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VSEL GBT 155 (Vickers MK 3 MBT)
Vehicle Design History:
The VSEL GBT 155 (Vickers MK 3 MBT) was one of a series of demonstrators constructed by VSEL in an attempt to market and sell their GBT 155 turret system on both the domestic and export markets. The GBT 155 turret itself was designed as a universal turret, that could be fitted to a wide range of existing tank chassis in order to create an affordable and advanced self-propelled howitzer, at significantly less cost than buying a stand-alone unit. The turret itself was equipped with a NATO FH70 155mm field howitzer, that was capable of firing all NATO 155mm ammo types, along with additional rounds from foreign manufacturers. The turret and its components also shared a large amount of component commonality with existing systems, in addition, modular subsystems were designed to further cut costs.
The gun itself has a reloadable elevation of 20 degrees over a 360-degree arc, allowing it to fire its conventional rounds in a range of 24km with a burst fire of 3 rounds in 15 seconds. The turret was not limited to this gun though, and could be supplied with options for 152mm and more soviet inspired cannon sizes, hoping to appeal to Middle Eastern clients. This versatility and assumed interest in the foreign market resulted in the turret system being tested on the m48/m60, Vickers mk3, challenger, Vickers valiant, leopard, centurion, chieftain and t-54/55/type59 family of vehicles. This versatility was due to the turret being an entirely self-contained module, so it did not require hull modification in most cases, resulting in an easy conversion for clients regardless of the industrial capacity of their nation. Unfortunately despite being thought out as an ideal export turret, there was very little interest in the project, and no pure GBT 155 turrets would ever be exported outside of trials. The turret was not an evolutionary dead end though, as it would later be adapted by the British in a modified form for the AS 90 Braveheart, along with it being a component in the design of the Polish AHS Krab.
Vehicle specification:
Hull specification:
Engine: GM Detroit Diesel 12V-71T 720 hp (540 kW) at 2,500 rpm
Power/weight 18 hp/t
Transmission Self-Changing Gears Ltd TN12V5 fully automatic gearbox
Suspension torsion bars
Ground clearance 432 mm (17.0 in)
Fuel capacity 1,000 L (220 imp gal; 264 US gal)
Operational range 490 to 530 km (300 to 330 mi)
Maximum speed 50 km/h (31 mph)
Turret specification:
Additional photographs/ sales brochures:
Sources:
- AS-90 - Wikipedia (Mentioned in the early development of the AS-90
- Vickers MBT Mark 3 - Wikipedia (Info for the hull
- VSEL GBT 155 (Vickers MK 3 MBT) - Google Zoeken (source of one of the photos)
- WT Live // Image by Mercedes4321 (Source for the larger sales brochure)
