SABIEX SK105A2 upgrade: Modernized Kürassier from Belgium

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SABIEX SK105A2 upgrade: Modernized Kürassier from Belgium

Hello everyone, in this suggestion I will introduce a unique modernized Kürassier from Belgium.


History:

In 2012, the Austrian Ministry of Defence sold 112 SK105A2 tanks from its inventory to the Belgian company SABIEX International S.A. In order to market and offer the SK105A2 Kürassier in its hangar to foreign customers, a modernization package was developed by SABIEX in cooperation with OIP Sensor Systems and Elbit Systems to enhance the operational capability.

At some point around 2014 SABIEX international from Belgium began to advertise an upgrade for the SK105 alongside a range of retired SK105s acquired from the Austrian Army. The vehicles were offered in a refurbished condition at the A2 standard to provide users with the possibility of improving the quality and capabilities of SK105s in service.

One demonstrator was built by SABIEX and shown in public at the Eurosatory 2014 exhibition. The demonstrator was fitted with the OIP Sensor Systems fire control system with EOPTRIS 2.0 sensor module and a FN Herstal RWS armed with a 7.62mm MG, installed on the turret roof.

In 2018, SABIEX and Elbit provided the Philippine Army with a modernized SK105A2 product for the Light Tank acquisition project under ‘Horizon 2’ of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program. SABIEX/Elbit’s SK105A2 modernization proposal was presented at the ADAS 2018 exhibition in Manila, Philippines.

SABIEX/Elbit SK105A2 modernization shown in ADAS 2018

The Philippines Army initially planned to acquire about 44 tanks, and it required the new tanks to have the following features:

  • could be tracked or wheeled;
  • armed with at least a 105mm gun;
  • would weigh up to a maximum of 35 tons;
  • powered by a diesel engine

But it is clear that the Philippine Army did not seriously consider this option, even though SABIEX claimed that their price guarantee was very cheap. Soon after Elbit chose to cooperate with General Dynamics European Land Systems - Santa Bárbara Sistemas (GDELS-SBS) in Spain and provided a new light tank based on the latter’s ASCOD 2 family, called Sabrah 105mm light tank (LT105). In the end, Sabrah was selected by the Philippine Army

Around 2019, SABIEX International was reorganized as OIP Land Systems and became part of the OIP N.V. Group. This rare prototype of modernized SK105A2 here is currently stored in OIP’s warehouse in Tournai, Belgium, waiting for the next buyer to relaunch the project.


Overall:

The firepower and targeting systems of SABIEX SK105A2 modernization have seen significant upgrades, allowing for greater precision and lethality on the battlefield. SABIEX provides a low cost stabilized hunter/killer FCS solution from OIP, which uses Elbit’s Electric Gun and Turret Drive System (EGTDS) to enable the modernized SK105A2 to fire on the move.

The commander is seated on the left of the turret and the gunner on the right. The gunner has a Belgium OIP LRS-8 computerized fire control system which has day color camera, image itensified channel and eyesafe laser rangefinder. Mounted on the left front plate of the oscillating part of the turret is OIP’s Electro-Optical Ranging and Imaging System (EOPTRIS) 2.0 which features a high-resolution uncooled thermal imager, a colour CCD camera and laser rangefinder for surveillance and engagement in darkness and under all weather conditions.

The commander has a roof-mounted FN Herstal’s deFNder Light Remote Weapon Station (LRWS) armed with 7.62mm MG. The LRWS The RWS has electric traverse through 360 degrees with electric elevation from -60 to +80 degrees. The LRWS is equipped with OIP’s Visible Near-Infrared Imaging System (VINIRIS) for aiming and firing on the move.

It’s worth noting that the SABIEX SK105A2 upgrade package also completely overhauls the chassis. According to the Elbit’s information plate, the engine power has been increased to 330hp. The enhanced powertrain features a modified cooling system and exhaust.


Why It should be in game:

Technically the original SK105A2 is the Austrian vehicle, but it uses the French-designed FL12 turret, the standard A2 variant has been added to the French tree. Considering the SABIEX SK105A2 is a prototype proposal funded by Belgium, it will greatly strengthen the lineup in BR 9.0-9.3 if it is added to the French tree as a BeNeLux sub tree.


