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A CAPTURED TIGER 
It seems like it’s about time for a #TankTwitter thread, so today we will talk about the first, largely intact, Tiger I captured by the Allies.
The Tiger I was a heavy tank that provided Hitler’s army with the first armored fighting vehicle to feature a mounted 88mm gun. It was big and scary, and it was expensive, both to build and to maintain, which is partly why only a little over 1300 were built.
Lots of people note that hard kill APS rarely have more than 2-4 rounds available on each aspect, ever wondered why? A(nother) thread!
When you look at projectile APS, most have 2-4 rounds (either ready rounds like an Iron Fist, or reloads like a Trophy). There are some exceptions, QuickKill had 8+ but that single pod covered all aspects, versus 2 or 3 per aspect on more traditional systems. So, 2-4 is the norm.
Even non projectile systems tend to trend around here. StrikeShield/ADS has 2 per pod with adjacent pods able to defend one another, so again in the 2-4 window, give or take.
Discussions over the weekend around oft overlooked fact that M1 remains one of few Western tanks to use hydraulic turret drive, where essentially all peer AFV designs have migrated to all-electric
A short thread on the actual dangers of hydraulic drive, and a trope along the way
A short thread on the actual dangers of hydraulic drive, and a trope along the way
Tank turrets are really heavy – 26 tonnes for an M1 Abrams – and need to move fast to traverse weapons and respond to fine control commands for stabilisation. As a result hydraulic systems were for a long time the norm for control
If you want a primer on hydraulics, this website has a nice set of guides fpsindia.net/how-do-hydraul…
Cummins awarded an $87m contract to finalise the Advanced Combat Engine (ACE), a modular and scalable opposed piston 2-stroke diesel engine solution, capable of hybridization. Doesn't sound immediately exciting, but ACE is actually pretty cool - read on to see why!
Sitting within the Advanced Powertrain Demonstrator effort, headlines are that Cummins claims it provides a 50% increase in power density, (same power in smaller form) a 20% reduction in heat rejection, and 13% improved fuel efficiency. Add in 10x more electrical power generation
OP engines are so attractive the US Army said "The Army studied engine architectures for over 20 years and based on thousands of hours of testing independently concluded that the [OP] architecture is the superior platform on which to base the future of combat vehicle propulsion."
Given the popularity of the topic around the AJAX problems, a brief summary of whole-body vibration (WBV) and why it's a problem. In short and to the surprise of no one, shaking a human rapidly and for a long time is bad, but can also be really bad.
Perhaps moreso than usual a disclaimer - this is Twitter, I dont have much space and some things are simplified or omitted for simplicity. I'm not a Dr or human factors specialist and this is a hugely complex science, I’m just giving a flavour of the topic. That out of the way...
So, what is WBV? UK Health & Safety Executive are rather interested in it, and define as shown. In essence, something vibrating your whole body, obviously.
As an occupant of any vehicle you are subject to WBV, the frequency and severity of vibrations are v important
As an occupant of any vehicle you are subject to WBV, the frequency and severity of vibrations are v important
MOBILIZATION
“Mobilization” is not just about increasing the size of the Army. In the context of this series, it is the process of reallocating “a nation’s resources for the assembly, preparation, and equipping of forces for war.”
“Mobilization” can mean slightly different things nowadays, but we can come back to that later.
First, you may accuse me of bias right from the start. I am an unabashed Paratrooper. And if you want to write me off now, don’t waste your time reading on. But for the rest of you…
About once a month, someone will punch their “edgy miltwitter” card with a “Airborne Ops are obsolete” post. Fights break out, talks of “everyone’s a leg on the ground” “When was the last REAL jump, not the 173rd Photo shoot” “My buddy on the DZ said it was already secured”
Following up on my bar armour thread (bit.ly/3h8nZIV), a shortish primer on explosive Reactive armour (ERA). Other reactive armours (NxRA, NERA, SLERA, Electric) to follow another day. No exciting tropes to quash like bar armour, but perhaps some useful nuance to offer.
