L'autoblindo caccia-carri AMX-10RC di GIAT Industries

L'autoblindo AMX-10RC era un potente autoblindo caccia-carri francese; veniva prodotta dalla società GIAT Industries.

Dopo l'esperienza con la Panhard EBR 8x8, l'esercito francese voleva sostituirla con un mezzo altrettanto potente ma più moderno. I lavori per il nuovo veicolo giunsero alla concretizzazione nel 1971, anno in cui venne completata la realizzazione del prototipo: il mezzo entrò successivamente in produzione per le esigenze nazionali e di quelle del Marocco.

L'ERC-90 Sagaie e l'AMX-10RC saranno sostituiti, nell'Armée de terre, dall'Engin blindé de reconnaissance et de combat (EBRC).

Descrizione

L'AMX-10RC ha raggiunto le dimensioni massime per un veicolo trasportabile dal C-130: è anfibio, e scafo e torretta sono costituiti di leghe d'alluminio saldato. La disposizione è convenzionale, con il comparto guida davanti, quello di combattimento al centro e il vano motore posteriore.

Trasmissione, e motore sono derivati direttamente da quelli del cingolato AMX-10P. In virtù di questo, le ruote, pure tutte motrici, non ruotano, ma sono regolate come i cingoli dei blindati, fermandosi o avanzando in maniera differenziale. Il veicolo appare tanto compatto anche per la meccanica sopra descritta, che si può descrivere come un ibrido tra un treno di rotolamento cingolato ed uno su ruote: il movimento comunque non è particolarmente inficiato dal compromesso di base nella locomozione. Da notare che grazie ai 2 idrogetti posteriori in acqua si possono raggiungere, previa erezione della piastra frangiflutti anteriore, i 7,2 km/h. Le sospensioni poi sono sofisticate al punto che il veicolo può alzarsi dal suolo tra i 330 e i 470mm, se necessario differenziando anche l'altezza tra un lato e l'altro, ma in genere cambiando a seconda se il movimento avviene su strada o fuoristrada.

Il cannone è a media pressione da 105mm, dotato di un sofisticato sistema di controllo del tiro, dotato di telemetro laser, computer balistico, apparati IL di visione notturna. La torretta ha 3 uomini, come nei carri armati, capocarro, tiratore e caricatore. Vi è anche un periscopio panoramico di osservazione per il capocarro, mentre la dotazione di proiettili da 105 è di 40 colpi, più 4000 di piccolo calibro. Sono presenti dei lanciafumogeni.

In servizio l'AMX-10RC si è dimostrato un mezzo utile e potente. Non c'erano e non ci sono state altre autoblindo capaci di competere in potenza con essa per almeno 15 anni, e i veicoli (Rooikat e Centauro) che alla fine l'hanno superata si sono dimostrati ancora più costosi e pesanti, oltre che non anfibi né movimentabili via C-130.

L'AMX-10RC ha partecipato a Desert Storm e a numerosi scontri con il Fronte Polisario, nel Marocco meridionale.

ENGLISH

The AMX-10 RC is a reconnaissance vehicle built by GIAT. Over 240 are in service in the French Army. In addition, 108 vehicles were sold to Morocco and 12 to Qatar. RC stands for Roues-Canon, or wheeled gun.

The AMX-10 RC should not be confused with the AMX-10P; they share automotive components but otherwise have completely different battlefield roles. The AMX-10RC is usually used for reconnaissance missions in dangerous environments or for fire support.

Design and characteristics

Initial work on the AMX-10RC began in 1970; prototypes testing began in 1976, and the first production vehicle was delivered in 1981 to the 2nd Regiment de Hussards in Sourdun. The vehicle features a powerful GIAT 105 mm gun mounted in a welded aluminium turret. The TK 105 turret also serves to house three crew members, while the driver sits in the front of the hull; the COTAC fire control system is provided for gun aiming. All six wheels are driven, and the AMX-10RC uses skid steering to turn the hull.

Engine

The AMX-10 RC initially used the Hispano-Suiza HS 115-2, multi-fuel, liquid-cooled, supercharged V8 engine rated at 250 hp at 3,200 RPM.

In 1985, the Baudouin 6F11 SRX supercharged diesel engine was selected to equip the last production AMX-10 RC vehicles as a production cut-in as well as for eventual retrofit to all AMX-10 RC vehicles of the French Army. This engine is rated at 300 hp, but governed at 280 hp at 3,000 RPM in the French army.

