Honigdachs (IFV)

Honigdachs Infantry Fighting Vehicle
An Image of the Honigdach IFV
Type	Infantry Fighting Vehicle
Place of origin	Shalum
Service history
In service	2005 - Present
Used by	Imperial Shalumite Army
Production history
Designer	Shalumite National Defense Industries
Designed	1993-2004
Manufacturer	Shalumite National Defense Industries Frankfurt Heavy Engineering
Unit cost	$3,554,000
Produced	2005- Present
No. built	4500+
Specifications
Weight	34 tons
Length	24.6 feet (7.5m)
Width	10 feet (3.1m)
Height	8.85 feet (2.7m)
Crew	3 (Commander, Driver, Gunner)
Passengers	8 Passengers
Armor	4th Gen Composite Alloy
Main armament	Dual Mk44 Bushmaster II -1,500 Rounds Speer-VLATGM -8 TOW Missiles
Secondary armament	14.5mm SMJ-VMG -6,000 Rounds
Engine	V8 Diesel 650 hp
Transmission	Automatic
Suspension	Hydropneumatic
Operational range	410 km
Speed	70 km/h

The Honigdachs (Eng. Honey Badger) Infantry Fighting Vehicle is a Shalumite tracked combat vehicle that was designed between 1993 and 2004 by Shalumite National Defense Industries. It is a unique design, with a frontal 155 degree angle turret face that is fitted with dual Mk44 Bushmaster II chain guns. It was designed with the intention of being a well protected, heavy hitter for the Shalumite Armed Forces. It features a high degree of mobility on any number of landscapes, strong armor which is capable of sustaining heavy amounts of enemy weapons fire, well rounded offensive capabilities, and the ability to carry up to eight fully equipped soldiers into a combat zone safely. As of 2015, the Honigdachs is still being produced actively by Shalumite National Defense Industries.

It is additionally noted that Shalumite National Defense Industries partnered with Wolf Armaments of TECT, a recently bonded ally of Shalum, in order to fully develop the Honigdachs. Wolf Armaments most notably provided technical support, advice, and consultations while designing the the vehicle for the Shalumite Armed Forces. Also being a heavy supplier of arms to Shalum - Wolf Armaments has also provided weapons, munitions, and electronic devices to the Shalumites when it came to the Honigdachs and other vehicles.

Design

Protection

The safety of the Honigdachs and those inside was a major point of focus during its development. The goal was to give it the best protection possible, while at the same time keeping the vehicle as light and mobile as possible. It utilizes both active and nonactive systems to protect itself and its occupants from external threats. It features armor, a 4th generation alloy mesh, which is constructed over a ATI 425® titanium alloy base for added overall survivability. The armor is multi-layered for additional protection, and is sloped sloped in several areas to make it harder for incoming anti-tank projectiles to breach. The armor is meant to protect against weapons systems as strong as 30mm in strength, and things such as cage armor can be installed to further negate hostile rocket fire. The Honigdachs is also outfitted with an NBC system that keeps the occupants safe from biological, nuclear, and other external threats.

The Honigdachs employs the advanced Trophy Light system, which provides the vehicle with an additional level of protection against anti-armor threats. The Trophy Light active protection system creates a protected hemispheric zone around the vehicle, and is capable of effectively detecting and intercepting incoming threats. It is made up of three elements: threat detection, tracking, and interception. Threat detection is conducted with the assistance of several sensors, as well as a couple of flat-panel radars, placed at strategic points all around the vehicle, to provide full coverage. When an incoming threat is identified, and the system computer chooses to intercept it, the countermeasure systems open up, and the armed system is pointed in a position where it can effectively intercept the oncoming threat. The threat is then neutralized by one of two rotating launchers installed on the sides of the vehicle's turret which fire neutralizing agents, usually small metal pellets like buckshot.

Armament

The Honigdachs Infantry Fighting Vehicle is fitted with a two-man turret, and is armed with a pair of Mk44 Bushmaster II chain guns, each of which is loaded with 750 rounds armor-piercing and high explosive rounds. An auto-ejection system is also present. The Honigdachs is also equipped with a remotely controlled, Commoner produced Gatling-gun that fires a 14.5mm round. It also features box launchers of eight 'Speer' anti-tank guided missiles that can engage a number of targets. More recent version of the Honigdachs are outfitted with 76mm grenade launchers, which are are arranged in clusters of two and three and are positioned on either side of the turret. They are meant to launch smoke grenades, but can fire a variety of other grenade types.

