Russkya
09-02-2008, 20:08
Бронированный Разведывательный Автомобиль
(Armoured Reconnaissance Car "Marauder")
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Preface:
The Бронированный Разведывательный Автомобиль [БРА/BRA] (Bronirovaniye Razvedoivatyelniy Avtomobil) or Armoured Reconnaissance Car, was developed between 2005-2007 to provide Russkyan Army Armoured Reconnaissance forces with a quiet, highly mobile combat vehicle capable of keeping up with the Fennek and L-16CRV "Vixen" reconnaissance vehicles.
Intended to be deployed as the primary vehicle of the Armoured Car Squadron, the BRA is meant to use its high speed to outmanoeuvre the enemy during high-mobility operations, striking into his flanks and rear. The combination of firepower, high mobility, and operational range - useful for patrol and interdiction operations - has also aroused the interest of the Russkyan Border Guards. The base designation of the vehicle is somewhat misleading, as Marauder carries no dedicated reconnaissance equipment.
Basic Design, Crew Placement, & Accomodations:
BRA Marauder is a eight-wheeled armoured car with a monocoque hull in a traditional layout. The turret is centered in the vehicle, with the engine located immediately aft. The two-man turret is fitted with an LWLR-30 maingun and a Ob.640-type autoloader, gunner seated on the left of the gun and commander on the right. The driver is seated on the centerline of the hull. All crew are provided with comfortable shock-padded seats fitted with four-point quick release safety harnesses.
The Marauder is equipped with an air conditioning system and a heating system to increase crew comfort. A fifteen liter cooled water tank further increases crew comfort and the endurance of said crew over long operations. Personal equipment and vehicle equipment, such as cold weather clothing and repair tools are carried in a series of armoured storage boxes along the flanks of the hull, very sturdily constructed so as to provide structural support for explosive reactive armours or other appliqués.
These armoured boxes are protected against 7.62x51mm Armour Piercing ammunition from a minimum range of one hundred meters, and provide some predetonation protection and an ad-hoc form of spaced armour protection to the hull's flanks.
The vehicle commander enters through a single-piece turret roof hatch that opens to the rear, as does the gunner. The driver enters through a single-piece hatch that slides open to the left. All hatches, escape hatches included, are lined with rubber gaskets and equipped with locks to either lock them shut or in their open position, removing crew concerns of being bashed with a hatch falling free on rough terrain. Escape hatches are provided to the turret crew on the lower left and right sides of the hull, between the forward pair and aft pair of wheels. The driver's escape hatch is located on the underside of the hull.
Mobility:
Primary powerplant for the BRA is the Sumarian Guarita DO64-2T01 six-cylinder multifuel externally forced induction engine. Rated for three thousand (3000) RPM, the compact, lightweight engine has a rated output of 800 horsepower. Fuel consumption is roughly 1.8 litres per kilometer. DO64-2T01 features a built in gas turbine to act as an auxilary power unit, which can power a pair of turbochargers to provide an instantaneous high-pressure boost. With a total weight of only 440kg, a total volume of 6.6L, and dimensions of L600mm/W500mm/H550mm, the RMSMC was hard pressed to develop an equivalent engine. Ceding defeat to the skilled Guarita designers, the DO64-2T01's domestic production rights were obtained and the engine was promptly installed on the Marauder.
The engine is fitted on a tray, riding two rails installed inside the engine compartment. This enables the engine compartment access cover to be lifted and the engine to be slid out for maintenance and repair. In addition to the primary fuel tank, two 210L fuel tanks can be carried on the aft rear of the hull. They feed directly to the primary fuel tank and increase operational range considerably.
An 8x8 or 8x4 drive is available to the driver, depending on the tactical situation. BRA is fitted with power-assisted steering on the front four wheels and a high/low gearbox and differential locks. Six forward gears and three reverse comprise the gearbox's options. The adjustable hydro-pneumatic suspension allows for the driver to adjust ground clearance and settings, based on terrain conditions. Marauder is afforded excellent cross-country performance even in hilly terrain thanks to crosswise leveling and automatic roll stabilization systems. The smooth ride over all but very rough ground increases crew comfort and weapon system effectiveness.
