War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

MiG-23MLD

2022-10-03T13:02:48Z

U18054352: Tested and added wing destruction speed at 0% sweep

{{About
| about = Soviet jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = MiG-23 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=mig_23mld
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ground Breaking"]].

The MiG-23MLD is the ultimate production fighter variant of the "Flogger" family. Though it still looks quite similar to the [[MiG-23M]], there are a great number of improvements: the airframe is lighter, aerodynamic refinements like vortex generators and a revised vertical stabilizer have been installed, the engine is much more powerful, and a new avionics suite allows it to use the R-24 series of medium-range missiles instead of the MiG-23M's R-23s, among other changes. The MLD fixes many of the MiG-23M's shortcomings and continues to improve on its strengths. The end result is well-rounded fighter with excellent performance and potent armament, a worthy opponent to other top-tier jets like the [[JA37C|JA37C Viggen]] and [[F-4EJ Kai Phantom II|F-4EJ Kai Phantom]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


The MiG-23MLD's performance leaves little to be desired. The MiG-23M boasted a high top speed but was somewhat underpowered; this is very much fixed on the MLD because its engine is 20% more powerful, and as a result its thrust-to-weight ratio practically matches the [[F-104S]] and [[MiG-21bis]]. It has an excellent climb rate exceeding 200 m/s at sea level and fantastic acceleration, particularly at transonic or supersonic speeds when the wings can be swept back. Thus, the MLD will have few issues rushing to the front lines, climbing for an altitude advantage, or chasing down a fleeing opponent.

The MLD is also very competitive in dogfights. As on the MiG-23M, the swing wings fundamentally allow for good sustained turning at low to medium speeds provided the wings are swept forward. The MLD's vortex generators, dogtoothed wing gloves, and superior thrust-to-weight enhance its turning performance further. It can reliably beat any [[F-4 Phantom II (Family)|F-4 Phantom]] in a turning engagement, and it can at the very least keep up with if not outplay agile opponents like the [[MiG-21bis]] and [[JA37C]].

There are a few quirks to watch out for. First, the MiG-23MLD's excellent engine power means that it will quite easily reach its rip speed when flying in a straight line on full afterburner, so be mindful of the IAS. Second, though it has great acceleration and climb rate at transonic and supersonic speeds, the manoeuvrability in these zones can be a bit sluggish or wobbly at times, so keep that in mind when trying to score high-speed snapshots, and in situations requiring turning or precise aim it's best to slow down and allow the wings to sweep forward a bit.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 13,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,333 || 2,320 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 33.5 || 33.9 || 193.9 || 186.0 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,498 || 2,358 || 32.6 || 33.0 || 248.3 || 220.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="8" | Limits
|-
! colspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! 0% sweep !! 100% sweep !! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,330 || 1,470 || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 508 || 473 || ~13 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 665 || < 650 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Tumansky R-35-300 || 1
| colspan="2" | 10,705 kg || colspan="3" | 374 - 422 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 31m fuel
|-
| 1,760 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 11,815 kg || 13,020 kg || 14,178 kg || 14,405 kg || 17,800 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 31m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 7,103 kgf || 10,305 kgf
| 0.87 || 0.79 || 0.73 || 0.72 || 0.58
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 8,368 kgf (1,400 km/h) || 15,787 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.34 || 1.21 || 1.11 || 1.10 || 0.89
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|GSh-23L (23 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon, belly-mounted (200 rpg)
** 1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon + 72 x large calibre countermeasures

The MiG-23MLD still retains the 23 mm GSh-23L cannon with 200 rounds from the MiG-23M. It has an excellent rate of fire and will likely do significant damage if it hits a target, but the muzzle velocity is unimpressive and it can be a challenge to aim it properly in high speed engagements. It's generally best to reserve the gun for extended dogfights where the MLD can use its manoeuvrability to pull lead on a slower target. The limited ammunition supply means that the average pilot can only expect a kill or two with the gun before needing to go back to base.

