M15/VII Olyfynt

M15/VII Olyfynt
M15/VII Olyfynt Main Battle Tank
Place of origin	North Ottonia
Service history
In service	2016 - Present
Used by	Ottonian Federal Defense Service
Production history
Designer	Advanced Ground Vehicle Project
Designed	2007 - 2015
Manufacturer	Svaartaron, Otmo
Unit cost	FD$6.5 million
Produced	2016 - Present
No. built	minimum of 1500 planned
Variants	M15/VII(C) Matriarch, M15/VII(R) Bone Collector, M15/VII(B) Basic
Specifications
Weight	48 tonnes (gvw) 55 tonnes (full-kitted combat weight)
Length	7.5m (hull) 10.3m (gun-forward)
Width	3.5m (4.2m w/ applique armor)
Height	2.4m
Crew	3 (Commander, Driver, Gunner)
Armor	spaced, layered composite armor (material classified) heavy ERA Thunderhead active defense system
Main armament	Vulksaron Heavy Industries SG5 120mm Smoothbore Cannon (45 rounds)
Secondary armament	7.92mm coaxial chain gun RWS-mounted 12.7mm machine gun in commander's position
Engine	IMC TD-2 4-stroke, V-12 turbodiesel engine 1600hp
Power/weight	approx. 30hp/t
Transmission	12-speed automatic (9 fwd, 3 rev.)
Suspension	Hydropneumatic
Ground clearance	.5m
Operational range	550km (on road)
Speed	68kph (on road)

The M15/VII Olyfynt, or Olyfynt VII is an Allamunnic Main Battle Tank. It is considered to be an advanced third-generation main battle tank under Western classification systems. The final design for the Olyfynt VII was approved late in 2015, with mass-production beginning in 2016 and the first deliveries taking place later that year. The Olyfynt VII is replacing the Allamunnic Federal Army's M91/V Olyfynt main battle tanks.

The Olyfynt VII is the result of the Advanced Ground Vehicle Project (2007 - 2016), a joint project between the Department of Defense, Vulksaron Heavy Industries, Svaartaron, and IMC. The project sought to bring Allamunnic armaments and military vehicles up to a standard that would give the Allamunnic Federal Defense Service a technological advantage over the nation's neighbor and most-probable enemy in Rietumimark and to ideally create a new standard family of vehicles for member-states of NATA.

Development

The germ of the Advanced Ground Vehicle Project dates back to late in the Jaal regime, when a study by Federal Army brass indicated concern about the viability of continuing to upgrade the dated M48& M91/V Olyfynt main battle tanks that the Federal Army operated. Of particular concern was its viability against the most recent Rietumish fighting vehicles. Jaal's refusal to approve a development project for a new vehicle added more fuel to a growing rift between the Despot and the high command of the Allamunnic Federal Defense Services, which eventually led to his removal.

Due to the number of challenges facing the Federation during the early years of the Grimmeburger administration, the concerns were briefly put on the back burner, with the Olyfynt VI upgrade to the existing fleet of Olyfynt V's used as a stopgap measure. However, by 2007, the project could be delayed no longer, and it was approved by Grimmeburger, with development work beginning immediately.

Work on the Olyfynt VII was delayed several times, generally due to changes in requirements for the new tank, due to internal debates on the vehicle's features. A particular source of contention was whether to make use of a conventional turret with an autoloader, or to develop an entirely new automated turret, which would necessitate a total redesign of the hull. Eventually, a decision was made to stick with the conventional turret, with Federal Army officials citing greater upgrade capability with that model over the automated turret.

Prototypes were delivered to the Kynyksburg Proving Grounds, with tests being run in 2013. After initial flaws with some of the tanks systems were revealed by testing, substantial reworking of the design caused further delays. Still, a finalized design crossed the Generalissimo's desk in August of 2015, at which time he authorized an initial order of 1500 vehicles. The first deliveries were made in June of 2016 to several armored units stationed near the Rietumish border.

