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M35A2 Cataphract; Main battle tank
Topic Started: Feb 16 2011, 11:16 AM (2,746 Views)
Etoile Arcture
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M35A2 Cataphract


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M35A2 Cataphract main battle tank in original Tranche 1 configuration (c.1998). In Etoilian service it is known simply as "the Cat" by tankers and maintainers alike. The etymology of kataphraktoi literally translates as Greek for "armoured", and describes heavily armoured cavalry that dominated the battlefields of Europe and Asia Minor from Antiquity into the High Middle Ages.

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Shown is an example of the current Tranche 4 production model of the Etoile Arcture Ground Forces in battle order, notable by the flat deck and long wedge-shaped appearance of the composite armour arrays, the muzzle break on the main gun, and the electro-optic sensor on an elevating arm which when folded sits alongside a hidden 60 mm under armour mortar in the turret.
          Also prominent is the licensed-built CQ-29/E mast-deployed countermunition launcher that forms part of the Ground Vehicle Dynamic Protection System. The self-protection armanent consists a .50 cal M3M Heavy Machine Gun mounted on a remote weapon station between the commander and gunners primary sights and the abovementioned internal mortar.
          A standard three colour 'Warm Temperate' camouflage is applied to the hull, turret and main gun thermal sleeve, the non-reflective infra-red absorbant paint breaking up the pattern of the tank in both thermal and visual spectrums. Rubber dust and anti-radar skirts (not shown) can also be fitted to hide the radar-reflective road wheels and reduce visual signatures from kicked up dust.
          From Tranche 2 onwards it has become common practice to fit twin double-lined 80 US gallon capacity auxillary fuel and water drums attached by jettisonable racks to the rear hull. The drums' position provides a narrow corridor with just enough clearance for a Merkava-style rear clamshell ramp door to deploy. The drums are fragment and small arms resistant, and have been found to provide some measure of additional protection to a debussing crew.


BACKGROUND
Development: The genesis of the M35A2 Cataphract can be traced to a series of design studies conducted from 1977-1983 at the direction of the Defence Directorate of Etoile Arcture. From these emerged the 3-man crewed "Sports Model" that owed much to the Swedish S-tank and Israeli Merkava for its inspiration. Among its features was a long wedge-shaped hull, a centre fighting compartment with rear crew hatch, front mounted powerpack, and a low profile unmanned turret mounting an autoloading main gun and ammunition stored in a compartmentalised turret bustle.
          In 1986 the General Secretariat authorised the Defence Directorate to initiate the definition phase of the XM35 Future Main Battle Tank program (Project Byzantium) with the aim of replacing the current in-service M18 Currasier family of main battle tanks. The Sports Model provided the baseline configuration with studies focusing on subsystems, alternative turreted and turretless designs and new propulsion, drive trains, sensors and armanent.
          By this stage the program was mirroring work also being performed across the world at this time including in America (CATTB or M1 Abrams Block III), Germany (Experimentalwanne Gesamtschutz), Switzerland (Neuer Kampfpanzer) and Sweden (Strv 2000). By 1992 the state of the XM35 FMBT/Project Byzatium was as follows:
  1. Target weight of Military Load Class 60 (MLC 60) or approximately 55.4 tons all up at the highest protection level;
  2. A suite of modified rolled homegenous armour (MHRA) base armour and applique modular replaceable composite armour;
  3. Modular chassis, components and armanent adaptable for technology insertion and future upgrades;
  4. A three person crew protected under armour in a center hull fighting compartment;
  5. Manpower and Personnel Integration (MANPRINT) digital crew stations and indirect vision systems for superior under armour situational awareness;
  6. High speed computers and digital multiplex databus;
  7. All-weather day/night situational awareness and a digital full solution fire control system for high hit probability of all weapons;
  8. Low profile turret or turretless external gun mount for a low recoil force gun: either a dual calibre 140/120 mm high velocity gun or a 120 mm electro-thermal chemical (ETC) gun, depending on which matures soonest, with the backup option of a conventional 120 mm L/55 smoothbore gun;
  9. Development of new ammunition including a APFSDS round with a minimum muzzle velocity of 18 MJ and capable of 50% greater range and penetration than current ammunition, a gun-launched long-range laser beam riding top-attack and anti-helicopter round, and obstacle removal and less lethal munitions;
  10. 40 mm coaxial autocannon or under armour 60 mm mortar as secondary armanent, and a remote-operated self defence/anti aircraft machine gun;
  11. High survivability thanks to modular composite armour, signature management and a active protection system with both soft- and hard-kill components;
  12. High mobility granted by adjustable external in-arm hydrogas hydropneumatic suspension, electric transmission and final drives, and a compact 1500 hp powerpack using either a series parallel hybrid-electric diesel or advanced gas turbine.
          Many aspects of the design configuration represented a high technogical risk but nonetheless the possible high rewards in performance convinced the Defence Directorate to unilaterally grant authority to proceed. Work begun in 1990 with Marine Steel Works (later to become part of Sequoia Dynamics Inc.) selected as the prime contractor. Marine Steel Works had overall responsibility for the hull, turret and integration of the final product, with subsystems including weapons, sensors and propulsion spun out to various industrial partners and a select number of foreign component suppliers.

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XM35 Future Main Battle Tank prototype as rolled out in 1996. This example is in the test mobility configuration with a dummy non-traversing turret fitted.

          Twenty sets of XM35 prototype tanks had been produced by 1993: eight based on a experimental (and therefore high-risk) electric drive train, and the remainder using automotive components based or borrowed from the M18A5 Currasier. Both prototype classes fell short of expectations with neither demonstrating superior performance or reliability when compared to then current third-generation tanks such as the M1 Abrams, Challenger II, Leclerc and Leopard 2.
          The program was further being beset by changing requirements from the customer, schedule slippages and budget overruns. As a result the Assembly of Representatives voted to withdraw funding during the 1997 financial year, effectively cancelling Project Byzantium. With the M18 Currasier already in the process of retirement the Defence Directorate was now directed to procure a Interim Main Battle Tank (IMBT) from a foreign source as a replacement.
          While the automotive platform had been cancelled various subsystems of the FMBT such as its powerpack, transmission, weapons, sensors, fire control and battlefield management system continued developement being funded from discretionary funds available to the Defence Directorate. These systems would be rolled into the IMBT program as future upgrades, but in the meantime the only viable choice for a new tank had been narrowed to a foreign design.
          In 1998 the Defence Directorate selected the Allis-Chalmers M8 Lariat 1A1, which in Etoilian service would become the M22 Jackal. A total of 58,000 hulls would be constructed in Etoile Arcture until production ceased in 2009, including a tranche of 300 pre-production prototypes purchased direct from the manufacturer in 1999.
          Progressive upgrades of the Jackal would ironically see it incorporate many of the technologies originally slated for the XM35 FMBT but now developed under the IMBT program. The current in-service model, the M22A2HA or "Heavy Armour" variant, sports an armour suite, MANPRINT digital crew stations, vehicle electronics (vetronics) suite, third-generation thermal sights, lidar sight and improved fire control and battle management system originally initiated under Project Byzantium.
          The operational service of the Jackal, which has seen extensive combat sevice during the Alestran Civil War and during both recent Fegosian civil wars, has proven exemplerary. But recent years have witnessed a trend towards heavier armoured and armed designs among foreign tank fleets, typified by the Sumerian MCA-7 Ubara Tirak, Lyran LY4 Wolfhound and ever ubiquitous Macabean Nakil series, all being in the Military Load Class (MLC) 70-80 range and sporting advanced 120-140 mm main guns.
          This evolving threat begun to alarm legislators and defence officials alike as so-called fourth-generation tanks begun to proliferate within Nova. Faced with protracted lead times in developing any new tank as a clean sheet design, the Defence Directorate successfully lobbied that using the existing XM35 FMBT modular chassis with newly developed 'drop in' technology as the basis of Etoile Arcture's fourth generation MBT would dramatically reduce the development effort and cost. Consequently in 2001 the General Secretariat reinstated Project Byzantium as a Phase 2 program and type classified the tank the M35 Cataphract in preparation for its service entry.
          The fact that the XM35 had been designed from the outset with a modular upgradeable architecture now paid dividends as engineers could insert mature technologies into the chassis that at the time of the original development program had been either unavailable or technologically immature. Many of these were integrated into the existing chassis as production cut-ins, including a new high fuel effecient supersonic combustion engine (ASCE) simple-cycle gas turbine, new permanent magnet (PM) generators and traction motors, and third-generation hydrogas variable spring rate in-arm suspension.
          A new developmental item was a low profile turret to mount the 120 mm solid propellant electro-thermal chemical (SPETC) gun and robot ammunition handling system already implemented on M22A2HA Jackal tanks. In the case of the latter the new gun had in fact been in development since the mid 1990s and was in effect already a mature technological item. Both the gun and the ammunition suite it fired had been developed as a replacement for the AGS.250B 120 mm regenerative liquid propellant gun (RLPG) and Flashboard Large Area Emitter (FLARE) ignition system used on early M22 Jackals. This gun had to be imported from Coorsota as no Etoilian company held a license to produce it, a situation unhappy at the best of times and worse at a time of war if supplies could not be guaranteed.

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In comparison: the M35A Cataphract (top) and M22A2HA Jackal (bottom).