Exceptional vertical articulation of each wheel (250mm) not only increases cross-country performance but also provides additional protection against antitank landmine blasts. While not amphibious, the Marauder carries fording gear in a storage box on the right side of the turret. This can generally be installed by a well trained crew in as little as thirty minutes, and enables fording of depths up to four and a half meters. (4.5m)
Armouring & Protection:
The armour pattern utilized by Marauder is very similar to the PLT-24 light tank's armour. The monocoque hull is constructed of a tungsten and steel alloy, identified in Russkyan literature as "WSA17." This is backed with a tungsten alloy mesh. Further protection is provided by a triple-hardened-steel (THS) encased boron-carbide ceramic composite, which is backed with an armour-grade homogenous steel that is face-hardened to 550 Brinell, with the hardness tapering to standard at the 50% point of the plate's thickness. The unhardened rear half of the plate is covered with the kevlar and synthetic standard armoured vehicle spall liner (VSRAL-202) to protect the fighting compartment from splinters. Engine compartment, crew stations, and fuel tank undersides are reinforced with titanium alloy plating to provide additional protection against antitank landmine blasts.
The basic armour pattern is proof against 35mm armour-piercing discarding sabot automatic cannon ammunition from a minimum range of two hundred meters across the frontal 120° arc. Capable of withstanding up to 50mm APFSDS ammunition from a minimum distance of 1.0km, the Marauder boasts equivalent armour protection to the PLT-24 light tank. The flanks of the vehicle are typically found to be safe from up to 25mm automatic cannon fire, with the rear of the vehicle being proof against 15.5x115mm HMG AP fire.
Lessons learned from the RSDASC "Brushwar Study" are incorporated into the mine protection scheme of the vehicle. When a landmine of sufficient force (most antitank types) detonates under a wheel, the wheel flies clear of the vehicle. This prevents major related damage to the axle. Often, the wheels are filled with both water and air to help dissipate blast force, and are self-sealing, capable of sustaining twelve to fifteen (12-15) spaced impacts from 7.62x39mm FMJ ammunition. Should the wheels be punctured, the powerful emergency inflation system (EIS) of the R-16ISC is fitted, to enable the Marauder to retain at least fifty percent of its original mobility.
Much like the South African Rooikat, the BRA can sustain having two same-side wheels blown off without loss of mobility.
A NBCR overpressure system is provided along with inside-the-fighting-compartment storage for NBCR protective equipment. The engine compartment is equipped with an automatic fire detection and suppression system.
The storage boxes alongside the hull flanks provide a measure of predetonation protection and spaced armour protection before any attacking threat can reach the primary hull armouring. Appliqué armours can be fitted, ranging from K5 ERA to later generation Russian, Ukrainian, and Russkyan types, as well as non-explosive armours such as MEXAS, or the Isselmere-Nielander Rampart system. A large armoured storage box with the same specifications as the hull boxes on the left side of the turret is optimized to carry a Russkyan Army standard "Vehicle Camouflage Kit," consisting of the new vehicle camouflage net, poles, and wire. The vehicle can be draped in the net for movement, or while in a stationary position, camouflaged with the use of poles and wire to further break up the outline of the Marauder. Typically, the Marauder is painted with Crinoline infrared-suppressant camouflage paint.
Basic equipment includes twelve (12) 55mm dischargers, racked in a single bank of six each on the forward edge of the turret, one bank on each side of the main gun. These are range-adjustable by the vehicle commander and are angled to generate a frontal 180° smoke-screen. Instead, these dischargers may instead be loaded with antipersonnel munitions. The obscuring smoke ammunition is dark grey in colour and contains a multiband counter-laser screening agent. These launchers may be tied into the optionally fitted Russkyan "Wolfshield" active/passive defence suite or supplemented by that system's own dischargers.
The fuel tanks are baffled to prevent explosion should they be filled with a fuel other than the recommended diesel. The additional fuel drums carried on the aft flanks of the vehicle are equipped with a quick-release, which can be activated by the driver or commander.
Observation, Electronics, & Weapons:
The BRA makes use of numerous optronic vision blocks to provide the crew with all around situational awareness. The driver is provided with three, affording him a full view of the vehicle's frontal 120° arc. These vision blocks are capable of operating in "standard," passive night vision, or passive infrared. Two driving lights are provided, they are mounted side by side on the left side of the lower frontal hull. The left-most headlight is a standard driving headlight and the rightmost is a small infrared searchlight that must be manually activated by the driver for night manouvre in safe areas. An armoured periscope offering 1-4x magnification, compatible with night vision equipment, is provided for the driver.
Marauder's vehicle commander is equipped with a cupola featuring eight vision blocks identical in function to the driver's for a full 360° view. A 1-12x variable-magnification "standard, night, infrared" optic is fitted to the low-profile overhead weapons station (LPOWS) that is installed forward and to the left of the cupola; this unfortunately restricts part of the commander's vision from his cupola. From his station he has access to the Stoat TMS display and Battlefield Situational Awareness Monitor, or BSAM.
