XM800T - A Fast Bradley Predecessor

[HMSD33Dauntless]

Would you like to see the XM800T in-game?

• Yes
• No

Following the failure of the M114, a new reconnaissance vehicle was needed. One of the answers was the XM800 Armored Reconnaissance Scout Vehicle (ARSV), for which two contracts were awarded: One to FMC for a tracked vehicle, the XM800T, and one to Lockheed for a wheeled vehicle, the XM800W. Unfortunately, both of these vehicles ended up being cancelled and superseded by the Bradley. This suggestion will focus on the XM800T.

The XM800T was a tracked light vehicle intended for scouting. It weighed 8618 kg (around 9.5 tons) loaded, and used a Detroit Diesel Allison 6VT-53T engine, which was a version of the Sheridan’s engine tuned down to 270-280 hp for better reliability. This gave it an excellent power-to-weight ratio of around 29 hp/ton. The top speed was 88.5 km/h and the reverse speed was 40.23 km/h. On top of this, the vehicle was fully amphibious with a swimming speed of 7.2 km/h.

The vehicle’s light weight was achieved by using light armor made of aluminum alloys. The vehicle was operated by 3 crew members. It was fully stabilized and fully turreted, coming equipped with a laser rangefinder. I do not know if it had thermals, but from what I understand, it had some form of ground radar (though I do not know the specifications for it). The main gun is a 20mm M139 autocannon. This is a US-built version of the Hispano-Suiza HS.820/Oerlikon KAD, the same gun as found on the R3 T20 FA-HS. It had access to APDS, the same as is available for the Wiesel 1A4, Marder 1A3, SUB-I-II, and Type 87 RCV (P). It also had a roof mounted M60 7.62mm machine gun.

In War Thunder, I see the XM800T as being a counterpart to the Wiesel 1A4. Though bigger, it boasts a full turret with a stabilizer and a higher top speed. On top of this, it’s amphibious and may potentially have a type of ground radar. It would have the same ammunition, but uses the slightly faster firing Oerlikon KAD.

Thank you for reading my suggestion.

Sources:

XM800 Armored Reconnaissance Scout Vehicle - Wikipedia
Lockheed XM800W (ARSV) Armored Reconnaissance Scout Vehicle Prototype
WARFARE TECHNOLOGY: XM800T Armored Scout Vehicle
XM800
https://www.pmulcahy.com/ammunition/autocannon_ammunition.html

My old suggestion for the vehicle has a list of additional sources as well that had more information, but unfortunately several of the links don’t work anymore:

XM800T - The Land Before Bradley

[Zyranovos]

I’ve been looking for someone to bring this up eventually, seeing this think with the LAW missile would be amazing, if you are looking for some other stuff on it I know of a PDF that was of the US testing the Strv 103 that had it listed on the documents.

[JamesPond1200]

That thing is adorable! I want it! +1

[Zyranovos]

Here it is, it’s on the 5th page, not notarized as the XM-800T though but as a different model, XM-808TB, it might be a separate tank tbh

Strv%20103B%20in%20the%20US.pdf

[HMSD33Dauntless]

I believe that one is referring to the XM808 Twister. It’s an 8 wheeled articulated armored car, a little closer to the XM800W but still definitely its own thing. Similar parameters though it seems like.

[Zyranovos]

Yeah, after reviewing and looking at it, I believe that is the case, I will try to find some more on it though.

[memer4life9000]

I’d personally prefer if Gaijin added the M114A2 as the US equivalent of the SUB-I-II, and if they added this as a proper light tank.

[Butane9000]

Basically a under gunned Sheridan.

[ZE4L0T]

They should add it without the ground radar at 5.7. The U.S. seriously needs a good fast firing 20mm SPAA between the m42 and the m163.

[Catnip007]

+1

[HMSD33Dauntless]

I’m not really a fan of unrealistically removing features from a vehicle for balance reasons, the point of the BR system is that it allows vehicles to be placed somewhere and be balanced without compromising on the vehicle’s features. Besides, there are other vehicles that could fit that role for the US.

[ZE4L0T]

Lots of vehicles have features added or removed for balance. Abrams doesn’t get m829A3, HSTV-L doesn’t get Delta-6s, American F-5C gets flares… the list goes on. As an American main I’d much rather have the vehicle without the ground radar and have it somewhere in the tree where it would be useful. The 40mm bofers cannons on the m42 and M19 are trash unless you’re playing on console with cheat-assist enabled. America needs something to fill the role that the BTR-ZD and the R3 fill in their respective trees. The only other alternative would be the sister tank developed by Lockheed.

Either way, Gaijin needs to prioritize American mid-tier SPAA.

[EL337GH0ST]

+1 for main tech tree after the M114A2 which should be exclusively an SPAA without APDS (at ~4.3 BR), so this thing can come at 5.7-6.3 with APDS

Some info from Jane’s Armored Fighting Vehicles 1976:

This info seems to be the exact same as the one OP used in his post. The P/W ratio would be 32.5 hp/tonne, which is 29 HP/ton (game uses tonnes though).

The vertical traverse range is 65°/-20°, kind of mid elevation but great depression.
The horizontal AND vertical traverse speeds are great at 90°/s.
It is equipped with a rather mediocre 500 rounds of 20 mm ammo.

Optics are days/night, but no mention of zoom/FoV.

No mention of radar as far as I can see

The wheeled variant has zoom defined as 3x to 9x, and also mentions radar and other equipment:

[Apollo_1641]

We might be seeing our boi in the next major update

Next Major Update - Rumor Round-Up & Discussion (Part 2)

Aand here 's proof that MWT:TB and WT are sharing models in both directions - that was fast ! [image] ( https://youtu.be/3jE-HLglRM0?t=4 ) XM800T, one of the vehicles leaked on Baidu.

[Neobushido]

Would make for a great gap filler and an important step in the IFV program that produced the bradly which has a few vehicles that would fit into WT

[blueeey]

+1 - Totally need this!

[AREX_it_the_zero]

[Development] XM800T: Brave Prowess - News - War Thunder

:)

[DarkLordMagus]

Here’s the tank destroyer version with a TOW missile turret that was mentioned in the devblog’s Vehicle History section:

Spoiler

Sadly the museum that housed this particular prototype went out of business several years ago after its owner died. Some of the vehicles were dispersed to other museums but this one’s location is unknown and it might have been scrapped.

[EDDIEGT]

wonder if this could be aded as a modification? or as a seperate vehicle

[DarkLordMagus]

Pretty sure it’d need to be a separate vehicle. Light tank with an autocannon and TD with an ATGM turret are very different both to play and to play against.