UC-42 Léon

UC-42 Léon
An Exersito Iverica UC-42 in 2017
Type	Main battle tank
Place of origin	Iverica
Service history
In service	2008-present
Used by	Duchy of Verde Gallambria Girkmand Greater Galicia Iverica
Production history
Designer	Arx Arms Manufacturing
Designed	2004-2007 (A1)
Manufacturer	Arx Arms Manufacturing
Unit cost	A1: $10.5 million (FY2021) A2: $13.5 million (FY2021) E1: $9.5 million (FY2021) U1: $14 million (FY2021)
Produced	A1: 2008-present
No. built	911
Variants	UC-42-A1 UC-42-A2 UC-42-E1 UC-42-U1
Specifications
Weight	42 tonnes (Level I: baseline armour) 48 tonnes (Level II: composite applique) 53 tonnes (Level III: composite w/ ERA)
Length	9.48 m (31.1 ft) (gun forward) 8.25 m (27.1 ft) (hull only)
Width	3.4 m (11 ft) 3.45 m (11.3 ft) (w/skirts)
Height	2.30 m (7.5 ft) (max) 2 m (6.6 ft) (min)
Crew	3 (commander, gunner, driver)
Armor	Level-I: Toledo Composite Pattern 3 (nano-metric steel with composites) Level-II: applique ceramic composite armor Additional applique explosive reactive armour
Main armament	A1, E1: 120mm L/44 ARX 120-4 LSG smoothbore gun A2, U1: 128 mm L/41 ARX 128-1 LSG smoothbore gun
Secondary armament	1 × 8.6 mm machine gun (coaxial) 1 × 12.7 mm (RWS)
Engine	A1, E1: Toledo Heavy Industries 4D8PV-N 4-stroke 22.6-litre diesel V8 engine A2, U1: Toledo Heavy Industries 4D10PV-N 4-stroke 28.1-litre diesel V10 engine A1, E1: 1,200 hp (890 kW)/2300 rpm A2, U1: 1,200 hp (890 kW)/1800 rpm
Power/weight	28.57 hp/tonne
Transmission	Continuously variable transmission
Suspension	hydropneumatic suspension
Operational range	A1: 480 km (300 mi) A2: 600 km (370 mi)
Speed	Road: 70 km/h (43 mph) Off road: 70 km/h (43 mph)
Steering system	Drive by wire

The UC-42 Léon is a fourth-generation main battle tank produced by Arx Arms Manufacturing Co. A result of the Universal Combat Vehicle Programme, the tank entered service in 2008 with the Iverican Republican Armed Service. The UC-42 is equipped for Network-centric warfare in addition to its ability to engage vehicles at stand-off ranges. The UC-42 also features advanced sensors such as radar and infrared systems that contribute to its survivability.

History

In 1999, the Iverican Office of Military Technology was tasked to conduct a study on the effectiveness of the Arx G-58 in-service as the primary main battle tank of the Iverican Army and the Republican Marine Regiments. The study found that poor fuel economy coupled with the system's high tonnage made its deployment in hilly, mountainous and coastal areas of Iverica difficult. Furthermore, the Iverican Navy had previously noted the transportation challenge the vehicle posed to amphibious operations in foreign training operations.

By 2001, the Ministry of Defence requested tenders from Iverican military land system designers. Among the participating companies was Arx Arms Manufacturing, which had been developing the Universal Combat Vehicle programme modules and chassis designs since 1991. Design requirements were particularly strict on a 40-tonne baseline weight, a gun armament that could penentrate armour exceeding 1200mm in effective thickness using a sabot projectile while also being capable of firing gun-launched ATGMs, had a top-speed of at least 65 kph, and could accomodate the newly developed Nousphera C4I system.

After a deliberation process wherein the Office of Military Technology and Ministry of Defence reviewed tenders submitted by contender entries from Cavallero Heavy Auto and Granada DynamiCo, Arx Arms was awarded the contract. After a lengthy post-bid review process, development was allowed to begin in January of 2004.

