War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

Rbs 70

2024-11-12T01:37:50Z

U82748623: /* Description */

== Description ==

[[File:WeaponImage Rbs 70.png|thumb|left|420px|The Rbs 70 missile (the launch tube, missile with first stage motor, and deployed missile are shown; scale is approximate)]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is a Swedish beam-riding surface-to-air missile. It exists in three variants: RB 70, RB 70 Mk.2 and the Bolide. It was introduced in [[Update 1.97 "Viking Fury"]].

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|sw_asrad_r}}
* {{Specs-Link|sw_lvrbv_701}}

== General info ==

{| class="wikitable" style="display:inline-table;text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | RB 70
|-
| '''Calibre''' || 105 mm
|-
| '''Mass''' || 16.5 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || Beam-riding
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 525 m/s
|-
| '''Maximum overload''' || 15 G
|-
| '''Firing Range''' || 5 km
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 15 secs
|-
| '''Explosive''' || 1.44 kg TNTeq
|-
| '''Fuse sensitivity''' || 0.1 mm
|-
|'''Fuse delay'''
|0.05 m
|-
| '''Arming distance''' || 300 m
|-
| '''Trigger radius''' || 6 m
|-
| '''Armour penetration''' || 19 mm
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="display:inline-table;text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | RB 70 Mk.2
|-
| '''Calibre''' || 105 mm
|-
| '''Mass''' || 16.5 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || Beam-riding
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 580 m/s
|-
| '''Maximum overload''' || 17 G
|-
| '''Firing Range''' || 7 km
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 24 secs
|-
| '''Explosive''' || 1.44 kg TNTeq
|-
| '''Fuse sensitivity''' || 0.1 mm
|-
| '''Fuse delay''' || 0.05 m
|-
| '''Arming distance''' || 300 m
|-
| '''Trigger radius''' || 3 m
|-
| '''Armour penetration''' || 200 mm
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="display:inline-table;text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | BOLIDE
|-
| '''Calibre''' || 105 mm
|-
| '''Mass''' || 17 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || Beam riding
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 700 m/s
|-
| '''Maximum overload''' || 25 G
|-
| '''Firing Range''' || 9 km
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 32 secs
|-
| '''Explosive''' || 1.44 kg TNTeq
|-
| '''Fuse sensitivity''' || 0.1 mm
|-
| '''Fuse delay''' || 0.05 m
|-
| '''Arming distance''' || 300 m
|-
| '''Trigger radius''' || 3 m
|-
| '''Armour penetration''' || 200 mm
|-
|}
The Rbs 70 (Robotsystem 70), is a Short-range Air Defense (SHORAD) laser-guided missile system originally designed to be launched from a tripod, but was later adapted to be fired from weapon-platforms and warships. The missile weighs in at 15 kg and features a 1.1 kg warhead comprised of 3,000 tungsten pellets together with a directional shape-charge penetrator.

The missile is powered by an initial booster charge together with a smokeless solid propellant engine making the missile able to reach speeds from mach 1.6 to mach 2 depending on the variant. The missile has an operational range of 250 m - 8 km, and a maximum flight altitude of 5,000 m.

The missile is a so called "beam-rider" and navigates towards a laser designated position, thus requiring the user to continuously "lase" the target until the missile reaches the target.The missile features both a proximity fuse and a direct impact fuse, giving the missile the ability to detonate in close proximity to aircraft or via a direct hit.

=== Effective damage ===

The missile features two methods of damage; shrapnel using pre-fragmented tungsten pellets and a shape-charge penetrator with the secondary mostly being used against low-speed targets such as hovering helicopters and slower low-flying aircraft.

=== Comparison with analogues ===
''Give a comparative description of missiles that have firepower equal to this weapon.''

== Usage in battles ==

The Rbs 70 is a short ranged missile with a small payload making it more suitable for engaging helicopters rather than aircraft, even if it is capable of doing so; especially if the missile is intercepting an incoming aircraft. The warhead however is lacking in explosive power thus does not guarantee a one-hit-kill and limits the anti-tank usage of the missile both using the kinetic penetration and the high explosive damage. The laser designation and the smokeless engine makes the missile harder to detect but also forces the user to keep a constant lase on the target making it a bit of a double-edged sword.

Overall, the missile is best utilized in an anti-helicopter role where it is placed in either urban areas with high visibility or at spots where the vehicle or platform of the weapon is well concealed from ground and airstrikes since it is not very effective at firing at armoured targets, both because of the low penetration and the lack of armour on the vehicles carrying it. the user should also avoid engaging high speed disengaging or circling aircraft since the probability of a hit is fairly low.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Since the missile navigates by following a continuous laser designation it makes it harder to detect and it can not be avoided using decoys such as flares
* The missile is relatively lightweight and is thus capable of being used on lighter vehicles giving them higher mobility
* The missile has a booster charge making the initial acceleration fairly high
* Can engage less armoured tanks, anti-air, and infantry fighting vehicles

'''Cons:'''

* The missile requires the user to keep a continuous designation on the target and renders the user vulnerable to both ground and air-attacks
* The missile travels at a maximum speed of mach 2 making it less capable at engaging aircraft
* The featured warhead only weighs in at 1.1kg, limiting the velocity of the fragments and the capabilities of the shaped-charge to penetrate armour

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon 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 weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-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>.''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== 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 article about the variant of the weapon;''
* ''references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:RBS_70#Latest_upgrade|[Wikipedia] RBS 70]]
* https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robotsystem_70 (Swedish)
* https://www.saab.com/products/rbs-70-ng (Latest generation, not currently in-game)

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

Rbs 70

2024-11-12T01:35:30Z

U82748623: /* General info */

== Description ==

[[File:WeaponImage Rbs 70.png|thumb|left|420px|The Rbs 70 missile (the launch tube, missile with first stage motor, and deployed missile are shown; scale is approximate)]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is a Swedish beam-riding surface-to-air missile. It exists in two variants: RB 70 and RB 70 Mk.2, and was introduced in [[Update 1.97 "Viking Fury"]].

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|sw_asrad_r}}
* {{Specs-Link|sw_lvrbv_701}}

== General info ==

{| class="wikitable" style="display:inline-table;text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | RB 70
|-
| '''Calibre''' || 105 mm
|-
| '''Mass''' || 16.5 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || Beam-riding
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 525 m/s
|-
| '''Maximum overload''' || 15 G
|-
| '''Firing Range''' || 5 km
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 15 secs
|-
| '''Explosive''' || 1.44 kg TNTeq
|-
| '''Fuse sensitivity''' || 0.1 mm
|-
|'''Fuse delay'''
|0.05 m
|-
| '''Arming distance''' || 300 m
|-
| '''Trigger radius''' || 6 m
|-
| '''Armour penetration''' || 19 mm
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="display:inline-table;text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | RB 70 Mk.2
|-
| '''Calibre''' || 105 mm
|-
| '''Mass''' || 16.5 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || Beam-riding
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 580 m/s
|-
| '''Maximum overload''' || 17 G
|-
| '''Firing Range''' || 7 km
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 24 secs
|-
| '''Explosive''' || 1.44 kg TNTeq
|-
| '''Fuse sensitivity''' || 0.1 mm
|-
| '''Fuse delay''' || 0.05 m
|-
| '''Arming distance''' || 300 m
|-
| '''Trigger radius''' || 3 m
|-
| '''Armour penetration''' || 200 mm
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="display:inline-table;text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | BOLIDE
|-
| '''Calibre''' || 105 mm
|-
| '''Mass''' || 17 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || Beam riding
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 700 m/s
|-
| '''Maximum overload''' || 25 G
|-
| '''Firing Range''' || 9 km
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 32 secs
|-
| '''Explosive''' || 1.44 kg TNTeq
|-
| '''Fuse sensitivity''' || 0.1 mm
|-
| '''Fuse delay''' || 0.05 m
|-
| '''Arming distance''' || 300 m
|-
| '''Trigger radius''' || 3 m
|-
| '''Armour penetration''' || 200 mm
|-
|}
The Rbs 70 (Robotsystem 70), is a Short-range Air Defense (SHORAD) laser-guided missile system originally designed to be launched from a tripod, but was later adapted to be fired from weapon-platforms and warships. The missile weighs in at 15 kg and features a 1.1 kg warhead comprised of 3,000 tungsten pellets together with a directional shape-charge penetrator.

The missile is powered by an initial booster charge together with a smokeless solid propellant engine making the missile able to reach speeds from mach 1.6 to mach 2 depending on the variant. The missile has an operational range of 250 m - 8 km, and a maximum flight altitude of 5,000 m.

The missile is a so called "beam-rider" and navigates towards a laser designated position, thus requiring the user to continuously "lase" the target until the missile reaches the target.The missile features both a proximity fuse and a direct impact fuse, giving the missile the ability to detonate in close proximity to aircraft or via a direct hit.

=== Effective damage ===

The missile features two methods of damage; shrapnel using pre-fragmented tungsten pellets and a shape-charge penetrator with the secondary mostly being used against low-speed targets such as hovering helicopters and slower low-flying aircraft.

=== Comparison with analogues ===
''Give a comparative description of missiles that have firepower equal to this weapon.''

== Usage in battles ==

The Rbs 70 is a short ranged missile with a small payload making it more suitable for engaging helicopters rather than aircraft, even if it is capable of doing so; especially if the missile is intercepting an incoming aircraft. The warhead however is lacking in explosive power thus does not guarantee a one-hit-kill and limits the anti-tank usage of the missile both using the kinetic penetration and the high explosive damage. The laser designation and the smokeless engine makes the missile harder to detect but also forces the user to keep a constant lase on the target making it a bit of a double-edged sword.

Overall, the missile is best utilized in an anti-helicopter role where it is placed in either urban areas with high visibility or at spots where the vehicle or platform of the weapon is well concealed from ground and airstrikes since it is not very effective at firing at armoured targets, both because of the low penetration and the lack of armour on the vehicles carrying it. the user should also avoid engaging high speed disengaging or circling aircraft since the probability of a hit is fairly low.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Since the missile navigates by following a continuous laser designation it makes it harder to detect and it can not be avoided using decoys such as flares
* The missile is relatively lightweight and is thus capable of being used on lighter vehicles giving them higher mobility
* The missile has a booster charge making the initial acceleration fairly high
* Can engage less armoured tanks, anti-air, and infantry fighting vehicles

'''Cons:'''

* The missile requires the user to keep a continuous designation on the target and renders the user vulnerable to both ground and air-attacks
* The missile travels at a maximum speed of mach 2 making it less capable at engaging aircraft
* The featured warhead only weighs in at 1.1kg, limiting the velocity of the fragments and the capabilities of the shaped-charge to penetrate armour

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon 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 weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-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>.''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== 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 article about the variant of the weapon;''
* ''references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:RBS_70#Latest_upgrade|[Wikipedia] RBS 70]]
* https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robotsystem_70 (Swedish)
* https://www.saab.com/products/rbs-70-ng (Latest generation, not currently in-game)

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

Leopard A1A1 (L/44)

2024-10-18T09:45:31Z

U82748623:

{{About
| about = gift German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other variants
| link = Leopard 1 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_leopard_a1a1_120
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_Leopard_A1A1_(L_44).jpg|ArtImage_Leopard_A1A1_(L-44).png}}
|store=6384
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.81 "The Valkyries"]].

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


Players who have purchased the Leopard A1A1 L/44 should be familiar with the armour of non-premium Leopard 1s. If not, the Leopard may not be what people expect a tank to be. It was developed before composite materials were discovered at a time where HEAT shells were so effective that in order for armour to be effective, it would be so thick that it would not be practical. Hence, the designers of Leopard 1s, knowing that there was no possible way of stopping HEAT rounds, removed the concept of armour. In essence, the Leopard A1A1 has no armour. The front hull, accounting slope, is only some 130 mm thick. The turret and gun mantlet are some 100 mm depending on the angle. The [[BMP-2]]'s autocannon, for instance, loaded with APDS, will penetrate your turret and will cause major damage. Any HEAT projectile impacting the tank will likely result in instantly being destroyed. However, the engine block can at times reliably save the crew from HEAT shells. APDS and APFSDS are a different story. The armour on the Leopard A1A1 is so thin that most non-explosive-filled shells will seldom cause spalling upon penetrating the side of the tank. Frontal penetrations will cause much more damage, as the armour is just enough to cause spalling.

The ready rack ammo is stored vertically within your turret to the left side of the tank. So AP penetrations to the right side of your tank may not set off the ammo. But, 3/4 of your crew are seated in a single file on the right side. So a penetration will knock you out nonetheless. Try to take no more than 18 shells, as it will increase the likelihood of ammo cook-off. The point is not to get hit, because if anything hits you, it will go through, and it will cause damage.

In some cases, you could operate the tank backwards and use your engine block as a shield, as most HEAT shells will be absorbed by your transmission, radiator and engine, although in this position you have limited depression as the engine block forces the gun upwards. Despite these limitations, the tank can be surprisingly survivable, provided it is played carefully rather than relying on the armour. Also, it will usually take 2 hits to kill this tank, so if you are hit, pop smoke, retreat, repair, and re-appear somewhere else on the map.

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret roof)
*Cast homogeneous armour (Turret)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 70 mm (60°) ''Front glacis'' 50 mm (50°) ''Bottom glacis'' || 35 (39-41°) mm ''Top hull side'' 30 + 5 mm ''Bottom hull side'' || 25 mm (8-48°) || 30 mm ''Front area'' 15-25 mm ''Rear area''
|-
| Turret || 45-200 mm (0-60°) ''Turret front/Gun mantlet'' || 37-45 (21-49°)+ 10-20 (0-34°) mm || 38-52 (22-54°) + 10 (9-10°) mm 25 mm (65°) ''Bustle belly''|| 25-35 mm ''Turret roof'' 20-25 mm ''Cupola area''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* The turret mantlet has a varying thickness of 45 - 200 mm thick. It is thickest near the center.
* 10 mm of track armour added onto front hull glacis

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,286|rbMinHp=734}}

The mobility of the {{PAGENAME}} is between the [[XM-1 (GM)|XM-1]] and [[T-55AM-1]]. Forward speed off-road, expect some 40-50 km/h. The reverse is about -15 km/h off-road. The neutral steering is absolutely amazing, you are able to swivel your tank easily. The suspensions are also great, very soft with great dampening effects, so expect a smooth drive. Overall, manoeuvrability is excellent, and should be used to your advantage since the tank has limited armour.

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

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

{{main|Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)}}

The legendary 120 mm Rheinmetall L44 cannon does not fall short of its name. You get access to only two types of shells, DM13 APFSDS and DM12 HEATFS, with both being highly competitive and effective at its battle rating. The DM13 APFSDS round has a whopping 390 mm of penetration and is capable of defeating any armour of any tank this tank may potentially face, bar the [[T-64B]]. The round also travels extremely fast at 1,650 m/s, making long-range shooting and hitting moving targets exceptionally easy. The HEATFS, on the other hand, will overpressurize lightly-armoured targets while also being free of cost. The 120 mm HEAT with its 480 mm penetration is able to destroy [[Object 120]] and [[Object 906|906]] and anything that's not a main battle tank. The 1,140 m/s velocity may, however, make long-range engagements more difficult, especially when dealing with moving targets.

The L44 also features a decent reload time of 8.7 seconds stock and 6.7 seconds spaded, which is comparable to its 105 mm armed counterpart. The gun also features a stabiliser, making firing on the move a definite capability. However, it only works up to around 30 to 40 km/h. Beyond that, the gun becomes quite jittery and hard to aim.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)|120 mm Rh120 L/44]] || 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" | 41 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 8.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.70 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 6.70
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)/Ammunition|DM13, DM12}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_Leopard A1A1_(L_44).png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''41''' || 12 ''(+29)'' || 1 ''(+40)'' || No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

The {{PAGENAME}} mounts one coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun and one pintle-mounted 7.62 mm machine gun. These both have particularly high rates of fire, while these are more of deterrents to helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, as the small calibre bullets will rarely cause critical damage to aircraft, they can also be useful to clear light obstacles and crew in open-top vehicles.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,500 (1,000) || 1,200 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 2,000 (1,000) || 1,200 || -8°/+20° || ±120°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

==== Arcade battles ====
The Leopard A1A1 (L/44) sports an excellent 120 mm L/44 cannon which can make short work of any vehicle that it sees without any issues. However, its armour is extremely lacking and the mobility while good is not as good as an OF-40 (MTCA) or AMX-30 Super. Playing in Arcade battles, it's best to make sure that you are always the first to fire, ensuring you get the jump on your enemies first. What's best done is to hull down and take advantage of the rather good 9 degrees of gun depression and ensuring that you are currently covering a relatively active zone of combat. With its cannon, it can be a very effective sniper or defensive vehicle as those both styles usually involves getting the jump on the enemy while remaining stationary in a concealed position. If done right, the Leopard A1A1 (L/44) can be an extremely effective weapon in Arcade Battles. It's still best to prioritize targets by targeting the most dangerous ones first in order to be of most help to your team. The tank's mobility does allow for flanking however avoid direct confrontation as much as possible.

