H5 Oliphaunt

H5 Oliphaunt
Type	Main battle tank
Place of origin	Gaellicia Seylos
Service history
In service	1987-present
Production history
Unit cost	$1.39 million (1993) $2.92 million (2023)
Specifications
Weight	47 t
Length	7.51 m (24 ft 8 in) hull 10.62 m (34 ft 10 in) with gun forward
Width	3.3 m (10 ft 10 in) 3.6 m (11 ft 10 in) with appliqué armour
Height	2.48 m (8 ft 1.64 in)
Crew	4 (commander, gunner, loader and driver)
Armor	Gambeson
Main armament	120 mm smoothbore gun 120 mm rifled gun
Secondary armament	Jakosinné TGM 77 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun (Mk. 4)
Engine	MacNamera Motors supercharged diesel engine 1,100 hp (820 kW) at 2,300 rpm
Power/weight	23.4 hp/t
Transmission	automatic
Suspension	helical spring
Ground clearance	50 cm (1 ft 8 in)
Fuel capacity	1,130 litres (249 imperial gallons; 299 US gallons)
Operational range	550 km (340 mi)
Speed	61.2 km/h (38.0 mph).

The H5 Oliphaunt is a third generation Gaellician-Seylosian main battle tank designed and produced as a private venture by MacNamera Heavy Industries. The name Oliphaunt is a nod to the preceding H Series Tanks, as well as a tribute to Axaemenid history and mythology.

History

Following the success of the H3 tank, the defense design division of MacNamera Heavy Industries began work on a new H series tank variant. A future need for a more heavily armed tank was anticipated leading to the beginning of design work in 1976 as a private venture. Initially the design began as a variant of the H3, the most significant changes being the addition of improved armor on the turret face, and the replacement of the H3's 105mm gun with an 120mm rifled gun. Additional 120mm armed H3 variants were iterated upon but all remained confined to paper.

In 1978, work began on a fresh H series tank. Designated the H4, the new tank would utilize the same hull and chassis as the H3, but the turret would be an entirely new design. The turret consisted of a welded steel design, with appliqué armor plates. The design also incorporated explosive reactive armour on the tank hull.

The MA100 Tigranedear was built by Avtob as a licensed copy of the Tagmatine Medium Tank Mark VII Tityos. The retirement of the Tigranedear was not officially announced when MacNamera began development on the Oliphaunt, however, independent experts concluded that Gaellicia could not continue to use it in front line service past the 1980s. While designing the H5, MacNamera gambled that Gaellicia would seek a new MBT to replace the B100 platform.

Concurrently, MacNamera anticipated that there would be a need in the next decade for a new main battle tank for the Ríogan Army, whose MA100 Tigranedear tanks were aging and nearing obsolescence. In answer to this anticipation, work was begun on a new third generation MBT intended for Gaellicia and peer nations. Initially, this tank was not intended to be a part of the H series, instead being referred to as the 3GMBT.

In 1980, MacNamera concluded that the H3 platform was suitable for extensive through life support and upgrades, negating most of the purpose of the H4. As a result, the H4 program was discontinued and its staff reassigned to either the H3 platform, or to the third generation MBT program. The 3GMBT program was subsequently reorganized and its priorities reassessed. The tank would be designed to meet the high end export market while also meeting the needs of heavily industrialized nations for a quality though lower cost MBT. In the words of Gaellician designer Michéal Moran:

We were threading the needle with this design. Really pushing our abilities as engineers to the max, really more than we thought ourselves capable. It pushed our industry too but I think in the end we made a fine fine tank."

The reassessment and reorganization led to the decision to make the tank a part of the H series, being dubbed the H5. The common name Oliphaunt was chosen for a number of reasons. As an H series tank, it was intended at least partially for export, with the oliphaunt being a name for the Azanian native animal the elephant. MacNamera being a Geltic corporation, Oliphaunt was a famed creature from later Geltic mythology. With the hopes of securing a contract with the Ríogan Army, Oliphaunt also served as a reference to Axaemenid history. Oliphaunts were the names of Tigranes the Great's war elephants. Finally, one of the project leads for the tank was a fan of the works of Seylosian fantasy author T.K.K. Rorican, who took inspiration from Geltic mythology and Europan history.