Spefications:

SABIEX SK105A2

Crew: 3

Weight: 18 tonnes

Engine: 1x reinforced Steyer diesel engine rated up to 330 hp

Power/Weight Ratio: 18.3 hp/tonne

Armament:

  • Primary: 1x 105 mm PzK M57 (CN 105-57) rifled gun :

    • ammunition: APFSDS, HE, HEAT
  • Secondary:

    • 1x 7.62mm coaxial MG
    • 1x roof-mouted 7.62mm Light Remote Weapon Station
  • Autoloader

Additional Equipment

  1. OIP LRS-8 fire control system:
  • Elevation: -10° down / +35° up
  • Day Colour Zoom Camera
    • Horizontal FoV: 7°
    • Zoom: 1.8° to 16.8°
  • Backup Optical Sight:
    • Magnification: 4x
  • Night Image Itensified Channel
    • Horizontal FoV: 7°
    • Zoom: 3° to 7°
  • Eyesafe Laser Rangefinder
  1. OIP EOPTRIS 2.0 imaging system:
  • Thermal Imager
    • FoV: 14.3° x 10.7° (WFOV) / 4.6° x 3.5° (NFOV)
    • Resolution: 640 (H) x 480 (V)
  • Day Camera (CCD colour)
    • FoV: 42° - 1.7°
    • Zoom: 26x (optical) / 12x (digital)
  • Laser Rangefinder
  1. FN deFNder LRWS:
  • 1x 7.62x51mm M240B

    • Ready-use ammunition: 250 rounds
    • Elevation: -60° / +80°
    • Traverse: 360° continuous
  • VINIRIS sight

    • Sensor: CCD
    • Zoom: 26x (optical) / 12x (digital)
    • FoV: 42° (WFOV) / 1.6° (NFOV)
  • Gun stabilizer

  • 2 x 3 smoke grenade launchers

Gallery:

SABIEX SK105A2









FCS

LRS-8

EOPTRIS 2.0

LRWS

EGTDS





Sources:

4 Likes

+1

AMX13

14 Likes

+1 for tech-tree for France seeing as BeNeLux is going there (unfortunately). Should imo replace the Austrian SK105, which should go to a standalone Alpine tree.

1 Like

A stabilized oscillating turret?! Easy +1 from me. This is sick! I’d imagine it at 9.0-9.3 for BR.

I really don’t see how it is supposed to have a stabilizer considering the whole turret is supposed to be stabilized, and I imagine that would either take a lot of internal space or have an extensive modification on the outside of the vehicle…would love to be wrong

1 Like

Austria trialled a prototype in the 1980s called the Super Kürassier, which had a stabiliser. Brazil also bought SK105A1s, and later upgraded them to SK105A2 standard along with a stabiliser. It is certainly possible.

Super Kürassier:

Brazilian SK105A2S:

3 Likes

May I ask what specifically the sources stated about stabilization other than “fire on the move”. As gaijin just so happened to shut down a bug report for a stabilizer for the Sholef V1 given “fire on the move” doesn’t mean it’s stabilized, worried they may do the same here if it isn’t better specified.

A +1 from me would be cool to see added to the BeNeLux TT

No doubt that Elbit Systems offers the EGTDS electric gun control system for the SABIEX SK105A2 upgrade. The ‘S’ in EGTDS also stands for Stabilization. The original description says that it ‘significantly enhances turret stabilization and firing on the move’.

As @ChieftainWarrior mentioned, the Brazilian SK105A2S tracked light tank (called CCL SL in Portuguese) is another modernized variant with a stabilized turret, and ‘A2S’ stands for A2 Stabilized.
A2S

It is believed that SK105A2S is upgraded with the GTdrive 82 electric gun/turret drive from ESW GmbH (later Jenoptik).


Note that SK105A2S is able to stabilized its main gun and fire on the move, as shown in the video below

2 Likes

The video definitely proves it, nice find.

I loved playing German SK105, so having a stabilized one in the French tree would be awesome

Alright, good to hear. Just had to check cuz, ya know, gaijin does gaijin things…

A +1 from me!

I actually completely forgot those SK105A2’s got an upgrade by SABIEX, they are often included in pictures of our old Leo 1A5BEs:

Image:

Definitely makes more sense to add the SK105 this way into the French tech tree.

3 Likes

would it get a better APFSDS shell than the current OFL-105-G1 shell?