Optical equipment available to the gunner includes his primary sight, which is mounted on the turret roof and consists of a 1-12x magnification optronic (day/passive night/infrared) with an integral laser rangefinder. This provides data to the fire control system (RAOK-7), which measures cant, windspeed and direction, barrel temperature, barrel wear, weapon tilt, environmental data such as humidity and ambient temperature, recoil characteristics of the primary ordnance, and ballistic offsets of the loaded ammunition type. An Optronic Panoramic Situational Awareness Set (OPSAS) is made available to the gunner as well, to allow for superior situational awareness while "buttoned up" when the maingun is not in use. The OPSAS has no magnification, but provides day/night/infrared capability with a panoramic 360° view that does not require the gunner to move his head.
A secondary optical sight supplemented with a forward looking infrared system is mounted to the right of the maingun, and marked with rangefinding stadia appropriate for all commonly carried ammunition types (125mm HE-F, HEAT, APFSDS) as well as the coaxial 9.3x64mm machinegun (KRA-03PT) from ranges of 100-1500 meters. When the RAOK-7 system is in use and the FCS computer has completed calculations (standard reaction time from lasing target to ready to fire indicator: 0.7-1.24 seconds), it will display a green indicator light in the top left of the gunner's field of view.
The Stoat Threat Management System, or TMS, categorizes and prioritizes dangers to the vehicle, orders handed down from higher formations, and targets of opportunity in accordance with mission objectives inputted by the vehicle commander. This information is then posted to each of the crew stations on a ruggedized Liquid Crystal Display BSAM. To perform this nessecary function, the TMS collects and collates data from all available active and passive sensors in addition to information available from other vehicles in the unit. The Stoat TMS can retain up to 48 Points of Interest (POI) within a specific grid area as well as up to 24 pre-plotted POI for a total of 180 POI. Above that limit, the Stoat de-prioritizes the least threatening of "new" POI, or alternatively the vehicle commander may deselect individual POI or grid areas in part or in their entirety. Stoat TMS in Russkyan service is equipped with a software suite enabling the vehicle to be updated with new symbology as appropriate to the latest version in use with the Russkyan Military and retains the Isselmere-Nielander standard Defence Forces Standard 2184C.
A Position Locator / Designation System (PLDS) updated by the Brono Land Forces secure datalink allows the vehicle's and higher echelon commanders the ability to plot precisely where the vehicle is. The PLDS along with the laser-ring inertial navigation system (LINS) and jam-resistant GPS permit the vehicle to accurately plot its movements and facilitates the calling of supportive fires.
Marauder is fitted with, as standard, a laser warning reciever system covering all aspects of the vehicle. She can also detect when she is being illuminated by an infrared source, such as a searchlight used by early generation night vision equipment as found on certain main battle tanks, and as with the LWR, determine the direction and range to source. The commander is then provided with an option to orient the turret or his LPOWS in that direction. This is independant of any fitted protective suite such as Wolfshield or ARENA. As standard with all Russkyan Army combat vehicles, BRA features NBCR sensors for protection of the crew.
Communications with higher command echelons are provided by a medium range radio (25.0km) and a long range radio (75.0km), both encrypted, as opposed to secured. The three-man crew is equipped with communications headsets, broadcasting on a secured wireless frequency or through the vehicle's intercom system via a wired backup connection. The headsets are variable-frequency and encryption-capable, enabling them to connect to communication nets in use with supporting Infantry or other service-branch units, and easing the task of coordination, should nearby infantry be equipped with Personal Role Radios or Section Radios.
The primary ordnance is the Lightweight Low-Recoil 125mm smoothbore gun, developed for the PLT-24 "Valkyrie" light tank. It is fitted with a pepperpot-type muzzle brake and fully stabilized, capable of firing all 125mm ammunition types including the latest generation rounds fielded by the Russkyan Army. As mentioned, the gunner's secondary sights are fitted to the right of the weapon. The automatic loader is of Ob.640 type and can handle long-rod APFSDS ammunition and barrel launched ATGMs.
