Revision as of 00:23, 5 May 2006

Introduction and History

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A linedrawing of an IPO-145 Hoplite II - Phalanx MBT. The tank is considered one of the NS world's premier battletanks.

Following a string of largely unsuccessful tank designs, Imperial Praetonian Ordinance was contracted to design a new Main Battle Tank which would be able to defeat any other tank in the world with a reasonable success rate, and be able to destroy any real world MBT with little to no chance of a successful return strike. For the first time in Praetonian history, a truely world-class non-naval design has been produced - the Hoplite II - Phalanx MBT.

The vehicle itself bares little resemblence to the previous Hoplite I, with the primary and secondary armament, turret layout and armour scheme being changed, as well as a comprehensive new range of systems being added. According to IPO analysts, there is no tank design on the face of the earth which can simply brush a Phalanx aside, and precious little which can beat it.

Armament - Offensive

The offensive armament of the Phalanx is a single IPO Praesidium 120mm ETC Cannon. The weapon is 56 calibres long, offering increased range and accuracy over contemporary weapons of a smaller calibre. As with all ETC guns, the Praesidium ignites the propellent of a shell using a dot of plasma, which provides for a more efficient burn. The Praesidium provides a 25% increase in muzzle velocity over a conventional gun, allowing a 120mm shell from the gun to be equal to a conventional gun of calibre 140mm or greater.

The Praesidium goes one step further than its contemporaries, utilising Electro-Magnetic Rifling (EMR) to allow the smoothbore gun all the advantages of a rifled gun, such as increased range and accuracy, with none of the usual disadvantages such as reduced muzzle velocity for APFS rounds and increased barrel wear. It also allows the gun to fire the more simply made APFS rounds over the more complex APFSDS rounds. The system is not, however, required for the operation of the gun and can be disabled to save power. The gun can then fire APFSDS rounds from a reserve ammunition bin in the rear of the turret alongside the regular multitude of shell types.

The gun is also equipped with a power saving system, which converts some of the force of the recoil of the gun into electrical energy, thereby countering to some extent the power requirements of the EMR.

Although it is classified as a defensive weapon, the tank's fire control system is capable of linking the operation of the Praesidium and the 20mm turret-mounted autocannon to defeat ERA blocs. The system can be configured to have the 20mm cannon fire a short burst of ammunition a second or less before the main gun fires. The 20mm rounds will not only detonate any ERA fixed to the tank, but will also render NxRA and Electric RA spent over the target area, and deform the outer layers of armour leading to greater penetrative effect when the primary shell hits.

The Praesidium is equipped with a carosel auto-loader with 20 rounds. The gun can achieve a 'sprint' firign rate of 18 rounds / minute, although this will rapidly run down the battery if EMR is used, and cause the overheat. It will also prompt a higher instance of jamming in the autoloader. This mode of fire is, however, useful in a tight situation. The autoloader is capable of a sustained rate of fire of 12 rounds / minute, in line with autoloaders in service with other armies. The carosel system allows the gun to cycle between different types of shells in different positions on the carosel. A further 30 rounds are stored below the turret ring.

The tank is designed to support infantry in combined arms operations as well as take on enemy tanks, and so the vehicle is equipped with a bustle-mounted 81mm mortar with an autoloader. The mortar is capable of firing up to 15 rounds / minute either aimed by GPS co-ordinates called in by infantry, or relayed via a HQ.

Armament - Defensive

The primary defencive armament of the Phalanx is located in the cupola turret, which contains a 20mm autocannon and two 5.56mm chainguns. The gun can be controlled manually by the commander, or can be set to be controlled automatically by the tank in responce to threats picked up by the Phalanx's sensors. Varying levels of automation can also be set.

The 20mm cannon is equipped with a dual-feed system, allowing both KE penetrators and HE shells to be fired consecutively without need to replace the ammunition belt. The 20mm cannon is effective against infantry, emplaced positions and soft-skinned vehicles, as well as aircraft. The turret is linked closely to the tank's sensors and is capable of quickly intercepting incoming helicopters with the 20mm cannon and ATGWs and even shells with the twin 5.56mm chainguns, with varying degrees of success.

