Dark Earth Timeline Discussion

[Simon Darkshade]

"You will go with the cultishts in the life raftsh. The priestsh and I will submerge beneath you and shcuttle the pyramid."

[Jotun]

Guys…shorry…Guysh

[Bernard Woolley]

I just hope Sean Connery still stars in Zardoz. It’s a brilliantly weird film that everyone should see at least once.

[Simon Darkshade]

https://speechmarksblog.wordpress.com/2 ... onnerys-s/

This little article makes the interesting point that essentially, we’re all having a giggle about late career Sean Connery - that era of The Untouchables, The Hunt for Red October, LExG and Finding Forrester. In his earlier films, whilst there was an Edinburgh brogue, he kept it far more under control.

Consider this conversation with Dr. No: https://youtu.be/-bpvvOBV-q0?si=0X6OzODnQ5togeZk

We can hear at 1:24 or so Bond/Connery say words to the effect that “She has nothing to do with us”, which in his later career, would almost certainly have come out as “She has nothing to do with ush”

The DE Sean Connery of 1975 is more like his Earthly equivalent of 1962/63, as he hasn’t had the superstardom that enabled him to come out with his own idiosyncratic accent. Remember that here, there have been no Bond films, on account of Bond being a real figure.

[Simon Darkshade]

I just hope Sean Connery still stars in Zardoz. It’s a brilliantly weird film that everyone should see at least once.

Read back to April - Zardoz was nominated for Best Picture:

“April 8: At the 47th Academy Awards, Wagner wins Best Picture in a tight race over Zardoz, The Towering Inferno, The Great Gatsby and Murder on the Orient Express. Richard Burton wins Best Actor for Wagner, popular favourite Miss Piggy wins Best Actress for Jane Eyre, and legendary veterans Fred Astaire and Ingrid Bergman win Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress for their roles in The Towering Inferno and Murder on the Orient Express.”

[Rocket J Squrriel]

I just hope Sean Connery still stars in Zardoz. It’s a brilliantly weird film that everyone should see at least once.

Especially if you drunk or on acid!

[Simon Darkshade]

Major Weapons Systems of the Great Powers (Part the First)

Under Construction

Add US tactical missiles

British arty production numbers
British SPAAG description and numbers
Clean up British missile sections


USA

A.) Tanks
The frontline American main battle tank is the M70 Marshall, a 67 ton beast in production since late 1968. It is protected by the frontal equivalent of 37.8"/960mm against HEAT and 30"/762mm against APFSDS through its composite ceramic, steel and composite armour, with some vehicles carrying further protection enchantments. The M70 carries the 125mm M256, a licensed and developed version of the British L24 56 calibre gun, along with 25mm chain and 7.62mm machine guns in coaxial mounts, a commander's M2 heavy machine gun and a pintle mounted 7.62mm minigun. Its top road speed is 45mph, with a 1675hp Continental V12 diesel engine and a new advanced hydro-pneumatic suspension providing for surprisingly fast cross country performance.

Supporting the Marshall in limited Regular Army service and as the backbone of the US Army National Guard is the M60 Patton, which weighs 60 tons, is powered by a Continental V12 900hp diesel engine to a top speed of 38mph and is armed with a 125mm gun alongside a coaxial .50 calibre heavy machine gun, along with a further .50 calibre HMG in the commander's cupola and a pintle mounted 7.62mm M219 machine guns. In its base version, the M60 is protected by the equivalent of 480mm of RHA armour (through a combination of special armour steels, glass reinforced plastic and a thin layer of a secret compound), but most subsequent now carry additional applique composite armour and a version of the Anglo-American-Canadian Chobham armour first pioneered on the Chieftain, with protection equivalent to at least 32"/812mm of RHA against HEAT and 25.5"/650mm against APFSDS.

Total M60 production between 1958 and 1972 was 45,697, with at least 29,000 of those still in some form of US service or reserve stocks.

The M48 Patton remains in support service with some Army Reserve divisions and as general attritional reserves; of the 32,789 built between 1949 and 1958, over 16,000 are currently in US Army stocks. The 56t M48 has an 875hp diesel engine, and over 8" of RHA on its turret, along with additional applique protection. It is armed with a 105mm gun, a a coaxial .50 cal M2 Browning heavy machine gun, a further heavy machine gun in the commander’s cupola and a pintle mounted M219 machine gun. It could reach a top speed of 36mph over an operating range of almost 300 miles, performing reliably in temperate off-road terrain.

The M96 Custer is a light tank for reconnaissance and rapid deployment. It is based on the historical T92, but weighs 24t, is armed with a high velocity 90mm gun, has a powerful lightweight engine of 650hp to a top speed of 56mph and is protected by composite armour equivalent to 5" of RHA. The Custers are attached to divisional armoured cavalry squadrons and to each tank battalion. A total of 9765 were built over 1960-71, and many of those remain in regular or reserve forces, although almost 800 were lost to various causes in Vietnam in American and South Vietnamese service.

The M124 Buford is a new 25t light tank armed with a 90mm supervelocity automatic gun, powered by a new 875hp lightweight engine and sporting new armour equivalent to 9.4” of RHA. It is designed to be employed by armoured cavalry and tank units alike, along with airborne forces.

