Thread: MBT's
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Old April 6th, 2010, 09:29 AM

thatguy96 thatguy96 is offline
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Default Re: MBT's

The 152mm gun on the M551 (along with the different gun used on the M60A2) used a set of squat, combustible case rounds. The HEAT round was only intended to engage tanks at ranges shorter than the MGM-51 missile. In fact, its range was so sub-par that it created a range gap between it and the minimum range of the missile. This was one of the many problems with the system.

The rounds were between 20 and 27 inches long. By comparison, the rounds for the 120mm gun in the M1A1 Abrams and subsequent variants range from 36 to 40 inches. The MGM-51 missile is of a similar length.

So, while it might be closer to 20-25 rounds in whatever tank that might mount such a gun, its definitely not going to be 40.

I personally think this is going to continue to be myth. They keep having to come up with new numbers as every tank that does come out is basically just a T-72 derivative. The gun keeps changing size too. From 135mm to 152mm. This is what the T-90 was predicted to be initially too. I really doubt the T-95 will be any different. Nothing has come of the large bore projects the Chinese are supposedly working on either.
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