- Yes
- No
Welcome to yet another suggestion for a French truck-mounted SPAA platform, this time we’ll be looking at the ACMAT VLRA with the GIAT 53T4 mount:
Just like the very similar Acmat VLRA TPK 641, this vehicle is a modification of the Acmat VLRA, which is a light utility truck produced and used by France. The truck in its over 80 versions has been exported to a large variety of nations worldwide. The vehicle exists in both 4 wheel and 6 wheel variants, always with all-time all-wheel drive. The variant we’ll be looking at today has the rather cryptic designation ACMAT VLRA TPK 640 SM2 VPC. This variant, just like the TPK 641, is a point-defense and convoy protection vehicle. Instead of the Oerlikon mount, this version is fitted with the GIAT 53T4 mount. This is in fact a double barreled version of the 53T2 Tarasque mount, a very common French SPAA platform.
The vehicle makes use of the 6x6 VLRA SM2 chassis which is powered by 138 hp Perkins Diesel engine. This was capable of accelerating the 7.8 ton vehicle up to a top speed of 105 km/h. Some differences between the TPK 641 and this variant include the use of 2 crew cabin rather than the 5 crew one found on the 641, as well as a higher weight for this variant due to the higher weight. The vehicles were designed to operate in rough conditions and as such are known to be rugged and easy to repair thanks to their simplicity. All variants are also designed to be air-transported and parachute dropped. Besides this they can also ford up to 90 cm of water and climb inclines of 65%.
The 53T4 mount is basically just a twin barreled version of the well-known 53T2 Tarasque mount. The latter was produced in significant quantity and was well liked due to the way in which the gunner moved along with the guns on all axis of movement. The 53T4 also incorporates this innovative feature.
Armament of the 53T4 consists of 2 GIAT M693 20mm autocannons mounted side-by-side. Each cannon has a 150 round HE belt available to it, but an additional 50 AP rounds are kept in readiness on the gun. Fire-rate of the M693 goes up to 900 rounds-per-minute, making for an impressive combined rate-of-fire of 1800 rounds/minute.
The mount can rotate the full 360° and can elevate from -8° to +80°. The hydraulic gun-laying allows the 53T4 mount to acquire and track targets at high speeds. It is capable of horizontal traverse at up to 80°/s and vertical traverse up to 50°/s. The mount also comes equipped with a 1x reticule gunsight for anti-aircraft use and a 5.2x telescopic sight for ground targets.
General Characteristics:
- Crew: 3
- Length: 8.1 m
- Width: 2.4 m
- Height: 1.9 m
- Weight: 7.8 tons (5.8 ton truck + 2 ton 53T4 mount)
- Engine: 138 hp Perkins 6.354
- Power-to-weight: 17.7 hp/t
- Max-speed: 105 km/h forward, 45 km/h forward
Armament:
- Main armament: GIAT 53T4 mount, armed with 2x 20mm GIAT M693 autocannons.
- Horizontal traverse: 80°/s
- Vertical traverse: 50°/s
- Elevation limits: -8°/+80°
- Rate-of-fire: 900 rounds/minute/gun for a combined fire-rate of 1800 rounds/minute.
Place in-game:
This is yet another option for expanding the French SPAA line. As it stands, the French still badly need more vehicles to reinforce their anti-aircraft line, and this could be one of the many options available to fill that gap. Just like the TPK 641, it would likely play very similar to the South-African Bosvark as both are trucks armed with very capable dual-barreled autocannons. Penetration of the AP rounds of the TPK 640 should be 57mm at 100m according to Gaijin’s own statistics, which allows the vehicle some limited self-defense capabilities against lightly-armored targets.
The addition of this vehicle (or any French SPAA for that matter) would greatly benefit any players of the French tree, as I’m sure they’d all be happy not having to take the AMX 13 DCA40 into 8.0 games anymore.
Sources
French Autocannons
Google Books
Les différentes versions du VLRA Acmat.
ACMAT VLRA TPK 640 SM3 | Arquus - 100 ans d'histoire militaire
Camion ACMAT VLRA - Encyclopedie des Armes
Jane’s Armour and Artillery 1985-1986
