Werewolf (tank)
| Werewolf | |
|---|---|
 FA.90F Werewolf | |
| Type | Main battle tank |
| Place of origin | Banbha |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1990–present |
| Wars | Fuinic Conflict (1990 onward) Kolo-Selonian Skirmishes 2012) Invasion of Vyzhva (2019) Invasion of Era (2021) |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1978–1989 |
| Manufacturer | Byrne Heavy Industries |
| Unit cost | $7.75M (2020), (F-standard) |
| Produced | 1990 onwards, production as-required |
| No. built | >1,250 |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | D: 52.47 tonnes F: 48.1 tonnes G: 52.91 tonnes |
| Length | 7.55m (hull) |
| Width | 3.44m |
| Height | 2.4m to turret roof 2.85m to top of CITV |
| Crew | 3 (Commander, driver, gunner) |
| Armor | Multi-stage composite armour; including titanium, tungsten and ceramics upon a welded steel base. |
Main armament | 120mm L44 or L55 22 rounds in the autoloader 18 rounds in the hull (as of E-standard) |
Secondary armament | 7mm coaxial chain-gun (4,000 rounds stowed, 1,000 ready use) |
| Engine | 16-cylinder 4-stroke multi-fuel (as of F-standard) 1,491 kW (2,000hp) de-rated to 1,312kW (1,760) |
| Power/weight | 22kW/tonne |
| Suspension | hydro-pneumatic |
| Ground clearance | 495mm |
| Fuel capacity | 1,100 litres |
Operational range | ~450km On-road |
| Speed | >75 km/h (47 mph) On-road 55 km/h (34 mph) Off-road |
The FA.90 Werewolf (Glasic: Feithicil Armúrtha 90 Conriocht) is a main battle tank (MBT) designed and manufactured by Byrne Heavy Industries (BHI) as a replacement for the FA.68 Leon (Lion) and FA.74 Tíogar (Tiger). It entered service with the Glasic Army in 1990.
Development
By the 1970s it had become apparent that the the FA.61 would not be sufficient in the face of newer armour being developed in Casaterra and Hemithea. Up until this point the FA.61 could be relied on to deal with most threats and indeed had been upgraded to remain competitive. After a lengthy and troubled development the FA.74 entered service in 1976. This would be the first Banbhan tank to feature an autoloader and adjustable hydro-pneumatic suspension. The FA.61 would be upgraded as an interim measure to the FA.68 and continue to serve alongside what should have been its replacement until the 1990s.
With the adoption of the Tiger the Banbhan defence procurement agency was still looking toward the future with an eye on replacing the at the very least the FA.74 with an entirely clean sheet design, as a result multiple mockups and prototypes for replacement vehicles were produced between 1978 and 1983. A clutch of three early Leopard 2s from, Eisenmart were procured for testing and the loan of one of the STC prototypes (which would become the Type 83) to better develop a Banbhan design. As a result of this some of the prototypes were based on the FA.68/74 whilst others were built from scratch to test new technologies.
Most major contract work for these studies was undertaken by a consortium of Timoney Automotive, Timoney Technology and Brennan Brown alongside the Defence Research and Technology Exploitation Institute (RTEI). After the desired vehicle layout was established a further series of prototypes were constructed in mild steel, all completed between 1985 and 1986. A second series of prototypes were constructed in 1987 incorporating improvements for issues identified during early troop trials. These were the first in the series to be equipped with a 120mm L44 gun, the early prototypes being fitted with the 105mm L62 of the preceding FA.74. This new gun which was derived from an Eisenmatian weapon provided significant growth potential over the 105mm gun. The second and third series of trials between 1987 and 1988 further refined the vehicle's design, it eventually being frozen in 1989. Low rate initial production beginning in late 1989. A second round of troop trials prior to mass-production rectified several small issues which manifested during the trials. Full-rate production commenced in 1990 and continues to the present day.
