Type 97 Mireu-ho
 | This article is incomplete because it is pending further input from participants, or it is a work-in-progress by one author. Please comment on this article's talk page to share your input, comments and questions. Note: To contribute to this article, you may need to seek help from the author(s) of this page. |
| Type 97 Mireu-ho | |
|---|---|
| File:Type 97 ID.png Type 97 Mireu-ho ID Production model (2009, below) | |
| Type | Main Battle Tank |
| Place of origin |  Anikatia |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2009-present |
| Used by | See Operators |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Huadai Precision Industries Kwonhu Limited |
| Designed | 1993-1997 |
| Manufacturer | Kwonhu Limited |
| Unit cost | In FY2014 dollars: |
| Produced | 1997-present |
| Specifications (Type 97 Mireu-ho IA) | |
| Weight | 51.8 tonnes (empty) 55.7 tonnes (combat weight) |
| Length | 7.5 metres (24 ft 7 in) hull 10.8 m (35 ft 5 in) gun forward |
| Width | 3.6 metres (11 ft 10 in) |
| Height | 2.4 metres (7 ft 10 in) |
| Crew | 3 (commander, gunner, driver) |
| Armor | Classified type of composite armour with ERA and NERA modular add-on armour in addition to soft-kill and hard-kill anti-missile defense systems |
Main armament | 125mm TGI CM125-1H/L52 smoothbore gun (32 ready in bustle autoloader, 10 rounds in protected hull storage) |
Secondary armament | H62AG 7.62x54mm machine-gun (co-axial, 2,000 rounds) H12AG HMG 12.7x108mm heavy machine-gun (pintle-mounted, 1,200 rounds) |
| Engine | Kyoungcho KGI-V12K-6D5 four-stroke V12 multifuel engine in powerpack 1,450 hp (1,081 kW) |
| Power/weight | 26.36 hp/tonne |
| Transmission | Kyoungcho KGI GDT-21HMT Continuously Variable Transmission in powerpack |
| Suspension | In-Arm Hydropneumatic |
| Ground clearance | Varies |
| Fuel capacity | 1,300 litres (internal) |
Operational range | 550km (internal fuel, road) 740km (with external stores) |
| Speed | 70km/h (on road) 52km/h (cross-country) |
The Type 97 Mireu-ho (Anikatian: 유형 97 미르호 yuhyeong 97 mileuho) which means "Dragon" in Anikatian, is a main battle tank of the of the Anikatian Ground Force (AGF). It was built by Kwonhu Limited it is to become a standard tank in the Anikatian arsenal, that will replace most of the various models of battle tanks now fielded by the Republic of Anikatia. It was due to be introduced in 2000, but was delayed due to the fall of the DSRA and did not enter full service until 2009.
History and development
Development started during the 1980s, when Huadai Precision Industries developed a new design based on the stretched Type 73 Seungli-ho chassis. An early prototypes were little more than advanced modifications based on Type 73 Seungli-ho and Type 86 Amsalja-ho tanks, and new turret design and modified suspension and lengthened chassis. However the final design was a brand new design based upon state-of-the-art domestic technologies and as a result only shared some limited mechanical components with it predecessors. It appeared to have had very thick front armour and new-generation explosive reactive armour on the hull and turret. Early design variants included a version with an unmanned turret, which was later scrapped in favor of manned turret designs. The design was presumably a significant departure from the DSRA-era tanks currently in service. In particular, it was to have a new hydropneumatic suspension with adaptive features.
Early design variants included a version with an unmanned turret, which was later scrapped in favor of manned turret designs. It was also planned for the vehicle to be equipped with a 152mm smoothbore gun, to respond to threats from Free Pardes with intelligence indicating incredibly heavily armoured new tanks such as the Panzer 96. Though this was abandoned when the DSRA collapsed effectively ending the Cold War, the current 125 mm/L52 was therefore considered both cheaper and more than adequate to counter prospective armored threats for the foreseeable future. Though it is capable of mounting the larger caliber guns with minimum modifications should the need arise.
The prototype had a 125 mm tank gun, but test rigs were produced with a modified turret design to accept a larger 152mm gun, however there were no further developed was undertaken. Subsequently the production Type 97 Mireu-ho was instead fitted with a newly designed 125 mm/L52. Production was complicated but the fall of the DSRA in 2001 with only a limited number had been produced before then. Subsequent models underwent substantial updates and further development particularly regarding the electronics and thus representing a significant departure from earlier pre-production DSRA era models. During the post-DSRA era a number of test rigs were produced with a modified turret design to trialed with a number of new guns from members particularly the 130mm Coleman Armaments L52/R81 of the Gordon MBT and the 14.5cm PzK M-85 L/45 from Austrasien. At least one working prototype Type 97 Mireu-ho demonstrated with a 130mm Coleman Armaments L52/R81, but there have been no current plans to put any of these models into serial production.
