Last updated: Tuesday, 02 October 2007.

 

THE ZONE Armoury

NATO

Infantry Small Arms

Infantry Support Weapons

Anti-Tank Guided Weapons

Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicles

Armoured Personnel Carriers

Infantry Fighting Vehicles

Main Battle Tanks

Self Propelled Artillery

Air Defence Systems

 

Warsaw Pact

Infantry Small Arms

Infantry Support Weapons

Anti-Tank Guided Weapons

Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicles

Armoured Personnel Carriers

Infantry Fighting Vehicles

Main Battle Tanks

Self Propelled Artillery

Air Defence Systems

 

THE ZONE • ARMOURY

Weapons, Small Arms, Armoured Fighting Vehicles which appear in THE ZONE

 

Infantry Small Arms (ISA):

Individual operated weapons including: Pistols, Sub Machine Guns, Rifles, Assault Rifles, Sniper Rifles,

 

Infantry Support Weapons (ISW):

Heavy or crew operated weapon systems including: Grenade Launchers, Mortars, Surface to Air Missiles,

 

Anti-Tank Guided Weapons (ATGW):

 

Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicles (ARV):

 

Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC):

The Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) is an infantry transport vehicle with light armour and limited firepower (usually one or more machine guns). The APC is a "battle taxi." It is intended to carry soldiers to the combat zone, where they dismount to fight.

 

Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV):

The Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) is designed to fight with soldiers onboard, to carry the soldiers forward without dismounting them if possible, and to support them with direct fires if they do dismount. The IFV has more protection and firepower than the APC. Also known as an infantry combat vehicle (ICV) or a mechanized infantry combat vehicle (MICV).


Main Battle Tanks (MBT):

 

Self Propelled Artillery (SPA):

 

 

 

 
 

Last updated: Tuesday, 02 October 2007.

WW3THEZONE website established 3 March 2007 Copyright James Rouch & Ian Taylor

 

 

NATO

 

Infantry Small Arms: ISA

     

Britain

    
FN FAL 1958-?

The Fusil Automatique Léger (Light Automatic Rifle) or FAL is a 7.62x51 NATO self-loading, selective fire rifle produced by the Belgian armaments manufacturer Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (FN) during the Cold War, and adopted by many North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries. It has also been adopted by many other nations for their armies as well as being a popular civilian rifle. The FN FAL was also produced under licence in many of the adopting countries.

Specifications
Weight 4.0–4.45 kg (8.8–9.8 lb)
Length 1,090 mm (43 in)
Barrel length 533 mm (21 in)
Cartridge 7.62x51 NATO (production models)
7.92x33, .280 British (prototypes)
Action Gas-operated, tilting block
Rate of fire 650 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity 823 m/s (2,700 ft/s)
Effective range 600 m (656 yd)
Feed system 20 or 30-round detachable box magazine
Sights Aperture rear sight, hooded post front sight

L85A2 IW (SA80) 1985-1994

SA80 (Small Arms for the 1980s) is a family of related arms that include the British Armed Forces's standard combat rifle. It is of the bullpup configuration. The SA80 was originally designed and manufactured by the Enfield Royal Small Arms Factory (now BAE Systems Land Systems Munitions & Ordnance), the origin of the earlier name, Enfield Weapon System (EWS), it was introduced into service in 1985. Due to reliability problems, Heckler & Koch (then a division of British Aerospace) were commissioned in 2000 by the Ministry of Defence to refurbish the SA80. The SA80 is likely to remain the primary infantry weapon in British use until 2015.

Specifications
Weight 4.98 kg (loaded); 6.47 kg (with grenade launcher);
6.58 kg (LSW, loaded)
Length 785 mm;
900 mm (LSW)
Barrel length 518 mm, 646 mm (LSW)
Cartridge 5.56 x 45 mm NATO
Caliber 5.56 mm
Action Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire ~650 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity 940 m/s;
970 m/s (LSW)
Effective range 400 m (L85); 800 m (LSW)
Feed system Various STANAG Magazines.
Sights Tritium-illuminated telescopic sight (standard)  

 

Infantry Support Weapons: ISA

Britain    

FN Minimi GPMG XXX XXX-?