The M64 Lejeune was a specialised amphibious variant of the M60 produced for the USMC between 1965 and 1972, and primarily used in operations in the Mekong Delta of South Vietnam. After the cessation of that conflict, the direct operational need for the Lejeune in turn came to an end, and it is planned that most of the surviving vehicles will be turned over to the South Vietnamese and Cambodians.

The M120 Pershing heavy tank is a successor to the now venerable M102 of 1950s vintage, designed through the 1960s and undergoing several different iterations before production. Equipped with a new 140mm gun, its production has not been without controversy, with some labelling the 84t vehicle as an anachronism. Protection is described as more substantial than the M70, and the top speed of 32mph, whilst slower than conventional MBTs, is markedly higher than the M102. With the Soviets producing the T-68 in the mid 1960s and various Chinese developments observed through national technical means, a new US Army heavy tank was a not entirely unexpected development.

The M236 Scott superheavy tank, on the other hand, has confounded professional military journalists and even a large number of serving officers alike. There does not appear to be any known threats on Earth to justify the hulking 145t behemoth, and whilst it shares a similar weight as the British Dreadnoughts of the World Wars, it has a quite markedly modern appearance and is described as being armed with a new 6" gun with novel characteristics.

B.) Assault Guns and Tank Destroyers
The M76 Grant is a new heavy assault gun based on the hull and engine of the M70 Marshall, armed with a 155mm fixed gun and designed for defensive work in Germany and particularly Austria-Hungary, where a heavily armed and armoured vehicle is seen as being of utility in controlling the key Carpathian passes. It is only forecast as having limited production for US service, with the majority set to be sold to Austria-Hungary, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria.

The M154 Stuart tank destroyer carries a 6" gun in a rear mounted turret and is specifically designed for flank and overwatch missions in armored divisions and as a reconnaissance by fire platform in armored cavalry regiments. It is highly mobile and fast, with a top speed of over 50mph, and is protected by a moderate amount of armour. The 6" gun is capable of firing HEAT and APFSDS shells and a new laser guided gun-launched anti-tank guided missile.

Production and Future
US tank production takes place at the Lima Army Tank Plant, the Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant, Springfield Army Tank Plant, Rome Army Tank Plant and Waco Army Tank Plant, with other plants in Alexandria, LA, Birmingham, AL, Pittsburgh, PA, Fresno, CA and Columbia, MS being mothballed.

A successor tank to the M70 began development in June 1972, but is at an early stage and unlikely to be seen before 1979/80. It is hoped that the vehicle will be slightly lighter and faster without sacrificing any firepower or protection.

US Tank Production 1960-1975
(2568 M60 Pattons built in 1958 and 1959)
1960: 4022 (642 M96 Custer, 2984 M60 Patton)
1961: 4585 (779 M96 Custer, 3806 M60 Patton)
1962: 4821 (914 M96 Custer, 3907 M60 Patton)
1963: 5468 (963 M96 Custer, 4505 M60 Patton)
1964: 5556 (980 M96 Custer, 4676 M60 Patton)
1965: 6036 (1028 M96 Custer, 4832 M60 Patton, 176 M64 Lejeune)
1966: 6282 (1090 M96 Custer, 4952 M60 Patton, 240 M64 Lejeune)
1967: 6124 (1057 M96 Custer, 4680 M60 Patton, 387 M64 Lejeune)
1968: 5594 (813 M96 Custer, 3788 M60 Patton, 250 M70 Marshals, 743 M64 Lejeune)
1969: 5489 (594 M96 Custer, 2639 M60 Patton, 1610 M70 Marshall, 756 M64 Lejeune)
1970: 5230 (480 M96 Custer, 1260 M60 Patton, 2975 M70 Marshall, 515 M64 Lejeune)
1971: 5325 (425 M96 Custer, 620 M60 Patton, 3960 M70 Marshall, 320 M64 Lejeune)
1972: 5629 (329 M124 Buford, 480 M60 Patton, 4520 M70 Marshall, 300 M64 Lejeune)
1973: 6237 (437 M124 Buford, 5580 M70 Marshall, 200 M120 Pershing, 20 M236 Scott)
1974: 6452(432 M124 Buford, 5680 M70 Marshall, 300 M120 Pershing, 40 M236 Scott)
1975: 7290 (520 M124 Buford, 5300 M70 Marshall, 1100 M76 Grant, 360 M120 Pershing, 40 M236 Scott)

C.) Infantry Fighting Vehicles
The main modern IFV in US Army service is the Bradley family of vehicles, consisting of the M2 Infantry Fighting Vehicle, the M3 Cavalry Fighting Vehicle, the M4 Battlefield Command Vehicle, the M5 Anti Tank Missile Vehicle, the M6 Battlefield Air Defense, the M7 Combat Engineer Fighting Vehicle, the M8 Close Fire Support Vehicle, the M9 Artillery Observation Team Vehicle and the M10 Armoured Multi-Purpose Carrier variants.

