In July 1981, a report was submitted in close collaboration with the artillery system engineering working group (ASEWG) to develop a generation of concept self-propelled howitzers with anti-armor capabilities, along with all their various support systems. The M109A2, dubbed Class I, was used as a baseline from which these various concepts were drawn up and compared to. The main commonality between all concepts was that they used 155 mm howitzers.
Class II concepts were designed with the express purpose of defeating moving armored targets, surviving counterbattery threats, and providing fire on a timely basis. Concept IIA consisted of a casemate SPH. Concept IIB consisted of an all-new turreted SPH. And lastly, Concept IIC was a heavily modified M109 SPH using systems designed for the Class II concepts.
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| Detailed drawing of the reloading mechanism in action. |
This tank, the Concept IIB, is this second of the Class II designs. It should be thought of as functionally an American version of the French B-C 155 58, but with an autoreloader instead of a conventional autoloader. Its overall characters should be identical to the Concept A's in my opinion, and simply being pushed up a tier is to compensate for the advantage of a turret.
Guns: 155 mm Cannon IIB (autoreloader)
Engines: Cummins VTA-903-T660 (660 hp)
Turrets (Turret Armor (mm)): Concept IIB (32/32/32)
Suspensions/Alternate Hulls, Total Weight (metric tons): Concept IIB (31.75)
Hull Armor (mm): 32/32/32
Top Speed: 60 km/h
Crew: 4 (Driver; Gunner/Loader; Commander; Radio/Loader)
See Also: Concept A
Sources:
See Also: Concept A
Sources:
Harvey Garver & Harold Liberman, Special Publications ARLCD-SP-81003 (AD-A102819), 1981
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