The MLD has a far healthier supply of countermeasures than the MiG-23M. It retains the pack of 12 countermeasures installed in the central underbelly pylon but now features the twin 30-round dispensers installed on the wing gloves, first seen on the [[MiG-27M]]. There is no need to be as stingy when flaring incoming IR missiles or using chaff to disrupt a radar lock. Also, these are still "large calibre countermeasures", so on a unit basis they have stronger effects than standard flares or chaff.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|OFAB-100 (100 kg)|FAB-250M-62 (250 kg)|FAB-500M-62 (500 kg)|ZB-500 incendiary}}
{{main|S-5K|S-8KO|S-24B|GSh-23L (23 mm)}}
{{main|R-23R|R-23T|R-24R|R-24T}}
{{main|Kh-23M|R-13M1|R-60}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x R-13M1 missiles
* 4 x R-13M1 missiles
* 6 x R-60 missiles
* 2 x R-23R missiles
* 2 x R-23T missiles
* 2 x R-24R missiles
* 2 x R-24T missiles
* 64 x S-5K rockets
* 64 x S-5K rockets
* 40 x S-8KO rockets
* 4 x S-24B rockets
* 2 x Kh-23M missiles
* 16 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (1,600 kg total)
* 4 x 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 2 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs
* 2 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg = 500 total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" width="100%" style="text-align:center"
|-
! !! width="12%" | 1 !! width="12%" | 2 !! width="12%" | 3 !! width="12%" | 4
| rowspan="17" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_MiG-23MLA_(Germany).png]]</div>
|-
! 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg)
| 1 || || || 1
|-
! 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs
| 4 || 4 || 4 || 4
|-
! 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs
| 1 || || || 1
|-
! ZB-500 incendiary bombs
| 1 || || || 1
|-
! S-5K rockets
| 16, 32 || 16 || 16 || 16, 32
|-
! S-8KO rockets
| 20 || || || 20
|-
! S-24B rockets
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! Kh-23M missiles
| 1* || || || 1*
|-
! R-13M1 missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! R-23R missiles
| 1 || || || 1
|-
! R-23T missiles
| 1 || || || 1
|-
! R-24R missiles
| 1 || || || 1
|-
! R-24T missiles
| 1 || || || 1
|-
! R-60 missiles
| 1 || 2 || 2 || 1
|-
! Delta-NG
| || 1* || ||
|-
| colspan="6" | * It is required to equip the Delta-NG targeting pod with the Kh-23M missiles
|-
|}

The MiG-23MLD has similar loadouts to the MiG-23M. The main differences are that it has access to R-24R and R-24T missiles, which are straight upgrades to the R-23R and R-23T missiles, and does not have access to the all-aspect R-60Ms. The R-24s are deadly missiles, but the MLD is still limited to carrying only two of them. The R-23s should only be used as stopgaps before the R-24s are unlocked. The basic R-60 performs much the same as the R-60M in the turning dogfights that it excels at, so the MLD's weapons are still superior overall.

For ground attack, the MLD can use various unguided bombs and rockets. The only guided air-to-ground option is the Kh-23M MCLOS missile. It does have a ballistic computer but it can only provide CCIP guidance for the guns/gun pods and rockets. As dedicated attackers, the related [[MiG-27M]] and [[MiG-27K]] are much better options.

== Usage in battles ==


The MiG-23MLD is a fairly forgiving fighter that can be used for many approaches. Players who want to beeline straight into battle and jump in dogfights will be satisfied by its great acceleration and dogfight performance. Those who prefer to hang back can use its climb rate to build up altitude and energy while observing the battle below. From this point, fans of long range combat can sling the R-24R radar-guided missiles to snipe targets at long range or low altitude, and opportunistic pilots can sneak in from the sidelines and use the IRST in conjunction with the R-24T IR missiles to eliminate distracted targets. The MiG-23MLD does not reign supreme in the pure beyond-visual-range role because it can only carry two R-24Rs compared to the four AIM-7E-2s or Skyflashes carried by the [[F-4EJ Kai Phantom II]] and [[Phantom FGR.2]] for example, so one should plan on getting close and dogfighting at some point to not let the MLD's full capabilities go to waste.

