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VBL MILAN ADT-ER: Too Little Too Late
Welcome to my second suggestion. This specific suggestion concerns the MILAN ADT-ER firing post mounted on a VBL armoured car. This configuration presents several key benefits over the standard MILAN firing post found on VBLs in service with the French army making it a much effective and suitable vehicle for the French tech tree in War Thunder.
Summary
- Combat weight: 3.3t
- Number of crew: 3
- Size:
- Length: 3.70m
- Width: 2.02m
- Height: 1.7m (excluding firing post)
- Main armament: MILAN ER ATGM
- Penetration: 1,000mm CE – defeats second generation ERA
- Velocity: 200 m/s
- Range: 3,000m
- Guidance: SACLOS
- Ready rack: 1 (+6 stored in the crew compartment)
- Top speed: 95 km/h
- Horsepower per tonne: 32
- 3rd generation gunner thermal imager
- Turning radius: 5.77m
- Engine: 105hp
- Amphibious (5.76 km/h in water)
History
The VBL (Véhicules Blindés Légers) is an armoured car developed by Panhard et Levassor (now a part of Arquus). More than 2,300 VBLs are in service with 16 different countries; of which, 1,621 were in French service at one time. The French army use several different versions of the VBL, including the ‘VBL MILAN’ which carries the MILAN firing post for anti-tank capabilities at distances of up to 2,000m.
By the early 2000s, it became apparent that the 1970s era MILAN firing post had become obsolete and required replacement. The firing post was vulnerable to jamming and offered inadequate observation capabilities. As a short-term solution to improve the firing post, TRT (now Thales) and SAGEM had respectively developed the MIRA and MILIS portable thermal imagers which could be mounted externally to the MILAN firing post; however, the observation capabilities would ultimately be constrained by the decades-old guidance system found on the MILAN firing post.
With the advent of the lower-cost, smaller form third generation thermal imagers in the late 1990s, it became possible to integrate a thermal imager into the guidance system of a firing post without it becoming cumbersome and remaining affordable. This would resolve the previous constraints on observation capabilities. A German initiative to develop this firing post began in 2003 and produced the MILAN ADT (ADvanced Technologies). Around this time, the French had developed the latest evolution of the MILAN missile – the MILAN ER (Extended Response) which had a range of 3,000m. To accommodate the new MILAN ER, the ADT firing post would undergo further development. The coupling of this missile and firing post would be called ‘MILAN ADT-ER’. Subsequently, in 2008 the MILAN ADT-ER would be tested by the DGA, which included equipping it on a VBL armoured car.
Despite successful testing by the DGA, the MILAN ER would not be selected to replace the current stock of MILAN missiles. Rather, the DGA was adamant on the use of fire-and-forget missiles and instead procured Javelins as a stopgap solution until the Akeron MP could be acquired in large enough numbers. However, the MILAN ADT firing post would find some success on the export market being procured by the South Africans alongside MILAN 3 missiles.
Firepower
The VBL MILAN ADT-ER uses the MILAN ADT firing post developed by Euromissile. The MILAN ADT improves upon the standard MILAN firing post substantially whilst maintaining all the operational benefits. The ADT is capable of firing all iterations of the MILAN missile including the latest evolution MILAN ER (Extended Response). Additionally, the MILAN ADT uses a new tracking sensor which ensures greater precision and a high resistance to IRCM.
MILAN ADT-ER Characteristics
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Horizontal traverse: n x 360°
-
Vertical traverse: -10° to +10°
-
Primary weapon: MILAN ER ATGM
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Ready rack: 1 (+6 stored in the crew compartment)
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Weight: 21kg
MILAN ER ATGM
Spoiler
Whilst all previous iterations of the MILAN are compatible, the MILAN ER is specifically suited to the MILAN ADT-ER firing post. The MILAN ER (Extended Response) is the latest evolution of the MILAN and increases the range to 3,000m. This ATGM is capable of defeating second generation explosive reactive armour (such as Kontakt-5) and penetrates up to 1,000mm RHA.
MILAN ER Characteristics
- Diameter: 115mm
- Range: 3,000m
- 200 m/s
- Penetration: >1,000 mm CE and able to defeat second generation ERA
- Guidance: SACLOS
- Attack trajectory: Direct
- Weight: 13kg (missile + tube)
Optronics
Spoiler
A drawback of the standard MILAN firing post was that a thermal imager (TI) was not incorporated into the guidance unit since at the time TIs were both too costly and too large. Consequently, a TI would have to be mounted externally. To ensure that boresight harmonisation was preserved (that both daytime and thermal channels focused on the same exact target) it would be necessary for the thermal imager to maintain a 1:1 magnification ratio with the daytime channel (guidance unit). For the MILAN firing post this was a fixed 7x optical zoom. The MILAN ADT resolves this issue by integrating a thermal imager into the guidance unit, making it possible to choose an IR magnification which was independent of the daytime channel. This new TI is a German HuntIR-S small profile thermal imager (TI) which instead uses a dual FOV compared to the standard production model, achieving a more favourable optical zoom of 7x – 21x.
Therefore, whilst the MILAN ADT retains the launcher ramp and firing handle of the standard MILAN firing post, the sighting and guidance unit is entirely new and can be considered a breakthrough made possible by the cost-effectiveness and small format of third generation thermal imagers.
MILAN ADT Optronic Characteristics
- Daytime channel optical zoom: fixed 7x
- IRCM resistance
- Boresight alignment of both daytime and thermal channels
HuntIR Characteristics
- 3rd generation thermal imager
- Optical zoom: 7x – 21x
- Electronic zoom: 2x
- Identification range (NATO criteria): 1,000m
- 384 x 288 MWIR detector
Mobility
The French VBL achieves a top speed of 95 km/h which is possible due to both its low weight of 3,299kg and a 95hp Peugeot engine. A 4 x 4 drive system as well as a ground clearance of 37cm ensure the VBL can navigate difficult terrain.
Engine
Spoiler
The VBL uses a military version of the four-cylinder Peugeot XD3T turbocharged diesel engine. This engine produces 105hp at 4,150rpm.
Transmission
Spoiler
A ZF 3 HP 22 automatic transmission is used on the VBL. This is a 3 + 1 transmission that is commonly found on European cars.
Gear Ratios:
Protection
The VBL is a very poorly armoured vehicle. The chassis is constructed from laminated and welded THD (très haute dureté – very high hardness) protection steel plates. These plates are between 5 – 11.5mm thick and can only achieve STANAG Level 1. The windows are between 33.5 – 49mm thick and provide the same degree of protection. No smoke grenades are present on this vehicle.
