Il Gepard è un semovente antiaereo tedesco, giudicato il migliore della categoria, (tra quelli esclusivamente d'artiglieria ed entrati in servizio effettivo), con una torretta armata di 2 cannoni da 35 mm Oerlikon svizzeri, un radar sul tetto per la ricerca e uno anteriore per il tiro. La torretta è stata in larga parte progettata in Svizzera, dagli arsenali di Thun in quanto avrebbe dovuto equipaggiare la versione antiaereo del Pz-68 Svizzero (versione realizzata solo a livello di prototipo). Lo scafo è quello del Leopard 1, non si sa se con una leggera diminuzione della corazzatura o meno, ma la torretta può essere adattata anche a carri come l'OF-40.
Sviluppo
Negli anni cinquanta ben 500 M42 Duster vennero forniti all'esercito della Germania Occidentale. Sebbene queste armi fossero molto potenti, esse non avevano un sistema di tiro sofisticato, non avevano che alimentazione in forma di 'clip' di 5 colpi; non davano inoltre alcuna capacità di difesa NBC, mancando inoltre di luci IR notturne e di protezione balistica per il mezzo. Oltretutto avevano un motore dal grande consumo di benzina, che nonostante l'ottima efficienza meccanica non consentiva autonomia elevata (praticamente 2 ore di moto alla massima velocità).
L'esercito tedesco ebbe l'esigenza di nuovi mezzi antiaerei; la gara iniziò nel 1966, prendendo in considerazione veicoli con cannoni da 30 e 35 mm. Alla fine la spuntò la migliore e più costosa soluzione possibile, il Gepard, con torretta ed armi svizzere su carro Leopard 1 (per le armi da 30 si era forse pensato al Marder).
I primi mezzi vennero approntati nel 1976 e dimostravano già tutte le caratteristiche definitive del veicolo, chiamato ufficialmente flakpanzer Gepard.
Tecnica
Il nuovo veicolo è basato su scafo del Leopard 1, a cui si rimanda il lettore per i dettagli. Esso ha comunque una corazza in acciaio saldato e un potente motore Diesel.
La torretta, nonostante la minore protezione rispetto a quella del Leopard, è talmente grande che ne aumenta il peso di circa 5 tonnellate. In essa prendono posto il capocarro e l'artigliere. Una coppia di cannoni ad alta velocità KDA sono sistemati ai lati, in una sorta di 'pod' corazzati, e sono dotati di sensore per la rivelazione della effettiva velocità iniziale, mentre sul davanti vi è il radar di tiro e sopra la torre quello di sorveglianza. La cadenza di tiro è di 550 colpi per minuto per arma, e la gittata è di 3500 metri. Le munizioni hanno spolette HE, ma sono troppo piccole per avere quelle VT (prossimità radar).
Il Gepard acquisisce il bersaglio con il radar per la ricerca, poi lo passa a quello di inseguimento e infine può aprire il fuoco grazie alla punteria automatica del computer di bordo. Vi sono 330 proiettili per arma tra HE e perforanti decalibrati (solo una piccola quantità, 80 mm a 1000 metri), con alimentazione a nastro continuo che non richiede ricariche manuali.
Operatività
I primi Gepard entrarono in produzione nel 1976, ma la velocità all'epoca era tale che entro 4 anni ne vennero prodotti ben 570. 420 mezzi sono stati ordinati dalla Germania Ovest, quasi sostituendo in rapporto 1:1 i precedenti M42 Duster, 95 per i Paesi Bassi (con elettronica olandese), e 55 per il Belgio. Anche l'Italia era interessata, ma si ritirò giudicandolo troppo costoso.
A tutt'oggi i Gepard vengono aggiornati con limitate modifiche ai computer e agli apparati di mira ottici.
Utilizzatori
- Belgio: 55; ritirati dal servizio.
- Cile: 30 veicoli acquistati da surplus dell'esercito tedesco.
- Germania: 377 costruiti, 94 rimansti in servizio fino alla completa introduzione del sistema SysFla.
- Paesi Bassi: 60 veicoli, la maggior parte dei quali sono in riserva.
- Brasile: 36 processo di ricezione
- Romania: 43, tutti acquistati dall'esercito tedesco.
ENGLISH
The Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard ("anti-aircraft cannon tank Cheetah", better known as the Flakpanzer Gepard) is an all-weather-capable German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG). It was developed in the 1960s and fielded in the 1970s, and has been upgraded several times with the latest electronics. It constituted a cornerstone of the air defence of the German Army (Bundeswehr) and a number of other NATO countries. In Germany, the Gepard was phased out in late 2010 to be replaced by "Leichtes Flugabwehrsystem (LeFlaSys)", a mobile and stationary air defence system using the LFK NG missile and the new MANTIS gun system. The mobile platform of SysFla will likely be based on the GTK Boxer.
Description
The vehicle is based on the hull of the Leopard 1 tank[1] with a large fully rotating turret carrying the armament—a pair of 35 mm Oerlikon KDA autocannons and the two radar dishes—a general search radar at the rear of the turret and the tracking radar, and a laser rangefinder, at the front between the guns. Each gun has a firing rate of 550 rounds/min.
The guns are 90 calibres (3.15 m (10 ft 4 in)) long, with a muzzle velocity of 1,440 m/s (4,700 ft/s) (FAPDS—Frangible Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot rounds), giving an effective range of 5,500 m. The KDA autocannon can take two different ammunition types; the usual loading is a mix of 320 AA and 20 AP rounds per gun. Combined rate of fire is 1,100 rounds/min.
The electrically driven turret is powered by a 40 kW generator driven by a 4-cylinder, 3.8 litre Mercedes-Benz OM 314 multi-fuel engine.