The R-24s should be used wisely because of their limited capacity. R-24Ts in particular are excellent for sneak attacks against distracted targets because of their range, manoeuvrability, and tracking, but they can still be spoofed by flares if the target sees it coming. The R-60s are more plentiful, which offsets their high flare sensitivity, and should be preferentially used in close combat. Ideally, one can wait until opponents have run out of countermeasures and/or are no longer in a good position to make evasive manoeuvres.

The MLD can pull harder than the MiG-23M because of its aerodynamic improvements, which is definitely good for nosing onto targets, but if optimal rate fighting performance is desired, it's best to keep the airspeed at or above 600 km/h by managing the elevator.

The MLD's radar now features an ACM mode to quickly and conveniently acquire targets in dogfight scenarios, which can be helpful if one needs to use the R-24R or desires radar cueing for the IR missiles.

;Fighting the [[F-14A Early]]
The [[F-14A Early|F-14 Tomcat]] is a very capable and popular aircraft in the American tech tree. Facing against a F-14 will be inevitable for pilots of the {{PAGENAME}}. However, there are certain actions a {{PAGENAME}} pilot can take to make the encounter a more even fighting chance.

Firstly, a {{PAGENAME}} pilot should be familiar with how to defeat certain radar search and tracking ability. While flying low can help with defeating the standard searching radar, the F-14 like the [[F-4J Phantom II|F-4J]] before it is equipped with Pulse-Doppler (PD) radar. PD radar can enable the aircraft to lock onto other aircraft against the ground clutter. However, this can also be countered by "notching" the aircraft by flying perpendicular to the PD radar lock (as in making sure the PD radar lock in the Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) is at the 3 or 9 o'clock direction from the aircraft). This will interfere with the PD radar's ability to lock onto the {{PAGENAME}}. However, be aware that the {{PAGENAME}} is unlikely to be "invisible" to a F-14's radar as the F-14 has the ability to use a "Track-While-Scan" mode to identify enemy aircraft on the horizon. So while the {{PAGENAME}} pilot can deny the F-14 an easy lock for them to utilize a SARH or ARH missile, they will be aware that the {{PAGENAME}} is present in that general direction.

Once a F-14 has been identified, three different threat envelopes need to be recognized.
# AIM-54 Phoenix: Perhaps the aircraft's most famous armament, the F-14's Phoenix missiles are unique in their extremely long firing range of tens of kilometers away. However, do not be discouraged! There are many limitations with missile that can be exploited to reduce the chance of a hit. First is that if fired at a long-range, the Phoenix missile can be identified by its long smoke trail from the F-14 aircraft. This allows not only a {{PAGENAME}} pilot to recognize a F-14 is present, but also perform evasive maneuvers. The second is that from a long-range firing, the Phoenix are not utilizing its "active-radar homing" (ARH) abilities and is instead utilizing inertial navigation at its launch. This means the missile is not actively tracking the aircraft, but simply homing towards the general direction of the {{PAGENAME}}'s vector and once within range, will activate its radar for the active homing towards the final target. This means that until the active radar homing is on, the {{PAGENAME}} can evade and escape where the missile will think the {{PAGENAME}} will be. If successful and once the Phoenix turns on its radar, it will not be able to locate the {{PAGENAME}} and therefore not be able to home in. If the Phoenix does end up targeting right at the {{PAGENAME}}, a copious amount of chaff and maneuverability should be sufficient to perform an evasion against the missile's final run.
# AIM-7F Sparrow: A familiar missile that {{PAGENAME}} will know fighting against F-4Js, the AIM-7F is more lethal with the F-14 as the aircraft can carry more and has a more capable radar. In fact, it can be argued the Sparrow is a comparatively underrated weapon in the pylons of a F-14 due to the aircraft's capabilities enhancing the missile's own. By the time the F-14 is within optimum range to use the Sparrow, there is often very little time for the {{PAGENAME}} to perform the right action to evade the missile, especially during a head-on. A F-14 using a Sparrow less than 10 km away will be more dangerous than a F-14 using a Phoenix from 40 km away. Take extreme caution against F-14 pilots that bring Sparrows over the Phoenixes.
# AIM-9 Sidewinders: A very familiar missile all close-range dogfighters are familiar with. The F-14 has access to a wide variety of Sidewinder missiles, but its most lethal is the AIM-9H. Once again, though the missile's capability is not too dramatically different from past Sidewinders like the AIM-9G from the F-4J, the F-14's capabilities especially in slow maneuverability makes the Sidewinder a concerning weapon against even a unswept wing {{PAGENAME}}. While flares should be sufficient in interfering with a Sidewinder lock, maneuverability and engine management needs to be accounted so the Sidewinder still does not see the after-burning engine as a more enticing target than the flares.