Its loading cycle is as follows:
Upon activation of the automatic loader, the feed-chain rotates to the left or the right to bring the selected ammunition type in line with the loading trough. The direction of the rotation is determined by the proximity of the selected ammunition in the magazine: the system will rotate in the direction that brings the round to the loading trough as quickly as possible. The round is released into the loading trough and rammed via the chain rammer through the port in the front of the autoloader's magazine wall and through the port in the rear of the turret, where the ammunition travels along the loading guide and into the breech. At this point the rammer retracts and the weapon is now ready to fire. Cycle time is typically 3.25 seconds. Exceptions to this are if a round must first be unloaded and replaced by another round, in which case the chain rammer retracts the round into its original storage slot and rotates until the selected ammunition type can be loaded. In this case, cycle time is as much as 8.72 seconds. To facilitate this operation, or the removal of empty casings, the chain rammer's face is similar to that of a rifle bolt with regards to its extractor and controlled feed. In all tested conditions, this design was found to increase reliability over any other automatic loader type.
RAOK-7 is designed to allow the gunner to specify an "order string" in which the automatic loader will load a particular type of ammunition until those rounds are depleted, or specify a series of ammunition to be loaded in sequence, as defined by the gunner. This "string" feature does not override the ability of the gunner to select a particular ammunition type for emergency use if required.
The automatic loader's magazine is either reloaded manually, one round at a time, or replaced entirely by an ammunition resupply vehicle in an operation that takes approximately five minutes. Ammunition capacity for the automatic loader fitted to Marauder is twenty-five rounds of all types, including BLATGM. No provison is made for spare ammunition inside the vehicle.
The coaxial weapon is a 9.3x64mm KRA-03PT general purpose machinegun fed from a single ammunition hopper containing 750 ready rounds of ammunition. A further 1,250 rounds can be carried in the forward hull for replenishment. The LPOWS is fitted with a BRG-15 15.5x115mm heavy machinegun feeding from two selectable hoppers of two hundred and fifty rounds each. A further 1,500 cartridges are carried alongside the spare 9.3x64mm ammunition. If a BRG-15 is not fitted, a common replacement is the KPVT 14.5x115mm weapon. Should the KPVT or other HMG be fitted, the dual hoppers are generally replaced with a single large 500-round hopper.
Variations:
BRA Marauder (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13435933&postcount=1) (Price per unit: 5.23 million)
BRA-E Janus (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13537281&postcount=8) (Price per unit: 5.02 million)
BRA-L Dragon (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14096298&postcount=15) (Price per unit: 5.33 million)
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Specifications, Armoured Reconnaissance Car "Marauder"
Crew: 3 (Vehicle Commander, Gunner, Driver)
Dimensions
- Overall Height: 2.82m
- Overall Length (includes gun): 9.75m
- Overall Width: 2.95m
- Total Weight, Full Combat Load, no appliqués: 31,250kg (31.25 tons)
Armour Protection (Values in RHAe v. KE, no appliqués)
- Hull Front: 210mm
- Hull Flank: 95mm
- Hull Rear: 35mm
- Hull Roof: 25mm
- Turret Front: 190mm
- Turret Flank: 110mm
- Turret Rear: 50mm
- Turret Roof: 30mm
Powerplants: DO64-2T01 Multifuel engine generating 800hp.
Speed
- Maximum Road: 115km/h
- Maximum Cross-Country: 90km/h (smooth ground only)
- Road Cruise: 90km/h
- Cross-Country Cruise: 60km/h
- Water: 5km/h
Maximum Gradient: 70%
Maximum Side-Slope: 30%
Ground Clearance, Hull: 0.60m
Obstacle Clearance, Trench: 2.0m
Obstacle Clearance, Vertical Obstacle: 1.25m
Operational Range (Internal fuel only): 850km
Weapons: LWLR-30 125mm smoothbore cannon w/ 25rnds (turret 360° rotation, -5°/+10° elevation), coaxial 9.3x64mm GPMG w/ 750 ready rounds, 15.5x115mm HMG / 14.5x115mm HMG with 500 ready rounds, 12x 55mm grenade dischargers.
DO64-2T01 Engine Specifications:
Bore: 70mm
Stroke: 2x72mm
Total Volume: 6.6L
Number of Cylinders: Six
Rated RPM: 3000
Rated Output: 800hp
Fuel Consumption: 112 g/hp/h
Length: 600mm
Width: 500mm
Height: 550mm
Weight: 440kg
[OOC: Thanks go to Sumer for the use of the DO64-2T01 engine. Sharp-eyed readers will note major influence from Eland 90 and Rooikat 105 armoured cars, historically minded readers may note influences from WWII armoured vehicles including the German "Puma" and several Daimlers. Pushka, finally decided to put it up for all to see. Sorry about that delay.
If you're interested in buying the vehicle, please contact the RMSMC's overseas sales desk. Cost per unit is listed under variants. DPRs are limited to trusted nations.]