[TBA]

Design

The UC-42 is a 42-tonne metric tonne main battle tank built to be compatible with many Universal Combat Vehicle modules. The chassis allows for reduction of weight or instalments of modular kits for greater armour protection, electronic warfare, and C4I roles. It is designed especially to handle mountainous or archipelagic topography with hydraulic-pneumatic suspension and a high power-to-weight ratio. Design objectives included an emphasis on mobility and modularity to allow for more efficient and more economic logistical handling in air-mobile and amphibious scenarios.

The main armament is a 12.8 cm ARX smoothbore gun capable of firing MP-T, Sabot, HEAT, and ATGM ammunition. The Léon may also carry additional pintle-mounted 12.7mm heavy machinegun. Protection includes a 2 additional levels of applique protection including ballistic-ceramic composite and explosive-reactive armour.

Crew safety measures include CBRN protection, a FM-200 fire-suppression system, and bulkhead separation and blow-off panels for ammunition storage. For protection against enemy fire, the UC-42 uses a hard-kill active protection system.

Sensors include J-Band multifunction radar, an AESA pulse-doppler fire-control radar for an Active Protection System and infrared warning and proximity sensors.

[Edits required]

Protection

Armour
The UC-42's baseline armour is constructed from nano-metric steel panels laminated with 2 layers of steel composites. Elastomer layers are pressed between two high-harness steel strike faces to help distribute forces across the area of the plate. The outer surface is coated in slip-resistant fiberglass and a thin polymer that adds some thermal-reflective and radar-absorbing properties. A fiber-resin spall liner is added to sections of armor exposed to the fighting compartment and driver's compartment.

Applique armour is available in 2 forms: composite and explosive-reactive. The UC-42's Level-II armour consists of 6-tonnes of composite steel outer layers encasing spaced and angled ballistic-ceramic plates. Square-hollow steel reinforcement helps protect against deformation, displacement, or warping. The Level-II segments added to the turret are also shaped to reduce the UC-42's radar cross-section. Level-III consists of Level-II armour with added explosive-reactive armour tiles to the sides of the hull and the lower front glacis plate. Level-III's ERA additions can be limited to only 1 layer of ERA, adding only 3 tonnes of weight. A second layer is added to further increase survivability against heavy tandem shaped charge munitions. At its full configuration, a combat-loaded UC-42 with Level-III would have a mass of 53 tonnes.

Active Protection System
The UC-42 is equipped with the Dahlbein Defence Interfector active protection system. Interfector is a hard-kill system that utlises explosively formed penetrators (EFP) guided by an F/G-Band fire-control radar. The RI/VPG-040 guiding the system's 2 launchers is a four-faced distributed active electronically scanned array Pulse Doppler radar designed to detect and automatically track Anti-Tank Rockets, Anti-Tank Guided Missiles and Tank Rounds. A cone of EFPs are fired at an incoming threat, intended to detonate the warhead at a safe proximity.

Infrared Sensors
The UC-42 is equipped with an array of infrared transceivers. Initially esigned as an alternative to the APS' fire control radar, the Sense-6 Infrared Proximity Warning Sensor is composed of 6 transceivers and a computer. Each sensor passively scans a 70 x 70 degree area infront of it to detect thermal signatures and dense, opaque obstructions. When a thermal profile matching a missile or rocket is detected, Sense-6's computer system can trigger the Interfector APS launchers. Sense-6 is also effective at detecting enemy laser marking and can act as an electro-optical disruptor against range-finders, designators, and ATGMs reliant on laser guidance. Sense-6 can also function as a close-quarters infantry sensor for the crew, to detect if infantry are moving around the vehicle; this can reduce the risk of driving accidents or warn the crew of potentially hostile infantry. Though initially selected for use on the UC-42, reliability concerns and false-trigger accidents resulted in the disabling of Sense-6's fire-control function.

Countermeasures
60mm Smoke launchers [TBA]

Other Passive Measures
UC-42-A2 variants are equipped with an extra liquid cooling system for the engine and a new 3-vent exhaust system that cools diffuses the heat in the exhaust more effectively. The additional length of the exhaust system also allows for a longer muffler segment, bringing engine noise down to 45-55 decibels on idle and 90 decibels when running on lower RPM levels.