Usual disclaimer - this is Twitter, I don’t have much space and so some things are simplified or omitted for simplicity. This is a hugely complex science; I’m just giving a flavour of the considerations inherent in AFV design. With that out the way…
Discovered by Manfred Held in early 70s, ERA is simple and elegant. In basic form, a pair of steel plates sandwich a layer of high explosive. This sandwich is typically housed in a mild steel box to protect against damage and provide standoff from the vehicle hull as appropriate
APS are a step change capability in the world of protection, offering high probability defence against ATGM and RPG threats. However, reliable defence against kinetic energy APFSDS long rod penetrators remains challenging. A thread on why #miltwitter #tanktwitter
A successful APS defeat is the result of a sequence of key events – detection, tracking, intercept. Each of these is uniquely challenging when facing an APFSDS threat compared with an ATGM or RPG.
Detection of the APFSDS launch against the host platform is straightforward - optical sensors can detect the substantial infrared and thermal flare from a tank gun firing, and due to APFSDS being direct fire line of sight weapon it will always be in view of the defended platform
A few tweets recently had people raise usual objections around the point of #Boxer’s modular ‘pod’ design, with separate mission and drive modules, so I thought an educational journey on some of what this approach brings to the table that other vehicles don’t might be interesting
(𝟭) 𝗨𝗽𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀: Users should be continuously enhancing their kit through life to maintain capability. Some might be full platform upgrades (MLU type stuff) but most are smaller component level or variant specific. Maybe a new transmission, or a new set of IFV sights
So when that upgrade comes along, you normally end up expensively (rime + money) requalifying a staggering number of often notionally irrelevant components and systems because of their adjacency in the vehicle.
Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) was an attempt to do something truly remarkable and failed horribly. But always a cracker to revisit and look at what was almost achieved when someone left the USMC unattended and they dared to dream #miltwitter #tanktwitter #usmc #EFV
EFV has a long and confused history under several earlier guises including the Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAAV) but in essence from the 1970s had been seeking to find a modern high speed replacement for the venerable AAV-7A1 family of amphibious assault vehicles
The original requirements were, in honesty, just mad. 3 crew & 17(!) dismounts, 30mm stabilised turret, water speed of >25kts and a range of 400km (though notional mission was 46km swim over the horizon). On land, peer mobility to an M1A1 and 550 km range with high survivability
Spent a bit more time getting our @JanesINTEL piece on the Dutch CV9035NL MLU pulled together last week (bit.ly/2M7qQs1), and I think its worth a thread to highlight just how bloomin' fantastic both the specific vehicle and the programme are. #tanktwitter #miltwitter
As widely reported, 122 CV9035NL (+ 6 driver training vehs) being upgraded for c. USD582m. Upgrade is a comprehensive MLU installing digital backbone (essentially upgrading to CV90 Mk IV standard) and a full turret swap. (Sound familiar? More on the WCSP comparison at the end)
Headline features. Gun unchanged, still the Bushmaster III 35 mm, which is sensible as that remain a very capable gun and could be upgraded to 50 mm supershot downstream. It has been repositioned in the turret for better balance and ergonomics, and ammo feeds and storage improved
1 of 19: TANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE
You crazy for this one, #TankTwitter
The Battle of the Bulge was among the largest tank battles in US history.
[If you are here seeking something other than straightforward analysis of a historical event, please look elsewhere]
You crazy for this one, #TankTwitter
The Battle of the Bulge was among the largest tank battles in US history.
[If you are here seeking something other than straightforward analysis of a historical event, please look elsewhere]
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After the war, a narrative developed that American tank units (7th, 9th, 10th Armored Divisions, in particular) overcame a German tank superiority in the Battle of the Battle.
After the war, a narrative developed that American tank units (7th, 9th, 10th Armored Divisions, in particular) overcame a German tank superiority in the Battle of the Battle.