(Armoured Reconnaissance Car "Marauder")
--
Preface:
The Бронированный Разведывательный Автомобиль [БРА/BRA] (Bronirovaniye Razvedoivatyelniy Avtomobil) or Armoured Reconnaissance Car, was developed between 2005-2007 to provide Russkyan Army Armoured Reconnaissance forces with a quiet, highly mobile combat vehicle capable of keeping up with the Fennek and L-16CRV "Vixen" reconnaissance vehicles.
Intended to be deployed as the primary vehicle of the Armoured Car Squadron, the BRA is meant to use its high speed to outmanoeuvre the enemy during high-mobility operations, striking into his flanks and rear. The combination of firepower, high mobility, and operational range - useful for patrol and interdiction operations - has also aroused the interest of the Russkyan Border Guards. The base designation of the vehicle is somewhat misleading, as Marauder carries no dedicated reconnaissance equipment.
Basic Design, Crew Placement, & Accomodations:
BRA Marauder is a eight-wheeled armoured car with a monocoque hull in a traditional layout. The turret is centered in the vehicle, with the engine located immediately aft. The two-man turret is fitted with an LWLR-30 maingun and a Ob.640-type autoloader, gunner seated on the left of the gun and commander on the right. The driver is seated on the centerline of the hull. All crew are provided with comfortable shock-padded seats fitted with four-point quick release safety harnesses.
The Marauder is equipped with an air conditioning system and a heating system to increase crew comfort. A fifteen liter cooled water tank further increases crew comfort and the endurance of said crew over long operations. Personal equipment and vehicle equipment, such as cold weather clothing and repair tools are carried in a series of armoured storage boxes along the flanks of the hull, very sturdily constructed so as to provide structural support for explosive reactive armours or other appliqués.
These armoured boxes are protected against 7.62x51mm Armour Piercing ammunition from a minimum range of one hundred meters, and provide some predetonation protection and an ad-hoc form of spaced armour protection to the hull's flanks.
The vehicle commander enters through a single-piece turret roof hatch that opens to the rear, as does the gunner. The driver enters through a single-piece hatch that slides open to the left. All hatches, escape hatches included, are lined with rubber gaskets and equipped with locks to either lock them shut or in their open position, removing crew concerns of being bashed with a hatch falling free on rough terrain. Escape hatches are provided to the turret crew on the lower left and right sides of the hull, between the forward pair and aft pair of wheels. The driver's escape hatch is located on the underside of the hull.
Mobility:
Primary powerplant for the BRA is the Sumarian Guarita DO64-2T01 six-cylinder multifuel externally forced induction engine. Rated for three thousand (3000) RPM, the compact, lightweight engine has a rated output of 800 horsepower. Fuel consumption is roughly 1.8 litres per kilometer. DO64-2T01 features a built in gas turbine to act as an auxilary power unit, which can power a pair of turbochargers to provide an instantaneous high-pressure boost. With a total weight of only 440kg, a total volume of 6.6L, and dimensions of L600mm/W500mm/H550mm, the RMSMC was hard pressed to develop an equivalent engine. Ceding defeat to the skilled Guarita designers, the DO64-2T01's domestic production rights were obtained and the engine was promptly installed on the Marauder.
The engine is fitted on a tray, riding two rails installed inside the engine compartment. This enables the engine compartment access cover to be lifted and the engine to be slid out for maintenance and repair. In addition to the primary fuel tank, two 210L fuel tanks can be carried on the aft rear of the hull. They feed directly to the primary fuel tank and increase operational range considerably.
An 8x8 or 8x4 drive is available to the driver, depending on the tactical situation. BRA is fitted with power-assisted steering on the front four wheels and a high/low gearbox and differential locks. Six forward gears and three reverse comprise the gearbox's options. The adjustable hydro-pneumatic suspension allows for the driver to adjust ground clearance and settings, based on terrain conditions. Marauder is afforded excellent cross-country performance even in hilly terrain thanks to crosswise leveling and automatic roll stabilization systems. The smooth ride over all but very rough ground increases crew comfort and weapon system effectiveness.