No matter which engine is fitted, a 24 volt electrical system with six 12-volt/100-ampere-hour batteries is standard. Two waterjets, mounted on mch side of the hull at the rear, are used for water propulsion.

Transmission

The AMX-10 RC vehicles use an unspecified preselector gearbox with four forward and four reverse gear ratios. The clutch is electro-magnetically operated and the gearbox is fitted with a torque converter. A power take-off unit operates the two waterjets. The AMX-10 RC is skid steered and can perform pivot turn.

Suspension and running gear

The 6x6 AMX-10 RC is fitted with a hydropneumatic suspension system with variable ground clearance and tilt, provided by Messiere Auto-Industry. A centralized lubrication and tire inflation system is fitted. A shock damper is mounted at each wheel station.

Armament

The AMX-10 RC is fitted with a 105/47 F2 MECA 105 mm medium-pressure gun mounted in a GIAT Industries TK 105 three-man turret; the F2 cannon fires 105×527R proprietary ammunition. The turret use a SAMM CH49 electrohydraulic gun control system, but no stabilization system is fitted. An NF-1 7.62 mm machine gun is mounted coaxially to the main armament, and two electrically-operated smoke grenade launchers are mounted on each side of the turret. A total of 38 main gun rounds and 4,000 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition and 16 smoke grenades are carried.

The F2 105 mm medium-pressure rifled gun fires four types of 105×527R ammunition: OFL 105 F3 APFSDS, OE 105 F3 HE, OCC 105 F3 HEAT-FS and the BSCC 105 F3 target practice round. The APFSDS, which uses the penetrator from the GIAT OFL 90 F1  mm APFSDS round, is capable of defeating a NATO single heavy tank target at a range of 1200 metres and the NATO triple heavy tank target at a range of 2200 metres.

The AMX-10 RC has been the recipient of numerous upgrades over its lifetime. The DIVT-13 LLTV was replaced by using DIVT-16, 18 and 19 CASTOR thermal sights taken from decommissioned AMX-30B2 MBTs. For its part in the 1991 Gulf War, the AMX-10 RC was provided with extra high-hardness steel add-on armour and EIREL infrared jammer. The original muzzle brake was replaced by an even more efficient one (10% recoil reduction) after the introduction of the OFL 105 F3 APFSDS in 1987. The flotation barrier and the water pump jets were removed (their intakes were sealed).

The AMX-10 RCR introduced a FINDERS C2R battlefield-management system. One improvement considered was the installation of the TML 105 modular light turret armed with a more powerful 105 mm G2 high-pressure gun, as the F2 gun was not compatible with NATO munitions, but this was ultimately not done. A central tire-inflation system is available for added traction over soft terrain. The AMX-10RC is equipped with an NBC (Nuclear/Biological/Chemical) protection system and may conduct reconnaissance in a radioactive environment.

AMX-10 RCR modernisation

In 2010, Nexter completed the modernisation of 256 AMX-10 RC vehicles to the RCR (Rénové; renovated) configuration, a programme that consisted of integrating various systems and additional armour, active self-protection by SAGEM, LIRE (Leurre InfRarougE, infrared flare), the SIT (Système d'Information Terminal) V1 battlefield management system, Galix smoke grenades launchers, changes in the NBC protection and improvements in the suspension, and the speed gearboxes and tactical communications completed with Thales Communications & Security PR4G VS4. The integration was done by DCMAT (Direction Centrale du Matériel de l'Armée de Terre, Land Army Central Matèriel Directorate).

Replacement

The AMX-10 RC is no longer in production and will be replaced by the EBRC Jaguar in French service.

Operators

Current operators

• France – 248
• Morocco – 198
• Qatar – 12

Variants

• AMX-10 RC : initial production model with amphibious capability.
• AMX-10 RC surblindé (uparmored) : fitted with add-on armor and without amphibious capability.
• AMX-10 RCR revalorisé (upgraded).

Prototypes

• AMX-10 RTT : APC version.
• AMX-10 RAC : fitted with the TS 90 turret armed with a 90 mm gun.
• AMX-10 RAA : AAA version first presented at Satory in 1981. It featured a large turret armed with two 30 mm autocannons.
• AMX-10 RC with TML 105 : AMX-10 RC fitted with the Tourelle Modulaire Légère (Light Modular Turret) featuring a stabilized G2 high-pressure 105 mm gun, GALIX launchers and new sights. A two-man configuration with a bustle-mounted autoloader was available as an option.

Missions

• Armoured reconnaissance
• Armoured support
• Flanking security.

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