          In 2004 new XM35 test rigs and pre-production M35A1 Tranche 1 hulls were produced fabricated in extra-low interstial (ELI) titanium armour opposed to the all-welded steel or modified rolled homegenous armour (MHRA) used on original XM35 articles. This decision had major impacts on the design, saving approximately five tons in gross weight allowing a heavier (and better protected) applique armour suite to be fitted to the tank hull and an enhanced turret protection suite.
          Recent advances in superscalar processing technology also had far reaching impacts on drive-by-wire systems, electronic engine management, fire control systems and sensor suites but most of all in shared datalinks and networking through the Battlefield Information Collection and Distribution System (BICDS). These electronics systems would represent more than half the total unit cost of a final tank.
          The program quickly progressed to a number of pre-production vehicles (M35A1 Cataphract Tranche 2), with delivery of the first production model (M35A1 Cataphract Tranche 3) occurring in mid 2007. Following months of trials the type was accepted for service by the Etoile Arcture Defence Forces in the early part of 2008, almost 12 years to the day of the first roll out of the original XM35 prototype. The current production standard is the M35A2 Cataphract (Tranche 4) which is in full serial production. The Tranche 4 is effectively the command tank version of the Tranche 3 with a number of software and hardware updates. The most notable features are an elevated sensor mast and laser mine neutralisation system.
DESCRIPTION
Overview: The M35A2 "Cataphract" Main Battle Tank has been designed to provide fifth generation combat manouevre, situational awareness, firepower and protection, with the crew under full armour protection in the chassis for maximum survivability.
          Originally designed by Sequoia Defence Systems (now Sequoia Dynamics) for a requirement to counter massed armour formations on the plains of Etoile Arcture and the Torin Peninsular, the Cataphract has since evolved into a highly capable multi-role platform optimized for high-speed offensive and breakthrough operations, as well as for defensive fire support and urban pacification missions.
          The new tank offers all terrain mobility, accurate on-the-move firepower at maximum battle ranges, enhanced situational awareness, shared battlefield data networking, maximum crew survivability, battlefield self-recovery and rapid battle damage repair capability.
Design: The Cataphract features a spacious cockpit-style fighting compartment and incorporates many leap-ahead automotive, firepower, sensor and survivability technologies.
          In the area of mobility the tank is powered by a high effeciency and fuel economy hybrid-electric integrated powerpack and drive-by-wire controls that allow the tank to rapidly change position capitalising on natural cover and changing directions in moving for hit avoidance. The powerpack combines engine, alternator/generator, electro-mechanical transmission and planetary gearbox coupled with electric motors and a underframe decoupled active suspension system for superior mobility, ride control, stability when firing and signature management. The tank has also been made fully amphibious, with a detachable swim vane mountable to the hull front for amphibious landings, and being propelled by its tracks when swimming.
          In the area of lethality the current trend of adopting autoloading electro-thermal chemical (ETC) main gun armament (in this case the indigenously developed XM451 weapon system) has been married to a stabilised unmanned turret, full solution digital fire control system and network-enabled multi-sensor suite allowing for greater range, accuracy and first round hit probability while firing on the move.
          In the area of battlefield survivability there are high levels of crew protection with full under-armour situational awareness in a nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) proof fighting compartment. The base armour is enhanced by high performing passive armour arrays of modular ceramic composites and multi-layer titanium, hit avoidance hard-kill active protection system, low visual, thermal, noise and radar signatures to deny detection by enemy sensors, and high mobility for rapid combat displacement. A digital multiplex databus integrates all electronic systems so as to allow automatic reconfiguration of the fire control system, gun-laying computer, sensor channels, and vehicle and engine management subsystems to overcome battle damage and malfunction.

M35A2 Cataphract
TypeMain Battle Tank (MBT)
Place of originPosted Image ETOILE ARCTURE                                                                                     
PRODUCTION HISTORY
DesignerSequoia Dynamics Land Systems
Designed1986-1997 (Phase 1); 2001-2007 (Phase 2)
ManufacturerSequoia Marine Steel Works
StatusIn serial production
Entered service2007 (Tranche 3); 2008 (Tranche 4)
Acquisition costUS$25 million
ProliferationEtoile Arcture, Damirez, Mephras, Leistung, Zinaire, Whiskeasy, Kirav, Parilisa, Trawach, Marquesan
Production2007-present
Production to date240,000+ domestically
76,000+ exported
unknown produced under license

Operational History: The type has seen service with the Etoile Arcture Defence Forces during peace support operations in Alfegos following the 2005 war, and has taken part in combat operations in Alestra, Madurastan, Thive and Cyncia. The first export customers for the Cataphract include the Republc of Leistung (license produced by Rothschild Heavy Manufacturing as the M35A2L Kataphrakt), the Empire of Mephras, Imperial Federacy of Kirav, the Commonwealth of Whiskeasy (designated as the MBT-35) and Republic of Zinaire (replacing the Nakil 1A3 fleet.) Leistungi Kataphrakt's have taken part in the Leisto-Waldenburg War in the Mediterranican and Grand Alliance War in Tyrrhenia demonstrating high combat success. The Cataphract has proved vastly surperior to all the threat tanks it has faced including the M1A2 SEP Abrams and M1A4 Wolfhound (Alfegos), T-64 (Madurastan, Thive), T-72 (Cyncia), TFC-64 Armored Tiger and Leopard 2A4 (Alestra) and Leopard 2A6 (Waldernburg). To date there have been no combat losses of a Cataphract tank or crew either from enemy fire, land mines or improvised attacks.

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XM24 "King Sargon" non-development tank chassis. Developed as part of the MST-OA7 Sharru-kinu program for the Sumerian Enkaramurshulu Medium Support Tank competition. Main armanent is a Type 3660 115 mm L/50 main gun borrowed from the Sumerian MCA-3 series and the remote weapon station mounts a Lagash 7.5 mm caseless machine gun for self-protection

Variants: Two combat vehicle variants have so far been developed based on the Cataphract platform. The M34A3 Hoplite has been developed as a heavy infantry fighting vehicle (HIFV) with main battle tank-class mobility and protection that allows mechanised infantry to keep pace with the heavy force. The Hoplite's chassis is a metre shorter and less one road wheel compared to the Cataphract but retains the same layout and general configuration. Armanent is carried in a low profile remote weapon station that mounts a Nexter CT 2000 40 mm Cased Telescoped Weapon System (CTWS), coaxial .50 cal heavy machine for self protection and Rafael SPIKE-MR/LR anti-tank missiles.
          A second variant is the XM24 "King Sargon" technology demonstrator built for an unsuccessful bid for a Sumerian government tank competition. Locally designated as the MST-OA7 Sharru-kinu, only three non-developmental chassis were completed (with a further three left unfinished at the time of program cancellation). The XM24 exotically mixed the basic chassis of the XM35 with a protection scheme derived from the M22A2HA Jackal combined with Sumerian vetronics, powerpack, armanent, fire control and battle management system.

KEY DATA
Average unit cost§50.2 Million (US$25 Million)ManufacturerSequoia Dynamics Land Systems
ProliferationEtoile Arcture, Damirez,
Mephras, Leistung, Zinaire,
Whiskeasy, Kirav, Parilisa,
Trawach, Marquesan
Production2007-present
Production to date240,000+ domestically
76,000+ exported
unknown produced under license
Crew3 (commander, gunner, driver)
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
Combat weight61,688 kgHeight over hull249 cm
Hull length845 cmLength with gun forward1177 cm
Width over skirts387 cmWidth of track65 cm
Track length485 cmGround clearance48 cm
Turret ring diameter256 cmGround pressure, zero penetration0.84 kg/cm²
LETHALITY
TypeFeedAmmunitionTraverseElevationMaximum effective range
120 mm L/55 solid propellant, electro-thermal chemicaldual feed bustle linear ramming-action autoloader44 rounds
(44 ready)
360°+30° to -8°8,000 m
.50 cal M3Mlinkless belt3,000 rounds360°+60° to -20°1,850 m
60 mm L/10 under-armour mortarrotary magazine, gravity drop30 rounds
(10 ready)
360°+25° to 0°4,000 m
FIRE CONTROL
Gunner’s sighting systemCommander’s surviellance system
Gyrostabilized panoramic CCD and 3rd generation multi-band staring-type FLIR, eye-safe laser rangefinder, 3D imaging lidarGyrostabilized panoramic CCD and 3rd generation multi-band staring-type FLIR, eye-safe laser rangefinder, 3D imaging lidar
Driver’s primary viewing systemBattlefield management system
Unitary day/night periscopes with rotating thermal viewer, quadrant CCD camerasmultimode, multiband VHF/UHF shared datalinks, UHF and X-band SATCOM, GPS/INS and electronic magnetic compass, ballistic computer, multiplexed databus
PROTECTION
Assembly
All-welded monoque hull and turret
Structural armour
Extra-low interstial Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy
Passive armour array
Nickel-titanium alloy spaced plate arrays, polymer-constrained titanium diboride ceramic tiles, non-energetic explosive reactive armour modules
Fighting compartment cover
Metallic-intermetallic laminate of titanium tri-aluminide
Anti-mine floor
Closed cell aluminium foam with alloy steel backing plate
Spall liner
Polycarbonate plastic with multi-ply Dyneema backing
Nuclear, biological and chemical protection
STANAG 4447 compliant self-cleaning air filters, 4 mbar (0.004 kp/cm² combined overpressure and climate control
Fire supression
Automatic, HFC227-BC and Halon 1301
Active protection system
Radar cued hard-kill countermunition launcher, soft-kill electro-optic countermeasures, electronic countermeasures, anti-mine/IED neutralization system
Smoke laying equipment
4 x 5 tube (5 grenades per launcher) 76 mm grenade dischargers
POWERTRAIN
Powerpack               Simple-cycle multi-fuel gas turbine, direct-drive permanent magnet brushless DC alternator/generator
HorsepowerSteady state: 1,609 hp
Transient: 2,159 hp
Fuel capacity1,892 litres internal
300 litres external
Transmissionelectro-mechanical, planetary gearbox, automatic range selection
SteeringSkid-type electro-hydraulic, T-bar
Brake systemIn-board electro-hydraulic
Final drivesOil-cooled in-hub permanent magnet brushless DC motors
SUSPENSION
TypeRoad wheelsReturn rollers/idlers
Hydrogas with pneumatic springs and fluid dampers7 rubber-tired double aluminium alloyalloy steel front sprockets and rear idlers
Drive sprocketsTrack typeShock absorbers
11-tooth alloy steel front driverubber padded steel double-pin tracks with rubber-bashed track shoesOn 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 7th road wheels
PERFORMANCE
Maximum level road speed85 kphGradient70%Maximum vertical obstacle120 cm
Maximum off road speed66 kphSide slope40%Maximum fording depth @ speed500 cm @ 3 kph
Average cross country speed55~45 kphTrench crossing300 cmMinimum turning radius1600 cm
Mileage0.58 km/LOperational range999.4~1,116 kmOperating temperature range+55°C to -40°C
 
