GB1605166A - Armoured fighting vehicle with twin armaments - Google Patents

Description

(54) ARMOURED FIGHTING VEHICLE WITH TWIN ARMAMENTS (71) We MaK MASCHINENBAU G.m.b.H., of 24 Falckensteiner Strasse, Kiel 17 BRD, Federal Republic of Germany, a Joint-Stock Company organised under the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to an armoured fighting vehicle equipped with two main weapons and with possibilities of observation whereby the firing can be conducted by more than one crew member other than the driver of the vehicle.

As is known, armoured fighting vehicles are equipped with heavy calibre weapons which can be operated by one or more members of the crew. The functions of the operating crew are divided principally between the commander and the gunner. Whereas the commander has primarily to assume the responsibility for the vehicle and determine its military and tactical use, the gunner principally effects the firing.

For this purpose the targets are allocated to him by the commander, and he then attacks them independently on his own initiative. For this procedure it is necessary for the commander, after having observed the territory and found and identified a target, to communicate the position of the target to the gunner. The gunner then attacks the recognised target, taking the specific marginal conditions into account. The necessity for such a mode of procedure results principally from the fact that the optical equipment of the hitherto known vehicles does not admit of any other distribution of functions.

This statement is subject to reservations, because the commander is conditionally able to fire with the main weapons.

Such a mode of procedure suffers from the essential disadvantage that the theoretical firing speed of the weapon cannot be utilised in practice, because the time necessary for finding the target and for the fine aiming at the target is longer than the time required for reloading the weapon. Apart from this, there exists a danger in specific combat situations that the probability of hitting the target by the weapon is reduced, and there is no possibility of increasing the probability of hitting the target without affecting the movement behaviour of the vehicle.

The invention aims at utilising the theoretically possible firing rate of the weapon, and at increasing the probability of hitting the target in combat situations where the probability of hitting the target is per se low.

For this purpose the known distribution of functions between commander and gunner, which has hitherto also been expressed in the optical equipment, has been abandoned. In the present case the commander and the gunner have equivalent observation means available and have the possibility of access to the weapons in the same manner, without restricting the probability of hitting the target which can be achieved.

To this end, the present invention consists in an armoured fighting vehicle having two main weapons and sighting means for each weapon, characterised in that each weapon is operable from either sighting position. From both the ovservation positions, the possibility of access to the closer and also to the further weapon exists in the same manner. In combat situations where the probability of hitting the target is high per se, the crew member who is firing at that time fires the weapon closest to his observation position. In this case the conduct of firing is identical with that hitherto practised.

Preferably, the two weapons are coupled together by a releasable mechanical, optical or electrical connection. Thus if the probability of hitting the target is lower owing to the movement behaviour of the vehicle, then the firer also calls on the second weapon by pressing the button and fires both weapons simultaneously.

In the phase during which one member of the crew is firing the weapons, the second member of the crew continues to observe the territory in all directions. If the latter finds a target, then he first of all aims coarsely at it with the sight, applies an appropriate magnification and performs the fine aiming after the target has been identified. When this operation has been completed, the attack on the fresh target can be made after the weapons have been released and reloaded.

The driver must also be included in the actual firing process. In the normal case he moves the vehicle across country on his own initiative, whilst fully utilising the installed power and thereby exploits the component of protection by mobility. When it is required to attack a target, the driver drives in the general direction of the target, on the instructions of the firer for this purpose there is a possibility of showing in the sight or observation device the direction of the axis of the weapon relative to the target - and is overridden in the steering movement by the firer in order to fire the shot. Accordingly the firer draws the vehicle through at prescribed pivotal velocity of the vehicle about its main axis on the stabilised target line. The shot is then fired automatically by the firing control system when the elevation and azimuth of the weapon lies on the target.

Meanwhile the driver continues to observe the terrain and still has the possibility of breaking off the aiming procedure in the event of danger to the vehicle from obstacles in the terrain.

By virtue of the mutual coupling of the functions of the individual members of the crew, the crew constitutes a fighting team with functions which can be performed by any crew member other than the driver.

By an appropriate relaying of the sighting directions into the driver's sight, which may also be effected during reverse travel, equivalent conduct of the battle is possible both forwards and in reverse. In this respect an advantage lies in the fact that the more strongly armoured bows of the vehicle are presented to the enemy at all times.

A vehicle equipped in the manner described and with the distribution of functions which has been outlined makes possible an increase in the fighting power of the vehicle whilst restricting the structural outlay.

By this method it is possible to increase considerably the weapon laying frequency, since it is no longer a function of the time required for finding and identifying the target and for coarse and fine aiming - while firing is being done by one member of the crew, this can be done independently by another crew member - but solely upon the possible firing rate of the weapons. It is, however, not an unduly difficult matter to increase this by means of automatic loaders.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An armoured fighting vehicle having two main weapons mounted on the exterior of the vehicle and a sighting means for each weapon, characterised in that each weapon is operable from either sighting position.

2. An armoured fighting vehicle as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the two weapons are coupled together by a releasable mechanical, optical or electrical connection.

3. An armoured fighting vehicle, substantially as herein described.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (3)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. firing process. In the normal case he moves the vehicle across country on his own initiative, whilst fully utilising the installed power and thereby exploits the component of protection by mobility. When it is required to attack a target, the driver drives in the general direction of the target, on the instructions of the firer for this purpose there is a possibility of showing in the sight or observation device the direction of the axis of the weapon relative to the target - and is overridden in the steering movement by the firer in order to fire the shot. Accordingly the firer draws the vehicle through at prescribed pivotal velocity of the vehicle about its main axis on the stabilised target line.The shot is then fired automatically by the firing control system when the elevation and azimuth of the weapon lies on the target. Meanwhile the driver continues to observe the terrain and still has the possibility of breaking off the aiming procedure in the event of danger to the vehicle from obstacles in the terrain. By virtue of the mutual coupling of the functions of the individual members of the crew, the crew constitutes a fighting team with functions which can be performed by any crew member other than the driver. By an appropriate relaying of the sighting directions into the driver's sight, which may also be effected during reverse travel, equivalent conduct of the battle is possible both forwards and in reverse. In this respect an advantage lies in the fact that the more strongly armoured bows of the vehicle are presented to the enemy at all times. A vehicle equipped in the manner described and with the distribution of functions which has been outlined makes possible an increase in the fighting power of the vehicle whilst restricting the structural outlay. By this method it is possible to increase considerably the weapon laying frequency, since it is no longer a function of the time required for finding and identifying the target and for coarse and fine aiming - while firing is being done by one member of the crew, this can be done independently by another crew member - but solely upon the possible firing rate of the weapons. It is, however, not an unduly difficult matter to increase this by means of automatic loaders. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An armoured fighting vehicle having two main weapons mounted on the exterior of the vehicle and a sighting means for each weapon, characterised in that each weapon is operable from either sighting position.

2. An armoured fighting vehicle as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the two weapons are coupled together by a releasable mechanical, optical or electrical connection.

3. An armoured fighting vehicle, substantially as herein described.