AMX-30 , ARV, AVLB, SPAAG and variants
Type: main battle tank.
Crew :4 men.
Armament :a 105 mm gun; a 20 mm cannon or a 12.7 mm machine gun in the axis of the main armament (see text); a 7.62 mm machine gun on the command cupola; 2 smoke launcher tubes on each side of the turret.
Shielding :maximum 50 mm (estimated).
Dimensions :
length (overall):9.48 m;
length (hull) :6.59 m;
width :3.1m;
height (overall):2.85 m.
Weight in combat order :36 t.
Ground pressure :0.77 kg/cm2.
Engine :HS-110 12 cyl water-cooled polyfuel, developing 700 hp at 2,400 rpm.
Performance:
speed :65 km/h;
autonomy :650km;
vertical obstacle 0.93 m;
clean cut :2.9 m;
slope 60%.
Tservice time: introduced in 1967 in the French army. Also used by Saudi Arabia, Spain, Greece, Iraq, Libya, Morocco, Peru and Venezuela; on order for Qatar. The sale in Chile was refused.
After the Second World War France put into production in a very short time, three combat vehicles:the light tank AMX-13, the heavy armored car 8x8 Panhard EBR and the heavy tank AMX-50.
Among other interesting features, this last vehicle showed a hull and suspension very similar to those of the PzKpfw V Panther of which the French used a number during the immediate post-war period. The AMX50 featured an oscillating turret, also adopted for the AMX-13 tank. Early AMX-50s mounted a 90mm gun which would give way to a 100mm later. finally, to a 120 mm. There was a time when it was thought to launch the production of the AMX-50 but the whole program was canceled because a large number of American M47s were available under the terms of the Military Aid Program (MAP)
In 1956, France, Germany and Italy established the specifications for a new MBT for the 1960s. same general specifications; the prototypes would be subjected to the same tests in front of the same experts and the best tank would be manufactured in the two countries to equip the three armies. But, like many international initiatives that were to follow in this field, this joint program for the production of armored vehicles ended in a fishtail:France ended up building its own AMX-30 and Germany its Leopard
The AMX-30 leaves the Atelier de Construction de Roenne, a government enterprise and the only major tank producer in France. The first production AMX-30s were completed in 1966 and entered service the following year. Today, the machine has completely replaced the M47 in the French army and has been exported to many countries. The total production figure to date has not been made public, but it is estimated at some 2,000 units. The hull of the AMX-30 is an assembly of cast and wrought steel while the turret is cast in one piece. The driver is seated in the front left, the other three crew members are installed in the turret. The tank commander and the gunner have their posts in the right part, the loader in the left part. The power unit and the transmission assembly, at the rear of the hull, can be changed as a unit and this work takes less than an hour. The suspension is of the torsion bar type and consists of five road wheels, the sprocket at the rear, the idler wheel at the front and five support rollers which support the inside face of the track. The main armament of the AMX30 is a 105 mm cannon of French design and manufacture which points + 200 at -8°. and covers 360° of azimuth with assisted control for both firing sectors. A 12.7 mm machine gun or a 20 mm cannon is mounted to the left of the main armament.
This weapon is distinguished by its ability to cover, independently of the main armament. positive site of 45° maximum. pointing that allows its use against low-flying aircraft and helicopters. The command cupola is surmounted by a 7.62 mm which can be served from the inside. Two smoke canister tubes are placed on each side of the turret. The ammunition load is 50 rounds of 105 mm, 600 of 127 mm and 1,600 of 7.62 mm. The 105 mm can use five types of ammunition:HEAT, HE, smoke, illuminating, training The HEAT shell is the only anti-tank projectile in the staffing; it weighs 22 kg ready to fire, its initial speed is 1,000 m/sec and it perforates 360 mm of armor at 0° incidence. The other armored vehicles of this class have two. sometimes three types of anti-tank ammunition eg HESH, APDS and HEAT. The design of the French HEAT shell differs from that of other shaped charge projectiles and the French claim their ammunition capable of casting a spell on any tank the AMX-30 is likely to encounter on the battlefield. The other HEATs are fired by a rifled cannon which gives them a rapid rotational movement; the French HEAT, on the other hand. features a shaped charge mounted on ball bearings so that the outer casing behaves like that of other HEAT projectiles but the rotation of the charge itself is much slower. LAMX-30 can ford up to 2 m without preparation.
A schnorckel can fit over the outfitter's hatch, increasing the tank's capabilities in deep fording to 4m. An infrared driving device is part of the standard equipment. as well as an IR projector on the command dome, another IR projector of the same type to the left of the main armament and a protection set for NBC atmosphere. On export, the AMX-30 can be delivered without NBC assembly or night vision equipment and with a much less sophisticated cupola. A special model, manufactured for Saudi Arabia, bears the designation AMX30 S and features a laser range finder, sand shields and an advanced transmission assembly.
The AMX-30 knows also several experimental models and subsequent versions are already in production or in service. The AMX-30D, recovery tank. takes four crewmen (commander, driver and two mechanics). This machine has a bulldozer blade mounted at the front of the hull, a crane (hydraulically operated) and two winches, one with a power of 35 t, the other with a power of of 4 t.
The armament consists of a 7.62 mm machine gun under a cupola and smoke canister tubes. The bridge-laying version carries a walkway with folding spans which, when open, allow crossing excavations up to 20 m wide; this model is served by a three-man crew (commander, bridge manager and driver).
Yet another version of the AMX-30 carries and launches the French-designed “Pluton” tactical nuclear missile. The missile, placed in firing position by an erector mechanism, has a maximum useful range of 100 km. Today in service with the French army, the “Pluton” replaces the “Honest John” missiles supplied by America.
A DCA version is in production for South Africa; it is equipped with two twin 30 mm guns and an all-weather fire control. This machine was not adopted by the French army because it already uses the AMX-13 anti-aircraft tank, equipped with a similar turret. Saudi Arabia has also ordered a surface-to-air missile system called "Shahine", a development of the "Crotale" system currently in service in the French air force and in a number of other armies. The "Rattlesnake" set groups two reit, AMX-30 cules; the first carries 6 missiles in the "ready to launch" position while another tank mounts the surveillance and tracking radar.
The French army has also modified the AMX-30 to silence the carrier of the "Roland" ground-air system:2 missiles are in firing position, 8 others in reserve inside The possibilities of the "Roland 1" were limited by weather conditions but the "Roland 2" is an all-weather system. The "Roland", jointly developed by France and Germany, is now adopted by the United States and Norway.