The M2 is a 32 ton vehicle protected by advanced armour capable of carrying up to 12 infantrymen at a top speed of 55mph and is armed with 40mm automatic cannon, TOW missiles and a heavy machine gun, beginning production in 1972. The M8 CFSV assault gun version armed with a 105mm gun is intended to augment the Army’s tank and tank destroyer arms to some extent, and has been held up by some proponents as a potential modern 'medium tank', even as the term is long, long obsolete.

US IFV Production 1972-1975
1972: 4256
1973: 5893
1974: 6532
1975: 6887

D.) Armoured Personnel Carriers
The US Army mainly employs the M113 and M114 tracked armoured personnel carriers, with over 145,000 and 42,000 of each respective type produced since 1957. It serves in a host of roles, such that it has never attracted any formal or even informal nickname beyond the 'track' in American service; one overzealous officer who attempted to cultivate a nickname based on a Second World War general for his own reasons was captured by an insane tribe of gnomes somewhere in the jungles of Cambodia and made their prisoner king.

The M250 wheeled armoured personnel carrier is an 8 x 8 armoured wheeled APC (similar in appearance to the Cadillac Gage V-300) built to outmatch the BTR-60. It entered service in 1962 and has proved quite successful in a variety of theatres, although the question of wheels vs tracks remains quite a bitter and unresolved one. There is a school of thought that one of the Army's cavalry divisions should be experimentally converted to an all wheeled force, but this proposal is yet to receive any substantive support from the War Department. A total of 46,726 have been built for US forces and foreign export over the last 14 years, with the M-250 having been sold to Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Los Altos, Honduras, Costa Rica, Yucatan, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, the Philippines, Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, South Vietnam, South Laos, Cambodia, Persia, Turkey and Italy.

US APC Production 1957-1975
1957: 4244 M113
1958: 7593 M113
1959: 8445 M113, 1215 M114
1960: 9258 M113, 2927 M114
1961: 11,657 M113, 5243 M114
1962: 11,564 M113, 5962 M114, 1860 M250
1963: 10,927 M113, 4839 M114, 3245 M250
1964: 9563 M113, 4257 M114, 3698 M250
1965: 9412 M113, 4351 M114, 4511 M250
1966: 8457 M113, 3248 M114, 4788 M250
1967: 7288 M113, 3223 M114, 4024 M250
1968: 7346 M113, 2870 M114, 3938 M250
1969: 7189 M113, 2754 M114, 3837 M250
1970: 6782 M113, 1562 M114, 3562 M250
1971: 6514 M113, 3267 M250
1972: 5982 M113, 2984 M250
1973: 5476 M114, 2538 M250
1974: 4534 M113, 2491 M250
1975: 3295 M113, 1983 M250

E.) Self Propelled Artillery

The US has a number of self propelled artillery pieces. The oldest is the 105mm M108, which remains in service with a number of USARNG and Army Reserve divisions. The M108 has an ordinary range of 15 miles and fires a 36lb shell at a rate of fire of 6-8 rounds per minute. It has been largely replaced as a field artillery piece and direct support weapons in active service divisions by the 125mm M125, which has been in production since 1966, and has a markedly improved range of 25 miles and a heavier 50lb shell at a slightly greater maximum rate of fire of 8-10 rpm.

The 155mm M109 serves as the mainstay of the US Army's self propelled artillery in its heavy divisions. It fires a 100lb shell at a rate of 5-6rpm to a range of 40 miles. The 175mm M107, 203mm M110 and 240mm M123 serve as divisional, corps and army support, as well as in the Artillery Divisions. The M107 fires a 150lb shell at 2-3rpm out to a range of 65 miles, the M110 fires a 240lb shell at 2rpm to a range of 56.25 miles, and M123 a 360lb shell to a range of 55 miles.

American self propelled guns are, naturally enough, the widest exported in the Free World, serving in over 30 foreign armies.

US Self Propelled Artillery Production 1956-1975
1956: 189 M108
1957: 225 M108, 125 M109, 56 M110
1958: 354 M108, 675 M109, 179 M110, 96 M107, 54 M123
1959: 469 M108, 956 M109, 287 M110, 107 M107, 64 M123
1960: 582 M108, 875 M109, 392 M110, 128 M107, 80 M123
1961: 453 M108, 739 M109, 240 M110, 96 M107, 104 M123
1962: 426 M108, 684 M109, 245 M110, 96 M107, 96 M123
1963: 410 M108, 662 M109, 236 M110, 80 M107, 90 M123
1964: 378 M108, 632 M109, 224 M110, 72 M107, 82 M123
1965: 376 M108, 625 M109, 216 M110, 72 M107, 72 M123
1966: 364 M108, 589 M109, 214 M110, 72 M107, 48 M123
1967: 329 M108, 584 M109, 198 M110, 64 M107, 48 M123
1968: 324 M108, 527 M109, 187 M110, 48 M107, 32 M123
1969: 429 M109, 152 M110, 48 M107, 32 M123
1970: 387 M109, 138 M110, 48 M107, 32 M123
1971: 392 M109, 132 M110, 48 M107, 32 M123
1972: 384 M109, 135 M110, 48 M107, 24 M123
1973: 378 M109, 129 M110, 48 M107, 24 M123
1974: 423 M109, 156 M110, 64 M107, 32 M123
1975: 440 M109, 168 M110, 64 M107, 32 M123

F.) Anti Aircraft Guns
The US Army’s anti-aircraft guns, at least insofar as the Regular Army is concerned, are virtually all self propelled as of the mid 1970s.

