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From: drn@pinet.aip.org (donald_newcomb)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Armored Gun System
Message-ID: <1991Mar20.031541.27802@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 20 Mar 91 03:15:41 GMT
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From: drn@pinet.aip.org (donald_newcomb)
Scott Deering (sdeering@ATHENA.MIT.EDU) writes
>Does anyone have information about the proposed 17-ton 
>Armored Gun System,  which is supposed to have almost the 
>same firepower as a 60 ton M-1? 

Recent employment of the obsolescent M551A1 Sheridan in Operations
Just Cause and Desert Shield/Storm has emphasised the Army's
neglect of light, air-deployable weapon systems. In response, the 
long simmering Armored Gun System (AGS) project has been moved to
the front burner (1).
 
The top-level functional requirements include:
	Weight:		Less than 17.5 tons (U.S.)
	Armor:		As good as the Sheridan, or better.
	Armament:	105 mm
	Crew:		3-4: Driver, Commander, Gunner, Loader (optional)
	Fire Control:	M60A3-level, stabilized, fire-on-move.
 
The requirement for the use of the standard 105 mm round seems to
have been logistically driven and side steps R&D done with 75 mm
guns for light armor systems. The AAI built Rapid Deployment Force-
Light Tank 75mm (RDF-LT75) relied heavily on the XM274 75mm auto-
loading cannon (2). This system now seems out of the running.
 
Current tracked contenders include the Cadillac-Gage Commando Stingray,
FMC's Close Combat Vehicle-Light (CCLV), General Dynamics/Teledyne
Light Armored Vehicle, a Sheridan refitted with a Stingray turret and
others (1).
 
The Commando Stingray is a private development of Cadillac-Gage. It
looks something like a subcompact version of an M1 Abrams. At 19 tons
empty, it would have to be lightened somewhat for the airborne role (3).
 
The FMC CCLV is also a private development of more-or-less conventional
apperance. It makes extensive use of Bradley and M113 components and
boasts an auto-loading EX35 105mm gun (3).
 
The General Dynamics/Teledyne LAV is quite unconventional. It 
resembles a stretched Swedish S-tank but with the cannon mounted on
the roof. The LAV also utilizes the EX35 105mm gun but mounted in 
a turretless pedestal mount with a built-in autoloader. All crew-
members ride in the hull. To keep weight down, the LAV's armor is a
bolt-on accessory. The advanced hydro-pneumatic suspension is
able to adapt to the almost doubling of the GVW when the armor is
added (5).
 
References:
1. Lopez, Roman, "US Army Dusts-off AGS", in _International Defense 
   Review_, #9, 1990, pp 997-999.
2. Wray, robert, "Giant Killer Tank", in _International Combat Arms_,
   v3 #4, July 1985, pp 74-77.
3. Gavin, Franc, "Commando Stingray", in _International Combat Arms_,
   v3 #3, May 1985, pp 64-67.
4. Green, Michael R., "In Search of the Tiny Tank", in _International
   Combat Arms_, v4 #3, May 1986, pp 91-93.
5. "Tracked & Wheeled Light Armored Vehicles", separate supplement to
   _International Defense Review_, #8, 1986.
 
Donald Newcomb
drn@pinet.aip.org
drn@aip.bitnet