Exceptional vertical articulation of each wheel (250mm) not only increases cross-country performance but also provides additional protection against antitank landmine blasts. While not amphibious, the Marauder carries fording gear in a storage box on the right side of the turret. This can generally be installed by a well trained crew in as little as thirty minutes, and enables fording of depths up to four and a half meters. (4.5m)
Armouring & Protection:
The armour pattern utilized by Marauder is very similar to the PLT-24 light tank's armour. The monocoque hull is constructed of a tungsten and steel alloy, identified in Russkyan literature as "WSA17." This is backed with a tungsten alloy mesh. Further protection is provided by a triple-hardened-steel (THS) encased boron-carbide ceramic composite, which is backed with an armour-grade homogenous steel that is face-hardened to 550 Brinell, with the hardness tapering to standard at the 50% point of the plate's thickness. The unhardened rear half of the plate is covered with the kevlar and synthetic standard armoured vehicle spall liner (VSRAL-202) to protect the fighting compartment from splinters. Engine compartment, crew stations, and fuel tank undersides are reinforced with titanium alloy plating to provide additional protection against antitank landmine blasts.
The basic armour pattern is proof against 35mm armour-piercing discarding sabot automatic cannon ammunition from a minimum range of two hundred meters across the frontal 120° arc. Capable of withstanding up to 50mm APFSDS ammunition from a minimum distance of 1.0km, the Marauder boasts equivalent armour protection to the PLT-24 light tank. The flanks of the vehicle are typically found to be safe from up to 25mm automatic cannon fire, with the rear of the vehicle being proof against 15.5x115mm HMG AP fire.
Lessons learned from the RSDASC "Brushwar Study" are incorporated into the mine protection scheme of the vehicle. When a landmine of sufficient force (most antitank types) detonates under a wheel, the wheel flies clear of the vehicle. This prevents major related damage to the axle. Often, the wheels are filled with both water and air to help dissipate blast force, and are self-sealing, capable of sustaining twelve to fifteen (12-15) spaced impacts from 7.62x39mm FMJ ammunition. Should the wheels be punctured, the powerful emergency inflation system (EIS) of the R-16ISC is fitted, to enable the Marauder to retain at least fifty percent of its original mobility.
Much like the South African Rooikat, the BRA can sustain having two same-side wheels blown off without loss of mobility.
A NBCR overpressure system is provided along with inside-the-fighting-compartment storage for NBCR protective equipment. The engine compartment is equipped with an automatic fire detection and suppression system.
The storage boxes alongside the hull flanks provide a measure of predetonation protection and spaced armour protection before any attacking threat can reach the primary hull armouring. Appliqué armours can be fitted, ranging from K5 ERA to later generation Russian, Ukrainian, and Russkyan types, as well as non-explosive armours such as MEXAS, or the Isselmere-Nielander Rampart system. A large armoured storage box with the same specifications as the hull boxes on the left side of the turret is optimized to carry a Russkyan Army standard "Vehicle Camouflage Kit," consisting of the new vehicle camouflage net, poles, and wire. The vehicle can be draped in the net for movement, or while in a stationary position, camouflaged with the use of poles and wire to further break up the outline of the Marauder. Typically, the Marauder is painted with Crinoline infrared-suppressant camouflage paint.
Basic equipment includes twelve (12) 55mm dischargers, racked in a single bank of six each on the forward edge of the turret, one bank on each side of the main gun. These are range-adjustable by the vehicle commander and are angled to generate a frontal 180° smoke-screen. Instead, these dischargers may instead be loaded with antipersonnel munitions. The obscuring smoke ammunition is dark grey in colour and contains a multiband counter-laser screening agent. These launchers may be tied into the optionally fitted Russkyan "Wolfshield" active/passive defence suite or supplemented by that system's own dischargers.
The fuel tanks are baffled to prevent explosion should they be filled with a fuel other than the recommended diesel. The additional fuel drums carried on the aft flanks of the vehicle are equipped with a quick-release, which can be activated by the driver or commander.
Observation, Electronics, & Weapons:
The BRA makes use of numerous optronic vision blocks to provide the crew with all around situational awareness. The driver is provided with three, affording him a full view of the vehicle's frontal 120° arc. These vision blocks are capable of operating in "standard," passive night vision, or passive infrared. Two driving lights are provided, they are mounted side by side on the left side of the lower frontal hull. The left-most headlight is a standard driving headlight and the rightmost is a small infrared searchlight that must be manually activated by the driver for night manouvre in safe areas. An armoured periscope offering 1-4x magnification, compatible with night vision equipment, is provided for the driver.
Marauder's vehicle commander is equipped with a cupola featuring eight vision blocks identical in function to the driver's for a full 360° view. A 1-12x variable-magnification "standard, night, infrared" optic is fitted to the low-profile overhead weapons station (LPOWS) that is installed forward and to the left of the cupola; this unfortunately restricts part of the commander's vision from his cupola. From his station he has access to the Stoat TMS display and Battlefield Situational Awareness Monitor, or BSAM.
