Zukünftige Entwicklungen und Konzeptionen von Panzerfahrzeugen

[Broensen]

Ich pack's mal hier rein, weil es mMn einen großen Einfluss auf die zukünftige Auslegung von Kampfpanzern haben könnte oder sollte:

Leonardo Vulcano 120 mm ammunition: guided indirect fire capability for MBTs (EDR online)

Born for ensuring maximum muzzle velocity to kinetic energy rounds, used to neutralise enemy tanks, 120 mm smoothbore guns can be also used to provide an indirect fire capability to main battle tanks (MBTs) when this is needed in current evolving scenarios. Leonardo answer to this requirement is the Vulcano 120 mm ammunition, which leverages the experience acquired with Vulcano artillery projectiles
The reach of a 120 mm kinetic energy round fired from a smoothbore barrel at over 1,700 m/s is well over the 4 km considered as operational range, which is a reason for the birth of reduced range training rounds aimed at easing live fire training, reducing range safety areas. Exploiting the excess energy of a tank round to reach targets at long range, using the gun maximum elevation, could allow formations to hit targets without the need to send out a call-for-fire message to artillery, reducing time-to-target, a key issue when the latter is of the volatile type, remaining in place for a short time, or when it poses an immediate threat.
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During a recent event in La Spezia Leonardo unveiled the 120 mm version of its Vulcano long-range guided munitions, an add-on to the family that fully exploits the technological bricks developed for the Vulcano 155 and 127 mm artillery ammunition.
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The Vulcano 120 is a guided munition that in its first iteration will be fitted with a semi-automatic laser (SAL) seeker, the projectile being guided to the target by an external laser designator, which generates a coded laser beam. This can be installed on board a UAV or located on the ground, on board a vehicle or deployed by a targeting team on foot, such as a JTAC team.
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[Bild: https://www.edrmagazine.eu/wp-content/up...esized.jpg]

The projectile is under calibre, which allows it to have a better aerodynamics hence a longer range, another similarity with other Vulcano family ammunition, and carries a warhead that exploits the residual kinetic energy, and contains an amount of insensitive explosive and fragments, the company underlining it will not be based on a shaped charge. As the programme is currently considered at TRL 4/5 the warhead development is still ongoing.
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On new platforms, i.e. the i-MBT for Italy, under development by the Leonardo Reinmetall oint venture recently created, which will be fitted with an autoloader, the programming function will be fully integrated into the system.

Compared to artillery systems, which maximum elevation ranges between +65° and +75°, MBTs have a much lower elevation, usually under 20°; this of course limits maximum range when firing in indirect mode. “According to our preliminary estimates our Vulcano 120 will be able to cover the range from 10 to 30 km, considering an average 15° elevation,” Mauro Pellegri said. In his briefing he divided the new munition mission range in two areas, with different peculiarities and lethal effects.

[Bild: https://www.edrmagazine.eu/wp-content/up...esized.jpg]

“When firing in the longer range sectors, the Vulcano 120 will have a top-attack approach. The munition, by its very nature, has a low cross-section, making it natively stealth, both because it is small and fast, and because of its geometry, which makes it particularly difficult to detect, even by current and future active defence systems installed on tanks,” the Leonardo representative said, hence the focus target representative of roof armour, discussed above.

For engagements at range, the Vulcano 120 primary role, Leonardo considers a set of targets including communication centres, air defence systems, multiple rocket launchers, self-propelled artillery systems, infantry armoured fighting vehicles and alike, and MBTs
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The SAL version is however just the first development step, the second one considering the adoption of an Imaging Infra Red (IIR) seeker, which will make the round independent from third party target designation. “We have an IIR sensor already available, but it dates back to a few years ago; its Charge-Coupled Device( CCD) allows it to effectively carry out its role against naval targets, a relatively simple scenario considering the even background. To carry out the same role on land scenarios we need a new generation CCD and, together with our partner Diehl Defence, we are in an advanced characterization phase of our new IIR seeker,” Mauro Pellegri unveiled. The firing sequence will remain similar to that of the SAL version the main difference being that, once in the target footprint, the IIR seeker will be capable to autonomously identify its target thanks to its significant field of view, and hit it with utmost accuracy.
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The company presentation stated of a 40 months development time, including qualification, from T0; the stopwatch started turning in early 2025, so the new round should be available by mid-2028.

Das ist, wovon ich hier schon öfter geschrieben habe: Die zusätzliche Befähigung für klassische Kampfpanzer, über ihre übliche effektive Wirkreichweite hinaus ebenfalls hochwertige Ziele, auch in der Bewegung zu bekämpfen, selbst wenn keine direkte Sicht- bzw. Schusslinie gegeben ist.

Gerade mit Blick auf den KF51 Panther (im Artikel "i-MBT" genannt) eine interessante Überlegung, da bei diesem eine begrenzte eigene UAV-Integration vorgesehen ist, über die sich die Laserzielfindung gut umsetzen ließe. Eine entsprechende Drohne könnte kabelgebunden über dem MBT aufsteigen und das Ziel markieren.

Eine entsprechende Munitionsentwicklung war bisher für mich eines der Hauptargumente für einen Kaliberwechsel. Wenn man jetzt vergleichbar kurzfristig eine solche 120mm-Munition erhalten könnte, würde sich das damit vorerst erledigt haben, was bei den zeitnah anstehenden Beschaffungen großer Stückzahlen von MBTs sicher von Vorteil wäre.