- Yes
- No
Welcome to another suggestion, in this one we’ll be having a look at a very powerful prototype AFV by France, the AMX 10 TTB 140.
https://img-forum-wt-ru.cdn.gaijin.net/original/3X/6/5/6576db90ab4b5d7790212b0b14e41e7bb121c134.jpeg
The AMX 10 TTB 140 was one of two platforms that served as chassis for the SAMM TTB 140 turret. This turret was a development from the early 80s and was designed with the purpose of engaging enemy aircraft, and lightly armored targets. Despite having impressive performance and being offered on the market until the early 90s, the turret and vehicle saw no orders, relegating this formidable vehicle to a prototype status.
The hull of this specific vehicle is the venerable AMX 10, a chassis designed as an IFV. However, in the configuration with the TTB 140 turret, its capacity to bring infantry into battle was removed. Making it a dedicated AFV.
The TTB 140 turret was designed as a private venture by SAMM and was suitable for integration with a wide variety of vehicles, among which the AMX 10 discussed here, but also the Panhard ERC 6x6. The idea was to create a weapon useable against a large variety of targets. It is said to be able to engage light enemy vehicles effectively at up to 2000m, helicopters out to 3000m and aircraft between 2700 and 500m. To achieve this, it was armed with the, at that point, new Bofors 40mm 4070B cannon, the same cannon that can be found on the Swedish CV9040 family of vehicles. This cannon can fire a wide variety of munition types, among which APFSDS, HE and proxy-fuse HE.
The turret itself also featured a whole range of advanced features to further increase its combat effectiveness. It was fitted with day/night optics and a laser rangefinder for both commander and gunner, the gunner additionally had a thermal imager in his gun sight, the image of this could be linked to the commanders TV display as well. Importantly, the turret could also be fitted with a stabilizer to allow it to engage targets while moving.
The whole turret had a weight of only 3000 - 3400 kg (empty vs loaded). This would have brought the weight of the full vehicle up to 16-18 tons (over 14.2 tons for the AMX 10P), meaning that its impact on the AMX 10 chassis’ maneuverability was not very detrimental. Of course, such a weight does not come out of this air, it was achieved by strictly limiting the armor on the turret. It offered all-round protection against 7.62mm rounds and frontal protection against 12.7mm rounds, but not more than that.
Combined with the AMX 10 chassis’ equally low armor protection, this was very much a support vehicle, albeit a potent one.
General Characteristics:
- Weight: 16 - 18 tons (estimate)
- Length: 5.778 m
- Width: 2.78 m
- Height: 2.85 m
- Crew: 3 (commander, gunner, driver)
- Powerplant: Hispano-Suiza Model 115-2 providing 276 hp
- Power/weight: +/- 16hp/t
- Top speed: 65 km/h
Armament:
- 1x 40mm Bofors 4070B cannon.
- 1x coaxial 7.62mm machine gun
- Elevation limits: -10°/+50°
- Rotation limits: 360°
Systems:
- Laser rangefinder
- Day/Night sights
- Thermal sights
- Stabilized
- Optical tracking of targets
Place in-game:
With the recent additions of many French SPAA systems, the need for more of such vehicles has started to dwindle, this in-turn brings our attention to the next major absence in the French tree and those are light vehicles. Be it wheeled or tracked, France has many options available but very few in-game. It is in the gap resulting from this absence that the AMX 10 TTB 140 would thrive. It is basically a counterpart to the Swedish CV9040 and similarly could fill the much needed role of high BR scout and support vehicle in the French lineups. This would greatly increase the flexibility that players can have in their playstyles and also just offer something other than MBT gameplay, which will be a welcome change for sure.
This will not be my last suggestion for this type of vehicle, as I intend to make it clear to Gaijin that these vehicles are available, needed and desired.
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