『 陸軍武器 』－ M8 (Armored Gun System) 裝甲火炮系統

克里斯Chris

M8 Armored Gun System




M8舊照




The FMC XM8 was designed to combine a tank's firepower with a highly mobile, air-droppable vehicle. AGS was intended to be the Army's new combat vehicle, but in the form of a highly deployable, light-weight vehicle, with high fire-power and reconfigurable armor protection. The AGS was intended to replace the M551A1 Sheridan in the 82nd Airborne Division, and was expected to replace TOW-equipped HMMWVs in the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (Light). A total of 237 systems were planned for procurement. The cancellation of the M8 Armored Gun System left the US Army airborne forces dangerously low on firepower.
The M8 is the result of the Armored Gun System (AGS) concept that originated in the early 1980s to provide light forces with more powerful direct support. In 1980 the Army's 9th Infantry Division was selected as the test unit for the new High Technology Light Division (HTLD). The HTLD was designed to fight in the deserts of Southwest Asia. Critical pieces of equipment needed to realize the division concept were never available. The Army was only able to field prototypes of some key pieces of the high technology equipment. In other cases, such as the Armored Gun System (AGS), it could not even field prototypes. The AGS was never successfully developed. The substitutes did not provide the capabilities envisioned by the original concepts. These failures hamstrung the division's development.

The M8 resembles a conventional tank, but only requires a crew of three through the use of an autoloader. Its main armament is a 105mm Rheinmetall XM35 tank gun. The M-35 cannon is a low-recoil gun that allows the use of previously developed 105mm ammunition. The autoloader holds 21 projectiles with nine more stowed forward near the driver. Fire control is provided by a digital fire control system with microprocessors and a databus similar to that on the M1A2. The gunner's primary sight is a day/night thermal sight and integrated laser range-finder in a stabilized mount.

Its unique features include an autoloader for the main gun, a three-man crew. and the use of modular appliqué bolt-on armor that is not used in a load-bearing application. The armored gun system used titanium appliqué armor. The M8 can be fitted with three levels of protection:

Level I against splinters
Level II against armor piercing small arms and small cannon fire
Level III against cannon up to 30mm

克里斯Chris

In its base armor configuration, it can be low-velocity airdropped from a C-130 aircraft. The AGS was the Army's only armored vehicle specifically designed for delivery by air. As such, it is considerably lighter than traditional main battle tanks and, though well armed, it is not intended to fight other tanks alone. The AGS is capable of Low Velocity Air Drop (LVAD Parachute) or more conventional roll-on/roll-off delivery by airlift aircraft. A C-130 can carry one AGS, while the larger C-141, C-17, and C-5A can carry two, three, and five AGSs respectively.

The XM8 began development as the Close Combat Vehicle Light (CCVL) in 1983. After almost a decade of test and development the contract was awarded to FMC Corporation. The crew is protected by an aluminum hull with steel armor modules and power is provided by a Detroit Diesel 6V-921A 550 hp turbo-charged V-6 diesel engine and a General Electric HMPT-500-3EC hydro-mechanical transmission. Additional armament consists of a 7.62 coaxially-mounted machine gun and a .50 caliber M2 antiaircraft machine gun.
In 1980 the Army established a need for a Mobile Protected Gun System (MPGS) to support its light divisions. Although an organizational and operational plan was developed, further actions on the MPGS program were deferred in 1982. A ROC document for the AGS was approved by the Army in 1985, but the AGS could not be sufficiently funded and was terminated in 1987. In 1989 the Commander, XVIII Airborne Corps, stated the need to replace the M551A1 Sheridan, and he endorsed the 1985 AGS ROC as needing only minor revisions to meet his requirements.

The revised AGS ROC was approved by the Army in September 1990, followed shortly thereafter by the DAB approval of its acquisition as a non-developmental item. After a market survey indicated that nothing "off the shelf" would satisfy the ROC, the Army Systems Acquisition Review Council (ASARC) in May 1992 approved a program, beginning with EMD, to develop and produce the AGS. FMC, now part of United Defense Limited Partnership (UDLP), was the winning contractor. A program restructuring in FY94 to reduce program concurrence also decreased the number of LRIP systems and slipped first unit equipped (FUE) by about 2 years.

In 1993 survivability test assessments were initiated the Armored Gun System. Early live fire tests for this program either demonstrated that the initial AGS design meets its requirements or provided data to support design fixes. One design feature that resulted in a 'surprise' outcome was the ammunition compartment feature that failed to contain the reaction of the ammunition when struck by realistic threat weapons.

The AGS is not a tank -- it may look like a tank, but it's not a tank. It's a thin-skinned vehicle with a gun on it. The vehicle was designed to support the infantry from a position where it can fire and be behind dirt with an elevated gun and to fight in areas where its not going to run into tanks. It has more than one role, and it just doesn't kill tanks. It kills other kinds of targets. It has to be able to bust bunkers, shoot into bunkers, go into urban areas and shoot into windows, and have a round that will spray shrapnel -- that will "take out" people who are firing hand-held weapons or machine guns. US forces using enhanced direct-fire weapons such as the Armored Gun System would fare better than forces equipped with current firepower.

