M551 Sheridan Light Tanks in SAF service?

LazerLordz SG

Now that Sabra MBT would pack a huge punch.. Laughing

archon1234 SG

Yesterday, our neighbour just show us some colour in their mass display of newly aquired arms. That of course include the much hyped PT91M with special mod to hang a additional fuel tank in the back. This is so kind for them to give of boys in AMX13SM1 some “chances”.

gary1910 SG

Actually , PT-91M are not the real threat to our armoured forces becos:

1) the number are too small , only 48.

2) Without air superiority which we will achieve easily, these are sitting ducks for our Apaches, Spike team and even CAS a/c with laser guided bomb.

The real threat to our armoured forces is their numerous anti-tank teams, MY with their pathetic small armoured forces is actually incapable of stopping an armoured invasion( especially w/o air superiority).

Just look at the orbat of SG and Thailand , both nations have 2~3x of armoured and fighters asset as compare to MY, therefore they have developed the doctrine of having anti-tank teams to be stationed across all major roads , pathway etc to ambush the invasion armoured force.

Below are the their rojak list of anti-tank weapon: (T = Tandem warhead)

BHAKTAR SHIKAN ATGW
Range=3km Penetartion= at least 800mm T?
MILAN 2T ATGW
Range=2km Penetartion=800~900mmT
METIS -M ATGW
Range=1.5km Penetartion=800~900mmT
ERYX ATGW
Range=600m Penetartion=900mmT
BOFORS AT4
Range=300m Penetartion=>400mm
C90 RRB
Range=200m Penetartion=500mm
CARL GUSTAV 84
Range=300m Penetartion=500mmT
M 40 106MM RR
RPG-7
Range=300~500m Penetartion=750mmT

So to counter this, our recon assets must able to find and destroy them b4 our forces move in.

Secondly is to have Active Protection System like the Israeli Trophy, this system is suppose to be effective against low velocity CE round like HEAT ATGM and rockets.

Our tanks and IFV should have this when the APS system has matured or develop our own APS to counter such threat.

archon1234 SG

Else why do u think we have so many arty assets… flash them out using bombardment into the forested area.

ditzy SG

The combat engineers use it to carry light bridges. Sekali, thats where the 30 come from. Laughing

spencer99 SG

yes.... "Line in the sand"... deployed together with 82nd Airborne....RDF force.....

lionnoisy SG

M551 Sheridan in modernized form used to airdrop/airland in to defeat the PDF for Operation Just Cause, the invasion of Panama and capture of dictator Manuel Noriega (still in Florida prison cell)

Delta 5 SG

1560 M551 Sheridans (excluding prototypes and pre-production) were ultimately produced for the US Armed Forces. This is a comparatively small number compared to the numerous Soviet air-portable BMD-1 and BMD-2 IFVs which were produced in the thousands.

ditzy SG

If you all did a search on the armoured combat engineers vehicles, I'm sure you'll find the missing M60s there. Laughing

gary1910 SG

We bought 8 M60 CEV and 8 M60AVLB in the early 70s, later another 4 AVLB , so total is 20 vehicles.

tvdog SG

I think this information is only partly correct and quite misleading.

Together with the pictures shown the website seem to imply that we have M60A3 MBTs.

But...

The only M60A3 vehicles we operate are AVLB - Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridge, and the CEV - Combat Engineer Vehicle.

The AVLB is armed only with machineguns.

The CEV has front-mounted dozer balde and a very short stubby canon - probably 105mm - for demolition of walls and other obstacles etc. Not for anti-tank role.

These 2 versions probably make up the number 30 - probably 15 each, which is a fair figure. Is it possible that among this there are MBT versions? The answer is no.

The existence of these 2 types of M60A3 variants are well-known facts, not rumours, speculations, etc.

When I first saw these 2 vehicles in SAF use I speculated that maybe we have the MBT variants as well. But armour friends confirm the answer is "no".

The Tempest, definitely yes.

In fact, one guy I knew whom was tankee in the late 70's. He was sent to Israel for training on the Tempest. Only he referred to it as the Centurion.

One training involve them sitting inside a tank while another tank fires a dud round at them. This was just to give them an experience of what a "hit" on their vehicle would feel like. Though it was only a dud round, they all came out reeling from the concussion and some threw up.

tvdog SG

All due respect, could it be mid 80's? That's when I first saw them.

bcoy SG

CEV has a 165mm demolition gun. Great for clearing work and maybe FIBUA.

bcoy SG

Should be early 1980s'.

gary1910 SG

Nope, trust me I know and they are not based on A3 model but A1 model.

gary1910 SG

Anyway, if we do have new MBT, it will only come from Israel becos I believe she is the only country we could get MBT w/o anyone( Janes etc) knowing about it.

So what could Israel offer us?

Currently I think only the Sabra and the Merkava (we already have the Centurions, the rest are even older, so no point), so take your pick!!!!

The Merkava is way too heavy for our terrain, Sabra to me is good option, with 120mm gun, added composite armour or even ERA, world class Knight FCS with auto-tracking, LWR, and possible BMS and even LAHAT missile , it will better any tank in SEA.

The protection might not be as good as top MBTs like M1, Leo2 etc but if we add in Trophy APS , it will improve the protection level against ATGM and rockets.

Sabra is cheap and good, that is usually what Mindef look for.

ditzy SG

Any tank that when run over Evelyn knoll and and does not turn it into murai patch is definitely a good tank in mindef context. Laughing

elitefella SG

Anyone has an idea of what a dud round looks like and how come they never show the Tempests on national day parade?

LazerLordz SG

The M728s are documented, seperately from the M60A3s.But Gary1910 makes a good point..however with the display of the PT-91M..we could see some revelations soon?I hope it’s something substantial.

ah_kwang SG

Possible... Remember how long it took for them to reveal that our Fokker50 actually carries harpoon? But I believe by the time Mindef reveals it, something else more secretive would be hidden...

« Previous Page Next Page »