BMS Harma
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| BMS Harma | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Infantry fighting vehicle |
| Place of origin |  Belfras |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1999-present |
| Used by | Belfrasian Armed Forces See Operators |
| Wars | See Operational History |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Belfrasian Military Systems |
| Designed | 1995 |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications (Base model) | |
| Weight | 25 tonnes |
| Length | 7 m (23 ft) |
| Width | 3.13 m (10.3 ft) |
| Height | 2.75 m (9.0 ft) |
| Crew | 3 (Commander, gunner, driver) |
| Passengers | 9 dismounts with full combat gear |
| Armor | Classified, capable of being fitted with MEXAS, Reactive Armour kits and bar armour. |
Operational range | 355 km (internal fuel) |
| Speed | 70 km/h (43 mph) on road 50 km/h (31 mph) off road |
The Harma is a family of tracked combat vehicles designed in 1995 by the Belfrasian Military Systems (BMS) for service with the Belfrasian Army. Originally developed to replace the older series of armoured perseonnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles deployed by the Army from the 1960s to the 1980s, the Harma has been expanded further to include a wide range of roles.
Best described as a multi-role infantry fighting vehicle, the Harma comes in variants such as the standard Infantry Fighting Vehicle, Armoured Personnel Carrier that focuses on carrying more personnel over fighting capabilities, self propelled howitzer versions, air defence versions, and variants for supporting armoured units. The vehicle entered service in the late 1990s and the composition of several vital components, such the armour, have remained classified. The Belfrasian Army, following trials, noted that the vehicle's armour was rated to vitally improve survivability of function and personnel against small arms and anti-armour munitions.
BMS stated during the unveiling that the Harma was developed to work in tandem with heavier armoured vehicles, such as the BMS Parmenio MBT which as undergoing trials at the same time. The Army has noted the versatility of the Harma when used in a combined arms warfare scenario, such as a tank platoon navigating through a city. In open areas, the rapid and rugged methods of movement the Harma can perform to cross rough terrain has in exercises shown that troops can be deployed to support larger operations or as the figurative 'main thrust' of an operation.
History
Design
When the request for a new armoured vehicle family came in, the requirements for different variants using a common frame resulted in major differences in armour, engine and electrical systems. The family has been upgraded several times in it's life, featuring increasing more powerful engines, weapons, and survivability methods. Most recently, the armoured vehicle family has been updated to contain an automated defence suite that categorizes potential threats and, in automatic mode, can fire countermeasures against incoming threats or to counter potential threats such as anti-tank equipped infantry or armoured vehicles.
The default model of the vehicle utilizes a Majestic DSS55 engine to provide a top speed of 43 MPH on road and 31 MPH off-road with governing systems that can be deactivated for a temporary sprint capacity of as much as five to ten miles an hour for periods of up to three to five minutes as needed. The DSS55 is an improvement upon the original DSS20 engine used in 1999-2005 with a new hybrid-electric propulsion system that has an attached battery pack that is recharged during movement and can assist movement of the armoured vehicle or to provide non-engine provided movement for the turret and operation of onboard equipment. Tests have proven that this allows reconnaissance versions to cut it's engine and operate all electrical systems in a quiet environment for periods of time, although the exact amount of time remains classified.
The suspension system of the Harma was upgraded in 2014 with an active dampening system that analyzes upcoming terrain and current speed to adjust the suspension at particular points to stabilize the vehicle as much as possible. The system has been perfected after a year of trialing has proven to increase speeds off-road to allow it to outrun some other types of armoured vehicles and to drastically reduce the pitch the vessel experiences when rapidly accelerating or decelerating. The system has, additionally, provided greater maneuverability and stability on both rugged terrain and to provide a much more stable environment for the gunner during firing when moving. The system has proven to be successful enough to prompt changes
During the development of the Harma armoured vehicle, BMS provided a classified armour system that, whent ested, proved for survivability against 14.5mm armour-piercing rounds utilized in weapons such as the Rodarian {{wpl|Denel NTW-20|HSRA-80]]. Whilst some variants since the development have standard protection against 30mm Armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding-sabot (APFSDS), others are capable of mounting MEXAS, a modular strap-on armour system that can give variants with thinner armour the same protection against 30mm APFSDS rounds. The same armour system is also intended to provide protection against ambush devices such as improvised explosive devices, explosively-formed penetrators and various kinds of anti-armour or armour-piercing munitions. The interior of the vehicle is lined with pieces of kevlar, designed as a pre-fractured network within a contained lining to slow and stop shrapnel that penetrates all layers of armour in order to reduce or prevent injury to personnel. Cage armour can also be fitted to the Harma, even on top of the MEXAS armour system, to provide effective protection against anti-tank warheads utilizing a tandem or shaped charge warhead. Armour mounted under the vehicle along with a uniquely shaped underside provide protection against anti-tank mines.
