Sabre Common Armoured Platform
| Sabre CAP | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Armored fighting vehicle |
| Place of origin |  Arthurista |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1999–present |
| Used by | Commonwealth Army |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Bombardier Victoria, Arthuristan Dynamics |
| Produced | 1998-present |
| Variants | see variants |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 17 tonnes average |
| Length | 6.98 m |
| Width | 2.7m |
| Height | 2.8 m |
| Crew | 3 |
| Passengers | Up to seven in certain variants |
| Armor | Basic: all round 12.7mm resistance. Up-armoured: 30mm frontal arc, 14.5mm AP all round, resistant against roof-attack light bomblets and common handheld-launchers. |
Main armament | Varies |
| Engine | Parkins 6-litre V6 diesel engine 250 hp |
| Suspension | Torsion bar |
Operational range | 800 km |
| Speed | 80 km/h on-road |
The Sabre Common Armoured Platform is a light armoured vehicle family of Arthuristan origin. It was developed in the late-90s to be the primary vehicle family for the mechanised brigade groups of the Commonwealth Army, combining a number of roles once performed by radically different vehicles to ease maintenance and repair requirements. Sabre vehicles can be transported by tactical air-lifters like the AM400 with minimal modifications. It is a follow-up project to the earlier Springbok Armoured Cavalry Vehicle program.
The Sabre's main advancement over legacy armoured vehicles is its status as a networked platform. It can use the Arthuristan Dynamics Digital Battlefield Management System which integrates vehicles in one or multiple units into the ARES Battlenet, allowing them to communicate efficiently and share valuable intelligence, whether with other tanks and vehicles, UAVs, CAF aircrafts providing CAS, or any other platforms or 'information nodes' of the Arthuristan military.
All Sabre variants are capable of wading, though they have no amphibious capability. The basic armour package of the baseline variant is proof against 12.7mm rounds and shrapnel from all angles. Those variants intended to face direct fire typically receive the AMAP upgrade, rendering it resistant against 30mm APDS fire from the frontal arc, 14.5mm AP rounds from all angles and light shaped charge warheads such as DPICM and other anti-armour bomblet munitions from above. Slat-armour may be fitted to protect the Sabre from common handheld AT weapons. They are typically hardened against mines and IEDs with a blast-deflecting floor plate design.
Combat variants are also typically fitted with the Redoubt Automatic Countermeasure System, an integrated suite combining automatic hardkill and softkill countermeasures with a variety of sensors. Its sensors component consists of apertures and receivers placed on a variety of spots on the vehicle's upper superstructure and covers the entire upper hemisphere. It includes electro-optical and radar targeting warning systems derived from similar technology developed by Arthuristan Dynamics Supermarine for the Tempest fighter and a millimetre-band miniature radar array capable of detecting incoming missile or RPG rounds. The softkill component uses automatic decoy and smoke dischargers effective against all relevant electro-magnetic wavelengths (derived from the MASS decoy system in use in the Commonwealth Navy, making it effective against thermal-imaging systems. It also incorporates DICM and laser dazzler-blinders to directly attack and disable targeting devices once they are detected. The hardkill component uses a pod of eight vertical-launched missiles mounted on the rear of the turret to intercept incoming threats, a lightened and miniaturised version of the variant employed on the Boudicca Main Battle Tank.
Despite the wheeled nature of the platform, the Sabre displays considerable rough ground capability. Its wheels can be partially deflated with a push of a button by the driver for increased traction when going over soft ground. The vehicle can still drive even if all the tires are punctured.
Section Carrier Vehicle
The Sabre-SCV is, as its name suggests, tasked with transporting an eight-men rifle section (the vehicle commander is also the section commander and often dismounts alongside the troops). It is equipped with a turret armed with a 25mm autocannon (being replaced by a 40mm CTA cannon), as well as the Sharpshooter RWS, which combines a GL05 Universal Support Weapon with two box-launched Vanguard anti-tank missiles (a command launch unit is carried in the vehicle's crew compartment and the infantry section may elect to detach one of the missiles and deploy it in dismounted configuration). As one of the variants intended to enter direct combat, it has a slightly more potent powerpack, strengthened suspension, provisions for modular applique armour, remote weapon system, hardkill/softkill ADS and datalink for integration into the ARES Battlenet.
