Strv 124

Stridsvagn 124 Pantera
An Acrean Strv 124C3 in 2012
Type	Main Battle Tank
Place of origin	Acrea
Service history
In service	1980-Present
Used by	Acrea Ruvelka Shalum Mansuriyyah
Production history
Designer	Landrut AB Rjukan Industrier ASA Kobalt-Zeiss ASA Thyssen AB
Designed	1970-1979
Manufacturer	Landrut AB
Produced	1979-Present
Specifications
Weight	60 tonnes (Strv 124M) 64 tonnes (Strv 124C2)
Length	7.7 metres (hull)
Width	3.7 metres (Strv 124A/M) 4.0 metres (Strv 124C)
Height	2.55 metres (Hull)
Crew	4
Main armament	KvK M171A2 120mm smoothbore gun KvK M171 120mm smoothbore gun KvK M161 120mm smoothbore gun
Secondary armament	7.62mm MG59 Various Top-Mounted 7.62mm and 20mm guns
Engine	Thyssen-Maybach MTU K1-80B V12 Turbocharged Diesel 1193,12kw (1600 hp)
Power/weight	19,89kw per tonne
Transmission	Thyssen ML652 Automatic Transmission (Strv 124M) Thyssen CV-12TC Continuously Variable Transmission (Strv 124C)
Suspension	Hydropneumatic
Operational range	500 km
Speed	75 km/h (Road) ~50 km/h (Cross-Country)

The Stridsvagn 124 Pantera, also known by its MoD designation CV80120, is a main battle tank developed by Landrut ASA in the late 1970s for the Acrean Armed Forces. It first entered production in 1979 and entered service as Strv 124 in 1980, succeeding the Strv 104 as the main battle tank of the Acrean Army. The Strv 124 is one of the most prolific main battle tanks in Tyran with several thousand produced in service of four nations.

Development=

The desire for a 120mm armed main battle tank in the Acrean Army was present even as the Strv 103 entered service in 1955. Heavy tanks such as the Strv 101 had been developed during the Great War as a means of countering ever-increasing armour on new Azurlav and Ruvelkan heavy tanks. While Azurlav vehicles were small in number and the Ruvelkans were an ally of Acrea, the increasing mobility and protective capabilities of these heavy tanks concerned Acrean military planners that more heavily armoured tanks would the standard for potential adversaries in the near-future. This was compounded by experience with the limitations of heavy tanks such as Strv 101. The remarkable mobility and substantial firepower of Strv 103, Acrea's first purpose-designed main battle tank, was a major step forward in Acrean armoured vehicle technology. In addition to this, their prior experience with the late-Great War vintage Strv 91 and Strv 92 which unintentionally had been designed with many of the same qualities had firmly fixed Acrean military officials that the MBT concept would be the basis for all future tank designs, and considered heavy tanks to be largely unnecessary.

Thus, in 1959, only a few years after Strv 103's introduction, Armoured Force set out a list of general requirements for a main battle tank armed with a 12cm main gun. The decision was made fairly early on that the new tank would be equipped with a 120mm main gun. Improved technology found in the development of Strv 103's and Strv 104's 105mm gun could be applied to developing a new 120mm gun based on it.

The first vehicles produced under the requirements were tested in 1964. The design was rather familiar, using a modified Strv 104 chassis mounted with a new, expanded, boxier turret also utilising newly developed composite armour. Despite, for the most part, working, the prototype designated T-11 proved unsatisfactory in several ways. The turret was more cramped, as the use of Strv 104's chassis meant that despite the physically larger turret, the turret ring had not been increased in size, resulting in a relatively small increase in space for the area within the turret that the larger gun and larger ammunition now took up. The gun also had less depression and elevation than the 105mm equipped Strv 104, and was slower to load. Ammunition capacity was substantially reduced, and safety concerns regarding the ammunition's stowage were carried over from Strv 104. Ultimately, despite these numerous flaws, new developments from Azurlavaj and other countries meant that T-11 was accepted for limited production as Strv 121 in 1966 while further research and development continued.

Using lessons learned from field use of Strv 121, several major changes were made. Rather than using the same chassis as Strv 104, the same effective layout was kept whilst increasing the proportions, granting a larger hull that could accommodate a larger turret. A new turret design was implemented, which adopted the relatively boxy form of its predecessor but was not constrained by being based on the turret of Strv 104. This new prototype was given the name T-14, and tests of the vehicle were very promising. T-14 fixed several of the flaws present in T-11. Ammunition stowage was rearranged, allowing for a more adequate 41 rounds of ammunition to be stowed in the tank. The bottom of the hull was fitted with blowout-panels for hull ammunition stowage, a feature that was retrofitted to existing Strv 104s and 121s. The hull was better armoured for little effective loss in mobility thanks to a more powerful engine and lighter composite armour in both the hull and turret, and the crew ergonomics were much improved. While it was still not perfect, with Armoured Force seeing greater potential and its designers still continuing further development while existing T-14 prototypes were tested, the type was likewise put into production as Strv 122 in 1968. Though still limited, it saw more substantial use than Strv 121, with 625 examples being put into service.