H5 development proceeded first testing the H4 prototype and turret before construction of a dedicated H5 prototype in 1982. Evaluation and testing of the prototypes occurred at the Twix Testing Grounds in Southern Gaellicia, with testing of individual components occurring in Seylos. The H5 was nearing readiness for full production by 1985.

Gaellicia's Tank Debate

MacNamera began lobbying the Gaellician government in earnest in 1983 to acquire the Oliphaunt as a replacment for its existing MBT. MacNamera emphasized that the tank was tested in, and would be built in Gaellicia. Gaellician armor officers had extensive input during the design process, in addition to submitting an unofficial requirements list. Nevertheless, the army general stuff expressed a lack of interest in purchasing the Oliphaunt. The general staff eventually made it clear that they wanted to phase out tanks entirely from the Gaellician army. Gaellicia at the time was embroiled in a sectarian conflict known as The Silent War, with the Ríogan Army adopting counter insurgency tactics that did not make use of tanks. For defense of the Southern Highland Gap, the General Staff intended to use a combination of towed artillery, mechanized infantry, and fixed emplacements.

Despite the lack of desire on the part of the Gaellician Army General Staff, the political will and desire for tanks remained strong. Though most armor officers did not hold the highest positions in the Army, they remained politically connected and influential. The Gaellician Dáil at the time, led by southern highlander Isolde MacTurf, favored the Army and particularly the heavily aristocratic armored corps. Public will lent support to the government as well. The Long War was in the living memory of many Gaellicians and was often cited in contemporary literature and at least three studies by the Marian War College in the context of initially poor Gaellician armor performance. Despite the advancement of technology and tactics, the majority of the public felt passionately that maintaining an armored corps would be essential for the protection of the nation from foreign invasion. Representatives from MacNamera capitalized on public sentiment, engaging in an extensive and comprehensive lobbying campaign to further galvanize the public and to pressure elected officials. This piece of political theater would be dubbed by the media as the Tank Debate. The campaign climaxed in a high profile debate in the Dáil regarding defense spending which ended in a victory for tank proponents. In the 1986 Defense Budget, the Dáil required the acquisition and allocated the funds for 60 H5s.

Taoiseach Isolde MacTurf delivering her controversial 'Sunday Parlor Room' speech repudiating the status quo surrounding access rights to the Tagmatine and Gaellician Exclusive Economic Zones. "Gaellicia will not be bullied by our larger neighbor. To get a brute off of your back, you do not rollover and beg for mercy. You remain resilient and respond with wit and Liorán."

Divergent Development

At the same time that Gaellicia placed its orders for Oliphaunts, tensions were on the rise between the archipelago nation and it's neighbor across the Oinops channel, Tagmatium. The Taoiseach of Gaellicia, Isolde MacTurf, began agitating against Tagmatium in 1985. In the summer of 1986, shortly after the Dáil legislated for the purchase of Oliphaunts, Isolde delivered a fiery televised address alleging Gaellician sovereignty and a right to make use of all waters around the nation.

The political developments in Gaellicia drew international attention and they did not escape the notice of the C Suite at MacNamera's corporate headquarters in Selbourne. Executives and attorneys began to grow concerned about the situation in the Occident throughout the summer of 1986. Though MacNamera is both Gaellician and Seylosian, the multinational corporation aims to cultivate an international customer base. Seylos, unlike Gaellicia, had consistently good relations with Tagmatium. A second Oinops War would serve to isolate Gaellicia diplomatically, and therefore any nation or corporation that associated with the Rìoghachd. MacNamera decided not provide the H5C1 variant of the tank to Gaellicia. Instead, the plan was to ship a specially modified version of the export variant of the Oliphaunt, the H5C2. Dubbed the H5C2.5, the Gaellician variation would be equipped with the top of the line armor package, unlike other H5C2s, but electronics, computers, and the fire control system would all be the less advanced export models. The reasoning behind this decision lay in the origins of components. The armor and automotive elements of the H5 utilized Gaellician industry. In contrast, the electrical components of the tank were the product of Seylosian industrial knowledge and ability. MacNamera did not want to be percieved as providing the best military electronics and software Seylosian industry could produce to an enemy of Tagmatium.