Armoured Cavalry Vehicle
See: Springbok Armoured Cavalry Vehicle
Joint Fire Vehicle
See: Joint Fire Vehicle
Tank Destroyer Vehicle
<imgur thumb="yes" w="200" comment="TDV missile pods.">HykkCji.png</imgur> The Tank Destroyer Vehicle's is equipped with a folding six-round rack of anti-tank missiles. These are the non-line of sight variant of the Vesper missile. It is equipped with a thermal imaging camera and infrared-laser designator/rangefinder. Up to six additional missiles are carried in the vehicle's hull. The missile rack is reloaded manually, although it can be done while on the move through a hatch behind the launch rack. These vehicles can engage moving point targets at ranges of up to 25km with the assistance of forward observers.
Aside from directly engaging targets with the TDV's own on-board sensors, targeting data may also be transmitted via the ARES-battlenet to the datalinks on-board the vehicle and the missiles, allowing the TDV to attack targets not within its line of sight, for example, while concealed behind a reversed slope. The TDV can engage two targets at a time.
As one of the variants intended to enter direct combat, it has a slightly more potent powerpack, strengthened suspension, provisions for modular applique lightweight composite armour of titanium, rubber and ceramics, remote weapon system, hardkill/softkill ADS and datalink for integration into the ARES Battlenet.
Advanced Tank Destroyer Vehicle
These vehicles are platforms for a 16-cell vertical launch system for the Vantage non-line of sight anti-armour and precision strike system. Few of these very new and relatively expensive weapon systems have reached frontline service.
Air Defence Vehicle
The Sabre-ADV is the SHORAD version of the platform, able to provide low-altitude air defence for brigade groups. It mounts a turret with eight launch tubes for Starstreak missiles, with twelve reloads stored in the fighting compartment. A battery consists of six vehicles plus a radar vehicle. The current version features a second laser designator, allowing the vehicle to engage two targets at once.
Mortar Carrier Vehicle
This is essentially a Sabre chassis fitted with an Armoured Mortar System. The 120mm weapon is compatible with precision-guided rounds such as the Strix. It has a maximum range of 12km with rocket-assisted projectiles and a burst rate of fire of 8 RPM.
A mortar platoon of nine is typically deployed at the battalion-level. Mortars typically fight as geographically-dispersed pairs or triplets, but whose fire can be rapidly massed to bombard a critical point where necessary. Reconnaissance assets will utilise the ARES Battlenet to pass targeting information to mortar vehicles, enabling them to quickly engage or switch targets as the situation dictates. In an emergency, a Time On Target barrage can be quickly organised to take advantage of fleeting opportunities or to halt a massed attack.
Mobile Gun Vehicle
The Sabre-MGV is armed with a L7 105mm rifled gun, a roof-mounted Sharpshooter RWS and thermal imaging sight. It is compatible with HESH, APFSDS, airburst and flechette rounds, as well as the Arthuristan Smart Top Attack Munition.
The Mobile Gun Vehicle has not been considered a success. Originally meant to complement the Missile Carrier Vehicle, the latter's significantly greater lethality and mechanical simplicity means that they have largely supplanted the MGV in service.
Armoured Engineering Vehicle
The AEV is essentially a Sabre chassis fitted with earth-moving implement, winches and other engineering equipment. It can carry and deploy Medium Girder Bridge pallets as well as tow a rocket-propelled line explosive mine-clearing system. It replaced the FV180 Combat Engineer Tractor in Commonwealth Army service and are deployed in the Assault Pioneer platoons of armoured and mechanised infantry battalions as well as the Field Troops of Divisional Engineer Regiments.
Electronic Warfare Vehicle
The EWV is equipped with antennae, signals analyser and other desiderata of modern electronic warfare tasked with data collection, locating enemy forces, especially those of headquarters, intercepting and jamming enemy communications and conducting electronic attacks when operating in the FEBA.
Armoured Recovery Vehicle
The ARV is equipped with winches and is optimised at recovering Sabre and Springbok family vehicles and other light armour damaged on the battlefield.
Armoured Ambulance Vehicle
Replaced the FV104 Samaritan in the rapid protected casualties evacuation role.
Command/Control Vehicle
The CCV is essentially a personnel carrier variant, fitted with enhanced communications equipment to serve as a mobile command vehicle. Air conditioning comes as standard.
Hazard Reconnaissance Vehicle
A CRBN recce specialist variant fitted with a bespoke detector suite for measuring atmospheric conditions
Minelayer Vehicle
Equipped with a flatbed and a Shielder minelaying system.