The FN Minimi is a squad automatic weapon — the name coming from Mini-mitrailleuse (French: "mini-machine gun". It is a 5.56 x 45 mm NATO light machine gun manufactured by the Belgian arms manfuacturer Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (FN) and its subsidiaries.

The Minimi was the winner of a competition carried out by the U.S. military in the late 1970s–early 1980s for a new squad automatic weapon and adopted as the US M249, which is made by FNH USA, the American subsidiary of FN. Since then, the Minimi has been adopted by many other countries, especially among NATO members.

The Minimi was one of many firearms that came about as a result NATO's adoption of a new smaller round replacing the previous standard 7.62 mm. The winner of the trials was the Belgian cartridge, the SS109, which was developed for use with the Minimi.

 Place of origin: Belgium
Manufacturer: FN Herstal
Variants M249 Squad Automatic Weapon
Weight 7.1 kg
Length 1,038 mm (41 in)
Para: 914 mm (stock extended), 766 mm (retracted)
Barrel length: 465 mm (18 in)
Para: 349 mm
Cartridge 5.56 x 45 mm NATO (STANAG 4172), 7.62×51 NATO
Action Gas-operated, open bolt
Rate of fire 725 round/min with linked belt
Effective range 1,000 m
Para: 800 m
Feed system 200-round M27 disintegrating belts
100 or 200-round reusable soft packs , 100-round Beta C-Mag
30-round STANAG magazines

USA

    

MK19-02 Automatic Grenade Launcher XXX XXX-?

 

The Mk 19 fires 40 mm grenades at a cyclic rate of 325 to 375 rounds per minute, giving a practical rate of fire of 60 rounds per minute (rapid) and 40 rounds per minute (sustained). The weapon operates on the blowback principle, which uses the chamber pressure from each fired round to load and re-cock the weapon. The Mk 19 is able to lob its grenade at a maximum distance of 2,212 meters, though its effective range for a point target is about 1,500 meters , since the large rear leaf sight is only graduated to 1500 meters. The nearest safe distance to launch the grenade is 75 meters. In addition, the Mk 19's flash suppressor and its lack of smoke during firing makes it difficult for enemies to spot and counter it. For night operation, an AN/TVS-5 night vision sight can be fitted.

 

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Anti-Tank Guided Weapons: ATGW

Britain

    
 

XXX XXX-?

 

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Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicles: ARV

Britain    

Scimitar CVR(T) 1972-?

 

Scimitar is a fast and agile armoured vehicle with a primary role to gather information. The vehicles exceptionally low ground pressure and small size make it useful where the terrain is hostile and movement difficult. Scimitar carries a 30mm Rarden cannon for self-defence. It is used by reconnaissance regiments of the Royal Armoured Corps and ‘recce’ elements of the armoured infantry.

 Crew 3
Length 4.9m
Height 2.1m
Width 2.24m
Ground Clearance 0.35m
Combat weight 8,070kg
Main armament 1 x 30mm L21 Rarden cannon, Coaxial 7.62mm GPMG, Smoke grenades
Ammunition carried 160 rounds of 30mm, 3,000 rounds of 7.62mm
Engine Cummins BTA 5.9 diesel engine developing 190hp.
Maximum speed 80 kph
USA    

M551 Sheridan 1965-1997

 

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Armoured Personnel Carriers: APC

Britain

    

FV432 'Trojan' 1962-?

The adaptable FV430 series soldiers on in a variety of specialist roles, including recovery and repair vehicle, mortar carrier and radar vehicle.

An FV434 recovery vehicle is designed for use by detachments of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

The FV432 Armoured Personnel Carrier has been replaced by the Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle.

Crew: 2 + 10 Troops

Length: 11.55m (Gun forward)
Width: 2.8m
Height to turret roof : 2.28m
Combat Weight: 15,280kg

Armament: 7.62 mm General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG).

The Berlin Brigade fitted 30mm Rarden Cannon to their FV432s.
Ammunition: 4000 rounds 7.62mm

Engine: Rolls Royce K60
Maximum Speed: 52kph

Infantry Fighting Vehicles: IFV

Britain

    

FV499 Hover Infantry Combat Vehicle (HICV).  1987-?