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LETHALITY
The main gun and self-protection armanent are remote operated, located within an unmanned low profile, two-axis stabilised rotating turret with all-electric traverse and elevation. Solid-state digital servo control motors allow the main gun, internal mortar and roof weapon station to remotely and rapidly bring their weapons on and to precisely track targets. Backup manual loading, turret traverse and gun elevation controls are also provided allowing the commander and gunner to lay and fire all armanent after malfunction or battle damage to the automatic systems.
          The main gun offers line-of-sight (LOS), non-line-of-sight (NLOS) and beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) firepower and hit avoidance by detecting and destroying enemies outside the range of their sensors and ability to return fire. The crew can also employ personal defence weapons (typically the VP90 Velociraptor) from their tank survival kits as security weapons when dismounted, or if forced to bail out from a disabled vehicle.
PRIMARY ARMANENT
M451A2 SPECTER 120 mm
The Sequoia Electrodynamics M451A2 (XM451) Solid Propellant Electrothermal Chemical Tank Extended Range (SPECTER) gun has a bore of 120 mm and barrel length of 55 calibres (6.6 metres), and is designed to fire combustible single-piece ammunition. It is not compatible with STANAG 4385 ammunition.
          The M451A2 SPECTER is a low recoil smoothbore cannon with trunnion balance and stabilization, extended 595 mm titanium composite hydropneumatic recoil mechanism, and has a hybrid electric/solid propellant propulsion system based around a compact electro-thermal ignition (ETI) pulsed power system. The M451A2 gun also features an electrically operated multi-lug breech mechanism, compressed air fume extractor, autofrettaged steel gun tube with replaceable chromium liner, and integral multi-perforated muzzle brake to reduce recoil impulse, with lateral vents that decrease noise, firing signature and fractride risk to nearby troops.
          To mitigate warping of the gun tube the barrel has a carbon-fibre thermal sleeve with insulating layer of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and S2 fibreglass to prevent galvanic corrosion of steel components, and a laser collimator dynamic muzzle reference system (DMRS) to enable the fire control system to compensate for any remaining bend. To preserve barrel life the tube is mid-wall cooled using a regenerative liquid cooling system utilising aqueous ethylene glycol coolant to drive heat exchangers.
          The entire weapon system is a third lighter than conventional 120 mm smoothbore guns, and deletion of the originally planned coaxial armanent has allowed greater intrusion of the mantlet, breach block and recoil mechanism into the turret, with a cut-out on the roof allowing a maximum 30° elevation of the gun and mantlet. A digital servo gun turret drive stabilization system isolates the gun platform from the effects of vehicle pitch, roll, yaw and jolt as the tank manouevres, and the gun laying drives are electric powered for high precision and acceleration performance when static or on the move.
          The M451A2 gun operates by precisely controlled direct electrical ignition (plasma injection), where Ohmic heating of the plasma converts electrical energy into thermal energy that in turn maintains the plasma. Higher performance is not achieved through greater energy, electrical inputs being of modest power levels, but through electrical control of the burn rate of the propellant throughout the period of projectile acceleration in the gun tube. A high-loading density surface coated double base (SCDS) solid propellant charge using so-called GEN II (second generation) propellant is used that features a high-energy formulation with a progressive burning configuration and decreased sensitivity. This propellant also fully meets Hazards of Electromagnetic Radiation to Ordnance (HERO) safety standards.
          A volume effecient capacitor-based pulse forming network (PFN) recharged from prime power is intergrated into the hull, offering energy densities of only 1 kJ/g to provide the electrical energy input of the plasma channels. This is electronically controlled between 39 kJ and 110 kJ to achieve the optimum performance of the gun system and ammunition. This system provides selectacble chamber pressures, temperature compensation and acceleration loadings on projectiles for enhanced hit probability and terminal ballistics.
          At a typical electrical input of 101 kJ from the plasma injection system the gun accelerates a 8.4 kg projectile with a muzzle energy of 26 MJ and muzzle velocity of 2,500 m/s at sea level (Mach 7.55) at a propellant temperature of approximately 50°C. Using advanced penetrators the cannon is capable of defeating a maximum of 2200 mm in rolled homogenous armour equivalent (RHAe) at a range of 4,500 metres.
          When coupled to the fire control system, automatic ammunition handling system, and digital servo control drive and stabilisation of the turret and gun barrel the M451A2 produces a high on the move hit probability and high rate of fire allowing multiple engagements and multiple hits per target for high lethality. Combined with high mobility and situational awareness the Cataphract is capable of detecting, engaging and defeating multiple targets rapidly at maximum battle ranges and outside the effective range of lethal counterfire.
Autoloader: The M451A2 has an all-electric, fully-automatic Remote Ammunition-handling and Indexing Loading System (RAILS) based around a dual feed bustle linear ramming-action autoloader. The RAILS hardware comprises a fully articulated robotic transfer unit situated behind the recoil path of the cannon that extracts, reorients and loads selected ammunition at the full elevation and azimuth angles of the main gun. The unit is unique among autoloaders by not requiring the gun tube/breech to return to the index (0°) position for reloading between shots.
          The autoloader feeds from dual drum magazines located in the turret bustle, each holding 22 ready rounds of single-piece 120 mm tank ammunition in a high density double-row, closed-loop linkless chain of blast resistant and fire-retardent canisters. No rounds are stored in the hull to free space, and gasses generated during firing of the main gun are vented outside the turret to avoid contamination of the fighting compartment.
          Individual round selection from up to ten types of ammunition is made via the fire control system, with rounds transfered by the robot loader arm until aligned with the breach by feeder guide rails and rammed into the chamber by a hydropnuematic piston. The RAILS software controller supports automatic inventory, indexing and ammunition state.
          A back-up flex drive mechanism is incorporated for manual reloads of the gun and is controlled from inside the turret basket by any of the crew. Two loading ports are provided on the turret roof with ramp doors on the bustle allowing unattended ressupply or offload to/from a transloader vehicle. An automated roller conveyor brings rounds directly into each magazine operating at a reload rate of 4 rounds per minute.

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The M451A2 Solid Propellant Electrothermal Chemical Tank Extended Range (SPECTER) main gun that arms the M35A2 Cataphract. Prominent features include the convective vents on the thermal sleeve of the liquid cooling system, and the large multi-perforated muzzle break that significantly reduces muzzle flash, blast and recoil impulse.

SPECIFICATIONS
Control systemdirect electric 2-axis stabilised drive w/ digital servo control
Traverse/elevation/depression limits360°/+30°/-8°
Traverse/elevation speeds40°/s / 30°/s
Bore/Calibre120 mm L/55
Breech pressure800 MPa (116,030 psi)
Recoil stroke595 mm
Trunnion force378 kN/sec
Rate of fire15 rpm maximum
12 rpm @ 5 mins burst
8 rpm @ 15 mins sustained stationary
10 rpm @ 5 mins burst
6 rpm @ 15 mins moving
Pulse forming network75-101 kJ @ 600 V DC
Muzzle energy/velocity18-26 MJ @ 1,900-2,500 m/s
Feed systemdual feed, rotary breech ramming-action autoloader, remote ammunition selection
Barrel life1,100 shots
Gun life12,000 shots
Maximum effective range8 km point target
12 km area target
Fire on the move range/speedup to 4 km @ 55 kph
up to 5 km @ 45 kph
up to 8 km @ 25 kph
Ammunition ready to fire/stowed44/0
Ammunition typeAPFSDS-USP, APFSDS, STAFF, LAHAT, MPAT, APAM, TSAR, TP


Ammunition suite:
Armour Piercing, Fin Stabilized, Discarding Sabot-Unitary Segmented Penetrator (APFSDS-USP): The standard tank-killing armanent is a 120x810 mm sub-calibre sabot round weighing 23 kg complete including its GEN II propellant charge. The round comprises a single-piece nitrocellulose and cellulose fibre Combustible Cartridge Case (CCC), lightweight graphite fibre/polymer matrix composite case base and sabot, and high density 8.4 kg, 27 mm diameter heat treated tungsten heavy alloy (WHA) unitary segmented long rod penetrator. The projectile has a nominal length/diameter (L/D) ratio of 30:1, a steel ballistic tip and six bladed zirconium-toughened alumina fin bonded by injection-molded polymer to the body to reduce in-flight ablation. The advanced sub-calibre kinetic energy penetrator comprises an elongated monolithic WHA cylindrical rod with high-stress/strength sintered zirconium (Zr) circumferential reinforcement bands swaged in place along axially spaced channels in the body. These bands mechanically interlock the two materials together to increase their collective strength.

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APFSDS-USP long-rod with sabot separated into three to revealed the swagged zirconium bands around the penetrator rod-core

          The reinforcing bands stiffen and strengthen the body of the penetrator, making it more effective at perforating the most dense armours at oblique angles, and overcoming sheering forces produced by the heaviest of explosive reactive armour (ERA) suites that shatter penetrators. The penetrator mass behind each channel also act as a segmented-rod penetrator, having a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape with a wider base than the full penetrator diameter and a low L/D ratio of 1/8 optimised for defeat of armour at oblique angles. The segmented penetrators thereby follows the rod-core through the penetration channel, delivering additional kinetic energy into the target armour that widens the penetration channel and enhances the penetration depth of the rod-core. As this occurs the zirconium bands are ignited in a pyrophoric reaction to the heat generated during plastic deformation of the penetrator, providing a devastating after armour incendairy and thermobaric blast effect that destroys the interior of the target.
          When fired from the M451A2 main gun the APFSDS-USP round achieves muzzle velocities between 1,900-2,500 m/s and muzzle energies between 18-26 megajoules. The electro-thermal chemical gun system allows selectable muzzle velocities, these being 2,000 m/s optimised for defeat of composite armour and 2,500 m/s for defeat of reactive armour. The combination of high density and stiffness of the unitary segmented penetrator with high velocity produces a superior performance to most foreign gun and ammunition suites in the 120 to 140 mm range, being capable of defeating up to 2200 mm in RHAe at 4,500 metres and 1800 mm in RHAe at 8,000 metres with an accuracy of less than 0.2 mil (1 metre) or smaller than a tank turret. Testing on the Meridia Proving Grounds has demonstrated the ability of the APFSDS-USP round to perforate any class of armour including steel-encased depleted uranium (DU) mesh, semi-infinite and finite-plate rolled homogenous armour (RHA) steels, spaced armour arrays and ceramics.

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PERFORMANCE
Penetration @ RangeAnti-aircraft range
2200 mm in RHAe @ 4.5 km
1800 mm in RHAe @ 8 km
1300 mm in RHAe vs ERA @ 4.5 km
n/a


Smart, Target Activated, Fire and Forget (STAFF): This round is a top-attack munition that defeats armour in defilade, whether static or mobile, and slow/low-flying aerodynes using a radar-cued non-axis symmetric explosively formed penetrator (EFP) especially effective against explosive reactive armour (ERA). The projectile is launched like any other tank round and follows a ballistic path to the target before it is roll-controlled through the use of fluidic-controlled jet nozzles located in the rear fin assembly to align the warhead for firing of the lethal penetrator.
          The STAFF round uses a semi-active laser seeker for cooperative and up to 45° off-boresight targeting, and a millimeter wave (MMW) seeker to autonomously acquire and track static or mobile targets at beyond the line-of-sight. STAFF is often employed using "off-set designation" where third-party friendly designators paint a target by laser to minimise exposure for the firing tank, and warning to the enemy tank or helicopter that they are being attacked.