Sight and Situational Awareness

The Honigdachs offers a system of well rounded situational awareness, which allows the vehicle's crew to operate with the utmost efficiency in combat. It features a fully stabilized 360° periscope with six different zoom stages that offer a direct glass optic link to either the commander or the gunner. Because the optical line has to be placed in the center of the turret, the 30mm chain guns of the Honigdach are on either side of it. The optical line is why the cannon is mounted off-center in the Mobile Gun System variant of the vehicle. With the help of an additional CCD camera, the picture from this optical line can be fed to the on-board computer network so that it can be displayed on multiple electron displays used by the crew. The periscope also offers an optical thermal vision mode and a wide-angle camera with 3 zoom settings to assist the driver, as well as a laser range finder for the gunner and commander to use. As the commander has control of the Speer ATGM launcher, his station is hunter-killer capable, and he is offered 4 vision blocks to use.

The optics available to the gunner is equipped between the dual chain guns, or coaxially on the MGS variant, and can be protected by a sliding hatch. The gunner has a thermal imager, a laser range finder, and optronic day sight, rounded off with a bullet-resistant glass vision block. The driver has 3 of them, as well as an image intensifier and one display for optronic image feeds. The passengers are also able to use 3 vision blocks on the left, right, and rear of the vehicle. The rear cabin has a single electronic display which can be accessed by those on-board. The passengers have the ability to access the vehicle's intercom system, and listen in, or broadcast additional information to the vehicle crew.

Variants

Mobile Gun System

The Honey Badger MGS is a heavier armed variant of the Honey Badger infantry fighting vehicle and is designated as a mobile gun system. It is outfitted with an 105mm rifled tank cannon in place of its right cannon slot while its left slot is used for heavy or general purpose machine guns; it is often armed with an SMJ-AP heavy machine gun for its secondary gun. Included in its armaments are the standard commander's weapon and 'Speer' ATGM launchers. Honey Badger MGS' are intended to provide infantry support in combat, providing direct fire support against enemy positions and opposing armored vehicles, as well as support infantry in combat situations. The cannon uses a muzzle break and recoil system to reduce its affect on the vehicle's balance while firing, and is equipped with an auto-loader to assist the gunner in speedy operations; this system uses the force of the blast to eject the used material out a sliding hatch located to the rear of the turret, therefore also relieving stress on the turret from the cannon fire's force. Rather then hold infantry, the Honey Badger MGS utilizes its troop compartment for additional ammunition and supplies - this gives the vehicle the ability to stay in the fight longer rather than transporting personnel.

Self-propelled Anti-aircraft Gun

The Honigdachs SPAAG is a mobile close range anti-air vehicle based off the original Honigdachs infantry fighting vehicle. The primary role of this variant is to target close-by aircraft like helicopters, drones, and low flying jets. Much of the technology utilized in the SPAAG variant was delivered by Wolf Armaments as part of the project's advice and supply role. As part of the project, Wolf Armaments provided much of the radar technology, missiles, and provided the fire control computer systems to make the vehicle a capable anti-aircraft vehicle.

As a dedicated anti-aircraft unit, the H-SPAAG utilizes radar to acquire, target, and destroy hostile aircraft. Mounted atop the vehicle are two radar systems, one for acquiring targets (rear dish system) and another for tracking spotted targets (front unit). Coupled with the 'Harpoon' Fire Control System, the H-SPAAG becomes an aircraft's worst fear. The 'Harpoon' FCS is an independent targeting & solution system originally built for the Panther SPAAG and other air defense systems; it is designed to spot, target, and provide ease-of-operation for the operator with eliminating hostile aircraft. This system primarily uses two mounted radars to spot and track incoming threats from over thirty-five kilometers away; though a Battlespace Network allows the target, if spotted and tracked beforehand, to be identified and ready to fire at any time thanks to linked data sharing - essentially eliminating any wasted time. The search radar is an S Band mounted unit on the top of the vehicle while the tracking radar is a Ku Band unit mounted on the front of the turret; the radars provide 360° scanning with simultaneous target tracking, clutter suppression, search on the move capability and monopulse tracking mode. This system allows for targets to be spotted, identified, tracked, and engaged within thirty-five kilometers within quick automated speeds if not already spotted by other friendly radars. Harpoon also allows ease of selection of what system to use in order to engage a target by providing detailed information on incoming threats and analyzing it; all of which is automated. This system also assists the automated firing of the guns with gun sensors and other tools to fire "Ahead" rounds, or rounds meant to intercept the target ahead by firing farther down its calculated flight path.

The H-SPAAG is armed with the same Bushmaster-II dual thirty millimeter autocannons as its primary armament. Installed on the rear hull of the turret is a surface-to-air missile system; this intergrated weapon allows the H-SPAAG to engage hostile aircraft outside its gun ranges. At present, the Shalumite Armed Forces use the Commoner Slingshot system, which give the H-SPAAG a twenty-five kilometer range. The H-SPAAG's cannons offer a five kilometers of coverage (5.1 km to be exact) as well.