Re: Cold War Self-Propelled Air Defence System Challenge
Posted: August 29th, 2022, 7:52 am
The above design is the Abkinesian M48/88 SPAAG platform, based upon the hull off the M48/88 MBT hull.
Service History
The M48/88 has been used exclusively by the Abkinesian Royal Army since 1988 up to the present day, and has seen action in multiple conflicts, such as the War of the Six Republics, Abkinesian Civil War, Haland Intervention, along with multiple other engagements.
Production History
Designed by O'Hegarty Armament Conglomeration, the design process began in the year 1977 when a competition to create a heavily armed SPAAG platform was issued from the Royal Army Procurement Center to a series of companies, including OAC. Among the competitors were Skonetsky Armor Works, Brennan Defense Logistics, Heron Munitions Works, and Walker Military Solutions. Within 3 years of project development, HMW and SAW had dropped out of the contract competition, having difficulties in piecing together a satisfactory testbed platform to present to the RAPC, leaving OAC with their codenamed "Iron Sky" Project, BDL with their "Clear Horizon" Project, and WMS with their "Sky Swatter" Project. By 1983, WMS had been forced to drop out of the competition due to major cost overruns, leading to a bankruptcy and dissolution of the company. With the final Judgement being passed in 1987, OAC's "Iron Sky" Project was selected for production. Manufacturing was left in majority to OAC, but production was subsidized in part by BDL due to a rapid increase in demand from the ARA. When production began on the original units, the base cost was $25.6 million dollars (however this cost would increase due to various modernization programs), with production occurring between the years 1977-1993, though a series of modernization programs began, starting in the year 1999 in order to better equip the aging force of "Iron Skys", resulting in the M48/88/99A3, the only variant.
Specifications (M48/88)
The M48/88 has a weight of 34.9 tons, while reaching a length of 8.96 meters back to barrel tip, a height of 4.25 track to radar, and a width of 3.71 meters armor skirt to armor skirt. Held within is a crew of 4, the driver, commander, gunner, and radar operator.
The hull armor consists of 110-220mm on the hull front, 75-55mm on the hull sides, and 26-38mm on the hull rear. The turret armor consists of 26mm for the entire turret. Armament consists of 2 90mm revolver fed automatic cannons located within the turret. It's equipped with an 825 Hp V12 Royal Automotive Works gasoline engine, propelling the vehicle at a comfortable 59.7 KpH with a power to weight ratio of 23.1HpT along it's 6 torsion bar suspended road wheels. With a fuel capacity of 693 liters, it has a maximum operable range of 117 km.