Design
Armament
The Type 97 Mireu-ho is equipped with the 125 mm (4.9 in) TGI CM125-1H/L52 smoothbore gun, replacing the older TGI CM125-1D/L52. As is typical of DSRA tanks, the gun is capable of firing anti-tank guided missiles, as well as standard main gun ammunition, including HEAT and APFSDS rounds. The main gun of the Type 97 has a mean error of 1 m (39.4 in) at a range of 1,800 m (1,968.5 yd). The Type 97 also uses a number of specially new munitions such as the newly developed fire-and-forget, top-attack anti-tank munition. This system is launched as a kinetic energy projectile, fired from the main smoothbore gun in a high trajectory profile like a mortar. Once it has reached its target area, it will deploy a parachute, giving onboard millimeter band radar, infrared and radiometer sensors time to seek and acquire stationary or moving targets. Once a target is acquired, an explosively formed penetrator is fired from a top-down position, to exploit the weaker top armor of main battle tanks and other armoured vehicles. Target acquisition can also be directed manually by the tank crew via a remote-link. These characteristics allow the launch vehicle to remain concealed behind cover while firing successive rounds towards the known location of an enemy, or provide effective indirect fire support against targets hidden behind obstacles and structures. This munition has a effective operating range of two to eight kilometers.
Protection
The exact details of the composite armour on the Type 97 Mireu-ho are classified. However the frontal armor has been tested and proven to be effective at defeating the 125 mm APFSDS round fired from the L52 gun. Explosive Reactive Armor blocks are also present, with the additional Non-Explosive Reactive Armour on the Type 97 Mireu-ho II version. Defence against incoming missiles is provided by a soft-kill anti-missile system. The Type 97 Mireu-ho II employs a hard-kill anti-missile defence system. The radar systems mounted on the turret are capable of operating as a warning system for approaching missiles. The vehicle's computer in turn can triangulate incoming projectiles, immediately warn the vehicle crew and fire off visual and infrared screening smoke grenades, which can effectively block optical, infrared and radar signatures. The hard-kill anti-missile system uses the radar for tracking and targeting the incoming missiles.
The Type 97 also has a Radar Warning Receiver, radar jammer, and all-bearing laser warning receivers to alert the crew should the vehicle become be locked and targeted, and the computer can also fire off visual and infrared screening smoke grenades in the direction that the beam is coming from. There is also an automatic fire suppression system is programmed to detect and put out any internal fires that may occur, and atmospheric sensors alert the crew if the tank enters a hazardous environment. The radar and electronics equipment shares similarities
Mobility
Powered by a substantially updated variant of the turbocharged liquid cooled Kyoungcho KGI-V12K-6D5 four-stroke V-12 multifuel engine producing 1,450 hp (1,081 kW). The updates include a all aluminum alloy block and head reducing the weight of the engine along with new electronically controlled direct injection and other improvements boosting power while also increasing fuel economy. The engine is mated to a brand new continuously variable transmission (CVT) in powerpack. The CVT allows the tank to reach same top speeds forward as well as in reverse. This new transmission replaced the old Kyoungcho KGI AHT-16B-6F1R hydromechanical automatic transmission that powered the initial DSRA era Type 97 Mireu-ho variants.
The suspension is an advanced all new active hydropneumatic setup that can be controlled precisely adjusting the stance of the vehicle so that it can absorb the cannons recoil when firing or when maneuvering, allowing it to provide a lower profile and provide better handling over terrain. The suspension unit also cushions the chassis from vibrations when travelling over uneven terrain, as the bogies can be adjusted individually on-the-fly.
Crew Amenities and Survivability
A unique feature of Anikatian tank design following the traditional from Belfrasian tanks, the Type 73 features storage units at the rear for storing personal belongings and contains a boiling vessel for water which can be used to brew tea, produce other hot beverages and heat boil-in-the-bag meals contained in field ration packs.
Variants
- Type 97 Mireu-ho IA
- Pre-production prototype, 1 units built, now on display in the Eunchuol Tank Museum.
- Type 97 Mireu-ho IB
- Intial Pre-production DSRA era versions, 40 units built between 1997 and 2001. All have upgraded to Type 97 Mireu-ho ID standard.
- Type 97 Mireu-ho ID
- Intial Production model, armed with the TGI CM125-1H/L52 125 mm smoothbore tank gun, TGI-15-8 gunner sights, new ballistic computer to reduce crew firing calculations and improve accuracy, and new thermal sight to provide night/day all weather combat capabilities. Standard protective measures include a blend of steel, composite armour, smoke mortars, explosive-reactive armour, laser warning receivers, infrared ATGM jamming system.
- Type 97 Mireu-ho IK
- Command version, with a ODEL-24M radio and its 10 m (33 ft) telescoping antenna, a AKI-12 navigation system, without antiaircraft machine gun, carrying 38 rounds of main gun ammunition.
- Type 97 Mireu-ho II
- This is a further development following the end of the DSRA which incorporates many new features from new T-96 and M9 Hunter tanks of the Anikatian Ground Force. This variant also attempts to bring the design closer to ARCS nations standards. It features substantial updates to the weapons control systems and also contains advanced satellite navigation systems, a new automatic loader, new continuously variable transmission, buoyancy tubes, automatic commanding control with identification friend or foe, GPS and INS position recognition, and digital wireless communications and displays. It also has air conditioning and a soft-kill active protection system to defend against missiles and rockets.
- Type 97 Mireu-ho IIK
- Command version of Type 97 Mireu-ho II, with additional communication and navigation equipment.
Service history
DSRA
Anikatia
Operators
Former operators
- File:Flag of the Anikatian Ground Force.png Anikatian People's Army - Passed on to successor state.
See also
- Related development
- Tanks of comparable role, configuration and era
- BMS Parmenio MBT: Approximate Belfrasian equivalent
- AMX Napoleon Approximate Sieuxerrian equivalent
- M9 Hunter Approximate Emmerian equivalent
- Type 90 Approximate Rodarian equivalent