Optical equipment available to the gunner includes his primary sight, which is mounted on the turret roof and consists of a 1-12x magnification optronic (day/passive night/infrared) with an integral laser rangefinder. This provides data to the fire control system (RAOK-7), which measures cant, windspeed and direction, barrel temperature, barrel wear, weapon tilt, environmental data such as humidity and ambient temperature, recoil characteristics of the primary ordnance, and ballistic offsets of the loaded ammunition type. An Optronic Panoramic Situational Awareness Set (OPSAS) is made available to the gunner as well, to allow for superior situational awareness while "buttoned up" when the maingun is not in use. The OPSAS has no magnification, but provides day/night/infrared capability with a panoramic 360° view that does not require the gunner to move his head.
A secondary optical sight supplemented with a forward looking infrared system is mounted to the right of the maingun, and marked with rangefinding stadia appropriate for all commonly carried ammunition types (125mm HE-F, HEAT, APFSDS) as well as the coaxial 9.3x64mm machinegun (KRA-03PT) from ranges of 100-1500 meters. When the RAOK-7 system is in use and the FCS computer has completed calculations (standard reaction time from lasing target to ready to fire indicator: 0.7-1.24 seconds), it will display a green indicator light in the top left of the gunner's field of view.
The Stoat Threat Management System, or TMS, categorizes and prioritizes dangers to the vehicle, orders handed down from higher formations, and targets of opportunity in accordance with mission objectives inputted by the vehicle commander. This information is then posted to each of the crew stations on a ruggedized Liquid Crystal Display BSAM. To perform this nessecary function, the TMS collects and collates data from all available active and passive sensors in addition to information available from other vehicles in the unit. The Stoat TMS can retain up to 48 Points of Interest (POI) within a specific grid area as well as up to 24 pre-plotted POI for a total of 180 POI. Above that limit, the Stoat de-prioritizes the least threatening of "new" POI, or alternatively the vehicle commander may deselect individual POI or grid areas in part or in their entirety. Stoat TMS in Russkyan service is equipped with a software suite enabling the vehicle to be updated with new symbology as appropriate to the latest version in use with the Russkyan Military and retains the Isselmere-Nielander standard Defence Forces Standard 2184C.
A Position Locator / Designation System (PLDS) updated by the Brono Land Forces secure datalink allows the vehicle's and higher echelon commanders the ability to plot precisely where the vehicle is. The PLDS along with the laser-ring inertial navigation system (LINS) and jam-resistant GPS permit the vehicle to accurately plot its movements and facilitates the calling of supportive fires.
Marauder is fitted with, as standard, a laser warning reciever system covering all aspects of the vehicle. She can also detect when she is being illuminated by an infrared source, such as a searchlight used by early generation night vision equipment as found on certain main battle tanks, and as with the LWR, determine the direction and range to source. The commander is then provided with an option to orient the turret or his LPOWS in that direction. This is independant of any fitted protective suite such as Wolfshield or ARENA. As standard with all Russkyan Army combat vehicles, BRA features NBCR sensors for protection of the crew.
Communications with higher command echelons are provided by a medium range radio (25.0km) and a long range radio (75.0km), both encrypted, as opposed to secured. The three-man crew is equipped with communications headsets, broadcasting on a secured wireless frequency or through the vehicle's intercom system via a wired backup connection. The headsets are variable-frequency and encryption-capable, enabling them to connect to communication nets in use with supporting Infantry or other service-branch units, and easing the task of coordination, should nearby infantry be equipped with Personal Role Radios or Section Radios.
The primary ordnance is the Lightweight Low-Recoil 125mm smoothbore gun, developed for the PLT-24 "Valkyrie" light tank. It is fitted with a pepperpot-type muzzle brake and fully stabilized, capable of firing all 125mm ammunition types including the latest generation rounds fielded by the Russkyan Army. As mentioned, the gunner's secondary sights are fitted to the right of the weapon. The automatic loader is of Ob.640 type and can handle long-rod APFSDS ammunition and barrel launched ATGMs.