[3 of 19] We'd like to put that idea to the test.
We've discussed Kampfgruppe Peiper outmaneuvering our tanks early on with the newest German tank, the 70-ton Tiger II.
The remaining German forces had the Tiger I and Panzers.
We've discussed Kampfgruppe Peiper outmaneuvering our tanks early on with the newest German tank, the 70-ton Tiger II.
The remaining German forces had the Tiger I and Panzers.
A few thoughts on belly loading. No, not our collective plans for the xmas period, a primer on the science behind allowing the belly of a vehicle to contact the terrain, and the implications therein to mobility (spoiler: its always bad) #AFVaDay #miltwitter #tanktwitter
Usual disclaimer - this is Twitter, I don’t have much space and so some things are simplified or omitted for simplicity. This is a hugely complex science; I’m just giving a flavour of the considerations inherent in AFV design. With that out the way…
Another outwardly unexciting concept, but actually quite critical to off road performance. Belly loading is the condition where the tracks have sunk in terrain to the extent that the belly of the vehicle is now partially or fully resting on the terrain
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Tuesday, September 19th 1944
D+2
Keep in mind, the operation is now more than a day and a half behind schedule.
Tuesday, September 19th 1944
D+2
Keep in mind, the operation is now more than a day and a half behind schedule.
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Early morning: excitement at Son as the sappers of the 14th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers finish the Bailey bridge over the Wilhelemina Canal. [Bailey bridge = a portable, pre-fabricated military bridge] [this is a representation of a Bailey bridge]
Early morning: excitement at Son as the sappers of the 14th Field Squadron, Royal Engineers finish the Bailey bridge over the Wilhelemina Canal. [Bailey bridge = a portable, pre-fabricated military bridge] [this is a representation of a Bailey bridge]
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An enormous convoy of XXX Corps vehicles, held up all night with the bridge out, comes to life and begins crossing the Bailey Bridge. The column starts moving out at a good pace [speed was always essential here]
An enormous convoy of XXX Corps vehicles, held up all night with the bridge out, comes to life and begins crossing the Bailey Bridge. The column starts moving out at a good pace [speed was always essential here]
Having done mobility concepts to death of late, I thought it interesting to do a short thread on vehicle armour, specifically statistical armour (bar and mesh mainly) and tackling a few tropes around it. #miltwitter #tanktwitter #AFVaDay
Usual disclaimer - this is Twitter, I don’t have much space and so some things are simplified or omitted for brevity. This is a hugely complex science, I’m just giving a flavour of some of the considerations inherent in AFV design. With that out the way…
What is bar armour? Also called slat/cage/mesh/net armour, its one of a range of methods collectively called statistical armour, so called as it presents a statistical likelihood of defeating a specific projectile type
Part 7 of my Running Gear series, today looking at track types. The series is looking at all the bits of tracked vehicle mobility and started here (bit.ly/30596QZ) if you want to follow the threads. Hope its interesting.
Usual disclaimer - this is Twitter, I don’t have much space and so some things are simplified or omitted for simplicity. This is a hugely complex science; I’m just giving a flavour of the considerations inherent in AFV design. With that out the way…
Track comes in two flavours – single pin and double pin. Broadly speaking, double pin is the contemporary norm for most of the world, though there are plenty of single pin examples in service, especially in Russia where two pin is relatively new still
Chapter 14: American Bloodline
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Welcome back! We’re going to start with a little recap because we know some of this (or all of it) is new material for much of our audience and we want to make it easier to enjoy.
Welcome back! We’re going to start with a little recap because we know some of this (or all of it) is new material for much of our audience and we want to make it easier to enjoy.
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We’ve talked about the Army adopting the Pentomic concept in the late 1950s. The term “Pentomic Division” was used to represent the new structure, containing five subordinate units, with the purpose of maintaining functionality across domains.