Crew: Commander, Driver, Gunner, ECM Radio/Radar Officer, plus eight infantry.

Armament: 30mm Rarden cannon, 7.92mm AA machine-gun. Provision for 3x ATGW and 3x SAM mounted externally.
Armour: Classified, believed to be composite hull, Chobham turret.
Combat weight: 15.4 tons.

Engines: Late production models fitted with twin Allison turbofans developing 2,480 hp max.

Speed: Classified.
Systems: Fitted NBC, night vision, automatic fire-suppression, ECM, decoy and smoke generation, passive and active locators.

FV510 Warrior (MICV)  1980-?

 

The Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle has the speed and performance to keep up with Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks over the most difficult terrain, and the firepower and armour to support infantry in the assault. A highly successful armoured fighting vehicle, Warrior can be fitted with Enhanced Armour and is continuously being updated.

Crew: 3 + 7 troops.

Hull Length: 6.34m
Height to Turret Roof: 2.791m
Width: 3.034m
Ground Clearance: 0.49m
Combat Weight: 24,500kg

Armament: 30mm L21 Rarden cannon, Co-axial 7.62mm chain gun, Smoke dischargers.

Engine: Rolls Royce CV8 diesel
Maximum Speed: 75kph
Maximum Range: 660km

West Germany

    

Marder 1971- ?

 

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Main Battle Tanks: MBT

Britain

  

 

Cromwell 1942-1952

 

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Centurion 1946-1962

 

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Chieftain 1967-1995

 

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Challenger I 1983-1991

 

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Challenger II 1991-?

The superb Challenger 2 (CR2) is the British Army’s Main Battle Tank. CR2 is based on the Challenger 1 that served with distinction on operations in the Gulf War and the Balkans. Only 5 per cent of Challenger 2 components are interchangeable with its predecessor; over 150 major modifications include a completely new turret, L30 CHARM 120mm gun and second generation Chobham armour.

Crew: 4

Length: 11.55m (Gun forward)
Width: 3.5m
Height to turret roof : 2.49m
Combat Weight: 62,500kg

Main Armament: 120mm L30 CHARM (CHallenger main ARmament) Gun
Secondary Armament: Co-axial 7.62mm chain gun, 7.62mm GPMG (Turret Mounted)
Engine: 1200bhp Perkins-Condor CV12
Maximum Speed: 59kph

USA

 

 

M48

 

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M60A1

 

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M60A2 1974-1982

 

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M60A3

 

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M1 Abrams 1981-1984

 

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M1A1 Abrams 1984-1995

 

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M1A2 Abrams 1995-1999

 

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M1A2 SEP Abrams 1999-?

 

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West Germany

  

 

M48M2GA2

 

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Leopard 1

 

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Leopard 2 1979-

 

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Leopard 2A5

 

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SPA: Self Propelled Artillery

Britain

  

 

XXX 19XX-19XX

 

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ADS: Air Defence Systems

 

West Germany

  

Gepard 35mm SPAA

 

Uses a Leopard 1 tank chassis. Auxiliary power unit has 90hp (67 kw) engine.

Gepard 1A2 is an upgraded variant with new FCS, including stabilized thermal sight and video auto-tracker, integrated C2, increased range, reduced reaction time, and FAPDS ammunition.

 

Crew: 2

Armament: Two 35x228mm KDA cannons. 8 Smoke launchers.
Armour: 40mm
Combat weight: 46t

Engines: 830 hp (619 kw) diesel

Speed: 65 km/h
Systems:

Target tracking: Detection Range: 15 km.  Tracking Range: 15 km.

Frequency Band: Ku

 

Clients: West Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium.

In Service: 1973 -  Current.

 

Warsaw Pact

 

Infantry Small Arms: ISA

USSR    

AK74 1974-?