==== Realistic battles ====
The primary role of the Leopard A1A1 (L/44) should be that of a long-range sniper and flanker. Its incredible firepower with its 120 mm gun makes it easy to engage and destroy any tank from long distances while remaining concealed and thus protected from enemy fire. The good mobility on this vehicle allows you to reach good positions to snipe from and the laser rangefinder makes long-range targeting easy. The lack of armour on this tank makes direct engagements very risky and often nonviable so keeping at a distance maximizes your chances of survival and opportunity to inflict damage. Alternatively, the Leopard can be employed in flanking manoeuvres, using its good mobility to encircle the enemy and destroy them while they are unaware, again removing the danger of enemy fire destroying your tank. If you want to take a risk, you could rush a cap circle at the beginning of a match, if you tag along with other, better armed MBTs. However, this will almost always result in being destroyed, especially since the vehicle is vulnerable to artillery.

=====Up-tiered Gameplay=====
When using the {{PAGENAME}} in uptiers, the tank can still exceed if played like a light tank or IFV, as the A1A1 platform behaves very similarly to IFVs with decent (although comparatively lacking) mobility. Since most in-game IFVs also have less mobility than the top-rank MBTs, learning how to make the most out of this disadvantage would be beneficial skill transfer to the {{PAGENAME}} gameplay. The DM13 APFSDS round would serve the {{PAGENAME}} well even in an uptier provided it hits top-rank MBTs in their weak spots, though this knowledge would still be important to know even when using other higher-ranked MBTs like the [[Leopard 2 (PzBtl 123)]].

Flanking is still very strong, especially when your enemy is caught by surprise or is otherwise occupied. Rushing can also be a viable strategy when working alongside teammates, however you would be well-advised to use this strategy sparingly, as many of the tanks in this BR range are superior to you in every way possible, so timing will be crucial to ensure the enemy is inclined to engage a more significant threat first, thus allowing you to achieve good positioning on him before he can engage you. For the most part, playing this tank in the 10.0 bracket will require you to stay near teammates and play a support role, or flank the enemy and snipe those who are engaging your teammates. Remember that your tank is worse than those of your teammates, so they are unlikely to prioritize helping you, should you be left in need of repairs or firefighting. As such, flanking to snipe will require good instincts, so the enemy doesn't engage you.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good mobility with excellent hull traverse and reverse speeds
* Effective gun with powerful ammunition able to defeat any opponent at its battle rating
* The reload speed hasn't changed despite its new 120 mm cannon
* Laser rangefinder
* Keeps the same good mobility, despite the 0.3 tons weight increase
* Thermal sight for gunner
* Excels at long-range engagements

'''Cons:'''

* Armour does not reliably protect against even autocannons
* No available heavy machine gun, often helpless against helicopter attacks
* Huge ammo rack in hull, any penetrating shot at the area will destroy the tank
* Only generation 1 thermals and no CITV

== History ==

==== Leopard 1A6 Project ====
The Leopard A1A1 (L/44), also known as the "Leopard 1A6" was a testbed which utilized the Leopard A1A1 hull along with a modified Leopard 1 turret, featuring supplemental armor and a modified mantlet created to accept the Rhenmetall L/44 120mm smoothbore cannon. The project was cancelled in 1987 after it was determined the Leopard 1A5 upgrade package was comparable in effectiveness at a fraction of the cost, and the Leopard 2 had been in widespread service by then, so an expensive upgrade package to bring the Leopard 1 up to the same level as more modern MBTs was seen as unnecessary.
==== [[wt:en/news/5724-development-leopard-1-with-the-rheinmetall-120mm-l44-en|Devblog]] ====
Development of a Leopard 1 fitted with the 120 mm L44 cannon began as a private venture of the Rheinmetall company, hoping that such a Leopard 1 variant would be of interest, not just to the German army due to logistical commonalities with the Leopard 2 and higher performance of the gun, but also to international customers seeking third generation MBT features on older machines.

In the early 1980s, a Leopard 1A1A1 was modified with a thicker cast steel mantlet, suitable for mounting the Rheinmetall 120 mm cannon, and additional interior changes to hold the respective ammunition. Further changes were applied in early 1985, with the installation of the EMES 18 fire control system from the Leopard 1A5.

Although there were several different prototypes based on Leopard 1 outfitted with the 120 mm Rheinmetall cannon, none of them managed to justify a costly large scale upgrade effort of existing Leopard 1s. The upgrade was largely considered redundant due to the already more advanced Leopard 2 being in service.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_leopard_a1a1_120 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Gta_R82mUXg|'''Premium Vehicles: Leopard 1A1A1 mit L/44''' - ''War Thunder Wiki''|Vm0waTJnLrM|'''Downtiered and More Competitive - Leopard A1A1 L/44 - RB Gameplay''' - ''Jim Chamberlin''|VSCwCJOW4-Q|'''The Shooting Range #117''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:53 discusses the Leopard A1A1 (L/44).|nwskQP2t5Io|'''Leo A1A1 (L/44) - Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== See also ==


;[[Leopard 1 (Family)|Related development]]

* [[Leopard 1A5]] - Base model of the L/44 installation

;Similar vehicles of the era that were up-gunned

* [[M60 AMBT]] - Upgunned [[M60A3 TTS|M60A3]] with a 120 mm

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5724-development-leopard-1-with-the-rheinmetall-120mm-l44-en|[Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Leopard 1 with the Rheinmetall 120mm L44]]

{{Germany medium tanks}}
{{Germany premium ground vehicles}}
<references />

Talk:Leopard A1A1 (L/44)

2024-10-18T06:55:29Z

U82748623: inaccurate in-game model OR name

this page is about the a1a1 (l44) however the in-game model is of the leopard 1a5 l44.

its visible from the EMES 18 sight (thermals) at the turret roof.
this is only on 1A5 variants. not on the a1a1.

needs to be bug reported

EC-665 Tiger UHT

2024-09-13T18:54:51Z

U82748623: /* Usage in battles */

{{About
| about = German attack helicopter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Tiger Eurocopter (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=tiger_uht
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was introduced into German service in 2005 as a multi-role fire support helicopter. It is a variant of the Eurocopter Tiger, which was developed by a joint venture of France and Germany in response to a requirement for an advanced anti-tank helicopter. The development of the Tiger started in 1984 and lasted until 2003, when the first production model flew. The Tiger UHT is equipped with a mast-mounted sight, which allows it to operate from behind cover and engage targets with precision-guided missiles. The Tiger UHT has also participated in several overseas deployments, such as Afghanistan and Mali, where it provided reconnaissance and fire support for ground forces. The Tiger UHT is one of the four versions of the Eurocopter Tiger, along with the HAP, HAD and ARH models used by France, Spain, and Australia, respectively. The UHT stands for Unterstützungshubschrauber Tiger, which means "support helicopter Tiger" in German. The UHT differs from the other variants by having a different armament configuration, which includes PARS 3 LR fire-and-forget missiles and HOT 3 anti-tank missiles. In 2018, an upgrade program was contemplated that would enhance its performance and survivability, as well as enable it to fire the new Spike ER2 anti-tank missile; however, no final decision has been made regarding the implementation of the upgrade program.

The {{Specs|name}} was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]]. It has a unique advantage over most other helicopters in its ability to engage targets from behind cover using its mast-mounted sight and fire-and-forget missiles. The mast-mounted sight allows the pilot to scan the battlefield without exposing the helicopter too much, while the fire-and-forget missiles can be launched without maintaining a lock on the target. Unfortunately, the fire-and-forget missiles are not very reliable, as they frequently lose their lock due to obstacles and smoke. They are also slow and have a fairly limited range, which means that the target could be destroyed by other players or move out of range before the missile hits. Therefore, the pilot should always be aware of the situation and choose the best moment to fire and withdraw.

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

As a Eurocopter, it has the best agility and flight performance compared to other helicopters as the rest of the EC-665 seen in game. It is able to do barrel rolls metres from the ground. Despite not having the best top speed (Russian helicopters excel at that part) it is able to perform "unique" tricks mid-air for helicopters. It is not the best strike helicopter when you want to do lighting strikes (fast attacks with minimal exposure time) but it is able to "peek-a-boo" with enemies, specially since the collective pitch on the EC-665 can be increased and decreased very quickly. One of the pros, at least for flight performance, of the UHT compared to other EC-665s is the lack of the 30 mm autocannon. This reduces the weight of the helicopter, increasing speed, manoeuvrability and agility overall.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 1,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 268 || 256 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}}
|-
! Upgraded
| 309 || 290
|-
|}

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


As with most helicopters in the game, the Tiger UHT can be shot down easily by even 7.62 mm machine gun fire. However, the EC-665 crew is inside what looks like an "armoured bathtub". The crew is protected by AMAP-AIR (Advanced Modular Armour Plating Air) which is able to protect the crew from fragmentation only. It is not able to withstand machine gun fire without being damaged badly. However, the EC-665's best armour is to not be seen at all. This is something the Tiger excels at. Thanks to the GPS (Gunner Primary Sight) displacement, if the real life combat usage is followed (staying behind trees and mountains and poke just the rotor), the survivability of the EC-665 can be tremendously improved, thanks to this, it is not detected by anti-aircraft at all and will be hard to spot unless thermals are being used.

The fuel and transmission sit in the middle of the aircraft, between the gunner and the engine. There is no armour protection for the transmission and fuel, and their placement in the middle of the helicopter make them vulnerable to enemy fire.

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

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Heli-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Cross}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Heli-Offensive}}


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

* 32 x countermeasures
* 16 x large calibre countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Heli-Suspended}}


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="11%" | 1 !! width="11%" | 2 !! width="11%" | 3 !! width="11%" | 4
| rowspan="9" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[FN M3P (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm FN M3P]] machine guns (250 rpg)
| || 1* || 1* ||
|-
! [[FN M3P (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm FN M3P]] machine guns (400 rpg)
| || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[FFAR Mighty Mouse]] rockets
| || 3*, 19 || 3*, 19 ||
|-
! [[APKWS II (M151)]] missiles
| || 7 || 7 ||
|-
! [[APKWS II (M282)]] missiles
| || 7 || 7 ||
|-
! [[ATAS (AIM-92)]] missiles
| 2 || || || 2
|-
! [[HOT-3]] missiles
| || 2, 4 || 2, 4 ||
|-
! [[PARS 3 LR]] missiles
| || 4 || 4 ||
|-
| colspan="6" | * 250 rpg gunpods and triple FFAR rockets are carried concurrently on the same hardpoint
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 14 x APKWS II (M151) missiles
* 14 x APKWS II (M282) missiles
* 4 x HOT-3 missiles
* 8 x HOT-3 missiles
* 8 x PARS 3 LR missiles
* 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns (400 rpg = 800 total)
* 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns (250 rpg = 500 total) + 6 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 4 x ATAS (AIM-92) missiles
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==


;Overview

The EC-665 Tiger UHT is a great tank hunting helicopter, enabled through the help of its avionics, electronics, optronics and the gimmicky kind PARS 3 LR anti-tank guided missiles. The Tiger UHT is quite unlike other helicopters previously found in its tech tree. With the addition of all-new MAWS, thermal optics, air-to-air missiles and heat-seeking anti-tank guided missiles, the EC-665 Tiger UHT presents the leading edge of anti-tank helicopters. With support from friendly fighters occupying hostile aircraft and helicopters, the Tiger UHT can singlehandedly wipe out entire teams on the ground, even the latest anti-air vehicles have great difficulty taking out a Tiger UHT when piloted accordingly.

;Air-to-air combat

Although possible, the Tiger UHT should avoid actively hunting other helicopters and especially aircraft(unless unavoidable), as it is far more important to prioritize hunting ground targets instead. If required, the Tiger UHT is equipped with 4 Stinger heat-seeking missiles that work best against slow-flying targets within 750m-5km with 2km being the optimal launch distance. With an all aspect locking seeker, the missile can engage aircraft directly coming towards it, however, this is limited to a maximum distance of roughly 4km.

What most don't know is that the PARS-3LR has been adjusted and now can engage air targets reliably at ranges up to 7km due to its 10G overload capability and imaging infrared seeker which is nearly impossible to fool with IR countermeasures.

;Short-range anti tank combat

Just like air combat, close-range anti-tank combat is not a very viable option, the 38 Mighty Mouse rockets or 12.7 mm gun pods don't present a great tool to destroy anything that isn't soft targets. If rockets are used, the ballistics computer will assist with landing precise hits.

;Long-range anti-tank combat

For the Tiger UHT, there are 2 choices of anti-tank guided missiles: HOT-3 and PARS 3 LR. Although HOT-3 has the highest penetration of any armament in-game, it does not perform well due to its very lacking 4.3 km range. PARS 3 LR however is the highlight of the Tiger UHT, with its unique ability to home-in on the target on its own after launch, allowing the pilot to seek cover immediately after firing the missile. The only disadvantage to the missile is the requirement to lock the target beforehand, which isn't too important due to the short 1-second warm-up timer. This also allows all 8 missiles to be fired within 10 seconds at either the same or 8 different targets at once.

;Engaging ground targets with PARS 3 LR

[[File:Pars_3_LR_demonstration.mp4|right|thumb|x300px|Engagement of multiple tank targets using PARS 3 LR]]
When picking out targets to engage, there are a few criteria to be checked to ensure a good hit. Targets that are moving towards cover such as buildings, terrain, or smoke, or sitting behind bushes (not bushes as 3D decorations). The task of finding targets is greatly improved through the optics being mounted above the main rotor overseeing the entire helicopter and being equipped with thermal/night vision systems. This allows for great viewing angles of over -180° to 180° in the horizontal plane, and -90° to 10° in elevation.

An important feature about PARS 3 LR is the infrared seeker, being able to engage aircraft and especially helicopters too. Although not reliable due to the lack of a proximity fuse, this can be a live saver when fighting at ranges that exceed the range of Stinger.

;Altitude is key - Fighting against and around anti-air

In almost all cases, the Tiger UHT will face anti-air vehicles, especially missile-based systems. For these kinds of threats, there are multiple layers of protection against these types of threats. The first one being the radar warning receiver, informing about any radar pings or locks from hostile as well as friendly anti-air. For best results, it is highly advised to differentiate how many pings are picked up, and how many friendly radar-equipped anti-air units are present so that one can prepare for possible attacks. Although a radar lock can be a giveaway if anti-aircraft is active, a missile warning system is installed in addition to the radar warning system. It will inform you if any type of missile has been launched at the Tiger UHT, either ground or air-based missiles. Following the missile warning, multiple ways of evasion and countermeasures can be deployed and used, commonly being flares, quickly lowering altitude, changing the direction of flight, bringing hard cover between the helicopter and launch direction.

The most important part about defending against missile systems is altitude, in cases when the missile is below 25 metres over the ground, which will disable the proximity fuse until it reaches above 25 metres again, greatly limiting its effectiveness against low flying/hovering helicopters. This can be used to reliably evade missiles when no hard cover such as a hill is available.

;Conclusion

When deployed properly, the Tiger UHT is a great addition to any line-up. What it lacks against aircraft, it will quickly make up against any ground targets or helicopters.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Optic is mounted above the rotor, has the ability to only expose the optic and fire on enemies
* Wide viewing angles on the Optics allow for instant target acquisition and engagement
* Fire-and-forget PARS-3 LR Missiles
* Very manoeuvrable
* Has RWR and MAW
* Low thermal signature
* Thermal sight
* Very high Zoom on the optics
* PARS-3 can be used against aircraft

'''Cons:'''

* With the optic mounted above the rotor looking down you will see the rotor spinning
* Only hardpoint mounted machine guns
* No radar
* IR missiles will lose lock through smoke and obstacles
* Stinger is not effective against fast moving targets greatly limiting self-defence against aircraft
* Only 8 ATGMs compared to its contemporaries with 12 or even 16 ATGMs
* PARS-3 missiles are relatively slow
* Lacks IRCM to counter incoming AAM

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the helicopter 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=tiger_uht Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
File:Eurocopter Tiger UHT WTWallpaper 001.jpg
File:Eurocopter Tiger UHT WTWallpaper 002.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|ADl4WeY-R2A|'''The Shooting Range #167''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:32 discusses the Eurocopter Tiger.}}

== 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 helicopter;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6338-development-eurocopter-tiger-pouncing-on-the-prey-en|[Development] Eurocopter Tiger: Pouncing on the Prey]]

{{AirManufacturer Eurocopter}}
{{Germany helicopters}}

PUMA

2024-09-06T10:32:26Z

U82748623: Undo revision 191941 by U82748623 (talk)

{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_schutzenpanzer_puma
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs}}''' is a rank {{Specs|7}} German light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]].