PERFORMANCE
Penetration @ RangeAnti-aircraft range
? mm in RHAe @ 4.5 km
? mm in RHAe @ 8 km
? mm in RHAe vs ERA @ 4.5 km
n/a


Laser Homing Anti-Tank (LAHAT): A full-bore gun launched missile that produces long range accuracy to a stand-off distance of 13,000 metres beyond the range of direct fire weapons. The missile features bi-static direct and indirect semi-active laser targeting, a wide-angle laser seeker for off-boresight targeting, lock-on-after-launch capability and a embedded active protection system. To maximise surprise against a target the missile flies at low height levels where it can be masked by terrain and performs a 'pop-up' and pitch over terminal manouevre (top attack) before impact.
          The missile weighs 14 kg excluding its composite sabot for launch from a gun tube, and is handled, loaded and fired like any other tank round. The missile is soft launched from the muzzle and uses a solid fuel sustainer motor for acceleration up to 700 m/s and four steering fins to track fixed and mobile targets. The round then flies a top attack high impact profile against thinly-armoured turret roof armour. LAHAT attacks its targets using a triplex High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) warhead. This consists of a reduced diameter precursor charge that pre-detonates and penetrates up to 400 mm in rolled homogenous armour equivalent (RHAe) and 300 mm in explosive reactive armour (ERA), followed by tandem full-diameter charges with the capability to penetrate up to 800 mm in RHAe behind ERA.
          The LAHAT round has a low launch signature and the missile's trajectory can be set to match either armoured fighting vehicles and ships out at sea (pop up, top attack) or a helicopter or aerodyne (high angle, direct attack) engagement. To minimise target awarenes LAHAT uses its lock-on-after-launch capability, target designation being required only for the final phase of the flight. This also allows a tank to launch from defilade against a target in defilade using off-set or off-board designation for maximum protection from observation/detection and counterfire.

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PERFORMANCE
Penetration @ RangeAnti-aircraft range
400 mm in RHAe + 300 mm vs ERA + 800 mm in RHAe after ERA @ 13 km13 km vs helicopter


Multi-Purpose Anti-Tank (MPAT): A sub-calibre, discarding sabot round featuring a multi-mode programmable base detonating fuze and blast fragmenting target penetrating warhead. Using a selectable airburst, point or time delay fuse MPAT is effective against soft targets and low-flying aerial threats. Fused as a direct-fire hardened penetrator MPAT can penetrate double-reinforced concrete walls and masonry, earth and timber bunkers, or reduce rock and earthen obstacles when fused with a time delay detonation.

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PERFORMANCE
Penetration @ RangeAnti-aircraft range
700 mm in RHAe @ 4 km
50.8 cm of double-reinforced concrete @ 3 km
7 km vs helicopter


Anti-Personnel/Anti-Materiel (APAM): This round compliments MPAT and neutralises the threat of anti-armour teams, infantry in defilade and dismounted troops by scattering six submunitions above a target to produce a lethal-fragmentation kill zone 50 metres long and 20 metres wide. It can also be fired as a unitary high explosive round with no submunitions scattered to defeat urban terrain and obstacles including bunkers of sand and timber construction, and destroy light materiel targets including armoured personnel carriers.

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PERFORMANCE
Penetration @ RangeAnti-aircraft range
50.8 cm of double-reinforced concrete @ 4.5 kmn/a


Tank Security Anti-Riot (TSAR): A less-lethal munition fired from the main gun that produces disorienting flash, smoke and sound effects through blast overpressure, and disperses a pattern of 1,100 .68 calibre soft rubber balls in a 100 metres long by 30 metres wide casualty zone from the muzzle and can send pellets as far as 500 metres. It is effective against unprotected and protected targets behind normal block walls, concertina wire and inside cars. Based on a modified anti-personal canister (beehive) cartridge, each ammunition round consists of a combustible case and polyurethane foam projectile.
          The TSAR round is employed in circumstances where mimimal civilian casualties and collateral damage is desired during low-intensity conflicts and urban warfare. The TSAR cartridge gives the tank commander the option of a less-lethal munition for the dispersion of crowds and rioters, clearing enemy dismounts in the open or in defilade, supressing sniper fire from residential buildings, and "delousing" a tank without causing damage.

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Training Practice (TP): Two types of faux training munitions are available to simulate the internal and exterior ballistics of either a APFSDS or a HEAT ammunition round. These rounds were originally developed for testing the M451A1 SPECTER cannon and the RAILS autoloader and have since been employed for force-on-force exercises and training crews on manual reloading and firing of the main gun in a emergency.
SECONDARY ARMANENT
Local target supression and vehicle self-protection is provided by a trainable Overhead Remote Weapon Stations (ORWS) mounted on the turret roof. The unit incorporates a high elevation powered traverse, elevation and depression platform for supression of low level air threats and infantry in defilade and multi-storey buildings.
          The ORWS is self-contained with a gyro-stabilized electro-optical sight with continious digital zoom and video auto-tracker, and diode-pumped erbium:glass 1.54 micron eye-safe laser rangefinder in a ruggerised fragment-protected box mounted coaxially with the armanent. The weapon interfaces to the tank vetronics over a MilCAN serial interface and can be controlled by any crew member under armour from their station in the fighting compartment.
          The ORWS has a common modular weapon mount that accepts a variety of armanent options with the standard installation being a M3M 12.7 mm (.50 BMG) low-recoil heavy machine gun with linkless belt feed from a 3,000 round ammunition hopper bin in the turret. Alternately a M307/M312K50 Close Support Weapon chambered in 12.7 mm or 25 mm air bursting grenades, LW50MG lightweight .50 calibre machine gun, a MK 47 Mod 0 Striker 40 mm lightweight automatic grenade launcher or a M134D Vulcan (GAU-2/A) 7.62 mm minigun can be fitted. Zinarian tanks are equipped with a Model 50T Heavy Machine Gun firing a 15x75mm CTA cartridge.
M3M .50 cal Heavy Machine Gun

SPECIFICATIONS
Control systemdirect electric 2-axis stabilised drive w/ digital servo control
Traverse/elevation/depression limits360°/+60°/-20°
Traverse/elevation speeds90°/s
Calibre.50 cal (12.7x99mm)
Rate of fire 1,100 rpm
Maximum effective range1.85 km point target
6.5 km area target
Ammunition ready to fire/stowed3,000/0
Ammunition typeAPI, SLAP
Ammunition performanceAPI penetrates 19 mm in RHAe @ 1.5 km
SLAP penetrates 34 mm in RHAe @ 0.5 km,
SLAP penetrates 25 mm in RHAe @ 1.5 km


TERTIARY ARMANENT
M70A3 60 mm Under Armour Mortar
The M70A3 weapon system is a turret mounted 60 mm automatic mortar that provides undetactable and accurate close-in support against infantry and assault firepower for fighting in built-up areas.
          The M70A3 is based on the design of the Fly-K spigot mortar and consists of a 660 mm smoothbore tube, electric powered traversing baseplate, and a captive piston system that captures all propulsion gases. This enables the mortar to be effectively noiseless, smokeless, flashless and heatless in use. The weapon is fired at high angles and flat trajectories of less than 25° elevation, with gun laying made via the tank's own fire control system which provides fused GPS/INS positioning data and the ballistic solution.
          The M70A3 is muzzle loaded (with ammunition partly telescoping the launch tube), feeding from a gravity drop 10 round rotary magazine enabling remote selection from a mix of ammunition. These include particulate smoke and multispectral aerosol obscurant rounds, infra-red illumination (IR) and 1.2 million candlepower visible illumination (illum) rounds, tactical CS liquid aerosol agent, and high explosive (HE) rounds with multi-option and point detonating fuzes that can be set to function in proximity burst, near-surface burst, impact burst, or delay burst modes.
          The mortar is especially lethal against infantry in close assault while not betraying the position of the launching vehicle, and the IR illum round is especially effective at blinding enemy infra-red searchlights.
SPECIFICATIONS
Control systemdirect electric 2-axis stabilised drive w/ digital servo control
Traverse/elevation limits360°/+25°
Bore/calibre60 mm L/10
Rate of fire20 rpm
Muzzle velocity158 m/s
Minimum range75 m
Maximum effective range1.8 km point target
4 km area target
Ammunition ready to fire/stowed10/20
Ammunition typetactical CS, HE, illum, IR, smoke


ANCILLARY ARMANENT
EXCM60 Vehicle Protection System
The EXCM60 Vehicle Protection System is the soft-kill hit avoidance component of the Ground Vehicle Dynmaic Protection System (GVDPS) defensive aids suite and consists of reloadable 76 mm electrically-operated grenade launchers. The turret is equipped with two banks of five tubes recessed into the turret front and another two banks in the turret rear for 360° coverage around the tank.
          The GVDPS reacts automatically to threats detected by sensors and commands the EXCM60 to launch expendable countermeasures (EXCM) to defeat, deny or disuade any attacks directed towards the tank. The available munitions include flare and window (chaff) decoys, self-screening smoke and multispectral obscurant aerosols to conceal the tank. The launchers also fire defensive munitions including anti-personnel fragmentation (APF) for providing close-in protection, and non-lethal tactical CS anti-riot liquid agent to incapacitate groups of unprotected targets.