The lightest and most common system is the M163, which carries four 25mm Vulcan autocannon with a combined rate of fire of 16,000rpm to a range of 5000 yards. It is augmented by the M249 Vigilante, which is equipped with twin 37mm Gatling rotary autocannons with a combined rate of fire of 6000rpm out to 10,000 yards. The heavier M284 Skysweeper has an automatic 90mm gun mounted on the hull of an M60 tank with a rate of fire of 60rpm out to an effective range of 8 miles against aircraft and missile targets.

The M42 Duster (twin 40mm) and M52 Stinger (quad 25mm) remain in service with the USARNG and Army Reserve, being the fruit of the massive Korean War armament, and having both accounted for themselves ably in Vietnam.

US SPAAG Production 1957-1975
1957: 144 M249
1958: 160 M249
1959: 192 M249, 48 M284
1960: 192 M249, 48 M284
1961: 240 M163, 160 M249, 48 M284
1962: 240 M163, 160 M249, 48 M284
1963: 240 M163, 160 M249, 48 M284
1964: 240 M163, 160 M249, 48 M284
1965: 288 M163, 144 M249, 48 M284
1966: 288 M163, 144 M249, 48 M284
1967: 288 M163, 96 M249, 36 M284
1968: 288 M163, 96 M249, 36 M284
1969: 320 M163, 84 M249, 36 M284
1970: 320 M163, 84 M249, 36 M284
1971: 240 M163, 72 M249, 24 M284
1972: 240 M163, 72 M249, 24 M284
1973: 240 M163, 72 M249, 24 M284
1974: 216 M163, 72 M249, 24 M284
1975: 216 M163, 72 M249, 24 M284

G.) Surface to Air Missiles
The major part of American air defence is provided by missiles, with the various guns providing relatively short range protection. The MIM-46 Mauler has 16 missiles on an M546 armoured vehicle platform M113 based and has an operational range of 10 miles. The MIM-72 Reaper complements the Mauler for short range battlefield air defence, deploying 8 Sparrow missiles with a range of 25 miles. Medium range threats out to 50 miles and an altitude of 70,000ft are covered by the improved MIM-23 Hawk, with carries four missiles on the M726 armoured vehicle. The mainstay of U.S. Army mobile air defence remains the Nike Hercules, which serves in the mobile long range air defence role with the majority of CONUS based divisions, carried on special launchers adapted from the M520 Goer, and having a range of 100 miles and 100,000ft.

The MIM-20 Plato Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence System is fielded at divisional, corps and field army level, is armed with a 1kt nuclear warhead, has a maximum altitude of 120,000ft, a range of 150 miles and a top speed of Mach 6. It is being replaced, along with the Nike Hercules, by the new MIM-104 Field Army Ballistic Missile Defence System, or the 'Patriot'. The MIM-104, currently in production and in service in German, Japanese and British based forward units with both conventional and nuclear armed variants, has a maximum altitude of 160,000ft, a top speed of Mach 7.5 and a range of 250 miles against aircraft and 125 miles against ballistic missile targets.

Current plans call for the Patriot to fill the long range role, a new medium range weapon to replace the Hawk by the late 1970s, and new point defence and short range missiles to replace the Mauler and Reaper in the 1980s.


H.) Anti Tank Missiles
The U.S. anti-tank missile arsenal is based around the heavy BGM-85 TOW, the medium FGM-77 Dragon and the light FGR-17 Viper. The BGM-85 has a 6" diameter warhead and began production in 1970, having a range of 4250 yards with a maximum penetration of 25" of RHA with a 10lb warhead; it is in service on a number of vehicles and aircraft as well as with infantry battalion weapons companies. The shoulder fired, man-portable and wire-guided FGM-77 has a 5" diameter warhead, a range of 1600 yards and maximum armour penetration of the equivalent of 15" of RHA with a 4lb warhead. The FGM-17, intended as a replacement for the M72 LAW and now in full production after considerable initial teething problems, has a range of 500 yards and a 3" warhead capable of penetrating 12" of RHA equivalent.

Consideration is being given to potential acquisition of the British Hawker-Siddeley Javelin general purpose missile to serve as a superheavy anti-tank guided missile


A US armored division as of 1975 has 432 M-70 Marshall MBTs in 6 armoured battalions, 256 M2 Bradley AIFVs, 64 M901 Anti Tank Missile Carriers ( 4 x Hellfire) and 64 Bradley Combat Fire Support Vehicles in 4 mechanised infantry battalions; 72 x 125mm M123, 72 x 155mm M109 and 24 x 203mm M110 artillery pieces; 40 M164C (2 x twin 25mm Vulcan + 16 Mauler) and 24 M249B Vigilante (twin 37mm Gatling + 8 Skystreak) in the divisional anti-aircraft battalion; 72 M96 Custer Light Battle Tanks and 80 M154 125mm Stuart tank destroyers; and 72 attack helicopters.