克里斯Chris

In the fiscal 1996 budget the Armored Gun System was slated to enter production. The Army's Armored Gun System was terminated in 1996, and the FY 97 budget abandoned the Armored Gun System program. When the Army submitted its proposed fiscal 1997 budge, Defense Secretary William Perry instructed the service to plan for an additional cut of 20,000 troops to pay for weapons modernization. Rather than accept a cut from 495,000 to 475,000 troops, Army leaders argued they could obtain the necessary modernization funds through acquisition reforms and operating efficiencies. The fiscal 1997 Defense budget request contained no further Army troop cuts, but the Army cut the AGS program in an attempt to save money for other modernization efforts. The decision was made by the Army as part of an assessment of the warfighting value of the armored gun system compared with alternatives and how they could do it spending less funds. The total program cost, including development, was estimated to be $1.3 billion. The Army had planned to procure 26 low-rate initial production vehicles with 1996 funding of $142.8 million. Termination liability was funded from research and development appropriations because the program was under an engineering and manufacturing development contract. The Armored Gun System is an example of a program in which manpower and personnel integration [MANPRINT] considerations were purposely rejected. It is not a coincidence that the Army canceled the program.

The AGS chassis was also intended to serve as the platform for the hypervelocity line-of-sight antitank (LOSAT) missile system, and building the chassis for the LOSAT alone would be rather expensive.

克里斯Chris

Specifications
Weight	19.25 tons - Level 1 22.25 tons - Level 2 24.75 tons - Level 3
Length	210 inches - Hull 331 inches - overall
Width	106 inches
Height	100 inches
Speed - Maximum	45 mph
Speed - Cross Country	30 mph
Engine	550 hp diesel
Fuel	diesel or JP8
Fuel Capacity	150 gal
Cruising Range	300 miles @ 2 mpg
Fording Depth	40 in
Main Gun	M35 105mm cannon [30 rounds]
Coaxial machinegun	7.62mm [4500 rounds]
Commander's machinegun	5.58 mm [210 rounds]

克里斯Chris

M8 長寬比例 & 3D模型圖

克里斯Chris

M8 圖集

克里斯Chris

M8火炮系統起死回生


　　一種從美陸軍裝備計劃撤消已7年的兵器又被作為新兵器列裝了。它自然會引起人們的好奇和關注。它就是M8裝甲火炮系統。據美國Fayette在線4月1日報道說，美國陸軍訓練與條令司令部決定，把4輛M8裝甲火炮系統移交給第82空降師，用於裝備該師第17騎兵中隊的第1營。這樣，第82空降師又有了能夠空降到戰場的輕型坦克了。而撤編了7年的一個裝甲營也得以重建。還在1997年，第82空降師淘汰了遭士兵厭煩的M551“謝裡登”輕型坦克，准備換裝新的空降裝甲戰車，當時首選的便是M8裝甲火炮系統，可是由於陸軍預算緊縮，不得不放棄裝備M8計劃。

　　M8裝甲火炮系統其實就是一種新的輕型坦克。因美陸軍不願意用輕型坦克這個叫法，外人也就不再堅持。M8裝甲火炮系統起初叫TCM裝甲火炮系統(AGS)，又叫TCM-20底盤車。TCM是生產商泰萊達因·大陸汽車公司的英文縮寫。M8裝甲火炮系統是美國陸軍按自己命名習慣另起的名字，研制樣車稱XM8AGS。

　　M8無疑是先進的輕型裝甲戰車。它裝置了一門M68式105毫米線膛炮，火力強大。這門炮系頂置式，炮口有制退器。用頂置火炮可保証車高不超過空運允許的高度。它的炮塔可旋轉360度。彈藥基數為45發。配有自動裝彈機，因而車上乘員僅有3人，即車長、炮長和駕駛員。由於自動裝彈，可使火炮射速達到10發/分。在炮塔內還可增加兩枚陶式或“獄火”式反坦克導彈，也可配加反直升機武器等。輔助武器為兩挺機槍，槍彈基數5000發。它的全解式火控系統中包括數字式彈道計算機、熱成像裝置和激光測距儀等。中央控制板位於車長和炮手之間。車長有視頻連接裝置，可超越控制。

　　M8在增強防護力上下了不少功夫。它車長（炮向前）7.49米，帶裙板車寬2. 69米，車高2.54米，車輪廓低矮，目標小，可減少被命中的幾率。車首、車尾都設計成多層防護。它的防護裝甲採用普通裝甲鋼、鋁合金板和陶瓷復合材料，能抵御反裝甲火箭筒和23毫米炮彈的打擊。車底採用雙層間隔裝甲結構，能防反坦克地雷。車上還有“三防”裝置、哈隆滅火系統和煙幕彈發射器。車頭有一個防爆燃油箱，必要時可更換成推土鏟，用於構筑發射陣地或清除戰場障礙。

