Ceteus

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Ceteus
Ceteus.jpg
TypeInfantry fighting vehicle
Place of originRepublic of Syara
Service history
Used byArmy of the Syaran Republic
Galanian Territorial Forces
WarsRefusal War
Zemplen Resolution Campaign
Production history
Produced1965-1980
No. built~5,000 produced
Specifications
Weight13.2 tons
Length6.375 m (20 ft 11.0 in)
Width2.94 m (9 ft 8 in)
Height2.068 m (6 ft 9.4 in)
Crew3 + 8 passengers

Armor6-33mm welded rolled steel
Main
armament
75mm low pressure smoothbore autocannon
ATGM Launcher
Secondary
armament
7.62mm machinegun
Engine6-cylinder 4-stroke V-shaped airless-injection water-cooled multifuel 15.8 liter diesel
300 hp
Power/weight22.7 hp/t
SuspensionIndividual torsion bar with hydraulic shock absorbers on the 1st and 6th road wheels
Operational
range
600 km
Speed65 km/h (40 mph)

The Ceteus is a Syaran tracked infantry fighting vehicle that was first introduced by the Republic of Syara in 1965. It was Syara's first true infantry fighting vehicle and served as a template for future designs.

Following the Siduri War, the Army of the Syaran Republic re-evaluated the role of armor and infantry cooperation and deduced the need for a mixture between an armored personnel carrier and a light tank that could transport infantry to the battlefield and then provide fire support and protection during combat. The Ceteus was the culmination of this idea after being in development for nearly 15 years and was formally incorporated into the Syaran Army in the 1960s as the basis for Syaran mechanized infantry formations. The Ceteus featured a 75mm low velocity main cannon and a machinegun and was crewed by three (a gunner, driver, and commander)and could transport 8 passengers. Later models also mounted an anti-tank guided missile launcher and 20mm and 30mm autocannons. The Ceteus was also amphibious and protected from radiological, biological, and chemical weapons.

Despite its versatility and capability as a platform, the Ceteus was widely disliked by Syaran soldiers for its cramped nature and poor mechanical reliability. While later models improved on these issues, the design remained unpopular with Syaran crews and the design was replaced with the Balius and Aethon in the 1970s. The Ceteus saw combat during the Refusal War, and a small number ended up in the arsenals of the Realm Defense Forces of Syara, a handful of which were later used by the Galanian Territorial Forces during the Zemplen Resolution Campaign.

Development

Design

Production

Service history