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CV90 Chameleon
Summary
The CV90 Chameleon is the direct predecessor to the Lvkv 90 which was made by Bofors in an attempt to sell a mobile SPAA system. The design of the CV90 Chameleon came to directly influence the design of the later produced Lvkv 90 but was in some ways better with the radar and smoke, but was also in some ways worse. In War Thunder, this would be a sort of side-grade to the current Lvkv 9040C, but would probably be at a slightly lower battle rating, arguably at the same one as the Strf 9040B.
History
In 1992, the biggest demonstration of defence systems in the history of Sweden took place with the Bofors Demo 92. This demonstration had visitors from 33 different countries and took place under three days. On the 15th of September 1992, on the first day of the demonstrations, Bofors displayed their different anti-air systems which they had developed: the RBS 90, The Chameleon air defence turret, and the RBS 70 VLM. During this demonstration, the Chameleon air defence turret, which was a slightly modified Strf 90 turret, was mounted on a Strf 9040 chassi. These modifications included 12 smoke grenade launchers which previously existed on the prototype Strf 90s but were removed from the production variant, a TSR 2620 “Gerfaut” radar, and a slight change in the shape of the turret face.
The system never got adopted by any military, but a few months after this demonstration, on the 10th of June 1993, an anti-air version was ordered in the second batch of Strf 90s which featured an almost identical layout as the CV90 Chameleon but with a slightly different radar. This vehicle got the designation Luftvärnskanonvagn 90, or Lvkv 90 for short. Due to the similarities between these two vehicles, it is highly likely that the Lvkv 90 was either a direct continuation of the Chameleon or that the Chameleon had heavily inspired how the Lvkv 90 was designed, especially since Bofors were the ones designing the new Lvkv 90. It could thus be argued that this is the predecessor to the Lvkv 90. After this demonstration was completed, the vehicle was sold to Hallands Militärhistoriska Museum in 2007 where it currently resides next to the Luftvärnsautomatkanon 4501.
CV90 Chameleon in Hallands Militärhistoriska Museum.
Features
Armaments
The weapon on the CV90 Chameleon is the Bofors L/70. It is automatically fed its ammunition from 3 8-round magazines located underneath the cannon breach giving it a ready rack of 24 rounds. Underneath the seats of the gunner and commander, there is a bustle that contains 48 rounds of ammunition which are used to reload the three magazines quickly. An additional 162 rounds of ammunition are located in boxes under the turret which are then used to refill the bustle. It has access to two different kinds of ammunition: the SLPPRJ M/90 APFSDS-T and the KULSGR 95 LK, internationally known as the Bofors 3P, HE multipurpose round. The KULSGR 95 LK contains 1100 tungsten pellets which are shot out in every direction on detonation and improves the penetration against low-armoured targets. It is possible for the CV90 Chameleon to fire all rounds that can be shot from an L/70, but these two rounds are exclusively used, outside of training rounds.
The KULSGR 95 LK has 6 different programmable modes:
- Gated Proximity Mode (GPM): A basic proximity mode, but the proximity fuze doesn’t activate until the projectile is close to the target. This is in order to prevent the fuze from detonating when passing by near objects such as trees or buildings. This wouldn’t have much use in War Thunder as proximity fuze ammunition doesn’t detonate on random objects. It could however in some rare cases prove to be useful when trying to shoot an enemy aircraft that is close to a friendly aircraft.
- Gated Proximity Mode with Impact Priority (GPMIP): Same as Gated Proximity Mode, but the detonation is delayed by a few metres resulting in the round detonating a lot closer to the target, giving added damage but with a reduced chance of hitting the target.
- Proximity Mode (PM): A regular proximity fuze that detonates when close to an object. Functions like every single proximity ammunition that we have in War Thunder right now. The trigger radius is 10 m.
- Time Mode ™: A regular timed fuze that detonates after a set flight time just like the regular time fuzed we have in War Thunder right now. It can however be set to a varying time setting which makes the rounds detonate after slightly different times to disperse the fragments over a larger area.
- mpact Mode (IM): A regular impact fuze that detonates on hit with any object, would function like a regular HE shell.
- Armour-piercing Mode (APM): Penetrates the target before detonating, letting it shoot through soft targets and act as a form of SAPHE round. Can penetrate > 18 mm of RHA and > 15 mm of reinforced concrete before detonating.
It is unknown if the gun on the CV90 Chameleon is stabilised or not, but it is possible. On one hand, the base Strf 90 didn’t have any gun stabilisation before the A model which came a few years later, but on the other hand, there are these weird lumps on the turret face on both sides of the gun which could possibly house a gun stabiliser.
