Armored Fighting Vehicle

Armored Fighting Vehicle
Name	Armored Fighting Vehicle
Type	Combat vehicle
Origin	Various
Service	Various
Used by	Various
Wars	Various

Armored Fighting Vehicle An armored fighting vehicle is a combat platform designed to provide protected firepower, maneuver, and battlefield survivability. It integrates armor, weaponry, propulsion, and communications to perform roles from reconnaissance to direct assault in conflicts such as the Battle of Kursk, Yom Kippur War, and Gulf War. Development links to industrial centers like Detroit, Wolfsburg, and Saint-Petersburg and to procurement organizations such as the United States Army, British Army, and Russian Ground Forces.

Definition and Classification

Classification schemes derive from doctrine promulgated by institutions like the NATO Standardization Office, the United States Department of Defense, and the Soviet General Staff. Common classes include main battle tanks exemplified by the M1 Abrams, Leopard 2, and T-72; infantry fighting vehicles typified by the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, BMP-1, and Warrior tracked vehicle; armored personnel carriers such as the M113, Stryker, and BTR-80; and specialized types like tank destroyers represented by the Jagdtiger and tank destroyer concepts in the Battle of Kursk. Classification also references procurement programs like Future Combat Systems and alliances such as the European Union defense projects.

History and Development

Origins trace to experiments by innovators including Ferdinand von Zeppelin and trials like the Landship Committee efforts culminating in the Mark I (tank). Early use during the Battle of the Somme influenced doctrine adopted by the British Army and the French Army, while interwar developments involved firms like Renault and Browning (firearm) designers. World War II accelerated evolution with designs from Krupp, BMW, and General Motors; key battles influencing design included Operation Barbarossa and El Alamein. Cold War dynamics among the NATO and the Warsaw Pact produced families of vehicles such as the Centurion and T-54/T-55, with technology transfers via programs like Lend-Lease and industrial collaborations involving Fiat and Vickers.

Design and Components

Major components mirror engineering practices from firms and institutions like General Dynamics, BAE Systems, and the Military-Industrial Commission of various states. Hull and turret geometry derive from ballistic studies at facilities such as Aberdeen Proving Ground, Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment, and TsNIITochMash. Fire control systems employ subsystems developed by companies like Raytheon, Thales Group, and Rheinmetall. Crew ergonomics reference standards from the NATO STANAG series and testing at ranges like Fort Benning. Suspension designs reference patents and practices from Henschel and Christie.

Armament and Protection

Primary armament ranges from smoothbore guns used by the M1 Abrams to autocannons fitted to the BMP-2 and anti-tank guided missiles such as the TOW and Kornet. Secondary systems include machine guns by Colt and FN Herstal and grenade launchers from Hamilton and Heckler & Koch. Protection combines passive armor developments from Rheinmetall ceramic composites, reactive armor pioneered by Israel Military Industries, and active protection systems like those from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Raytheon. Signature management draws on research at Los Alamos National Laboratory and DSTL, while electronic countermeasures reference programs at DARPA and BAE Systems.

Mobility and Propulsion

Propulsion systems are supplied by manufacturers such as Cummins, MTU Friedrichshafen, and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited derivatives; transmissions from ZF Friedrichshafen and Allison Transmission" are common. Tracked mobility uses suspension types from Christie and Horstmann origins; wheeled vehicles evolved through designs by AM General and Otokar. Strategic mobility considerations intersect with logistics managed by organizations like the United States Transportation Command and airlift capabilities of the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy and Antonov An-124. Fuel and thermal management reference standards from Society of Automotive Engineers and testing at facilities like Edwards Air Force Base.

Tactics and Operational Use

Doctrine examples include publications from the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command, the British Army Doctrine Centre, and Soviet-era manuals from the Frunze Military Academy. Combined arms operations coordinate vehicles with assets such as the AH-64 Apache, M777 howitzer, and infantry units from formations like the 1st Infantry Division and 3rd Mechanized Brigade. Urban operations reference lessons from Battle of Grozny (1994–1995), Siege of Sarajevo, and Battle of Fallujah, while anti-armor tactics evolved during engagements like the Yom Kippur War and the First Chechen War. Logistics and maintenance draw on protocols from NATO Logistics Support and firms like Aramco for fuel supply chains.

Variants and Specialized Types

Specialized variants include engineering vehicles such as the AVRE and M60 AVLB, recovery vehicles like the M88 Hercules, command variants exemplified by the Centurion AVRE Command Post, reconnaissance vehicles including the FV107 Scimitar and BRDM-2, and air defense platforms such as the Pantsir-S1 and M1097 Avenger. Amphibious designs trace to programs like LVT series and manufacturers such as ST Engineering. Mine-resistant designs emerged from conflicts influencing the Buffalo (MRAP) and procurement initiatives by the Coalition forces during the Iraq War.

Category:Armored vehicles