Design
The design of the Werewolf as-built superficially resembles that of the Eisenmatian Leopard 2 or Dayashinese Type 83 with its angular turret and general shape but the similarities mostly end there. The Werewolf has a highly sloped upper plate with more moderately sloped mid and lower hull plates conferring a reasonable degree of protection to the vehicle without a substantial increase in weight. The driver, partly as a result of the highly sloped frontal armour is seated in a supine position between three self-sealing, armoured fuel cells (front and both sides) which, serve the additional role of adding further protection, especially against chemical energy warheads. Additionally, an in-built armour package ahead of the driver further increases the frontal resistance of the vehicle. The sides of the lower hull are slightly sloped and were originally of constant thickness but production models began to feature appliqué plates welded to either side of the fighting compartment.The upper hull sides contain further armoured fuel cells as do the ammunition compartments for a total of 1,150 litres inclusive of the bow tanks.
The Werewolf initially featured a longitudinally mounted MB 873 V12 engine manufactured in Banbha under licence by Timoney Automotive, whilst this was an acceptable arrangement at the time the Banbhan army wished for a wholly removable power-pack to improve accessibility and facilitate faster maintenance times. This resulted in the introduction of a power-pack from the D-standard onwards, arranged around a smaller but more powerful MB 883 engine mounted in a transverse fashion as part of a powerpack. More recently the MB 883 has in turn begun to be supplanted with the introduction of the MB 894, an again smaller and more powerful than the previous designs, this in turn has freed up valuable hull volume for such things as: improved hull ammunition stowage, extra fuel, improved air-conditioning and a more substantial auxiliary power unit.
The Werewolf is a steer-by-wire vehicle steered by a pair of joysticks, one to either side of the driver, these are connected to electrically-actuated brake discs which are in turn connected to a 10 speed (5+5) hydrostatic transmission. Between the driver's legs are the accelerator and brake pedals in their usual positions, again electrically actuated. The driver's seat can recline fully allowing for the driver to egress the vehicle through the turret in the event that their hatch is unusable or blocked by the turret / gun. In more recent versions there Werewolf has become a fully drive-by-wire vehicle with throttle, braking and steering all being controlled electrically.
The turret structure of early Werewolves consisted initially of a mixed construction base with cast front and welded mid and rear sections, the front also having additional plates welded to it. On top of this was placed the composite armour arrays. The turret bustle being completely separated from the main turret structure by an armoured bulkhead and featuring blow-out panels in the roof to vent ammunition fires. This was replaced by vehicles to the D-standard by a fully welded turret. More recently still the Werewolf at least in Banbhan service has been retrofitted due to advances in production with a turret constructed primarily from titanium, reducing total vehicle weight by over three tonnes
The Werewolf utilises Horstman-designed hydro-pneumatic suspension originally on its outer road-wheel pairs but more recently on all of its road wheels which allow for a fully adjustable ride height (+150mm -255mm) in addition to providing extra depression and elevation to the main gun and smoothing out bumps and dips in terrain whilst on the move. Since the introduction of hydro-pneumatic suspension to the centre wheel-sets the vehicle is also able to adjust its angle of tilt for when operating on uneven ground.
The primary armament of the Werewolf has changed little since its introduction. Initially schemed to utilise a new 110mm rifled gun this was changed to a 120mm smoothbore weapon similar to that in use on the Eisenmatian Leopard 2 whilst the tank was in development. The change to a smoothbore weapon necessitated the replacement of the HESH round with a multipurpose HEAT round in the form of the DM12. Ordinarily the Werewolf houses twenty-two read-use rounds in its autoloader with, depending upon the variant in question up-to a further eighteen rounds stowed in the rear hull. The gun is fully stabilised and computerised unlike the preceding FA.68/74 which greatly increases the first-round kill probability of the vehicle in combat, additionally the Werewolf was the first Banbhan vehicle to be equipped with a chain gun in a bid to reduce fume ingress into the fighting compartment. In its newer variants the Werewolf has been fitted with a longer 55-calibre gun in place of the earlier 44-calibre weapon in a bid to improve armour penetration, though some vehicles have either retained or been retrofitted with 44-calibre weapons for operations in urban areas where the longer barrel of the 55-calibre weapon could pose problematic in regard to clearing obstacles. A 51-calibre 130mm gun has been trialled with vehicles so fitted receiving an extended rear bustle and modified gun cradle though it has yet to be decided whether the 130mm gun will be accepted for general use on the Werewolf or whether the fleet will receive an improved 120mm weapon, leaving the 130mm weapon to a future vehicle.