SPECIFICATIONS
Calibre76 mm
Ammunition ready to fire/stowed20/20
Ammunition typechaff decoy, flare decoy, aerosol screen, particulate smoke, tactical CS, anti-personnel fragmentation
 
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VEHICLE ELECTRONICS
The vehicle electronics (vetronics) architecture is comprised of multiple real-time subsystems and sensors that communicate over reliable and robust high data rate digital multiplexed databuses. Mission critical subsystems are organised under three major clusters of core services, the Cornerstone Battlefield Management System (CBMS) (previously known as the Battlefield Information Collection and Distribution System (BICDS), which is described below, and two others:
Electronic Driver Information System (EDIS): encompassing drive-by-wire controls; signal processing and video buses for the day TV, thermal, lidar and radar channels from various sensor suites; digital crew station instrument cluster and crewstation video displays; digital moving map display; position/navigation system (POSNAV) and obstacle detection/avoidance system part of the Driver Information System (DIS); WIMAX-based Intravehicular Information System (IVIS) and 'infantry telephone'; and JEWEL Waveguide JTRS Cluster 1 and Cluster 5 radio communication systems.
Intelligent Vehicle Management System (IVMS): a number of subsystems include the Integrated Engine Management Unit (IEMU); Intelligent Power Management System (IPMS); Automotive Management System (AMS); built-in test equipment (BITE); Signature Management System (SMS); Environmental Control Unit (ECU) with intergrated chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) protection system; and automatic fire and explosion supression system. To reduce system vulnerability these services are dispersed throughout the hull in a number of redundant Line Replaceable Unit (LRU) hardened "black boxes" engineered to mil-spec standards to withstand shock, vibration, humidity, temperature, dust, flammable atmospheres, electro-magnetic pulse (EMP), radiation, electrical surges, gunfire and battle damage.
          Each LRU consists of a ruggedised single-board computer with VME64x backplane databus peripheral interface and powered by a multiprocessor system-on-chip (MPSoC) driven by a general purpose control processor (GPCP) based on Freescale Semiconductor Inc.'s radiation hardened mil-spec implementation of their dual-core PowerPC system-on-chip (SoC) architecture manufactured on a 45nm process. Non-volatile memory is provided by robust magneto-resistive random-access memory (MRAM) chips. The GPCP is complemented by either a StarCore quad-core digital signal processor (DSP), embedded PowerPC-based microcontrollers (such as in the Digital Engine Control System), or 65nm dual Cell Broadband Engine multimedia and vector graphics processors that drive all graphics subsystems, video routers and network controllers.
Metwork topography: Dual redundant MilCAN compliant databuses and controllers conforming to the ISO-11898 CAN (Controller Area Network) standard provide device interface and point-to-point communication over Ethernet and USB protocols, and have full support for automatic reconfiguration to overcome battle damage. All data is collected and processed by hull and turret mounted general purpose computers and digital signal processors and distributed via a deterministic and fault-tolerant Fibre Channel Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL) backbone optical databus network that transmits time-critical and safety-critical information in realtime to crew stations.
Operating system: A forked version of the QNX Neutrino real-time operating system (RTOS) and Embedded C++ provides the code base for software automation that reduce crew workload including software aided decision aids, automatic target recognition and realtime diagnostics/prognostics. The QNX Neutrino platform offers low processor overhead, small memory footprint, highly robust and reliable operation, a customizable microkernel architecture, an embedded QNX Photon graphics driver, preemptive multitasking, full memory protection, symmetric multiprocessing, time and space partitioning, and transparent distributed processing. It can automatically reconfigure to overcome faults or computer casualties by switching to an alternate processor, and incorporates adaptive partition scheduling allowing the operating system to continue processes even when overloaded by large volumes of data as would be typical in a battle situation.
FIRE CONTROL
Integrated Fire Control System (IFCS): This can track up to twenty stationary or mobile targets and engage ten of them inside a 30 second window while stationary or on the move with a greater than 95% first round hit probability. IFCS provides automatic target recognition and cueing, threat prioritisation, and automatic gun laying and firing, requiring only for the crew to set an aiming graticle on the target to activate. The crew can also select and queue ten targets for IFCS to engage automatically without further human input, a feature especially useful when minimising exposure of the tank during hull down engagements.
          A digital full solution ballistic computer calculates the main gun offsets using data from a battery of inputs including target distance, azimith and elevation (supplied by laser rangefinders or lidar); angular position and speed of the target (measured by lidar); cant angle (trunnion tilt); barrel deflection and barrel wear; pitch, roll and jolt of the chassis (measured by rate sensors); ambient temperature, humidty, air pressure and cross wind velocity (measured by a roof-mounted air data sensor); wind speed and direction (by downrange lidar wind profiling); type of ammunition round selected; and propellant temperature and gun chamber pressure. The ballistic solution compensates for all these parameters and applies the offsets using precision gun laying drives, smart barrel actuators, and calibrating the electrical input of the main gun electro-thermal ignition system to optimise performance of the gun and ammunition against each target.
Primary sights: During combat the commander and gunner form a hunter-killer team, each provided with identical Emerson Optronics ISHTAR Independent Multispectral Thermal Weapon Sights to allow either to be the hunter (to search, track, mark, and hand off targets) and the other the killer (laying and firing the gun through the fire control system).
Hunter/killer sighting system: The Emerson Optronics ISHTAR sight is an all-digital, third-generation (GEN3) staring-type forward looking infra-red (FLIR) panoramic gimballed sight. It is stabilised in azimuth and elevation for high on-the-move accuracy, and has a ryllium-based alloy mirror with a 120° field of regard rotating at 60° per second for wide-angle surviellance.
          The acquisition system consist of a two-dimensional staring focal plane array (FPA) with high-resolution three-CCD colour detector and simultaenous 3-to-5-micron (mid-wave) and 8-to-12-micron (long-wave) infra-red detectors using indium galium arsenide/indium phosphide (InGaAs/InP) photodiode array (PDA) uncooled microbolometers. The system features 20x optical zoom with optical image stabilization and 40x continious digital zoom, scene storage, target recognition, and a video auto-tracker. It is capable of all-weather day/night operation, and can perform thermal imaging under starlight conditions to a maximum of 20 km in staring mode, or infra-red/visible light sensor fusion to see through obscurants (rain, mist, dust, smoke, haze, etc) and even humdity out to 12 km.
          A diode-pumped 1.54 micron wavelength ytterbium^erbium:glass-based Q-switched eye-safe microlaser provides ranging and designation of targets from 80-8,000 metres with an accuracy of ± 1.4 metres (i.e. smaller than a tank turret). The laser rangefinders are also compatible with MILES 2000 (Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System) equipment allowing realistic target engagement during force-on-force training.
Weapon sight system: The Aerodyne Sensor Systems AN/VSQ-33A is an eye-safe, all weather condition, coherent Doppler lidar (laser radar) system that produces unjammable target cues for the fire control system. It is mounted on an armoured barbette above the turret mantlet that is slaved and bore sighted to the main gun stabilisation. The AV/VSQ-33A unit has a number of functions including battlefield surviellance, obstacle detection, target aquisition, ranging and tracking, topographic mapping, and wind profiling.
          At the heart of the unit is a fast pulsed freon-cooled diode-pumped neodyium:YAG 2.0-3.0 micron tunable UV/IR illuminator and a high speed Zenith digital imaging system. The fast pulse laser has a 100 million pulse per second ratio that matches the 100 million frames per second (Mfps) capture ratio of the Zenith camera. The system produces three-dimensional (3D) volumetric images through the back-scattering of light from the lidar pulse. Each image produces a digital 'snapshot' that includes accurate azimuth, elevation and range data of terrain features, obstacles and targets, and measures the horizontal and vertical wind velocity with high precision and resolution. The high speed and low power of each lidar pulse renders it near impossible to detect or jam by enemy sensors, and operates at frequencies that are able to penetrate fog, oil, smoke, dust and other environmental effects on the battlefield
BATTLEFIELD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Cornerstone Battlefield Management System (CBMS): The Cornerstone BMS (formerly the Battlefield Information Collection and Distribution System (BICDS) is a network-centric command, control, communications, computer, combat system and information (C5I) system that interconnects the tank Electronic Driver Information System (EDIS), Intelligent Vehicle Management System (IVMS), Integrated Fire Control System (IFCS), sensor channels (optronic, thermal, laser, lidar and radar), Battlefield Combat Identification (BCID) and position/navigation (POSNAV) data suite with the Inertial Reference System (IRS) using fused Global Positionning System/Intertial Navigation System (GPS/INS), fibre-optic gyro (FOG) rate sensors and digital electronic compass inputs, and HF/VHF voice and data communications, and UHF and VSAT SATCOM. Off-board resources that the Cornerstone BMS can connect to to complete the tactical picture include other friendly vehicles, multi-sensor unattended ground sensors, and aerial sensors including AWACS radar data and uninhabited aerial vehicle (UAV) sensors, thereby greatly expanding target detection and classification range far beyond the tank's own sensor suite.
          The Cornerstone system processes navigation data, situational awareness and weapon system information in real-time using the lightweight extensible markup language (XML) protocol for fast assimulation of data. Cornerstone then fuses and distributes this data over two-way, jam-resistant, low detactable datalinks, allowing friendly ground, air and space assets to quickly share their battlespace situational awareness, intelligence, orders and communications across all echelons for faster and shorter sensor-shooter links and reduced fractricde risk. Cornerstone also connects the supply train, maintenance and engineering support to the combat unit allowing near-realtime monitoring of vehicle health, fault diagnostics, battle damage, fuel state and remaining ammunition for closer coordination, and faster and more efficient resupply.
          Cornerstone operates by using the on- and off-board data shared over datalinks to continiously update the tank's position and heading, and that of friendly and enemy targets, other sites and target locations (resolved from the fire control system) in eight-digit grid coordinate space overlaid on a Geographic Information System (GIS) terrain database. These overlays allow matching of topographic and geospatial information to terrain features, targets and sites on the battlefield. To navigate, and find and prosecute targets, the driver and other crew can select route planning, steer-to navigation, realtime fused sensor information, and can mark the GPS coordinates of targets, obstacles and locations on a digital moving map for instant sharing across the network. The system will display cues on tactical screens including waypoint, obstacle detection and collision alert cues (from the land navigation system), threat warning cues (from the laser-warning system integrated with the Defensive Aids Suite), and fire control cues (from the fire control suite.)
          The data that is processed by Cornerstone, including POSNAV data, all radio communications traffic, imagery from weapon sight sensor channels and every command entered by the crew, as well as telemetry from the vehicle management system, is stored to digital recorders. This can be played back later from each crew station or input into a simulator suite for post-mission review, mission planning, rehearsal and training. The digital recorders utilise mass storage arranged in a RAID 1 configuration. On early production tanks up to Tranche 3 these used robust mil-spec SATA-150 hard drives (with booting off flash drives for instant startup). From Tranche 4 onwards 160 GB Intel X25-M solid-state drives based on NAND memory chips are used which are non-volatile, silent, high density and operate at high temperatures.
Mobile Air/Ground Subscriber Network (MAGSNET): this provides publish-and-subscribe-style secure network connectivity and tactical datalinks using the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) architecture. MAGSNET uses the Synergy Electrodynamics JEWEL Waveguide modular wideband software defined radio set (SDRS) as its basis with the first two replaceable modules being a JTRS Cluster 1 vehicular and airborne radio and a Cluster 5 manpack/handheld radio. The JEWEL Waveguide antennas have a minimal visual signature with wire aerials embedded into the structure of the tank (along the turret and hull sides), and low profile SATCOM antenna mounted flush on the top deck of the hull.
          The JEWEL/JTRS radio sets are electronic countermeasure (ECM) resistant with anti-jam and anti-spoof features, frequency agile, low probability of detection (LPD) and low probability of interception (LPI) capable, and secured by encryption and compression algorithms. JTRS supports multiple radio waveforms in software, auto-configuration, bandwidth on demand, reach-back and beyond line-of-sight connectivity, and transmission interoperability between friendly, allied, legacy and commercial networks.
          The primary waveform implemented in JTRS Cluster 1 is the Wideband Networking Waveform (WNW), which is an IP-based 250 node self-organising network that connects at distances of up to 35 km. A number of other waveforms are also supported in software including MIL-STD-188-110A data modem, WiMAX tactical radio for voice, data and video line-of-sight connections out to 50 km, legacy Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) VHF/UHF AM and FM voice and data within a 10 x 25 km cell, HAVE QUICK II UHF AM military aircraft radio, Link-16 Multi-functional Information Distribution System/Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (MIDS/JTIDS), Delian League Common Datalink, L-band MK 12 Identification Friend of Foe (IFF), Enhanced Position Location Reporting System (EPLRS), MIL-STD-188-181B UHF SATCOM voice and datalink, and X-band Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) that communicates with Etoile Arcture's own X-Band Military Communication (XMILCOM) Satellite System. JTRS Cluster 5 tactical radio provide short range communications including Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW), Battlefield Combat Identification (BCID) and legacy SINCGARS radio waveforms.
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
The Cataphract main battle tank is equipped with fully digitized geolocation and day/night all-weather multi-channel optronics, indirect vision systems, through-sight cameras and direct view optics that are shared at all crew stations to enable the crew to fight effectively while under armour.
High elevation observation system: The MEERKAT observation system provides a high axis of observation up to 12 metres above the turret roof that can be used when hull down or in defilade, and can peer over obstacles including trees and buildings. The MEERKAT system is so-called because of its elevating boom that deploys and folds into the turret when stowed. The boom raises a sensor, consisting of a catadioptric or zero distortion omni-directional optical system that obtains a 360° field of view with a single lens camera positioned in a central camera-mirror axis. The catadioptric optrics comprise twin mirrors (catoptrics), and lenses (dioptrics) that have a 360° horizontal and 85° vertical field of view. A high resolution three-CCD camera collects stereo imagery from all azimuth directions from both viewpoints in a single image, which is processed by digital signal processors that unroll or flattens the distorted image using pixel mapping. The processed image is displayable at any crew station as a single 360° panoramic view around the tank.
Under-armour situational awarness:
Indirect vision system: This consists of two forward and two rear wide-angle all light level monochrome CCD cameras and five wide-angle cameras along the bottom of each tank skirt. The cameras each have laser-protected lenses and a mesh screen to protect them from mud, dirt, debris and rocks. These sensors can be shared by all crew at their stations, with each camera providing a 60° field of view centred 5° below the horizon and with overlapping fields of regard to provide full spherical 360° situational awareness around the tank to a range of 2 km.
Driver's primary viewing system/Commander's surviellance system: These viewing systems consist of laser-protected direct view unitary periscope clusters that provide a backup in case of damage or failure of the indirect vision system. The driver has a five periscope cluster on the cupola of his forward hull hatch providing 270° vision, and the commander is equipped with a eight periscope cluster on the turret providing 360° vision. Both use direct view optics with laser-protected lenses and are equipped with a rotating 0.9-to-1.7 micron near infra-red (NIR)/short wave infra-red (SWIR) microbolometer image intensifier. This provides passive night vision and thermal imaging controlled from their respective crew stations with a binocular-type sighting unit.
Driving lights: Dual high beam and low beam headlights are recessed into the upper glacis plate protected by ballistic-resistant high optical quality polycarbonate capsules and each fitted with a sliding blackout cover. Each headlight assembly consists of an integrated night-vision NIR/SWIR illuminator, a quad LED high lumens and a single LED low lumens visible white light projector, and are aligned by a single optic reflector for high accuracy of the beams. The white driving lights can be switched to a high, low or blackout beam, and the infra-red illuminator used in conjunction with periscope-mounted thermal viewers for night driving and observation.
LAYOUT
A cockpit-style fighting compartment is located in the centre hull offering full under armour protection, with situational awareness and drive-by-wire controls at Manpower and Personnel Integration (MANPRINT) digital crew stations. The crewing arrangement is of a tank commander (TC), tank driver (TD) and tank gunner (TG) with all three crew seated side-by-side for optimal crew communications in multi-adjustable automobile-style seats and secured by a five-point safety harness.
          The seats are designed to offer the least fatiguing seating angles for the 1st percentile female through the 99th percentile male (NATO) population range. Each seat has a folding foot rest and adjusts in three directions: sitting height, seat back angle and front-back distance. The seats have heated encapsulated carbonised fabric (ECF) seat covers and backrests, and are equipped with electronically-controlled Rheonetic magnetic fluid vibration/shock dampers for maximum ride comfort.
          The crew stations have a armoured 'bucket' of Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy plate to protect each crew member. To reduce fatigue and increase endurance all stations have individual microclimate environment control systems that supply chilled air to the crew, augmenting the integrated air conditioning inside the fighting compartment. Each station is also equipped with a 3 litre hydration bladder with bite-valve hose and facemask adaptor, a protective mask, 0.5 kg portable 40-BC dry chemical powder fire extinguisher and a tank bail out survival kit for each crewmember. An electronic active noise supression system maintains a 85-decibel ambient noise level inside the fighting compartment allowing crew to clearly hear each other over vehicle intercom and when communicating by voice radio.
Crew interface: There is one deadicated driver station (the left-most) with driver specific hardware, and two interconnected crew stations with duplicate instruments, controls and displays, with both stations capable of performing all functions required by either position. The man-machine interface is modelled on an aircraft flight deck 'glass cockpit'-style user interface of systems control panels with backup analogue controls. This consists of two full colour panoramic 20-by-50 cm multi-function touch display screens in rugged impact, shock and vibration resistant aluminium housings that provide realtime digitised information; and a 12-by-15 cm reprogrammable wireless touch tablet operating as a function keypad, free text entry device, or absolute pointing device for tasks such as gunnery and route planning.
          Graphic systems support MIL-STD-2525B symbols and provide software reconfigurable virtual control panels and status/situation displays. The driver station has deadicated controls, these being break pedals and a T-bar steering controller (a motorcycle-style twist grip with handledbar throttles, and transmission, parking break, push-to-talk communication and menu select switches.) The commander and gunner stations have a combination steering T-bar and gun laying control using twist grips to control the elevation, azimuth and traverse of the main gun.
          The TC and TG stations provide duplication and redundancy of their functions, these being fire control, gunnery, situational awareness and communications. All stations may transfer driving and gunnery functions by means of a master override control switch (a covered rocker switch on each system control panel) in the event of battle damage, crew injury, fatigue or demanning of the tank. A lockout safeguards functions being transfered while they are still in use at another station or from accidental activation. The touch displays are software reconfigurable so as to only display contextual information and controls relevant to crew members when transfering functions. This system allows any crew member to perform driving, fire control, gunnery and communications functions from their respective station. The crew wear helmet headsets that communicate over WiMAX wireless intercom.
          No external storage baskets are installed on the turret or hull so as to maintain a 'clean' low observable hull shaping. The fighting compartment contains a tank survival kit include a VP90 Velociraptor personal defence weapon for each crew member as well as survival items, flotation vests and a inflatable dingy, emergency beacons, Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) rations with integral water-activated exothermic chemical heaters, 3 litre Camelbak hdyration packs, and CBRN and first aid kits. The spacious fighting campartment provides stowage on wall and ceiling racks and is also fitted with a chemical toilet positioned near the ramp door. Pioneer tools including a stainless steel spade, pick, axe, tow bars, cables and bolt cutter, are mounted on the top deck behind the turret.
          A power inverter is fitted to the tank's 24 volt DC electrical system with outlets inside the fighting compartment for running 120 volt AC power household items. This allows use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) crew ammenities to enhance crew comfort and relieve fatigue while under armour. These include a 18 litre capacity thermoelectric cooler/freezer box and 1.7 litre rapid boil cordless electric kettle, as well as ruggerised Panasonic Toughbook computers, battery chargers and handheld rechargeable power tools issued to the crew.
 