The Ríogan Army objected to having to build doctrine around the less advanced tanks, but protest was futile. The purchase of the H5s had been decided and was required by the Dáil. The Army attempted to raise the issue in court, arguing that the law required and allocated funds for the purchase of H5C1s, not C2s. The court was not sympathetic to the Army's arguments, though they did add a caveat to their ruling. Since the individual H5C2.5s cost less per unit than the H5C1s, the difference was allocated into a special budget which the army could use to fund an indigenous development of improved electronics.

The Gaellician Army took delivery of the H5C2.5s in the Spring of 1987. The armored corps was immediately dissatisfied with the export electronic modules, though they praised the tank for its ease of maintenance, reliable automotive elements, and excellent maneuverability. Voices within the armored corps took advantage of press connections, where public complaints soon raised pressure on the army to improve the Oliphaunt. The Army announced it was seeking contractors to fit out what it was calling the H5C3. The upgraded tank would need to offer improved fire control and battle management capabilities over the H5C2.5. The project budget was not to exceed $1 billion and the majority of components were required to be technologies or developments indigenous to Gaellicia. The clear contender for the contract was the Clavero Company. The firm was specialized in production of naval radars, telecommunications equipment, and specialty parts for aerospace uses. Crucially, Clavero had been producing a naval fire control system since 1965. In its winning bid, Clavero asserted that it would be simpler to miniaturize and adapt a naval FCS for a land vehicle than it would be for competing firms to learn how to produce the necessary electronic and electro-mechanical elements from scratch.

Design

In the tradition of other H Series tanks, the Oliphaunt was designed from the start with an emphasis on reliability and maneuverability. Significant resources were expended to incorporate state of the art armor, and fire control systems. The tank is competitive with those of heavily industrialized peer nations, while outclassing second generation main battle tanks. At the time of production in the late 1980s, the Oliphaunt was one of the most innovative tank designs in the wurld without excessively increasing cost. The H5 is designed to utilize automotive parts also found on the H3. The parts commonality allows the Oliphaunt to take advantage of existing spare parts networks and supplies.

Mobility

The H5 utilizes a MacNamera Motors supercharged V8 diesel engine capable of producing 1,100 bhp at 2,300 rpm. The engine is a new design that utilizes cylinder heads, engine blocks, and other parts found in the engine of the H3 tank. The decision to design a new engine for the Oliphaunt rather than utilizing the H3's V8 engine saved considerable weight and fuel consumption.

Much like the engine, the hull and chassis of the H5 are a new design. The chassis shares a level of parts commonality with the H3 tank. Controversially, the Oliphaunt does not utilize torsion bars for its suspension. Instead, the tank utilizes simple helical springs like the previous H Series Tanks. Though less stable, helical springs are far simpler to repair and replace when in the field, an important trait for much of the intended customer base.

The designers of the H5 prioritized high acceleration for the tank, necessitating a need to output large amounts of torque. The Oliphaunt utilizes a new design, automatic, six-speed gearbox. The MacNamera designers chose not to include a torque converter, allowing for more engine power to be utilized in driving the tank than possible with most automatic transmissions. The control system for the H5 is electrical, with the driver providing inputs through a relatively simple T shaped "handlebar" style control scheme. The handlebar used a twist grip for the throttle and a handle for braking. A button was also included on the yoke to override the gearbox from automatically shifting gears down. Automatic transmissions require less skill and specialized training from the driver.

Protection

Armor

The Armor of the H5 represents a considerable advancement in MacNamera's armor design and production. The Oliphaunt utilizes a modular composite armor. The Oliphaunt is the first MacNamera item in production to utilize composite armor. MacNamera designated the armor Gambeson in an ode to its relatively light weight, and in line with the company's armor naming conventions. Gambeson was first produced and tested on the H4 prototype, while the armor shipped with the first production H5s was called Gambeson Mark 1. All variations of the Oliphaunt have a pair of smoke dischargers mounted on either flank of the turret's front arc.

