, pp. 83–85
- ^ Candil, Spain's Armor Force Modernizes, p. 41
- ^ Defensa gastar a 916 millones en destruir 480 carros de combate, El País
- ^ Yarnóz, Indonesia trata de modernizar su Ejército con armamento español, El País
- ^ González, España ayuda a Colombia a luchar contra la guerrilla con tanques, obuses y aviones, El País
- ^ El Gobierno del PP vendió aviones y barcos militares a Colombia y Venezuela, El País
Sources
- "Defensa firma un contrato de 200 millones de euros con Finmeccanica". El País (in Spanish). 12 February 2002. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
- "Defensa gastar a 916 millones en destruir 480 carros de combate". El País (in Spanish). 27 January 1992. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
- "El Gobierno del PP vendió aviones y barcos militares a Colombia y Venezuela". El País (in Spanish). 31 March 2005. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
- Candil, Antonio J. (1 January 2006). "Spain's Armor Force Modernizes". Armor. Fort Knox, Kentucky: US Army Armor Center: 3.
- de Mazarrasa, Javier (1994). Blindados en España 2ª Parte: La Dificil Postguerra 1939–1960 (in Spanish). Valladolid, Spain: Quiron Ediciones. p. 184. ISBN 84-87314-10-4.
- de Mazarrasa, Javier (1990). Carro de Combate AMX-30E (in Spanish). Aldaba Ediciones. p. 104. ISBN 84-86629-29-2.
- Gonzáles, Miguel (26 February 2004). "España ayuda a Colombia a luchar contra la guerrilla con tanques, obuses y aviones". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 2008-08-12.
- Hilmes, Rolf (January 1, 2001). "Battle Tanks for the Bundeswehr: Modern German Tank Development, 1956–2000". Armor (January–February 2001). Fort Knox: US Army Armor Center: 6. ISSN 0004-2420.
- Jerchel, Michael (1995). Leopard 1 Main Battle Tank 1965–1995. Oxford, United Kingdom: Osprey. p. 48. ISBN 1-85532-520-9.
- Lathrop, Richard; John McDonald (2003). M60 Main Battle Tank 1960–91. Oxford, United Kingdom: Osprey. p. 48. ISBN 1-84176-551-1.
- Manrique, José María; Lucas Molina. La Brunete 1ª Parte (in Spanish). Valladolid, Spain: Quiron Ediciones. p. 80. ISBN 84-96016-28-5.
- Ogorkiewicz, Richard M. (December 1973). AMX-30 Battle Tank. Berkshire, United Kingdom: Profile Publications Ltd.
- Perez-Guerra, Jaime (1 April 1987). "Spanish AMX-30 MBT upgrade program". Jane's International Defence Review. Jane's.
- Rudnick, David (April 1976). "Atlantic Relations: Policy Co-ordination and Conflict (The Case of the Leopard Tank)". International Affairs. London, United Kingdom: Royal Institute of International Affairs: 11.
- Zaloga, Steven J. (1999). The M47 and M48 Patton Tanks. Oxford, United Kingdom: Osprey. p. 48. ISBN 1-85532-825-9.
- Yarnóz, Carlos (12 March 1985). "Indonesia trata de modernizar su Ejército con armamento español". El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 2008-08-12.