Hetairos
| Hetairos | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Main battle tank |
| Place of origin | Syara |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Syara |
| Production history | |
| Produced | 2015-Present |
| No. built | ~650 built, 1,200 ordered |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 55 tons |
| Length | 10 m (32 ft 10 in) |
| Width | 3.6 m (11 ft 10 in) |
| Height | 3.3 m (10 ft 10 in) |
| Crew | 3 |
| Armor | Spara armor package |
Main armament | 125mm smoothbore main cannon, 46 rounds |
Secondary armament | 1 x 12.7mm AA gun 1 x 7.62mm coaxial machinegun |
| Engine | KML-15 opposed piston 6-cylinder diesel 1,500 hp |
| Power/weight | 30 hp/t |
| Suspension | torsion bar |
Operational range | 500 km |
| Speed | 70 km/h (43 mph) |
The Hetairos is a Syaran main battle tank (MBT) first introduced in 2015. It is an intended successor to the Myrmidon Main Battle Tank and the first Syaran tank to feature an unmanned turret. The Hetairos is intended to gradually replace older tanks already in service with Syara, although concurrent deployment is expected to last until at least the 2030s.
Development
The Hetairos marks a departure from previous Syaran tank designs including the Myrmidon, Minotaur, Manticore, and Mimas, most noticeably in the adopted of an unmanned turret. The armored forces of the Syaran National Army saw extensive experience in the Zemplen War, having fought in every major battle and operation of the conflict. Post-war analysis by Syaran military officials identified the need for a pivot in the design of Syaran armored fighting vehicles to emphasize crew survivability, close coordination with friendly forces, and the ability to defend against the wide array of enemy munitions and weapon systems on the modern battlefield, including other armor, anti-tank guided missiles, long range precision munitions, artillery and air power. As a result the Hetairos was designed alongside a new cohesive armor package known as Spara, which includes both hard and soft-kill countermeasures, composite armor and additional explosive reactive armor blocks alongside the hull.
Design
The Hetairos is powered by a KML-15 opposed piston 6-cylinder diesel engine which produced 1,500 hp. The power-to-weight ratio is 30 horsepower per ton, giving the Hetairos a very high hp/t compared to most other main battle tanks. The KML-15 is also more fuel efficient, consuming 15% less fuel than the Myrmidon and can be fueled by diesel, kerosene, or jet fuel. Suspension is provided by a torsion bar with hydraulics dampeners for cross country maneuvers. The Hetairos can climb a gradient of 32 degrees or a slide slope of 25 degrees, and can ford a water depth of 5 meters with appropriate equipment. The Hetairos is protected against nuclear, biological, chemical, and radiological threats, and also features a robust filtration system to keep the crew comfortable.
Production
The initial Hetairos prototype was created in early 2014 and underwent testing until 2015. In May 2015 the Syaran Army placed an order for 100 vehicles, which were delivered between June and July the same year. The 11th Armored Division of 2nd Army under Realm Force Galania was the first unit to recieve the Hetairos. The Hetairos made its "debut" in Exercise Bura in the winter of 2015. Between 2016-2020 the Syaran Army purchased an additional 550 tanks, equipping armored brigades of 1st Army in Realm Force Makedon. By 2019 the Syaran Army had placed an additional order of 1,200 tanks to be delivered between 2020-2022. Primary tank production takes place in Parjov, Makedon, Tavrita, Galania, and Lerok, Scitaria.