By 1968, the simple desire for tanks equipped with larger guns to confront heavier foreign armour had converted into the desire for a completely new platform of tank. Constant iterative development of the tanks in service had made them more capable and effective, however advancements in technology meant that the constraints of older platforms were holding them back from taking advantage of new developments. This shift in focus led to the creation of Strv 123- a brand new tank which, although cutting edge in technology and features, was not considered a suitable replacement for the Strv 104 following low rate initial production of about 120 tanks to equip troops for field tests.

Design

Armament

The Strv 124 was initially produced with the M161 120mm smoothbore cannon. Entering production in the early 1970s, the gun was very well-received for its excellent performance with a wide range of ammunition types, as well as its longevity; treatments and coatings of the barrel helped it attain a higher average lifespan than other contemporary tank guns. In addition to the existing variety of 120mm ammunition in service, new types were developed for the M161 including a prototype gun-launched missile which never entered Acrean service. The M161 was replaced in the mid-1990s by the M171, which possessed the same breech and barrel geometry as the M161 with a longer barrel, newly designed thermal shroud and bore evacuator, and improved recoil system.

List of variants and upgrades

• Strv 124: Initial production variant. Production began in January 1980, and first deliveries were received in April.
• Strv 124A: Featured substantial improvement to armour with a new, stronger turret face which included new tungsten construction. Systems improvements included an improved thermal gunner's sight, CITV, digital radio system, and improved NBC protection. Production and deliveries began in 1982.
  • Strv 124A2: Incorporated new turret construction, retaining the titanium-tungsten facing but introducing first generation depleted uranium armour inserts. Introduced an improved pressurised NBC system and a redesigned automated fire and explosion suppression system. Production and deliveries began in early 1984.
  • Strv 124A3: Introduced brand new digital fire and control system, as well as new digital system for the commander. The fire control system received improvements including a new laser rangefinder, all-digital controls, and new gunner's sight which incorporated a better electro-optical thermal gunsight as well as two-axis stablisation for the sight as opposed to the previous single-axis. The commander received new digital controls, and received the same improvements to the CITV's thermal capabilities.
  • Strv 124A2(MAN): An export variant of the Strv 124A modified specifically for operation in arid environments as part of a Mansuriyyan contract. Exported to Mansuriyyah to equip elite armoured brigades.
• Strv 124M
  • Strv 124M2
  • Strv 124M3
  • Strv 124MV: Variant of the M modified and fitted with an autoloader, first tested in 2006.
  • Strv 124M1S: Version produced for the Shalumite Army, retaining depleted uranium armour in the turret and augmenting it with ceramic alloy inserts, as well as featuring adjustments for the fire control system. Radios and other communications systems were removed to be replaced with the relevant Shalumite systems.
  • Strv 124M2S: Second version produced for the Shalumite Army incorporating system's improvements and arrowhead turret armour.
  • Strv 124M1S(SE): Survivability and capability upgrade for older Shalumte M1S-series tanks, incorporating add-on advanced composite armour and systems upgrades.
  • Strv 124M1R: Version produced for Ruvelkan Army, originally modified from stored Acrean surplus Strv 124Ms and delivered throughout 2009. Production models retained depleted uranium armour, and included integrated ERA panels along the hull and front turret for increased protection from guided missiles and other chemical munitions. Being constructed from Acrean surplus stock, these models did not include arrowhead armour and retained the older 44 calibre gun. The Strv 124MR was fitted specifically for Ruvelkan requirements by using redesigned Ruvelkan produced tracks, modified transmission, and modified suspension for use in rocky, mountainous terrain.
  • Strv 124M1R2: Later new production models of the Strv 124MR to Ruvelka which began delivery in early 2010, and included both the arrowhead armour and new 55 calibre guns. Both variants subsequently renamed to Strv 124MR1 and Strv 124MR2.
• Strv 124C: Originally and erroneously called the Strv 126 by media and observers, this was a heavily upgraded and modified series of the Strv 124 which began deliveries in 2004. The 124C-series tanks introduced a number of improvements and included some redesigns. In addition to utilising the longer guns which began service on the 124M3 variant, the 124C was produced new armour composition that improved all-around protection. Major redesign was done to the interior of the vehicle. The main front hull stowage was drastically decreased in size, with systems behind the commander relocated in a redesigned and slightly enlarged turret and some system components moved lower into the hull. The majority of main gun ammunition was now moved to an enlarged turret bustle, which featured an automated ammunition casette developed from the Landsverk autoloader which manipulated the position of the ammunition within the bustle. This allowed for a reduction of size in the access door, and allowed for substantially increased ready ammunition stowage and improved rate of fire at the cost of a reduction in ammunition capacity from 42 rounds overall to 40. The 124C served as the basis from which the actual Strv 126 was developed.
  • Strv 124C2
  • Strv 124C1V: Variant of the C1 modified and fitted with a Landsverk casette autoloader.
  • Strv 124C3V: Upgraded variant of the C1V for the RAMC equipped with a 46 calibre M171A2 main gun capable of using ammunition developed for the M171A1.
• Strv 124A/M3C: An massive upgrade and modernisation package for late model Strv 124A/Ms intended to provide the Acrean Army with a modern, competent reserve of tanks. Older tanks were refitted and upgraded to add the fire control, C2, and sensor systems of the Strv 124C and received add-on armour packages made of the same composite as the Strv 124C's base armour.

Operators

Current Operators

• Royal Acrean Army
• Royal Acrean Marine Corps
• Ruvelkan Imperial Army
• Imperial Shalumite Army
• Mansuriyyan Army