The PUMA is a futuristic and unusual vehicle. It has a large profile, strong armour for an IFV, and weighs more than a [[T-72A]], but the mobility is still very good because of its impressive engine with more than 1,000 horsepower. The unmanned turret is equipped with a 30 mm autocannon with access to APFSDS and airburst rounds, reminiscent of the Swedish [[CV90 (Family)|CV90 family]]. The cherry on top is the MUSS soft-kill active protection system, which interferes with the guidance of incoming ATGMs. Although the PUMA is difficult to hide and is not particularly threatening to most MBTs from the front, it is a fairly tough target to destroy and can be a nightmare for enemy IFVs and helicopters, as it can shrug off most of their weapons and retaliate in turn.

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

The Puma has mediocre hull armour at first sight, supposedly barely withstanding 12.7 mm rounds, as it has at most 15 mm RHA. However, the external armour plates, spacing, internal RHA screens and modules make this vehicle a very capable one when it comes to survivability.

The frontal glacis is in two parts, the upper area which is protected by additional external NERA screens (also giving 5 mm more RHA sloped at 76 degrees) and the lower one is 15 mm RHA sloped at 32 degrees, with an additional 35 mm RHA and a composite screen being hidden behind it. Both the upper and lower plates will not stop anything stronger than 30 mm APDS and chemical shells. The lower glacis plate is not as strong since it is not sloped as much, but penetrating this plate will often result in shrapnel being stopped by the engine deck.

The weak parts on the front of the hull are where the armour is presented flat or has only one module to stop the incoming shells, such as: the connector between upper and lower plate, particularly the left side (because it is only protected by the transmission and has no NERA), the exhaust vent panel on the right under the gun (10 mm RHA, has no NERA coating, only has radiator to stop shells passing through it and even if shells bounce off it they can hit the gun barrel instead), and the driver optics on the left (very difficult to notice and hit, but have absolutely no screening and both gunner and driver are in the shell trajectory). Also, although the engine bay acts as a spaced armour to protect the crew from all sorts of attacks and additionally shields the crew from overpressure, it comes at the expense of being lit on fire.
[[File:Puma IFV vs 9M133.png|left|thumb|9M133 can be stopped by the composite array depending on the obliquity of the armour at LOS.]]

On the sides, the Puma has access to powerful external NERA, ERA and fuel tanks that protect its sides. However, it is only effective on certain chemical munitions as the side armour of the Puma hull itself is non-existent, and external armour quickly deteriorates when under continuous fire (although it technically can stop 30 mm APDS when the tank is sufficiently angled). This armour is similar to the armour package seen on the skirts of the [[Challenger 2]] and it offers a 500 mm protection against chemical munitions with a successful disruption up to 550 mm at 0° LOS. This protection is increased as the angle of attack becomes higher. It is unable to protect against tandem warheads (as they simply ignore ERA) and will not stop ATGMs with a penetration above the stipulated head-on.

Most of the roof has 30 mm thick composite screen (which technically means it's invulnerable to HE), combined with spacing inside the crew compartment it offers a decent protection for chemical energy shells such as HEATFS, ATGMs and anti-tank grenades, making it closer to the [[Class 3 (P)]] protection levels. Unfortunately, there are spots on the hull's front roof which still can be penetrated by HE, allowing tankers with keen aim or big HE to destroy the tank. Overall, spacing and overpressure protection makes the Puma capable of withstanding hits of all HEATFS and even some ATGMs without fatal damage. It is also able to reduce the penetration or stop ATGM like the [[9M113 Konkurs]] and 9M112 (ATGM of the [[T-64B]]) although do not expect it to happen all the time, it depends on your angling, where the missile impacts and overpressure mechanics.

Back of the tank's hull is extremely vulnerable, particularly the door, as it can be penetrated by 12.7 MG at general melee ranges and there is nothing to stop enemy shells when they enter the tank.

The turret itself can take a lot of beating and has no crew in it, but its optics can be easily detected when facing an enemy and it technically can be penetrated by 12.7. This is unfortunate, as the ammo belt is right behind the optics, allowing enemy to destroy the ammunition. Another weakness is the turret ring, as it allows autocannon armed tanks to destroy the vertical gun drive.

If the turret ammo rack is shot, PUMA might survive, but it will lose all of the ammo and will have to return to an allied capture point to reload.

;MUSS Active Protection System
{{main|Active protection systems#Electro-optical APS}}
The Puma has access to an infra-red jammer, the MUSS APS. It is a constant active APS which provides protection against a wide variety of threats. The jamming device (commander's optics like system on the highest mount of the turret's roof) is mounted on the roof of the tank to cover the vulnerable frontal arc. It is called "Infrared Countermeasure" for the following reason: SACLOS guidance utilizes a beam-riding guidance which is connected to the GPS (gunner main sight in some cases, on others it is a different sight like on [[T-55AM-1]] and [[T-62M-1]]) which uses a flare as reference point for the guidance system in the ATGM. The missile moves with the gunner's sight and the flare tries to stay on the crosshairs. IRCM confuses the GPS with a brighter IR light decoy acting as the flare (the flare is also IR) which signals the ATGM to move to a different position nowhere near from the gunner's target. The system works in a similar fashion to the Shtora system found on the Soviet T-90A and the EIREL system found on the French AMX-30B2 BRENUS.

MUSS will jam SACLOS missiles that are not equipped with ECCM systems. Laser-guided missiles (AGM-114 Hellfire, MIM146 ADATS, ZT3, etc) will not be jammed by MUSS. In order to let the APS work, it must be turned on with a key in the control section. The APS module can be destroyed.

MUSS can be used while on the move. While on the move (specially horizontally), the jammed ATGM will move in an uncontrolled direction like normal jamming but riskier, keep this in mind as it can hit a track, engine deck or close enough to create fragmentation and spot the Puma and/or friendlies. When moving forward to an enemy who fired an ATGM, it will be affected by the APS but due to the momentum, the ATGM can hit the Puma if the ATGM is redirected towards the ground. MUSS creates a thermal signature which can be seen with thermal sights. It also can also be used as an IR spotlight. It should be noted that this can be a disadvantage when in night maps as tanks with NVD (except when tanks are using thermal view) will be able to see the light beam. The APS should be turned on and off at commander's discretion. When on day maps, this will not be an issue. MUSS must have a clear line-of-sight with the enemy launcher (at least enemy sights must be able to see the tank). Tanks firing behind cover like the Swingfire can also be affected by the APS. As long as the enemy is within the jamming arc, the Puma will be protected against SACLOS ATGMs. It should be noted that the Puma has access to Laser Warning Receiver (LWR), so the player does not need to rely on visual contact with the ATGM and the launcher. Thankfully, the thermal sights will be capable of detecting the fireball created by the ATGMs at certain distances.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, slat)
* High hardness rolled armour (turret)
* Aluminium alloy 7039 (turret)
* Composite screen (hull roof)
* Bulletproof glass (rear door pane)
* ERA/NERA (hull sides)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 15+5 mm (76°) ''Upper glacis - Top'' 15 mm (61°) ''Upper glacis - Bottom'' 15 mm (58-60°) ''Lower glacis'' || 15 mm (13°) ''Top'' 10+15 mm ''Bottom'' || 15 mm (10-15°) 60 mm (13°) ''Door window'' || 15+5 mm (14°) ''Front glacis'' 15+30 mm ''Fighting compartment'' 10 mm ''Radiator vent''
|-
| Turret || 25 mm ''Turret front'' 10 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 25+15 mm || 25+15 mm || 15+5 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, tracks, and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 15 mm thick.
* ERA and NERA panels cover the sides of the PUMA:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Sides
|-
| Hull || '''ERA''': 340 mm ''Top'' '''NERA''': 100+150 mm ''Radiator vent'' '''NERA''': 250 mm ''Bottom''
|-
|}

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


The PUMA will generally cruise at about 56 km/h. The reverse speed is very good and allows to retreat when facing a tank the main gun can't destroy frontally.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,686|rbMinHp=962}}

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

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

{{main|MK 30-2/ABM (30 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[MK 30-2/ABM (30 mm)|30 mm MK 30-2/ABM]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 400 (100) || rowspan="2" | 200 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+45° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 57.1 || 79.1 || 96.0 || 106.2 || 113.0 || rowspan="2" | 0.26 || rowspan="2" | 0.23 || rowspan="2" | 0.21 || rowspan="2" | 0.20
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 35.7 || 42.0 || 51.0 || 56.4 || 60.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}
* '''MK266:''' {{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''PMC308:''' {{Annotation|Ahead|Shrapnel with time fuse}}
* '''PMC287:''' {{Annotation|APFSDS|Armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot}}

{{:MK 30-2/ABM (30 mm)/Ammunition|APDS, HEI-T*, Ahead, APFSDS}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| 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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''4''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

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

{{main|MG4 (5.56 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG4 (5.56 mm)|5.56 mm MG4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,000 (1,000) || 890 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The PUMA IFV is an effective vehicle against all types of targets, and even the heaviest of tanks such as the [[T-10M]] can even be defeated with a flanking manoeuvre with APFSDS to the direct side at point blank. The best way to play the PUMA IFV is to go on the flank, using its mobility to get to places quickly. It has access to generation 3 thermals for the gunner and commander, and a very good optic which makes sniping an easy job to do. With the crewless turret, you can easily sit hull down in most positions which makes it hard for your enemies to effectively target you, though you are a big target, so it's best to be aware on the move.

Another way to play is being a support vehicle and slightly being aggressive, where you can support your teammates at the frontline aiming for weak spots of enemies with APFSDS, or flanking them as the APFSDS can cut through easy weak spots and the sides and rear of enemies. While the PUMA can survive and soak up shots due to the empty space inside the vehicle, you can still be disabled by an engine shot, or a well placed shot to the side where all your crew is packed together. The PUMA provides good protection against most chemical warhead weapons aside from tandem charged warheads, as the PUMA is equipped with a mix of CLARA Explosive Reactive Armour, and composite armour. It may occasionally bounce early APDS and APFSDS to the angle of the frontal armour but it's best to still play cautiously as no vehicle is invincible.

'''Counter tactics:'''

A ground force veteran might notice that PUMA looks and acts eerily similar to the [[Warrior]], but with no ATGM. The less obvious differences are not visible to the eye. It is much better protected and will block HEAT shells almost anywhere, cannot be destroyed with HMG, does not explode if shot into the turret, has no ammo racks in the back. Its gun is belt fed, fires much faster and harder, but it can be ammo starved like SPAAs, if direct destruction is impossible. It also works as a great equalizer - even though it has no ATGM, it will not let almost anyone around it to use them either. Treat it as a medium tank, or a single mistake will allow it to immediately disable your weapon, then bully you and your teammates at its leisure.

Here are some tips for various ammunition types:

* '''Semi-auto ATGM''' - Forget about it. Unless it is very close to you, IRCM will derail the missile into the ground. If you want to use it, hit the IRCM on top of it with something else until it breaks, then hit the tank with ATGM. Even so, avoid hitting the tank from the side, especially at an angle, as NERA or ERA might block it. Do not aim at the middle of it if you attack at an angle, hit closer to the front. If you are a dedicated missile carrier with no side weapons - try to bait it as close as you can and pray for a hit, since its IRCM is placed so high that there is literally no way to sneak a missile around it, the less time the missile is exposed to it, the better.
* '''Wire guided ATGM''' - Probably it is too weak or uncontrollable to break through its hull, hit the turret first to ensure your survival. Then, depending on range and position, try to hit its LFP (it's weak enough even for gen 1 ATGM), vent (UFP, on your left if head-on, looks like a weird bright square without camouflage, hard to hit), worst case scenario try to hit its left (right when head-on) corner from a side until it gives in (avoid hitting too many ERA bricks at once and don't aim too low or you will hit NERA and external fuel tanks) or immobilize it by any means necessary and finish it off from behind. If in AB mode - see Semi-auto.
* '''Laser guided ATGM''' - Fire at the crew in the front. Do not rely on the raw power of ATGM and do not mindlessly slam the back or the middle of the {{PAGENAME}}, it's not an XM-1, it won't blow up even if you will just hit it 12 times randomly.
* '''HESH''' - Such a shell isn't very useful, but an attempt could be made to least hit the driver optics or the tip of the gun. If you are lucky enough, the PUMA will take critical damage.
* '''HE''' - If it can penetrate more than 31 mm RHA, try to hit turret neck from the front of the hull, as there is a lot of openings in the composite screen, through which an HE might get inside and destroy the crew. There is also a possibility of attacking the driver, as he is not completely screened away, but it's more difficult than just hitting the turret's bottom. The sides are very difficult to penetrate.
* '''HEAT''' - If head-on, attack lower frontal plate (aim towards your right to avoid the engine deck), otherwise destroy the turret and swap ammunition. Everything else but rear is likely to bounce or block the shot. If its LFP is out of the reach and you can't get to its rear, try to hit the ventilation, as it has no NERA. If it won't bounce, then you will at least take out the commander, if it will bounce, it is very likely to hit the gun barrel and destroy it.
* '''Autocannon''' - Go for the turret ammo belt to disrupt its weapon, then unload into the driver's optics. If that won't penetrate for some reason, you can attack its middle-bottom from the side to destroy the remaining ammo belts, so it becomes useless, then assault its side armour until it eventually collapses or attack the rear.
* '''APHE''' - Unlike with the Warrior, its engine deck can stop APHE without collapsing the entire tank, so when attacking it from the front, hit its left (your right) side to ensure its demise. If your fuse sensitivity is 19 mm, '''do not''' attack the turret - it is sealed away from the hull and is thin enough to not detonate such shells. Side hits seem to be fatal almost anywhere. When hitting from the rear, aim left or middle, as it will not detonate slow fuses and its crew might survive.
* '''Pure kinetic shells:'''
** '''RB:''' Your goal is to destroy two crew members in one hit. It is particularly weak to high-calibre APDS. Avoid attacking it at an angle if possible. When head-on, the fastest way is to hit its left (right for you) with APFSDS or APDS - if shot straight, the tank loses both gunner and driver, resulting in a one-hit KO. Be aware that this tank has fake side panels and its real interior is actually very narrow - look for LFP or ensure that you are aiming in between of the tracks first to confirm that you are, in fact, aiming at the crew compartment. From the side, look where the turret connects with the tank, then aim a bit closer to the front, this should take out both gunner and commander. If you can't aim this fast, then destroy the gun. If you missed, turn the gun away and hope that the enemy is too sloppy or busy with something else to destroy your gun. If you still have heavy machine gun, fire at turret's optics to try and damage its ammo belt to buy some time.
** '''AB:''' There is a high chance your opponent already has "crew replenishment" researched, in which case if you will go for default strategy, you are likely to lose, as the commander can use the main weapon. Basically, treat {{PAGENAME}} as if you can only take it out in minimum two shots and disable its weapon first.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Access to IRCM that can disrupt most common missiles
* ERA on the side of the tank that will stop any chemical warheads
* Crewless turret that can enable you to hull down effectively
* The turret is sealed away from the interior of the hull and won't detonate most of APHE shells, significantly reducing potential of collateral damage
* Unlike with the similar IFVs, it is incredibly difficult to destroy it without actually taking out the crew
* Access to APFSDS for an autocannon
* Good mobility for its size
* Optics can shift from a general melee X2 zoom to the near-maximum sniper X15
* Generation 3 Thermals for Commander and Gunner
* Laser Warning System to alert you of incoming fire from tanks or helicopters
* Has access to Auto tracking which greatly increases it's anti-air capability

'''Cons:'''

* Big target for its vehicle type
* Fire rate is subpar compared to most of its counterparts
* Has a timed-fuse Shrapnel shell instead of HE-VT, which is inconvenient when fighting aircraft
* IRCM can be spotted easily in NVD and Thermal sights
* No access to ATGMs unlike its counterparts
* Stock belt is subpar for defeating ground vehicles
* Engine area is in the front, can be disabled easily
* Very insufficent armor against kinetic shells

== History ==

'''Planning Phase''':

After it became apparent that the armoured forces introduced in the 1970s (Leopard 2, Marder, Gepard, etc.) would be at the end of their life after 2010, the Leopard 2 Combat Enchantment ||| was canceled and replaced with the Neue Gepanzerte Plattform (New Armoured Platforms). The project was aimed to reduce the cost of combat vehicles by creating a modular common chassis with a focus on survivability, mobility, and operational capacity. Three platforms were theorized.

