Replacement for SAF "Light" Tanks

last SG · 2006-12-13T11:49:07+00:00

This is probably too old. There is another one, the Swedish CV90 105 variant. Using a GIAT 105mm smoothbore gun, mated to the CV90 body. Now, there's an i...

fudgester SG

Isn't the Stryker an IFV?

I would object to using the Stryker with an MGS installed (Mobile Gun System). Lotsa complaints regarding it.

How would putting an MGS on a Bionix fare instead?

SingaporeTyrannosaur SG

I think they have been fiddling around with it. No news so far though... but it would make it more a hybrid IFV/FSV, you might get a tradeoff in some ways.

chillycraps SG

the israelis has sold everything from radar to missile to uav, but the merkava is one thing they haven't put in their export list.

Think they won't sell it anyway.

tankee1981 SG

That may not be the case. Cool

tankee1981 SG

Originally posted by Big Banana
the boss upstairs dont wanna talk about the LTs... though my friend in armor said his units has started to recieve the new LTs since last year!

The above is a post by a Singaporean forumer from Asia & Pacific Defence Forum and title of the thread is 'Singapore/tanks?'

http://www.network54.com/Forum/242808/thread/1165908848/last-1165923911/Singapore-tanks-

We know that the SAF will test their weapon systems in operational units ( such as BX & BXII in 42SAR) to confirm that they are good then they will release the news. So what he claimed is logical. Any one else can verify this? Very Happy

SingaporeTyrannosaur SG

Skarly he has been riding around in a Leo2 for all this while but so suakoo tot it was a LT…

tankee1981 SG

Originally posted by SingaporeTyrannosaur:
Skarly he has been riding around in a Leo2 for all this while but so suakoo tot it was a [b]LT...[/b]

Maybe he thought LT=Leopard Tank? Very Happy

LAW1 SG

AMX-10P is not from Sweden. Its from France.

equlus84 SG

I am aware of that. Actually, I was referring to the Sweden IKV-91 mainly bcos it is amphibious and could be potential candidate to replace the AMX-10P

M551Sheridian SG

easy lah get the blueprints for the sherman tanks n jus modify it Laughing maybe design our own ones by putting a turret on a bionix??????

glock SG

Sherman tanks are not light tanks.

Anyway, I guess S'pore will develope some sort of light tank on its own for several reasons : -

1. there are no modern off the shelf LTs ( not in significant numbers
anyway ) in current operational use in the world ; most are mere
demos or prototypes

2. it already has developed Bionix which can be used as base for
development of a LT - I hope with a 105 mm gun and not larger -
120 mm will be unwieldy , impractical and the LT will have too little
space to carry a credible amount of ammo

3. LT's role , I believe for Spore context, shud be for fire support, recon /
scout roles and not as a MBT killer - we already have that role fulfilled by
Leopard 2 A4s , Apache/ Hellfire , Spike, airforce Mavericks / LGBs. The
terrain in Singapore defence context will still require a LT in many
scenarios.

4. Time is running short for our SM1s as they currently cannot possibly fulfill
its LT role due to inadequate firepower and armor.

tankee1981 SG

Is it possible for our SM1 replacement light tank to have both the 105mm main gun and ATGMs such as Spike missiles? After all many of us agree that the new LT should at least be of the 105mm and someone from Mindef have mentioned that the new LT may have missiles.

I don't think it is feasible, simply because no other tank have such a weapon combination before. Having said that, we might well be the first to come out with this new design! Comments? Very Happy

glock SG

As it is , with heavy existing workload to a 3 man LT crew, adding another system such as a add on missile system may be too much for a crew to be proficient in all the systems ; given that we have less than 2 years to train & give necessary experience to a NS tank crew.

It is of course possible to add a Spike or two to a LT. IFVs such as US Bradleys have TOWs and I believe UK Warriors have them also. However, these TOWs being stowed outside are also very vulnerable to small arms and arty fragments.

An alternative wud be to have armored Spike AT carriers. We can mount Spikes on specialized Bionix. I think this will be better option. This will add flexibility to an armored force which now can also have long range AT capability. A specialized crew will have the advantage of being very proficient in its use. A company of 6 to 8 Spike carriers per armor batallion will be good.

tankee1981 SG

But there are many advantages which a tank gun have over a Spike missile launcher. Here are just a few.

1. Each Spike missile launcher can only be fired once then discarded, while a tank gun can be reloaded and fired continuously until the gun wears out.

2. A tank gun can fire more than one kind of ammo, while a Spike launcher can only fire a Spike missile which is mainly designed for anti-tank use.

3. Although a single Spike missile is much more accurate and sofisticated, it is very expensive compared to a single tank round.

4. Assuming that the platform is the same, the one with a tank gun is more likely to carry more ammo as compared to the Spike carrier.

glock SG

The LR ATGW such as Spike also has advantages which tank gun does not have : -

1. Very long range ( I think 4 km for the version used by SAF )
2. Top attack profile
3. Indirect fire mode ( one of the more unique features of Spike )
4. Being able to select your point of impact
5. BDA

That's why I suggested only 6 to 8 Spike carriers per battalion as the expensive Spike shud be used in special cases when the tank gun cannot be used as for above scenarios.

M551Sheridian SG

strip the amx-13 n upgrade them??? mount a 90/105mm to a bionix chasis or develop a new one since we can make bionix which is pretty good?

papabear20046 SG

How much per rd? Embarassed

tankee1981 SG

Originally posted by M551Sheridian:
strip the amx-13 n upgrade them??? mount a 90/105mm to a bionix chasis or develop a new one since we can make bionix which is pretty good?

It is just simply not economical to do so as the SM1 variant of the AMX-13 is one of the most advance versions. The original AMX-13 have already been extensively upgraded and any further upgrading will not make any economic or operational sense as the platform itself is simply way too old. Spare parts are very expensive as we are one of the very few countries producing them. And these old tanks break down easily and frequently requiring much spares. Very Happy

glock SG

We shud forget the AMX13. It is already at the end of its long and useful service to SAF. Remember this tank was design & produced in the 50s.
A new generation of LTs or otherwise will eventually replace it.

CM06 SG

Dont need to upgrade…. SM1 is still good enough to put a nice big hole through the regional apc/ifv…just wait for the real proper replacement. I’m sure ST is testing something. Cause we sure arent buying anything/putting up a tender for LTs…

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