So now that the F-14's capabilities are familiarized with, how should a {{PAGENAME}} pilot attack a F-14?

Perhaps the most successful way is to go after tunnel-vision F-14 pilots from medium range. F-14 pilots at any altitude would be concerned about using their radar to engage enemies with long-range missiles. Therefore, a {{PAGENAME}} would find it productive to instead fly towards the sides of the map, away from the straight path towards the enemy airfield. The loadout to bring would be the IR-guided R-24T and pilot's choice of R-13M1 or R-60s for the short-range IR missiles. Once a decent distance from the friendly airfield alongside the sides of the map (position roughly 30-40% between friendly airfield to enemy airfield), make sure there are no enemy aircraft also in the area before turning towards the center of the map, this way you can meet enemy F-14's vector perpendicularly for an optimum attack angle.

Utilize the {{PAGENAME}}'s IRST function instead of the standard radar in order to not trigger the F-14's RWR, and use IRST to lock onto F-14s from a long-distance for the R-24T. Once a lock can be acquired, utilize the R-24T's extremely wide uncaged seeker to compensate the lead for the F-14's speed and direction. Once within an optimum distance (roughly 5 km), fire the R-24T towards the F-14. While it may be tempting to watch the R-24T seek its target, the {{PAGENAME}} pilot should instead disengage and try and locate another target for its other missile. It is up to luck at this point and the F-14 pilot's awareness if they notice the incoming R-24T before it destroys their aircraft.

If the F-14 notices the {{PAGENAME}} and its missile, the situation will quickly get out of hand as the F-14 has decent countermeasures to throw off the {{PAGENAME}}'s IR missiles. Once a F-14 is aware of the {{PAGENAME}} position at its sides or rear, additional missiles may prove fruitless as the enemy pilot would have their countermeasures primed and ready. The {{PAGENAME}} pilot can now only hope that the F-14 is too pre-occupied at the tailing {{PAGENAME}} that allies can approach and take out the distracted F-14 pilot. If alone, the situation can go two ways:
# The F-14A will utilize its better engines and accelerate away from the {{PAGENAME}} while utilizing countermeasures to ensure missiles cannot reach it. While it may be hoped the F-14's evasive maneuvers would slow it down enough for the {{PAGENAME}} to catch up, this is unlikely and the F-14A may speed away and decide to re-engage the {{PAGENAME}} on its own terms or return to the airfield.
# The situation may devolve into a close-range dogfight with IR missiles and gun, with energy management of the planes dependent on pilot's abilities between F-14 and MiG-23. However, this is a relatively disadvantageous situation for the {{PAGENAME}} pilot to get itself in as chances are if it is tangling with one F-14, there is another coming in from another angle ready to stick a Sidewinder up the {{PAGENAME}}'s engine exhaust.