Britain

A.) Tanks
The British Army's main tank is the Crusader, which has been in production since 1969. It weighs 69 tons and carries composite armour equivalent to over 42” against HEAT and 36” against APFSDS, in addition to further protective runes, enchantments and highly secretive active protection systems. The Crusader is equipped with the L24 125mm L/56 gun, a coaxial 25mm Maxim Gun and 0.303” machine gun, a 0.625” heavy machine gun in the commander’s cupola and a further 0.303” machine gun on a pintle mount. It has a top speed of 42mph thanks to its Rolls Royce V12 1675hp engine, a highly developed electronic warfare suite, and the world’s most effective boiling vessel. 12,477 have been produced, equipping the tank regiments of the Regular Army and Territorial Army along with some Commonwealth units.

The Crusader is supported by the Chieftain in reserve with elements of the Army Reserve and some independent TA tank regiments. The first 64t production Chieftains were delivered in 1958 and it was armed with the Royal Ordnance L24 125mm/50 main gun, a 25mm coaxial Maxim Gun, two L7 Vickers medium machine guns and a 0.5” heavy machine gun. A Leyland 975hp diesel engine powered it to a top speed of 35mph over an operational range of 320 miles, with excellent performance in rugged cross country conditions. However, it was its armour that made the Chieftain stand most clearly apart from earlier tanks. It was protected by a layered system composite of titanium, carborundum and fibreglass sandwiched between superhardened Damascus steel armour, giving it the equivalent of over 30” of ordinary steel armour. It has been exported widely, with Commonwealth nations building their own limited runs of tanks, and a total of 29,384 have been built in Britain between 1958 and 1975



the Royalist light tank in armoured reconnaissance,

the Super Conqueror heavy tank in Germany,

and the Valiant MBT in Asia and Africa.

The Super Centurion, so named for its use of the L24 125mm gun, remains in war attrition reserve; Centurion in deep reserve.

B.) Assault Guns and Tank Destroyers

1960-1975 British Tank Production
1960: 321 Royalist, 250 Super Centurion, 2549 Chieftains, 183 Conqueror
1961: 369 Royalist, 150 Super Centurion, 2437 Chieftains, 170 Conqueror
1962: 424 Royalist, 2253 Chieftain, 286 Conqueror
1963: 481 Royalist, 2163 Chieftain, 243 Conqueror
1964: 572 Royalist, 2084 Chieftain, 191 Conqueror
1965: 426 Royalist, 2132 Chieftain, 211 Conqueror
1966: 384 Royalist, 2210 Chieftain, 467 Super Conqueror
1967: 365 Royalist, 2385 Chieftain, 362 Super Conqueror, 100 Valiant
1968: 313 Royalist, 2408 Chieftain, 256 Super Conqueror, 518 Valiant
1969: 290 Royalist, 548 Crusader, 1745 Chieftain, 440 Valiant, 234 Super Conqueror
1970: 248 Royalist, 1962 Crusader, 1121 Chieftain, 325 Valiant, 186 Super Conqueror
1971: 177 Royalist, 2384 Crusader, 739 Chieftain, 260 Valiant, 120 Super Conqueror
1972: 125 Royalist, 2569 Crusader, 450 Chieftain, 254 Valiant, 96 Super Conqueror
1973: 140 Royalist, 2560 Crusader, 500 Chieftain, 375 Valiant, 125 Super Conqueror
1974: 250 Royalist, 2436 Crusader, 960 Chieftain, 500 Valiant, 120 Super Conqueror
1975: 250 Royalist, 2587 Crusader, 960 Chieftain, 500 Valiant, 150 Super Conqueror

C.) Infantry Fighting Vehicles
The main British IFV is based around the FV525 Warrior family of vehicles. It is a 32 ton vehicle armed with a 50mm autocannon, a coaxial .303" machine gun, a quad Swingfire ATGM launcher and a commander's .625" heavy machine gun, and can reach a top speed of 42mph from its 700hp engine. The base variant carries a section of 12 infantrymen in addition to the three crewmen, and it has been produced in Armoured Command Vehicle, Mechanised Combat Recovery Vehicle, Forward Artillery Observation Vehicle, Mechanised Repair Vehicle, Anti-Tank Missile Vehicle, Anti-Aircraft Combat Vehicle variants.

It is planned that new automatic mortar, anti-tank gun and 25pdr armoured fire support variants will be produced from 1976, with the last augmenting the Anglo-Swedish assault guns in infantry units

IFV Production
1968: 1964
1969: 2016
1970: 2450
1971: 2890
1972: 2750
1973: 2974
1974: 3029
1975: 3054

D.) Armoured Personnel Carriers
The mainstay of the British Army's armoured personnel carrier is the 25t FV432 family, which has been produced since 1958 in over a dozen variants and still serves as the backbone of many different combat support corps. They are supported by the smaller 12t FV625 Squire Lightweight High Mobility Tactical Vehicle family and the FV100 series CVR (T) family of 16t tracked armoured vehicles.