A 12.7mm heavy machinegun is mounted co-axial to the main gun. It is capable of challenging soft-skinned vehicles as well as infantry and low flying aircraft. The gun is equipped with 1,500 rounds of ammunition. Some thought has been given to the removal of this weapon, as the cupola turret can provide the same light-fire base.

In addition, the commander can cause the detonation of one or more specific ERA blocks to break up infantry swarms or held the tank break through a heavily defended infanty position. This is rarely advisable, but in an emergency it can save the tank from an overwhleming infantry attack.

Protection - Passive Defence Systems

In addition to the above described "tank-CIWS" system, the vehicle is equipped with a variety of passive defence systems. The camoflauge paint of the vehicle is of an industrially produced extremely dark matt, which absorbs much of the light emmitted by enemy laser rangefinders, seriously depleting their effects at long range.

The vehicle is also equipped with 12 "smoke" grenades which project a thick cloud of particles into the surrounding environment. As well as obscuring the vehicle from visible sight, the particles will also refract and otherwise block or distort laser beams, rendering laser rangefinders useless against the vehicle whilst covered by the smokescreen. The vehicle can also produce smoke by injecting diesel into its exhaust manifolds.

In addition to this, the tank can be equipped (although is not as standard fit) with a significant array of electronics warfare equipment, including radar jamming, radio jamming and IR distruption equipment. The tank can also be fitted with 'noise-warfare' equipment which can cause significant distress to nearby infantry. Of course, using this is not a good idea in combined arms operations.

Protection - Armour

The Phalanx would not be complete without a powerful armour package, and IPO does not disappoint. The Phalanx is practically immune to HEAT warheads (not that anyone uses them anymore anyway) and is extremely resistance to APFSDS. The tank uses a layer armour scheme as follows:

Outermost layer - Momentum Transfer Armour (MTA). This layer fires a metal bar at an incoming projectile. It is primarily effective against KE. An APFSDS penetrator hit by said metal bar will be deformed, leading to a significant reduction in penetrative capability, and also knocked off course. If it then goes on to hit the armour, it will be at an angle, again reducing effectiveness.

2nd Layer - Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA). This layer consists of ERA of the Kontakt-5 variety. It is extremely effective against both HEAT warheads and (less effective) KE penetrators.

3rd Layer - Non-Explosive Reactive Armour (NxRA). This layer greatly reduces the effect of HEAT warheads. Its effects are significantly reduced against KE warheads.

4th Layer - Chobham with a tungsten honeycomb frame. One of the strongest armours known to man, chobham combined with a solid titanium honeycomb frame is extremely effective against all tpyes of warheads.

5th Layer - Ballistic Ceramics. Ballistic ceramics are extremely resistant to heat and kinetic energy, meaning that this layer will either stop or drastically reduce the effects of both HEAT metal jets and KE penetrators.

6th Layer - Depleted Uranium. Depleted Uranium is an extremely dense material, and abosrbs a great deal of kinetic energy in penetrating.

7th Layer - Ballistic Ceramics.

8th Layer - Chobham with a tungsten honeycomb frame.

9th Layer - Boronated polycarbons. This is both a stong layer in itself, and a radiation-absorbing layer.

10th Layer - Rubber and kevlar. This layer absorbs any spalling that may otherwise adversely affect the crew and systems.

The approximate RHA armour values are as follows:

Front: 2,050mm (KE) / 2850mm (HEAT) Side: 1,000mm (KE) / 1,325mm (HEAT) Rear: 610mm (KE) / 820mm (HEAT)

The armour is of the modular variety, with each individual section being easily replaceable in the event that only a partial penetration is achieved.The vehicle is also hardened against EMP, radiation and is fully sealed against chemical or biological attacks.

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A linedrawing of a Phalanx with an attached tank roof. The tank roof is claimed to provide considerable protection against top-attack munitions.

The Phalanx comes equipped with a Tank Roof which can be attached and detatched as necessary. The tank roof is designed to prematuely detonate top-attack munitions, rendering them useless. It also provides significant protection from aerial attacks with guns or KE missiles. The tank roof features momentum transfer armour, ERA and NxRA, allowing it to stand up to munitions much heavier than its thickness suggests it could. The tank can also be fitted with skirts of a similar makeup along the sides and rear, as well as along the sides and rear of the turret.