Bofors 3P / KULSGR 95 LK.
FCS
The CV90 Chameleon has a TSR 2620 Gerfaut search radar mounted on the roof. This radar has a max range of 14 km and operates in the S band. It also has an IFF antenna built into it. It is capable of surveilling the airspace above the vehicle, giving early warnings on air threats, and giving target acquisition and target designation. The data from the radar are then relocated to the screen of the radar operator where up to 6 targets can be tracked simultaneously. Other than the radar, the gunner has a Saab UTAAS sight which features a third-generation thermal imager and a laser rangefinder. This sight allows the gunner to engage both ground and air targets. After which the FCS programs the fuzes of the shells to the selected firing mode before they are fired. If a form of timed fuze is used (GPM, GPMIP, and TM), these different sensors measure the range to any target where the FCS then calculates the time of flight to the target and programs the time before detonation to the fuzes.
In War Thunder
In War Thunder, the CV90 Chameleon would function almost identically to the Lvkv 9040C which is already present in the game but would be a lot more mobile thanks to the lack of the addon composite armour. The radar is also slightly better than the one on the Lvkv 9040C with a slightly longer range. It would however not have the kind of tracking that IFVs currently have in the game as although the FCS of the Strf 90s allows for accurate fire against air targets, that form of air targeting has yet to be added to the game. It would also have access to more potent ammunition as the KULSGR 95 LK is currently not available on the Lvkv 9040C with the CV90 Chameleon using that round as its primary HE round. If the KULSGR 95 LK was added it would however probably be in a gimped state as War Thunder has yet to implement different firing modes for a single piece of ammunition. If it were to be added without its full capability with the 6 different firing modes, then a sort of SAPHE-VT would probably be the best possible way to add it without removing too much of its capabilities.
Specifications
General:
- Crew: 4
- Driver
- Gunner
- Commander
- Radar operator
- Weight: 24 000 kg
- Height: 3,5 m
- Width: 3,17 m
- Length: 6,55 m
- Protection: Low calibre autocannons and heavy machine guns
- Smoke: 12 forward facing smoke launchers
- Night vision for the driver
Mobility:
- Top speed: 70 km/h
- Gradient: 30°
- Side slope: 30°
- Ground clearance: 450 mm
- Trench: 2,6 m
- Fording: 1,4 m
- Engine: Scania DSI 14 V8 14 litre TurboDiesel
- 550 hp
- 2100 rpm
- Transmission: Perkins X-300
- 4 forward gears
- 2 reverse gears
- Automatic
Armaments:
- Bofors L/70
- Calibre: 40 mm
- Ammunition:
- KULSGR 95 LK (Bofors 3P)
- Muzzle velocity: 1012 m/s
- Projectile weight: 0,975 kg
- Explosive weight: 0,12 kg
- Explosive type: PBX
- Fuze type: Programmable
- Gated Proximity Mode
- Gated proximity Mode with Impact Priority
- Proximity Mode
- Proximity radius: 10 m
- Time Mode
- Impact Mode
- Armour-piercing Mode
- SLPPRJ M/90 (APFSDS-T)
- Muzzle velocity: 1465 m/s
- Projectile weight: 0,5 kg
- Penetration: 143 mm of RHA @ 0°
- Fire rate: 300 rpm
- Gun elevation / depression: -8° to +50°
- Total ammo count: 234 rounds
- Kulspruta m/39C
FCS:
- Gunner’s sight: Saab UTAAS
- 3rd gen thermal imager
- Laser rangefinder
- Fully stabilised
- Anti-air mode
- Deflection range:
- Elevation: -10° to +45°
- Azimuth ±18°
- Magnification: 8,0x
- Commander’s sight:
- Magnification: 6,0x
- Commander fire control
- Radar: TSR 2620 “Gerfaut”
- Frequency: S band
- IFF
- Automatic target tracking
- Range: 14 km
- Up to 6 simultaneous tracks
Sources
CHAMELEON 40 mm Air Defence System. Bofors Weapon Systems.
https://www.antikvariaatti.net/tuotteet/519808
Available pages on the website:
History and specifications of the CV90 Chameleon
Specifications of the KULSGR 95 LK
Specifications of the TRS 2620
Specifications of the Saab UTAAS
Specifications of the CV90 Chameleon
Specifications of the CV90 Chameleon
Specifications and history of the CV90 Chameleon