- Yes
- No
Hello everyone, in this suggestion I would like to introduce another vehicle for the M113 tech tree BeNeLux subtree.
The M113 CPWS 25 yet another attempt at keeping the old and trust M113 chassis relevant in the current day and age. This upgrade simply consists of equipping an M113 with a new and modern CPWS 25 turret. This turret and the whole upgrade as such are the brainchild of Belgian defense contractor John Cockerill. The latter has a somewhat longer history in providing extensive turret options based on M113s, as I’m sure others have also been suggested on the forums here. In the current day and age upgrades such as this are once again relevant, and it is without doubt that Ukraine would be one of the intended customers for a system such as this. Cockerill is already in the process of refurbishing ex-Belgian M113s for the Eastern European country, so adding a new turret on top of those would likely be a win-win situation for both. This vehicle was only first presented at in June 2024 at this year’s Eurosatory exhibition in France, and naturally, in such a short time span, no formal orders have been announced. It is however also rumored that this vehicle could be offered to Greece to further modernize their fleet of armored vehicles.
As the upgrade of the vehicle basically consists of a new turret, I will only cover the details of said turret in this explanation, details of the full vehicle can be found in the general characteristics down below.
The CPWS Generation 2 is a very capable and modern turret produced by John Cockerill Defense. The system present on the M113 is specifically the CPWS 25, the variant armed with an NG 25mm M242 autocannon. Other variants of the turret can also include 30 mm cannons. The turret is remotely operated and features a whole slew of systems to increase its effectiveness on the battlefield. Quoting from their own website: " The Cockerill® CPWS turret is equipped with a bi-modal stabilized high performance (thermal) day/night sight for 24 hour use. The aiming system provides the operator with panoramic 360° vision, independently of the position of the turret. Once locked onto the target, the gun automatically aligns with the aiming system. A ballistics computer guarantees the highest probability of hitting the target when firing on the move."
The 25mm M242 cannon is one we already know in-game, it is among others present on the American M3 Bradley. The cannon is capable of firing a wide variety of ammunition, consisting of APDS, HEI-T and APFSDS. The turret contains 150 rounds of ammunition, with the remaining amount of ammo having to be stored in the hull of the vehicle.
Alongside the 25mm main gun, the turret show here is also equipped with a rocket launcher. This launcher contains 5 rockets of the type FZ275 LGR. This is a laser guided rocket produced by Thales Belgium (used to be Forges de Zeebrugge, hence the FZ abbreviation) designed to defeat soft and lightly armored targets.
A 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun is also present to deal with very light targets.
General characteristics:
Crew: 3 (driver, commander, gunner)
Height: 3.1 m
Width: 2.69 m
Length: 4.86 m
Weight: 13.3 tons
Engine: 275 hp Detroit Diesel 6V53T.
Maximum speed (forwards/backwards): 70/17 km/h
Armament:
- Main armament: 1x 25mm M242 cannon (can fire APDS, HEI-T and APFSDS)
- secondary armament: Launcher with 5x FZ275 laser guided rockets.
- coaxial armament: 1x 7.62 mm machine gun.
In-game:
The M113 CPWS 25 is a curious mix between old and new, mating a very old chassis to the most modern technologies in the turret. This will result in a decently mobile but very lightly protected vehicle that will most likely find itself having to play the support role. Still, a tracked support vehicle of these capabilities is very useful for the BeNeLux or even the French, the latter having focused mostly on wheeled support vehicles. Ground launched laser guided rockets is also a rather fun trick to have up your sleeve, and not one we’ve seen in-game so far, making it a uniquely fun addition.
Modern systems, good fire-rate and elevation limits for the gun will allow this vehicle to surprise other light tanks, while the unmanned turret can help keep its own crew safe from trouble if used correctly. Enemy aircraft will also have to be careful around this vehicle, as a few good shots from a 25mm autocannon can make quick work of them.
The M113 CPWS 25 should be a fun support vehicle to help expand some lineups as well as adding a fun gimmick with the rockets.
Sources
Cockerill® CPWS GEN. 2 remote operated turret : Defense - John Cockerill
https://www.defence-point.gr/news/cockerill-m-113
BLABLACHARS: LE TOUR DU MONDE (BLINDE) EN 80 STANDS !
https://defence-blog.com/vietnam-era-m113-armored-vehicle-gets-new-firepower/
John Cockerill Defense Enhances Aging Fleet of Combat Vehicles with CPWS Turret at Eurosatory 2024
Thales Belgium (BL VTS) – Rockets 70mm (2.75”) : Laser guided rocket FZ275 LGR