Since the eighties, Stinger teams have been accompanying the Gepard units to take advantage of their long-range scanning capacity. To combine this capacity in a single unit, a missile system upgrade that mounts the NATO ManPad Stinger surface-to-air missile (in twin packs) to the autocannons was developed. The system was tested by the German Bundeswehr but not bought due to budget restrictions and the fielding of the Ozelot Light Flak (leFla) System.
The Gepard was developed from 1963 onwards. In 1969, construction began of four A prototypes testing both 30 and 35 mm guns. On 25 June 1970, it was decided to use the 35 mm type. In 1971, twelve second phase B prototypes were ordered; the same year the Dutch army ordered a CA preseries of five vehicles based on a parallel development that had used a German 0-series Leopard 1 vehicle made available by the German government in March 1970 as the C-prototype. The Germans made a small preseries of both the B1and B2R. On 5 February 1973, the political decision was made to produce the type; in September 1973 the contract was signed with Krauss-Maffei for 432 B2 turrets and 420 hulls with a total value of DM1,200,000,000. Each vehicle would thus be about three times the price of a normal Leopard 1. The first was delivered in December 1976. Belgium ordered 55 vehicles, which were identical to the German version. The Dutch ordered 95 vehicles, split into three batches (CA1, CA2 and CA3), which were equipped with Philips radar systems.
Technology and systems
Chassis and propulsion
The Gepard is based on a slightly modified chassis of the Leopard 1 main battle tank[1], including the complete drive unit with a 37.4-liter 10-cylinder multi-fuel engine (type: MB 838 CaM 500) with two mechanical superchargers built by MTU. The V-engine with a cylinder angle of 90 degrees has 610 kW at 2200 RPM (830 PS) and consumes, depending on the surface and driving style, around 150 liters per 100 kilometers. To ensure a steady supply of oil, even in difficult terrain and under extreme skew, the engine is provided with a dry sump forced lubrication. Even the gearbox (type: 4 HP-250) from ZF Friedrichshafen and the exhaust system with fresh air admixture to reduce the infrared signature were taken from the Leopard 1 MBT.
The Gepard is also equipped with a Daimler-Benz (type: OM 314) 4-cylinder diesel auxiliary engine for the energy supply system. This engine is on the front left of the vehicle, located where the Leopard 1 has an ammunition magazine. The engine, which has a 3.8 liter capacity, is designed as a multi-fuel engine and produces 66 kW (90 PS). It consumes, depending on the operational status of the tank, between 10 and 20 liters per hour (l/h). The auxiliary engine is coupled with five generators to operate at different speeds: Two Metadyn machines in tandem with a flywheel (which is used to store energy during the acceleration and deceleration of the turret) for the power of the elevation and traverse drives, two 380-Hz three-phase generators with a capacity of 20 kVA for the ventilation, fire control and radar systems, and a 300-A 28-volt direct current generator for the electrical system. The fuel capacity is 985 liters, which ensures a combined operating time of approximately 48 hours.
The chassis and the track were taken directly from the Leopard 1. It has torsion bar spring mounted roadwheels with seven roadwheel pairs per side. They are connected to the torsion bars on swing arms, whose deflection is limited by volute springs. Drive is through the drive sprockets located at the rear. The Rubber-mounted shocks were modified to achieve better stability during firing. The track is manufactured by the company Diehl, rubber track pads fitted, and is "live" track with rubber bushings between the track links and pins (type: D 640 A). Grouser/icecleats can replace the rubber pads on some track links to increase traction on slippery surfaces.
The hull only had slight modifications, i.e. a modified roadwheel distance (8 cm increased distance between the third and fourth roadwheel) and the transfer of additional batteries in battery boxes at the rear. The batteries and the electrical system operate at 24 volts DC.
Variants
There are two variants of Gepard in service; the Dutch has a different radar installation.
Germany
Search radar: S band, 15 km range
Tracking radar: Ku band, 15 km range
Laser rangefinder
Netherlands
Search radar: X band, 15 km range
Tracking radar: X/Ka band, 13 km range.
The Dutch version was officially called the PRTL (PantserRupsTegenLuchtdoelen translating to "ArmourTrackAgainstAirtargets"), pronounced as "pruttel" (meaning 'to sputter') by the soldiers. The Dutch series version was made public through a photograph of a vehicle from a C-Company, the first to be equipped with the new weapon. Traditionally all Dutch vehicles in a company have names beginning with the company designation letter and this vehicle happened to have the individual name Cheetah painted in bold type on its turret. Inevitably the international press assumed "Cheetah" was the Dutch name for their Gepard version and this mistake found its way into most armour publications on the subject. In 2000 the Dutch military authorities, tired of constantly having to explain all this and considering "pruttle" was hardly a martial name anyway, conformed themselves to common error and made "Cheetah" the official designation, when the system was upgraded.
Operators
Current operators
- Brazil: 36 surplus from Bundeswehr.
- Germany: 377 originally built for the Bundeswehr, 94 remained in service until 2010 and are currently stored until SysFla is fully introduced.
- Jordan: 60 have been received from withdrawn Dutch surplus for 21 million dollars.
- Romania: 43 delivered (36 + 7 for spares), all ex-Bundeswehr stocks.
Former operators
- Belgium: 55 delivered, withdrawn from service.
- Chile: Former user. Four vehicles delivered in 2008, and returned in January 2011. Equipment originally operated by the Bundeswehr. Order of 30 vehicles cancelled due to high overhaul/upgrade costs.
- Netherlands: 95 delivered, withdrawn from service and placed in stored as of 2006.
(Web, Google, Wikipedia, You Tube)
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