The FV650 series of wheeled armoured vehicles were introduced in the mid 1960s, and consist of the FV651 Coronet command vehicle, the FV652 Centaur armoured personnel carrier, the FV652 cargo carriers, the FV653 MBCR reconnaissance vehicle, the FV654 Canon armoured fire support vehicle, the FV655 armoured missile carrier, the FV656 armoured reconnaissance vehicle, the FV657 combat ambulance, the FV658 armoured command and signals vehicle and the FV659 mobile field kitchen. They equip the 'medium infantry' battalions of the Regular Army and TA.

The Saracen Armoured Mobile Carrier provides armoured transport and battlefield protection for non-combat support units that still operate in the Rear Combat Zone and Communications Zone of the British Army of the Rhine and other overseas forces, as well as equipping a number of units assigned to Home Forces. (It is broadly equivalent to a combination of the @ GKN Saxon and the South African Ratel)

The Sentinel LAV was designed to replace the FV600 series of light armoured cars and entered service in the mid 1960s. It is a powerful 6x6 light armoured vehicle designed to outmatch the Soviet BRDM.

APC Production
1960: 3380 FV432 Saxon
1961: 3125 FV432 Saxon
1962: 3462 FV432 Saxon
1963: 3967 FV432 Saxon
1964: 4295 FV432 Saxon
1965: 4382 FV432 Saxon
1966: 3616 FV432 Saxon; 1640 FV652 Centaur IMV, 950 Saracen AMC, 750 Sentinel LAV, 720 MAV
1967: 3564 FV432 Saxon; 1768 FV652 Centaur IMV, 1425 Saracen AMC, 1057 Sentinel LAV, 824 MAV
1968: 1120 FV432 Saxon; 1885 FV652 Centaur IMV, 1275 Saracen AMC, 936 Sentinel LAV, 876 MAV
1969: 948 FV-432 Saxon; 1896 FV652 Centaur IMV, 1025 Saracen AMC, 950 Sentinel LAV, 754 MAV
1970: 1082 FV-432 Saxon; 1756 FV652 Centaur IMV, 1243 Saracen AMC, 1026 Sentinel LAV, 827 MAV
1971: 960 FV-432 Saxon; 1642 FV652 Centaur IMV, 1152 Saracen AMC, 946 Sentinel LAV, 954 MAV
1972: 750 FV-432 Saxon; 1548 FV652 Centaur IMV, 1174 Saracen AMC, 883 Sentinel LAV, 917 MAV
1973: 785 FV-432 Saxon; 1652 FV652 Centaur IMV, 1574 Saracen AMC, 1067 Sentinel LAV, 1028 MAV
1974: 1250 FV432 Saxon; 1892 FV652 Centaur IMV, 1628 Saracen AMC, 1276 Sentinel LAV, 1056 MAV
1975: 1460 FV432; 2034 FV652 Centaur IMV, 1783 Saracen AMC, 1129 Sentinel LAV, 640 MAV


E.) Self Propelled Artillery


FV433
The FV-433 Abbot, converted to carry the 125mm Gun in the early 1960s, is the one of the most common self propelled artillery pieces in British service. It is fielded at brigade level in each heavy division and brigade group, along with 8 regiments rotated on Imperial deployments and further independent regiments assigned to Home Forces; the last are scheduled to increase over the latter half of the 1970s. The early 1960s shift in doctrine lead to a shift in role, from divisional general support to tactical direct artillery fire support; whilst it can provide direct support against enemy vehicles, it is only moderately protected and not suited to frontline engagement. With the equivalent of a battery per battlegroup, this deployment provides for fire support down to the lowest tactical level.

The Abbot’s 125mm gun is capable of elevation up to 75 degrees and 360 degree traverse and has a range of 25 miles, like its towed counterpart Light Gun. Perhaps the most notable attribute of the Abbot is the markedly high rate of fire, capable of between 12 and 16 rounds per minute in burst mode, with some experimental versions being capable of 20 rounds a minute. It is one of the faster tracked vehicles in British service, reaching a maximum road speed of 39mph. Regular Army holdings of the Abbot total over 2500, reflecting the high esteem in which it is held. Whilst the 125mm shell does not have weight and lethality of the 6”, its numbers and rate of fire provide for the excellence in suppressive fire, creeping and rolling barrages and defensive box fire. It proved very useful in firebase operations in the Vietnam War

FV654 Canon
A wheeled self-propelled artillery vehicle carrying a 125mm Light Gun, it serves in support of medium infantry units, certain armoured cavalry reconnaissance units and regiments of the Reconnaissance Corps. Its performance is broadly analogous to the Abbot, although as of 1975, the average rate of fire tends to be on the lower end of the scale due to internal issues. The Canon makes up for this with unmatched road mobility and a lighter weight.

