Tank "Black Panther". South Korean prospective main battle tank of the new generation

The South Korean tank "Black Panther" is the main battle tank, created in accordance with modern technologies. In the development of the machine took part together the Agency for Defense Development and the company Roten.

Features of the development

The development of the tank was conducted by its own agency in Korea, while all technologies and design solutions were used only own, that is, the tank can not be licensed by foreign manufacturers. The cost of the tank is almost $ 9 million. Tank "Black Panther" was subjected to research for 7 years - from 1995 to 2002, and spent on its development and improvement of about 230 million rubles. This model, according to the plans of South Korean developers, was to replace the older K1 tank.

Battle tanks K1 and K1A1

Tank K1 - a prototype of the modified car "Black Panther". It was created in 1981, at the same time was characterized by a classic layout, where the control was located in front of the armored hull. A characteristic feature of the model was a small height, which was ideal for low-growth South Koreans. The model's frontal protection was based on the Chobham armor, which was installed at great angles. The engine and transmission were located in the stern of the armored hull.

The weight of the tank was 51.1 tons, while the specific power of the engine was enough to move the model in any road conditions. Excellent acceleration and good driving performance combined with fuel economy were the main features of the car. The Koreans again created the tank taking into account their own developments, which resulted in the presence of 6 support rollers and six supporting rollers on board. It is noteworthy that the driver-mechanic had the opportunity to control the pressure in the suspension, thereby adjusting the inclination of the body during the movement.

Technical features

The South Korean tank K1 was created on the basis of the developments of the past experience, but as a result, the model had a form that was completely different from the analogs. These tanks are designed for three people. The specifications of the armored vehicle are as follows:

1. It was equipped with the main weapon in the form of rifled cannon КМ68А1, which was closed with a protective casing.
2. The ammunition complex of the machine is supplemented with armor-piercing shells - subcaliber, cumulative, armor-piercing-explosive and smoke unitary, which were produced directly in Korea.
3. The units of the K1 series were equipped with two types of machine guns: the first - coupled M60 caliber 7.62 mm with 7200 rounds. The second machine gun - M60 ammunition of 1,400 rounds, which assumes the presence of a loader in the crew. It is also possible to mount a K7 machine gun with a caliber of 12.7 m with 2000 rounds.

The sighting complex was developed by Hughes Aircraft and it was based on a ballistic computer. The gunner's working place was equipped with combined two-channel periscope sights, in which laser rangefinders were built in. Accurate shooting is performed due to a complex of sensors that collected information about all external conditions, from wind speed and ending with the bend of the trunk. The main tank K1 was produced until 1998, while the data on the number of vehicles created were always in strict secrecy.

K1A1

The review of the K1A1 tanks shows that its production was started in connection with the necessity of the appearance of an absolutely new armored car, which would be characterized by heavy weapons. In this car it was supposed to upgrade the tower and its modules first, which would affect the appearance of the car and its fighting qualities. What has changed:

1. Modernization was the tower, which is equipped with a gun of 120 mm caliber.
2. The new gun is similar to American and European counterparts.
3. Due to the large caliber and the size of unitary shots, the ammunition became smaller in weight and volume.
4. The sighting complex also changed a lot: it was equipped with a modern ballistic computer, which is capable of working with a gun of a larger caliber, as well as a complex of sensors.
5. The presence of a laser rangefinder opens up wide opportunities for reaching the target at a distance of up to 8 km.

The armor of the tank was also refined: specially for the K1A1 model, the KSAP armor was invented, used for finishing the frontal parts of the armor and tower. As a consequence, after all the modifications and changes, the car began to weigh about 53 tons. Production of this model was conducted for about 10 years, over these years more than 480 cars were produced. For a long time these South Korean cars were recognized as the best tanks in the world.

K1 and K1A1 - the first prototypes of the "Black Panther"

Note that the first prototype K2 was created only in 2007, that is, some time after the work on K1A1 was completed. And the developers presented at once two updated models of the "Panther", which differed the front parts of the hull, as well as the tower. So, the first tank had a box-like shape that attracted a large angle of inclination of the frontal parts and arranged in one row by smoke grenade launchers. The second tank (in this series they were released three models) differed wedge-shaped mask and forehead of the body, which were similar to the K1A1 machines.

Initially, the plans of South Korean developers were to release the "Black Panther" by 2012, but the problems with engines and transmission led to the production of serial tanks about two years later. It was planned that the project will be equipped with advanced electronics, modern systems of protection and data transmission. In addition, for the production of the "Black Panther", the developers planned to use only the details of their own production, in order to supply the market with perfect machines.

Black Panther: how it all began

In South Korea, much attention is paid to the development and development of their OBN. That is why there are enough armored cars in the country, which by their characteristics are not inferior to modern analogues from other countries. The modernization of tanks in South Korea began in the mid-1990s, when the development of a new combat vehicle, code-named K2 Black Panther, began. It is noteworthy, but if earlier the developers were armed with the experience of other countries, then this type of technology was created solely on their own endeavors and technologies.

The project was designed so that the production of the tank was carried out solely by its efforts. At the beginning of the development, two variants of tanks were thought out: in the first case it was to be traditionally assembled by a tower and to look like K1, only solidly recycled. The second version of the tank was more daring: it was assumed that the model would be equipped with a uninhabited turret and a gun of 140 mm. The Korean tank was to be equipped with a German-made smooth-bore gun NPzK-140. However, it was decided that the project was too complicated, and it was closed.