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SELF PROTECTION
Ballistic protection: The Cataphract features a low profile monoque hull with a flat deck, a long and low profile turret, highly sloped glacing, wide and spaced side skirts, a blast-resistant hull with hollow V-shaped belly plate, a raised closed cell foam floor cavity, and multilayered turret roof armour. The main load-bearing structure is constructed from lightweight, mass efficient, extra-low interstitial (ELI) ballistic grade Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy armour offering superior resistance versus APFSDS penetrators at a significant 30-40% weight saving compared to rolled homogenous armour (RHA) steels.
          The titanium is produced using the electron beam single melt process with all raw material being sourced from recycled aerospace industry scrap titanium. The chassis is of all-welded construction including the sloped glacis plate and V-shaped belly plate. Passive armour arrays protect the hull sides and upper track consisting of perforated nickel-titanium (Nitinol) alloy skirts with elastic qualities to absorb multiple impacts, backed by a thin titanium alloy plate. These are covered by multi-hit resistant Non-Explosive Reactive Armour (NxRA) modules that provide protection against small arms, shrapnel, fragments, kinetic penetrators and shaped-charged warheads.
          The NxRA modules consist parallel perforated thin titanium alloy plates sandwiching a flexible sheet of non-explosive energetic material comprising microspheres of sodium nitrate (NaNO2) as an oxidizer, crystalized hematite (iron(III) oxide) (Fe2O3) as a catalyst and a silicone binder as a fuel. This filler reacts within microseconds to an impact with a vast generation of gas that accelerates/bulges the armour plates to exert a sheering force that disrupts/defeats penetrators and shaped-charge jets and protects the armour behind it, and without triggering adjacent modules.
          The armour suite provides all-round ballistic protection and consists of an applique of clamp-on modules of multi-hit ablative polymer-constrained titanium diboride ceramic tiles fastened into place for the track skirts, glacis plate and fighting compartment cover. Alternatively commercial Modular Expandable Armor System (MEXAS) or Advanced Modular Armor Protection (AMAP) ceramic modules certified to AEP 55 multi hit and STANAG 4569 Level 1-5 resistance may be used for battle repairs. The armour arrays are removeable for servicing, to reduce shipping weight for sea freighting, and to allow strategic deployability by airlift, rail and road transporter. Hardened attachment points are provided on the hull for use with Kinetic Energy Recovery Ropes (KERR) allowing battlefield recovery by another Cataphract tank or Military Load Class 70 (MLC70) engineering vehicle.
          The unmanned low profile turret is designed to increase survivability by presenting a minimum frontal silhouette (only 1.25 m2 when hull down compared to the 2.14 m2 of the Long Arm turret of the M8 Lariat 1A1L and M22A2HA Jackal) while maximising armour depth. The turret consists of a load bearing shell of wedge-shaped spaced titanium armour and lacks apertures (hatches) that would provide a weakened zone for top-attack weapons to exploit. The turret is in turn protected over the roof and along the 120° frontal arc by titanium-tungsten alloy tiles, and multi-hit Non-Explosive Reactive Armour (NxRA) modules to resist top-attack chemical energy (CE) munitions. All remaining areas are protected by slat armour to resist RPG attacks, including the turret sides, rear hull and rear drive sprockets. Intake and exhaust louvres are protected from Molotov cocktails. Steel mesh is fitted to the sights, periscopes, driving cameras, intakes and exhausts to protect from flying fragments and falling debris.
Armour package: In detail the standard hull armouring scheme consists of the following multi-level protection:
  1. Applique armour: multi-hit ablative constrained ceramic polymer matrix tiles of cellular design (such as MEXAS and AMAP) for easy replacement in the field.
  2. Cover plate: perforated superelastic nickel-titanium (Nitinol) alloy spaced plate array of varying hardness/thickness and internal angles to disrupt penetrating rounds and shaped charged jets, backed by multi-hit Non-Explosive Reactive Armour (NxRA) modules.
  3. Interlayer: lamina of titanium diboride-alumina (TiB2-Al2O3) ceramic granules in a carbon fibre reinforced epoxy resin matrix with a S2-glass/epoxy plastic composite backing to erode long-rods.
  4. Back plate: lamina of 5083 light aluminum alloy (MIL-A-46026) in an epoxy resin matrix with fibreglass backing.
  5. Special turret armour: titanium-tungesten alloy tiles.
  6. Base hull armour: extra-low interstitial (ELI) armour grade Ti-6Al-4V (MIL-A-46077) titanium alloy
  7. Fighting compartment cover: metallic-intermetallic laminate of titanium tri-aluminide (TiAl3Ti) metal matrix armour
  8. Neutron blocker: boron carbide (B4C)
  9. Spall liner: lamina of polycarbonate plastic backed with multi-ply high performing polyethylene such as Spectra Shield or Dyneema
  10. Anti-mine floor: closed cell aluminium foam with alloy steel backing plate
  11. Ballistic protection levels: 360° vs 12.7 mm AP/14.5mm AP, 30 mm AP-DU/40 mm APFSDS, 152/155 mm shell fragments, EFP rounds; 120° frontal arc vs 140 mm KE/125 mm CE, 84 mm HEAT; underside vs 10 kg TNT and EFP mines
Fighting compartment: Designed for high crew survivability it is located in the center of the tank for maximum protection of the crew, and is surrounded by honeycombed self-sealing diesel fuel cells that act like a spaced armour array filled with explosive supressant foam. The arrangement of the full-width engine block and transmission mounted at the front also offers additional protection.
          All three crew are seated in titanium armoured bucket seats in turn enclosed by a lightweight titanium tri-aluminide metal matrix armour ballistic tub with a Spectra-backed polycarbonate spall liner and steel-backed closed cell aliminium foam floor cavity to protect from forged fragment mines. Armoured steel bulkheads and firewalls seperate engine, ammunition and other compartments, and two pressure relief blow-out panels surround the main gun ammunition magazine in the turret bustle compartment to vent a blast upward and away from the hull in the event of a penetration or ammunition fire. External stowage bins and baskets are also eliminated to avoid fires from equipment or supplies set alight by bursting munitions. Electric drives and controls further minimise fire risk, and Spectronix infra-red fire detectors are fitted in the fighting compartment, engine bay, battery bays, and turret ammunition magazine. These automatically activate single or multiple 9 kg Halon 1301 fire and explosion supression extinguishers, or in the case of the fighting compartment non-toxic 3 kg HFC227-BC dry chemical fire extinguishers.
          A hybrid collective protection system provides continuous ventilation, filtered air to protective masks and automatic evacuation of fumes from the fighting compartment using electric air compressors. Crew hatches consist of a electrically-operated titanium alloy centre front hull sliding drivers hatch behind five periscopes above the highly sloped glacis plate, and a rear crew electro-hydraulic clamshell door/ramp modelled on the Merkava rear hatch. The latter has a thick ballistic shield of composite and spaced armour and also doubles as the emergency escape hatch using a manual hand-crank backup mechanism. To ensure safe emergency engress the ramp has a non-slip ridged surface for sure footing.