Its loading cycle is as follows:
Upon activation of the automatic loader, the feed-chain rotates to the left or the right to bring the selected ammunition type in line with the loading trough. The direction of the rotation is determined by the proximity of the selected ammunition in the magazine: the system will rotate in the direction that brings the round to the loading trough as quickly as possible. The round is released into the loading trough and rammed via the chain rammer through the port in the front of the autoloader's magazine wall and through the port in the rear of the turret, where the ammunition travels along the loading guide and into the breech. At this point the rammer retracts and the weapon is now ready to fire. Cycle time is typically 3.25 seconds. Exceptions to this are if a round must first be unloaded and replaced by another round, in which case the chain rammer retracts the round into its original storage slot and rotates until the selected ammunition type can be loaded. In this case, cycle time is as much as 8.72 seconds. To facilitate this operation, or the removal of empty casings, the chain rammer's face is similar to that of a rifle bolt with regards to its extractor and controlled feed. In all tested conditions, this design was found to increase reliability over any other automatic loader type.
RAOK-7 is designed to allow the gunner to specify an "order string" in which the automatic loader will load a particular type of ammunition until those rounds are depleted, or specify a series of ammunition to be loaded in sequence, as defined by the gunner. This "string" feature does not override the ability of the gunner to select a particular ammunition type for emergency use if required.
The automatic loader's magazine is either reloaded manually, one round at a time, or replaced entirely by an ammunition resupply vehicle in an operation that takes approximately five minutes. Ammunition capacity for the automatic loader fitted to Marauder is twenty-five rounds of all types, including BLATGM. No provison is made for spare ammunition inside the vehicle.
The coaxial weapon is a 9.3x64mm KRA-03PT general purpose machinegun fed from a single ammunition hopper containing 750 ready rounds of ammunition. A further 1,250 rounds can be carried in the forward hull for replenishment. The LPOWS is fitted with a BRG-15 15.5x115mm heavy machinegun feeding from two selectable hoppers of two hundred and fifty rounds each. A further 1,500 cartridges are carried alongside the spare 9.3x64mm ammunition. If a BRG-15 is not fitted, a common replacement is the KPVT 14.5x115mm weapon. Should the KPVT or other HMG be fitted, the dual hoppers are generally replaced with a single large 500-round hopper.
Variations:
BRA Marauder (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13435933&postcount=1) (Price per unit: 5.23 million)
BRA-E Janus (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=13537281&postcount=8) (Price per unit: 5.02 million)
BRA-L Dragon (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=14096298&postcount=15) (Price per unit: 5.33 million)
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Specifications, Armoured Reconnaissance Car "Marauder"
Crew: 3 (Vehicle Commander, Gunner, Driver)
Dimensions
- Overall Height: 2.82m
- Overall Length (includes gun): 9.75m
- Overall Width: 2.95m
- Total Weight, Full Combat Load, no appliqués: 31,250kg (31.25 tons)
Armour Protection (Values in RHAe v. KE, no appliqués)
- Hull Front: 210mm
- Hull Flank: 95mm
- Hull Rear: 35mm
- Hull Roof: 25mm
- Turret Front: 190mm
- Turret Flank: 110mm
- Turret Rear: 50mm
- Turret Roof: 30mm
Powerplants: DO64-2T01 Multifuel engine generating 800hp.
Speed
- Maximum Road: 115km/h
- Maximum Cross-Country: 90km/h (smooth ground only)
- Road Cruise: 90km/h
- Cross-Country Cruise: 60km/h
- Water: 5km/h
Maximum Gradient: 70%
Maximum Side-Slope: 30%
Ground Clearance, Hull: 0.60m
Obstacle Clearance, Trench: 2.0m
Obstacle Clearance, Vertical Obstacle: 1.25m
Operational Range (Internal fuel only): 850km
Weapons: LWLR-30 125mm smoothbore cannon w/ 25rnds (turret 360° rotation, -5°/+10° elevation), coaxial 9.3x64mm GPMG w/ 750 ready rounds, 15.5x115mm HMG / 14.5x115mm HMG with 500 ready rounds, 12x 55mm grenade dischargers.
DO64-2T01 Engine Specifications:
Bore: 70mm
Stroke: 2x72mm
Total Volume: 6.6L
Number of Cylinders: Six
Rated RPM: 3000
Rated Output: 800hp
Fuel Consumption: 112 g/hp/h
Length: 600mm
Width: 500mm
Height: 550mm
Weight: 440kg
[OOC: Thanks go to Sumer for the use of the DO64-2T01 engine. Sharp-eyed readers will note major influence from Eland 90 and Rooikat 105 armoured cars, historically minded readers may note influences from WWII armoured vehicles including the German "Puma" and several Daimlers. Pushka, finally decided to put it up for all to see. Sorry about that delay.
If you're interested in buying the vehicle, please contact the RMSMC's overseas sales desk. Cost per unit is listed under variants. DPRs are limited to trusted nations.]