OTOBREDA OF-40 Mk 1/Mk 2, Italy

the OTOBREDA 155 nun Palmeria selfpropelled howitzer. The Palmeria has been sold to Libya, Nigeria and one other country. The Palmeria turret has also been sold to Argentina for use on a modified TAM chassis.

Specification:

First prototype: 1980 First production: 1981-1985 (36 built todate) Current user: UAE

Crew: 4

Combat weight: 45 500 kg Ground pressure: 0.92 kg/cm2

Length, gun forwards: 9.2 m Width (with skirts): 3.5 m Height (without AA gun): 2.68 m Ground clearance: 0.44 m

Max. road speed: 60 km/h Maximum range: 600 km Fording: 1.2m Gradient: 60% Side slope: 30% Vertical obstacle: l . lm

Trench: 3 m

Powerpack: MTU MB 838 Ca M-500 V-10 diesel developing 830 hp coupled to a ZF automatic transmission Armament: (main) 1 x 105 mm gun (57 rounds); (coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mm MG; (anti-aircraft) 1 x 12.7 mmMG; (smoke dischargers) 2 x4

ARV based on OF-40 MET chassis, one of three built for the UAE (Abu Dhabi) Army.

Mitsubishi Type 90 Japan

The Mitsubishi Type 90 MBT is the longterm Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force third generation MBT replacement for its elderly first generation Type 61 MBTs,

Like most of the Japanese military programmes the Type 90 development period has been protracted and is being produced at the typically Japanese slow yearly production rate that produces the most expensive unit cost MBT by any nation,

The tank hull and turret feature special composite armour in their construction with the latter having the characteristic slab-sided appearance of modem western MBTs. The crew has been cut to three by the adoption of an automatic loading system for the license built 120 mm Kheinmetall smoothbore tank gun which gives APFSDS-T and HEAT-MP-T rounds.

The tank suspension is of a hybrid torsion/hydropneumatic type allowing it to tilt forwards or backwards for gun aiming in difficult terrain and together with the running gear is protected by armoured side skirts. The fire control system is of the latest full solution digital computerised hunterkiller/director type with integral gunner and commander's sight thermal imaging day/night capabilities. The gunner also has a laser rangefinder module attached to his sight.

The driver is provided with a full night driving facility and an NBC system is a standard feature. No export sales are envisaged during the production period of the vehicle.

Although only the Type 90 ARV combat support vehicle and Type 91 AVLB vehicle have been produced to-date it is likely that an AEV model is being designed to eventually replace Type 61 derivatives.

Specification

First prototype: 1982 First production: 1992-current (108 ordered against total vehicle requirement of 400-500) Current user: Japan

Crew: 3

Combat weight: 50 000 kg Ground pressure: 0.89 kg/cm2

Length, gun forwards: 9.76 m Width (with skirts): 3.43 m Height (without AA gun): 2.34 m

Ground clearance: 0.45 m normal; 0.2-0.6 invariable Max. road speed: 70 km/h Maximum range: 400 km Fording: unprepared 2 m

Gradient: 60%

Side slope: 40%

Vertical obstacle: 1 m Trench: 2.7 m

Powerpack: Mitsubishi 10ZG V-10 fuel injection diesel developing 1500 hp coupled to an automatic transmission Armament; (main) 1 x 120 mm gun (40 rounds); (coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mm MG; (anti-aircraft) 1 x 12.7 mmMG; (smoke dischargers) 2 x3

Japanese Ground Defence Force Type 90 MBT.