Platform A: A system designed for heavy ground targets, I.E. Main Battle Tanks

Platform B: A system for engaging the remaining ground targets, I.E. Infantry Fighting Vehicle

Platform C: A system intended for support, such as anti-aircraft, engineering, and recovery

With these specifications in mind, a number of considerations were further researched. Two core crew members, large degrees of automation, and the same mobility as the Leopard 2A4 were all considered. In addition, diesel-electric drives, active protection systems (hard and soft), digital on-board network, effective mine protection, and high performance shells were thought to be important for the design constraints.

In 1998, after tense budget struggles, the development of three parallel systems was determined to be unfeasible and so the Infantry Fighting Vehicle was the only project to move forward.

'''Start of Development:'''

In 1996, one year after the German Federal Office for Defense Technology and Procurement(BWB) had requested design specfications, Krauss-Maffei, Wegmann & Co.,MaK Systemgesellschaft mbH, KUKA Wehrtechnik, and Henschel-Wehrtechnik all presented their concepts. Different designs toyed with placing the engine in the front or the rear, and the weight varied between 55 to 71.9 tons.

After certain design elements were designated as being beneficial, it became apparent that certain ideas, such as the 2 man compact compartment, diesel-electric engines, vehicle electronics, and weapon systems all needed to be tested. From 1997 till 2002 various testing was done on these ideas. At the tail end of 1999, a simulator was install on a tracked vehicle called the Technologieträger Kette. This prototype was tested at the Armoured Personnel Training center in Munster.

On September 11, 2001, following the attack on the Twin Towers, NATO set a new standard that any new vehicles should focus on air transportability.After procuring several Combat Vehicle 90 from Sweden, it was decided that a contract for a new IFV to be developed in Germany was to be commenced.

In 2004, the BWB signed a contract for 5 pre-series Puma's with the option to order an additional 405 vehicles. The Pumas were received in 2006 on time and were used for early testing for the different systems. This included the MUSS Active Protection System and to uncover any potential weak points. This testing found issues with the drive train and drive itself. During the 6th status report, the BWB was considerably angry at the lack of progress, the Bundestag's Budget Committee approved the order for the Puma and the contact was signed in 2009. A total of 405 units were to be purchased at a price of 3.1 billion Euros. In 2012, after struggles with production, the total number of units was changed to 350 with the price ballooning to 5.99 billion Euros.

Due to technical problems, two units arrived early in 2010 for testing to see if there need to be any improvements or changes. After eliminating some shortcomings, the tank was tested again.

On April 13, 2015 the army inspector declared the formal introduction of the Puma IFV into the German Army. Training began the same year with seven vehicles available with additional units arriving in the following months.

'''Critical Response:'''

Criticism started early in the Puma's life cycle after large cost increases and time delays. Ever increasing change requests and the absurd 117 legal provisions that need to be followed, caused the delays and increase in cost. As early as 2013, there was a list of almost 1,000 different issues and deficiencies within the project.

At a price of 17 million Euros per unit, the Puma is the most expensive IFV in the world. In addition, due to the increased weight parameters during development, the Puma requires increased transportation for its modules that make it combat effective.

With costs as ballooned as they were, other armies within Europe, most notably the Dutch army, decided to stop using German IFVs and switch to the Swedish Combat Vehicle 90.

Another point of criticism is the 5.56x45 machine gun mounted in the turret. The standard for most IFVs and MBTs is the 7.62x51 NATO cartridge. The idea behind using the lighter cartridge is to standardize the ammunition used for both soldiers and the machine gun.

== Media ==


;Skins

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

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|y2Ph0rmD5sU|'''Unmanned Turret Tanks: Showcasing New Tech''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 00:48 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|2AF4ZDe6M2g|'''The Shooting Range #299''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[Warrior]]
* [[Strf 9040B]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7604-development-puma-a-muss-have-en|[Devblog] PUMA: A "MUSS" Have]]

{{TankManufacturer KMW}}
{{Germany light tanks}}
[[Category:Ground vehicles with active protection system]]
__FORCETOC__

PUMA

2024-09-06T10:31:43Z

U82748623:

{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_schutzenpanzer_puma
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name=}}''' is a rank {{Specs|7}} German light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]].

The PUMA is a futuristic and unusual vehicle. It has a large profile, strong armour for an IFV, and weighs more than a [[T-72A]], but the mobility is still very good because of its impressive engine with more than 1,000 horsepower. The unmanned turret is equipped with a 30 mm autocannon with access to APFSDS and airburst rounds, reminiscent of the Swedish [[CV90 (Family)|CV90 family]]. The cherry on top is the MUSS soft-kill active protection system, which interferes with the guidance of incoming ATGMs. Although the PUMA is difficult to hide and is not particularly threatening to most MBTs from the front, it is a fairly tough target to destroy and can be a nightmare for enemy IFVs and helicopters, as it can shrug off most of their weapons and retaliate in turn.

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

The Puma has mediocre hull armour at first sight, supposedly barely withstanding 12.7 mm rounds, as it has at most 15 mm RHA. However, the external armour plates, spacing, internal RHA screens and modules make this vehicle a very capable one when it comes to survivability.

The frontal glacis is in two parts, the upper area which is protected by additional external NERA screens (also giving 5 mm more RHA sloped at 76 degrees) and the lower one is 15 mm RHA sloped at 32 degrees, with an additional 35 mm RHA and a composite screen being hidden behind it. Both the upper and lower plates will not stop anything stronger than 30 mm APDS and chemical shells. The lower glacis plate is not as strong since it is not sloped as much, but penetrating this plate will often result in shrapnel being stopped by the engine deck.

The weak parts on the front of the hull are where the armour is presented flat or has only one module to stop the incoming shells, such as: the connector between upper and lower plate, particularly the left side (because it is only protected by the transmission and has no NERA), the exhaust vent panel on the right under the gun (10 mm RHA, has no NERA coating, only has radiator to stop shells passing through it and even if shells bounce off it they can hit the gun barrel instead), and the driver optics on the left (very difficult to notice and hit, but have absolutely no screening and both gunner and driver are in the shell trajectory). Also, although the engine bay acts as a spaced armour to protect the crew from all sorts of attacks and additionally shields the crew from overpressure, it comes at the expense of being lit on fire.
[[File:Puma IFV vs 9M133.png|left|thumb|9M133 can be stopped by the composite array depending on the obliquity of the armour at LOS.]]

On the sides, the Puma has access to powerful external NERA, ERA and fuel tanks that protect its sides. However, it is only effective on certain chemical munitions as the side armour of the Puma hull itself is non-existent, and external armour quickly deteriorates when under continuous fire (although it technically can stop 30 mm APDS when the tank is sufficiently angled). This armour is similar to the armour package seen on the skirts of the [[Challenger 2]] and it offers a 500 mm protection against chemical munitions with a successful disruption up to 550 mm at 0° LOS. This protection is increased as the angle of attack becomes higher. It is unable to protect against tandem warheads (as they simply ignore ERA) and will not stop ATGMs with a penetration above the stipulated head-on.

Most of the roof has 30 mm thick composite screen (which technically means it's invulnerable to HE), combined with spacing inside the crew compartment it offers a decent protection for chemical energy shells such as HEATFS, ATGMs and anti-tank grenades, making it closer to the [[Class 3 (P)]] protection levels. Unfortunately, there are spots on the hull's front roof which still can be penetrated by HE, allowing tankers with keen aim or big HE to destroy the tank. Overall, spacing and overpressure protection makes the Puma capable of withstanding hits of all HEATFS and even some ATGMs without fatal damage. It is also able to reduce the penetration or stop ATGM like the [[9M113 Konkurs]] and 9M112 (ATGM of the [[T-64B]]) although do not expect it to happen all the time, it depends on your angling, where the missile impacts and overpressure mechanics.

Back of the tank's hull is extremely vulnerable, particularly the door, as it can be penetrated by 12.7 MG at general melee ranges and there is nothing to stop enemy shells when they enter the tank.

The turret itself can take a lot of beating and has no crew in it, but its optics can be easily detected when facing an enemy and it technically can be penetrated by 12.7. This is unfortunate, as the ammo belt is right behind the optics, allowing enemy to destroy the ammunition. Another weakness is the turret ring, as it allows autocannon armed tanks to destroy the vertical gun drive.

If the turret ammo rack is shot, PUMA might survive, but it will lose all of the ammo and will have to return to an allied capture point to reload.

;MUSS Active Protection System
{{main|Active protection systems#Electro-optical APS}}
The Puma has access to an infra-red jammer, the MUSS APS. It is a constant active APS which provides protection against a wide variety of threats. The jamming device (commander's optics like system on the highest mount of the turret's roof) is mounted on the roof of the tank to cover the vulnerable frontal arc. It is called "Infrared Countermeasure" for the following reason: SACLOS guidance utilizes a beam-riding guidance which is connected to the GPS (gunner main sight in some cases, on others it is a different sight like on [[T-55AM-1]] and [[T-62M-1]]) which uses a flare as reference point for the guidance system in the ATGM. The missile moves with the gunner's sight and the flare tries to stay on the crosshairs. IRCM confuses the GPS with a brighter IR light decoy acting as the flare (the flare is also IR) which signals the ATGM to move to a different position nowhere near from the gunner's target. The system works in a similar fashion to the Shtora system found on the Soviet T-90A and the EIREL system found on the French AMX-30B2 BRENUS.

MUSS will jam SACLOS missiles that are not equipped with ECCM systems. Laser-guided missiles (AGM-114 Hellfire, MIM146 ADATS, ZT3, etc) will not be jammed by MUSS. In order to let the APS work, it must be turned on with a key in the control section. The APS module can be destroyed.

MUSS can be used while on the move. While on the move (specially horizontally), the jammed ATGM will move in an uncontrolled direction like normal jamming but riskier, keep this in mind as it can hit a track, engine deck or close enough to create fragmentation and spot the Puma and/or friendlies. When moving forward to an enemy who fired an ATGM, it will be affected by the APS but due to the momentum, the ATGM can hit the Puma if the ATGM is redirected towards the ground. MUSS creates a thermal signature which can be seen with thermal sights. It also can also be used as an IR spotlight. It should be noted that this can be a disadvantage when in night maps as tanks with NVD (except when tanks are using thermal view) will be able to see the light beam. The APS should be turned on and off at commander's discretion. When on day maps, this will not be an issue. MUSS must have a clear line-of-sight with the enemy launcher (at least enemy sights must be able to see the tank). Tanks firing behind cover like the Swingfire can also be affected by the APS. As long as the enemy is within the jamming arc, the Puma will be protected against SACLOS ATGMs. It should be noted that the Puma has access to Laser Warning Receiver (LWR), so the player does not need to rely on visual contact with the ATGM and the launcher. Thankfully, the thermal sights will be capable of detecting the fireball created by the ATGMs at certain distances.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, slat)
* High hardness rolled armour (turret)
* Aluminium alloy 7039 (turret)
* Composite screen (hull roof)
* Bulletproof glass (rear door pane)
* ERA/NERA (hull sides)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 15+5 mm (76°) ''Upper glacis - Top'' 15 mm (61°) ''Upper glacis - Bottom'' 15 mm (58-60°) ''Lower glacis'' || 15 mm (13°) ''Top'' 10+15 mm ''Bottom'' || 15 mm (10-15°) 60 mm (13°) ''Door window'' || 15+5 mm (14°) ''Front glacis'' 15+30 mm ''Fighting compartment'' 10 mm ''Radiator vent''
|-
| Turret || 25 mm ''Turret front'' 10 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 25+15 mm || 25+15 mm || 15+5 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, tracks, and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 15 mm thick.
* ERA and NERA panels cover the sides of the PUMA:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Sides
|-
| Hull || '''ERA''': 340 mm ''Top'' '''NERA''': 100+150 mm ''Radiator vent'' '''NERA''': 250 mm ''Bottom''
|-
|}

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


The PUMA will generally cruise at about 56 km/h. The reverse speed is very good and allows to retreat when facing a tank the main gun can't destroy frontally.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,686|rbMinHp=962}}

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

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

{{main|MK 30-2/ABM (30 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[MK 30-2/ABM (30 mm)|30 mm MK 30-2/ABM]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 400 (100) || rowspan="2" | 200 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+45° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 57.1 || 79.1 || 96.0 || 106.2 || 113.0 || rowspan="2" | 0.26 || rowspan="2" | 0.23 || rowspan="2" | 0.21 || rowspan="2" | 0.20
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 35.7 || 42.0 || 51.0 || 56.4 || 60.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}
* '''MK266:''' {{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''PMC308:''' {{Annotation|Ahead|Shrapnel with time fuse}}
* '''PMC287:''' {{Annotation|APFSDS|Armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot}}

{{:MK 30-2/ABM (30 mm)/Ammunition|APDS, HEI-T*, Ahead, APFSDS}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| 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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''4''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

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

{{main|MG4 (5.56 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG4 (5.56 mm)|5.56 mm MG4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,000 (1,000) || 890 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The PUMA IFV is an effective vehicle against all types of targets, and even the heaviest of tanks such as the [[T-10M]] can even be defeated with a flanking manoeuvre with APFSDS to the direct side at point blank. The best way to play the PUMA IFV is to go on the flank, using its mobility to get to places quickly. It has access to generation 3 thermals for the gunner and commander, and a very good optic which makes sniping an easy job to do. With the crewless turret, you can easily sit hull down in most positions which makes it hard for your enemies to effectively target you, though you are a big target, so it's best to be aware on the move.

Another way to play is being a support vehicle and slightly being aggressive, where you can support your teammates at the frontline aiming for weak spots of enemies with APFSDS, or flanking them as the APFSDS can cut through easy weak spots and the sides and rear of enemies. While the PUMA can survive and soak up shots due to the empty space inside the vehicle, you can still be disabled by an engine shot, or a well placed shot to the side where all your crew is packed together. The PUMA provides good protection against most chemical warhead weapons aside from tandem charged warheads, as the PUMA is equipped with a mix of CLARA Explosive Reactive Armour, and composite armour. It may occasionally bounce early APDS and APFSDS to the angle of the frontal armour but it's best to still play cautiously as no vehicle is invincible.

'''Counter tactics:'''

A ground force veteran might notice that PUMA looks and acts eerily similar to the [[Warrior]], but with no ATGM. The less obvious differences are not visible to the eye. It is much better protected and will block HEAT shells almost anywhere, cannot be destroyed with HMG, does not explode if shot into the turret, has no ammo racks in the back. Its gun is belt fed, fires much faster and harder, but it can be ammo starved like SPAAs, if direct destruction is impossible. It also works as a great equalizer - even though it has no ATGM, it will not let almost anyone around it to use them either. Treat it as a medium tank, or a single mistake will allow it to immediately disable your weapon, then bully you and your teammates at its leisure.