However the engagement carries out, the {{PAGENAME}} pilot needs to be aware that the F-14A is a formidable plane and should be prioritized appropriately with allies. Most importantly, recognize that fighting a team of F-14As is not a one-pilot deal; utilize allies to help break off tailing F-14s or take down distracted F-14s to whittle away their numbers to annihilate the enemy team.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very high acceleration and top speed
* Agile in dogfights
* Good countermeasure supply
* Access to powerful R-24 missiles for distant targets
* Has an IRST for stealthy target acquisition
* Radar has ACM mode
* Extraordinarily fast, it will overspeed at any altitude, including at altitude 13 km at Mach 2.4

'''Cons:'''

* Limited missile capacity
* Cannot use R-60Ms
* Gun is finicky to use and has limited ammunition
* Limited ground attack ordnance and ballistic computer functionality, not very suited for ground attack

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=mig_23mld Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|cvpr1GYfwQc|'''Mig-23MLD : A Basic Review''' - ''Tims Variety''}}

== See also ==


;Related development
* [[MiG-23 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/538753-mig-23mld/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer MiG}}
{{USSR jet aircraft}}

Olifant Mk.2

2022-09-23T06:34:30Z

U18054352: Added ammo rack information

{{About
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link = Olifant Mk.1A
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_olifant_mk_2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ixwa Strike"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,627|rbMinHp=929}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|GT-8 (105 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[GT-8 (105 mm)|105 mm GT-8]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 64 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+18° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 21.4 || 29.6 || 36.0 || 39.8 || 42.4 || rowspan="2" | 8.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.70 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 6.70
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 13.4 || 15.8 || 19.1 || 21.2 || 22.5
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M456 || HEATFS || 400 || 400 || 400 || 400 || 400 || 400
|-
| M111 || APFSDS || 337 || 335 || 330 || 322 || 314 || 306
|-
| DM63 || APFSDS || 436 || 434 || 426 || 416 || 406 || 396
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M456 || HEATFS || 1,173 || 10.5 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 1,270 || 65° || 72° || 77°
|-
| M111 || APFSDS || 1,455 || 3.79 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| DM63 || APFSDS || 1,455 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty*
! 7th rack empty*
! 8th rack empty*
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''64'''
|60 ''(+4)'' || 55 ''(+9)'' || 47 ''(+17)'' || 33 ''(+31)'' || 14 ''(+50)'' || 7 ''(+57)'' || 5 ''(+59)'' || 1 ''(+63)'' || No
|-
|}
6, 7 and 8 racks are First-stage ammo stowages.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|Browning MG4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Browning MG4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm Browning MG4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 6,750 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* M111 APFSDS round is a tier 1 module, and provides a large upgrade in lethality compared to stock HEATFS round
* Mobility is satisfactory when upgraded, allowing for reliable 30 km/h in cross-country performance with decent acceleration
* Access to laser rangefinder and 2nd generation gunner/commander thermals, allowing for quick and reliable target acquisition
* Has access to 105 mm DM63 APFSDS
* Good gun depression angle (-10°)

'''Cons:'''

* Poor stock mobility, sluggish acceleration
* Struggles to keep pace with other MBTs despite its more powerful engine
* Default HEATFS round, many opponents at its tier feature integrated composite armour or add-on ERA., resulting in poor lethality
* Add-on armour provides little protection against kinetic rounds, and offers inadequate defense against many chemical rounds of its tier
* Three out of four crew in a poorly armoured turret and a large driver-adjacent ammo rack result in poor survivability

== History ==

'''Development'''

The South African Defense Force (SADF) began planning to replace the Olifant Mk1B main battle tank (MBT) in the late 1980's. Foreign designs such as the French Leclerc and British Challenger 2 were studied and it was planned that the new MBT was to have an entirely new hull from the Olifant Mk1B. But, due to a greater need of the budget for the navy and air force, a new tank was scratched from plans in 1988. Instead, an upgrade of the Olifant Mk1B would have to suffice.

The main areas that were upgraded on the Olifant Mk2 were the mobility, crew ergonomics, and fire control system (FCS).