Gambeson Mark 1 is a simple composite formulation. The outer strike face of the armor is hardened steel. A layer of rubber, included for elasticity, separates the strike face from the armor's central aluminum slab. The sandwich is adhered to a soft steel backing, with a spall liner and kevlar on the interior of the crew compartment. The 60 degree arc on the front of the turret is a strengthened appliqué, comprising spaced ballistic ceramic in a matrix.

Gambeson Mark 2 is a more developed composite, adding materials not utilized in Gambeson Mark 1. Development for it began in 1996, with an armor upgrade package ready for mass roll out in December of 1998. The modular nature of the Oliphaunt's armor made the upgrade process relatively simple. Mark 2 has a hardened steel strike face, but instead of rubber, the following elastic layer is aluminum foam. The core of the armor is a steel high in hardness, followed by an aluminum slab like that found in the Gambeson Mark 1. A layer of rubber is backed by a layer of soft steel, with the interior of the vehicle protected by a spall liner and kevlar combination. In the Mark 2 package, the front of the turret is protected by an spaced appliqué with improved ballistic ceramic. Gambeson Mark 2 has the option of equipping explosive reactive armor skirts along the sides of the tank's hull.

Crew Safety and Comfort

The turret of the H5 contains two crew hatches. The left side hatch, above the gunner's station, is flush with the turret roof. The right side hatch is atop a slightly raised, 6 window cupola. The cupola is for the commander's use, while the gunner sits directly in front and below them. The driver is seated in the front of the hull, slightly to the right of the center line. The driver has their own hardened hatch in the front of the tank hull, which only opens from the inside, in addition to a passage to the main fighting compartment. The driver sits reclined when at their station, with their seat designed to collapse flat for easier entry and egress.

The prototype Oliphaunt driver's compartment. The front ammunition storage was removed on production models.

An Oliphaunt tank in battle. Note the NBC filtration system mounted on the rear of the bustle, flanked either side by external stowage.

The interior of the H5's fighting compartment contains a spall liner, followed by a layer of kevlar. This combination helps to protect the crew from spalling caused by enemy hits. A thick steel bulkhead separates the fighting compartment from the turret bustle, with a reinforced hatch situated on the loader's side for ammunition access. To make a more comfortable ride when driving across country, MacNamera made several design decisions: eliminating interior sharp edges and corners, instead opting for rounded edges, and padding corners and high "forehead traffic" areas with rubber and foam. Crew seats utilize "air ride" technology (originally designed by MacNamera for civilian tractor drivers seats) to create a smoother ride and reduce joint, back, and neck pain over extended periods. A boiling vessel is shipped with each H5 tank with necessary electrical ports installed within the fighting compartment. These cube shaped water heaters allow crew to prepare hot water and beverages, as well as heat rations without the need to exit the tank.

In the event of a fire, the H5 is equipped with an automatic fire fighting system designed by Lépht Aerospace. Lépht's gaseous fire suppression system is fueled with interchangeable canisters of either CO2 or Halon. There are mounting points for additional handheld fire extinguishers throughout the interior of the fighting compartment, as well as on the tank exterior. As bolts, screws, and nails fastened to the fighting compartment walls pose a spall risk, the holders on the Oliphaunt are small "cupholder" style rings that are welded on. Oliphaunts are equipped with a filter system for protection against nuclear, biological, and chemical threats. The multistage, high efficiency filter system is mounted externally on the rear of the turret bustle. By creating an over-pressure within the tank fighting compartment, the system keeps gases from entering the tank and harming the crew, as well as evacuating fumes emitted by weapons. External mounting was chosen for the NBC system as it allowed for easy maintenance and replacement. Stowage bins are mounted externally on the tank, flanking both sides of the turret bustle and the NBC filtration pack.

Armament

The main gun of the Oliphaunt is a Jakosinné 120 mm smooth-bore gun. The design of the H5's gun mounting provides excellent stability, additionally, the design allows for the main gun to be installed and removed through the front of the turret, without the need to separate the turret itself from the tank hull.

Variants

• H5C1
• H5C2
• H5C3 "Frankenphaunt"