Here are some tips for various ammunition types:

* '''Semi-auto ATGM''' - Forget about it. Unless it is very close to you, IRCM will derail the missile into the ground. If you want to use it, hit the IRCM on top of it with something else until it breaks, then hit the tank with ATGM. Even so, avoid hitting the tank from the side, especially at an angle, as NERA or ERA might block it. Do not aim at the middle of it if you attack at an angle, hit closer to the front. If you are a dedicated missile carrier with no side weapons - try to bait it as close as you can and pray for a hit, since its IRCM is placed so high that there is literally no way to sneak a missile around it, the less time the missile is exposed to it, the better.
* '''Wire guided ATGM''' - Probably it is too weak or uncontrollable to break through its hull, hit the turret first to ensure your survival. Then, depending on range and position, try to hit its LFP (it's weak enough even for gen 1 ATGM), vent (UFP, on your left if head-on, looks like a weird bright square without camouflage, hard to hit), worst case scenario try to hit its left (right when head-on) corner from a side until it gives in (avoid hitting too many ERA bricks at once and don't aim too low or you will hit NERA and external fuel tanks) or immobilize it by any means necessary and finish it off from behind. If in AB mode - see Semi-auto.
* '''Laser guided ATGM''' - Fire at the crew in the front. Do not rely on the raw power of ATGM and do not mindlessly slam the back or the middle of the {{PAGENAME}}, it's not an XM-1, it won't blow up even if you will just hit it 12 times randomly.
* '''HESH''' - Such a shell isn't very useful, but an attempt could be made to least hit the driver optics or the tip of the gun. If you are lucky enough, the PUMA will take critical damage.
* '''HE''' - If it can penetrate more than 31 mm RHA, try to hit turret neck from the front of the hull, as there is a lot of openings in the composite screen, through which an HE might get inside and destroy the crew. There is also a possibility of attacking the driver, as he is not completely screened away, but it's more difficult than just hitting the turret's bottom. The sides are very difficult to penetrate.
* '''HEAT''' - If head-on, attack lower frontal plate (aim towards your right to avoid the engine deck), otherwise destroy the turret and swap ammunition. Everything else but rear is likely to bounce or block the shot. If its LFP is out of the reach and you can't get to its rear, try to hit the ventilation, as it has no NERA. If it won't bounce, then you will at least take out the commander, if it will bounce, it is very likely to hit the gun barrel and destroy it.
* '''Autocannon''' - Go for the turret ammo belt to disrupt its weapon, then unload into the driver's optics. If that won't penetrate for some reason, you can attack its middle-bottom from the side to destroy the remaining ammo belts, so it becomes useless, then assault its side armour until it eventually collapses or attack the rear.
* '''APHE''' - Unlike with the Warrior, its engine deck can stop APHE without collapsing the entire tank, so when attacking it from the front, hit its left (your right) side to ensure its demise. If your fuse sensitivity is 19 mm, '''do not''' attack the turret - it is sealed away from the hull and is thin enough to not detonate such shells. Side hits seem to be fatal almost anywhere. When hitting from the rear, aim left or middle, as it will not detonate slow fuses and its crew might survive.
* '''Pure kinetic shells:'''
** '''RB:''' Your goal is to destroy two crew members in one hit. It is particularly weak to high-calibre APDS. Avoid attacking it at an angle if possible. When head-on, the fastest way is to hit its left (right for you) with APFSDS or APDS - if shot straight, the tank loses both gunner and driver, resulting in a one-hit KO. Be aware that this tank has fake side panels and its real interior is actually very narrow - look for LFP or ensure that you are aiming in between of the tracks first to confirm that you are, in fact, aiming at the crew compartment. From the side, look where the turret connects with the tank, then aim a bit closer to the front, this should take out both gunner and commander. If you can't aim this fast, then destroy the gun. If you missed, turn the gun away and hope that the enemy is too sloppy or busy with something else to destroy your gun. If you still have heavy machine gun, fire at turret's optics to try and damage its ammo belt to buy some time.
** '''AB:''' There is a high chance your opponent already has "crew replenishment" researched, in which case if you will go for default strategy, you are likely to lose, as the commander can use the main weapon. Basically, treat {{PAGENAME}} as if you can only take it out in minimum two shots and disable its weapon first.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Access to IRCM that can disrupt most common missiles
* ERA on the side of the tank that will stop any chemical warheads
* Crewless turret that can enable you to hull down effectively
* The turret is sealed away from the interior of the hull and won't detonate most of APHE shells, significantly reducing potential of collateral damage
* Unlike with the similar IFVs, it is incredibly difficult to destroy it without actually taking out the crew
* Access to APFSDS for an autocannon
* Good mobility for its size
* Optics can shift from a general melee X2 zoom to the near-maximum sniper X15
* Generation 3 Thermals for Commander and Gunner
* Laser Warning System to alert you of incoming fire from tanks or helicopters
* Has access to Auto tracking which greatly increases it's anti-air capability

'''Cons:'''

* Big target for its vehicle type
* Fire rate is subpar compared to most of its counterparts
* Has a timed-fuse Shrapnel shell instead of HE-VT, which is inconvenient when fighting aircraft
* IRCM can be spotted easily in NVD and Thermal sights
* No access to ATGMs unlike its counterparts
* Stock belt is subpar for defeating ground vehicles
* Engine area is in the front, can be disabled easily
* Very insufficent armor against kinetic shells

== History ==

'''Planning Phase''':

After it became apparent that the armoured forces introduced in the 1970s (Leopard 2, Marder, Gepard, etc.) would be at the end of their life after 2010, the Leopard 2 Combat Enchantment ||| was canceled and replaced with the Neue Gepanzerte Plattform (New Armoured Platforms). The project was aimed to reduce the cost of combat vehicles by creating a modular common chassis with a focus on survivability, mobility, and operational capacity. Three platforms were theorized.

Platform A: A system designed for heavy ground targets, I.E. Main Battle Tanks

Platform B: A system for engaging the remaining ground targets, I.E. Infantry Fighting Vehicle

Platform C: A system intended for support, such as anti-aircraft, engineering, and recovery

With these specifications in mind, a number of considerations were further researched. Two core crew members, large degrees of automation, and the same mobility as the Leopard 2A4 were all considered. In addition, diesel-electric drives, active protection systems (hard and soft), digital on-board network, effective mine protection, and high performance shells were thought to be important for the design constraints.

In 1998, after tense budget struggles, the development of three parallel systems was determined to be unfeasible and so the Infantry Fighting Vehicle was the only project to move forward.

'''Start of Development:'''

In 1996, one year after the German Federal Office for Defense Technology and Procurement(BWB) had requested design specfications, Krauss-Maffei, Wegmann & Co.,MaK Systemgesellschaft mbH, KUKA Wehrtechnik, and Henschel-Wehrtechnik all presented their concepts. Different designs toyed with placing the engine in the front or the rear, and the weight varied between 55 to 71.9 tons.

After certain design elements were designated as being beneficial, it became apparent that certain ideas, such as the 2 man compact compartment, diesel-electric engines, vehicle electronics, and weapon systems all needed to be tested. From 1997 till 2002 various testing was done on these ideas. At the tail end of 1999, a simulator was install on a tracked vehicle called the Technologieträger Kette. This prototype was tested at the Armoured Personnel Training center in Munster.

On September 11, 2001, following the attack on the Twin Towers, NATO set a new standard that any new vehicles should focus on air transportability.After procuring several Combat Vehicle 90 from Sweden, it was decided that a contract for a new IFV to be developed in Germany was to be commenced.

In 2004, the BWB signed a contract for 5 pre-series Puma's with the option to order an additional 405 vehicles. The Pumas were received in 2006 on time and were used for early testing for the different systems. This included the MUSS Active Protection System and to uncover any potential weak points. This testing found issues with the drive train and drive itself. During the 6th status report, the BWB was considerably angry at the lack of progress, the Bundestag's Budget Committee approved the order for the Puma and the contact was signed in 2009. A total of 405 units were to be purchased at a price of 3.1 billion Euros. In 2012, after struggles with production, the total number of units was changed to 350 with the price ballooning to 5.99 billion Euros.

Due to technical problems, two units arrived early in 2010 for testing to see if there need to be any improvements or changes. After eliminating some shortcomings, the tank was tested again.

On April 13, 2015 the army inspector declared the formal introduction of the Puma IFV into the German Army. Training began the same year with seven vehicles available with additional units arriving in the following months.

'''Critical Response:'''

Criticism started early in the Puma's life cycle after large cost increases and time delays. Ever increasing change requests and the absurd 117 legal provisions that need to be followed, caused the delays and increase in cost. As early as 2013, there was a list of almost 1,000 different issues and deficiencies within the project.

At a price of 17 million Euros per unit, the Puma is the most expensive IFV in the world. In addition, due to the increased weight parameters during development, the Puma requires increased transportation for its modules that make it combat effective.

With costs as ballooned as they were, other armies within Europe, most notably the Dutch army, decided to stop using German IFVs and switch to the Swedish Combat Vehicle 90.

Another point of criticism is the 5.56x45 machine gun mounted in the turret. The standard for most IFVs and MBTs is the 7.62x51 NATO cartridge. The idea behind using the lighter cartridge is to standardize the ammunition used for both soldiers and the machine gun.

== Media ==


;Skins

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

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|y2Ph0rmD5sU|'''Unmanned Turret Tanks: Showcasing New Tech''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 00:48 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|2AF4ZDe6M2g|'''The Shooting Range #299''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[Warrior]]
* [[Strf 9040B]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7604-development-puma-a-muss-have-en|[Devblog] PUMA: A "MUSS" Have]]

{{TankManufacturer KMW}}
{{Germany light tanks}}
[[Category:Ground vehicles with active protection system]]
__FORCETOC__

PUMA

2024-09-06T10:31:14Z

U82748623:

PUMA

2024-09-06T10:30:50Z

U82748623:

{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_schutzenpanzer_puma
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|Puma}}''' is a rank {{Specs|7}} German light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]].

The PUMA is a futuristic and unusual vehicle. It has a large profile, strong armour for an IFV, and weighs more than a [[T-72A]], but the mobility is still very good because of its impressive engine with more than 1,000 horsepower. The unmanned turret is equipped with a 30 mm autocannon with access to APFSDS and airburst rounds, reminiscent of the Swedish [[CV90 (Family)|CV90 family]]. The cherry on top is the MUSS soft-kill active protection system, which interferes with the guidance of incoming ATGMs. Although the PUMA is difficult to hide and is not particularly threatening to most MBTs from the front, it is a fairly tough target to destroy and can be a nightmare for enemy IFVs and helicopters, as it can shrug off most of their weapons and retaliate in turn.

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

The Puma has mediocre hull armour at first sight, supposedly barely withstanding 12.7 mm rounds, as it has at most 15 mm RHA. However, the external armour plates, spacing, internal RHA screens and modules make this vehicle a very capable one when it comes to survivability.

The frontal glacis is in two parts, the upper area which is protected by additional external NERA screens (also giving 5 mm more RHA sloped at 76 degrees) and the lower one is 15 mm RHA sloped at 32 degrees, with an additional 35 mm RHA and a composite screen being hidden behind it. Both the upper and lower plates will not stop anything stronger than 30 mm APDS and chemical shells. The lower glacis plate is not as strong since it is not sloped as much, but penetrating this plate will often result in shrapnel being stopped by the engine deck.

The weak parts on the front of the hull are where the armour is presented flat or has only one module to stop the incoming shells, such as: the connector between upper and lower plate, particularly the left side (because it is only protected by the transmission and has no NERA), the exhaust vent panel on the right under the gun (10 mm RHA, has no NERA coating, only has radiator to stop shells passing through it and even if shells bounce off it they can hit the gun barrel instead), and the driver optics on the left (very difficult to notice and hit, but have absolutely no screening and both gunner and driver are in the shell trajectory). Also, although the engine bay acts as a spaced armour to protect the crew from all sorts of attacks and additionally shields the crew from overpressure, it comes at the expense of being lit on fire.
[[File:Puma IFV vs 9M133.png|left|thumb|9M133 can be stopped by the composite array depending on the obliquity of the armour at LOS.]]

On the sides, the Puma has access to powerful external NERA, ERA and fuel tanks that protect its sides. However, it is only effective on certain chemical munitions as the side armour of the Puma hull itself is non-existent, and external armour quickly deteriorates when under continuous fire (although it technically can stop 30 mm APDS when the tank is sufficiently angled). This armour is similar to the armour package seen on the skirts of the [[Challenger 2]] and it offers a 500 mm protection against chemical munitions with a successful disruption up to 550 mm at 0° LOS. This protection is increased as the angle of attack becomes higher. It is unable to protect against tandem warheads (as they simply ignore ERA) and will not stop ATGMs with a penetration above the stipulated head-on.

Most of the roof has 30 mm thick composite screen (which technically means it's invulnerable to HE), combined with spacing inside the crew compartment it offers a decent protection for chemical energy shells such as HEATFS, ATGMs and anti-tank grenades, making it closer to the [[Class 3 (P)]] protection levels. Unfortunately, there are spots on the hull's front roof which still can be penetrated by HE, allowing tankers with keen aim or big HE to destroy the tank. Overall, spacing and overpressure protection makes the Puma capable of withstanding hits of all HEATFS and even some ATGMs without fatal damage. It is also able to reduce the penetration or stop ATGM like the [[9M113 Konkurs]] and 9M112 (ATGM of the [[T-64B]]) although do not expect it to happen all the time, it depends on your angling, where the missile impacts and overpressure mechanics.

Back of the tank's hull is extremely vulnerable, particularly the door, as it can be penetrated by 12.7 MG at general melee ranges and there is nothing to stop enemy shells when they enter the tank.

The turret itself can take a lot of beating and has no crew in it, but its optics can be easily detected when facing an enemy and it technically can be penetrated by 12.7. This is unfortunate, as the ammo belt is right behind the optics, allowing enemy to destroy the ammunition. Another weakness is the turret ring, as it allows autocannon armed tanks to destroy the vertical gun drive.

If the turret ammo rack is shot, PUMA might survive, but it will lose all of the ammo and will have to return to an allied capture point to reload.

;MUSS Active Protection System
{{main|Active protection systems#Electro-optical APS}}
The Puma has access to an infra-red jammer, the MUSS APS. It is a constant active APS which provides protection against a wide variety of threats. The jamming device (commander's optics like system on the highest mount of the turret's roof) is mounted on the roof of the tank to cover the vulnerable frontal arc. It is called "Infrared Countermeasure" for the following reason: SACLOS guidance utilizes a beam-riding guidance which is connected to the GPS (gunner main sight in some cases, on others it is a different sight like on [[T-55AM-1]] and [[T-62M-1]]) which uses a flare as reference point for the guidance system in the ATGM. The missile moves with the gunner's sight and the flare tries to stay on the crosshairs. IRCM confuses the GPS with a brighter IR light decoy acting as the flare (the flare is also IR) which signals the ATGM to move to a different position nowhere near from the gunner's target. The system works in a similar fashion to the Shtora system found on the Soviet T-90A and the EIREL system found on the French AMX-30B2 BRENUS.

MUSS will jam SACLOS missiles that are not equipped with ECCM systems. Laser-guided missiles (AGM-114 Hellfire, MIM146 ADATS, ZT3, etc) will not be jammed by MUSS. In order to let the APS work, it must be turned on with a key in the control section. The APS module can be destroyed.

MUSS can be used while on the move. While on the move (specially horizontally), the jammed ATGM will move in an uncontrolled direction like normal jamming but riskier, keep this in mind as it can hit a track, engine deck or close enough to create fragmentation and spot the Puma and/or friendlies. When moving forward to an enemy who fired an ATGM, it will be affected by the APS but due to the momentum, the ATGM can hit the Puma if the ATGM is redirected towards the ground. MUSS creates a thermal signature which can be seen with thermal sights. It also can also be used as an IR spotlight. It should be noted that this can be a disadvantage when in night maps as tanks with NVD (except when tanks are using thermal view) will be able to see the light beam. The APS should be turned on and off at commander's discretion. When on day maps, this will not be an issue. MUSS must have a clear line-of-sight with the enemy launcher (at least enemy sights must be able to see the tank). Tanks firing behind cover like the Swingfire can also be affected by the APS. As long as the enemy is within the jamming arc, the Puma will be protected against SACLOS ATGMs. It should be noted that the Puma has access to Laser Warning Receiver (LWR), so the player does not need to rely on visual contact with the ATGM and the launcher. Thankfully, the thermal sights will be capable of detecting the fireball created by the ATGMs at certain distances.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, slat)
* High hardness rolled armour (turret)
* Aluminium alloy 7039 (turret)
* Composite screen (hull roof)
* Bulletproof glass (rear door pane)
* ERA/NERA (hull sides)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 15+5 mm (76°) ''Upper glacis - Top'' 15 mm (61°) ''Upper glacis - Bottom'' 15 mm (58-60°) ''Lower glacis'' || 15 mm (13°) ''Top'' 10+15 mm ''Bottom'' || 15 mm (10-15°) 60 mm (13°) ''Door window'' || 15+5 mm (14°) ''Front glacis'' 15+30 mm ''Fighting compartment'' 10 mm ''Radiator vent''
|-
| Turret || 25 mm ''Turret front'' 10 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 25+15 mm || 25+15 mm || 15+5 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, tracks, and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 15 mm thick.
* ERA and NERA panels cover the sides of the PUMA:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Sides
|-
| Hull || '''ERA''': 340 mm ''Top'' '''NERA''': 100+150 mm ''Radiator vent'' '''NERA''': 250 mm ''Bottom''
|-
|}

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


The PUMA will generally cruise at about 56 km/h. The reverse speed is very good and allows to retreat when facing a tank the main gun can't destroy frontally.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,686|rbMinHp=962}}

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

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

{{main|MK 30-2/ABM (30 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[MK 30-2/ABM (30 mm)|30 mm MK 30-2/ABM]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 400 (100) || rowspan="2" | 200 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+45° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 57.1 || 79.1 || 96.0 || 106.2 || 113.0 || rowspan="2" | 0.26 || rowspan="2" | 0.23 || rowspan="2" | 0.21 || rowspan="2" | 0.20
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 35.7 || 42.0 || 51.0 || 56.4 || 60.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}
* '''MK266:''' {{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''PMC308:''' {{Annotation|Ahead|Shrapnel with time fuse}}
* '''PMC287:''' {{Annotation|APFSDS|Armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot}}

{{:MK 30-2/ABM (30 mm)/Ammunition|APDS, HEI-T*, Ahead, APFSDS}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| 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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''4''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

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

{{main|MG4 (5.56 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG4 (5.56 mm)|5.56 mm MG4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,000 (1,000) || 890 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The PUMA IFV is an effective vehicle against all types of targets, and even the heaviest of tanks such as the [[T-10M]] can even be defeated with a flanking manoeuvre with APFSDS to the direct side at point blank. The best way to play the PUMA IFV is to go on the flank, using its mobility to get to places quickly. It has access to generation 3 thermals for the gunner and commander, and a very good optic which makes sniping an easy job to do. With the crewless turret, you can easily sit hull down in most positions which makes it hard for your enemies to effectively target you, though you are a big target, so it's best to be aware on the move.