'''Design'''

'''General'''

The Olifant Mk2 maintains the standard crew of four and the general layout from the preceding Olifant variants but with improvements to specific areas such as mobility and fire control system (FCS).

For increased ergonomics, two water tanks are fitted in the turret to store a total of 101 liters of water for the crew. The water tanks can be accessed from the loader and commander's stations.

'''Mobility'''

One of the Olifant Mk2's two largest improvements over the Olifant Mk1B was its mobility. The engine was still the Continental 29 liter turbocharged air cooled engine, but it was modified to increase the horsepower output to 1,040 horsepower (an increase of 190 horsepower). The transmission of the Olifant Mk1B was retained, which had four forward and two reverse gears. The Olifant Mk2 could achieve a maximum speed of 58 km/h (the same speed as the Mk1B) but it accelerated 25% faster than the Mk1B. The improved torsion bar suspension of the Mk1B was also retained.

The fuel capacity of the Olifant Mk2 was reduced from 1,382 litres to 1,285 litres compared to the Mk1B. Despite the reduced fuel load, the maximum range remained at approximately 360 km - the same as on the Mk1B.

'''Armament'''

The armament of the Olifant Mk2 was retained from the Olifant Mk1B.

The main armament of the Olifant Mk2 consisted of a 105 mm GT3B rifled gun, which was a variant of the Royal Ordnance L7 that was produced in South Africa by Lyttleton Engineering Works (LEW). The gun was fitted with a thermal sleeve as standard.

Four types of ammunition were carried for the 105 mm gun: M9210 HE, M456 HEAT, M9718 APFSDS, and white phosphorus smoke shell. A total of 64 105 mm shells were carried in the tank.

The electrical turret and gun control system fitted to the Olifant Mk2 allowed for a full 360 degree rotation of the turret in 16 seconds. The extended turret bustle at the rear of the turret helped to increase space for storage and equipment, but more importantly it balanced out the heavy armour on the frontal side of the turret. This helped to reduce strain on the turret control system.

A new fire control system (FCS) was used that included hunter-killer capability, in which the gunner and commander could each search for targets and control the turret systems. The gunner's sight was fitted with thermal imaging and the commander also received an independent thermal viewer (CITV). The gunner was provided with a targeting screen that displayed the sight image along with the data from the ballistic computer and integrated laser rangefinder, and the commander could also view the image from the gunner's sight. The FCS included an automatic tracking function in which the turret would automatically track a target selected by the gunner or commander even while on the move. The gun was fully stabilized, allowing for a good hit-on-the-move capability and the FCS allowed a high accuracy in general.

Secondary armament was provided by a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun with 6,600 rounds of ammunition carried.

'''Armour'''

The armour of the Olifant Mk2 was identical to that of the Olifant Mk1B. The base armour was the same as on the Olifant Mk1A but a layer of passive composite armour was added (spaced from the base armour) on the turret and also on the upper glacis of the hull. The hull floor was changed to a double layered design in order to better protect against mines and explosives. The armoured sideskirts were also improved in regards to the Olifant Mk1A in order to increase protection against handheld anti-tank weapons such as the RPG-7.

A fire suppression system was installed in both the crew and engine compartments for automatic extinguishing of fires. Two banks of four smoke grenades each are fitted on each side towards the rear of the turret. An engine exhaust smoke system is fitted to allow the generation of a smoke screen by injecting fuel into the engine exhaust.

'''Production and Service'''

A total of 26 Olifant Mk2 tanks were built starting in 2005, entering service with the South African National Defense Forces (SANDF; replaced the SADF in 1994). Four of the Olifant Mk2 tanks were used for training as of 2018 and the other 22 were in storage. They had not yet seen combat.<ref>https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/modern/south-africa/Olifant-mk2-main-battle-tank/</ref>

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_olifant_mk_2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|brTNf5hXVGM|'''The Shooting Range #242''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

=== References ===
<references />

{{Britain medium tanks}}

File:Ammoracks Olifant Mk.2.png

2022-09-23T06:20:54Z

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