The tank is also noteworthy for its nature as a joint venture between several Allamunnic defense companies. The Mammoth's primary armament is designed and built by Vulksaron Heavy Industries, while the hull, Fire Control System, and many of the tank's electronic systems were designed by Svaartaron, while the tank's drive systems are largely the work of IMC. Final assembly of components typically occurs either at the IMC plant in Innusburg, or a Svaartaron factory in Dunnmaar.

The tank was kept relatively light, with additional protection being modular, and applied at operator's discretion, with the intent of creating a versatile tank and vehicle series that could be sold to the Allamunnic States' allies in the North Ajax Treaty Organization (NATA).

The tank was designated the "Olyfynt VII" to continue the theme set by the previous M48 and M91 Olyfynt tanks, which are considered to be iconic Allamunnic war machines, despite the former's foreign origin. The "Olyfynt" imagery has frequently appeared in Allamunnic popular culture and propaganda.

Armament

The Olyfynt VII was built around the Vulksaron Heavy Industries SG5 120mm Cannon, an upgraded version of the primary armament that was utilized on the M91/V Olyfynt. The primary improvement lays in the ability of the Mammoth to more effectively utilize cannon-launched ATGMs. The Olyfynt VII carries 45 rounds for its primary armament, including one in the chamber.

The Olyfynt is deployed with a selection of conventional tank ammunition (including HEAT, HESH, and APFSDS rounds), as well as the Sledgehammer ATGM. The Sledgehammer is a top-attack, fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile that was approved for adoption by the Allamunnic Federal Armed Forces in 2015, and is now being issued to Allamunnic forces, and being a standard part of the Olyfynt VII's arsenal.

The primary armament is augmented by a coaxial 7.92mm chain gun, mounted just below the main gun. The commander's gun position is taken by a remote weapon station-mounted 12.7mm heavy machine gun. Both weapons are manufactured by TFA.

Protection

Protective systems for the Olyfynt VII cover both active and passive measures. In the domain of passive, conventional measures is the tank's spaced composite armor. Although the exact nature of the composites used are classified, it is believed to utilize depleted uranium- and titanium-based composite, among others. The tank's underbelly is armored and given a "v" shape, to help protect the vehicle from mines and improvised explosive devices.

Although early prototypes were extremely heavily armored, the added weight this would have entailed led to a revision in the design. The tank's armor is designed to be modular, so that it can be tailored to specific mission profiles based on defensive needs and weight requirements. The heaviest configuration adds approximately 7 tonnes to the vehicles normal GVW of 48 tonnes.

These passive systems are supplemented by an active system, the Thunderhead missile defense system, which utilizes twin radars to cut down on potential errors in its threat detection. The Thunderhead system is essentially a miniaturized missile defense system which intercepts incoming targets with a missile of its own, fired in an over-and-down arc, channeling the blast downward.

A prototype Mammoth at Kynyksburg Proving Grounds. September, 2014

Mobility

The Olyfynt is propelled by a 12-cylinder, 4-stroke turbocharged diesel engine manufactured by Innusburg Motor Company, which has an output of approximately 1500 horsepower. As a result, the tank has a power-to-weight ratio of just over of 30 hp/t in its basic configuation.

The vehicle has an active hydropneumatic suspension, and an automatic 12-speed transmission (9 forward gears, 3 reverse) with an electronic gearbox to facilitate smoother up- and down-shifting.

Variants

The Olyfynt VII hull is planned as the base for a number of other military vehicles, including a command vehicle, an armored recovery vehicle, and a more basic emergency and export variant. Additional variants may be designed and produced if the vehicle finds an export market.

• M15/VII Olyfynt (Olyfynt VII) - Primary main battle tank
• M15/VII(C) Matriarch - Command variant of M15/VII Olyfynt MBT
• M15/VII(R) Bones - Armored Recovery Vehicle
• M15/VII(B) Olyfynt VIIB - More basic production model, intended for export, or production if politics or other situations render vital materials for the standard model unavailable. While not as well-protected, the VIIB should still be able to hold its own against most modern MBTs.