Another way to play is being a support vehicle and slightly being aggressive, where you can support your teammates at the frontline aiming for weak spots of enemies with APFSDS, or flanking them as the APFSDS can cut through easy weak spots and the sides and rear of enemies. While the PUMA can survive and soak up shots due to the empty space inside the vehicle, you can still be disabled by an engine shot, or a well placed shot to the side where all your crew is packed together. The PUMA provides good protection against most chemical warhead weapons aside from tandem charged warheads, as the PUMA is equipped with a mix of CLARA Explosive Reactive Armour, and composite armour. It may occasionally bounce early APDS and APFSDS to the angle of the frontal armour but it's best to still play cautiously as no vehicle is invincible.

'''Counter tactics:'''

A ground force veteran might notice that PUMA looks and acts eerily similar to the [[Warrior]], but with no ATGM. The less obvious differences are not visible to the eye. It is much better protected and will block HEAT shells almost anywhere, cannot be destroyed with HMG, does not explode if shot into the turret, has no ammo racks in the back. Its gun is belt fed, fires much faster and harder, but it can be ammo starved like SPAAs, if direct destruction is impossible. It also works as a great equalizer - even though it has no ATGM, it will not let almost anyone around it to use them either. Treat it as a medium tank, or a single mistake will allow it to immediately disable your weapon, then bully you and your teammates at its leisure.

Here are some tips for various ammunition types:

* '''Semi-auto ATGM''' - Forget about it. Unless it is very close to you, IRCM will derail the missile into the ground. If you want to use it, hit the IRCM on top of it with something else until it breaks, then hit the tank with ATGM. Even so, avoid hitting the tank from the side, especially at an angle, as NERA or ERA might block it. Do not aim at the middle of it if you attack at an angle, hit closer to the front. If you are a dedicated missile carrier with no side weapons - try to bait it as close as you can and pray for a hit, since its IRCM is placed so high that there is literally no way to sneak a missile around it, the less time the missile is exposed to it, the better.
* '''Wire guided ATGM''' - Probably it is too weak or uncontrollable to break through its hull, hit the turret first to ensure your survival. Then, depending on range and position, try to hit its LFP (it's weak enough even for gen 1 ATGM), vent (UFP, on your left if head-on, looks like a weird bright square without camouflage, hard to hit), worst case scenario try to hit its left (right when head-on) corner from a side until it gives in (avoid hitting too many ERA bricks at once and don't aim too low or you will hit NERA and external fuel tanks) or immobilize it by any means necessary and finish it off from behind. If in AB mode - see Semi-auto.
* '''Laser guided ATGM''' - Fire at the crew in the front. Do not rely on the raw power of ATGM and do not mindlessly slam the back or the middle of the {{PAGENAME}}, it's not an XM-1, it won't blow up even if you will just hit it 12 times randomly.
* '''HESH''' - Such a shell isn't very useful, but an attempt could be made to least hit the driver optics or the tip of the gun. If you are lucky enough, the PUMA will take critical damage.
* '''HE''' - If it can penetrate more than 31 mm RHA, try to hit turret neck from the front of the hull, as there is a lot of openings in the composite screen, through which an HE might get inside and destroy the crew. There is also a possibility of attacking the driver, as he is not completely screened away, but it's more difficult than just hitting the turret's bottom. The sides are very difficult to penetrate.
* '''HEAT''' - If head-on, attack lower frontal plate (aim towards your right to avoid the engine deck), otherwise destroy the turret and swap ammunition. Everything else but rear is likely to bounce or block the shot. If its LFP is out of the reach and you can't get to its rear, try to hit the ventilation, as it has no NERA. If it won't bounce, then you will at least take out the commander, if it will bounce, it is very likely to hit the gun barrel and destroy it.
* '''Autocannon''' - Go for the turret ammo belt to disrupt its weapon, then unload into the driver's optics. If that won't penetrate for some reason, you can attack its middle-bottom from the side to destroy the remaining ammo belts, so it becomes useless, then assault its side armour until it eventually collapses or attack the rear.
* '''APHE''' - Unlike with the Warrior, its engine deck can stop APHE without collapsing the entire tank, so when attacking it from the front, hit its left (your right) side to ensure its demise. If your fuse sensitivity is 19 mm, '''do not''' attack the turret - it is sealed away from the hull and is thin enough to not detonate such shells. Side hits seem to be fatal almost anywhere. When hitting from the rear, aim left or middle, as it will not detonate slow fuses and its crew might survive.
* '''Pure kinetic shells:'''
** '''RB:''' Your goal is to destroy two crew members in one hit. It is particularly weak to high-calibre APDS. Avoid attacking it at an angle if possible. When head-on, the fastest way is to hit its left (right for you) with APFSDS or APDS - if shot straight, the tank loses both gunner and driver, resulting in a one-hit KO. Be aware that this tank has fake side panels and its real interior is actually very narrow - look for LFP or ensure that you are aiming in between of the tracks first to confirm that you are, in fact, aiming at the crew compartment. From the side, look where the turret connects with the tank, then aim a bit closer to the front, this should take out both gunner and commander. If you can't aim this fast, then destroy the gun. If you missed, turn the gun away and hope that the enemy is too sloppy or busy with something else to destroy your gun. If you still have heavy machine gun, fire at turret's optics to try and damage its ammo belt to buy some time.
** '''AB:''' There is a high chance your opponent already has "crew replenishment" researched, in which case if you will go for default strategy, you are likely to lose, as the commander can use the main weapon. Basically, treat {{PAGENAME}} as if you can only take it out in minimum two shots and disable its weapon first.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Access to IRCM that can disrupt most common missiles
* ERA on the side of the tank that will stop any chemical warheads
* Crewless turret that can enable you to hull down effectively
* The turret is sealed away from the interior of the hull and won't detonate most of APHE shells, significantly reducing potential of collateral damage
* Unlike with the similar IFVs, it is incredibly difficult to destroy it without actually taking out the crew
* Access to APFSDS for an autocannon
* Good mobility for its size
* Optics can shift from a general melee X2 zoom to the near-maximum sniper X15
* Generation 3 Thermals for Commander and Gunner
* Laser Warning System to alert you of incoming fire from tanks or helicopters
* Has access to Auto tracking which greatly increases it's anti-air capability

'''Cons:'''

* Big target for its vehicle type
* Fire rate is subpar compared to most of its counterparts
* Has a timed-fuse Shrapnel shell instead of HE-VT, which is inconvenient when fighting aircraft
* IRCM can be spotted easily in NVD and Thermal sights
* No access to ATGMs unlike its counterparts
* Stock belt is subpar for defeating ground vehicles
* Engine area is in the front, can be disabled easily
* Very insufficent armor against kinetic shells

== History ==

'''Planning Phase''':

After it became apparent that the armoured forces introduced in the 1970s (Leopard 2, Marder, Gepard, etc.) would be at the end of their life after 2010, the Leopard 2 Combat Enchantment ||| was canceled and replaced with the Neue Gepanzerte Plattform (New Armoured Platforms). The project was aimed to reduce the cost of combat vehicles by creating a modular common chassis with a focus on survivability, mobility, and operational capacity. Three platforms were theorized.

Platform A: A system designed for heavy ground targets, I.E. Main Battle Tanks

Platform B: A system for engaging the remaining ground targets, I.E. Infantry Fighting Vehicle

Platform C: A system intended for support, such as anti-aircraft, engineering, and recovery

With these specifications in mind, a number of considerations were further researched. Two core crew members, large degrees of automation, and the same mobility as the Leopard 2A4 were all considered. In addition, diesel-electric drives, active protection systems (hard and soft), digital on-board network, effective mine protection, and high performance shells were thought to be important for the design constraints.

In 1998, after tense budget struggles, the development of three parallel systems was determined to be unfeasible and so the Infantry Fighting Vehicle was the only project to move forward.

'''Start of Development:'''

In 1996, one year after the German Federal Office for Defense Technology and Procurement(BWB) had requested design specfications, Krauss-Maffei, Wegmann & Co.,MaK Systemgesellschaft mbH, KUKA Wehrtechnik, and Henschel-Wehrtechnik all presented their concepts. Different designs toyed with placing the engine in the front or the rear, and the weight varied between 55 to 71.9 tons.

After certain design elements were designated as being beneficial, it became apparent that certain ideas, such as the 2 man compact compartment, diesel-electric engines, vehicle electronics, and weapon systems all needed to be tested. From 1997 till 2002 various testing was done on these ideas. At the tail end of 1999, a simulator was install on a tracked vehicle called the Technologieträger Kette. This prototype was tested at the Armoured Personnel Training center in Munster.

On September 11, 2001, following the attack on the Twin Towers, NATO set a new standard that any new vehicles should focus on air transportability.After procuring several Combat Vehicle 90 from Sweden, it was decided that a contract for a new IFV to be developed in Germany was to be commenced.

In 2004, the BWB signed a contract for 5 pre-series Puma's with the option to order an additional 405 vehicles. The Pumas were received in 2006 on time and were used for early testing for the different systems. This included the MUSS Active Protection System and to uncover any potential weak points. This testing found issues with the drive train and drive itself. During the 6th status report, the BWB was considerably angry at the lack of progress, the Bundestag's Budget Committee approved the order for the Puma and the contact was signed in 2009. A total of 405 units were to be purchased at a price of 3.1 billion Euros. In 2012, after struggles with production, the total number of units was changed to 350 with the price ballooning to 5.99 billion Euros.

Due to technical problems, two units arrived early in 2010 for testing to see if there need to be any improvements or changes. After eliminating some shortcomings, the tank was tested again.

On April 13, 2015 the army inspector declared the formal introduction of the Puma IFV into the German Army. Training began the same year with seven vehicles available with additional units arriving in the following months.

'''Critical Response:'''

Criticism started early in the Puma's life cycle after large cost increases and time delays. Ever increasing change requests and the absurd 117 legal provisions that need to be followed, caused the delays and increase in cost. As early as 2013, there was a list of almost 1,000 different issues and deficiencies within the project.

At a price of 17 million Euros per unit, the Puma is the most expensive IFV in the world. In addition, due to the increased weight parameters during development, the Puma requires increased transportation for its modules that make it combat effective.

With costs as ballooned as they were, other armies within Europe, most notably the Dutch army, decided to stop using German IFVs and switch to the Swedish Combat Vehicle 90.

Another point of criticism is the 5.56x45 machine gun mounted in the turret. The standard for most IFVs and MBTs is the 7.62x51 NATO cartridge. The idea behind using the lighter cartridge is to standardize the ammunition used for both soldiers and the machine gun.

== Media ==


;Skins

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

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|y2Ph0rmD5sU|'''Unmanned Turret Tanks: Showcasing New Tech''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 00:48 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|2AF4ZDe6M2g|'''The Shooting Range #299''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[Warrior]]
* [[Strf 9040B]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7604-development-puma-a-muss-have-en|[Devblog] PUMA: A "MUSS" Have]]

{{TankManufacturer KMW}}
{{Germany light tanks}}
[[Category:Ground vehicles with active protection system]]
__FORCETOC__

Leopard 2 (Family)

2024-06-14T09:39:55Z

U82748623:

== Vehicles ==
===Rank VI===

* [[ItPsV 90]] - Finnish Leopard 2 Marksman

===Rank VII===

* [[PT-16/T14 mod.]]
* [[Leopard 2K]]
* [[Leopard 2AV]]
* [[Leopard 2A4]]
* {{Specs-Link|it_leopard_2a4}} - Hungarian
* {{Specs-Link|sw_leopard_2a4_fin}} - Finnish
* [[Leopard 2 (PzBtl 123)|Leopard 2A4 (PzBtl 123)]]
* [[Strv 121]]
* [[Christian II|Strv 121B Christian II]]

===Rank VIII===

* ⋠[[Leopard 2 PL]]
* [[Leopard 2A5]]
* [[Leopard 2A5 (YouTube Cup)]]
* [[Leopard 2 PSO]] - Leopard 2A5 PSO
* [[Leopard 2A6]]
* {{Specs-Link|sw_leopard_2a6nl}} - Finnish
* [[Leopard 2A7V]]
* [[Strv 122A]]
* [[Strv 122B PLSS]]
* [[Strv 122B+]]

== Variants ==

=== German Combat Variants ===
The fourth batch of 300 vehicles consisted of the Leopard 2A3 variant; 165 were built by Krauss-Maffei and 135 were built by Mak. They were delivered between December 1984 and December 1985. The Leopard 2A3 featured SEM80/90 digital radio sets (which were being added to Leopard 1s as well). Additionally, the ammunition reloading hatches were welded shut.

{{columns|3|
* Leopard 2AV
* Leopard 2A0
* Leopard 2A1
* Leopard 2A2
* Leopard 2A3
* Leopard 2A4
** Leopard 2 RUAG
* Leopard 2 TVM
* Leopard 2 KWS
** KWS I (Leopard 2A6)
** KWS II (Leopard 2A5)
** KWS III (Leopard 2-140)
* [[Leopard 2A5]]
** [[Leopard 2A5 PSO]]
* Leopard 2A6
** Leopard 2A6 A3
** Leopard 2A6M
** Leopard 2A6M A3
* Leopard 2A7
** Leopard 2A7V
** Leopard 2A7 A1
** Leopard 2A7+
* Leopard 2A8
}}
=== Foreign Variants ===
Exported Leopards usually have the country of import in their designation, with depending on country, being either a base German production model or modification variant.
{{columns|3|
* Leopard 2A4 CHL
* Leopard 2A4 CAN
* Leopard 2A4M CAN
* Leopard 2A4 NO
* Leopard 2A4 TR
* Leopard 2A4 NL
* [[Leopard 2 PL]]
* Leopard 2A5 DK
* Leopard 2A6 PRT
* Leopard 2A6 HEL
* Leopard 2A6M CAN
* Leopard 2A7 DK
* Leopard 2A7 Q
* Leopard 2A7 HU
* Leopard 2A8 NOR
* Leopard 2A8 IT
* Leopard 2E
** Leopard 2ER
* Leopard 2RI
* Leopard 2SG
* Leopard 2 Marksman
* Panzer 87
* Panzer 87WE
* Panzer 87-140
* [[Strv 121]]
* [[Strv 122A]]
* Strv 122B
* Strv 122C
* Strv 122D
}}

=== Engineering and Training Variants ===
{{columns|3|
* Bergepanzer BPz3 Büffel (Gr. Buffalo)
* Panzerschnellbrücke 2
* Panzerschnellbrücke Leguan
* AEV 3 Kodiak
* Driver Training Tank (Fahrschulpanzer)
* Leopard 2R
* Leopard 2L
* WISENT 2
}}

== Media ==


;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|gHU-no26XqI|'''Leopard 2: Model MBT''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|rGyfDPrXsbo|'''Leopard 2''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|klTnC5qwPX4|'''The Shooting Range #248''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:54 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|8qxZDK_yIXM|'''Leopard evolution''' (from 02:43) - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==


* [[Leopard 1 (Family)]]

[[Category:Family pages]]

WZ551 (Family)

2024-06-04T13:20:59Z

U82748623:

==Description==
The '''WZ551''' is a family of Chinese APCs. The first to be introduced is a variant featuring an autocannon, named the ZSL-92.

==Vehicles==
List:
===Rank VI===

* [[PTL02]]

* [[WMA301]]
* [[AFT09]]

==See also==
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WZ-551

[[Category: Family pages]]
__FORCETOC__
__NEWSECTIONLINK__
__INDEX__

WZ551 (Family)

2024-06-04T13:19:29Z

U82748623:

==Description==
The '''WZ551''' is a family of Chinese APCs. The first to be introduced is a variant featuring an autocannon, named the ZSL-92.

