- Yes
- No
0 voters
- Belgium / Benelux
- Other / I don’t know
- I said no
0 voters
The CATI 90 (Canon Antitank d’Infanterie 90 mm) was a Belgian light tank destroyer based on their old Loyd carrier stocks that they wanted to put to use.
The result was a cheap and efficient tank destroyer capable of taking on most threats back in the 1950s. Belgian company MECAR developed a new low-weight low-recoil 90 mm gun to put on those light vehicles, as it wouldn’t take anything with a heavier recoil.
The cannon fired a potent 90 mm HEAT-FS shell but had a relatively low muzzle velocity as a consequence. Also, as a consequence of the vehicle’s small size, only 18+1 rounds can be taken into battle, which is just enough for most people, but you should still aim carefully if you want to last long, since the quick reload speed will make you run out of ammo if you’re not careful!
The Loyd chassis it is based on did not receive any additional armor which will stay quite weak at only 7 mm at the front, but it will keep a good power-to-weight ratio, also thanks to the low weight of the gun.
The CATI 90 would go on to serve a few years in the Belgian army before getting replaced by Belgian modified AMX VCIs with ENTAC missiles.
Specifications - CATI 90
Armament:
MECAR 90 mm cannon (Ammo: 18)
90 mm HEAT-FS: 350 mm at 0°, 633 m/s
Reload speed: 6 s
Vertical guidance: -13 / 15°
Horizontal guidance: 22°
Armor:
7 mm RHA
Mobility:
Ford V8 8-cylinder engine (90 hp)
Max. speed: 48 km/h
4-speed transmission
Power to weight ratio: 18.75 hp per ton
Crew:
4 (Driver, Commander, Gunner, Loader)
Dimensions:
Mass: 4.8 t
Length: 5.7 m
Width: 2.06 m
Height: 1.42 m
I reckon this could be a very fun vehicle to play, decently mobile, quick-firing HEAT cannon, decent depression and a very low profile easy to bush up, it could also be very not fun to face!
As the title says, it’s a bit like an ASU-57 but with HEAT shells, i personally can’t wait to find it in a possible Benelux tree, although it could also find its way in a Belgian subtree in France or as a British premium since it’s based on a British chassis.
Sources
Jane’s Armoured Fighting Vehicle Retrofit Systems 1993-94