AMX-30E Prototipo 001 «El Niño» — The Child

ChieftainWarrior · May 24, 2025, 5:35pm

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AMX-30E Prototipo 001
«El Niño»

TL;DR: Prototype Spanish upgrade of license-built AMX-30, fitted with a new engine (750hp) and transmission.

History
The development of the French AMX-30 followed work on the Europanzer, a joint German-French-Italian project to develop a unified MBT. The first French Europanzer prototype was built in 1960. In 1961, Germany presented their prototypes. In 1963, both Germany and France decided to separately develop their respective designs, as neither could agree on the characteristics. France took their Europanzer design and refined it, resulting in the construction of five pre-production vehicles that year, designated AMX-30A. The vehicle entered production in 1966 as the AMX-30B.

AMX-30A

An AMX-30A on parade

In the 1960s, the main tanks of the Spanish Army consisted primarily of US M47s and M48s. Spain wanted to replace these, and initially approached Germany, looking at the Leopard 1. While the German government approved the signing of an export contract, Britain pushed against the sale due to the use of the L7 105mm, and their hesitancy in selling to the Spanish dictatorship. In 1964, while negotiations about the Leopard 1 were ongoing, Spain tested two AMX-30s. France offered Spain the ability to domestically produce the AMX-30, and as such, while Britain continued to push back against the sale of the Leopard 1, France and Spain came to an agreement for license production of the AMX-30 and its ammunition in June 1970. These were designated AMX-30E, and the first was produced in 1974. 180 were constructed by 1979. Another 200 were produced by 1983 — a total of 299 (19 AMX-30Bs were imported directly from France in 1970). The AMX-30Es differed from the AMX-30Bs by:

Use of heavier torsion bar suspension, later adopted by France on the AMX-30B2
Commander’s MG mount modified for the Spanish Army MG42/58 and later MG3
Antenna tube over the spare track link on the right of the hull
More pronounced driver’s hatch bulge for improved head room
American AN/VRC radios

AMX-30B 1974

The first set of 19 AMX-30Bs saw service in Spanish Sahara (modern-day Western Sahara) from 1970— 1975. These 19 were later modified to AMX-30E standard.

In 1982, Spain adopted the OFL 105 F1 APFSDS rounds for the AMX-30Es, which was carried alongside the standard OCC 105 F1 HEAT rounds. In 1984, Empresa Nacional Bazan and Santa Barbara announced the C-437 (sometimes referred to as CETME437A) 105mm APFSDS round. This round features a longer sub-projectile than other domestic rounds produced by CETME. This round entered production and saw service with the AMX-30s. Later, the C-512 round was developed, which featured improved performance over the C-437, although I am currently unsure if it was equipped on any of the AMX-30s.

The AMX-30Es were hindered by their engines, as well as general mechanical unreliability. As such, a number of prototypes were built to test various modernisations. These included:

AMX-30E with new French gearbox and power-assisted steering
AMX-30E with a 750hp Continental engine and Allison transmission. Designated Prototipo 001 ‘El Niño’
AMX-30E with 720hp MTU engine and ZF 4 MP 250 transmission (Prototipo 002)
AMX-30E with HS-110 engine and Allison transmission (Prototipo 003)
- 60 vehicles upgraded to this standard, designated AMX-30ER1 (sometimes referred to incorrectly as AMX-30EM1)
AMX-30E with 800hp GM engine and Allison transmission. Two constructed with additional modifications (new tracks, new FCS’, etc.) (Prototipos 009)
AMX-30E with 850hp MTU engine and ZF transmission (Prototipos 011).
- 150 vehicles upgraded to this standard, alongside modernised FCS, designated AMX-30EM2

Prototipo 001 ‘El Niño’ (EN: The Child) was built in 1979 by Chrysler S.A. by modifying an existing AMX-30E. The hull was noticeably extended by 30cm at the rear to make room for the new engine and transmission — the same as on the American M48A3-A5 series. The engine deck was also raised, and grilles were added on either side. The vehicle was tested between November 1979 and February 1980. Ultimately, however, it was not chosen for production. A number of other prototypes with various configurations (listed above) would be tested before Spain settled on Prototipo 003 for the AMX-30ER1, and Prototipo 011 for the AMX-30EM2.

‘El Niño’ would go on to become a museum piece at El Goloso Museum, where it remains today.

El Niño

Characteristics
The AMX-30E is fitted with an unstabilised 105mm CN-105-F1 cannon. It fires a range of ammunition, including OCC 105 F1 HEAT, penetrating 400mm @ 0°, as well as OFL 105 F1 APFSDS (issued to AMX-30Es in 1982, 2 years after this vehicle was produced), penetrating 361mm @ 0° @ 10m, and 186mm @ 60° @ 2000m.

The AMX-30E is also fitted with one 12.7mm M2 HMG coaxially, as well as a 7.62mm MG1A3 on the commander’s cupola. The turret features the standard AMX-30 FCS, with no laser rangefinder or thermal imagers.

The AMX-30E is thinly-armoured, and features no differences to the AMX-30B. The turret and hull are both cast, and as such, quite variable in thickness and angle. The hull front is around 50mm @ 68°, hull sides 35mm @ 35°, and hull rear 30mm @ 10°. The turret front is even more variable, but around 40mm at the front, and 30mm at the sides and rear.

El Niño features the AVDS-1790-2D diesel engine, producing 750hp, connected to an Allison CD-850-6A transmission with six forward and two reverse gears. The tank weighs 36t, resulting in a power-to-weight ratio of 20.8hp/t. For comparison, the AMX-30B has a 720hp engine and power-to-weight ratio of 20hp/t. The top speed remains unchanged at 65km/h.

Rear of ‘El Niño’

Conclusion
The AMX-30E ‘El Niño’ is a cool one-off Spanish prototype that could easily be featured in-game, most likely as a premium/event vehicle. Compared to the AMX-30B (8.0) in-game, it will be slightly more mobile, and thus would still fit well at 8.0. Alternatively, it could (slightly ahistorically) be given the OFL 105 F1 APFSDS rounds that went into service 2 years after its construction, and be put at 8.3, lacking the more advanced FCS of the AMX-30B2s (8.7). It would fit either as part of a (Greco-)Iberian tech tree, or alternatively if Spain is never going to be added as a sub- or main-nation, as part of the French tech tree.

Specifications
Armament

105mm CN-105-F1
- Unstabilised
- OCC 105 F1 HEAT
  - 400mm at 0º
- OFL 105 F1 APFSDS (Went into service two years after its construction)
  - 361mm at 0° at 10m
- OE 105 F1 Mle.60 HE
  - 25mm at 0° at 10m
- OFPH 105 F1 Smoke
1x 12.7mm M2HB, 1x 7.62mm MG1A3