AMX-40
| AMX-40 | |
|---|---|
AMX-40 in the Musée des Blindés (2000) |
|
| General properties | |
| crew | 4 (driver / radio operator, commander, gunner, loader) |
| length | 10.00 m |
| width | 3.36 m |
| height | 3.10 m |
| Dimensions | 43.0 tons (combat weight) |
| Armor and armament | |
| Armor | Multilayer armor |
| Main armament | 1 × 120mm cannon |
| Secondary armament | 1 × 20 mm F2 machine gun (coaxial) 1 × 7.62 mm machine gun turret-mounted |
| agility | |
| drive | Poyaud V12X 12-cylinder diesel engine 810 kW (1100 hp) at 2,500 rpm |
| suspension | Torsion bar |
| Top speed | 70 km / h |
| Power / weight | 18.8 kW / t (25.6 PS / t) |
| Range | 600 km, 850 km with external additional tanks |
The AMX-40 is a modern French main battle tank from the 1980s. An AMX / R 40, a collaboration between AMX and Renault, already existed in the 1930s. The more common name of this vehicle is Renault ZM.
history
The French Atelier de Constuction d'Issiy-les-Moulineaux (AMX for short) decided in 1980 to develop a successor to the AMX-30 . However, the French army decided that the AMX-30 should be subjected to comprehensive measures to increase combat value to the B2 standard. They wanted to wait until the Leclerc was finally introduced in the 1990s . AMX decided to produce the tank for export anyway. However, only 4 prototypes were made between 1983 and 1987.
technology
The AMX-40 was a second generation main battle tank. The hull and turret were protected with a new type of layered armor, which was later also used in the Leclerc. The AMX was equipped with night vision equipment (passive) so that it can be fully deployed at night or in bad weather. NBC protection and air conditioning were mandatory. With the use of a snorkel, the AMX-40 was able to undertake a diving trip up to 4 meters deep. The fuel tank held 1,100 liters, which enabled a range of 600 km. If external additional tanks with a tank capacity of 400 liters were attached, the driving range increased to a total of 850 km.
The main focus of the designers was on strong armament. In addition to the 120-mm smoothbore gun , a 20-mm-F2- was automatic cannon mounted parallel to the axis of the main weapon. The commander had a turret-mounted 7.62 mm machine gun for air defense . The smoke throw cups not only had the function of blocking the enemy from seeing the tank through a smoke screen, they were also able to fire a six-layer fragmentation grenades against massed infantry. It was also possible to fire decoys to repel and irritate IR-guided missiles.
future
No customer has yet been found for the AMX-40. Although there was a comparison test between the AMX, the Challenger 1 and the American M1A1 Abrams in Saudi Arabia in 1987 , it stayed that way. The plant in Roanne has already stopped production, because the introduction of the much more modern Leclerc has already been completed in France.
literature
- Christopher F. Foss: Modern combat weapons , Stocker-Schmid Verlags AG, Dietikon, Switzerland, 1998, ISBN 3-7276-7092-4