FV236 Archbishop
The FV236, known as the Archbishop in line with the old wartime ecclesiastical nicknames given to mobile artillery, and more formally as the SP-70, is usually called simply the 6”. It has delivered in service all that it promised in the early 1960s and more, now being fielded as the main general support weapon of British heavy divisions in addition to the broad provision of heavy bombardment and destructive fire. In addition to divisional several others are in reserve in Britain. It does not have quite the brute speed of the Swedish Bandkanon, but can maintain a top rate of 8 rounds per minute with its 100lb shells out to almost 50 miles thanks to improved propellants, rocket assisted shells and new shell designs

M107 Priest
The American M107 175mm self propelled gun was acquired in 1965 to equip BAOR regiments attached to Corps AGRA. The original purpose of their acquisition was to augment shorter range 6” and 8” howitzer with long range artillery that provide almost double their range, but this particular issue was partly ameliorated by the increased capability of the FV236. With a maximum range of 65 miles with new enhanced rocket propelled shells and improved propellant, the L/70 M107 is a powerful long range weapon, and, courtesy of improvements carried out in conjunction with the United States, is a deadly accurate at maximal distances. The delayed second tranche of purchases for Middle East and Far East based forces was exercised in 1970, and this was followed by the third tranche of 200 guns in 1973 and a planned fourth one of 240 guns in 1975 and 1976. The M107 has attracted a traditional British ecclesiastical nickname, similar to certain other equipments in the Army's artillery park.

FV254 Lionheart
The FV254 8”/60 self propelled gun-howitzer is extremely highly rated by the Royal Artillery for its accuracy and the destructive effect of its 240lb shell, which is regarded as the best balanced weapon for use against fortified enemy positions. Recent developments in Advanced Conventional Munitions, canister shot, artillery deployed anti-tank mines and Special Anti-Tank Munitions make it even more formidable. It also fields a number of chemical, biological, incendiary, special purpose and nuclear rounds. The main armament is carried in a fully armoured and MRBC secure turret capable of 360 degree traverse and elevation from -5 to 75 degrees. Maximum firing range is 59 miles with supercharged propellant and rocket assisted shells, thanks to Project Lionheart, which upgraded a number of different systems as well as ammunition and lengthened barrels.

It is based on the chassis of the Conqueror heavy tank with a more powerful Chieftain engine and is capable of limited amphibious operations. As with the FV-236, it is equipped with arcane enhanced sights and targeting systems controlled by an onboard Marconi computing engine. 864 guns are deployed by 36 regular Heavy Regiments and total Regular Army stocks are over 1240, not counting additional wartime attritional reserves or those weapons assigned to the TA and Army Reserve.

FV287 Excalibur
The heaviest self propelled gun in large scale Royal Artillery service is the FV287, which carries a Mk XXIV 240mm gun-howitzer of 60 calibres. It is fielded by sixteen superheavy regiments, primarily attached to Corps AGRA and the Royal Artillery Division. Their dual main roles are long range nuclear and conventional firepower, with their 360lb shells considered to be the most effective weapon against dug-in enemy positions and infrastructure in British field army service. The FV287 has a range of 60 miles, thanks to Project Excalibur, which also saw engine improvements and an autoloader.

Given the comparatively small numbers of superheavy equipments, a decision was made during Korean War rearmament to generally standardise Western superheavy artillery on a 240mm calibre. This is reflected in the FV287, which saw the strange polite fiction of the 1950s 9.2” Mk XXIII Special adjusted to reflect real practice and avoid misinterpretation; this was thought to be the result of a War Office misprint and subsequent public ministerial announcement of a new and superior British design. Some confusion over the differing calibres did occur during the Six Day Middle Eastern War of 1956, leading to delivery of the wrong ammunition, but the subsequent cooling of Anglo-American relations put off any nomenclature alteration for the next several years.

The FV287 has a fully protected turret capable of 360 traverse and elevation to 75 degrees and carries 24 shells onboard, but these capabilities, in addition to a sufficient battle speed of 35mph come at a considerable cost in weight, coming in at 64 tons, not counting its accompanying support vehicle. In any event, the perceived value of the FV287 is such that further investment is seen as worthwhile; it’s battlefield performance in South Vietnam was met with universally positive reviews, particularly of its ability to destroy underground enemy bunker systems and clear out jungle landing zones with airburst rounds.

British Self Propelled Artillery Production 1958-1975


F.) Self Propelled Anti-Aircraft Guns
SPAAGs are the Sharpshooter, Marksman and the Whirlwind,


24 x twin 42mm Marksman: 2/Battalion
72 x quad 25mm Sharpshooter: 6/Battalion

G.) Surface to Air Missiles

Sabre, the PT.428 Rapier and the Super Thunderbird and Broadsword.

Firstly, the English Electric Thunderbird has been replaced by the Thunderbird 2, which provides for an incremental improvement in performance and is fielded on a mobile tracked vehicle or on a 8x8 lorry. It has a range of 50 miles, a speed of Mach 3.8 and a maximum altitude of 75,000ft. Each division has an organic force of 24 launcher vehicles, which each have 2 ready to fire missiles.

Secondly, the PT.428 Rapier is deployed with the divisional ADR fielding 32 octuple launchers. Range is 25,000 yards, speed is Mach 3.75 and maximum altitude is 40,000ft. It is augmented in short range air defence is provided by the Armstrong-Whitworth EG.324 Sabre, which engages targets between 800 and 8000 yards and to a height of 20,000ft at a speed of Mach 4.5; 64 quad launchers are fielded. The latter has a role/mission closer to the @ Rapier.