==Vehicles==
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut ullamcorper diam et leo pharetra consequat. Nunc tincidunt ex vitae libero pulvinar posuere quis placerat ex. Curabitur semper felis eu nunc rhoncus condimentum. In vulputate, sapien sed vehicula convallis, tellus nibh mattis arcu, eget tempus erat neque a dolor. Sed rutrum leo aliquet velit consectetur, non faucibus velit ullamcorper. Morbi eu faucibus nisl. Sed in mauris elit. Praesent dolor odio, hendrerit rutrum gravida vitae, blandit eget lacus. Aliquam eu odio vulputate, auctor eros id, mattis enim. Nulla fringilla erat sit amet leo cursus, at porta felis iaculis. Curabitur porta, purus sed sagittis viverra, enim neque laoreet mauris, vel finibus velit quam non massa. Phasellus nec tincidunt nisl. Quisque imperdiet nec justo at consectetur.
===Rank VI===

* [[PTL02]]

* [[WMA301]]
* [[AFT09]]

==See also==
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WZ-551

[[Category: Family pages]]
__FORCETOC__
__NEWSECTIONLINK__
__INDEX__

WZ551 (Family)

2024-06-04T13:18:50Z

U82748623:

==Description==
The '''WZ551''' is a family of Chinese APCs. The first to be introduced is a variant featuring an autocannon, named the ZSL-92.

==Vehicles==

===Rank VI===

* [[PTL02]]

* [[WMA301]]
* [[AFT09]]

==See also==
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WZ-551

[[Category: Family pages]]
__FORCETOC__
__NEWSECTIONLINK__

WZ551 (Family)

2024-06-04T13:18:26Z

U82748623:

WZ551 (Family)

2024-06-04T13:18:04Z

U82748623:

WZ551 (Family)

2024-06-04T13:12:51Z

U82748623:

WZ551 (Family)

2024-06-04T13:12:17Z

U82748623:

Description
The '''WZ551''' is a family of Chinese APCs. The first to be introduced is a variant featuring an autocannon, named the ZSL-92.

==Vehicles==

===Rank VI===

* [[PTL02]]

* [[WMA301]]
* [[AFT09]]

==See also==
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WZ-551

[[Category:Family pages]]
__FORCETOC__
__INDEX__
__NEWSECTIONLINK__

WZ551 (Family)

2024-06-04T13:09:55Z

U82748623:

VT1

2024-04-21T14:19:15Z

U82748623: /* Vehicles equipped with this weapon */

Su-27

2024-04-08T10:33:50Z

U82748623: /* Media */ redundant link removed

{{Specs-Card
|code=su_27
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

Shortly after the Vietnam War, both the United States and the Soviet Union got to work on a new generation of fighter aircraft that favoured manoeuvrability and dogfight performance over top speed, after seeing how badly "missile truck" designs like the [[F-4 Phantom II (Family)|F-4 Phantom II]] performed against more nimble aircraft that were as much as 20 years older. In 1969, the Soviet Union received details through spies on the USAF's F-X program and the aircraft it was leading to, the [[F-15A|F-15 Eagle]]. As a result, the Soviets also decided to adopt a "Heavy support" doctrine with their new generation of fighters, with a smaller amount of a larger, more powerful aircraft supporting a larger amount of smaller, cheaper "frontline" aircraft just as the US was going to do with the F-15 and [[F-16 (Family)|F-16]] respectively. The design of the heavy fighter was handed to OKB Sukhoi, which quickly produced the T-10 prototype. The T-10 had many shortcomings, and after a lot of work with {{Annotation|TsAGI|Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute of Moscow}} to iron out the issues, the Su-27 would take to the skies for the first time in 1977. Development would continue further, and the first true "production models" would only enter service in 1985, beginning a fruitful life in Soviet service, and later in Chinese, Ethiopian, Vietnamese, Eritrean, Indonesian, Ukrainian, Kazakh, Uzbek, and Russian service with many aircraft of the type still seeing combat today.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (NATO reporting name: ''Flanker'') was introduced in [[Update "Air Superiority"]] as the top-end heavy fighter for the USSR tree, capping off the Sukhoi line and beginning its transition from high speed fighter-bombers to the venerable Flanker family. The Su-27 is a jack of all trades yet a master of almost none, and that playstyle is its strongest suite. The Flanker carries a very generous amount of air to air missiles (ten), including up to six heat-seeking missiles with HMD targeting, and four of the infamous R-27ER coupled with the strong N001 Mech radar. The Flanker's lethal missile selection allows it to dispatch distracted many enemies at safe distances, and when push comes to shove, the Flanker's inherently unstable airframe and fly-by-wire control systems allows it to perform high angle-of-attack manoeuvres and partial post-stall manoeuvres at lower speeds, including the famed Cobra manoeuvres. All in all, the Su-27 should be played as a jack of all trades, and fits best into a very aggressive playable due to its lethal missiles, great avionics and sensors, and nimble flight performance. One must, however, be aware of various enemies you can encounter in the Flanker, such as all the aircraft that carry IRCCM missiles due to the Flanker's large heat signature as a result of the two massive AL-31 engines, but also be careful of dogfighting aircraft from the F-15 Eagle family, as the Eagle's superior TWR and high-speed handling as a result of the stable airframe will give F-15 players an advantage in some scenarios.

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

As a heavy fighter, its performance is surprisingly great, giving enemies such as the similar [[F-15A|F-15]], or even the highly manoeuvrable [[F-16C|F-16]] a good challenge when fighting this aircraft. However, what sets it apart from the most is its extremely high AOA tolerance, remaining somewhat controllable even when the air is hitting the plane from the belly (90°+ AOA manoeuvres). This gives it a good initial dogfighting capability, proven deadly with the HMD and R-73 by firing missiles at angle of nearly 140° away from the direction of flight.

However, that amazing dogfighting capability and superb manoeuvring is gone as soon as you bring a full load of fuel. It will still be able to give a challenge to any opponent in the right conditions, but the manoeuvrability can only work for so long until the Su-27 starts stalling for real at low speeds.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 12,000 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
| ___ || 2,357 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || __._ || 24.6 || __._ || 173.4 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || 2,498 || __._ || 23.5 || __._ || 225.0
|-
|}

==== 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="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,540  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || - || 652 || 600 || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 680 || < 750 || < 700 || -
|-
|}

==== 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" | Saturn AL-31F || 2
| colspan="2" | 16,420 kg || colspan="3" | 417 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 13m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 44m fuel
|-
| 1,520 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 19,240 kg || 20,614 kg || 22,711 kg || 25,820 kg || 33,798 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
! 13m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 44m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 7,219 kgf || 11,656 kgf
| 1.21 || 1.13 || 1.03 || 0.90 || 0.69
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 7,219 kgf (0 km/h) || 15,640 kgf (1,540 km/h)
| 1.63 || 1.52 || 1.38 || 1.21 || 0.92
|-
|}

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

What it has in good performance, it lacks in armour. After all, this is no ground attacker, and armour won't make any difference when a missile successfully hits your aircraft.

However, the Flanker actually has good survivability, and that's mostly because of the redundancy given by the two-engine setup, and the huge space between critical components (after all, the Flanker is nearly as long as the [[Lancaster (Family)|Lancaster]]), giving the pilot some good chances of getting back home.

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

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|GSh-30-1 (30 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 30 mm GSh-30-1 cannon, wing root-mounted (150 rpg)
* 96 x large calibre countermeasures

The Su-27 uses the same 30 mm autocannon as the MiG-29 with the same limited ammunition count of 150 rounds. Although it is not as forgiving as the American M61 Vulcan and demands precision, it has no spool up time and will deal heavy damage to any aircraft it hits. Something to note is that the Su-27's cannon is mounted on the right side of the fuselage, whereas the MiG-29's mount is on the left.

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


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="5%" | 1 !! width="5%" | 2 !! width="5%" | 3 !! width="5%" | 4 !! width="5%" | 5 !! width="5%" | 6 !! width="5%" | 7 !! width="5%" | 8 !! width="5%" | 9 !! width="5%" | 10
| rowspan="19" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[OFAB-100 (100 kg)|100 kg OFAB-100]] bombs
| || 1 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 1 ||
|-
! [[FAB-250M-62 (250 kg)|250 kg FAB-250M-62]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[OFAB-250-270 (250 kg)|250 kg OFAB-250-270]] bombs
| || 1 || 1, 2, 6 || 1, 5 || 1, 4 || 1, 2 || 1, 5 || 1, 2, 6 || 1 ||
|-
! [[OFAB-250Sh (250 kg)|250 kg OFAB-250Sh]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[FAB-500M-62 (500 kg)|500 kg FAB-500M-62]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[FAB-500Sh (500 kg)|500 kg FAB-500Sh]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[ZB-500 incendiary]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[S-8KO]] rockets
| || || 20, 40 || || || || || 20, 40 || ||
|-
! [[S-13OF]] rockets
| || || 5, 10 || || || || || 5, 10 || ||
|-
! [[S-25O]] rockets
| || || 1, 2 || || || || || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[S-25OF]] rockets
| || || 1, 2 || || || || || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[S-25OFM]] rockets
| || || 1, 2 || || || || || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[R-27ER]] missiles
| || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[R-27ET]] missiles
| || || 1 || || || || || 1 || ||
|-
! [[R-27R]] missiles
| || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[R-27T]] missiles
| || || 1 || || || || || 1 || ||
|-
! [[R-73]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
| colspan="11" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 8,040 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* Without load
* 2 x R-73 missiles
* 6 x R-73 missiles
* 2 x R-27T missiles
* 6 x R-27R missiles
* 2 x R-27ET missiles
* 6 x R-27ER missiles
* 80 x S-8KO rockets
* 20 x S-13OF rockets
* 4 x S-25O rockets
* 38 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (3,800 kg total)
* 8 x 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 30 x 250 kg OFAB-250-270 bombs (7,500 kg total)
* 8 x 250 kg OFAB-250Sh bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 8 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (4,000 kg total)
* 8 x 500 kg FAB-500Sh bombs (4,000 kg total)
* 8 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs
{{Navigation-End}}

The Su-27 has a fairly wide arsenal. The air-to-air armaments are generally similar to the [[MiG-29SMT]], with highly agile R-73 IR missiles for short-range combat and various marks of R-27 missiles for medium to long range engagements. However it has a large advantage in capacity over the MiG-29; a full air superiority loadout consists of four R-73s and up to six R-27s, which makes it an excellent missile truck for BVR jousting.

The extended-range R-27ER and R-27ET are the most capable members of the R-27 family and should be used once unlocked. The R-27ET (and its less advanced R-27T) can only be mounted on the inboard wing pylons for a maximum capacity of two, but this is sufficient for a couple of long-range sneak attacks to round out the Su-27's engagement capabilities. The inboard pylons can also mount R-73s instead for pilots who want to bring as many dogfight missiles as possible.

The Su-27 is limited to only unguided bombs and rockets for ground attack, so unlike the MiG-29SMT it cannot use TV-guided missile or bombs for standoff engagements. One notable feature is that it can carry up to four S-25O heavy bunker-buster rockets made famous by the [[Su-25]], which can be a fun surprise for combined battles when enemy SAMs are suppressed or confused. All rockets are mounted in double racks on the inboard pylons, leaving the other pylons available for R-73s, R-27s, or bombs in a multirole loadout.

== Usage in battles ==


The Su-27 is a fairly all-rounded aircraft, capable of of performing both air superiority and close air support duties, with the aircraft excelling at the former due to its ability to carry a massive arsenal of close to medium range air-to-air missiles like the potent and reliable R-73 and the manoeuvrable and high speed R-27ER, whilst for more personal and intimate encounters the Su-27 sports a potent wing root 30 mm GSh-30-1 with EEGS integrated. The aircraft also has HMD (Helmet Mounted Display) integrated, allowing the pilot to designate radar lock-on selected target within the HMD's cubical arc which possesses a massive gimbal room. One thing to note is that IR Missile lock is integrated into the HMD, allowing the HMD to lock your R-73s onto your enemies without the need to point your nose to lock, this gave the Su-27 a massive advantage in dogfights especially against opponents that lacked the same technology.

For ground support duties, the aircraft offers a decently diverse payload options, ranging from conventional and retarded bombs to unguided missiles which featured CCIP support. One glaring issue however is the lack of computer guided munition due to the aircraft inherent nature of being an air-superiority fighter.

In Air Realistic Battles, the Su-27 is a smooth operator, with excellent roll rate and turn speed. At the start of the battle, it's recommended for the player to load the aircraft with 4 x R-73s and 6 x R-27ERs. After taking off, push for afterburner until you reached ~1,200 km/h IAS and maintain it until contact is made. It's highly advised to stay on deck and follow the terrain to induce radar cluttering whilst en route to the combat zone, this will come in extremely handy when the opposition is field F-14A/Bs which could pop off AIM-54A/Cs Active Radar Homing (ARH) missiles which could independently track target without the need for the Tomcat's radar constantly feeding information back.

After making visual contact with the enemy at any altitude beyond the range of 5 km+, you could attempt to acquire lock using your Radar or HMD mode and pop off a few of your R-27ER to shed some weight, note that the R-27ERs possessed IOG and DL features, the former allowed the missile to continue tracking with the last given parameters whilst the latter enables the missile to reacquire its target after lock is regained, this allowed for some tricky plays like popping off the missile at the enemy, this will encourage them to deploy Countermeasures (CMs) expecting lock to be lost or disrupted, however with the addition of DL, lock could be reacquired and the missile will resume its tracking unlike its contemporary like the AIM-7M. This potentially allow the player to catch the prey off guard thinking that they've already gotten off the R-27ER's hook. At near tree top level, it's highly advised that the player use R-73s instead despite the Su-27's ability to reliably lock targets even at low altitude, it is in no way reliable enough to guide the R-27ERs lest you're flying at an even lower altitude than your enemy. If the fight devolves into an dogfights, the Su-27 have some tricks up its sleeves, that being the Su-27's ability to pull extremely high AOA for a very short amount of time when in the correct speed range (500-700 IAS), this ability should be used with the HMD and R-73 missiles, however you will find yourself out of energy and mostly defenseless if the R-73 failed to hit its target, at very low speeds (~400 km/h) the Su-27 will lose the rate fight against most of its enemies (This includes F-16s, F15s, Jas-39s, Mirage 4000 and more) Due to these reasons above it is best to keep the airspeed above 500 km/h IAS and only pull the maximum amount of AOA to launch a R-73 or to pull in for a gun kill. (another thing to note is that at speeds above 1,200 km/h IAS, the vertical control surfaces will stiffen up). However if you find yourself at speeds higher than 700 km/h IAS, then the Su-27 has yet another toy that is yet to be unveiled, which is the addition of a massive airbrake, specifically designed to enable the aircraft to perform a tight turn even at high speed, regardless the use of this airbrake should be done in moderation as it bleeds the aircraft speed at an astronomical rate which could be a double-edged sword or a lifesaver depending on the scenario it's used in, This allows the Su-27 to turn the table of the fight ever so slightly in its favour if used correctly, allowing the aircraft to enter its manoeuvrable speed threshold which could help you get your HMD acquisition of the R-73 on the assailant or just pepper them with your potent 30 mm with the help of EEGS (Note: the R-73's IRCCM uses Gatewidth Tracking which is extremely flare resistant the closer the missile gets to its target due to the IR tracking scope narrowing post-launch, this means it's highly recommended for the pilot to launch the missile preferably from or below 1 km for best effect).

