- Yes
- No
- (independent) BeNeLux tree
- France: BeNeLux subtree
- Dutch (sub) tree
- other
- no/negative
TL;DR: The YPR 765 PRI (early), a Dutch 25mm-armed IFV. (pre-2000s modernisation / pre-A1)
History
History
In the lead-up to the acquisition of the YPR around 1970, the Dutch armored infantry was equipped with French AMX armored tracked vehicles and DAF YP 408 wheeled armored vehicles. A key principle for the armored infantry was that the vehicles needed to be capable of following maneuvering units during combat. This set a high standard. For example, being able to keep up with a Leopard tank in the terrain meant that wheeled vehicles would not be suitable. Drivers of the YP 408 could relate to this challenge. In reality, there weren’t many options available. The Americans were still using the M113.
The Dutch army had the M113A1 (with a diesel engine) in use by the armored engineers, as a mortar platform for the cavalry scouts (as the M106), and as a casualty transport vehicle.By the mid-1960s, the Americans had gained significant experience with the M113 in Vietnam. One of the key lessons they learned there was that the vehicle was becoming increasingly important as a combat vehicle rather than just as a personnel carrier. However, the M113 had been designed specifically as an armored personnel carrier (“battlefield taxi”) without heavy onboard weapons, intended to transport infantry to the combat area. The fighting was meant to be carried out after disembarking. When this did not happen in practice, the M113 was no longer sufficient, and modifications were considered.
The manufacturer of the M113, the Food Machinery Corporation (FMC) from San Jose, California, had continuously modified the vehicle from the beginning. Over time, not only were the technical specifications—such as the engine, drive system, suspension, etc.—improved, but in 1965, under the pressure of lessons learned from the field, the vehicle’s design was also thoroughly revised. The transition from a personnel carrier (M113) to a combat vehicle, which the Americans referred to as the Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle (MICV), began with the addition of firing and observation ports in the hull of the personnel compartment. Initially, there were four on each side and two at the rear hatch. The internal layout also had to be adjusted: from then on, the infantrymen sat back-to-back. The armament was upgraded from a 12.7 mm machine gun to a 20 mm cannon. With the next phase of the project, designated XM-765, the M113 had undergone so many changes that it was essentially a completely new vehicle.
To properly integrate firing ports for the infantrymen into the design, the sides of the hull were slanted. Slowly but surely, the YPR began to take shape, although it was still far from its final form. The number of firing ports was then reduced again to two on each side and one at the rear. Tests had shown that this was the maximum feasible configuration to prevent the infantry from interfering with each other inside the vehicle. The capacity of the smoke extraction system had to be doubled to allow the crew to fire from within the vehicle. The weaponry at that point consisted of a 20 mm cannon.
Once the testing was complete the XM765 regained its original name M113A1, but with the addition of “PI” (Product Improved). The U.S. Army chose not to pursue this development and focused on a design that would later result in the Bradley. However, the Royal Netherlands Army was interested in the upgraded M113 and tested it in 1974. After a number of modifications, including relocating the weapon system entirely to the right side of the vehicle and positioning the commander on the left side, the project was renamed the AIFV (Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle).
The Netherlands placed its first order for 880 vehicles in 1975. The vehicle was now also given its final Dutch name: YPR-765. “Y” stands for Dutch production, “PR” for Pantserrups (armored track), and “765” refers to the file number from the earlier experimental stage when the vehicle was derived from the M113.
Several Dutch companies were involved in the production of the YPR. This resulted in an additional 265 hundred-man years of employment at an extra cost of 150 million guilders.
For the first series, all the chassis were produced by FMC in the United States. DAF built the turrets under license and assembled the vehicles. The second series, an order worth 1.1 billion guilders, was entirely built in the Netherlands by the DAF/RSV consortium. When RSV (Rijn Schelde Verolme) went bankrupt, the company RDM (Rotterdamse Droogdok Maatschappij) stepped in. For the second series, KMS (Koninklijke Marinebouw de Schelde) welded the hulls together. At the beginning of the project, the Dutch Army purchased the complete original set of drawings from FMC. Since then, many of their own modifications have been added. In total, around 20,000 units have been produced.
Specifications
Dimensions: L/W/H: 5,26 m / 2,82 m / 2,54 m
Weight: 13,6 tons
Engine: Detroit Diesel Allison 6V-53T (267 hp at 2800 rpm)
Speed: 61 km/h (on-road); 6 km/h (on-water)Crew: 3+7 (1 Driver, 1 Gunner, 1 Commander and 7 Infantry)
Armament Gun Oerlikon Contraves 25mm KBA-B02 Munition nr° 113 APDS, nr° 121 APDS, nr° 124 APDS, HE-I Ammunition 300 (180 in turret, 120 stowed) Coax 7,62 mm FN MAG (1840 rounds, of which 230 in the turret and 1610 stowed) Fire rate Burst at 550 rpm and rapid single shot at 175 rpm Active protection 1 x 6 76mm Smoke Grenades
Place in War Thunder
The YPR-765 PRI would serve as a nice early variant of this IFV series in any Dutch/Benelux tech tree or sub tree.
Regarding nations
BeNeLux
As the BeNeLux subtree for France has now been confirmed, France has the highest chance of recieving Dutch equipment. However an independent BeNeLux would also be very possible. For further info please go to: BeNeLux (Belgium, Netherlands & Luxembourg) Ground Forces.
Pictures
Sources
- Blijleven, C., YPR 765 ‘Een unieke Amerikaans/Nederlandse familie
gepantserde voertuigen’, in: Mars et Historia 1966-1986, jrg 20 (1986) 87-90- Ministerie van Defensie. (2023, November 23). YPR-pantserrupsvoertuig. Materieel | Defensie.nl. YPR-pantserrupsvoertuig | Materieel | Defensie.nl
- Van De Mheen, M. (2024, October 18). YPR-ERA pantserrups. Nationaal Militair Museum. YPR-ERA pantserrups - Nationaal Militair Museum
- Alfred Staarman. (n.d.). De YPR-765 in de Koninklijke Landmacht. Armamentaria.
- archief Legerraad, inv. 563 ‘Organieke indeling YPR voertuigen’
- archief Legerraad, inv. 416, ‘Situatierapport aanvullende bestelling YPR765’,
december 1980- dossier 210 record 14528, ‘Afschrift brief Staatssecretaris Van Eekelen aan de
Tweede Kamer, betreffende het plaatsen van de bestelling van 841 pantser
rupsvoertuigen YPR-765 bij DAF/RSV’, 18 mei 1981- Hunnicutt, R. P., Bradley – a history of American fighting and support vehicles
(Novato CA 1999) 261- 274