Answering requests by the Belfrasian Army for survivability against Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) attacks against military units in the event of war, the Harma comes natively with an advanced NBC filtration unit to strictly control the flow of air in and out of the vehicle. chemical and radiological detection systems also exist although more advanced systems are available on reconnaissance versions.
The Harma is equipped with dual-sided, directional vents that can be redirected by the commander to drastically reduce the heat image emitted. This system also exists with heat-absorbing filters that provide a level of temporary protection against thermal imaging or infrared cameras and improved protection against heat seeking munitions when used in combination with the vehicles small array of chaff. Small launchers exist that would provide a 360 degree angle of protection against heat-seeking munitions, which also compliments smoke launchers on the vehicle.
Methods for offensive operations by the basic IFV model of the Harma include the usage of a two-man turret armed with a 40mm caliber main gun with a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun. Two remote pintles exist for weapons to be used by both the gunner and commander for weapons such as general purpose machine guns, heavy machine guns, or grenade launchers. The basic turret also features two clusters of three launchers on each side of the turret for smoke dispersion methods. The commanders pintle comes with a remotely operated camera array that uses the same daytime/thermal imaging system along with a new generation of image intensification and identification software to identify personnel and types of vehicles encountered in the field.
Recent developments have begun into thermoelectric plates that would provide an infrared camouflage. This, in theory, will allow a vehicle to disguise itself as other objects such as civilian vehicles, trees, nor to make itself invisible entirely to infrared cameras. Tests are still being conducted as of early 2016 to determine the abilities to counter heat-seeking munitions.
Operational history
Belfrasian Army
Operators
Variants
Belfrasian Army
- Harma IFV-2A5 Infantry Fighting Vehicle
- armed by default with 30mm autocannon and 7.62mm coaxial two-man turret. Capable of containing nine troops with full combat equipment.
- Harma ATGM-2A1 Anti-Tank Guided Missile Courier
- is fitted with a light 20mm autocannon and improved array of eight anti-tank guided missiles. Contains control area for direction of missiles with onboard directional turret or through third party laser guidance.
- Harma ATGM-2A1M2 Anti-Tank Guided Missile Courier
- is a modified version of the ATGM-2A1 capable of firing the Serpent missile.
- Harma MC-1A1 Mortar Courier
- is armed with a twin barrelled mortar turret capable of delivering 120 mm mortars. Capable of firing rounds to ranges of 10 km with a rate of fire adjusting from 12 rounds a minute to controlled barrages of four in eight seconds. Carries 48 rounds natively.
- Harma LMT-1A2 Light Tank
- equipped with 105mm rifled main gun. Additionally armed with four anti-tank missiles
- Harma SHORAD-1A4 Air Defence
- is armed with a 40mm autocannon with programmable rounds and four surface-to-air missiles. Also equipped with air-search radar that can be linked to a local theater network.
- Harma SHORAD-1A4M2 Air Defence
- varies from normal -1A4 with 30mm six barreled rapid-firing gun and four surface-to-air missiles. Turret has inbuilt radar and purpose-made stabilization and cooling system.
- Harma CV-1A3 Command Vehicle
- replaces it's turret with a taller crew compartment and two remote weapon stations. Mounts advanced equipment for command personnel.
- Harma ARV-2A1 Armored Recovery Vehicle
- Mounts two winches for recovery of armoured vehicles in a combat zone. Has remote operated stations and is operated by the Royal Engineers.
- Harma RV-1A2 Reconnaissance Vehicle
- keeps the IFV's turret but augments it with a retractable mast, advanced reconnaissance systems, and laser guidance systems to guide artillery and missile fire.
- Harma RV-1A2M1 Reconnaissance Vehicle
- replaces its mast for advanced NBC gear. Meant to work with conducting reconnaissance on areas of radiation or chemical deployments.
- Harma MEWSS-2A5 Mobile Electronic Warfare Vehicle
- is a turretless variant with a retractable communications/jamming mast and two remote operated weapon stations.
- Harma LET-1A1 Light Equipment Transport
- replaces it's turret for an expanded carrying capacity. Can be used to carry equipment and supplies for personnel or ammunition.