'''Notable Opponents:'''

* [[F-16 (Family)|F-16A/Cs]] - F-16s carry an advantage over the Flanker in manoeuvrability, with greater energy retention and rate fighting abilities. What makes the Fighting Falcon dangerous, however, is the AIM-9M. The 9M carries an IRCCM (Infrared Counter-Countermeasure) system. The seeker of the Sidewinder will shut off when it detects flares, follow the aircraft's expected trajectory (IOG), and then reacquire lock once flares are passed. The only way to defeat these potent missiles is to constantly flare, cut throttle, and change direction. When the aircraft is not where the missile expects it to be after the pilot moves out of the expected path, the 9M will lock onto the recently deployed flares. Spamming large groups of flares sporadically does not work, as the missile will simply reacquire lock once flaring ceases. The best defense against powerful IRCCM missiles is to avoid them in the first place. By catching enemies off guard from their flanks and behinds, any pilot will find success, no matter the plane.
* [[F-14 (Family)|F-14A/Bs]] - F-14s are capable of launching AIM-54A/Cs as aforementioned, which could be extremely infuriating to deal with. The only real counter to this is by flying flat on deck, however even the slightest mistake could resulted in you getting locked on by the AIM-54s if you don't fly close enough to the ground. Luckily, the Tomcat's combat prowess starts to diminish at closer ranges.
* [[F-15 (Family)|F-15A/Js]] - F-15s are perhaps one of the Su-27s greatest adversary. Better manoeuvrability, the F-15s could pull off many tight turns just like the the Su-27. Combined with its use of AIM-9Ms, the Eagle could easily pick off the Flanker in close range engagements so caution is advised when engaging.
* [[JAS39A]]/[[JAS39C|Cs]] - Engagement against the Gripen is quite tricky for the Flanker, the aircraft possesses superior manoeuvrability than the Flanker and Eagle in most cases; combine that with the Gripen's AIM-9Ms/RB-74(M)s, direct short range confrontation is ill-advised as after 3 turns or 2, most fights wouldn't end well for the Flanker.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent acceleration and engine power
* Airframe can pull very tight turns at speeds between ~500-700 km/h IAS
* Massive assortment of air-to-air weaponry, capable of carrying a maximum of 10 missiles, including six potent R-27ER SARH missiles
* GSh-30-1 is hard-hitting and capable of incapacitating most foes with a single well landed burst
* HMD is integrated with IR tracking support allowing R-73s to be launched off-boresight from unexpected angles
* Flares drop singularly on Mixed giving the player more flexibility when using them

'''Cons:'''

* Massive airframe compared to most contemporaries which makes for an easy target
* Control surfaces stiffens at speeds higher than 1,200 km/h
* Has a tendency to snap its wing at high speed whilst rolling excessively
* Poor energy retention below a speed of 1000km/h
* Low gun ammunition requires good trigger discipline and good aim to utilize effectively compared to its American counterparts

== History ==

Development of the Su-27 began at the Sukhoi Design Bureau in early 1971. In 1977, the first prototype was built for testing. Due to a change in the concept of future aircraft, the team of aircraft manufacturers had to design an essentially new aircraft, only partially using the developments of the original project. The new prototype was ready by the end of 1980, and its flight tests began in the spring of 1981. The first Su-27s began to enter service with the armed forces in 1984, even though tests of a number of systems had not yet been completed. Today, Su-27 fighters of various modifications are in service with Russia, China, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other countries.

- From ''[[wt:en/news/8652-development-su-27-feisty-flanker-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/all/?q=%23su27 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|NlHdl2JAjfU|'''The Shooting Range #385''' - ''Special'' section at 06:35 discusses Pugachev's Cobra.}}

== 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 aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8652-development-su-27-feisty-flanker-en|[Development] Su-27: Feisty Flanker!]]

{{AirManufacturer Sukhoi}}
{{USSR jet aircraft}}

Tornado IDS ASSTA1 (Germany)

2023-12-18T11:35:51Z

U82748623: some values in the engines table were incorrect, the panavia official sources list the real ones. some of which i have updated

{{About
| about = strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Tornado (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=tornado_ids_de_assta1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

During the late '90s, while Britain was undergoing its modernization of the Tornado fleet, Germany also began plans to upgrade their older [[Tornado IDS (Germany)|Tornado IDS]] aircraft. The resulting upgrade package, named "ASSTA1" (Avionics System Software; Tornado in ADA) was finalized in 2000, to upgrade the German Tornado fleet for service in the 21st century. ASSTA1 incorporated a complete overhaul of most of the avionics suite, including an entirely new fire control system and weapons computer, GPS and Laser INS navigation suites, and the latest 1760 data bus, giving the Tornado full compatibility with the latest standardized NATO ordnance and their required targeting systems. As a result, in addition to its older loadouts, the ASSTA1 could carry the latest standard NATO guided ordnance, such as the AGM-88 HARM, in addition to the LITENING targeting pod and a plethora of Paveway III laser bomb options. Over the next years, German Tornados would also undergo the ASSTA2 and ASSTA3 upgrades, further enhancing their capabilities.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''', introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]], is a two-seat, twin-engine, swing-wing, multi-role combat aircraft built jointly by Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy. This version is the Tornado Interdiction/Strike or IDS for short, and as such, is almost completely useless in air-to-air combat against fighters of its battle rating. Instead, the Tornado IDS is best used in mixed battles, where its powerful ordnance and strong avionics allow it to rain hell on enemy aircraft from above. All in all, the ASSTA1 provides great CAS capability for mixed battles to the high ranking players of the German tree.

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

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 12,195 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
| 2,335 || 2,311 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 28.4 || 28.6 || 180.4 || 176.5 || rowspan="2" | 760
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,396 || 2,362 || 27.6 || 28.0 || 229.6 || 204.0
|-
|}

==== 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 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 972 || rowspan="2" | 520  || 972 || 552 || 440 || ~__ || ~__
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,555 || N/A || N/A || N/A || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
|< 670||< 650||< 700||N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="6" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{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" | Turbo-Union RB199-34R Mk.103 || 2
| colspan="3" | 14,100 kg || colspan="3" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 16m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 56m fuel
|-
| 968 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 16,236 kg || 16,523 kg || 17,429 kg || 18,789 kg || 20,400 kg || 27,200 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="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 16m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 56m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 3,777 kgf || 7,293 kgf
| 0.90 || 0.88 || 0.84 || 0.78 || 0.74 || 0.55
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 4,192 kgf (1,400 km/h) || 8,155 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.00 || 0.99 || 0.94 || 0.87 || 0.82 || 0.62
|-
|}

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

The Tornado has no armour to speak of and is relatively large, making it an easy target for enemy guns. Almost any hit to the center part of the Tornado will leave its speed crippled, while any hit to the wings and tail will most likely cripple flight performance, if not disabling the aircraft outright. Although it could in theory make its way back to base even with only one engine, any enemy attention during this timespan will most likely get you sent back to the hangar. It also has 2 pilots, which means that you can continue flying in the unlikely case that only 1 pilot is knocked out.

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

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Mauser BK27 (27 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannons, chin-mounted (180 rpg = 360 total)

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


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="4.8%" | 1 !! width="4.8%" | 2 !! width="4.8%" | 3 !! width="4.8%" | 4 !! width="4.8%" | 5 !! width="4.8%" | 6 !! width="4.8%" | 7 !! width="4.8%" | 8 !! width="4.8%" | 9 !! width="4.8%" | 10 !! width="4.8%" | 11
| rowspan="9" width="25%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_Tornado_GR.1.png]]</div>
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1, 2‡ || 1, 2‡ * || 1‡ || 1, 2‡ || 1, 2‡ || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[Mk 83 AIR (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb Mk 83 AIR]] bombs
| || || 1, 2 || 1, 2‡ || 1, 2‡ * || 1‡ || 1, 2‡ || 1, 2‡ || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[GBU-16 Paveway II (1,092 lb)|1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II]] bombs
| || || 1† || 1*† || || 1†‡ || || || 1† || ||
|-
! [[GBU-24 Paveway III (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III]] bombs
| || || || 1*† || || || || || || ||
|-
! [[AIM-9L Sidewinder]] missiles
| || 1 || || || || || || || || 1 ||
|-
! Large calibre countermeasures
| 28 || || || || || || || || || || 28
|-
! LITENING II targeting pod
| || || || || || || || 1† || || ||
|-
! 1,500 l drop tanks
| || || 1 || || || || || || 1 || ||
|-
| colspan="13" | * Guided bombs on hardpoint 4 cannot be equipped with 1,000 lb bombs on hardpoint 5-6 † LITENING II targeting pod must be equipped when using guided bombs ‡ Bombs on hardpoint 6 cannot be equipped with dual bomb mounts on hardpoints 4-8 or GBU-24 on hardpoint 4
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* 2 x 1,500 l drop tanks
* 56 x large calibre countermeasures
* 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 7 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (7,000 lb total)
* 7 x 1,000 lb Mk 83 AIR bombs (7,000 lb total)
* 12 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 12 x 1,000 lb Mk 83 AIR bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II bombs (4,368 lb total)
* 1 x 2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III bomb (2,000 lb total)
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==

There are multiple ways to use the Tornado in ARB, one tactic is to stick to the team and try and give support with your AIM-9Ls on your way to the enemy bases and/or ground targets. This gives you the advantage of team cover and a bit of safety, although you will undoubtedly be in the midst of battle once enemy interceptors and fighters reach your team. The other tactic would be to go full throttle directly to the enemy bases while keeping extremely low to the ground to decrease your chances of being spotted visually or by radar. While this leaves you mostly alone and isolated from the possible support of your team, you will be able to take a more direct route to your main target, meaning you'll be able to evade any slower or unsuspecting enemies. Taking an active role in air-to-air combat is not advised, as the Tornado's flight performance is not suited to it and you'll most likely be shot down very quickly. So keep in mind that although the Tornado is fast, its not very manoeuvrable at high speed so try to avoid faster enemies such as the [[F-16 (Family)|F-16]] or the [[F-14A Early|F-14]]. In the case of 1-to-1 confrontation the best option is to simply hope you are faster and run away, against capable fighters like the MiG-23, F-16, MiG-29, Viggen, F-14, and Mirage 2000 you don't stand a chance, unless the enemy pilot is extremely inexperienced. With countermeasures you are able to survive for longer if you can time their use and can dodge without losing too much of your speed. In GRB you can easily pick off enemy SPAA once you have unlocked your laser guided bombs, so try to fly as high as possible. If you only have dumb bombs you're going to need to stick to the ground as much as possible to avoid enemy AA, you can't linger too much on the battlefield or else the enemy team will begin to prioritise you as a target. You also need to be very weary of what type of enemy air has been spawned in, if you focus too much on ground vehicles you become easy pickings for any enemy aircraft which can take advantage of you not realising they're there. In conclusion, play a reserved role and only engage when you think its clear.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Good acceleration and excellent top speed
** Higher bomb load and speed than SU-22
* Mauser BK27 guns have decent hitting power and ammunition capacity
* Laser-guided munitions give it a good ground attack capability
* Can work as a figther when necessary
** Variable wing sweep allows it to turn better when at low speeds, or during an emergency at high speed (at the risk of destroying itself)
** Radar assisted gun makes intercepting incoming or leaving planes easier

'''Cons:'''

* Full Bomb loadout can severely limit its maximum speed to about Mach 1.05
* Unstable wings, plane can rip itself apart when bombing at maximum speed at low altitude or when doing negative G manoeuvres
* Bad manoeuvrability makes air-to-air combat challenging, low air-to-air missile amount to compensate unlike other attacker options
* Only has access to 2 x AIM-9L for air-to-air purposes
* No search radar for planning around enemies
* Tracking radar is limited to 5°x6° until the target is locked

== History ==

In 1967, the Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Italy, and the Federal Republic of Germany joined together to form the F-104 Replacement Group to begin joint planning for a Multi-Role Aircraft 75 (MRA-75) as a successor to the Starfighter.

In the UK, there was a need for a successor to the Canberra at the same time. Initially, work was done here on a national development, the BAC TSR.2. After this project was discontinued in 1965, development of a joint swing-wing fighter began with France under the Anglo-French Variable Geometry (AFVG) program. In addition, British forces were looking at introducing the General Dynamics F-111. However, France withdrew from the AFVG project in June 1967, and about six months later the British gave up their option to buy the F-111.

Britain decided to participate in a joint project in 1967 after initial coordination discussions with the F-104 Replacement Group nations. In 1968, the participating countries signed an initial memorandum that aimed at a joint project called the Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA). At this point, Canada and Belgium withdrew their intentions to participate, followed shortly thereafter by the Netherlands.

In 1969, the definition phase began. The concept of the swing-wing was retained because of its versatility. The goal of the remaining nations, Germany, Italy and Great Britain, was to build a multi-role combat aircraft that could be used for conventional as well as nuclear air attacks, aerial reconnaissance and naval warfare from the air. The Warsaw Pact was seen as an adversary with a strong air defense and, at the same time, the ability to take offensive action against NATO itself with a large force deployment. The emphasis of the resulting operational requirements was therefore on high assertiveness and robustness. To ensure this, the new aircraft was required, among other things, to be capable of extreme low-level flight and precise weapons employment in all weather conditions, day and night, and also to have highly effective self-protection equipment. In addition, it was to be capable of using runways damaged by enemy air attacks. The UK also defined a requirement for a long-range interceptor fighter.

To ensure adequate representation of the interests of the participating nations in this multinational project, their governments decided to establish a joint organization under the NATO umbrella, the NATO Multi-Role Combat Aircraft Development and Production Management Organization (NAMMO). A separate agency, NAMMA, was established as the executive body with personnel from the three nations. NAMMA's mission was expanded in 1987 to include in-service support (NATO Multi-Role Combat Aircraft Development, Production and In-Service Support Management Agency). The agency merged with NEFMA from the Eurofighter program in 1995 to form the NATO EF 2000 and Tornado Development, Production & Logistics Management Agency (NETMA).

The industrial groups involved in the program, British Aircraft Corporation (BAC), Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB) and Fiat Aviazione, merged to form the independent international Panavia Aircraft GmbH, based in Munich, which had overall responsibility during the production phase and was the sole point of contact for NAMMA.

In 1969, the invitation to tender was issued for the development of the engine. Here, the British company Rolls-Royce came out on top with the Turbo-Union RB199 engine against the American manufacturers Pratt & Whitney and General Electric, partly because of the high degree of technology transfer offered to the other participating nations. The Turbo-Union Ltd. consortium, based in Great Britain and involving Rolls-Royce, Motoren- und Turbinen-Union (MTU) and Fiat, was set up to manufacture the engine.

Development began on July 20, 1970, after the United Kingdom had prevailed with the concept of the two-seat twin-engine aircraft; based on experience with the F-104 and the Fiat G.91 and for cost reasons, Germany had originally called for only one pilot and only one engine. The envisaged number of aircraft declined from 1,500 (GB: 300, D: 550, I: 200, others: 600) in 1968, including the British fighter version, to 809 (GB: 385, D: 324, I: 100) in 1972. Overall, delivery figures over the entire production and service period totaled: GB: 402, D: 357, I: 100. Production of the assemblies proceeded according to a division of labor. The cockpit and tail sections as well as the vertical stabilizer were manufactured by BAC (later BAE Systems), MBB (later DASA and EADS) produced the center fuselage section and the air intakes, and Fiat (later Aeritalia and Alenia Aeronautica) produced the wings with the high-lift aids. Final assembly took place from 1973 at three sites in Warton (Lancashire, UK), Manching (Germany) and Turin (Italy).

The maiden flight took place in Manching, Germany on August 14, 1974, and in 1976 the aircraft, until then designated MRCA, was given the name Tornado.

Series production began in 1979. In 1980, the first Tornado was delivered to the Tri-National Tornado Training Establishment (TTTE) at Cottesmore for flying crew training. Equipment for operational units in the United Kingdom and Germany began in 1982, followed by Italy in 1984 and Saudi Arabia, the sole export customer, in 1986.

In late 1989, the U.S. Department of Defense investigated whether the Tornado could be used by U.S. air forces in the Wild Weasel role to replace the Phantom F-4G. However, this consideration was discarded in the early 1990s in favor of the existing F-16s.

From 1990 to 1991, the German Electronic Combat and Reconnaissance (ECR) variants were produced, which would later play an important role in the Balkan War. In 1991, the South Korean Air Force expressed interest in purchasing 50 Tornado ECRs. Due to delays caused by technical problems, the number was initially reduced to 24, and eventually the intention was abandoned.

In 1995, 339 Tornado fighter aircraft were in service with the Bundeswehr (Air Force and German Navy). Production of the Tornados then ended in 1998, after a total of 992 had been produced.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=tornado_ids_de_assta1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|3kVkp5-IeNQ|'''The Shooting Range #340''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:24 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;[[Tornado (Family)|Related development]]

* [[Tornado GR.1]]
* [[Tornado IDS (1995) (Italy)]]

== External links ==

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

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

{{AirManufacturer Panavia}}
{{Germany jet aircraft}}

F-84 (Family)

2023-10-01T12:13:44Z

U82748623: The F-84 of the Israeli air force was listed twice. Headings have been re arranged for better clarity

==Description==
The Republic F-84 Thunderjet was an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft.

;F-84 nomenclature

* F-84 variants A-E and G were straight-wing versions of the jet referred to as Thunderjet.
* F-84 and RF-84 variant F was a swept-wing version referred to as Thunderstreak and Thunderflash. While only supposed to be a slight modification from the earlier variants, major modifications to the airframe were needed to make room for the larger Wright J65 turbojet.
* XF-84 variant H was an experimental turboprop version of the F-84F referred to as Thunderscreech.

==Vehicles==

=== '''Thunderjets''' ===

===Rank V===

* [[F-84B-26]]
* [[F-84G-21-RE]]
* ␗[[F-84G-21-RE (China)]]
* ▄[[F-84G-21-RE (Italy)]]
* ▄[[F-84G-26-RE (France)]]
* ␗[[F-84G-31-RE (China)]]

=== Thunderstreaks ===

=== '''Rank V''' ===

* [[F-84F]]

===Rank VI===

* ▀[[F-84F (Germany)]]
* ▄[[F-84F (Italy)]]
* ▄[[F-84F (France)]]
* [[F-84F (Israel)]]

[[Category:Family pages]]