How to create a new tank

The decision to create a tank by its own efforts led to the fact that the project was being developed too long - about 10 years. But the "Black Panther" was not a deeply modernized version of K1, but a full-fledged new tank, in which a lot has changed. The most significant changes were the increase in the length of the armored hull and the growth of the combat weight to 55 tons. The Black Panther tank has a combined booking based on the KSAP system. In this case, it is possible to use the additional protection modules, first of all, dynamic. According to the developers themselves, the tank has frontal armor, which will remain strong, even if it receives a sub-caliber projectile.

Features of the equipment: engine and suspension

Tanks K2 are equipped with a diesel engine MTU MB-883 Ka-500, which is produced in Germany. Thanks to a capacity of 1500 hp. And a 5-speed automatic transmission of the combat tank has a unique capacity per ton of weight. For modern defense technology this is a very cool indicator! In addition to the main engine, the machine is equipped with an additional gas turbine engine with a capacity of 400 hp, coupled with the generator and providing the tank with electricity, even if the main motor is disconnected. The features of the machine include:

• On three of the six supporting skating rinks on board a hydropneumatic suspension is installed, and the rest have a torsion suspension ;
• The tank is equipped with an original semi-automatic hydropneumatic suspension system ISU, which is capable of adapting to the conditions of any terrain and minimizes the vibration that occurs during the movement;
• The tank's suspension is capable of making ground clearance more or less, changing the longitudinal and lateral inclination of the hull, increasing the patency and the angles of the gun's guidance.

The tank "Black Panther" is dispersed on the highway to 70 km / h: having refueled it once, it is possible to pass about 450 km of a way. Due to the high specific power the machine can accelerate in just 7 seconds, easily coping with rough terrain. And these figures, in the opinion of South Korean designers, are among the best in the world: there is not much that a car can match with the performance of a South Korean tank!

Cannons and shells

The Black Panther battle tank is equipped with a German gun Rheinmetall L55 caliber 120 mm, which belongs to the family of smoothbore guns. The main difference from the predecessor models is the length of 55 calibers. Production of the gun is under license in South Korea itself. The machine is also equipped with a two-plane electrohydraulic stabilizer gun. In the tower there is an ammunition, designed for 40 shots, 16 of them are located in the cells of the automatic loader. Self-guided shots hit the enemy tanks from above, as they fly along a hinged trajectory. Ammunition of the tank is designed for a range of at least 8 km, while they have their own guidance system and stabilizers of 4 plumage.

As the developers say, weapons, tanks made in South Korea, created with the latest technology. Thus, if necessary, the machine can provide a rate of fire up to 15 rounds per minute, and neither the elevation angle nor the position of the cannon are important. Since there is a payload on the tank, there is no need for direct participation of the loader in the vehicle. The crew of the tank is a commander, a gunner and a driver-mechanic.

Ammunition

The tank "Black Panther" is equipped with a gun L55, which, in addition to the standard shots taken in NATO, can work and based on Korean developments. So, specially for this machine in the country, new subcaliber and cumulative projectiles were created. These munitions are attracted by the presence of radar and infrared homing heads, can be used for firing from large elevation angles.

Shell charges for the tank have brake parachutes, which increase the accuracy of the hit. The task of the parachute is to reduce the speed in the final area of the lesion. As additional weapons of the tank used two machine guns: 7.62 mm M60, coupled with a gun ammunition 12000 rounds and anti-aircraft machine gun K6 caliber 12.7 mm ammunition 3200 rounds, located on the roof of the tower. Also, a tank can create smoke screens with grenade launchers.

Prototypes of the K2 tank are equipped with a sighting system - the KCPS and KGPS sights in combination with a ballistic computer, a laser rangefinder and a set of sensors make it possible to quickly detect signals. It is rumored that the South Koreans have thought of a special radar station in the millimeter range, which makes it possible to detect objects at a range of up to 10 km. From the point of view of radar equipment, the tank has an intercom system, a receiver of the satellite system, as well as equipment working on the identification of "one's own".

Layout Overview

Overview of the tanks of South Korean production allows us to conclude that the developers are paying close attention to equipping their machines. Their protection is based on passive combined armor and dynamic protection units. In addition, the tank is additionally equipped with a special defense complex "Arena-E", which was created by Russian developers. With the help of this complex it is possible to protect the machine from controlled and unguided ammunition. Detection of shells is carried out at a distance of 50 m, while detecting a projectile, it is knocked off by a charge. In addition, the thickness of the armor of the tank is very large, which is ensured by all-welded steel sheets to create the skin.

The main tank has an advanced system that controls the fire. The SAU radar can detect any incoming projectiles, as well as vehicles that fly low. In addition, the system automatically maintains ground targets. The tank, in addition to the main instruments, has the ability to exchange C4I data, which meets the requirements of NATO's internal standards. "Black Panther" has a kit that allows the tank to cross the ford swim. Accordingly, the machine is able to force rivers and any water obstacles to a depth of 4.2 m.

For today, no one has any doubts that the best tanks are South Korean, namely the "Black Panther". In terms of performance, with these machines can compare only analogues from China or Japan. True, these advantages do not have the best side: the cost of producing tanks reaches $ 9 million per copy. In addition, Koreans tend to equip their cars with their own components, so the cost of the finished tank for other customers will be quite high.