The fire control system has changed greatly over successive variants of the Werewolf, initially only able to be worked from the gunner's side of the vehicle but in subsequent variants both the commander and gunner are able to work the main and coaxial guns as required with the commander having the now commonplace override system. Recent variants of the Werewolf have started to be fitted with the Elbit COAPS panoramic-sight for the commander and TIFCS for the gunner, replacing the Elbit SFIP system and Mitsubishi FCS initially fitted. The new system allows for easier replacement and upgrading of sensors as well as integrating a laser range finder for the commander, allowing for a true hunter-killer capability with the commander being able to store firing solutions independently of the gunner.
Service History
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The Werewolf entered service as the FA.90 with the Banbhan Army in late 1990 after final troop trials had been completed. They immediately equipped units of the Banbhan Blackwater Army (GBA), tasked with defending the mainland border regions from incursions by an ever more belligerent Vyzhvan regime or from Kolodoria. Due to the nationalistic and fragmented nature of inter-regional alliances the Werewolf has only found minimal export success, largely in Vinya as a standardised vehicle within the Triple Entente.
Perhaps unsurprisingly it was in Vinya that the Werewolf's reputation as an effective fighting machine would be forged, firstly during border skirmishes with Kolodoria and more recently in Operation Geas, the invasion of Vyzhva and Operation Protectress, the policing action in Era. Experience in the former two greatly affected the roadmap for the vehicle's future. With a focus on urban combat coming to the fore rather than the originally envisaged en-masse engagements on the plains of Vyzhva and Tír Ealga it was decided to retrofit the independent tank regiments of the Banbhan Army for urban operations with the remaining vehicles remaining focussed on the traditional anti-armour role.
Battle for the Blackwater
In the early hours of February 14th 2019, elements of The Grey Leopard whilst crossing the River Blackwater into Vyzhva made contact with what was initially thought to be a reinforced motor rifle regiment with attached armoured support, this later turned out to be a motor rifle brigade (believed to be from the 103rd Guards Armoured Division). During the ensuing battle, the force of 56 tanks supported by Raccoons from the Royal Blacks fought doggedly to secure the Vyzhvan side of the Blackwater destroying 41 armoured vehicles and numerous soft-skinned vehicles without loss of life among the Werewolves. Two Werewolves were disabled by anti-tank mines and three Racoons were lost, two to ATGM fire and another to a mine.
Battle for Targan
By March 3rd 2019 the composite Triple Entente army group known as Army Group Carman were approaching the outskirts of the Vyzhvan exclave of Targan. After preliminary bombardment a four pronged attack commenced with the Banbhan Guards Armoured Division supported by a Crainnic mechanised brigade attacking from the west whilst the Crainnic 3rd and 4th Infantry Divisions acted as a blocking force to the east of the city. Fierce street fighting was commonplace over the following weeks resulting in a number of Werewolves being disabled or burned out by Vyzhvan combatants firing from multi-story structures or basements. By the time that the order was given to withdraw from the inner city around a fifth of the Division's Werewolves had been damaged or disabled, amounting to some 46 vehicles. Whilst it had been accepted that losses in urban fighting would be common it was not foreseen just how prevalent AT teams firing from murder holes or from tower blocks would be.
Variants
FA.90A
Initial production vehicles manufactured between 1990 and 1992, quickly superseded in production by B and even C-standard vehicles, the vast majority of surviving A-standard vehicles were converted to driver-training vehicles, unmanned mine-clearance vehicles or scrapped outright before the turn of the century.
FA.90B
B-standard Werewolves feature various internal modifications such as the change to a removable power-pack as well as changes to the autoloader and forward fuel cells, there is little difference externally to differentiate an A-standard from a B-standard vehicle. Like their immediate forebears most B-standard vehicles have gone into non-combat roles or been scrapped.
