Heracles 2

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Heracles 2
Heracles 2 exercises.png
Heracles 2E2 main battle tank
TypeMain battle tank
Place of originRomaia
Service history
In service1995–present
Used byRomaia, Iavonia
Production history
ManufacturerConsortium EVORA-Mikelis-Origen (EMO), a consortium formed by EVORA, Mikelis and Origen
No. built≈2000
Specifications
Weight56.3 t (55.4 long tons; 62.1 short tons)
Length9.52 m (31.2 ft)
Width3.61 m (11.8 ft)
Crew3

Armormodular composite armor
Y2E2 3rd generation composite; including high-hardness steel, tungsten and plastic filler with ceramic component.
Main
armament
1×120  Michelis mm smoothbore gun (40 rounds)
Secondary
armament
1x12.7 mm coaxial machine gun (1,100 rounds)
Y2E3 1x35-mm autocannon
EngineEVORA 12V diesel
Y2E3 UEC 12V diesel
1,500 PS (1,479 hp, 1,103 kW) at 2,600 rpm
TransmissionAutomatic SESM
SuspensionTorsion bar suspension
Fuel capacity1,300 litres (286 imperial gallons; 343 US gallons)
Operational
range
550 km (342 mi)
Speed
  • 71 km/h (44 mph) on the road
  • 55 km/h (34 mph) off road
References

The Heracles 2 is a 3rd generation main battle tank originally developed by TBD in the 1990s for the Romaian Army. The tank first entered service in 1995 and succeeded the earlier Heracles 1 as the main battle tank of the Romaian Army. It is armed with a 120 mm smoothbore cannon, and is powered by a V-12 twin-turbo diesel engine. Various versions have served in the Romaian Armed Forces.


Design

Armament

Primary

The Heracles 2 is armed with a modern and massive 120 mm version F1 smoothbore gun designed by Mikelis. Its barrel is 55 calibres long instead of the 44 calibre common on most main battle tanks of its generation, giving the projectile a higher muzzle velocity.


Autoloader

Located inside the turret bustle, the autoloader is designated TBD and was designed by Mikelis. The autoloader itself weighs 500 kg (empty) and has a total volume of 1.68 m3 (1.40 × 2.40 × 0.50 m). In case of ammunition cooking off, the deflagration is vented by two blow-out panels.

The autoloader allows the reloading of the gun while firing on the move, providing it a sufficient rate of fire to deal with six targets in one minute. The nominal firing sequence is below 8 seconds and the repetition rate (loading two ammunition of the same type one after another) is below 6 seconds. The autoloader is managed by a TM Origen A890120 microprocessor.

The autoloader consists of a continuous link carrier magazine made of 22 cells and a rammer assembly. It can accommodate all types of ammunition, up to six different types of ammunition can be selected. The cell positions the selected round for loading. At the same time, the main gun is decoupled from the stabilization system, indexed to 1.8° elevation and locked in alignment with the loading gutter. Then, a telescopic rammer pushes the round from the cell into the gun breech via a fiberglass gutter. After loading, the weapon is automatically driven back to the specified angle in accordance with the fire control system. In case of power outage, the conveyor can be put into motion by using a hand-cranked electric generator.

The ammunition is normally inserted in the autoloader through a port in the rear wall of the turret bustle. A control panel allows the autoloader cells to be rotated to present a new empty cell. Two barcode readers identify the introduced ammunition in order to manage its position in the conveyor at any time. If the ammunition does not have a barcode, its type is entered through the control keyboard. It is possible to replenish the autoloader under armor, through a port in the inner bulkhead by using the 18 rounds cylinder located to the right of the driver's position.

Fire-control system and sights

The fire-control system (FCS) consists gunner's primary sight (GPS), commander's panoramic sight (CPS), ballistic calculator, electrical gun and turret drive system (EGTDS), and dynamic muzzle reference system (DMRS).

The Heracles 2 is equipped with an advanced fire-control system linked to an Extremely High Frequency (EHF) L-band Pulsed Doppler Radar system deployed on the frontal arc of the turret, along with a laser rangefinder and crosswind sensor. The system is capable of a "lock-on" mode, which can acquire and track specific targets up to a range of 9.8 km (6.1 mi) using a thermographic camera. This allows the crew to fire accurately while moving as well as engage low-flying aircraft.

The commander of the tank has the ability to override the gunner's command, to take control of the turret and gun. Moreover, unconfirmed reports state that, in the event of an emergency, the vehicle can be operated by only two crew members, or even a single one. It is speculated that the fire-control system can automatically spot and track visible targets, compare them using the data link established with other friendly vehicles to prevent redundant target engagements, and fire its main gun without manual input.

Heracles 2 has an Automatic Target Detection and Tracking System (ATDTS) controlled by the Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) algorithm. When the target is identified as a foe by the IFF/SIF (Identification Friend or Foe/Selective Identification Feature) system, the tank automatically aims and performs laser distance measurements on the target even if the tank is maneuvering on irregular terrain while the target is moving. It can lead the target and fire automatically based on ballistic data calculated by the turret mounted laser rangefinder and crosswind sensor. This feature enhances the performance of inexperienced gunners significantly

Network-centric warfare capabilities and operability