克里斯Chris

　在它的動力系統中，有卡明斯VTA-903T型8缸渦輪增壓柴油機，最大功率373 千瓦﹔有HMPT-500型液壓機械自動傳動裝置，同“布雷德利”步兵戰車上的一樣，能整體拆卸和方便野外更換﹔有TCM2884型液氣懸挂裝置，將減振與緩沖元件全部裝於平衡肘內，使懸挂裝置在負重輪與車體之間佔據空間最小，又降低了車高。它採用新式輕型履帶。它在水上行駛時要豎起圍帳，靠履帶劃水推進。由於動力系統先進，所以它有良好的機動力。其公路最大速度80公裡/小時，最大行程4 82公裡﹔能涉渡1.22米深水域，越2.57米寬壕溝。M8個頭比M1A1坦克小多了，最大重量也隻19.5噸。1架C-5運輸機可運5輛M8，而且可用降落傘空投到指定地點。它落地后半小時即能投入戰鬥。

　　M8的復活得益於美陸軍發展戰略思想的改革。美軍遠距離部署還需要空降裝甲部隊，需要M8這樣的空降裝甲戰車。第82空降師的空降裝甲營是美國最后一支配備M551“謝裡登”輕型坦克的部隊。盡管“謝裡登”裝甲防護差，所配152毫米炮性能相當不可靠，還有個要命的毛病是車輛小轉彎時一側履帶常常脫落，但因它能用於空投，故無可奈何地使用了近30年。M8終於在“謝裡登”退伍7年后接替了它的角色，這也使位於美國加州聖荷西的生產廠出現生機。另外，M8單價要600萬美元。

aesir

我聽說過美國在一九九四年時批准向台灣出售這一款戰車，但因為其單價過高，最後還是沒有成交。要不然，陸軍裝甲部隊的戰車序列中就有新的成員出現了。

克里斯Chris

舊新聞摘錄：

M8輕坦克。這類履帶式坦克裝備先進的口徑105毫米裝甲炮火系統，能自動把炮彈上膛，每分鐘可發炮12次，兼具速射、平衡和機動優點，能在戰場上發揮更高的威力。

　　M8輕坦克重25公噸，重量和大小專為適合C-130大力士運輸機運載而設計。





2004之春，蟄伏了8年之久的M8裝甲火炮系統復出，成為美國軍界的一條不大不小的新聞。人們對M8的印象似乎已經淡漠。那麼，事隔8年，M8是否風采依舊？

CCVL-「四選一」的勝出者

　　1980年，美國陸軍計劃發展一種火力強大的輕型裝甲武器系統，以代替性能已經落後的M551「謝裡登」輕型坦克。其要求是能擊毀蘇聯的T-72主戰坦克，能用C-130運輸機空運，而對其重量並未嚴格限制。1984年，又發展成為「近戰輕型裝甲武器系統」(CLAWS)。其總體要求是：履帶式底盤，M1的火控，M2的機動性，帶自動裝彈機的105毫米火炮，能空運空投，有三防裝置，在重量限制範圍內具有最大的防護能力，等等。1985年又演變成為XM4裝甲火炮系統(AGS-Armored Gun System的縮寫)。參與競標的有三家美國公司和一家外國公司的4種樣車，它們是：卡迪拉克·蓋奇公司的「魟」式輕型坦克，泰裡達因·大陸公司的裝甲火炮系統，FMC公司的輕型近戰車輛(CCVL)以及瑞典赫格隆公司的IKV91-105裝甲戰車。這4家公司的樣車，可以說是「各有各的高招兒」，如泰裡達因·大陸公司的裝甲火炮系統採用了頂置式火炮及動力-傳動裝置前置方案，液力機械式自動變速箱，火炮帶有自動裝彈機。毫無疑問，這在20世紀80年代來說是相當先進的了。不過，競爭的結果，反倒是FMC公司的CCVL勝出。1992年6月，美國陸軍坦克機動車司令部和FMC公司簽訂了為期46個月的研製合同，並定名為XM8裝甲火炮系統。當時甚至制定出出資8億美元採購300輛XM8的雄心勃勃的計劃。

　　然而，好事多磨。隨著國際形勢劇變，美國陸軍的採購經費也大大減少。1996年初，美國陸軍部不得不忍痛割愛，終止XM8的研製計劃，這使美軍的「第82空降師失去了一種先進的武器裝備」。

斗轉星移，八年彈指一揮間。隨著新世紀的到來，美國大兵四處出擊，陸軍兵力捉襟見肘，空降兵的作用凸顯，這使美國陸軍不得不重新審視M8裝甲火炮系統的作用。到了2004年春，美國陸軍訓練和條令司令部又決定開始採購M8裝甲火炮系統，並率先把4輛M8移交給第82空降師第17騎兵團的第1營。