• Thanks for stopping by. Logging in to a registered account will remove all generic ads. Please reach out with any questions or concerns.

MBT With 140mm gun

tomahawk6

Army.ca Legend
Inactive
Reaction score
63
Points
530
If anyone can pull this off its the Germans and France. Just one issue will be ammunition size,another will be the turret size. Maybe just go with an assault gun style tank ?

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/26170/france-tests-huge-140mm-tank-gun-as-it-pushes-ahead-with-germany-on-a-new-tank-design
 
This is, quite literally, nothing new.

"By 1990, the L/44 was not considered powerful enough to deal with future Soviet armour, which stimulated an effort by Rheinmetall to develop a better main armament. This first involved a 140-millimeter (5.5 in) tank gun named Neue Panzerkanone 140 ("new tank gun 140"), but later turned into a compromise which led to the development of an advanced 120 mm gun, the L/55, based on the same internal geometry as the L/44 and installed in the same breech and mount. "
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rheinmetall_Rh-120

Leopard 2-140

In the early 1990s, Rheinmetall began development of a 140 mm smoothbore cannon for use in future tank designs. The new gun was intended to counter new Soviet tank developments, especially since the next generation of Soviet main battle tanks were rumoured to be armed with a 135 mm or 152 mm cannon. The new 140 mm cannon was part of a modernisation programme for the Leopard 2 known as the KWS III. Test firing of the new 140 mm cannon was conducted. Results showed that the gun had high penetration values, and had a muzzle velocity of around 2000 metres a second, with potential to be increased further. However, the 140 mm rounds were too heavy for the tank crew to handle effectively.

The KWS III upgrade was to feature a new turret. This new turret was equipped with the planned 140 mm cannon and an autoloader. The introduction of an autoloader reduced the tank's crew to three members, as a dedicated loader was no longer needed. The gun's 32 rounds of ammunition were stored separate from the crew in a large compartment occupying the entire rear of the turret, in order to increase crew survivability in the event of a cook off. The turntable-style turret had the gun offset to the left side, due to the autoloader's lateral feeding of ammunition into the cannon breech. The turret was powered by an electro-hydraulic drive and also featured an IFIS battlefield management system. The crew was protected by an armoured capsule and ballistic protection for the hull was to be improved; planned protection level of the KWS III upgrade was to be equal to or better than the Leopard 2A5.

A total of 650 Leopard 2 KWS III tanks were originally projected to be purchased. However, in 1995, the KWS III programme was cancelled due to changes in the political environment.

Despite this, development still continued on the 140 mm cannon, with Rheinmetall coordinating with the British Royal Ordnance and French GIAT companies. The 140 mm cannon was fitted to an old Leopard 2 prototype with the turret T19. Counterweights were added to the rear of the turret to balance the increased weight of the 140 mm cannon; however, the modified Leopard 2 was not equipped with any other KWS III upgrades apart from the new gun. Live fire testing showed mixed results, where the 140 mm cannon showed superior penetrating power compared to the existing 120 mm cannon, but also demonstrated poorer handling characteristics. The lack of the autoloader on the prototype further hampered performance.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopard_2#Leopard_2-140

Enclosed is what has been id'd as a 130mm cannon, with a 130 sabot and a 120 sabot for comparison.

 

Attachments

  • 130mm.jpg
    130mm.jpg
    127.7 KB · Views: 189
tomahawk6 said:
If anyone can pull this off its the Germans and France. Just one issue will be ammunition size,another will be the turret size. Maybe just go with an assault gun style tank ?

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/26170/france-tests-huge-140mm-tank-gun-as-it-pushes-ahead-with-germany-on-a-new-tank-design

Wayyyy back in the 80s, at Shrivenham, I met some guys who, could charitably be described as 'mad scientists', that were working on a Rail Gun for tanks. https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/research/a20052869/the-us-army-is-pushing-for-battlefield-railguns/

Apparently, one of the main reasons they couldn't see the successful intrduction of traditional 'powder guns' larger than 120mm or so had something to do with 'physics'.
 
A larger calibre does not equal a greater ability to perforate a target.  Unless, perhaps, you are using a shaped charge to do so.  But if you wish to have accuracy and perforating power, then you want velocioty and lots of it.  Hence the previously-mentioned L55.  Combine that with a very dence substance (best is depleted uranium) and you get fantastic terminal effects.

 
BAE has suggested a rail gun. Germany has come up with a 130mm gun to replace the 120mm.

https://www.military.com/defensetech/2014/10/23/bae-proposes-rail-guns-for-armys-future-fighting-vehicle

https://whitefleet.net/2016/06/25/why-cant-tanks-be-larger-rheinmetalls-130mm-gun-and-tank-size-issues/
 
Back
Top