Patagón
VC Tan Patagón | |
---|---|
A "Patagón" tank at the Argentine Army Exhibition, May 2008 | |
Type | Light tank |
Place of origin | Argentina |
Service history | |
Used by | Argentina |
Production history | |
Designed | early 2000s |
No.built | 5 (including 1 prototype) |
Specifications | |
Mass | 16.5tonnes(18.2short tons;16.2long tons)[1] |
Length | 5.582 m (18 ft 3.8 in)[1] |
Width | 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)[1] |
Height | 2.88 m (9 ft 5 in)[n 1] |
Crew | 3 (Commander, gunner, driver) |
Armor | base: 8 mm (0.31 in) maximum: 40 mm (1.6 in)[n 2] |
Main armament | 105 mmrifled gun |
Secondary armament | 7.62×51mm NATOco-axial machine gun |
Engine | Steyr 7FA / 6-cylinderdiesel engine[n 3] 300 hp (220 kW)[1][n 4] |
Power/weight | 18.2 hp / tonne |
Suspension | torsion bar, 5 road wheels |
Operational range | 520 kilometres (320 mi)[1][n 5] |
Maximum speed | 70 km/h (43 mph)[n 6] |
The"Patagón" tankis alight tankdeveloped inArgentinaduring the early 2000s, that was expected to enter service with theArgentine Army.It is based on aSK-105 Kürassierchassis with a refurbishedAMX-13turret. The project was cancelled in late 2008 after five tanks were converted.[2]
Development[edit]
In 2003 the Argentine Army defined goals for increasing its capabilities, among them nationalizing the manufacturing of its equipment; the VC SK-105 "Patagón" tank upgrade project was part of that effort.[3]It was planned to convert and upgrade up to 40 vehicles at an expected cost of USD 23,4 million in the period 2005-2009; these vehicles were going to be assembled inComodoro Rivadaviaand provided to the army units based inPatagonia.[3][4]
The vehicle is composed of aSK-105 Kürassierchassis which mounts a refurbished FL-12oscillating turretarmed with a 105 mm gun, obtained from obsoleteAMX-13tanks. Both vehicles were in service with the Argentine Army in the early 2000s. Most of the Patagón technical specifications are similar to the SK-105.[2]
The Patagón prototype was unveiled on 22 November 2005; however the project was cancelled in late 2008, as it was considered uneconomical.[2]
Production[edit]
As of late 2014 four units have been completed, in addition to the prototype unveiled in 2005.[2]
Operators[edit]
See also[edit]
- Nahuel DL 43– Medium tank developed by Argentina during the Second World War.
- Tanque Argentino Mediano- Medium tank developed by Argentina during the 1970s, in use by the Argentine Army since the early 1980s.
Footnotes[edit]
- ^Data for SK-105, assumed unchanged for Patagón.
- ^Data for SK-105, assumed unchanged for Patagón.
- ^Data for SK-105, assumed unchanged for Patagón.
- ^The SK-105 data shows 320 hp, however the placard on the displayed Patagón indicated 300 hp with a similar engine.
- ^The SK-105 data shows 500 km, however the placard on the displayed Patagón indicated 520 km with a similar engine and no indication of increased fuel tankage.
- ^Same data for both SK-105 and Patagón.
References[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^abcdePlacard with data for Patagón tank displayed in Argentine Army Exhibition May 2008 – see in this article and in Commons.
- ^abcd"Argentina abandona el proyecto de blindado Patagón".Infodefensa – Información Defensa y Seguridad(in Spanish). España. 27 December 2008.Retrieved29 December2014.
- ^ab"Patagón: el tanque de fabricación argentina que fue presentado ayer".DERF – Agencia Federal de Noticias(in Spanish). Santa Fé, Argentina. 23 November 2005.Retrieved28 December2014.
- ^"Argentine Army tank assembly plant in Comodoro".MercoPress.Montevideo, Uruguay. 24 November 2005.Retrieved28 December2014.
- ^The Military Balance 2010; Page 175.
Sources[edit]
- Online
- Patagón: el tanque de fabricación argentina que fue presentado ayer- DERF Agencia Federal de Noticias, November 2005Archived13 November 2014 at theWayback MachineOnline article about the unveiling of the Patagón prototype(in Spanish)
- Argentine Army tank assembly plant in Comodoro- MercoPress, November 2005Online article about the unveiling of the Patagón prototype and production plans in Comodoro Rivadavia
- Argentina abandona el proyecto de blindado Patagón– Infodefensa, December 2008Online article about the cancellation of the Patagón project(in Spanish)
- Bibliographical
- The Military Balance 2010.London, United Kingdom: Routledge / IISS. 2010.ISBN978-1857435573.
Further reading[edit]
- Christopher F. Foss,ed. (2011).Jane's Armour and Artillery 2011-2012.London, United Kingdom: Janes Information Group.ISBN978-0710629609.
- Argentina: Ejército presenta prototipo del tanque "Patagón" - EMOL, Santiago (Chile), 2005-Nov-22(accessed 2014-12-29)(in Spanish)
External links[edit]
- News of prototype unveiling - Argentine Army official website, November 2005(in Spanish)
- Images of prototype unveiling – Argentine Army official website, November 2005(in Spanish)