Olifant
| Olifant | |
|---|---|
| File:Olifant Mark 1a.jpg Olifant in action, 2008 | |
| Type | Main battle tank |
| Place of origin |  Basel-Ebel |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1952 - Present |
| Used by | Basel-Ebel and others (see Users) |
| Wars | War of Lorican Aggression Second Lucis Civil War Imperial Crisis |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1949 |
| Manufacturer | Vulcan Foundry Kimberly and others |
| Produced | 1950 - Present |
| No. built | 7,750+ |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 52 tons |
| Length | 32 ft (9.8 m |
| Width | 11 feet 1 inch (3.38 m) with side plates |
| Height | 9 feet 10.5 inches (3.01 m) |
| Crew | 4 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver) |
| Armour | 6 inches (153mm) upgraded to 197mm |
Main armament | Royal Ordnance 105 mm Denel GT-7 rifled gun |
Secondary armament | .30 cal Theimer machine gun |
| Engine | Rolls-Royce Meteor V12 950hp diesel engine |
| Power/weight | 19 hp/tonne |
| Suspension | Horstmann Suspension |
Operational range | 450 km |
| Speed | 53 km/h |
The Olifant was introduced in 1952. It is currently the primary tank used by the Basel-Ebelian Army. A Basel-Ebelian modification of the famous Centurion tank, it is still in service today with various modifications such as a Laser rangefinder and optics, a gun-mounted IR searchlight and an improved ventilation system with computerized firing technology inherited from the Challenger tanks used by the Lucian Armed Forces. It is considered to be the best tank in service in the Africanna continent as it can still be able to go up against contemporary Imperial tanks as well as Guadosalam tanks, which are slightly inferior but modern than the Olifant. It is also the world cheapest tank to be produced and is a favorite of low-budget army branches such as the Gallian Militia and some Erebonian regiments. It is also the tank of choice for the Thors Military Academy. It is currently the only Centurion variant to be produced up to this day. It is produced in 25 manufacturing factories in Basel-Ebel with more than 100 tanks rolling out per month.