There is an aim to replace the latter two missiles with a single type and a more advanced project to replace both Thunderbird and Bloodhound with a common missile for mobile and fixed air defence.


H.) Anti Tank Missiles

The first generation Vickers Vigilant is now found only in the TA and will be replaced by 1975.

The earlier weapons, the Vickers Vigilant and the Bristol Silver Shield, were being replaced by the formidable Fairey Swingfire, a wire guided missile with a range of 2.5 miles that theoretically outranged most known Soviet and Chinese tank guns. It was to be joined by a lighter, man-portable weapon, but work on the Saunders-Roe Green Apple had only recently begun. Significantly, the FV438 vehicle would give the Swingfire excellent mobility on a heavily armoured battlefield and some measure of protection. whilst its companion FV440 Strongbow. The Hawker-Siddeley Maelstrom was the heaviest anti-tank missile in the world and certainly capable of destroying any prospective enemy tanks at long range, but it was having quite a few teething problems regarding its launch speed and terminal guidance.

The Fairey Swingfire medium ATGM is deployed at battalion level with infantry Guided Weapons Platoons and in the FV 438 (4 in every armoured regiment and mechanised battalion). It has a faster initial firing speed due to advanced wire guidance experience. It is considered to be a close second to the US TOW.

Shorts Green Apple
There is a gap for a shorter range/light fire and forget missile like the M47 Dragon, the German Draufgänger or the French MILAN.


The Hawker-Siddeley Javelin general purpose missile is deployed with teams of 4 quad launchers at brigade level and, with its considerably long range, doesn’t have a precise equivalent either Eastern nor Western.The Hawker Siddeley Maelstrom, carried by the FV-440 Strongbow, is also deployed at brigade level with four vehicles, each with 2 missiles. It has a 10” diameter warhead and can inflict the degree of damage that Malkara could a decade earlier on conventional tank armour. It is, however, something of a developmental dead end. Maelstrom is nicknamed ‘The Kitchen Sink’.

I.) Tactical Missiles

Hawker-Siddeley Lance
At divisional level, a guided weapons regiment of 24 Robin Hood ballistic missiles is deployed, but this weapon is now considered to be obsolescent. It is to be replaced by a licenced version of the American MGM-52 Lance missile, with either a nuclear (1-25kt variable yield), chemical, thermobaric or conventional 500lb warhead. The range of 75 miles is considered adequate for now, but the improved variant now under development is seen as very attractive.

English Electric Blue Water
The English Electric Blue Water has proved extremely popular and effective in service as a corps general support missile. General plans are to increase the strength of GW regiments, provide them with more reloads and increase its range from 160 miles up to 250. It comes with a variable nuclear warhead of 50-250kt, conventional 1000lb, chemical or biological warhead. It has been purchased by a number of allied nations. Current deployment is one regiment of 40 per corps, with this to rise by 1970. There is some consideration of a purely conventional version for avoidance of unnecessary escalation.

de Havilland Black Rock
At Army level, the de Havilland Black Rock has a range of 625 miles and a 1 Mt/2500lb/chemical warhead. It provides general support, theatre strike and long range counterstrike capacity. One specific purpose is the countering of Soviet weapons in Eastern Europe that threaten to upset the strategic balance in Europe. It is also in the process of being deployed in the Far East and Australia as part of the deterrence of Indonesia. India has an order for 200 conventional missiles. Current deployment is 100 with BAOR, 56 with UKLF and 36 in the Far East/Australia


USSR
The Soviets have the full host of tanks, IFVs, APCs, SPGs, SPAAGs and missiles and more.
Their latest tank is the T-76, which is complemented in the first line with the T-72 and T-68, in the second line with the T-64 and T-62 and the T-54/55 in the third line.
IFVs are the BMP and BMD, whilst the APCs are MT-LB, the BTR-D airborne and the PTS amphibious vehicle; wheeled vehicles are the BTR-60 and BTR-70, supported by the older BTR-152.
SP artillery is the 122mm, 152mm, 203mm and 240mm, whilst the SPAAGs are the ZSU-23-4 Shilka, the ZSU-37-2, the ZSU-57-2 and the ZSU-85.
Their mobile SAMs are the SA-4 Ganef medium range system, the SA-6 low to medium range system. the SA-8 Gecko SHORAD and SA-9 Gaskin VSHORAD.

France
The French have the AMX-50, AMX-32 and AMX-25 MBTs and AMX-20 light tank; the AMX-10 tracked IFV, the tracked AMX-VCI and wheeled VAB APCs; the self propelled 155mm, 194mm, 220mm, 240mm and 320mm artillery systems; the twin 57mm Etincelle, twin 37mm Bouclier SPAAG and quad 25mm Frelon; the Vega long range SAM, Faucon medium range SAM, the Roland SHORAD and the Crotale VSHORAD.


(China and Germany to follow in due course, along with a bit of expansion)