In addition to exterior armour, the interior of the vehicle is partitioned so as to seperate the engine and fuel from the crew compartment, and the shells and charges are stored in armoured boxes below the turret ring for additional protection. The autoloader is also armoured to prevent a shell from detonating inside it.

The Phalanx is also designed to be able to retain functionality even if all electronic systems are knocked out. The autoloader is constructed to allow manual loading to take place if its electronics are disabled. The autoloader is also equipped with a manual shell ejection system to clear the barrel, and a small reserve battery to allow the autoloader to load the currently waiting shell and fire it, should power run out. The co-axial machinegun can be used for rangefinding, and the cupola turret also has a mechanical override.

Sensors

The Phalanx is equipped with a wide array of advanced sensors. Firstly, it is equipped with a milimetre band radar dome which scans for threats and possible aerial and land targets. It can also be used as a rangefinder where using a laser rangefinder is inappropriate. The radar can also be used to allow the cupola turret to automatically find and engage targets.

The Phalanx is equipped also with the obligatory laser rangefinder, as well as high-resolution thermal imagers all around the vehicle. This can be used to allow the tank to function even in an NBC environment, and also to feed to commander and his cupola turret with information on the location of nearby infantry.

The vehicle has high-resolution digital cameras dotted around the vehicle embedded in the armour. They are reasonably well protected from random small arms fire, althougha concerted effort to destroy them is very difficult the defend against. These cameras, which have both normal and night-sight modes, provide the crew with an all-round view of the battlefield.

In addition to these cameras, the Phalanx mounts a rotatable periscope-mounted conventional, nightsight and thermal camera which can be deployed when the vehicle is faced with obstacles. The camera can be withdrawn into an armoured control box on the right hand side of the turret bustle, providing it with relatively dependable protection from most threats when not deployed. The periscope-camera can also allow the vehicle to navigate whilst snorkling.

The Phalanx can deploy a teathered balloon from within the vehicle, which is stored in an armoured box outside. The balloon features a small radar anttena as well as a thermal imager and conventional camera. The balloon can be pulled back down using a motor inside the box and theoretically restored for a second use.

Also loaded onto the Phalanx as standard are a multitude of targetting detection systems including passive radar which will detect when the tank is being targetted and attempt to triangulate the position of the offending enemy vehicle. The turret can be configured to automatically home in on enemy targetting attempts and load a shell if the gun is not alreayd engaged in some other work.

Mobility

The Phalanx is powered by a 1850hp diesel-electric hybrid motor which can drive it at speeds up to a theoretical 32mph across country. The engine is much more fuel-efficient than gas-turbines used on tanks such as the US Abrams, and so gives the vehicle a much longer effective operational range. The vehicle can switch solely to battery power, which eliminates the sound of the engine.

The vehicle can deploy the electric motor to traverse a river without using a snorkle, although this is not recommended. Whilst using a snorkle, the diesel engine can achieve a theoretical maximum of 12mph whilst crossing a river up to 6m deep.

General Specifications

Length: 9m (hull); 14m (inc. gun)

Width: 3.9m

Height: 2.60m (turret roof); 3m (cupola turret roof)

Ground Clearance: 0.5m

Combat Weight: 72,000kg

Crew: 3 (Commander / Gunner; Gunner; Driver)

Main Armament: 1x 120mm/64 Praesidium Smoothbore Gun with EM Rifling

Ammunition Stowage: 54 rounds

Secondary Armament: 1x 12.7mm machinegun (co-axial); 1x 20mm cannon (cupola turret); 2x 5.56mm machineguns (cupola turret); 1x 81mm mortar (turret bustle); 12x smoke grenade launchers

Ammunition Stowage: 1,500x 12.7mm rounds; 1,200x 20mm rounds; 5,000x 5.56mm rounds; 35x 81mm rounds

Engine: 1x IPO Jupiter 1,850bhp diesel-electric hybrid

Theoretical Maximum Speed: 45mph (road); 32mph (cross-country); 12mph (snorkling)

Operational Range: 375 miles

Fording Depth: 2.5m (normal); 6m (snorkle)

Production Cost: $12,000,000

Export Cost: $15,000,000