We’ve talked about the Army adopting the Pentomic concept in the late 1950s. The term “Pentomic Division” was used to represent the new structure, containing five subordinate units, with the purpose of maintaining functionality across domains.
Part 6 of my Running Gear series, today looking at tracked suspension. The series is looking at all the bits of tracked vehicle mobility and started here (bit.ly/30596QZ) if you want to follow the threads. Hope its interesting.
Usual disclaimer - this is Twitter, I don’t have much space and so some things are simplified or omitted for simplicity. This is a hugely complex science; I’m just giving a flavour of the considerations inherent in AFV design. With that out the way…
Whilst there have been many historic suspension designs, contemporary AFV almost exclusively use either torsion bar or hydro pneumatic (hydrogas) systems, so I'm looking at those here. Historic stuff perhaps another day!
Part 4 of my Running Gear series, today looking at sprockets. The series is looking at all the bits of tracked vehicle mobility stuff and started here (bit.ly/30596QZ) if you want to follow the threads. Hope its interesting.
Usual disclaimer - this is Twitter, I don’t have much space and so some things are simplified or omitted for simplicity. This is a hugely complex science; I’m just giving a flavour of the considerations inherent in AFV design. With that out the way…
The sprocket is the toothed wheel that transfers drive from the transmission and final drives to the track itself. Teeth on the sprocket engage with the track links at each end – holes in the body of the track for single-pin, and between the end connectors for double-pin.
Part 3 of my running gear series, today looking at track return rollers. The series is looking at all the bits of a tracked vehicle mobility stuff and started here (bit.ly/30596QZ) if you want to follow the threads.
Usual disclaimer - this is Twitter, I don’t have much space and so some things are simplified or omitted for simplicity. This is a hugely complex science; I’m just giving a flavour of the considerations inherent in AFV design. With that out the way…
Track can be supported or unsupported as it transits the top run. If supported, several track return rollers (or top rollers) are used. They prevent track bouncing/slapping and help to avoid lateral movements that could see a de-track incident via engagement with the track horns
Part 2 of my Running Gear series, today looking at roadwheels. The series is looking at all the bits of a tracked vehicle mobility stuff and started here (bit.ly/30596QZ) if you want to follow the threads. Hope its interesting.
Usual disclaimer - this is Twitter, I don’t have much space and so some things are simplified or omitted for simplicity. This is a hugely complex science; I’m just giving a flavour of the considerations inherent in AFV design. With that out the way…
An AFV is really a wheeled vehicle, it just brings its own road with it to run on. Roadwheels bear the weight of the vehicle and are the primary interface with the track and thus terrain
What started as a brief thread on running gear rapidly got out of hand, so instead I’m doing a series of short threads on the major elements of tracked vehicle running gear design and the component parts, what variance there is and why. First a short introductory thread on tracks
Usual disclaimer - this is Twitter, I don’t have much space and so some things are simplified or omitted for simplicity. This is a hugely complex science; I’m just giving a flavour of the considerations inherent in AFV design. With that out the way…
Continuous track dates to 1830s with one of the first patents being the ‘universal railway” invented by Sir George Cayley. In 1832 a tracked steam ploughing engine was built by British textile manufacturer John Heathcote and was moderately successful until it sank into a swamp.
With the news of @DefenseSoucy teaming with @SupacatLtd for the UK, a few cool facts showing why CRT technology is awesome. (Note: this thread comes off a bit advertorial but its just that the tech is undeniably impressive and Soucy are the leaders in this field)
CRT for those new to the tech is Composite Rubber Track (“rubber band tracks” colloquially) and is an alternative to conventional steel segmented track. Consists of a single piece composite track, with new running gear components (roadhweels, idler, sprokcet etc)
Called composite for a reason, its not actually just a giant rubber band, but a continuously cased rubber band structure reinforced with a range of composite materials as well as longitudinal and lateral steel cords.