FA.90C
Essentially improved B-standard vehicles with thicker side and floor armour welded on. C-standard vehicles featured further changes the fuel cells to allow separate feeling as well as limiting damage in the event of a hit. Other minor changes included a deflector plate for the turret ring and improved NBC system.
FA.90D
The D-standard Werewolf has become the de-facto standard model for production for export, essentially C-standard vehicles with the armour improvements from new. D-standard vehicles can be split into two distinct tranches with those intended for domestic or Triple Entente use featuring a much revised armouring scheme featuring a much greater use of titanium and tungsten in lieu of some grades of steel, to lower costs for potential export customers, export-standard vehicles by default lack this revised armour scheme.
FA.90E
The E-standard Werewolf is more than anything else an incrementally improved D-standard vehicle. The E introduced the distinctive wedge-shaped "Arrowhead" to disturb the flightpath of incoming KE rounds as well as a new titanium gun mantlet and a brand-new composite array for the turret cheeks and sides. Additionally, appliqué armour to protect against mines CE threats was added to the roof, floor, hull sides and frontal areas of the vehicle. Optional thicker side skirts were also developed for the front third of the vehicle.
The E also introduced a spall liner and mine-resistant seating throughout the fighting compartment and increased and improved hull stowage for extra ammunition to 18 rounds bringing the total on board to forty.
FA.90F
A further development of the E, F-standard vehicles are the first to feature the 890-series power-pack with its V16 engine. The F also rearranged the turret interior, relocating the commander's sight to a position behind their cupola and replacement of the gunner's primary sight with a much improved model. With the replacement of the power-pack, a complete rewiring and the changes to the turret a weight saving of around 850kg has been achieved, all the more important with the ever increasing protection requirements that tanks are saddled with.
FA.90G
G-standard Werewolves are the current production standard as of 2020. The G introduced a 20kW APU more suitable for the increased power draw of active-protection systems, improved climate control etc, improved intercom system, the ability to fire programmable munitions as well as the ability to fire GLATGMs and rocket-boosted top-attack munitions (all stowed in the hull racks). The G also marks the first real use of ERA on the Werewolf platform with reactive armour being applied to the turret and autoloader sides as well as the lower front hull plate.
FA.90CG
The CG or Werewolf Next-Generation is a technology demonstrator owned by the Banbhan MoD to test industry-proposed improvements to the Werewolf platform. The tank has been named Failinis after the legendary war hound, renowned for its invulnerability on the battlefield and its ability to catch and slay any beast it encountered. Failinis introduced the majority of changes that have found their way onto the F and G-standard vehicles but has since evolved even further with the introduction of newly developed armour materials, the fitting of a prototype 130mm gun in a modified turret, a hybrid-electric transmission and regeneratively charged batteries for silent operation and movement as well as a "see-through-armour" system for all three crew-members allowing them to maintain 360-degree situational awareness. Finally the modified bustle has been integrated with a micro-uav launcher and extensible sensor mast.
Operators
Current Operators
• Banbha - The Banbhan Army operates around 1,250 Werewolves of E, F and G-standard
• Crainn - The Crainnc Army operates around 350 Werewolves of F and G-standard
• Fóla - The Fólan Army operates around 150 Werewolves of F and G-standard
• Ariana - The Arianan Army operates around 300 Werewolves of DE and EE-standard
• Juverna - The Juvernan Army operates around 400 Werewolves of D and E-standard
• Vyzhvan Republic - Since the reformation of the Vyzhvan Armed Forces a number of Werewolves have been donated to the Vyzhvan Republic to form the core of a new armoured force in the face of continued Kolodorian belligerence, deliveries are ongoing and are expected to reach around 250 by 2025, drawn from Banbhan, Crainnic and Fólan stockpiled vehicles.
Former Operators
• Kawazi The Kawazi Army operated around 400 early model Werewolves until the 2021 Meridian Conflict, most of which have now been destroyed, disabled or otherwise unaccounted for.