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M35A2 Cataphract shown with full length rubberised dust and radar skirt hung below side armour/track skirts

Signature management: The Cataphract has been designed to present a low visual, thermal, accoustic and radar signature to enhance its survability on the battlefield by making it difficult to detect and hit. The low profile hull and turret makes the Cataphract hard to detect visually at long range, and the composite structure of the passive armour arrays combined with careful shaping grant the tank a very low radar cross section (RCS).
          Thermal signature reduction measures include thermal insulation of the turret and hull, air cooling of the engine bay and exhausts, and use of oil-cooled permanent magnet electric motors and final drives, which all operate to ensure a very low thermal signature. These features also tropicalize the tank for operation in hot climates.
          High density power electronics and battery systems enable the tank to operate for extended periods fully immersed in water without need for a detactable snorkel mast, or entrenched over the turret roof except for an elevating sensor mast. Electromagnetic emmisions are carefully controlled, with low propability of intercept (LPI) radar and frequency agile/spread digital radio communications employed. Undetectable multi-band passive thermal and electro-optic sensors and a high speed/low detection lidar are used for fire control.
          Camouflage is applied to exterior surfaces in infra-red absorbant paint that breaks up the pattern of the tank when seen through thermal sensors. Doctrine demands minimal or confusing markings, generally a chevron and call sign designation, with different tanks often bearing the same tactical markings to confuse the enemy. "Gossamer" three-dimensional knitted camouflage netting is also issued that has near infra-red reflective and radar scattering qualities that can effectively conceal the tank from visual, thermal and radar detection when static. Rubberised track skirts hide the thermal and radar signatures of the road wheels and dust kicked up while moving. The upper third of each skirt is reinforced by a steel mesh that protects the road wheels from shaped-charged projectiles.
Individual protection: The Cataphract is designed to sustain operations in nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) environments offering high levels of protection to the crew. Base armour and composite appliques provide integral shielding against alpha, beta and gamma radiation, electro-magnetic pulse (EMP) and tramsient radiation effects on electronics (TREE), and the fighting compartment has a boron carbide liner that blocks lethal nuetron radiation.
          The tank is equipped with external and internal automatic battlefield NBC warning and reporting systems, each comprising a single integrated digital detector set with a DynaSensor chemical and biological warfare (CBW) agent ion-trap mass spectrometer, and a radioactivity detection indication and computation (Radiac) instrument measuring nuclear radiation from fallout and radioisotopes. The integrated sets are interfaced to the vetronics suite and operate when mobile or stationary providing realtime monitoring of environmental contamination, source location, measure and dose rates inside the fighting compartment, and provide threshold alarms and automatic reporting over datalinks to friendly decontamination units.
          When under armour the crew breath uncontaminated air supplied from a high-capacity central air filtration system that is part of a STANAG 4447 compliant chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) protection system. Air intakes are equipped with a rotating self-cleaning air filter featuring a pre-filter to remove coarse particulate matter and nuclear fallout particles, HEPA filters which remove fine particles down to 0.3 microns, and anti-vapour gas filters that remove chemical and radiac warfare agents. The environmental system maintains a 4 mbar (0.004 kp/cm2) overpressure in the fighting compartment using electric pumps to keep all outside air contaminates from infiltrating, either leaking through defective seals or whenever a hatch is opened.
          The microclimate environmental system at each crew station also supports collective ventilated face-mask protection for the crew when tied to a CBRN protection breathing circuit, and the crew will be warned to don their masks by audible and visual cues if the fighting compartment has been compromised or contominated.
          The tank is otherwise fully air and water sealed and capable of operating fully immersed (without the need for a snorkel) to a maximum depth of 5 metres with the main gun at maximum elevation when fording deep water courses or making amphibious beach assaults, and is ready to fight as soon as it resurfaces. The only preparation required is for the crew to shutter louvered air intakes, engine exhausts and dust ejection valves on the hull sides and inflate rubber seals on the turret ring and crew hatches. While immersed the tank operates soley on battery power, and there are two bilge pumps to remove any water that enters the vehicle.
DEFENSIVE AIDS SUITE
The Cataphract is equipped with a Ground Vehicle Dynamic Protection System (GVDPS) providing close in hemispherical protection against both kinetic energy (KE) and chemical energy (CE) threats. The system combines a mine protection system (MPS), soft-kill passive protection system (PPS) and hard-kill active protection system (APS) cued by networked threat warning recievers mounted on the hull and driven by powerful signal processors. The GVDPS suite is fully autonomous once activated, warning the crew of attack over their helmet intercom or by audio and visual cues at crew stations, shuttering all optical sights and rotating the folding sensor mast away from the threat when launching hard-kill countermunitions.
          The system uses hyperspectral imaging and a high energy laser to detect and defeat buried and roadside threats, and launches decoys and cues laser jammers to defeat enemy electro-optic, laser and radar acqusition systems to allow the crew to rapidly displace the tank away from a threat for hit avoidance. When under direct ballistic attack the system will launch as a last resort countermunitions to disrupt or defeat the incoming projectile and even override the crew to stop the tank automatically before a hit to best absorb the kinetic energy of the impact.
Mine Protection System: This system provides multi-layered defence designed to counter the asymetric threat posed by the improvised explosive device (IED), unexploded ordnance (UXO), land mines and other explosive hazards. The first layer of defence is a radio frequency (RF) jammer that defeats radio command detonation signals. The electronic countermeasure (ECM) operates continously in the 25 MHz to 2500 MHz frequency range and can jam all VHF and UHF transmitters, cellular phones, and even WiFi and Bluetooth signals.
          The second layer of defence is a countermine/IED suite mounted on the lower front hull, that detects buried munitions using a hyperspectral imaging sensor, and cues a air cooled, 500 watt, ytterbium-doped multi-core ribbon high energy fibre laser to induce low-order burning or deflagration reaction of the explosive threat at a stand-off distance from the hull.
          The hyperspectral imager consists of a focal plane array (FPA) visible light and long-wave infra-red (LWIR) imager and realtime image processor that can recognise subtle colour differences against a background indicating disturbed earth, sand, grass, etc, and warns the crew of a possible threat. The tank commander is then able to make the final decision whether to lase the threat to neutralise it, or to use his Overhead Remote Weapon Station (ORWS) to disrupt the threat with direct fire from a machine gun. The commander can also mark cleared lanes through minefields using GPS and diseminate that information to other tanks and higher echelons via the shared datalinks of the Battlefield Information Collection and Distribution System (BICDS).
Passive Protection System: This segment of the GVDPS suite comprises four all-bearing staring-type infra-red focal plane array laser warning recievers (LWR); five electro-optic (EO) trackers on the turret designed for instantaneous detection of laser rangefinders and designators, infra-red searchlights, missile launch signatures and even muzzle flashes; a omnidirectional discone antenna to detect millimetre wave (MMW) signals emanated by attacking missiles; and a accoustic detection system (ADS) that provides continious detection, classification and localization of small arms gunfire, mortar fire and rocket propelled grenade (RPG) firings.
          The system uses both lasers for dazzling missile guidance systems, and aerosols and smoke to obscure the tank from observation. The elctro-optic countermeasure (EOCM) suite consists of multi-band fibre laser bundles producing pulse coded directed energy to seduce or jam electro-optic or infra-red sensor heads through intense over-radiation. Single polarization flexible optical fibre arrays are embedded into the hull and turret by being woven into various locations, and are connected to the laser heads and optical systems inside the hull which generate the signals. Both a short-wave/long-wave pumped bulk holmium doped-fibre laser, and a long-wave Tm: silica fibre laser pumped ZGP (zinc germanium phosphide) OPO (optical parametric oscillator) array are used.
          Four banks of reloadable 76 mm expendable countermeasures (EXCM) dischargers on either side of the turret provide 360° protection from multiple threats with various munitions, and are fired out to 30-50 metres in single rounds or salvoes. Ammunition types include particulate smoke rounds, multi-band aerosol obscurants and decoy flares for passive deception; chaff decoys to deceive terminal guidance radar seekers; and anti-personnel fragmentation (APF) rounds for close-in protection against dismounted infantry.
Active Protection System: The sensor iniated hard-kill system provides a last ditch point defence from incoming munitions and is cued by conformal Doppler X-band Thin Radar Array (XTRA) panels on the turret that search for, classify and track threat signatures, operating within 500 metres of the hull to avoid detection. The radar can track missile velocity and direction within an accuracy of ±1millirad and incorporates a multi-band Electronic Counter-Countermeasure (ECCM) utilising digital polarization cancellation to prevent noise jamming and spoofing by Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) carried by an attacking anti-tank guided missile.
          The hard-kill system comprises a Allis-Chalmers Corporation CQ-29/E mast-deployed recoiless countermunition launcher that performs all-aspect 360° defeat of close-in kinetic attacks including long rods, shaped-charged warheads, top-attack explosively formed penetrators and artillery submunitions. The kill mechanism is a shaped pattern canister round which offers a high probability to hit and well defined safe zones to minimise the fratricide risk to accompanying troops. The system has a reaction time of 0.01 seconds and a maximum intercept period of 0.5 seconds. The explosive charge has a propagation velocity of 2,000 m/s and detonates at a fixed 50 metre stand off distance from the hull.
          Threats are disrupted through shattering or by yaw/displacement off trajectory so it does not strike armour with its full energy. Even if an incoming round is not fully defeated tank base armour and reactive armour provides protection against residual fragments surviving a hard kill detonation. To minimise the fratricide risk to nearby personnel the APS segment only reacts to hostile incoming fire and will ignore small calibre projectiles, artillery fragments, slow-flying objects such as pieces of earth, or targets outside of the 50 metre envelope.
MOBILITY
The Cataphract is powered by the Synergy Electrodynamics Rampowerpack, a compact and high performing integrated power pack enclosing a fuel efficient simple-cycle gas turbine prime power unit, electro-mechanical transmission (EMT), direct drive permanent magnet (PM) brushless alternator/generator, planetary gearbox, high density power storage, electro-hydraulic break system, air filters, electric fan cooling system and radiators, with high temperature operating components used throughout. The PM generator feeds a distribution system, pulsed power system and decoupled independent in-hub PM electric drives operating as part of a series parallel hybrid system.
          The power pack and transmission are transversely mounted to maximise internal space in the forward hull as well as providing additional protection to the crew over the frontal arc. The engine bay and the exhausts are air cooled by mixing fresh air with vented exhaust gas to reduce thermal signature and strain on the engine. The complete powerpack, transmission and cooling system has quick-disconnect couplings and is mounted on a skate frame for easy removal from the engine bay via a access hatch and removal of applique modular armour arrays. The Rampowerpack has its own Built-In Test (BIT)/Fault Isolation Test (FIT) prognostics and diagnostics, integrating with the Engine Control Unit (ECU) and Vehicle Management System (VMS) to report faults and battle damage to nearby recovery and repair vehicles via secure datalink.

