- Yes
- No
Introduction:
Hi everyone, with the recent addition of the Vickers MBT Mk. 3 to the british tree (A tank i have very much enjoyed spading) I thought it would be poignant to mention a commonly overlooked variant of this tank that was created by the Vickers company in an unsucessful bid to provide an MBT for the Malaysian army: The Vickers MBT Mk. 3(M) . This export variant of the Vicker’s Mk.3 also known as the Vickers Mk.3(1) MBT, offers many advantatages over its previous itterations, including explosive reactive armor, improved fire control system including thermals and a more powerful British Condor CV 12 TCE engine. Unfortunately for the design it was never ordered, and was left to be forgotten in the history books, but in war thunder it might have a chance to shine as another option for high tier line ups.
for the TLDR this is a Vicker’s mk3 like the one we currently have in game with the following improvements making it the definitive itteration of the mk3 platform:
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Engine upgraded to 850hp (Same engine found in the Vickers MBT Mk. 3(i)) increasing its top speed to 60kph/37mph
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Romor-A ERA covering the front plate, sideskirts and large swathes of the turret
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Gunner and commander thermals
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Laser warning system
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Acess to more modern 105 rounds eg L64A4, DM23, DM12 etc.
History of the Vehicle:
Mk. 3(M) : In 1996, a decision was taken to rebuild an existing Mk. 3 to the Mk 3(M) standard (M stands for Modernized or Malaysia). This was completed late in 1996 and subsequently underwent extensive firepower and mobility trials in the UK which were completed early in 1997. For the modernization process the following equitment was installed on the tank:
- Royal Ordnance ROMOR-A explosive reactive armour or Vickers Defence Systems VARMA Series 2 explosive reactive armor on the forward portions of the hull, sideskirts and turret.
- All-electric, solid state gun control system provided by SIG of Switzerland.
- Avimo NVL 3200 or Pilkington Optronics Falcon day/thermal sights, with a remote display for the commander.
- Officine Galileo modular day/night panoramic periscopic
- Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver
- Avimo LIRD-2 laser warning system coupled to a bank of eight 76 mm grenade launchers
- Bustle-mounted air conditioning system
For the upgrade The basic hull and turret of the vanillia Mk 3 was retained, but the frontal arc was suplimented by the aplication of the aforementioned Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) package which was intended to provide a higher degree of protection against High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) projectiles such as the Russian RPG-7. The side skirts are also provided with ERA to protect from side attacks.
The main armament comprises a Royal Ordnance 105 mm L7A1 rifled tank gun, supplimented with a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun, a 12.7 mm ranging machine gun and a 12.7 mm machine gun at the loaders station.
The Mk 3(M) is fitted with a Vickers Defence Systems designed and developed fire-control computer with the gunner having a Pilkington Optronics Falcon day/ thermal sight with laser range-finder. The tank commander has a Galileo independent panoramic day/ image intensification sight. In addition, the commander has a monitor so he can see the same thermal image as the gunner. Both commander and gunner can aim and fire the main 105 mm L7A1 armament from their stations.
Standard equipment on Mk 3(M) includes full air conditioning system, dismountable Global Positioning System and AVIMO LIRD-2 laser warning system coupled to a bank of eight 76 mm grenade launchers either side of the turret. The latter can fire either smoke or antipersonnel grenades, in the off chance you have to deter hitch hikers.
In addition to these systems the Mk 3(M) can also be fitted with various type of mineclearing systems such as he Pearson Engineering Combat Dozer Blade (UDK1) (as shown in the historical photos) and the loader can be provided with a 12.7 mm M2 machine gun, if the need for an additional top mounted gun is required.
Historical Pictures:
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Vehicle specifications:
In regards to ammo the main gun is a Royal Ordnance 105 mm L7A1 rifled tank gun, like the normal MK3 but due to its much later year of creation (1996/1997) it would have acess to more recent 105 rounds like L64A4, DM23, DM12, allowing it to fill several br’s depending on how they would like to impliment it, as it could sit nicely at 8.7 to 9.3 depending on what shell types it is given at introduction as this is basically the m60 rise or amx 30 brenus of the british tree if it were to be added.
Sources:
- Army Guide
- C.F. Foss, Vickers Tanks From Landships to Challenger 2, Keepdate Publishing Ltd, 1995.
- Gelbart, Marsh (1996). Tanks main battle and light tanks. Brassey’s UK Ltd. pp. 109–110. ISBN 1-85753-168-X.
- The Vickers Mark 1 & Vickers Mark 3 Tank - TankNutDave.com
- Also here is a well referenced video that details the development of the mk 3 including the mark 3 (M)