When it first appeared, the AK-74 was assumed to be a limited-production version to equip special forces. In reality, the Soviet Union mass produced this rifle to replace their inventory of AKM weapons entirely. The AK-74 differs in a number of ways from the AKM, most notably the distinctive muzzle brake, which is designed to reduce the already mild recoil and muzzle climb of the AK-74. Though it is an effective muzzle brake, it is extremely loud. Other differences are the magazine has a much shallower curve, owing to the smaller cartridge used and "lightening cuts" on each side of the buttstock. A requirement of the new rifle to be lighter in weight than the AKM. Current production versions also employ a mounting rail on the left side of the receiver for fixing accessories such as an optical sight or flashlight.

Originally, the AK-74 had a laminated-wood stock (1973-1985), but later production models, as well as the current AK-74M, use "plum" (an earlier colour, used from about 1985-89) or black (1989-present) glass-filled polyamide, giving the rifle an all-black finish. The AK-74M also uses a plastic side-folding stock.

 Place of origin Soviet Union
In service 1974 –
Designer: Mikhail Kalashnikov
Variants
AK-74M, AKS-74, AKS-74U, RPK-74
Specifications
Weight: 3.3 kg
Length: 943 mm
Barrel length: 415 mm
Cartridge: 5.45 x 39 mm
Action: Gas-Operated, Rotating bolt (with 2 lugs)
Rate of fire: 600 – 650 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity: 900 m/s (~2952 f/s)
Effective range: 500 m
Feed system: 30 round detachable box magazine)
Sights: Adjustable Iron sights, optional mount required for Telescopic sight

 

Infantry Support Weapons: ISA

USSR

    

AGS17 1971-Current

The AGS-17 is a heavy infantry support weapon designed to operate from a tripod or mounted on an installation or vehicle. The AGS-17 fires a steady rate of 30 mm grenades in either direct or indirect fire modes to provide suppressive and lethal fire support against soft skinned targets or fortifications targets. The weapon operates using a blowback mechanism to sustain operation. Rounds are fired through a rifled barrel which is removable quickly to reduce barrel stress. Ammunition is held in a metal box feed, and is linked. Standard boxes contain 29 rounds of linked ammunition. The tripod is equipped with fine leveling gear for indirect fire trajectories.

It is still in use with Russian army as a direct fire support weapon for infantry troops; it is also installed in several vehicle mounts and turrets along with machine guns, guided rocket launchers and sighting equipment. A special airborne version AG-17A was installed in door mounts of several Mil Mi-8 Hip combat transport helicopters, and on gun pods used on late model Mi-24 Hind gunships; this weapon had thick aluminium jacket on the barrel and used a special mount and electric remotely controlled trigger.

 Place of origin: Soviet Union
In service: 1970-Present
Designer: KBP Instrument Design Bureau
Designed: 1967
Manufacturer: KBP Instrument Design Bureau
Specifications
Weight: 31 kg
Cartridge: 30mm grenade
Action: Blowback
Rate of fire: 400 round/min
Muzzle velocity: 185 m/s
Effective range: 1700 m
Feed system: 30 rounds
Sights: Adjustable iron sights, optional mount required for optical sights

 

Anti-Tank Guided Weapons: ATGW

USSR

    
 

XXX XXX-?

 

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Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicles: ARV

USSR    

PT-76 1952-?

 

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Armoured Personnel Carriers: APC

USSR    
 

XXX XXX-?

 

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Infantry Fighting Vehicles: IFV

USSR    

BMP-1 1974- ?

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BMP-2 1980- ?

Crew: 3 + 7 passengers

Armament: 30mm 2A42 automatic gun, 7.62mm PKT machine gun, 9P135M1/M3 AT-4/AT-5 ATGM launcher. SACLOS; wire-guided
Armour: Turret front: 0.9-1.3 in (23-33 mm)
Combat weight: 15.76 tons (14.3 mt)

Engines: 300 hp (224 kw) diesel

Speed: 40 mph (65 km/h), 22 mph (35 km/h)

Firing ports: 4 on left side, 3 on right side, 1 in left rear door
Systems: Collective NBC, Appliqué Armour and ERA Available. 

 

Main Battle Tanks: MBT

USSR  

 

T-54

 

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T-55

 

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T-62

 

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T-64

 

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T-72

 

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T-80

 

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T-84

 

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T-90

 

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SPA: Self Propelled Artillery

USSR

  

 

XXX 19XX-19XX

 

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