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Advanced supersonic component engine showing:
  • Rotating supersonic compressors
  • High velocity flow combustor
  • Rotating supersonic expanders
  • Direct drive high speed permanent magnet electric generator/motor
Power pack: The prime power unit is the Synergy Electrodynamics RAP-6A Ramcyclone engine, a 1,609 hp (1,200 kW) simple-cycle advanced supersonic component engine (ASCE) that successfully combines the form factor, displacement and maintenance attributes of a gas turbine with the efficiency, fuel economy and logistics footprint of a reciprocating diesel engine. The RAP-6A unit is configured with twin two-stage counter-rotating supersonic compressors and twin two-stage rotating expanders coupled with a high velocity flow combustor, using the shock wave compression and expansion systems commonly employed in supersonic flight inlet and nozzle designs with turbo-machinery practices employed in conventional axial flow gas turbines.
          The RAP-6A can withstand the ballistic shock effects from enemy tank rounds striking armour without stalling, and the engine design is key to reducing the tank's logistic footprint as it reduces fuel demand by half and overall tonnage in the supply train by a quarter with the effect of halving the number of fuel trucks and fuel depots required. The RAP-6A is a multi-fuel engine and can be operated on diesel or biodiesel, any grade of gasoline, kerosene, or JP-1 jet fuel for maximum versatality. The fuel system includes honeycombed diesel fuel cells surrounding the fighting compartment holding approximately 1,700 litres of fuel, and up to two 300 litre capacity drum-type armoured fuel tanks that gravity feed into the fuel cells granting an additional 200 km in cruising range. These latter tanks are mounted on jettisonable racks on the rear of the hull with quick-disconnect connections to the main fuel supply.
          The electrical system is based around a Genista Electrosystems GENSET-4C Rules high speed direct drive 550 hp (410 kW) oil-cooled permanent-magnet (PM) brushless DC motor/generator that is coupled directly to the RAP-6A engine. The GENSET-4C Rules runs at almost constant speed, providing near constant charge to batteries and power to distribution systems. This includes twin 325 kW/h high density Lithium-metal polymer (LMP) battery packs in the hull, the turret capacitor banks of the pulsed power system of the ETC main gun, as well as providing transient power to the electric drive train, and a mobile generator set (genset) with external DC power outlets for exportable power to tools and services. All power is distributed by high efficiency silicon carbide (SiC) cascode circuit electrical switching over 600-volt power flex bus flat cables. The cables also act as long capacitors with low inductance to minimise electromagnetic interference.
          The series parallel hybrid-electric power pack offers continuous power in all terrains and conditions, including instantaneous start-up for rapid combat displacement, instant acceleration, regenerative breaking on battery power, and sustained cross-country performance on prime power. Prime power is mainly used during steady state driving where the least amount of fuel is consumed and electric power is also used for transient conditions when moving and idling. The electrical system draws directly from the GENSET-4C Rules generator and obviates the need for a separate starter motor and under-armour auxillary power unit.
          Silent watch and mobility, and instant start-up and acceleration is possible on battery power, also granting the vehicle a low radar, accustic and thermal signature whenever employed. The generator also offers a very low minimum speed. Software controlled power management allows power source control, battery monitoring, distributed load switching and load status monitoring, and manual or automatic power reduction. The electric drives produce very low thermal, visual and noise signatures and grant the Cataphract its high mobility, range and combat endurance.
Drive train: A Renk REX-1200i variable torque intelligent electro-mechanical transmission (EMT) system is coupled with a planetary gearbox in the main power cascade and hydrostatic gearbox incorporated in the steering mechanism. The electric transmission has few mechanical parts using lightweight and low volume electromechanical linkages to transfer power from engine to the sprocket at high efficiencies. The Renk REX-1200i unit features single stage gear reduction with a differential and mechanical parking lock, and allows full power over the entire engine speed for greater acceleration, slope climbing, and running at constant RPM for better fuel economy.
          Twin oil-cooled PM-drive motors of 847.5 bhp (632 kW) maximum power rating independently power each of the drive sprockets via the final drive gears. These use power conditioning units (PCU) based on silicon carbide (SiC) high speed switches to match the requirements of the traction motors. The decoupled drives also provide the tactical flexibility of self-recovery off the battlefield on a single track.
          The track suspension consists of externally mounted third-generation Horstman hydrogas variable spring rate wheel stations using nitrogen gas for the pneumatic springs and hydraulics for the fluid dampers. The running gear is made of seven rubber-tired double aluminium alloy road wheel pairs, alloy steel front drive sprockets and rear idlers, and four return roller pairs. The first, second, third, sixth and seventh road wheel stations are provided with hydraulic shock absorbers.
          The track consists of steel double-pin tracks and rubber-bashed track shoes with detachable rubber track pads which offer a long operational life and low noise signature over metalled roads. For cross country mobility full width steel grouser bars can be fitted to the track shoes which penetrate most soils and prevent track slip over soft surfaces such as sand, snow, mud and marsh. For mobilty over hard surfaces, such as ice, tundra, permafrost, rock and hard compacted earth, the track pads are replaced with X-shaped metallic crampons for increased traction force. Track tension is adjusted automatically for different types of terrain using a hydraulic system controlled from the drivers station. Rubberized dust/snow skirts can be fitted on the hull sides, and there are extended front fenders and rear mud flaps.
          A lightweight small diameter mechanical cross-shaft interconnects both sprockets allowing power to be transferred between tracks for tighter and faster combat manoeuvring, and regenerative turning and braking that recovers excess energy to the battery system. The maximum tractive force is approximately 300 kN at the sprocket, with the system delivering maximum torque even at zero speed. These offer infinite variable traction forces and slip control for driving and steering, allowing rapid pitch changes in direction and pivoting for superior mobility to traverse all terrain conditions including no-go terrain for other tanks at high speed. In concert with active control track tensioning and ride height control, using electronic rate and angle sensors to smooth out the action, the suspension delivers a superior level of traction, climbing and acceleration performance.
 
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